Chapter 2

For the next week, I didn't sit with Naruto at lunch. I felt bad whenever I saw him and I knew I wasn't allowed to sit with him. I couldn't bring myself to talk to him either. I felt terrible, and I felt like I was being so mean. Yet, there was nothing I could do about it. If my father was able to find out the first time I sat with him, then he could find out again. Also, I felt angry. Why can't I sit with Naruto? Is there something wrong with him? Why doesn't my father like him? There were a few times where I thought about disobeying my father and just sitting with Naruto anyways. But, then I thought about the time I talked back. I remembered how much it hurt, and the bruise was only just starting to go away.

Miyuki and I have become good friends, and it's really nice to have someone in the house that I can talk to. I told her about Naruto, and she laughed. She said it was like the perfect way to get back at my father. Was that the only reason I liked Naruto? Did I only like him because he is the best way to get back at my father? Father wants me to have a husband of a respectable family, and Naruto is the kid everyone in the village seems to look down upon for some reason. I don't know what my father has with this whole superiority complex. Maybe mother would have known. I looked over and I saw a picture of my mother. I wish she were here. She would have helped me figure out what I was feeling, and what I should do.

"Miss Hinata? Your father wants to talk to you," I heard Miyuki say to me. I gulped.

"H-he does? O-ok… I will be there in just a second," I said with a shaky voice. Why would Father want to talk to me?

I walked over to where we always had our "talks." Thus, I walked over to the dojo. And sure enough, there Father was.

"Hinata," my father said in his cold voice. I bowed deeply to him. "I want to talk to you about the ceremony to remember you mother." I could hear his voice waver as he spoke of Mother. She had been dead for a little while now, and it was the same time of the year that she had died. I could feel myself feel hurt as he discussed with me the arrangements, but I could see his hurt in his eyes as well. Father wasn't how he is now before Mother died. I think his obsession with me being perfect started because he really hurts over my mother. Apparently, I look a lot like her. I feel bad when I think of how much Father is hurting, too, since I see him as a bad person.

"When will this ceremony be held, Father?" I asked him. He stopped and looked at me.

"This same time next week. I will have a kimono made for you to wear." He got up and walked out. I sighed. Sometimes, I wish he was training me instead of telling me about something.

I walked back to my room and just lay on my bed. Naruto drifted into my mind. He was telling me about something, but I was too distracted. Instead of listening, I was blushing. I wish I could talk to Naruto again, but I can't take the chance. What would happen if Father found out again? What would I do? If my father were to find out again, I'm sure that he would probably call for "endurance training." I shivered at the thought of it. Iruka-sensei would probably send me straight to the doctor, then the psychiatrist, then he'd probably try to have me taken away from the Hyuuga, which would just cause more trouble…

All because I was with the wrong person at lunch time.

I knew that I should just sit with someone else at lunch, and none of that would happen. Although, I still wanted to sit with Naruto. I knew that feeling would probably never change. Should I just ignore him like many people seem to do? Would that help me just forget about him? But, he didn't seem to have many friends. Maybe, I should stay his friend, but just never be seen with him. Yeah, that's what I'll do.

I got up out of bed and walked over to get something to drink. I just hoped I wouldn't run into my father. I saw the kitchen and I walked in. There, I saw the traditional furniture and the porcelain cups. I sat down, and the chef came in right away.

"Ah, hello Ms. Hyuuga. May I get you anything this evening?" the chef asked in a polite tone.

"Yes, can I have some oolong tea, please?"

"Certainly! Right away!" He scurried off and came back a moment later with a fine black tea pot and a nice small cup for tea. "Here you go, Ms. Hyuuga. Anything else?"

"No, thank you," I said as I smiled at him. He was a hard working, small, and rather round man with spikey black hair. He had been our chef ever since I was little. Some of my earliest childhood memories had been in the same kitchen and dining room with him making our food and such.

I drank my tea and went back to my room. I had some homework to do, and I didn't want to be the only person who didn't do it. It was a simple assignment, just a worksheet to see what we already knew. I finished it quickly and I went to bed. I knew that tomorrow had to be better than today.

