Notes: hi my friends! this is my very first fic for the naruto fandom and i'd like to just say a few things regarding my fic. this is a modern setting but i will be taking the same names of villages and cities for this fic and everything!

since this is an high school au, i've taken inspiration from japanese and american schools to come together with where they go to school and how it works.

along with that, this fic is naruhina centric but i'm definitely going to have other character influences and every 2-3 chapters, i'll have a chapter focusing on a character and/or ship but despite this fic being naruhina, i want to just explore other characters lives and how their friendship between each other is strong. i want to make this fanfiction unique and do my best to capture every character to the best of my ability.

please enjoy and leave any comments or kudos! critiques are always welcome.

As the summer came to an end, it also meant it was the end of the good times without having to stress over upcoming college applications, curfews, and other restrictions brought on by age. Despite all of this, the beginning of senior year meant that they were only a year closer to escaping high school and move onto bigger and better things. Yet, whenever speaking to their parents regarding how exciting it is that in less than a year, they'll be attending college to achieve their dreams, some not quite sure yet, and escape the ties of the public school system and escape their past. Their parents often remind them that before they know it, time will fly by and they'll miss these days. After the friend group was put in the same schools from elementary all the way until their senior year, it's a surprise that they are still a tight-knit group, even if some in the group have grown apart but as they grow apart, they always end up coming together in times of need. The one thing that they haven't seem to come to terms with is that they'll never be together as closely as this ever again, and sure they'll be able to contact each other but it won't be the same anymore. Ino won't be able to have her fellow ladies come to her parents shop just to fill her time as she works, and Choji won't be able to call up his friends to come over to play on his game systems. No, it would all change. But, in the end, they'll always find their way back to another, their homes in the form of people. Their final year will also be a year of joy, even if the hard times will follow.

Out of all of her girl friends, Hinata is definitely the only one who truly follows the dress code besides Temari. She's already straightened her hair along with her bangs and stares at herself in the mirror for a few moments. Hinata is proud of herself for becoming more confident in her appearance, overcoming her insecurities that plagued her for years starting in middle school. Through her school years, Hinata always struggled with her appearance and always felt as if her friends were the ones who stole the show with their looks. But, she eventually learned during junior year, with the help of her friends and family to appreciate herself. Not every day is the best, but most days are. Today is one of her good days, smiling at her uniform and tugging the vest over and placing her school pin on the logo. It's her first day and she wants to stand out this year, but she's hoping her friends won't tease her and claim that it's all for Naruto-Kun, which she can't lie to herself, a bit of it is. She can feel her face warm up and shakes her head, trying to distance herself from those thoughts. Over the summer, Naruto and her have gone down an rather odd path, one that's leaving her confused on whether or not he's gotten the hint. Years of pining for him, she's decided that after all her efforts, maybe this year she'll do her best to get over him but the thought makes her chest hurt - it seems as if he's always missing her by moments. As if their paths will never cross in the way she dreams of, and it doesn't help that they've become way closer over the summer; it fuels her emotions even more now. She tries to forget the time they cuddled after a long day at the beach, wrapped up under his towel. Taking a deep breath, she finishes up with deodorant and perfume when she hears her sister scream for her.

"Hinata!" She screams, "Breakfast is ready!"

"Thank you, Hanabi!" Hinata calls back down, giggling at how despite it being 7am, she still manages to be so energetic.

Tugging on her purple tennis shoes, she scurries downstairs to be ready in time for when Ino and Sakura come to pick her up. Ino's dad had just passed down his old car to her for an early birthday gift, which intune had her picking up as many friends she could fit in the suv. Besides, their arrangement isn't new since in middle school, Sakura, Ino, and herself would carpool in the morning then walk home. Although, this was a game changer for their usual schedule. Once she reached downstairs, she was greeted with her sister stuffing her face with breakfast which earned a shake of the head from Hinata,

"Hanabi, don't eat like that," she tuts with a loving tone, "Is Konohamaru walking with you this morning?"

"More like he tries to keep up with me while I walk to school." Hanabi corrects following with a hmph.

"Be nice to him, I think it's good for you to have a friend on your way to school. Don't forget to lock up when you leave." She reminds as she places her lunch box filled with a bento into her backpack.

Just as Hanabi replies, a honk is heard and that's Hinata's cue to meet up with her friends. She quickly goes over to give a tiny hug which earns a groan from Hanabi, then heads out with ball of rice from Hanabi's breakfast in her hand,

"Bye, Hanabi!" She bids.

The moment she steps outsides, she listens to her friends begin to compliment her on how she looks which only results in her giggling as a blush runs up her veins and splatters across her face.

"Always so pretty, Hinata!" Sakura yells out, winking at her. She can't quite make out what Ino is saying, but she can definitely hear her own laughter.

"Oh my goodness." Is all Hinata can say, full of endearment as she settles in the backseat, placing herself into the middle seat and quickly buckles up.

Conversation always flows perfectly between the three, and for her two friends being to extroverted, she never once feels as if she's left out from them. Hinata can't think of time of them not being tied together at the hip, and welcoming other girls such as Temari and TenTen into their tight circle. TenTen had joked with them that at least for their senior year halloween, they should dress up as the Spice Girls, and the group quickly agreed with laughter. Temari only shook her head with a grin, which lead to TenTen telling her that she'd be scary spice which ended in Temari and TenTen going at it playfully and laughter erupting in Sakura's bedroom.

Pulling into a spot in the school parking lot, Ino and Sakura turn around to look at Hinata and begin conversing about their schedules, which they all three share only three together which isn't surprising, they always share at least one class every semester together.

"Let's just meet at the girl bathroom before our classes on that day, then we can walk together?" Hinata offers up the idea.

Ino reaches over to playfully pat at her lap, "What would we do without, Hina." And although it's teasing, it fills Hinata's heart with joy since Ino always means what she says. Which sometimes gets her in trouble, but never too bad.

"C'mon, we have to go meet up with the rest of them before they blow up our group chat about where we are." Sakura reminds.

As they get out of the vehicle, Hinata is enormed with their outfit choices. It's their same uniform, but the skirts are definitely hemed a bit shorter and they've opted for shorter button-up shirts. Hinata hopes one day she can pull off an outfit like that. She worries that her friends will get dress coded, an at least monthly fiasco, but she only compliments and stands on the side of Ino. They eventually make it up to their group of friends, everyone present. Hinata says her hello's to everyone with a wave. The bell rings which has them all separating into smaller groups and discussing what classes they all have. Hinata is just finishing up her tying her shoes and flattening her skirt when a voice grabs her attention,

"So, Hinata, what classes do we have together?" The voice asks, which can only be Naruto-Kun. She bites her lip from blushing and peers up to him, noticing that he's gotten a haircut that is way shorter than she would've expected, yet it suits him well and she definitely knows she still has feelings for him since she still finds him attractive even through all his haircuts.

"Let's just see." She remarks with a grin and begins walking besides him, reaching over to take his schedule to examine.

They have three classes together and they're the three she doesn't have with the girls. Yeah, Hinata knows this is going to be a good year she thinks, as she grins to herself.