"Hinata?"

Hinata stared at her cousin for a few seconds, looking side to side as she did so, trying to figure out what the hell he was doing at her door. Oh yeah! Tenten! Hinata laughed a little in relief as she scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. Neji was staring at her dress with a bewildered expression. His hair was tied back in a high ponytail, with a black tux and matching tie. Hinata couldn't help but slightly smile.

"Hi Neji," Hinata said shyly. She gave him a self-conscious twirl. "You like?"

"Yeah, it looks really good on you," Neji replied, glancing around. "Where are Tenten and the others?"

As if on cue, Tenten appeared in the doorway. However, she hid her dress behind the door, only showing her head. "We're all ready. But you should tell all the guys to get their sorry butts out here. We're much too gorgeous to just walk out," she added with a grin. "Now shoo!"

She shooed away Neji with her arms, who was chuckling a little and saying, "I'm going, I'm going."

Hinata turned around… and that was about when Sakura had completely and totally lost it. She buried her face in her hands, and her shoulders were shaking in sobs that had no tears. Oh yes. Have a mental breakdown, hon, but God forbid you smudge your makeup. Tenten immediately rushed over to comfort her friend, but Sakura lifted one of her hands and pushed Tenten away and immediately basked in her newfound hysteria.

"All right, Sakura. What the hell is wrong with you now?" Temari finally snapped, seeing Tenten's futile and failed attempts to calm Sakura down.

"I can't do it!" Sakura wailed, taking Hinata, Tenten, and Temari by surprise. Temari's eyes started to go a deadly narrow as Sakura rambled uncontrollably. "I just can't! He's gonna think I look awful and then he'll be embarrassed to even be seen with me and I just can't do it! You guys should just go without me, Gaara can find someone better, and you'll all have a blast, just leave without me!"

"Sakura, look up," Temari instructed a few seconds after Sakura's outburst, her eyes flashing with an burning anger that terrified Hinata. The unknowing Sakura obediently looked up, and there was a slight echo of a sound that resembled a very quiet gunshot as Temari slapped her hard enough to make it sting, but not make a mark on her skin. Sakura's face remained to the side, her eyes slightly tearing up with pain.

"Grow up, hon!" Temari snapped, her mouth twisting up and down in a grotesque and furious snarl. "You are the hottest bitch out of all of us, and you know it. Gaara will be knocked dead and, again, you fucking know it! We will have a blast, but don't give us any bullshit about you not going! I thought you weren't this weak!"

"I'm not," Sakura whispered. She jerked her head back, with now her eyes glittering in defiance and rage.

"Prove it," Temari hissed, taking a step closer so her nose was practically touching Sakura's own. "Prove me and Ino wrong. And show Gaara his girlfriend is strong and beautiful and everything worth his time."

Sakura didn't say anything; she just looked back down to her knees and started taking deep breaths.

"You didn't have to slap her, Temari!" Tenten protested once she could find her voice in the shock of the moment.

"Yeah she did." Sakura's voice was now calm and tranquil. Hinata turned to see that her eyes had lost everything except the sparkle of joy they always held. Gone was the hysteria, the frenzied panic. "She did. And she's right. I don't know what's wrong with me. Well, can someone help me up?! This dress will be the death of me, I swear!"

There was a laugh at this, and Hinata outstretched a hand to help her up. Sakura gratefully took it before staggering to her feet… and tripping over her strappy high heels. Hinata managed to push her back, and the pink haired girl blinked in a daze before hesitantly going to the door.

Temari was already outside, earning an appreciative glance from Naruto and even from Neji and Gaara. The white dress swung elegantly around her legs as she gave the guys an evil smirk, and they slowly shook their heads at the blonde's flirting antics. Neji and Gaara were identical with black tuxes and black ties, but Naruto decided to go for a bow tie instead of the other option. Naruto, Gaara, and Neji looked at the door eagerly. Sakura and Hinata were the next to walk down the aisle... in the form of pebblestones.

Now, a piece of advice to all you guys out there… if your date to homecoming comes out of her house, she's going to have a really pretty dress, and if you have absolutely no clue what she looks like, eating or drinking is really not the best idea. Because if you do, you'll probably kill yourself like Gaara and Naruto did.

