Story rated T for now, will change later if I decide to add certain things...

Why do I live? Why do I stay? Why do I make myself suffer?

Hinata stared out of the window in her dungeon of a room. These thoughts always managed to creep into her mind. She tried to push them away, to procrastinate from answering those depressing thoughts. This time, it was inevitable. Hinata had to answer them before someone else did.

What's the point?

Bland. Everything seemed bland to her. What she saw, heard, tasted, smelled, and felt. Her thoughts? Pessimistic. If someone else told her why, Hinata would be angry at herself. She hated when people decided things for her. Independence, stripped away from her. 'Stop judging me.'

Naruto-kun...

The person that Hinata admired and respected was the answer. He gave her hope, inspiration... and to some extent, happiness. She wanted to be strong like him, but she wasn't strong. She was quick; quick to run away. Hinata hated hope sometimes. It was hope that brought her pain, hope that gave her the foolish thought that she could be the ideal daughter for Hiashi Hyuuga.

She never called Hiashi Hyuuga her 'Father' or 'Dad', he was nothing more to her than Hiashi Hyuuga - the man that disapproved of her existence. She never even considered herself to be a member of the Hyuuga clan, just some girl that happened to live there and be related to them.

But thanks to hope, I'm able to have self-confidence to get stronger, and then maybe I'll finally be good enough...

Hinata's thoughts were interrupted as a knock made its way to her bedroom door. It was so easy to tell who the person was just by the feel of the knock. The anger in it, mixed with a certain kind of coldness that could only belong to Neji Hyuuga. He didn't hate Hinata anymore, but it just irked him to be in the main house of the Hyuuga clan.

"Come in," Hinata told him, shutting the window with a slam.

"Hinata-sama, I-"

"Stop calling me 'Hinata-sama'. You know just as well as I do that I don't deserve that title," Hinata firmly told Neji.

A silence fell upon the room. Neji was astonished that Hinata confronted him like that. He was so used to the kind, stuttering, shy, quiet cousin that was unfit to be the Hyuuga heiress. Although what Hinata said was true, Neji knew that something was wrong. He didn't dare to bring it up, though. Maybe her confidence was finally blooming.

"I came to tell you that Hiashi-sama wants you to see him in his office at 3:00," Neji informed, breaking the silence.

"A.M. or P.M?" Hinata asked.

"P.M." Neji answered, sad that she asked a question like that.

The question was perfectly reasonable, as Hiashi would also schedule meetings at crazy hours like 3 A.M. It was just the fact that Hiashi did schedule meetings at 3 A.M. and expected Hinata to be there on the dot. Such a cruel 'father' he was. Hinata sighed, glancing out the window to check the time via the sundial outside. Only 11:19.

"Ano... O-okay... I'll be taking a walk until then," Hinata said to her cousin.

Both Hyuugas walked out of Hinata's room, going their separate ways as soon as they could. Although the two were both exiting the house, they exited at a different door from the other. Neji returned to the Hyuuga's lower branch house and Hinata made her way towards the training grounds that were near the river. Her earlier thoughts were instantly erased from her mind. When she arrived, she noticed that someone was already there. She shrugged it off, walking to the river.

Who would notice someone like me, anyways?

Hinata stared at her reflection in the crystal clear water, though glare would be a more accurate term. Words can not describe the fury that burst through her at the sight of herself. She loathed who she was: a weak, socially-awkward, rich girl that nobody would ever care about. Way below average in every way possible. She kicked the water, sending a loud splash throughout the river, in a futile attempt to avoid what she is.

However, the water turned to its original state seconds later, with ripples of the splash still vibrating on the water's surface and the bottom of her pants now wet. Her sudden fit was quelled, and the Hyuuga girl was once again eye to eye with herself. The rage in her pale, lavender eyes was relaxed, bringing upon the usual lifeless look. It was useless, she couldn't run away from herself. She fell to her knees, completely giving up.

"Tch, what's with you?" Sasuke indifferently remarked, stopping his training.

"Why would you care, Uchiha boy?" Hinata snapped, turning towards Sasuke, too irritated by him to remember her stutter.

Sasuke was surprised that a girl his age didn't immediately swoon over him. In fact, he was surprised that she just called him 'Uchiha boy' instead of 'Sasuke-kun' or something. He was so used to being called by his name in an annoying flirtatious tone. Plus, the only reason she knew he was an Uchiha was because of the large uchiwa fan on the back of his dark blue, collared shirt.

"That doesn't answer my question, Hyuuga girl," Sasuke replied.

"That doesn't either, Uchiha boy," Hinata responded.

"I asked first."

"Why is my answer so important to you?"

Damn, this girl has a sharp tongue.

The wind flowed, causing a soft rustle from the trees' leaves. A silence placed a gap in the conversation. Birds chirped and flew away from where the Hyuuga and Uchiha were, as if sensing the growing tensity. The Uchiha was at at a loss for words.

