Tear drops in the Sand Chpt 1

Chapter one

Most teenagers on a Thursday afternoon spend their time socialising with friends at their local mall or favourite hang-out, some can even be found doing homework.
Not Mika Takahashi.

Mika was sat upon her bed flicking through her scrapbook of her foreign exchange program she, and her friends, participated in the year before. Slowing flicking through the pages she began to remember the stories and laughs they had; Neji and Naruto in a fountain in Suna Marketplace, Gaara’s ruined shoes, Temari and Shikamaru at Konoha’s Bonfire Ball, the ruined Carnival.

The last page in her scrapbook made her stop a moment.

It was a full page of her and Kankuro; him and her at the Konoha Bonfire Ball, them on the coach going back to Suna, the two of them in bed together. In the middle of the page was an envelope, which held a letter Kankuro had wrote to her one day that they had fallen out. Mika had never opened it, fearing what could be writing.
Tracing her finger down a picture of Kankuro, a faint smile traced her lips as she remembered a tender moment they had together, before her phone harshly vibrated on her wooden bedside table, breaking the moment.

“What you doing. Kx”

“Meant to be studying for that test we got tomorrow. Why what you doing? Xxx” She replied back closing the scrapbook with a loud crack, pulling her history textbook out of her back pack that lay next to her on the bed.

"Meant to be studying too lol It's not the same without you here Kx"

"Yeah well, that's not gonna happen for a while. I need my grades to pick up or wait until my mum gets sick of me being in the house, Which ever comes first lol xxx"
She needed to study, she was terrible at history and usually had Gaara or even Kankuro to help with her studying, but her parents had put a stop to that; just until her grades improved.

With text book in hand, Mika wandered down the stairs towards the kitchen where she knew her father would be. Sure enough her father was sat at the Kitchen table, ‘coolest Dad’ coffee mug in one hand and the ‘Daily Suna Mail’ newspaper in the other.

“Dad, you think you could help me study? I usually study with Kankuro but can’t do that now” She muttered placing the book down on the table with a thud. “I know exactly the type of studying you and that boy Kankuro do! You think us adults were born yesterday!” Diaki, her father, scoffed folding his paper neatly. “You’ve obviously never been round the Sabuko house have you? When I say we study, I mean we study. Do remember their father is the principle of the school, dad! And secondly, ewwww!” Mika retorted, opening the book letting it randomly fall onto a page.

“I’ll make a deal with you then, seen as your mother is away visiting your Aunt in Konoha, why don’t you go round to the Sabuko’s for an hour. But you have to be back in an hour ok?” Diaki smiled down at his daughter unfolding the newspaper to finish reading it. “Thanks dad you’re the best!” She squealed, hugging him tightly around the shoulders before rushing off out the door.

“How did you convince your dad to let you out?” Kankuro asked placing his books down at the huge table in the study. “I asked him to help me with studying” Mika laughed, grabbing one of the chairs, sitting down next to Kankuro.

“I also think it’s more my mum who’s-“

Mika was cut off mid sentence by Kankuro quickly kissing her. “Hey! What if your dad catches us?!” Mika quietly whispered, blushing a little at the spontaneous make out session. “He won’t be in for about half an hour” Kankuro winked suggestively as Gaara walked into the study. “Really?! Do you have to study in here, bro?” Kankuro demanded glaring at his brother.

“I suggest that, unless you want your legs broken, you refrain from shouting at me, bro!” Gaara growled back at his brother, making Mika flinch. “Come on, why don’t we all study together, am sure with the both of you, I can manage to remember something for this history test tomorrow” Mika nervously laughed trying to defuse the tension building between the pair. The brothers sat back down and ignored each other; Gaara doing maths homework and Kankuro helping Mika.

An air of silence fell on the threesome as Kankuro and Mika secretly held hands under the table, smiling at each other when they heard the front door open and slam shut. As quick as lightening the pair split apart, as far as they could while still looking at the same text book.

