Hinata is her school's new advice columnist, Miss Understanding but with all the drama and relationships she has to go through, it seems like she's the one who needs advice! Mostly SasuxHina, some other pairings sprinkled in.

Whew! I really haven't posted fanfiction in a looong time! I know that my other stories haven't been updated in a while but I'll see if I can get some updates in. Well, here's a new story and I really hope you enjoy. It's an idea I've been playing around with for a while and only recently able to write. I enjoyed writing this first chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it.

It's Going to be a Long Day

A groan erupted as the sound of shrill beeps loudly announced it was 7:00. A pair of pale lavender glared at the source of the offending noise from beneath the sheets. Hinata didn't know why she used that alarm clock, it was harsh and irritating; probably why her sister had bought it for her in the first place. But, Hinata thought as she dragged herself from her oh so inviting bed, at least it wakes me up. She shivered as her bare feet fell flat on the wooden floor of her bedroom. The chill made her bed look all the more inviting. In fact it seemed to radiate heat. Oh, to be nice and toasty in bed, Hinata thought to herself wistfully, She was about to crawl back under the warm covers and salvage a few more minutes of sleep when her cousin Neji appeared in her doorway, effectively killing that idea. Coolly he asked,

"You will be getting ready, yes? It would be most unfortunate if you were late on your first day of school."

Hinata's eyes widened and her stomach seemed to make an uncomfortable flip. She had forgotten that it was her first day of school at the Academy. If Neji noticed his cousin's reaction, he didn't show it.

"Breakfast is ready, so hurry up" he said in the same composed tone. Noiselessly, Hinata nodded and Neji hurried away. Hinata smiled at his quick pace; he may have been the great Neji Hyuuga, but he was like any guy in that he was motivated by few things greater than his stomach. Her smile dissipated as she stumbled over to her closet and yanked it open with an uncharacteristically ungraceful flourish; unlike Neji and the majority of her family, Hinata was not a morning person. Her pale eyes scanned her closet quickly before focusing on her uniform, hanging neatly before her. The fabric was stiff in its newness, but as Hinata surveyed herself in the mirror, she noted that while the uniform was not her taste, things certainly could have been worse. Her hair on the other hand, was another matter. Hinata pulled a disgruntled face as she fingered her hair. The silky blue strands more resembled a tangled web of blue-black before a quick, intense attack with the brush tamed the tangles. Hinata sighed and felt a tinge of envy as she thought how perfect Neji looked every morning, with every hair in place. She was sure his hair never resembled a human Chia Pet when he woke up. In the corner of her eye, Hinata saw the clock read 7:35; she had to start hurrying. With a final straightening of her uniform, Hinata rushed to join her cousin.

Neji was still busy eating when Hinata joined him at the table. His eyes were glued to the Sports section of the Konoha Daily News as he held it propped in one hand and a piece of toast in the other. An empty bowl with remnants of cereal lay to his right. Neji was the captain of the Academy Soccer team and so he held a monopoly over the Sports section as well as Business. Hinata didn't mind. Though she knew that as the heiress of the Hyuuga, multi-billion dollar corporate empire she should take more interest in the going-ons of the economy, she never could find an interest in it. Besides, Neji was much better when it came to business, anyways. He had a natural instinct when it came to deals.

Hinata grinned when she eyed the half-eaten toast clasped in her cousin's hand.

"What is that? Your third piece? Fourth?" She asked, teasingly.

Neji looked up from his paper and paused, trying to remember. After Hinata helped herself to a croissant and the World Affairs section of the newspaper, he answered.

"Seventh" and promptly finished it off before restoring his concentration on the Sports. The two shared a knowing smile as they lapsed into a relaxed silence. A few years before, such events would have been unheard of. Although the two had been close as young children, Neji's father had died when he was a child and he took it extremely hard. His grief manifested itself as anger and Neji distanced himself from everyone. He had moved in with his uncle shortly after his father's death, but it had only been recently that he opened up to his remaining family. Now, he and Hinata were as close as ever and she was grateful to have him; he was like a big brother that she knew she could depend on.

Just as she began munching on a piece of toast, Neji rose abruptly to his feet. His curt voice broke the relaxed mood.

"It's 8:05, we have to go. Come on, hurry up."

"W-What? Already?" Hinata stammered before shoving the remainder of her toast in her mouth. But by then, he was already halfway out the door.

