I know it's short, but I felt the need to write again. Hopefully, I can get some more stories to you guys before the new year! To everyone who was subscribed to me before I disappeared, I'm sorry! Well, enough rambling, here's the story!

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"Just gunna stand there and watch me burn, but that's alright because I like the way it hurts. Just gunna stand there and hear me cry, but that's alright because I love the way you lie. I love the way you lie."

Is anything you say the truth anymore? Do you even love me? Where did that gleam in your eyes go? Aren't you happy? I see the way he smiles at you, and the way your eyes brighten around him. I never thought I'd lose you this way. He stepped back from the darkness and straight into your sunshine, but wasn't that sunshine for me? When did my sky become filled with clouds? Or maybe you were always trying to touch his darkness, reaching for it, chasing it with the sunshine in your hands and trying to draw him out. Was the love in your eyes every really for me, or was I just the consolation prize you settled on because you felt that sunlight waning and fatigue closing over your mind?

"I love you," you whisper to me as you hold me to your chest, stroking my raven black hair in the moonlight. 'That's a lie,' my mind whispers back to me. 'That's a lie.'

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You hold my hand and play with my hair again as we sit on a park bench. Your hand falls against the pale skin of my cheek and you smile. "You're beautiful." But you're not looking in my eyes. You never do anymore, maybe because they're the wrong color. Still, somehow... I love the way you lie.

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Here he comes again, hands shoved in his pockets and a stoic expression on his face. I hate him. I hate him with all my heart, as if I've never hated anyone before. And truly, I haven't. Yet, still, his presence, the meaning of what he is and what he's doing to me, it all crumbles upon me and I hate him for it. I hate him.

"Good morning, Uchiha-kun," I murmur, offering him a small smile as I place another fruit from the outdoor vendor in my bag. He nods in my direction, but continues walking.

"Good morning, Hinata-san." He stops and turns back to me. "Where's Naruto?" My blood begins to boil as he speaks your name, as if he's not worthy, and my mind screams, 'He's mine! Leave him alone! Leave us alone!' On the outside, I put on a thoughtful, confused look. "I'm not sure," I lie. Truly, you're in a meeting with the Hokage and then going to train afterward. Sasuke will find you, he always does, but at least this might delay him a little.

He nods. "Have a good day, Hinata-san." I mumble a thank you and feel my legs getting weak under the pressure of my heavy heart. I quickly pay for my things and depart, but instead of going home, I found myself standing beneath the tree near the old academy. This is where you asked me out. Do you even remember that anymore?

My body falls heavily onto the wooden swing that dangles from the tree. My mind begins to wander inevitably to your eyes, to your smile, to the strength in your heart that always seemed so tangible to me. I still love you, more than you'll ever know. But I know, deep inside of me I know, that it's not me you're looking at with those loving eyes. You see my dark hair fall against my pale skin and you think of the boy you chased after all your life, the one you almost died countless times to protect, the one only you could bring back to this village. And now he's back, and you no longer need his surrogate. So what's to become of me?

I exhale slowly, watching the ants on the ground scurrying around and vaguely wonder where they're going. Why are they always running? Do they live their lives in fear? Or perhaps they just don't know any other way to be. My eyes close tight and I suppress my sudden urge to crush them under the sole of my shoe. Who have I become? I've never been this way before. I loved you. I loved you so much that every moment, every breath felt like a summer breeze, pulling me forth and beckoning me to spin in circles. My heart fluttered at the thought of you and every smile brought me further from the edge of darkness I'd seen in the distance. Suddenly, I could fly over that valley. But now what? Did I jump? Did I attempt to fly yet? And if I did, will I fall? Will I fall, twirling and spinning, while the summer breeze turns ice cold as winter until my breath won't come again? Is this what's left for me? Or maybe I'll burn. I'd once heard that the world would end in either fire or ice. Perhaps your wind will make his fire grow and burn me up whole.

I never thought I would be sitting here, thinking these things. I never thought my mind would betray me like this. I don't like who I've become. I'm cynical now. No one sees me, not even you, but I am. My sweetness is hollow, something it's never been before. Even towards you, but maybe that's because you give what you receive, and a hollow happiness, a lie, this is what I've been given.

I stand, allowing myself a deep, cleansing breath. Maybe I'll just go see you. That always makes me feel better. By this time, you should be home. And I have to make you supper anyway. Maybe I'll make you something really nice tonight, something to remind you that I still care. I'll shower you with the affection that I know he can't give you. I'll remind myself that this is all in my head, and that everything you claim to feel for me is true. You'll spin me around and kiss me gently like you used to. That's right, everything will be just fine. It's just fine.

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I open the door quietly as usual. I still don't like making a lot of noise, even though I moved out of the main house a long time ago, much to my father's dismay. Everything was always so quiet there. I slipped my shoes off and padded into the kitchen to place the groceries on the table. A smile graced my face as I saw that you cleaned up today like I had asked. Now I could just get to work on making supper. I was about to call your name, just to see you, when I heard a whisper.

"Sasuke, stop. Not here," it said. A quiet chuckle followed. "I'm serious! I feel bad enough as it is, I haven't gotten to talk to her yet."

"Tonight," the other voice whispered back. "I won't share you. Not with anyone."

"I know, Sasuke. I just don't want to break her heart. She really does mean a lot to me. She's always been there."

"Who's more important to you, Naruto?" the voice questioned as if it already knew the answer. He sounded almost angry to me. "I know I was wrong in the past, but that doesn't mean-"

"I know, Sasuke. I didn't mean it like that. Just... give me a little time, I'll figure this out."

I could hear the other voice soften. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I love you." The words were so tender, so quiet that I barely heard them. My stomach clenched in horror.

"I love you, too."

I dropped to my knees, long, black hair falling in front of my face as my eyes stared blankly at the wall and my mouth opened to let in gasps of air. Faintly, I heard footsteps hurrying into the kitchen, but all I could see was the water flowing into my eyes, filling them. My heart was on fire, searing me as it traveled through my bones. I was right. My world would end in fire. But wasn't water supposed to put fire out? My tears ran down my cheeks, but still they burned. I could feel your hands on me, but I didn't move. You were cursing to yourself, a habit you have when you're scared, but why? Just leave me be. Just stand there and watch me burn. It's alright because I like the way it hurts. I deserve this. I was so stupid, so silly to think that you'd ever love me. Not when he's around. I was so happy, but now... look what you've done. Now I'm broken, like a puppet without strings, and I'm on fire. And wind... it can only make this fire burning me to pieces grow.

I let myself crumple onto the ground. The last thing I see is tears in your eyes as you gaze down at me - those perfect blue eyes, bright as the sky, and your sunshine blonde hair. They show such pain. Maybe if I just close my eyes, this will go away and I'll wake up from this nightmare, and we'll be happy again. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe...