*I have to state on this story that I do not own Naruto because Masashi Kishimoto does. If I did own Naruto, I would quite possibly be rich, not writing fan fiction on a story I have created, and if I did write my own fan fiction on the story I have created, I would not have to write a disclaimer every time. ~Tri-Foxx
…:::Folie à Deux:::…
.1.
Hinata Hyuga wasn't necessarily a loser, a freak, or an outcast, but she wasn't popular either. That was reserved for her cousin, who didn't seem to be at all happy to be labeled as such. Nevertheless, Hinata always sat in the back corner away from her more outgoing classmates. She envied the way that they could communicate so easily with each other. Hinata would try to be as talkative as they were, but her fear of even saying one word to something other than to herself was very unnerving, even to the point of passing out.
The doctor believes she has some sort of social phobia, but Hinata knew that wasn't the case. Her shyness was just blown out of proportion, and it may have taken over her brain. Hinata wouldn't believe that, but then again, he was a doctor.
Hinata shook her head and placed her chin on her palm. The teacher was blabbing on about math that she was not particularly interested in. She began to daydream, and she could feel her mind float from out of the dull gray concrete walls, the dull white Styrofoam-like ceiling, and the cold gray tiles on the floor. She felt trapped here, not in a hatred sort of way. There was never any room to roam. The classrooms were filled with nothing but beat down desks, and the hallways were packed with kids. Hinata couldn't take five steps without being bombarded by the flow of traffic to get to the next class.
She sighed, and her mind traveled to ballet, a sport of hers that she has done since she was little. Dancing was her way to gain inner peace, and when she leaped and twirled, happiness would fill her body with warm comfort. She sighed again, but this time, it was peaceful. The sounds of chill, classic music ran through her mind, and she smiled when she remembered that she was one of the only few in her class who could dance on her toes.
To her dismay, Hinata's accomplishment was unnoticed by her father. Her father was too busy with his work to ever notice, and to make matters worse, he was more interested in her cousin, Neji. Hinata began to pout.
Neji this and Neji that! She screamed to herself, but it felt wrong to think such a thing. No. I'm proud of my cousin, if not a little bit envious.
Before Hinata could go back to her thoughts, the dismissal bell rang, and screaming kids jumped up from their desks and ran into the halls like a herd of frightened Wildebeest. Hinata stayed back naturally, until all of her classmates had flooded away. Her math teacher watched her from behind his desk, like always, with that same brooding expression.
Hinata finally stood up slowly and slung her backpack over her shoulder. She glanced sheepishly over at her teacher and blushed out of habit. He began to straighten some papers and smiled when she walked closer.
"Before you go, Hinata," he said as he messed up his neat pile of papers to find a small card, "a little birdie told me that you like to dance ballet."
Hinata's answer caught in her throat and it was hard to swallow. The thought of someone telling someone, let alone knowing, that she danced flabbergasted her. She reached a shaky hand to grab the card from his hand. It was waxy with laminate and very colorful. There was a silhouette of a dancer in the middle of the card, and in bright, bold letters it said: AGENTS ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!
"T-thank you, sensei," she squeaked and bowed her head.
"Good luck if you ever decide to do that. I do know that they are going around schools to find dancers, but I doubt they will not even look twice at this one," her teacher chuckled.
Hinata gave him a forced laugh, thanked him again, and rushed out the door. Neji was waiting for her and was probably annoyed by her tardiness. It was easy to walk through the halls at this time, especially since her classmates tried to get out of school as fast as possible. Hinata was no exception since she had practice at the dance studio a few miles away from the school at four.
"You're late," Neji stated stoically as Hinata reached his fire red car. He was leaning against the driver's side door with his arms cross.
"I'm sorry, cousin," Hinata apologized, and she hurried over to the passenger's side.
She heard a few calls from fellow classmates directed towards Neji, and it made her blush. Neji brushed it off coolly by just waving at them and stepping into the front seat. Hinata wished she could do things as composedly as her cousin could, but that was like asking winter not to be cold. It was impossible.
The drive to the studio was quiet, like usual, and Neji looked irritated as his eyes were fixated on the road. Hinata could sense something was wrong with him, but she was afraid to ask. Instead, she pretended not to notice and looked out the window at the passing buildings and specialty shops.
Konoha was a boisterous town, which was expanding its way into becoming a small city. People bustled like busy bees all day and night, and the smell from Ramen shops and other small restaurants filled the air. Hinata knew she was close when she spotted a dark green dojo, and she began to get butterflies.
Neji stopped the car in front of Izumi's Dance Studio, and Hinata quickly jumped out of the car.
"Six?" Neji asked, referring to the time he was suppose to pick her up. Hinata nodded and closed the door behind her.
He sped off, and Hinata began to ascend the stairs to the top floor studio. The tinkle of a bell sounded as she opened the door, and she already saw that other girls were stretching their muscles on the mats in the dance floor. She turned her gaze to the front desk and signed her name on the check in sheet on the counter. As the butterflies became more frantic, Hinata took her time getting into the changing room.
