..Chapter Nine..
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A couple of days had passed by since that night with Hidan and Gaara. Hinata was still shook up about the incident; but, she was coming around and feeling better hour by hour, day by day. Gaara never commented on it. His presence was enough. She had been worried a bit the next day, but, he'd been nothing but his normal self. She could easily cope with all of it as long as she had him. And the best part of all was he hadn't stopped sleeping in the same bed with her. It became a routine for them. At the end of the day they'd do their homework, eat a meal together and then watch TV. Much of it was spent in silence. It didn't seem to bother him. How could it? They were both two very quiet people. Words were unneeded. Especially when they began to know each other well enough to figure what the other wanted on body language alone.
She'd never had that with anyone before. And she was sure he hadn't either. Not if his shaking was any indication from the first night he'd spent in her bed. It had confused her bit. She still had trouble wrapping her mind around the idea that he'd never had a lover. He was such a passionate man.
The police had shown up at their door the morning after. They asked her a few questions and then left. They told her she might need to appear in court to testify. It wouldn't be for a while if she had to though. Of this she was relieved. She wasn't ready to face that horrible man again. Not this soon. Even over the safety of a large room full of people, lawyers, police and a judge.
At the moment, while her mind was wandering, he hadn't noticed that Kakashi was trying to get her attention. She blinked and looked upward. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hatake." She frowned a little, embarrassed. She heard a few soft giggles in the class but ignored them. "What were you asking me?"
Kakashi sighed and then just smiled slightly. "It's alright, all considered." He was referring to that incident without actually drawing too much attention to her about the issue. "I was asking you to please stand up and sing from the paper in front of you."
Hinata blinked and her eyes widened. "S-sing?"
He nodded. "Yes, Hinata. Sing. This is a vocals class. Surely you knew you would have to sing at some point when you signed up for it."
She felt like an idiot. Of course she knew. She loved singing. She loved playing cello while she sang. It was one of those things on her 'list' for this year. To help her break out of her shell. She'd just... hadn't done it in front of so many people in a long time... The only consolation was being surrounded by friends. She glanced over as someone tapped her.
Sakura smiled. "You'll be fine. Go for it."
Hinata nodded, still slightly unsure. She picked up the sheet of paper with shaking hands and scanned over the notes. It didn't have words. All she'd have to do is sing the 'la la's'. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath inward. When she opened her mouth to sing it came out... small and soft. She wanted to... sing louder, but, her insides were shaking and she wasn't sure what to do.
She sighed and stopped halfway through.
Kakashi looked disheartened and questioning. Like he'd been expecting more. All he said was, "It's alright, Hinata. Just take a seat and we'll move onto the next person."
She nodded and did so. Her hand was brought up to her mouth and she bit her nails. She shouldn't have signed up for vocals class. It had been a bad idea from the start. No matter what he had told her... she just couldn't do it. It was much easier just to hide behind the sounds of her electric cello. It was so easy to close her eyes, ignore the crowds and feel the music flow around her.
Class went on and on while Hinata thought about this. Person after person stood up and offered their voice. Some were not good, others were great and others still obviously needed work. Hinata couldn't help but wonder if she was the worst simply because she was the only one who seemed to have trouble preforming in front of the class. The final bell ring, signaling that it was time for her next class or maybe lunch. Funny how colleges such as this operated so much like a high school.
Hinata stood up and started to gather her things.
"Hinata?"
She looked up at her instructor. "Yes?"
"Could you stay behind for a moment? I'll write you a note if you're next teacher is a lout about lateness."
This must have to do with her voice. She looked sad and nodded. She placed her backpack down next to his desk and took a seat where he indicated. His chair back was facing her as he straddled the seat.
"Hinata... is something wrong? I know you had that incident a few days ago to deal with... but lately, despite that, you've seemed more open. It's why I asked you to sing today."
She shook her head. "No.. I just have a hard time... singing. It's not easy to preform in front of people."
He arched a brow. "That's not the way I saw it."
