Prologue

Hinata sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror. She lightly slapped her cheeks and shook her head as she tried to fake a smile. Another sigh escaped her lips.

"Hinata-sama, you're going to be late," a woman's voice called from the door.

"I'm coming," Hinata replied as she stood up and looked at her reflection one more time. She placed her hair behind her ear before she grabbed her bag and left her room.

"Hinata-sama, Neji-san has requested you ride with him to school today," the woman, who appeared to be her maid, said as she trailed behind her mistress.

"R-right," Hinata said in reply, "I'll talk to him," she added before she quickened her pace down a flight of stairs and into the front of the house where Neji was waiting in front of a limo.

"Hinata-sama," he bowed and Hinata narrowed her eyes.

"I can walk, Neji-niisan," she said as she walked past the car.

"But-"

"The school is a few blocks away and I know you only want to drop me off because you don't want me walking to school with-"

"Hinata!" a familiar voice called. Hinata turned her head towards the gates of her house to find Sasuke waving at her.

"Hinata, he's-"

"A good friend of mine, nii-san," she said as she ran towards her friend. She looked back with a smile, "Besides, I can take care of myself." Neji sighed as he entered the car himself and wondered how on Earth his little cousin got involved with someone like Uchiha Sasuke.

"What took you so long?" Sasuke said as she ran up to him.

"Sorry, Neji was asking to drop me off," she said and Sasuke just scoffed while she smiled.

"That cousin of yours can be a real pain in the-"

"Watch where you're going!" a voice yelled and Sasuke and Hinata moved away from the other as a bike zoomed straight past them. "Sorry, Hina-chan!" Kiba called out and Sasuke sighed.

"Come on," he said as they both walked towards the school. They discussed home and school, like usual when a card had stopped right next to them.

"Sasuke-kun! We can give you a ride if you like!" a girl called and the pair turned their heads to find Ino, waving at them, a smile on her face on her brand new convertible.

"Morning, Shikamaru-san," Hinata said as she looked at the driver.

"Morning," he replied as Ino stared at Sasuke dreamily.

"No thanks," was all Sasuke said as he kept walking forward. Ino pouted but before she could respond, Shikamaru drove off.

"Shikamaru!" Ino yelled and Shikamaru just shook his head and kept going.

"It's a shame," Hinata started and Sasuke stopped walking to look back at her, "my feet were really hurting." A bead of sweat dropped from Sasuke's head.

"Why didn't you just ride with your cousin?!"

"Because I was trying to prove a point!"

"Honestly," Sasuke said as he walked towards her. He took off his shoes and handed them to her.

"No thanks," she said as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"I'm trying to be nice!"

"Sakura-san's going to get the wrong idea again!"

"Like I care what she thinks!"

"Liar, she said as she walked ahead. Sasuke just sighed before he placed his shoes back on. "She's already jealous we walk to school together."

"Well, she needs to keep her nose out of other people's business."

"You're being mean," she muttered and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Well then, what about that Gaara kid?" he said and Hinata froze, "He seems pretty interested. I mean since he wrote that-" but before he could finish, Hinata slammed her bag into his face.

"Shut up! Besides, Gaara and I are just friends!" she said defensively as they could see the school come to view.

"I'm pretty sure friends is the last thing on his-" he was cut off by another bag to the face, "Quit doing that!"

"Sorry," she said with a giggle.

"No you're not," he said angrily and she walked ahead of him and turned back as she stuck her tongue out and made a face, "You're not cute either!" Sasuke called as she ran towards her friends.

"Sakura-san!" Hinata yelled as Sakura turned around and smiled.

"Morning Hinata!" Sakura said happily, "Morning Sasuke," she added as the boy walked past them. He nodded at her and she smiled. Hinata stared at the scene with a smile and while Sasuke walked into the school, Sakura turned her head towards Hinata, a glint in her eye.

"Uhm, S-Sakura," Hinata started, "There's something black coming out of you," she said as Sakura's glare intensified. She was emitting jealousy, literally, as she walked towards Hinata. A drop of sweat appeared behind Hinata's head as the pink-haired girl just collapsed to the ground.

"What kind of best friend tries to get with their other best friend's man? I haven't wronged you have I? I'm just a poor, lonely girl who is searching for-"

"You can stop with the monologue now," Ino said as she appeared next to them.

"Shut up, Ino, like you can talk, you've got it bad for Sasuke-kun too!" Sakura said and a vein appeared on Ino's head as they both clutched their fists and glared at the other. Hinata let out a giggle.

"Stay out of this!" the girls said in sync as Hinata just raised her hands up in defense.

"Morning, ladies!" a woman said enthusiastically. The three girls turned their heads.

"Tsunade-sensei!" they chorused and Tsunade grinned, "New transfer student today," she mentions as she walked past.

"Again?Didn't we just have two last week and then one the week before?" Sakura asked and Tsunade shrugged.

"Tsunade-sama, please!" Shizune said as she emerged from the school's doors, "You have to look over this paperwork!"