Gaara was finishing up a Dr. Pepper he grabbed just before he left the house, and once Sakura appeared from the doorway and started to slowly descend the steps, he twisted his head to the side in the nick of time to end up spraying soda all over Sakura's lawn. Well, at least he didn't hit Neji and it least it didn't hit her flowers. That would have been bad… Sakura giggled as she walked as fast as she could without killing herself in high heels and gave her boyfriend a hug. Gaara still looked like he was under shock before showing a quirk of a smile and hugging her back.

Hinata, unlike Sakura, had rushed out the door in a fit of anxiety and nerves. Hinata had her head down the entire time she jogged down the stairs, and when she finally looked up Naruto promptly swallowed his gum whole and started choking. Hinata stopped, blinking a little in surprise, but before she could say anything Naruto gave her a thumbs-up even though he was still a little red in the face.

"I am OKAY!" the blonde decided to announce to the entire world.

"Oh, well, that's a shame," Temari joked.

"No one asked you!" Naruto protested, and he opened his mouth to say more before getting hugged by Hinata. It was totally impulsive, and Hinata began to grow red until Naruto hugged her back. Then the red turned into a very interesting shade of purple. Hinata had to take deep breaths so she looked normal.

"But seriously, you look really nice," Naruto said softly into her ear.

She pulled back and grinned at him. "Thanks. You look great yourself." Whew. At least Hinata didn't need to worry about being perfectly hideous.

Tenten had walked out shortly after, and luckily Neji had nothing to kill himself with. Instead, he found satisfaction with gawking in shock. Tenten grinned up at him before kissing him smack on the lips, which Temari felt she didn't have to see.

"So. Are we gonna get this show on the road or do I have to drive?" Temari asked wickedly.

"YOU ARE NOT DRIVING!" Everyone but Neji roared, the latter immediately scrambling to his car and slipping into the driver's seat to protect his precious car. Temari deflated, sighing miserably.

"Damn it," Temari moaned miserably as slid into the car. She couldn't go in the passenger seat or else she would have been mauled by a very angry Tenten. She scooted all the way over in the back, and, well, there was practically a storm cloud above her head.

"Cheer up Temari, it's not like you can't risk all of your friends for the rest of your life," Tenten sympathized with mock concern, her eyes glinting evilly as she got in the passenger seat.

"Shut the fuck up," Temari snapped.

"Now, now. That isn't very nice."

"Neither is ripping your face off, but I have no problem with doing that. I was joking," she added to Neji's furious look. "Jeez, man. Get a grip." She rolled her eyes. "Hey guys, it looks like you're going to have to pile up back here, unless you want to get in the trunk… not an option," Temari quickly corrected herself once she saw the mess in the trunk.

For Sakura and Gaara? No problem. Gaara scrambled into the middle and Sakura gingerly followed. That caused a near soap opera episode of Sakura ripping her dress, but luckily that was avoided. Relieved, Sakura plopped herself on Gaara's lap.

Naruto got in the car as well, and it finally struck Hinata like a hammer that she had to sit on his lap. Sighing, she sat on his lap, slightly flushing. He held her weight well providing she was so skinny, but Hinata was still flushing a little.

"Okay, off we go," Neji said, and they sped off to the school.


"Holy bloody fuck is it loud in here or is it just me?" Naruto shouted over the noise of some pop song that Hinata usually wouldn't have the patience to listen to, but it seemed fitting for all the couples there.

"It's not just you, believe it or not. It's crazy!" Sakura shouted back.

"Oh for the love of fucking God, what the hell did we do?!" Temari screamed randomly, looking in another direction. "I am asking you here, what did we do?"

"Fuck. I guess they let her back for homecoming," Tenten snarled once the source of Temari's freak out showed up. Ino was wearing a dark purple dress that was so low in the neck that Hinata marveled that she wasn't named a slutty whore and thrown out onto the street.

"Oh, look at the ugly ducklings," Ino smirked coyly, with her practically hanging off Shikamaru's arm. Shikamaru, on the other hand, looked like a very tortured soul. He shot a look of helplessness at Temari, who merely shrugged.

Tenten, to Hinata's surprise, spoke up. Sakura or Temari were usually the ones to handle things. "Us? Here's a suggestion, go look in a mirror. Preferably a human sized one, so you can look at your face and your thighs at the same time. Can you say fat and ugly as hell?"

