Chapter 4
"So, are you sure I can't tempt you with alcohol?" Sasuke's head emerged from the fridge door that he was previously rummaging through and he waved around a can of beer.
Hinata shook her head furiously, "I don't want any!" She wasn't sure how many times she had tried refusing him.
Sasuke nodded and muttered as he put the can back into the fridge, "You are so boring."
Hinata felt as if she had been slapped. She knew that. She knew that she didn't have a backbone and could make a blank sheet of paper look more exciting. She looked down at her feet to hid her burning eyes. Taking a deep breath, she said unsteadily, "I think…I think I should just go back now. I have…PE," Hinata knit her eyes together, everyone knew she was hopeless at nearly any type physical movement, "I could make it in time if I leave…now."
She bit her lip and turned around to exit the kitchen. Several steps from the door she felt Sasuke's cool skin contact with her fingers that he was gripping. She paused but still didn't turn around, the tears in her eyes were still too apparent.
"I'm sorry, Hinata. I didn't mean that." He whispered softly and lead he back slowly through another door until they were in a comfortable looking room with a large TV standing impressively at the front of the room.
"So what movie do you want to watch? We have a lot, go ahead and choose." He offered and finally let go of her hand. Hinata opted to just shrug instead of betraying the sniffling that she was sure would worm it's way into her voice if she spoke.
"Okay…I suppose we could watch…I dunno. I've never seen this, you want to?" He pulled DVD off the overwhelmingly large wooden shelf, it looked like a very old movie, one that maybe had Audrey Hepburn in it.
Hinata only answered by sitting down on one end of the couch and curling into a small ball and closing her eyes. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "Does this mean you don't wish to?"
Hinata opened an eye and shrugged again, she knew she was acting like a petulant child, but it seemed fair with all the petulant-childness that Sasuke had given her. Sasuke shrugged back, "I guess we're watching this." He inserted the DVD into the player then sat on the suddenly smaller seeming couch next to Hinata, her foot was touching his knee.
She ignored that, she was too tired, with last night's either real wolf-on-steroids or her hallucination-after-a-nightmare-wolf, she didn't sleep much. She felt herself lean over slightly, but didn't bother up righting herself. She didn't even think the movie had gone five minutes before she felt her eyelids close and the droning words become muffled and lost.
I hadn't realized what had happened until another sixty seconds after my heart palpitations had stopped beating so erratically. She just sort of…fell on me. She had just closed her eyes and fell on me, snoring lightly. I wasn't sure what was even going on in the movie or why I was even watching it (it was so fucking boring) with the distraction of Hinata half clinging to my chest by a conveniently placed arm and half sprawled across my lap.
It was pathetic really how much I had opened up to her, I guess we were both just unlucky like that. Unlucky…I let my mind wander to the night she had found me over that's kid's body, talk about bad timing, and now, I was endangering her. Fate just kept twisting us further and further together, I wasn't complaining, I just know how dangerous it will turn out for her.
A soft moan from her was heard and her grip around my neck and shoulders tightened. The position all in all looked very uncomfortable for her. I gently wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer onto my lap, hoping that may make her feel more comfortable. Sure enough, her moaning and whining ceased.
I watched her sleep, she was so serene when she slept, her mouth was parted slightly, her curtain of hair fell in long tendrils across her face, her chest fell and rose quietly as she breathed and occasionally her eyes would flutter underneath her closed eyelids.
She was so fragile and so close. I lightly brushed away her locks of hair away from her face and let my fingers tail with a butterfly touch across her smooth, pale skin; across her high cheekbones, down her nose, and let them glide along her jaw line. I paused when I reached the corner of her mouth then quickly recoiled my hand. How could I let it get this far? I shuddered, it had gone too far, even bringing her on my lap was possibly enough to--
I wasn't about to finish that sentence. I was better than that, not like those mongrels, I can control myself.
I shook my head and closed my eyes, when was the last time I had had a good night's sleep? When was the last time I had slept? So much had been going on that I had no time. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her even closer to me like she was one of those teddy bears I had when I was about five. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep with my cheek cushioned by her soft hair.
Hinata slowly opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times. How long had she slept for? She tried stretching her limbs but was pinned down by strong and powerful restraints. Panic sunk in and her eyes widened and she opened her mouth for a scream when she felt one of the arms holding her twitch and breath tickle her ear.
She turned her head to face Sasuke's seemingly dead face, his breath was so light you could barely see him take any and he was so quiet and still. Lightly, she brought her hand up to face and demanded in a semi-loud whisper, "Sasuke, let go of me."
His eyes flashed open without a second's notice and his blank face changed into one of confusion, "Hinata? What…" He looked down at his enclosing arms, "Oh, right. I'll say sorry, but it wasn't my fault, you fell on me."
Hinata gave a yawn, "I…believe you." She pried his arms off from his waist and stood away from him, her red face concealed by her long hair that was blocking her face, "What time is it?"