"Yes, yes I'm coming," Tsunade said casually as she shooed the papers thrusted into her face away.

"Morning, Vice Principal Shizune," Hinata said with a small smile and Shizune replied with a quick 'Morning!' before she dragged Tsunade into the school. The three girls watched the scene, not sure if they should be concerned.

"Anyway I-"

"Excuse me," a voice said and the three students turned their heads to find a tall boy with blonde hair, wearing their school uniform with a long black coat and a piece of cloth wrapped around his head with a strange symbol on it. "I'm new here," he said as he scratched the back of his head. The girls stared at the boy, a blush on their cheeks. 'Cute,' they all thought as he grinned at them. Hinata's heart beat quickened as she stared at him and Sakura raised an eyebrow at her.

"I can take you to the office if you want," Ino said as she clasped her hands together. Sakura just smacked Ino's face.

"Actually, Hinata can take you, Ino and I have to go to class," she said quickly before she lightly pushed Hinata towards the new student before she grabbed Ino's hand and dragged her into the school.

"W-wait!" Hinata called out as she watched her two best friends disappear.

"So Hinata, huh?" the blonde boy said as she turned her head back at him, "I'm Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto," he added with a wide smile.

"H-Hyuuga Hinata," she muttered and Naruto smiled.

"I know," he said casually and Hinata looked at him in question.

"I'm s-sorry what?"

"Nothing, nothing," he said quickly as he walked towards the school entrance, "So are you going to take me or-"

"R-right," she said and cursed herself at her stutter. Hinata hasn't stuttered in years. She was 13 when she finally stopped, thanks to her friends, particularly Sasuke. She rushed next to him with a nervous smile and light pink cheeks as she gave him a tour of the classrooms before they reached the office. "Right, well, I have to get to class now," she said she took a step backward. Hinata turned around and Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Thank-" but before he could finish, Hinata had already walked away, "-you?" Hinata's heartbeat quickened as she kept thinking about the new student, confused as to why he has had this much affect on her.

'He kinda looks familiar,' she thought as she stood in front of the door to her classroom. She shook her head and sighed before she walked in.

"Hinata! You're late!" Kiba whined as she walked towards her seat.

"Sorry, I was showing the new kid around," she said as she tried so very hard to keep her heart rate down.

"You okay?" Sasuke said from the seat next to her. She looked at him with pursed lips before-

"Okay class, we have a new student today," their teacher announced just as he walked into the room. Hinata widened her eyes before she looked towards the front. "Come on," he said as he turned his head toward the door. As the new student walked in, everyone watched with curious expressions.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto exclaimed with a grin and a thumbs up towards the class.

"N-naruto," Hinata said suddenly and the entire class turned their heads towards the girl. Sakura and Ino dropped their heads into the desks. 'Hinata,' they both thought in embarrassment.

"Hey, Hinata," Naruto said with a smile and the Hyuuga girl felt her blush deepen. Sasuke stared between the two with furrowed brows.

"Hinata, who's-"

"Hinata-sama, you know Naruto?" their teacher asked with a curious expression.

"Sort of," she said lamely and Naruto just grinned.

"Well, I guess I know who's going to be your guide for the rest of the semester," he said as he patted the new student on the back. Hinata took a breath in as their teacher gestured towards an empty seat next to Hinata. Naruto walked towards her excitedly before-

"I can take care of him," Sasuke said quickly and Hinata looked towards her friend with fire in her eyes, "I-I was kidding?" he continued with a bead of sweat on his head.

"I-I'm okay to do it, really," Hinata said to Naruto as he stood in front of her.

"I didn't really get to thank you for this morning either," Naruto said as he leaned forward.

"I didn't really do-" she stopped herself as she felt a pair of lips touch her cheek.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Neji yelled as he stood from his seat, anger evident in his voice.

"Just a small thank you," the blonde muttered before he returned to his desk. Hinata's face turned a shade of dark red as she felt the heat overcome her entire body.

"There's steam coming out of her," Ino pointed out to Sakura and the pink haired student just nodded.

"Alright, settle down everyone," the teacher said as he raised his hands, drop of sweat on his head.

"Kakashi-sensei, you can't just let him get away with something like that," Neji said as he pointed towards Naruto. Naruto just shrugged as Hinata's cousin sent him a fiery glare.

"Sit down, Neji-san," Kakashi said as he turned his back towards his students and began to write on the board. Nobody could really pay attention though. Sasuke, Gaara, Kiba and Neji were staring at Naruto who was staring at Hinata who was looking at Ino and Sakura who were looking back at her until she shifted her gaze to Neji who started looking at her and then Naruto shifted his gaze to Sasuke and Sasuke just turned away to look at Sakura who had a worried expression on her face while Ino began to look at Shikamaru who stared at her with a bored look.

"U-uhm," Kakashi said as he noticed the sudden change of atmosphere in the classroom. He sighed before he just turned his head and kept writing on the board, "This is going to be a long week," he muttered to himself with another sigh.