It started with a Hate Letter

Ring

"Ino's kidding, right?" From behind, I heard Sai say to Hinata and Tenten. Neither of the two replied. I could not face them. My feet were hooked on the floor. I could not speak. Suddenly, there was a big lump in my throat.

While I pretended not to hear Sai, Sasuke made it evident that he heard Sai. He looked past me and straight into Sai's eyes. He did not know Sai but he figured out that he was a friend of mine since he was with Hinata and Tenten.

"Ino's not kidding," then he turned to Gaara "And the night you got injured, Ino was with me" As if we had grown closer in the last five minutes, Sasuke decided to use my name twice in short statements.

I regained my composure. Too bad, it was late.

"This is a misunderstanding"

"Which part?" Sasuke tapped his chin questioningly "The one which I said about you sleeping with me or the one which you just admitted on, well, sleeping with me?"

You could see the disbelief that emerged on the face of the students. They had one thing running in their mind; it was all due to Uchiha Sasuke that I abandoned a one-neck-injured Sabaku Gaara. One by one, the students began to weave the story. Slowly, the actual events of that night were unraveled.

"So Sakura was not the lucky girl that night"

"And that was why she said to Sakura that she was 'unexpectedly busy' that night"

"She was 'unexpectedly busy' with Sasuke-Kun. Damn, she's lucky"

"Who's she, anyway?"

"That's Ino"

There was a buzz around me now. Sasuke looked at Gaara, a triumphant smile curved on his lips. Without saying another word, he turned and walked away followed by his friends. Before Shino left, he looked at me "Sorry, I guess" he did not mean it, of course. If more, he sounded like he enjoyed giving color to what might have been just a blunt dismissal time.

"Ino," Hinata called me softly. Her voice was in stark contrast with the murmuring students. When I turned, Sai was no longer with Hinata and Tenten. He had left before anyone.

"Why didn't you tell us about it?" Tenten said, her voice quavering. Her hands were intact on her side. This was the angry Tenten. Tears welled at the corner of her eyes but they never fall, not in front of me. She turned her back.

I knew how she felt. Suppressing the truth is not exactly lying, but the effect is almost the same. I betrayed their trust and I ruin our friendship. She walked away followed by Hinata who was quite hesitant in leaving my side. Hinata looked back with sorrowful eyes but she knew it was best to stay away. I did not blame her.

Back in the hallway, Gaara was the only one left from the crowd. I turned to him with angry eyes. It was his fault! He was the one who provoked Sasuke. Gaara might have read my mind so he spoke before I could have.

"Isn't this what you always wanted?" Gaara asked, "You caught Sasuke's attention. Wish granted"

I stood there, stultified, and then my eyes narrowed in blinding realization.

"You planned this?"

"I didn't expect you to announce that you slept with Sasuke. That helped a lot though"

Suddenly, I was so angry I grabbed him by the collar. Gaara allowed me to shove him against the window. The last streak of orange sunlight drenched his skin. His red hair turned bloodier. The effect made him look tougher and it was ironic how he would allow himself to be pushed by a girl. He could have swiftly gotten away from my hold.