Sasuke shrugged and looked around, finally spotting a clock resting on the wall, "Quarter to five." A look of horror spread across his face, "Shit." He grabbed her elbow roughly, "Listen, you have to leave now. I'm sorry, but now's not--"
"Hey, Sasuke, you actually went through the front door for once? It was unlocked." A voice echoed down from the hall from the front foyer.
"I'm sorry about this, Hinata. Really." Sasuke implored and then shoved her into a nearby closet quickly, closing the door behind him quickly. Hinata gave an accusing gasp, but resisted the urge to yell at him and instead gave the door an audible smack, to which a bang on the door was returned.
"Sasuke, you skipped detention."
"Yeah."
There was a sigh, "You can't keep doing that. You're not going to be able to graduate."
"I still have another year before I graduate."
"That's besides the--" There was a pregnant pause, "What's that--?" An angry and frustrated growl sounded from the other man whom Hinata was still unaware of his name, "Why did you do this, Sasuke? You know what will happen, do you not remember…?" His growl lowered and there were whispers that Hinata couldn't hear. She pressed her ear to the door, but found the words became even more muffled than before.
The door opened without any warning and Hinata tumbled out on her hands and knees. She looked up to find the angered face of none other than her detention teacher, Kakashi. She opened her mouth in a little 'O' of embarrassment
"I'm afraid, Ms. Hyuuga, that you have to leave now." His voice was calm, but edged with sudden seriousness.
"Okay," She squeaked and scrambled to her feet. She glanced at Sasuke who gave her an apologetic look, then looked away, determined to look at everything but her.
"I'll drive her home." Sasuke volunteered and stood next to her.
"No." Kakashi cut in, "No, I will. Ms. Hyuuga, if you'd be so kind as to follow me." He walked away towards a door. Hinata stood there for a second and took a step before Sasuke murmured something from behind her.
"Hm?" Hinata turned around, but found he was no longer standing there, he had just…disappeared. Hinata shrugged and timidly ran to catch up to Kakashi.
She was pretty sure that he had just bid her goodbye, anyways.
"Thank you for the ride, Kakashi." Hinata mumbled and stepped out of the car. She would've taken her chances with getting abducted by the murderer instead of accepting the ride if she knew it would've been this awkward. "I--I suppose I'll see you tomorrow." She said referring to detention, then blushed, remembering she had skipped it today.
"Hinata." Kakashi called to her, his serious tone reaching up a notch, "I'm afraid I must forbid you from interacting with Sasuke anymore. I'm sorry." It had sounded so…corny, like something out of a movie that she nearly snorted.
Instead, Hinata blinked. "I'm afraid sir, that we have a very important project together for midterms. I very much doubt I could do it myself."
Kakashi let a scowl cross his relatively elegant face as his grip on the steering wheel tightened, it seemed to be a trait both he and Sasuke shared. Out of a strong wave of curiosity, Hinata asked, "Kakashi, are…are you Sasuke's father?" They didn't look alike at all, but they seemed to live together.
Kakashi looked up at her from his seat within the car as if just realizing she was there. He ran a long fingered hand through his hair, "No. No I'm not. I'm his godfather." He narrowed his eyes and they slid in her direction, "But I'm serious. For your own sake, you have to stay away from him. Sasuke isn't the type of boy a girl like you ought to be hanging around."
Hinata bit her lip and stared at her shoes, "'A girl like me?' What's that supposed to mean?" Her voice was small, but it held more emotion than she had given out since in Kakashi's presence.
Kakashi gave a pained groan and grasped at his face, "I hadn't meant it like that. It's…complicated. All you need to know is being around Sasuke won't do you any good."
"I think…sir, that it's my choice," Hinata could feel the coldness creep into her voice and mess with the words she meant to come out in a politer way, "And Sasuke's too. If you're worried about us being more than just friends, then please, don't. Your concern is wasted."
"Listen," Kakashi's voice dropped to a growl and he leaned across the passenger seat, "This is no game. I can't force you to do anything, but I'm am advising as a person with good intentions." He leaned back into his seat, "Good evening, Ms. Hyuuga." His relaxed persona settled back into his stream of emotions and he added, "I do hope you actually turn up for detention tomorrow."
She blushed, her usual persona returning too, "Yes, Kakashi. I will."
"Good." He leaned across and closed the door himself and then drove down the lane at a much slower rate than what Hinata was sure Sasuke would've. She quietly walked up the small pathway that led to her front door and leaned her shoulder against it, closing her eyes.
All you need to know is being around Sasuke won't do you any good.
She knew that. She could still remember the night when she discovered Sasuke over the disturbingly mutilated body. She shuddered. What good could come of being the friend of a murderer? Nothing.
But that was thing. Friend. It had been too long since she had one. For some time it had hurt her so much it was like a constant pinch on her heart, then it numbed with other things getting in the way, but it never fully left. She supposed that when you were that lonely, you'd accept anyone you could desperately grasp onto. In her case, a beautiful murderer.