It was her turn to look confused. "Saw? Saw what?" He'd never seen her preform past today. What on earth was he talking about?
"Well, this is unusual... Huh..." He got up and went to his desk, rummaging around for something. "You have to know it's not easy to get into this school. Only the best two hundred students are selected from a world wide request in the form of many resumes."
She nodded, knowing this. It was why she'd worked so hard on the CD she'd sent. "I know. It's why I was so careful with the CD I sent. And the letter."
He nodded and came back to his seat, this time turning on a nearby TV and popping in a DVD. "The first letter you sent was quickly looked over and forgotten. However... this DVD showed us a much...well... more interesting student. Take a look. Although, I'm a bit shocked you've never heard about it."
Hinata blinked again. A DVD? This wasn't her CD he was playing? She looked over at the television as the video began. And then her heart dropped. It was her. At home. And happy. One short clip was of her singing in the bathroom with a comb for a microphone. Another was of her at the dinner with her dad singing with her friends and long time regulars. Still more was of her singing at her high school chorus. He felt tears pricking her eyes as a voice and a face shined over the video at the end. Her brother... her best friend...
"Hey, this is Hinata's brother, Vaughn. I hope you liked the video. She's a great woman with a wonderful voice. I want to see her do great things with her talents and I know you guys can do that for her. She's my little sister and she means the world to me. I know she'll be a great edition to your school. She needs to get out of this small town and away from our crazy house hold." He laughed, his whole face lighting up. "Anyway, please pick her. Bye!"
The screen went blank and the 'stop' symbol came up as Kakashi opened the DVD player and pulled out the disc. When he looked over at Hinata he was a little more than shocked and concerned to see her crying. "Hinata?"
She placed her hands in her face and just cried. She cried for him. She cried for her. She cried at the injustice of his life having been ended so soon. She cried because she blamed herself. Her father had walked around the house for weeks, barely glancing at his room. Her aunt couldn't seem to stop folding his clothes and putting them back in his drawers before digging them all back out again and washing them once more. Like she was too afraid to admit he really was gone.
She slumped over in her chair and just... let go. She should have been the one to go, not him. Not him. She'd been the one to drag him out to that concert late at night when he'd been grounded. She'd been the one who insisted they take that road, the short cut, home. If she'd only stayed home... if she'd only... oh god... he never would have been hit by the drunk driver. She wouldn't have woken up in the hospital a week and half later with tubes sticking out from every possible bend in her body wondering... where... where had her brother had gone to.
He was the reason she was here. Not her. He was. She wanted to run. She wanted to hide. She wanted to go home and just... go back to her monotonous life in the dinner, helping her dad and her aunt.
"Hinata?"
She felt a hand on her shoulder and slowly removed her hands from her tear stained, stuffy face. Kakashi looked at her like he'd done something wrong. He had no idea. None of them did. She'd been trying to get over it. She'd been trying hard not to blame herself like her aunt had told her. And for a while.. it had been working.
"Are you ok?"
She shook her head, still unable to stop the tears. He kindly offered her a handkerchief and she took it. She attempted to get her raging emotions under control. She could do this. She had to. She couldn't run. Not when he had worked so hard to make sure she got here. Right?
"Do you need me to call someone for you?"
She shook her head again. "No, I'm fine. For now."
He looked at her a while longer before nodding. "Alright... well... I've signed you up for a personal vocal coach. Her name is Anko and she's responsible for quite a few of the personal lessons that go on around here."
She nodded. That might help her out a bit.
He handed her a slip of paper. "Just make sure you aren't late. You're scheduled for seven pm every other day starting tonight."
She took the paper and got up. "Thank you."
"Hinata?"
"Yes?" She turned, slinging her bag over her shoulder.
"If you ever need to talk about something... let me know. Ok? I'm a pretty decent listener when I choose to be." He smirked. "That is, between trying to get you slackers into shape."
She smiled a little, feeling somewhat better. "Thank you."
