Chapter 12 - Practice

Zero, Naruto and Hinata reached Naruto’s house and saw that the others had already occupied his garage. Sasuke and Gaara tuned their guitars while Shikamaru talked to Ino next to Naruto’s drums. They all had changed out of their school uniforms but they did not look as if they had been waiting long.

"Took you guys long enough..." Shikamaru complained as he saw them walk up the driveway.

"Sorry" Zero shrugged "We kinda got held up a little."

"Zero kicked Tokens @$$!" Naruto blurted out.

"Naruto you were supposed to keep that quiet!" Zero snapped

"...Really...do tell..." Gaara said resting his bass on an amplifier.

"Yeah! Its about time that jerk got what was coming to him!" Ino exclaimed with a fist raised in the air.

"Now wait one dang second here. I wouldn’t call what happened a fight, I only hit him once." He held up his hands innocently.

"You should have done a lot more." Ino insisted

"It was awesome" Naruto began "The three of us were just heading out of the school and on our way here. Zero said something about asking Kira something about the party…" He put his hands behind his head "But we won’t get too far into that. Anyway, Token came up behind Zero and slammed him against the wall. It was so cool, he just looked him right in the eyes and BAM he drove his knee right in his gut. The dude dropped Zero and fell to his knees holding his ribs." Naruto attempted to imitate Tokens reaction when Zero hit him. Hinata giggled at the witless expression on her boyfriends face. "It was awesome, believe it."

"Wish I coulda been there..." Shikamaru smiled slightly.

"Well I’m not proud of what I did...but he makes me so damn mad." Zero hesitated a second. "Hey guys, I would really appreciate it if you didn’t tell Kira."

"Our lips are sealed." Ino winked while the others nodded in agreement.

"And that goes double for you big mouth." Zero glared at the blond with the goofy grin.

"What?" He smiled "You said not to tell Kira, you didn’t say anything about the band."

"Speaking of the band..." Sasuke said "Can we start practicing already?"

"Sure, lets get started..." Shikamaru then set up a microphone for Zero then handed him a small black notebook. "Look for any song you know, the guys can play all of these..."

Zero was surprised at all the songs they could play, and even more surprised that he knew almost all of the songs in the book. "I know this one pretty well." He said pointing to one of the songs on the second page.

"Alright..." Shikamaru took his book back while Zero took his place in front of the mic. "Three days grace, Pain ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnDZXDPolIY&feature=related ) ...you guys now the drill..." Naruto grinned as he and the other guys began to play. Lucky for Zero the very beginning of the song started out at a slow pace because his voice was a little shaken from nervousness. However, he soon finally grabbed his mic and sang like a pro. As soon as the song finished Ino and Hinata started clapping.

"That was great guys!"

"Y...yes I’m sure you will do very well Saturday."

"Saturday...Isn’t that Kira’s party?" Zero asked.

"Yeah, Naruto didn’t tell you?...Were the entertainment..." Shikamaru said. Sasuke chuckled thinking how Zero had no idea.

Zero swallowed hard. "H...How many people are going to be at this party?"

"Tons" Naruto said spinning his drumsticks. "That’s why we need to practice."

"...Your not getting cold feet are you?..."

Zero let out a fake laugh "Come on Gaara, I don’t get nervous."

"Yeah, sure." Naruto rolled his eyes "Like how you freaked out when Hinata tried to get a hold of Kira for you?"

"Naruto stop that!" Zero snapped

"I’m just messing." Naruto said backing up.

"Hey guys, you know I would like nothing more than see Naruto get his butt kicked but the girls gotta go shop." Ino said grabbing Hinata’s hand and leading her out of the garage.

"W...We will see you tomorrow." Hinata managed to get out before her arm was nearly yanked out of her socket by Ino.

"Bye Hinata!" Naruto called waving.

Shikamaru shrugged "Why do they go shopping for new things last minute?...The party is in two days..."

"Beats me." The blond replied to his lazy friend "But they always end up looking great."

"Cant argue with that..." Sasuke agreed

"So what, they all go together?" Zero asked

"...The human female is a very complicated creature… they prefer to go just about everywhere in large groupings..." Gaara started to smile and soon all five of them started to burst out laughing.

"So who all goes on these little shopping trips?" Zero asked between laughs.

"Let’s see..." Shikamaru began "Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Tenten, Takashi…Patience and Kira too I guess. They do have somebody to impress after all..." He grinned.

"Shikamaru, not you too." Zero panicked "I told you guys, she probably isn’t even interested in me."

"Then explain why she invited you to her pool party?" Naruto leaned on his drums.

"Uhhh...wait a minute. Gaara, how come your sister doesn’t go with them?" Zero asked quickly escaping the subject.

"...She isn’t like the other girls...She doesn’t like to go shopping a lot..."

"She doesn’t have a boyfriend to impress?"

"Boyfriend?" Gaara and the others almost died laughing.

"What? What did I say?" Zero wondered what was so funny.

"...I don’t think any guy has even thought of asking my sister out...”

