- - - - - Chapter 8: I hope…

"You said you wouldn't come."

"So?" He approached me with amusement in his smile. All I could do was look away, like the coward I was.

"Why… why come and meet me here?" Stumbling over the words I noticed his voice was clear and sweet just like before 'it' happened.

"…Because the only thing I see when I look at you is…" He sighed and closed his eyes, preparing for his next words.

"Is what?" I prompted. He doesn't love me. Why even hope? Then again there's the chance… What am I saying. There's no chance that it was all a misunderstanding…right?

"A person I will spend the rest of my life with." My heart skipped a beat and I locked eyes with him. It was like everything was just flipped over from last night.

"But-"

"I know what I said last night. None of that matters now. I thought it over. Nothing is really wrong." Nothing…?

"…Heh" I shook off what had been said last night. "… love…It seemed so simple when we were young. But, back then… we didn't really understand like we thought we did." My eyes moved to the sky as a plane flew overhead. I felt like last night never happened.

"Yeah. That's exactly what I said."

"That's why I remembered it." What if he's lying? I asked myself. It could easily be done. No. I trust him. He's a sweet and kind person. No doubt. He's my sweet love cookie, like always…I hope…

- - - - - We Can ~Song~

I said I loved you but you turned away.

Nothing has changed like I wanted it to.

Why don't you see, you belong to me?

She doesn't want you like I do.

She doesn't cry from her cold lonely bed...

We can reach your dreams together.

We can live together forever!

We can live down by the beaches.

We'll do what ever you want to.

Please. Just know I love you.

- - - - - Hinata's POV

I read over what I had just wrote and sighed. I just couldn't work on my novel today. Naruto had taken over my head, leaving me with a major case of writers block or writers drift, rather. I had ended up writing another little song. 'Why Sakura and not me?' I rubbed my eyes and glanced over to my clock.

2:58 A.M.

"CRAP!" I quickly turned off my pink fuzzy lamp and slide under the covers knowing that I had an important meeting tomorrow. 'I can't believe I stayed up late again.'

- - - - - Naruto's POV

'That's weird. Hinata's usually is the first to go to bed. She must have gotten into a writing 'mood'. Still it's 2 in the morning.' I looked out my window seeing my neighbors light still on. I looked down at my sketch pad to see a blob, it was suppose to be a tree. 'I hate trees.' My pencil fell to the floor when my cell went off.

"Where is it?" I destroyed my already destroyed room in 2.5 seconds and found my phone laying on my desk. "Hello?"

"Naruto, I can't sleep." It was Sakura. Of course.

"…" I looked back out my window and into Hinata's. 'She forgot to shut the curtains.'

"Naruto? You there?"

"Oh, yeah. I just have a lot on my mind." I wanted to be the strong one that was never held down but something just didn't feel right. Sakura, every time I talked to her it just didn't feel like it should.

"You can tell me. You know that." I paused. She wouldn't want to hear what was really on my mind.

"You won't like it… at all." I gave her a warning at least.

"…"

"I want to break up." I heard a crash from her side of the phone. "Sakura?" She must have thrown it across the room. I closed my phone and placed it back on my half organized desk. I spent the rest of the night staring through Hinata's window. Thinking about her.

- - - - - Hinata's POV

"Hinata! Ok. Have you gotten chapters 3-7 fixed and chapter 8 wrote?" Ino knew I didn't but asked anyway.

"I fixed 3-7. Chapter 8 is about half way done if that." I was only half way paying attention to my assistant as we walked to the office. Ino stopped in front of the old building and grabbed me by the shoulders.

"I know what you need. A day off to clear your head."

"But I have a deadline." I couldn't believe she would even suggest that! For the past two weeks my chapters have been late. I just couldn't afford a third one late.

"Deadlines can be changed. The people will understand. Come on you can take today. I'll cover for you don't worry." She smiled and left me standing there alone before I could reject. At least I could say it wasn't my fault, I was abandoned on the street.

"Now, what?" I turned around to head home but Naruto was right in front of me. I stepped back and instantly blushed. 'What's he doing here?'

"She's right you know. You were up all night, come on I'll take you home, or do you want to join me? I'm going to the forest." He acted like… I don't know how to put it but… how he acts in my dreams. But in my dreams I would let him take me away and then sadly wake up wanting to hold on to that feeling forever. He held his hand out and surprisingly I took it. How I had the courage to take it is beyond me.

"To… to the forest." I had no clue what he was going to do but I went along with it. Now, all I have to do is not wake up… or is this real?

It felt like I was walking on clouds the whole way there. Then what I should have noticed first hit me, it made me stop in my tracks.

"What's wrong Hinata?" I looked to the ground and pulled my hand back. How was I going to ask this? Of all things that could have wrecked my perfect time it had to be that.

"I uhh… thought you were umm… with… Sakura. So why… are you taking… me with…. you?" I felt his hand slide under my chin and lift it so I would meet eyes with him. I didn't know what to do, I was so confused but I didn't move, ok maybe I started shaking but that was it.

"Sakura, heh, she didn't want me. She wanted Sasuke the whole time and I knew that I could never fill the place in her heart that Sasuke would. So, yeah, she's no longer in the picture. It's just you and me. If you want it that way, of course." His smiled must have cured any shyness I had because I talked freely and smooth.

"Yes. I would love it that way. Forever." I wrapped my arms around him and he did the same. This was a dream. I just knew it.

"Forever."

"Forever is never. You would know that right, Naruto?" Naruto held me closer and I looked to the voices owner.

"Sakura…" Naruto whispered under his breath. She stood on a tree branch a few meters away. How long ahs she been standing there?

"Naruto…?" I couldn't believe that my perfect dream had to have her in it. I don't know why I hate her but I just do. That feeling was always there ever since I met her.

"Hinata don't worry." His words were meant to comfort but I just knew that Sakura wanted Naruto back. "Sakura I left you for a reason. It's for the best, ok? So just leave me and Hinata alone." I held him closer like he would just vanish and leave with Sakura.

"Oh, no. I'm not here about that. I'm here to say I'm overjoyed that you left me." 'Yeah right.' "You taught me something Naruto. Sasuke's not coming back AND YOU KNOW THAT! So, how can this be for the best?! IT CAN'T! I loved you Naruto." Even though she was a few meters away I could see her tears falling.

"Sakura. You know that no one could fill the hole in your heart except Sasuke. He is coming back. Don't talk like he's not. I keep my promises… Sides it wasn't all because of that. I just didn't feel anything special between us."

"Nothing. That's what you mean you felt nothing between us. I knew you had feelings for Hinata the whole time. Don't lie to me." This was a fight I didn't want to be in but I was in it anyway.

"Naruto. Let's go. Please?" I just wanted to leave and not hear someone else's pain even if it was Sakura's. He didn't even look at me, he was still staring at Sakura.

"Yeah. Let's go." He took my hand and slowly turned away to walk off with me, leaving Sakura behind.