"Hurry up!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Hinata tried to respond but the toast was quite successful in muting her already soft voice. With a painful swallow, she called out to her cousin's shrinking form, "Coming!" She rushed out the door after him, grabbing her backpack as she ran outside.

Neji was sitting in a limo waiting for her when Hinata's heavy footsteps announced her arrival. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the long, black car. Even though her father was away on business, he always made sure they would travel in style, even to school. If there was one thing Hinata knew about business, it was that appearances were everything.

"Skootch" she told her cousin as she stepped into the car. With a sigh she asked him, "Why do we have to leave so early? We could have stayed at least ten more minutes and we still would have made it on time, right?"

Neji simply replied, "It never hurts to be early."

She sighed and thought to herself, well, you're not the one choking on your toast trying to get out the door.

The silence the two fell in was not so relaxed as just a few minutes before. Each looked out the tinted glass, gazing at the trees and other cars rushing by as they sped on the pavement. First day jitters made Hinata uneasy. She felt like her stomach was a gymnast, going for the gold and winning. She wondered what it would be like. Neji liked the Academy but he was Neji, perfect. Even if he wasn't the most social, everyone liked him or, at the very least, respected him. She on the other hand, was shy, quiet, and often overlooked. She liked to think that she was nice to have around, but few outside her family bothered to pay her enough mind to see anything besides a meek little girl. Her uneasy shifting caused the black leather seat to squeak noisily. Her embarrassed gaze shot up to meet her cousin's and her cheeks flushed pink for causing the unsightly sound. Neji looked at her a moment before asking in his typical, concise way,

"Nervous?"

"Y-yes" she stammered. She had a habit of stuttering since she was a child and, although she had gotten over it, the problem usually came back when she was nervous or under stress.

"You'll be fine." That was Neji's encouragement and when he saw her nod silently, he returned his gaze to the window. Hinata sighed inwardly, Neji was good at nearly everything, but apparently encouraging others was not one of his strong suits. His words did little to soothe her frazzled nerves. She had never really gone to school with others her age before. Of course, she had gone to preschool however after, Hinata was taught by the family's private tutor. He was a kind, albeit rather absent-minded old man whose no nonsense attitude towards teaching gave Hinata an ample education. Upon his death, her father decided to send his daughters to Konoha's premiere private academy. He had seen Neji flourish there and made the decision, like so many others regarding his daughters, without consulting either Hinata or Hanabi. He disregarded the fact that they would have to join during the middle of the school year and that they knew few, if any of their new classmates. He reasoned that since they were Hyuugas, they could do anything. Seeing Neji's progress there only solidified his resolve. Hinata briefly felt a mixture of emotions. She missed her tutor, felt a flare of jealousy as Hanabi was attending the Junior High and didn't have to wake up until now, and apprehension as she pondered what her classmates would be like. She was never a social person and knew few people her age. Most of them were from business deals and Hinata only communicated with them on holidays to be polite and to maintain connections. The family business had a complex network of people and keeping in touch with the families of business partners was necessary. All in all, Hinata had very few friends her age. She briefly wondered if her classmates would be like the stereotypes she had seen in the movies, but she doubted it.

Hinata felt herself shift as the limo slowed to a stop in front of the school. Looking out the window, her eyes opened in amazement. It looked like a university with its vast campus and beautiful brick buildings.

"I just know I'll get lost" she murmured to herself as she stepped out of the limo. Her eyes couldn't seem to rest on one place, flickering from one building to the next, all the while wondering what was housed in each.

"You get used to it pretty fast" said Neji as he followed her out.

He gestured to a smaller building in the corner and said, "Over there is the Office. You have some time to go over and collect your books, schedule, and locker assignment. I would go with you, but I need to go to class early. If you have any questions, just ask someone in the hall. The people are nice here, for the most part, so don't be frightened. Seeya."

Hinata didn't know where her voice had gone off to that that morning but she couldn't seem to say anything as her cousin walked away. This is going to be a long day, she thought to herself with resignation. With that, she made her way to the office. She was greeted by a young woman with cropped black hair. The woman smiled when she saw Hinata enter.

"Hello, how can I help you?" she asked from behind a large desk. Her voice was warm and kind.

"I-I'm n-n-new. Today's m-my first d-day" Hinata managed to choke out. Her face burned red and she cursed her inability to say even a sentence properly. The woman smiled sympathetically and said warmly, "You're nervous, aren't you? Well don't worry; I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm Shizune, by the way. What's your name?"