I awoke early like usual and got ready for school. Today, I would make new friends, so that I didn't have to think about Naruto as much. I reached the gate and saw Sakura standing there like usual. I smiled when I saw her.

"Hey, Hyuuga-chan! So, do you think Sasuke-kun likes me? I mean, I talked to him for a full minute yesterday! A full minute! Can you believe it?" She seemed very happy about the Uchiha talking to her. I wondered why. The Uchiha wasn't the nicest of people; he never smiled, laughed, or really showed any emotions except for anger and annoyance. He was a little cocky, and he was mean to Naruto! That fact alone made me dislike him. That's when, Ino walked up.

"Hey guys and Hyuuga-san!" Sakura gave Ino a deathly glare. "I am not a guy!" Sakura yelled. Ino rolled her eyes and turned to me. "Hey, so do you think Sasuke-kun likes me? I caught him looking at me during class! Kyaaa! He is just soooo cool!" Sakura looked disgusted and angry.

"Ino, you pig, he likes me, obviously!" Sakura yelled. "I talked to him for a full minute yesterday!" Sakura looked proud of herself, and Ino looked like Sakura did just a minute ago.

"WHAT? How could he like YOU? He obviously likes me! And, I caught him looking more than once! Oh, and he was probably only talking to you, because you were annoying him and he wanted you to go away!" Ino yelled. Sakura gave her an icy glare.

"He was not only talking to me to get me to go away! We actually were talking about kunai! And, he was only looking at you, because your makeup made you look like a clown yesterday! Take that pig!" Sakura said back. They bickered back and forth like this until we reached the academy and they saw the Uchiha. Then, they acted like they were the best people ever. I sighed and just sat in my usual seat. They would probably do that the entire time we are at the academy.

I looked over and saw the Aburame sitting next to me. Maybe he'll talk to me.

"Um, h-hello..." I said shyly.

He didn't say anything as he turned to look at me. It was a little unnerving that he wore a long trench coat and sunglasses. He nodded an acknowledgement. Or, did he even nod at all? It was hard to tell with that big coat and sunglasses.

"Uh... how are you?" I asked him. He seemed to just stare at me.

"I am fine today, Hyuuga-san," he said. It was very monotone, and he turned away afterwards. I decided not to say anything else. For some reason, I didn't really feel like talking anymore.

Later, when it was lunch time, I decided to talk to a girl with short fire red hair and a very dim shade of blue eyes. As I approached her, she looked up at me.

"May I sit here?"

"Sure, I guess. I mean, no one else is sitting here..." the girl said with a very high pitched voice. I saw that she went rigid.

"So, what is your name?" I asked her. She just looked at me.

"Tanazawa Akahana... And you?" she said to me. I smiled. Akahana means "red bright flower." I looked at her hair again and realized why she was named that.

"I'm Hyuuga Hinata. Can I call you Akahana-san?"

"Oh, yes! O-of course you may, Hyuuga-san!" She smiled at me and I felt happy. We talked all lunch, and I found out a few things about her. First of all, she loved shurikens. She knew everything about them. Like, which one flies the best, which one has the farthest distance it can travel, which one is the best quality... Secondly, she loved gardening. She especially loved very bright red roses. Which leads me to how much she loves the color red... She loves the color red very very very much. She was very nice, and I liked that.

I had made a new friend.

I went through the rest of the day, and I felt like I had accomplished my mission. I set out to make a new friend, and I did. I was smiling as I walked up to the Hyuuga compound. But, my smile faded quickly when I saw my father not all that far inside the gate.

"Come, Hinata. It is time to train."

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update! -.-" Uh... anyways... I would like to give a big shout out to Kakarotto, my writing partner, because it was your Hinata fanfic that inspired me, Kakarotto! Also, thank you to naruto9001believeit and EccentricSuperchick for favoriting my story! Thank you soooo much! Now, this next chapter is a lot shorter than the last chapter... I'm sorry!... I just had a lot going on! Also, it just felt like that was the right place to end the chapter... If this upsets you, it's ok, just leave me a review! Oh, yeah, and please review guys! I really appreciate it!

-Author, Nappa