Yay! Updating roll =) I've finally come out of my slump and I've got a few ideas for this story now =) Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Hinata

Dinner with the girls was supposed to take my mind off Sasuke. I missed him. I hated myself. I had never been in a relationship before, and deep down I knew I was insecure. My dad had always preferred Hanabi, even though he tried to love us equally, even though he did love me. I knew Hanabi was his favourite. And then there was Naruto – my first love. The first guy I had summoned enough courage to confess to. And I was rejected. I couldn't help but think it was because of Sakura. A part of me felt that Naruto had wanted to let me down gently because he hoped that Sakura would return his feelings. I wasn't as pretty as Sakura – she had this exotic look, caused by her gorgeous pink hair. It made her unique. Sai definitely loved her hair. It was one of his favourite things to paint.

Sakura, being my friend never went after Naruto. It was strange to think that the guy her and Ino had fawned over in high school liked me. They had gotten over Sasuke though, once they graduated from high school. Sakura was with Sai, and Ino was with Kiba. Sasuke and I were together… but he could be with that new girl. She had an exotic look too – she somehow grabbed your attention. Her dark forest green eyes stood out with her blonde hair. She would be better suited to Sasuke. Better than someone like me – plain.

"Hinata, seriously. Stop thinking about it," Ino flipped her hair over her shoulder.

I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was like having an ulcer and poking it with your tongue even though it hurt – you couldn't stop.

"She can't help it." Defended Sakura. "Besides, she told him that she needed time to think about stuff, so at least she's following through."

Suddenly the Barbie girl song blared up. Heads turned in our direction. Ino flushed and threw Sakura a dirty look as she pulled out her phone. You're so dead she mouthed, and turned her attention to the phone.

"Hey, babe," she cooed. "Just finished dinner. I'm still out with Hinata and Forehead."

Sakura rolled her eyes. I smiled at their banter. It was great to see them as friends.

"Now?" Ino glanced at us and bit her lip. I watched curiously as a blush crept across her cheeks. "I'll be there in ten."

Ino slid her phone back in her bag. "Sorry girls, I have to bail."

"Where's the fire?" Sakura asked with a smirked. "In Kiba's pants?"

Ino grinned. "Nope, it's in mine." She laughed at our stunned faces.

Sakura glanced at her phone. "Sorry, Hinata, I have to get going soon."

"It's fine, I should head home as well. Thanks for spending dinner with me." They hugged me tightly. I wished that I could be as strong and beautiful as them.

Instead of heading home I took a walk to a café down the road. I didn't need anything to keep me up, so I opted for a hot chocolate with a dash of hazelnut. It was like drinking a Ferro Roche. I had just gotten my drink when a familiar person with dark hair walked in. For a second I thought it was Sasuke. A part of me wished it was.

Itachi saw me instantly. They always had perfect vision. "Hinata, what are you doing by yourself? Where's Sasuke?"

"I was with Sakura and Ino, but felt like a drink before heading home." I replied.

"Did something happen?" he asked in concern.

I bit my lip, wishing it didn't tremble. I was so weak. "It's nothing." I mustered up a smile.

Itachi didn't buy it. "I saw Sasuke at home. He looked upset. You two have a fight?"

I felt relieved, knowing Sasuke wasn't out with the nameless blonde girl. "I saw Sasuke with another girl." I admitted. "He said he was working and cancelled our date. But he was with another girl."

"Sasuke wouldn't cheat on you." Itachi replied confidently.

"Has your job ever required you to be… intimate with one of your colleges?"

"Yes. But it's never meant anything, to either of us. It's always been professional, part of the operation. And it's usually vital for the success of the operation."

I nodded, not sure what to think.

Itachi's name was called and he went to collect his drinks. I raised an eyebrow. "Two drinks? Do you have to work late?"

He smiled. "No. Konan is waiting for me."

"Oh! Sorry to keep you here. You better go."

Itachi nodded. "Don't stay out too late, Hinata. Remember, Sasuke's crazy about you. He wouldn't cheat on you."

I watched Itachi leave. He looked happy with Konan. He slid into the car and passed her the drinks. She said something and he laughed. I hadn't seen Itachi like that before. As I watched them drive away, the café door jingled open and the blonde girl that had been with Sasuke walked in. I blinked in surprise. Was I hallucinating? Maybe I was thinking about Sasuke and the girl so much that I had conjured her up. Two guys flanked her side. I felt angry. They were obviously close to one another. Why couldn't she just stick to one guy? Why Sasuke?