"Born into a powerful clan, and your father has high expectations that you can't reach. Compared to your sibling, always being nagged about how you should be like your sibling. You have no real friends, and everyone is your enemy, even yourself. Your mother is purposely killed in front of you, and you're scarred for life and you want to avenge her death. You can't because you're not strong enough and probably never will be strong enough. You are always labeled as 'weak' by this man. The worst part is, that man was supposed to be someone that you loved and looked up to. You're related to this despicable man, which makes everything even worse. Tell me, whose life did I just describe?" Hinata asked, boldly breaking the awkward silence.

Might as well answer the boy's question...

"Mine's..." Sasuke answered, shocked that Hinata knew his life history so well.

Hinata raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Apparently, ours."

Sasuke became speechless. There was actually someone who completely understood him. She didn't even try to understand him, too.

"And that's what is with me, Uchiha boy," Hinata coldly concluded, standing up and leaving the training site.

Wait, don't leave...

Sasuke was silently begging Hinata to continue their conversation. He let her slip through his fingers, letting her get farther and farther from him. He didn't even know her name. All he knew was that she belonged to the Hyuuga clan since she had the pale, cold eyes that ran in the family. That first sentence that she spoke to him rang throughout his mind.

"Why would you care, Uchiha boy?" Why do I care? Because she understands my pain? Or because she's not like the other girls? Why do I care so much?

Questions flooded the boy's mind. Sasuke wanted to talk to a girl. Has the world gone mad? Sasuke was half-expecting to wake up from this insane dream, only he didn't. Sasuke Uchiha was facing reality.

Although he had many questions about the girl, he knew one thing was certain. He had to see her again. An anger surged throughout him as Sasuke thought about what happened.

I'm sorry! Damn it, why do I have to be mean to the people I give a crap about!

The Uchiha took out that anger on some innocent and unfortunate trees. Hinata, on the other hand, found it interesting that the Uchiha had a similar childhood.

He knows my pain, huh? Why do I stay in this village if pain like that is so prone to children?

She sighed, remembering the answer that she came up with earlier.

Naruto-kun... You always went against the odds, and still won. Determination and self-confidence... I want to catch up to you, Naruto-kun.

Hinata smiled to herself. He was the one that believed in her at the Chuunin Exams when everyone else told her to quit. She still lost the battle against Neji, but that battle inspired her to never give up. He inspired her to be a better person. Which is why she'll train herself to be strong enough to avenge her mother.

The warm sun shined its rays on the young Hyuuga girl, a breeze accompanying the rays. The wind brushed against the bottom of Hinata's pants, cooling them while the sun warmed them. Hinata sighed, seeing that it was only 11:39 now. Her plans of sulking near the river in her favorite spot were ruined.

What's wrong with me? I shouldn't be sulking! I should be training like that Uchiha boy was.

She walked towards the other training grounds nearby. Hinata took out ten shuriken from her weapons pouch. She aimed them all, one by one, directly at the target in front of her, trying to hit the bulls-eye in the middle. Only two of the shuriken hit the bulls-eye, the others around it.

Should I have told my life story to that Uchiha boy? Oh well, it's not like I'll ever see him again.

"Hinata!" Kiba called out, waving to her with Akamaru by his side.

Hinata's heart jumped. She was surprised by the sudden noise, too busy on her thoughts to notice that her teammate was on the training grounds with her.

"K-kiba-kun... Y-you scared me," Hinata said, facing the dog-lover.

"Ahaha, sorry... Why are you wet?" Kiba asked, noticing the Hyuuga's pants were soaked.

"O-oh, well I w-was at the river e-earlier," Hinata answered.

"Oh, okay. Well I was gonna grab a bite, wanna come?" Kiba offered.

"Ano... Th-thanks, but I-I already ate," Hinata kindly denied.

"Okay, see you later, then. Come on, Akamaru!"

"B-bye."

Hinata continued the shuriken practice, training for two more hours. After the training, she proceeded to go back to the Hyuuga's main house. She made it just in time, as it was 2:55 P.M. when she arrived. Hinata went straight to Hiashi's office, a great feeling of dread engulfing her. He only sent Neji to tell her about appointments when it was really important. Hinata got very tense as she reached her unwanted destination.

She nervously entered, trying her best not to quake in fear at Hiashi's presence.

"Sit down," Hiashi quietly commanded, gesturing towards the chair in front of his desk.

The quietness made it seem all the more deadly. Hinata immediately did as she was told, hoping that Hiashi won't have another killing intent.

"It's been brought to my attention..." Hiashi started, his arms crossed.

Hinata silently waited for the head Hyuuga to finish his sentence. The suspense was building. Each second was a knife in her stomach. Was it her weakness? Was he finally going to banish Hinata from the Hyuuga clan?

Hope you liked the chapter. You know, there's a secret to getting more chapters to come faster... *glances from side to side to make sure nobody is listening* It's called reviewing!