The Confrontation and Confession

"Look, Kiba, can we talk?" Hinata asked that bright Monday morning.

"Sure. Shoot." Kiba said. He was wearing his goofy, fanged grin again.

"No, not here. We have to go somewhere private." She whispered hesitantly as if someone could here.

"Oh. Ok, well, where should we go?" Kiba questioned.

"I don't know."

"Ooh! How about the lake?" Kiba practically yelled in excitement. "After

practice though."

"Great idea!" Hinata agreed. They both new very well that the lake was always empty on weekdays, everyone is busy.

"Ok. Well, we better get to Kurenai and Shino now. We don't want to be late!" Kiba and Hinata didn't want to find out what would happen if they were late.

"Good point, let's go!" And with that Hinata ran off to meet with the other half of her team, Kiba not far behind.

"Alright guys, good work today!" Kurenai praised her team several tiring hours later. "You all did wonderful!"

Exhausted, the team lay in their usual positions after practice. Hinata leaning over, hands on her knees, Kiba and Akamaru laying flat on their backs, and Shino sitting up, with his head leaning backward on a tree.

"Ok, well, practice is over. I'll see you all here 8 AM tomorrow morning. "Bye!" Kurenai left.

"Bye!" the team sang in unison.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow. I've got to get home." Shino said standing up.

"Ok. Bye bug boy!" Kiba replied laughing under his breath. Shino glared back at him from behind his sunglasses.

Hinata, still bent over catching her breath, raised one hand to signal her good bye.

"Ok, well, bye." And with one last glare towards Kiba for his rude remark, Shino left.

Once he was out of earshot, Kiba leaned up on his elbows and bent his head back so he could see his Hinata's face upside down. "You ready to go?"

"Sure." Hinata replied with a big breath and stood straight up.

"Alright, let's go!" Kiba said as he picked up Akamaru and placed him just above the zipper of his jacket.

Their walk to the lake was silent, but not an awkward silence. It was silent because both Kiba and Hinata had a lot on their mind.

I wonder what she wants to tell me. This better not be about Naruto, unless, of course, it involves me bashing his head in for hurting my girl! Or, maybe it's good news. Maybe she wants to tell me she has finally realized I'm the guy for her!! Huh. This suspense is killing me! At least we're almost there.

Kiba's thoughts were all on hoping Hinata had discovered her new feelings towards him. But Hinata's? They were a bit different.

Oh, man, how am I going to do this? What if he freaks? What will I do? What if this screws up our friendship? Oh mother of God, HELP ME!

Hinata was screaming inside, these unanswerable questions running through her head. However her outside was unfased.

Then they were there, at the lake. The two of them decided on a spot and sat down. Kiba leaned back on his hands while Akamaru lay between Kiba's stretched out legs. Hinata was sitting up straight on her knees.

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Kiba broke the now awkward silence.

"Umm..." She stuttered as she tried to find the right words to say. "I'm going to just go out and say it, because I really don't know how else to say it. I need your help." She waited for a response, which apparently was Kiba's confused face. She hesitated. "I want to change."

"What?" Kiba finally asked, still confused.

"You know, I don't want to be "Little Miss Nice, Defenseless, and Weak Hinata" anymore." She tried to explain.

"What? Why?" Kiba, still not understanding, began to stutter himself.

What is she talking about? She wants to change? And needs my help to do it? I like her the way she is. Why does she want to change? And why do I have to be the one to help her? What is going on with her today?