"Hyuuga, H-Hinata Hyuuga" she said, quietly.

"Ah yes, I can see the resemblance between you and Neji. You are… cousins, correct?"

Hinata nodded in response.

"Yup, you two have similar eyes. They're really striking, by the way. I'd love to have eyes like that. Neji's one of our top students. I'm sure you'll be a gem here as well. Now, Miss Hyuuga, let me get your papers for you. Your teachers will have your textbooks in their classes.

Shizune went through dozens of folders before compiling the necessary packet. After a loud "ka-chunk" from the stapler as she attached the sheets together, she handed the pack to Hinata.

"Here's everything," she said with a slight smile. "You have a map of the school, your schedule, a list of the clubs we have here, you know, like Chess Club, Cinema Club, the school paper," Hinata's ears perked up at the mention of a newspaper. She had always entertained the idea of being a part of a paper, but had never had the opportunity before. Shizune continued, "I also included the school rules, the student handbook, the lunch calendar and pay plan, as well as some forms we need signed. So, I think that's it." Shizune glanced at the clock and exclaimed, "Oh, you probably should get going. Don't worry if you're a little late today, though. Your teachers will understand."

Shizune waved as she sent Hinata off on her first day. Hinata's head was spinning as she left the office. The thick packet of papers felt heavier than it should have in her hands. Flipping it open to her schedule, she quickly glanced down her classes and read them aloud to herself softly. It read:

Period 1AP CalculusRm 214

Period 2AP World History Rm 111

Period 3AP BiologyRm 119

Period 4LunchWest Café

Period 5French Level 4Rm 209

Period 6AP ChemistryRm 103

Period 7Honors 122

Period 8Honors Lit and Comp Rm 228

The teachers' names weren't given but they wouldn't have made a difference, anyways. Hinata tried making sense of the map given, but she had always been horrible with those sorts of things. Eventually, she gave up when she realized she had gone in a huge circle, with no clearer idea of were she was. She had hoped that with the extra time she had from coming early, she could get to class on time, but if she didn't find someone to help her, she'd most certainly be late. Tardiness was something all Hyuugas hated and she was no exceptions. In her rush, Hinata ran up to the first person she saw, not noticing the bunch of clamoring girls following him.

"Excuse me, I-I'm new and I-"

His head didn't even turn to face her when his deep voice cut her off. "Get away from me" and he walked off, leaving a flabbergasted Hinata in his wake. So much for everyone being nice, she thought to herself wryly. Her next attempt was more successful and an upper classman pointed her in the right direction. Something about the rude guy irked her, though. He seemed familiar and she was sure she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn't identify him. She continued to muse on it as she entered her first class, just as the bell rang. Her teacher looked up at her as she walked in. He had gelled grey hair and attire surprisingly casual for such an esteemed institution. His voice reflected his relaxed appearance as he said calmly, "Ah, you must be the new girl. Here, I'm Mr. Hatake but you can call me Kakashi. I'll be teaching you calculus this year. It's a pretty tough class; do you think you can handle it?"

Hinata simply bowed her head and uttered a quiet, "Yes sir".

He smiled and said, "Alright, then. Well, let's introduce you to the class." He turned and gazed at his students, many of whom had their backs turned, chatting to their friends. Hinata's face paled when her gaze fell on a guy in the corner of the room. He, unlike many of his classmates, wasn't talking. His eyes seemed to be boring into her. It was the guy from that morning. Hinata recognized him now, his spiky black hair, intense onyx hued eyes, and grim set mouth were instantly recognizable. It was Sasuke Uchiha, the son of her Father's top rival.

When the class quieted, Kakashi announced, "Class, today we have a new student who will be joining us. Please meet Miss Hinata Hyuuga. I am sure you all will treat her with the utmost respect and courtesy." He scanned the room, searching for an empty seat for his new student. Hmm, he mused to himself, I never realized this glass was so full. Ah, there's a seat. "Miss Hyuuga," he said, turning to her, "you can sit next to Mr. Uchiha. He can also help you get caught up on the notes you need. Now, let's get started. We've already wasted enough time."

Hinata cursed her luck as she made her way to her desk. Her first class and she had to sit next to Sasuke Uchiha? This was going to be a long day.

So that's it! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Miss Understanding ^_^ I know Hinata isn't actually Miss Understanding yet, but I'm saving that for the next chapter. Hopefully I'll update soon. If you have any comments or questions or suggestions for me, please review. I'd love to hear what you all think!