"Why? She’s not that bad looking."

"...No it’s not that...she just scares the living hell outta them..."

"Even Lee won’t ask her out, and he usually thinks about nothing but girls." Naruto added.

"Well that’s a shame..." Zero rested his index finger on his chin for a few seconds, then his eyes widened as he snapped his fingers. "Hey how about my friend Enji?"

"...Who?..."

"Enji, my friend from my old school. He’s going to be staying at my place this weekend. That’s reminds me, I need to let him know about the party."

"So you’re going to the party then?" Naruto asked Zero who was about to head for his house.

Zero turned around and gave a huge devilish grin. "Of course I am." He then motioned for the others to follow him to his house, which they did.

After taking their shoes off at the front door the five of them bolted up to Zero’s room. When he opened the door he grabbed a wheeled chair and rolled it over to his computer and turned it on. Shikamaru, Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara walked in and looked around the room. In the middle of Zero’s room hung a large camouflage punching bag. Odd looking bulky clothes littered the floor along with an assortment of kickboxing gloves.

"Exactly how often do you train man?..." Shikamaru asked

"An hour in the mornings and two at night, but I wanted to get an early start this morning so I haven’t even touched a glove today." Zero got onto his computer and looked around on the screen. "Sweet, he’s on."

IN THE CHATROOM

Alfa_wolf: Yo Enj wazzup!

Kinglizard: Zero? Hey man how wuz the move?

Alfa_wolf: Not too bad were pretty much settled n

Kinglizard: Stil training?

Alfa_wolf: O’ course :/

Kinglizard: Sweet I’m so stoked for this weekend

Alfa_wolf: Yeah...about that...ya know how I said we wuz just goin 2 B training?

Kinglizard:...yeah...whut of it?

Alfa_wolf: Saturday we will B goin to this pool party a girl from my new school invited me to.

Kinglizard: Wait...she invited U to HER pool party...you know what that means?

Alfa_wolf: No but I hav the feeling ur gonna tell me...

Kinglizard: It means she wants you to see her bod in a swimsuit dude lol

Naruto and the others laughed hysterically as Zero beat his head on the desk.

Alfa_wolf: Enji...>:(

Kinglizard: Tell me this...is she H.O.T?

Alfa_wolf: Uhhh well... ^////^ *nervous laugh*

Kinglizard: Ha I knew it. Zero you animal you >:)

Alfa_wolf: Cut it out, the guys down here giv me a rough time as it is

Kinglizard: Does she have any =ly hot friends?

Alfa_wolf: Well that’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about...my friend Gaara here has a sister named Temari and guess what man...shes single...

Kinglizard: Really...

Alfa_wolf: No lie my friend

Kinglizard: What does she look like?

Alfa_wolf: Not too bad let me see if her bro has a pic...

"...No way..." Gaara said

"Why not?" Zero asked "He just wants to see what Temari looks like."

"...I just don’t like the idea..."

"What, that someone might actually be interested in your sister? I’ve known Enji for years Gaara. He’s a good guy, he would never hurt or take advantage of a girl...He'll be my responsibility."

Gaara looked deep in thought "...Fine I’ll give him a chance..."

"Thanks Gaara."

Gaara pulled out his camera phone from his pocket and handed it to Zero who plugged it into his computer. He searched around in the phones memory until he found a good picture. From the looks of the background it was a warm summer afternoon. Temari stood in the middle with her arms wrapped around her brothers, Kankuro to her left and Gaara to her right. Gaara had on a black T-shirt with a pair of evil looking eyes on the front of it and his skinny pale arms folded over his chest as he slightly grinned at the camera. Kankuro displayed a black Metalica T-shirt with silver lettering, he held out his fist in the air and stuck out his tongue as if he were at one of their concerts. Temari stood in the middle of them wearing a dark lavender shirt, the sleeves only halfway covered her shoulders and the word HOTTIE was printed across the front in fire letters. Zero uploaded the picture and sent it to his friend. The five of them waited for a response.

Kinglizard: *jaw drops* DAAAAMMMMMN! O.O

Alfa_wolf: So what do U think?

Kinglizard: She’s gorgeous man!

Alfa_wolf: Now Enji you’d better behave

Kinglizard: Don’t worry, I will >:)

Alfa_wolf: Careful man, her brother is standing right next to me

Kinglizard: Which one is her bro?

Alfa_wolf: They both R, Gaara is the redhead and the other is Kankuro

Kinglizard: Guess I’ll have to be good then...

Alfa_wolf: I guess so lol

Kinglizard: So tell me about the 1 girl, the 1 who invited you to the party

Alfa_wolf: Her name is Kira, that’s all I B sayin till you get here 2maro...

Kinglizard: Awww man...come on...

Alfa_wolf: No I’ll tell ya 2maro...I gotta get off and go practice now

Kinglizard: Ok see ya 2maro Z

Alfa_wolf: Later

Kinglizard has logged off

"Now that that’s over lets get back to practice." Zero insisted. The others agreed as they headed back to Naruto's garage to finish their practice session.

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