“I thought you were banned from coming round here?” Their father boomed from the doorway of the study. “My father said it was ok for Kankuro to help me study for the test tomorrow Mr. Sabuko” Mika coyly replied not looking up from the text book. “Is that true or do I have to ring him?” He smirked in an un-naturally playful manner. “It’s true; you can ring him if you want. I don’t think he wanted me bugging him to help me. History’s not my father’s strongest subject” She laughed looking up from the book.

Both Kankuro and Gaara looked at each other, confused to why their father was in a rather happy mood; excited almost. “Hey dad, you seem to be in a good mood, did the meeting go well?” Kankuro asked, earning himself an elbow in the ribs off Mika and a growl from Gaara. “Well Kankuro, seen as you have asked, yes the meeting did go well. The insurance has finally decided that it is going to pay out for last year’s bomb attack and I’ve had an interesting call from the principle at Konoha High”

At the mention of Konoha High even Mika got excited and forgot for a moment who she was talking to. “Konoha High! Do they want to do another student exchange?” She gleefully asked.

“Not really, it’s more of a Summer school/summer camp type thing, perfect for you Mika!” He laughed making Mika blush and the boys laugh; her grades weren’t normally low, but with everything that had happened the year previous she had let her grades slip, a little.

“I don’t know what you two are laughing at, you’ll be going too!” Their father smirked, making Mika laugh at the pair while they grunted their objections.


The walk home was met with silence and awkwardness. Since everything that had happened the year previous, Mika and Kankuro found it difficult to be together in public; not because they didn’t want to be together, but because of the stares and whispers.

“Why is it that, even though we pretty much saved the town from total destruction a year ago, we still seem to be hot gossip around this place” Kankuro loudly asked hoping that the group of girls next to the fountain would take the hint. “It’s because they’re obviously jealous of how fabulous we are together” Mika mocked grabbing hold of his hand proudly, smirking when she heard the girls whisper about them more.
“So you think this ‘summer camp’ is going to be a good idea?” Kankuro asked changing the subject a little as they neared Mika’s house. She was precisely on time, giving herself just enough time spare for a quick kiss goodbye on the door step. “Sounds fun, I guess, but come on, it means we get to be in Konoha again. It was fun last time” She paused remembering the Ball “Well most of it was fun!”

“How’s your leg doing? Temari was telling me that you’ve stopped going to your physiotherapy” Kankuro asked. Mika rubbed her leg instinctively where she had had a large piece of wood lodged from an explosion at the carnival. “I hear you’re not going to your counselling anymore either” Mika replied with a question.  “I’ll be fine, you know me” He laughed standing next to Mika on her front porch waiting eagerly for a goodbye kiss.
“That’s the point; I do know you, Kank. That’s what worries me” She muttered before kissing him tenderly on the cheek, noticing the look of disappointment on his face. “Cheer up, it’s my birthday next week and my parents won’t be here” She smiled at him as her front door opened. Kankuro pulled away quickly before Mika’s father caught them.

“Ah Mika right on time I see. I hope you’ve been studying hard the pair of you” He remarked making Mika roll her eyes. “Dad! Get in the house before you really embarrass me. I’ll see you at school tomorrow Kankuro” Mika smiled, waving at the boy as he walked off back towards his house. She hated having to say goodbye to him, and longed for the days back at Konoha where they stayed in the same house and could see each other whenever they wanted to.

Sulking back up to her room, Mika found herself thinking back to the fateful night at the carnival, thinking about one person in particular; Sasori. She couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for what happened to him, though deep down she knew he deserved it.

Laid on her bed, she grabbed her IPod and selected the playlist she had made dedicated to the exchange program and her time in Konoha, hoping that she could drift off to sleep.
Her phone vibrated in the wooden bedside table once again, alerting her that she had a text.

“I’ve got something planned for your birthday Kx” The text read. Mila rolled her eyes a little as she quickly replied back. “Oh yeah? And what would that be? Xxx”
“You’ll have to wait and see. Kx”