Chapter 10:

the game changer

This is it. I am officially past the point of salvation. My parents had barged into the main office, my dad barely catching up to my mom who was running in my direction, practically pushing Naruto away.

"Oh my baby, are you okay?! No one touched you, right?!" She was looking me over, rubbing my arms, and holding me by my chin to look over my face and make sure nothing was out of the ordinary.

"M-Mom! I'm fine!" I was blushing, trying to hold her hands to get her to stop fidgeting around with my face.

"How could you lie to me, Hinata? You're daddy's little girl, I'm here to protect you and help you when you need it." Dad sat next to me with a hurt expression.

I knew he would react this way, and it saddened me, but then I looked over at Naruto who had sat a couple of chairs away to give us space. He looked at me with a strong reassurance and gave me a single nod, telling me I had to stay strong.

"I'm sorry..." I looked at them both, lowering my head in shame, "I just didn't know how to handle the situation. It all happened so fast, I don't even understand Sakura's intentions."

"So that's the culprit!" My mom yelled, looking at my dad who was also wide eyed.

My head snapped up, "Wait, let's just relax, the principal knows everything, she'll take care of things!"

Thankfully, Tsunade opened her door and caught my parents' attention before they started asking where Sakura lived. Naruto took this as a chance to stand by my side again, his hand immediately gravitated towards mine, sticking to it like a magnet. A warm, safe sensation came over me when he did.

"I have a couple of things to discuss with you, it won't take too long." Tsunade explained, taking my parents into her office, leaving me alone with Naruto once more.

"I hope she can calm them down..." I muttered, hunched back on my chair.

"You did great, Hinata. I'm proud." I looked up at him and saw his bright smile that washed away all my worries.

My cheeks were undoubtedly red, "Th-Thanks...I didn't think this was worthy of praise."

"Don't think that way. Even the smallest actions make a difference. I think you were very brave just now." He spoke softly, not his usual rough and loud voice, but a tender one. He knew that I felt weak, even if he thought I wasn't, he could see beneath the surface. I felt vulnerable, just knowing he could read me like a book. But it was definitely better than being ignored or not even noticed; I felt loved.
I sighed, an ironic scoff coming out of me. I know he doesn't love me. It's so obvious, his eyes tell all. Whenever I mention Sakura, I see his eyes change to a hazy look, one filled with agony. Just how he read me, I could read him, and his love for Sakura was written in big bold letters, even if he denied it.

"What do you think will happen to Sakura?" Honestly, I wasn't going to ask, but I just blurted it out.

Naruto stiffened and leaned back in his seat, looking off in no particular direction, thoughtfully. I guess it was hard to answer for him.

"I don't know. It depends on how far this goes." He shrugged.

"My parents will want to go to the police. Cyber bullying isn't taken taken lightly anymore. These days, there are laws for it." I was honest. Maybe a little too honest because he looked irritated, but I knew my parents like the back of my hand, and my whole life I've been sheltered by them.

"Then so be it." He replied with a certain emptiness to his voice.

"...You're still bothered by this, aren't you?"

He turned his head, keeping it against the wall, but he didn't say anything. He just looked at me, and I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but he did look at me in a questioning way.

"You can't fool me, Naruto." I said, standing up. "I have to use the bathroom."

I walked out of the main office without bothering to see his reaction or hear a reply. I just wanted to get away from everyone to think clearly.

My hunch was not wrong. As soon as my parents got out of the meeting with Tsunade they were planning to go to the police station to report this as harassment. I wasn't thrilled to hear it, because no matter how much I protested and said that the principal had it all covered, they were set on avenging me. Go figure.

My dad went ahead to start the car and warm it up before we got in, and my mom left to use the restroom, so I got one more chance to be alone with Naruto. I used it to have a proper goodbye.

"Be careful, alright?" He playfully ruffled my hair like he would to a child.

"I will. Take care of yourself, too. I know you aren't thrilled over this, so don't do anything stupid."

"I'm gonna say this for the last time: I don't have feelings for Sakura any more, Hina."

I groaned, "Naruto, please, just accept it. It'll help you move on. You're still mad about what happened with Sasuke, so you've been messing around with the first girl you see to get back at Sakura. I was one of those girls at one point, but something changed along the way and I can tell this whole plan of yours turned on you."

To say he was shocked would be an understatement. I never speak up this way, but him denying something so obvious was starting to piss me off.

"What-No! This isn't some stupid plan to get back at Sakura. Yeah, I might've cheated to prove to her how betrayed I felt, but I actually like you-practically love you-" he suddenly stopped, realizing what he just said.

My whole face turned red, I felt my hands moisten with sweat, and suddenly, I felt lightweight.

"Wh-what?"

But he didn't answer. He muttered a "I have to go" and ran off like what he said was something taboo. I just stood there. Half of me was happy, but the other half was disappointed. Why did he run away? Did he regret saying that?

"Alright, let's go, Hinata!" I heard my mother call, but it was very faint, almost muffled.

My world stopped. My heart stopped. I was at a standstill. He said he loved me. I can't even believe it, I want to hear it again, but he...he ran off.

"Hinata, come on, your dad's getting impatient!"

I blinked a couple of times, still aloof, and started to walk towards my mom, but I just couldn't take my eyes off the direction he ran.

We arrived at the police station but I had to endure another long waiting time. I had spent my day doing that, waiting. It seems like that's what my whole life is about. I wait for everything to come, for happiness, for help, for love...but I always stay in the same place. Never moving forward.

An officer took us to his office and from there on my parents rambled on about the issue without even stopping to ask if what they said was correct and true to what really happened. They had the gist of it, adding a bit of drama to it here and there, but they got the officer to do a check up on Sakura's social media profiles and sure enough all the evidence he needed was still there, intact.

I was afraid. Naruto was not by my side anymore. But I had to keep going. I had to make everyone know I was a force not to be reckoned with. Sakura probably thought she could get away with this because I'm quiet and weird, or lack a backbone. But I won't let anyone take me for a weakling gain.

Sakura got arrested for two days and expelled from school. I had erased my social accounts after seeing the first picture, so I didn't know or see that she had posted two more. Each one was worse than the last, and the comments and discussions over them were (from what the police report says) sexually demeaning and vile in nature. As soon as news broke out of Sakura's expulsion, the school grew fearful of the subject and thankfully, stopped talking about the pictures or reposting them, as the principal announced anyone reported for doing so would be expelled as well.

I was relieved to be tutored at home and was told that I was allowed to eventually finish the school year at home. Seeing as I was a senior, the principal had no issues with it and I was at least able to get the basic courses to pass and get my diploma.

A week went by since I last saw Naruto, and to add to the rarity, he had not called or texted me whatsoever.

I was deeply worried, what if he did something stupid after hearing that Sakura got expelled? Even after his confession that he loved me, seeing him run off was all I needed to understand he was still doubtful of his own feelings, so I gave him space.

But the week was coming to an end and I grew more antsy; I needed to hear from him.

I grabbed my phone and stared at his number, weighing my options. If I call him, he might avoid answering me and I'll only get more worried. But if I don't call him, it won't make a difference, I'll still be worried!

I took a deep breath, pressed the call button, and waited with eyes closed, "Please answer, please answer..."

After a couple of rings, I was about to give up, but that's when I heard his voice. It felt like my lungs were filled with air and I was able to breathe again.

"Hey." His voice sounded husky over the phone.

"H-Hey...we need to talk..."