Okay, so, so far the votes go like this:
Naruto: 2
Neji: 1
Sasuke: 1/2
Gaara: 1/2
Itachi: 0
Itachi will most likely pick up, once he gets into the story.
Anyway, there'll be a lot of depressing poems in this story, but there will be an extremely uplifting one that plays a big part. Thanks for the 4 reviews, I love this story so much that even that number made me update. Anyway, enjoy!
O-O-O-O-()-O-O-O-O
The woman, whose name is Kurenai, showed me my room, and it, in a way, told Hinata how insane they thought she was. It was white, and most everything was padded, but if need be she could always break the light bulb or scratch her wrist on the edge of a book. This way of thinking was only developed by many years of being denied everything she loved in the Hyuuga household, and part of her was disturbed by how criminal her mind was. But to survive as long as she did, she had needed to force her mind to adjust, to think about ways to sneak books in, and later on in applications much like this one. She sighed, and finished unpacking her books. The only one not on the white bookshelf was I Just Hope It's Lethal. She loved that book more than life itself, it had kept her going. Have you ever felt like only one thing was connecting you to life, only one thing keeping you from just fading away? That was how Hinata felt about it. Because of this book, she had kept that fake smile on her face. But (as she thought about this, her face visibly darkened) now she didn't have to do that, now the book had no purpose. She should get rid of it, that would help her die faster, but … she couldn't. It was her one last tie to him, to the boy that helped her so much. Her one last tie to the world, the one thing that would stop her from just being erased, from disappearing as though she had never existed.
Sighing, she decided not think about it right now. It was too complicated, and right now it was time for food. She picked up her book and wandered into the cafeteria, where they were serving some kind of colorless mush that looked kind of like a mixture of curdled milk and rancid chunky cake mix. She decided not to risk it and went for the bread instead, which was store bought. She was allowed to eat what she wanted because she didn't have a food problem. The bread seemed fine, so she grabbed an orange juice and looked for somewhere to sit. It occurred to her that this place was a lot like her high school, but then she noticed that the only utensils they had were plastic spoons, and she knew that was because of people like her.
She found herself sitting at an empty table, not knowing how she had gotten there. This happened often. When her mind was somewhere else, her body operated of its own accord, and got her the places she needed to go. She was about to eat when Sun boy joined her at the table, bringing a long a whole string of others.
"Hey, Hinata-chan! How'd you know that this table was our groups?" Sun boy asked, smiling a goofy grin that showed almost all of his teeth. That is, until a girl with cotton candy hair smacked the back of his head.
"Baka! The tables are labeled. And Kakashi told her that she had to sit with the group. Not everyone is as stupid as you!" Hinata blinked. Two things were on her mind. One was how her body's ability to function on its own was kind of scary. The second thing was what this girl's name was. She had been the first one to introduce herself, but, then again, Hinata hadn't listened at all.
"Anyway, Hinata-san, I apologize for Naruto here. He's an idiot. By the way what were you and Sasuke talking about at the end of group therapy? You know, he's only being nice to you because you're new. Don't even think about stealing him from me. After all, I'm the one who's tried the hardest to get his attention, and I deserve it." She flipped the woven strands of cotton candy that were her hair over her perfect shoulder. So Sun boy's name was Naruto.
"There are certain shades of limelight that can ruin a girl's complexion." Hinata's eyes were focused on Cotton Candy's face, staring into twin emeralds.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" She asked, her voice pleasant, but her face and eyes hard.
"Well, Sakura, it means that" The girl who's hair was platinum blond straw, straight as a pin, and whose eyes danced with light was cut off by Cotton Candy.
"I know what it means, Ino. I'm not an idiot, like some people." Cotton Candy, whose real name must be Sakura, looked pointedly at the girl who was evidently called Ino. Ino glared at Sakura and pursed her lips, but said nothing more. So, for some reason unknown even to her, Hinata spoke for her.
"Better to keep quiet and appear an idiot than to speak and remove all doubt." Hinata's eyes were focused on Sakura's. Hinata had no idea why she was saying all this, when she hadn't spoken to her family in months. But there was something about how Ino just took Sakura's abuse, how she didn't fight back, that angered Hinata to no end. Probably because she had just taken her family's abuse and hadn't said a word. Hinata found it easier to stand up for other people rather than herself.
Hinata stood up, gathered her things quickly, and left before Sakura could say another word. She wasn't really hungry anyway.
()-()-()-()- O -()-()-()-()
Half an hour later
Ino found Hinata in the common room, reading a book. As Ino entered the room, Hinata glanced up from her book. Upon learning who it was, she continued to read.
"Listen, Hinata-san, I just wanted to say thanks for defending me." Hinata just looked up and smiled, a nice warm smile, the kind of smile that Hinata can only smile after helping someone, because it reminds her of who she used to be, of her one friend, of her mother and grandmother. Ino sat down beside Hinata, and continued to talk.
"I used to be able to stand up to her, but being in this place so long had whittled away at me so much, that now I just give in. Somehow, this place doesn't affect her. She stays the same no matter what. Why did you defend me anyway?" Hinata contemplated her answer for a long time, and finally settled on the right thing to say. Something about this girl, something about their similarities made this girl impossible to lie to.
"I've watched a young woman fondling three strands
Of her own hair
In the back seat of a Maserati. She said, "I am so young
And beautiful I won't exert myself precipitously.
Watch my blue eyes, the way I toss my hair,
The boredom in my perfect shoulder."
When I was young, back there in an old truck without tires,
Playing house with baby sister, we had our own
Christmas tree
In February. There were shreds of tinsel hanging on it still.
We balanced small pieces of colored glass carefully
On its branches. It was cold, Foster Mother drunk.
Her broken brother chased us through the attic one day
Lower denture hanging out, smelly blanket on his shoulders.
Dad hadn't beaten me up yet. I was six."
Both girls remained silent for a time after that. After that Ino told Hinata all about her family, her anorexia, everything. Hinata listened carefully, sympathetic to the poor girl. Eventually Ino had to leave, for it was time for her therapy. Hinata would only see Kurenai every other day, so she mulled over what Ino had said.
'Maybe, just maybe, I can get better here. At least they won't hit me for reading poetry or quoting things.' Hinata sat there, reliving all the times her family had hit her for doing something wrong. They hated poetry and fiction, anything literary that was fiction really. Hinata decided that she would try, at least.
After all, who wants to live their last months as zombie?
And …
At least no body could say she didn't try.
()+()+()+O O+()+()+()
I tried to make this one a little more uplifting, since the last one was a little depressing. Besides, she wouldn't be the Hinata we all know and love if she didn't at least try.
The poem is called Jealousy by Elaine Restifo.
Gee, do you think I own Naruto?
P.S. See that little button in the left hand corner. Push it and tell me what it does, okay?