A small smile cracked across her lips, a beautiful murderer…it seemed funny for some reason. She let a forced laugh come out, it seemed too solemn now and she was tired of solemnity, her father already extruded it, poisoning the air of her home and life with it. She was tired of it.
She knitted her eyes together as if the thought caused her pain and gripped the door knob tightly. Running away had always been an option that crossed her mind, but it had always been fleeting, she was much too practical of a girl to actually let the thought sit and fester. What would she do without a home anyways? She knew she wouldn't last long if she were on her own, she needed her family, and she was pretty sure her sister needed her too, no matter what she sometimes said.
She wasn't sure what brought that on anyways. It was nonsense and would do no good to continue thinking about. Shaking her head, she twisted the knob and entered the house, ready to face the yelling that was sure to come.
"Sasuke, do we need to go to the library after school? We've found nearly nothing on this project. I'd rather not have you drag me away on a Saturday morning again, anyways." Hinata sighed and rested her head on her palm as she stared at the sheets of information that were scattered across his desk.
"I'll do it." He said quietly, his voice flat and lacking the usual spark Hinata usually heard.
"Are you sure? Wouldn't it just be easier if I came? That way we have two people working on one thing?" She persisted.
"No." Sasuke snapped back at her. He had been unusually testy today, Hinata was sure it was because of yesterday, too. She slumped in her seat at the thought.
"Okay." She whispered and began jotting down notes from the information they had in front of them, following Sasuke's lead and keeping quiet while completing the task at hand.
Pasta again. Hinata took a jab at the noodle with her fork miserably, today was no more different than any other day. Sasuke was no where to be seen, and as much as she tried to tell herself that she didn't want him to be there anyways, she couldn't fully convince herself of it. Yesterday, for the first time in too long, she had fun, fun with a real person.
She buried her head in her arm and bit her lip to prevent from crying. It was too much. She had to admit that Sasuke wouldn't like to be friends with a boring girl like her, she was unremarkable and dull, so unlike that beautiful boy that had taken the liberty to eat lunch with her yesterday.
"Hey, you're by yourself today."
Hinata looked up at the voice who interrupted her self wallowing. It was Haku. She gave a slight small and greeted back quietly, "Hello, Haku."
He grinned and plopped him into the seat across from her, "I see Sasuke's not here today. Personally, I was surprised he sat with you at all." He said bluntly, yet without any hint of malice.
"Same here." Hinata then noticed Ino, who had had so many male conquests that Hinata (along with the rest of the school population) had given up trying to count them, sit down next to Haku.
"Actually. I hadn't even realized you even ate lunch in here until yesterday when Sasuke sat with you." Ino added on and nodded with Haku. Hinata found the two very much alike.
"Um…yeah. Why are you two here?" It was then she noticed several more stares being directed her way, less than when she had Sasuke sitting with her, but much more than usual (even one stare was more than usual), she was sure it must have been strange to see the two rebels sitting with the strange girl nobody new the name of and chatting amiably.
Haku and Ino looked at each other, they hadn't been expecting the question to come so bluntly or this early. They shrugged and so they both had a seat right next to her. Both of them slung an arm around her shoulder and Haku said, "Well, we see promise in you."
"I mean, you got Sasuke to sit next to you." Ino piped in.
"So basically you're using me to get to Sasuke." Hinata added in, deadpanned. It wasn't unusual, they wouldn't have any interest in her, just her money and status.
They pulled a hurt face across their perfect faces, "No, of course not. I had my eye on you since I saw you in detention slamming your head on that text book. It was amusing."
"Besides, Sasuke's a man whore."
"Like you can talk, Ino." Haku chuckled.
"Shut up, Haku." Ino stuck her tongue out at him.
They continued bickering back and forth until Hinata agreed abruptly, "Okay. What do I have to do?"
They looked at each other. They looked at her. Then they laughed, "You don't have to do anything, dear Hinata, we're asking you to be our friend. Come on, I don't like this part of the school, the cafeteria grosses me out." Ino scrunched her face up in disgust.
"Yes, lets." Haku hooked arms with the stunned Hinata and lead her out of the cafeteria with Ino clutching onto Hinata's, effectively dragging her away.
They had gotten down the hall smoothly before Haku had been knocked aside by a not so kind shoulder. He let go of Hinata and rubbed his arm, "Hey, asshole! Come back here and say sorry!"
The boy turned around, his messy black hair and equally dark eyes made Hinata's eyebrows raise, she hadn't seen Sasuke since she tried talking to him during their report-study-time.
"Watch where you're going." He snarled back. His glance wavered over Hinata before widening his eyes and stalking off angrily back down the hall.
"Jackass." Haku muttered and turned back to find Hinata bursting into tears. He wrapped his arm around her once more, "Oh, honey, what's wrong?"
Hinata couldn't answer. Her throat was too closed up and she herself wasn't one hundred percent of the reason. But she knew partially what it was.
Sasuke was avoiding her.
