Summary: It's true that the rain can wash away your tears, but it can also force you to realize what's been sitting in front of you.

Pairing: KibaxHinata

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and if I did, I would be very happy.

The Eye of the Storm

A soft rumble of thunder echoed above her, causing her to jump slightly. Her eyes averted toward the gray clouds that threatened her with its oncoming storm. Glancing around nervously, she wondered how long it would take her to get home. She hoped it wouldn't take long or that the storm would hold off until she arrived home.

Her pale eyes nervously glanced at the people she passed by as she continued on her journey toward her house. If anything, she wished someone would walk her home, but no one offered to take her hand or anything. She had always been alone for the most part, cast aside because she wasn't worth the time.

Ever since the day he stood up for her though, she had decided to become stronger, but he was never around. He never noticed her. There were only two guys that noticed her and she felt that they had to notice her. They were her partners after all. They couldn't just turn their heads and act as if she didn't exist, although she couldn't help but let her mind wander to the possibly that they could want to do just that.

Lightning streaked across the sky in company with a loud clap of thunder, causing her to jump backwards and step on a mans foot. He cursed at her before pushing her aside and continuing his journey to who knows where. Her eyes glanced at the sky again as lightning danced across it, seeming to laugh at her cowardly form.

Everyone slowly disappeared from sight and she knew that they were all finding shelter before it began to pour. She also knew that she should be doing the same, but her home was still awhile a ways and once the rain touched her skin; she wouldn't want to walk anymore. There was something about a storm that sent shivers down her spine. She wasn't sure if it was because she was afraid of storms in general or because she was afraid of what could happen to her. She felt fine during a storm if she was indoors and in another's company, but that wasn't the case right now. No, it wasn't at all. Currently, she was standing in the middle of the street alone while staring up at the sky.

She had spent too much time thinking and now a few raindrops were gracing her pale skin. Trembling involuntarily, she stared at the dirt road below her that was slowly transforming into a dark muddy path.

As the rain increased, she picked up her speed, placing her hands over her ears to block out the sound of the thunder that appeared to increase in volume. Soon enough, her small hands weren't enough to block out the noise and she retreated to a run. Moreover, she was blindly running. She had no idea where she was.

Every other noise seemed to melt before the sound of the thunder. She frantically searched for something, someone that would save her from the storm.

Barking caught her attention, forcing her to halt in her spot and desperately look to the right of her. The sight of a small white dog caught her eyes, causing her to smile warmly. Maybe she had hope for shelter after all, if Akamaru led her somewhere safe she could stay.

He fled, causing her smile to drop quickly. Knowing that she couldn't risk losing Akamaru, she raced after him. Her muscles ached and her body felt incredibly heavy all of a sudden. The chase after him felt like it was a life or death situation and that if she lost him, she would lose her life.

That feeling didn't settle her stomach, even for a minute.

Her clothes were saturated with water, sticking to her skin. Her short hair was matted to her face, framing her wide pale eyes. Fear shot through her body, running in each vein, causing her body to tremble or... was that from the cold?

Mud splattered her capris as she slipped and fell against a wall of one of the small shops. The back of her head rammed against the wall forcing her to close her eyes and hold her head in between her legs to lessen the pain. The rain continued to drown her, torment her, and the thunder and lightning worked gorgeously in their attempt to frighten her.

They all succeeded.

She opened her eyes and looked around; she had lost Akamaru. Bowing her head in disappointment, she watched the water run through small channels in the mud, trying to escape the hold it had on it. The lower half of her body was covered in wet mud and the rest of her was soaked in water. She frowned at the predicament she had stumbled into. Everything unfortunate seemed to happen to her.

The door a few inches away from her motionless form opened. She quickly looked up into the familiar face. The boy smiled slightly at her as barking sounded behind him.

"You're getting wet," he grinned.

She smiled weakly before standing up and attempting to wipe the mud from her legs. Thunder rang behind her, causing her to scream slightly and wrap her arms around him unconsciously. Her eyes opened slightly as she realized what she had done. As her cheeks burned with embarrassment, she felt him place his hands on her back.

A sign of affection from a boy she never really noticed. She pulled away very slightly so she could look up at him. The awning that was roofed above their heads deflected the rain that was still dangerously pouring. A warm smile graced his lips, causing her to blush.

She just realized that maybe chasing after a guy that never noticed her was the wrong path to take. Possibly, she could be happy with someone else, especially someone that noticed her.

It was worth the shot, wasn't it?

xxx

It's rather short, isn't it? Oh well, once again, I had to rush due to lack of free time.