He nodded and watched go, shutting the door silently behind her. He didn't understand why the video had made her cry so suddenly. He wondered briefly if he should find out... He had a tendency to pry now and then. He shrugged and went about getting ready for his next class.
ooo
"Hinata, what did Kakashi say you, huh?" Sakura looked worriedly at her across the lunch table at her friend.
"He says I need a vocal coach. He signed me up with someone named... " She glanced at her slip of paper. "Ah, Anko. I have her tonight at seven." She laid the paper down and grabbed her fork, bent on finishing her lasagna. The stuff was pretty tasty, even for lunchroom food.
"You'll have her right after Gaara then." Temari smiled and took a sip of her cherry cola. "Be careful though. The guy has tendency to stay late."
Hinata arched a brow. "Careful? Of Gaara?"
"Oh yeah," she nodded and set her drink down. "He get very into his music. So much so he has to place a timer with a bell near his drum set. It signals him to stop. He still doesn't sometimes though." She looked to be irritated.
Hinata took a bite, still slightly confused. "Couldn't you just, ya know... tap him on the shoulder?"
Sasuke smirked. "You don't want to bother The Devil when he's playing."
Hinata almost frowned at the nickname, but realized the way Sasuke said it was really in humor alone. He wasn't trying to make fun of him. "Why not? How bad could it be?"
"How bad?" Naruto pipped up. "Man, you really don't know Gaara. Are you sure he's your room mate?"
"Shut up, drop out." Sasuke muttered.
"Make me, asshole."
Temari rolled her eyes as both boys began to argue. "Gaara get very into his music. I can't really explain it. You just have to see for yourself. Just so you know, the only person who risks getting hit at stopping him play is Kankurou; my younger brother."
"Sasuke! Let me have your jello!"
The ebony haired man looked at him like he was the lowest scum on earth. "No way, man. I haven't eaten all day. Get your own."
Naruto pouted. "I ate it already. Gimmie!" He tried reaching for it. Somewhere in the middle of their scuffle both men dropped the item under question all over Sakura's lap.
"Oh, shit...!" Sasuke said.
"Dude, run!" Naruto agreed.
Both men grabbed their stuff and fled the lunch room, pink haired, pissed off girl in black racing after them with intent of murder.
"Well..." Ino commented. "...that was interesting."
Hinata chuckled softly and looked back down at her slip of paper. Seven huh? Well, maybe she'd just go in early to see Gaara. Temari had said she needed to see it for herself. Was it really something you couldn't explain? Gaara's playing? She supposed she'd just have to find out.
"Say, Hinata," Ino began, "are you doing anything tonight?"
Hinata shook her head. "No, not really. Why?"
"Well, we don't have to be to classes until noon tomorrow because of some teacher... thing." She shrugged. "Us girls were wanting to have a sleep over. And we figured..."
"Since your place is the biggest," Temari went on, "you wouldn't mind us doing it there?"
"Oh.." Hinata blinked and set her fork down. It sounded like fun. Would Gaara mind? "I'll have to ask your brother first."
Temari nodded, sipping her drink again. "I figured as much. Just wanted to tell you ahead of time."
She smiled. "I'll ask. I make no promises though. Gaara does like his privacy."
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AN: I hope this story isn't going too fast. -pouts- I want some thing to happen soon. With the both of them. But, I want it to come more naturally, ya know? Next chapter should have some cute moments with the girls and Gaara trying to overall avoid them. I hope it;s longer too. But, much like my LCA story I really don't want this story to be longer than maybe 15 chapters.
Sorry if that upsets you, but, well, I have a sequal story I'm working on for a story that lasted 28 chapters. x,X I really physced about the second part. Two chapters already! Woot!
And yes, I know it was unexpected that Gaara came to the rescue and Hidan did that. But, I didn't want to too anything too typical. Dancing and making out would have bee expected. But, don't worry. They'll have much mushy stuff next chapter. Especially with the girls there. and maybe for shits and giggles I have Naruto and Sasuke show up. -cackles-
I'm also considering a prequel to this. One about Sasuke and Sakura. What chu think, eh?
--Blade