She was dressed in a lovely shade of purple. Her dress had 3/4 sleeves and the wide neckline hung off her shoulder in a sexy way. She looked tough but feminine in her boots. I wouldn't be able to pull off her outfit. I glanced at the guys next to her. The guy on her right had brown hair that pointed in every direction. His skin was etched with purple ink and he wore black skinny jeans and a black shirt. The guy on her left had burgundy coloured hair that fell across his forehead, almost obscuring a tattoo above his left eye. His pale green eyes were lined with black and made them even more striking. It was like they could see through anything. They were looking at me. I quickly looked down. He had caught me staring.

I picked up my drink; ready to scull my drink down when the chair opposite me was pulled out. I looked up cautiously and found him sitting across from me. He didn't say anything.

"Sorry," I mumbled, staring at my cup. "I didn't mean to stare."

"If you're lonely, you can join us." He replied in a husky voice.

"What?" I looked up in confusion.

His green eyes burned into me. "Do you want to sit with us?"

I shook my head. "Won't your girlfriend mind?" I glanced at the blonde who was ordering drinks.

He frowned. "If she were, it would be incest. We're all siblings."

My face heated up. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"I should go." I pushed my chair back.

"Do I scare you?" he brushed his fringe back.

I shook my head.

He smiled and his features softened up. "I'm Gaara."

"Hi-Hinata." I stuttered.

"Hey, Gaara! Temari has to go! You gonna walk home?" called Gaara's brother.

Gaara raised a hand in acknowledgement to the call. "It was nice meeting you, Hinata." His eyes held mine as he stood. "See you around." And then he was gone.

I sat staring at the café door. Gaara's sister, the girl who had been with Sasuke, was called Temari. I felt a little guilty thinking that she had been two timing at the same time. If she was close with her brothers, she couldn't be that bad of a person. Maybe it was normal for Sasuke to be attracted to her? Maybe there wasn't anything going on between them and I was just blowing things out of proportion?

There was a commotion buzzing around the hospital when I turned up for my shift.

"Did you see him?" whispered one of the patients.

The other patient nodded excitedly. "Yes! He's so cool."

I smiled at the two girls. "What's gotten you two so excited?" I checked their sheets.

"There's a new doctor!" the first girl bounced on her bed.

I looked at her IV. "New doctor?"

"I don't think he's a real doctor yet." Intervened the other girl. "He wasn't wearing a white coat. He was wearing blue."

I moved to the other girl. "He's trainee doctor." I jotted down some notes. "Are you two feeling okay this morning?"

They grinned. "More than okay."

I laughed. "That's good. Try not to get your heart rate up too high."

"If we do, can we get the training doctor to give us CPR?"

I had barely stepped out of the room when a hand grabbed me.

"Hinata! Did you see him?" Ino gripped my arm excitedly. I couldn't help but associate Ino with the thirteen year old patients I had just tended to.

"He's like cherry flavoured eye candy."

I frowned. "Cherry flavoured eye candy?" Trust Ino to classify guys based on flavours.

"When you see him, you'll know." She pulled me down the hallway. "He just transferred to our hospital. Something about moving with his family."

When I saw his hair, I understood. His hair was the colour of cherries – a deep red that was oddly familiar. He turned and then I knew why. It was Gaara.

"Hinata?" he moved towards us.

"You know him?" Ino hissed in my ear.

"I didn't know you were a nurse here."

I smiled weakly. "Are you a resident?"

"Yes, I've just transferred. What time is your break?"

"Noon." Ino dug her elbow into my ribs. "Gaara, this is my friend, Ino."

Ino flashed him a smile. "Hi, Gaara. Nice to meet you."

He smiled politely. "Nice to meet you too, Ino." He turned back to me. "Let's have lunch later." He nodded at Ino.

As soon as he was gone, Ino gripped my arms. "Hinata! You're like a hottie catcher! Let's go tell Sakura about lunch!"

"Ino! I'm still on duty."

"We'll do our rounds while we search for her. I think she's in the E-Ward today…"

It was easier to let Ino drag me with her than to resist.

Author's Notes:

Did anyone figure out who the blonde girl was? Temari isn't a bimbo, just to clarify. It's just what a girl would do when trying to boost her friend's morale. Well, it's what I would do XD haha.

I hope I haven't depressed anyone too much with the whole Sasuke Hinata separation thing. I hope you'll keep reading and stick around until the end =)