Neji and Gaara actually smiled, with Neji looking like the proud boyfriend he was, while Sakura, Temari, and Hinata burst out laughing as Ino went a very angry red. Shikamaru was stamping back a grin, and his eyes were glittering with amusement. Ino decided to torture Temari next, since Tenten wasn't taking much crap this fine day.

"Oh, nice dress. I think I saw it two years ago in the on sale racks, it wasn't that bad now that I think about it," Ino said sweetly.

"Why thank you Ino," Temari gushed, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I absolutely adore your dress as well. How it can make such a whore look even sluttier is absolutely beyond me. How do you do it?"

Again her friends and Hinata laughed for support, and Shikamaru was trying deathly hard to not laugh or grin or anything that could have gotten the shit beaten out of him.

"I don't need to be talking to lowlifes like you. Come on, Shikamaru." With that, she spun around and dragged Shikamaru along with her.

"She says that every time, but she still finds time to come up and make fun of us," Sakura slowly shook her head. The song changed to a slower one, and Gaara gently offered his hand. Sakura gratefully took it and followed him onto the dance floor. Neji and Tenten were quick to follow, but Hinata was a little hesitant. She turned to Temari, asking, "Will you be all right?"

"Oh yeah, I'll find Kiba or something. I know he doesn't have a date and it won't hurt," Temari winked, sauntering off.

"Well, great!" Naruto said cheerfully, and he took Hinata's hand. Strangely, Hinata didn't flush or feel the slightest bit embarrassed as Naruto led her to the dance floor. Hinata put her hands around his neck while his arms slid around her waist.

"Thanks for coming," he said simply, pulling her in a little more.

"You're welcome." Hinata didn't even stammer the slightest bit, instead, she just smiled. "I'm glad I could go."

Naruto didn't say anything, he just continued dancing. Hinata found that she couldn't really look away from his eyes, her body instead swinging to the beat of the music. The lyrics didn't exist for the two, the only things they focused on was the slow beat and melody and their feet gradually moving in a circle on the floor.

Hinata felt her adrenaline slowly come to a halt, there was no need for it. She totally relaxed in Naruto's arms, and she felt an incredible surge of calm happiness overflow her.

She was so wrapped in the dance that the white eyed girl didn't even notice Ino sneaking off the dance floor, and even more strangely, without Shikamaru.

"Hinata, I..." Hinata looked into Naruto's eyes until she couldn't see them any more.

In other words, all the remaining lights went off.

"Everybody, calm the fuck down!" Hinata heard Neji and Gaara yell as Naruto grabbed on to her tightly, and Hinata began to shake like a leaf.

"Are you okay?" Hinata heard Naruto ask worriedly.

"I-I h-hate the d-dark," Hinata stammered badly. She felt she had to explain her grabbing onto him desperately. "And if y-you l-let go of me right now I'm g-gonna s-start screaming l-like a little k-kid, so p-please humor me."

"All right," Naruto hugged her tighter as they waited for the lights to come back on. They did, but Hinata looked up at the ceiling and saw that Ino was climbing in her purple dress up on the banisters, holding a very large bucket filled with something. She aimed for her target.

Hinata's eyes followed the imaginary dotted line down, and she gasped in horror.

Temari!

"Temari, look out!" Hinata screamed shrilly, lunging forward a step, but it was too late. With a last evil smile and a laugh of bitter hatred, Ino poured the water down towards the unexpecting junior.

And may I remind you that Temari was wearing a white dress?

So. Can you say exposure?!

Temari had no time to get out of the way. She looked up with a shocked expression on her face. She couldn't move, except duck down and hope no one would laugh at her too hard.

There was a large splashing noise and a grunt, but Temari couldn't feel any of the cold water. She jerked her head upright, and gasped softly at what she saw.

"Troublesome woman…"


OH MY GOD!!! OMFG OMFG OMFG!!! -points at the review thingy- THERE'S 94 OF THOSE THINGS! NINETY FREAKING FOUR!!! LIKE, OH MY GOD!!! THAT MEANS THAT IF YOU GUYS REVIEW… I GET 100 REVIEWS FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW HAPPY THAT'LL MAKE ME?! SO REVIEW PLEASE!!! I BEG OF YOU!