She peered around every corner to make sure no one was in there before she began to strip down into her underwear. She zipped her backpack open and pulled out a pale blue leotard and white tights. She quickly squeezed into them by sucking in her stomach and released her breath when she thought they were tight, yet comfortable enough.
She stuffed her backpack into the tiny lockers with her school clothes and bounded outside quickly when she heard piano music filling the studio. She did quick stretches on the mats and stood at the bar, placing her hand on the cool metal. She looked at her reflection in the many mirrors behind her and smiled shyly.
Her hair was cut into a downwards bob, and her lavender eyes were shimmering with glee. Dancing, she believed, was her way of expressing her inner feelings and thoughts, especially since she was too chicken to say them aloud. She stood up as straight as possible when she saw her instructor, Izumi, walked onto the dance floor.
Izumi was beautiful, but far too skinny in Hinata's eyes. She had long dancer's legs, dark brown eyes, and jet black hair that was pulled back into a tight bun. She clapped her hands loudly a few times, which signaled that only one was dancing first tonight. Hinata prayed and crossed her fingers that it wasn't her.
"Hinata Hyuga, we need to work on your recital dance real quick!" Izumi exclaimed, and Hinata's heart sank towards the butterflies.
Groans and a few sighs in relief came from the other students, and they shuffled to the chairs on the edge of the dance mat. Hinata did a few more quick stretches and walked over to Izumi, who was already in an arabesque position. Hinata imitated her, pulling her leg behind her as high as possible.
"Good, good," Izumi smiled. "Can you get on your toes and do it?"
Hinata used all her strength and muscles to push the ball of her foot off the floor. Her toes were strong, but not strong enough. They began to ache with her body weight, and Hinata had to lower down on her foot again.
"Work on that, please, because that's how you end the dance," Izumi commanded.
Izumi and Hinata both stood upright, and Hinata watched as Izumi twirled her hand in the air.
"Cue music! Hinata get ready!"
Hinata bounded to the middle of the mat and got into first position. She closed her eyes to ease the butterflies in her stomach. They were making her sick, but when Hinata heard the music come from the loud speakers, her nausea went away.
She began to move as the opening piano solo from Beyonce's song, Halo, flowed beautiful. As the song progressed with the sweet sound of music, Hinata leaped, kicked, and twirled. Her mind was focused only on her feet and arms, and at the end, she painfully stood up on her toes in an arabesque.
The music stopped and slight applause surrounded her. Dancing was her life, but when it ended, she turned back into this turtle with a huge protective shell. The clapping made her turn as bright as a tomato, and she stood back up.
"Bravo! Bravo, Hinata!" Izumi exclaimed, clapping louder than the others. "There are a few kinks, but there is nothing that practice won't fix. Go sit down and rest a while, okay?"
Hinata smiled sheepishly and followed Izumi's orders. She walked past the others who were happy to get their turns to dance, and Hinata sat down in the back of the row. She watched as the others began to do the normal warm ups, and she was glad that she didn't have to do them. They leaped, pliéd, and pirouetted around in different groups, changing places after ten minutes.
"Pardon me," a voice said from behind her, and she jumped. Hinata turned around to see an older woman with a hard expression on her face and a rather large chest that looked and seemed hard to cover up. She had long blonde hair pulled back into two ponytails, and her golden eyes reminded Hinata of a lioness. "Y-yes?" Hinata stammered, cowering under the woman's forceful look. "Your dance was very beautiful and well balanced." "Thank you." "Yes, well, my name is Tsunade, and I'm the dance professor at the Konoha Art Academy," the woman stated. "I was here to watch my niece dance, but sadly, she's not that good. I'm glad I came because I think our school would be interested in having a ballet dancer. There aren't many, you see." Hinata was lost for words. Not by being asked to join an art academy, but from Tsunade's overbearing voice. Plus, from the look of her body, Tsunade did not seem like the dancing type. A volleyball, or possibly a football, player would have fit her better.
"Umm," Hinata searched through her mind. "I'm in high school, so how would it be possible?"
"Easy, you just have to try out, and if they like you, you are in," Tsunade explained. "Here, I'll give you a phone number to schedule an appointment. If you make it in, you have a choice whether you want to join or stay in high school. I would at least like you to try."
Tsunade handed her a business card with the details of the dance department of Konoha Academy of Arts. Hinata studied the white card and smiled.
This could be her chance to prove herself to her social phobia, and the butterflies began to act up again. She placed a soft hand on her abdomen and sighed.
Maybe if I get in, father would actually recognize my talent.
Hinata turned back to see that Tsunade had walked away and sat down at the chair farthest from her. Hinata looked back to the card, and her thoughts began to swim. She would ask her father tonight if she could at least try out, as Tsunade said. The butterflies in her stomach thought it was a good idea for they too began to dance in her stomach.