"Five, four, three, two and a fucking half, two… one!! "

"School's out, fucktards!! Time to go get me a life!! "

--

(Session #4+1/2: Summer days

Part one: End of Sophomore year

--

"Hinata girl, why no partying? It's the end of the year! "

"N…no, It's okay. You go on and party, your friends want you to. "

I gestured to the group of boys screaming crazily into the sky and ripping off used notebooks, some even burning off work sheets with a lighter.

"Nah, I promised Temari I'd see you home… but really, come party with us at Shino's, no? "

With Temari so busy over the preparations for the end of the year dance, my everyday 'walking-home' partner proved to be none other than the Uzumaki Naruto, ramen boy and part-time clown.

Sasuke was mysteriously 'busy' today; perhaps on booze.

"No… I think I have to go on home fast and… get a dress before it's too late. "

"What do you mean you still haven't got a dress? The dance is tomorrow Hinata girl!! "

Naruto flipped at this.

To him, anything that resembled a party was a matter of life and death, and to hear that a girl still hadn't had her dress when every other girl had been toiling over the matter for over two weeks… it was too much.

"I… I don't know. It's just that… I never, went to a dance before. "

Naruto flipped again.

"Eh? What about freshman year dance? Annual drag party? Halloween extravaganza? Mardi gras! "

He looked half agape while he yelled out the names of the string of dances I never went to, and only heard about.

"…n, nope. None of it. "

It was just that Neji had rather party with his mates at an after-game bash rather than dress up smart and go to a school dance.

'Once', he had tried to talk me into going, but he was going for a laugh because it was when the school held the annual drag festival, where everyone cross-dressed and made complete asses out of themselves.

Neji actually did go anyways (he took out Tayuya from the Hazaki's for a laugh; they're childhood friends) and returned with an extremely disturbing picture of him and the entire soccer team in drag, like Kiba in a pencil skirt (lent by Temari), Naruto in a tutu (Ino used to take ballet) and Lee in a pointed polka dotted lacy bra (I don' know who lent it, and don't want to know.) Kankuro bailed out of it, hollering profanity at anyone who'd approach him with so much as a ribbon (it was a manly ribbon too, according to Neji. It was navy blue).

Neji had dressed in my winter school-girl vest and plaid skirt, though it was a mystery in itself that he had even managed to fit into it. He boasted that he had been a hit, and apologized for busting the seams on my vest.

I reminded Naruto of this memory, partially to avert him from talking about the dress no more, and also because the memory still was funny as hell.

"Oh damn, yeah! I remember that! Hey, did you know? I accidentally spilt that spiked punch from the dance on Ino's tutu, and she bitch slapped me, even though she ain't doing ballet no more! I mean, she quit ages ago, so why the fuss? "

While Naruto good-heartedly chortled at the memory, I thoughtfully chewed on my lips; what would Sasuke say if I told him at the last moment that I couldn't go, because I didn't have a dress?

I didn't want to think about it.

--

"Hinata has a boyfriend!! Hee hee, a 'boy' friend!! "

Hanabi, who'd been dating boys since she was in kindergarten ("we only hold 'hands' dad! "), did a cheerful dance around me as soon as I told father about my dilemma.

He looked vaguely disturbed, his left hand dangling over the teacup; this was probably one of the trivial moments in which he wished to heaven's gates that mom was alive. He had no idea.

"Well… a dress? Do you mean a party frock? "

"F…frock… "

I realized it was hopeless.

So I called the person I always call when things are hopeless.

"H…hello? Temari? "

She sounded breathless; tired but excited.

"Hinata, honey! I'm so sorry I keep getting taken away by this preparation thing… Is Naruto treatin' you okay? Doesn't he make you eat ramen everyday; if he does, tell him that I said d…"

"No, no… everything's fine! "

I almost laugh while listening to her; and yes, Naruto did, a couple times, force me to eat ramen along with him. I hadn't minded so much.

"I…It's just that. "

"Hmm? What is it? Is it Sasuke? "

"N…no! Of course not…. I… well. "

I couldn't bring myself to say it; there was in no way I could get a dress ready by tomorrow… it was already seven, and the sky was slowly darkening over.

I went right out and said it.

"I don't have a dress. "

I could almost feel Temari reel and bristle into an electric sizzle on the other end of the phone. The next time she spoke, it was in an authorative but completely reassuring tone:

"Come over, hon. "

--

Temari's room was all set for the dance tomorrow.

Little bottles of skin cleanser and all sorts of lip gloss, a giant collage of her and Shikamaru's pictures, huge stuffed cushions (bunny and a zebra print heart) and debate notes cluttered the room in a cozy mess.

I flipped through her collection of sticker photos (ranging from overly intimate ones with her and Shikamaru kissing to funky ones with Kiba wearing a multicolor clown's wig and giving the screen the 'finger') while she bustled around the room, searching for something.

"Look, there's this…gorgeous thing I used to have… not mine though. It might fit you like a glove, but then, let's see… "

She went through her closets, which was not so much a closet but more like another room itself. I saw billows of suits and custom made dresses, polo shirts and even a shirt that definitely looked like a men's shirt.

I wondered with curiosity, if that was Shikamaru's shirt, but it looked a bit on the small size for him.

"Voila! Here you go, hon, go try that on. "

I goggled at the dress she was holding silently.

"T…Temari… "

"Yes? "

"I can't wear that!! "

She cocked her head and did an once-over the dress.

"Indigo's not your color? "

"It's strapless!! Wh…What if it drops off while I'm…I'm…"

I could just imagine myself, topless, baring my all to the people who was sure to be laughing their heads off. Or worse, staring intensely at my nonexistent chest.

Temari broke into gales of laughter.

"Oh god, Hinata, sweetie, 'when' are you going to realize? You've got a 'great' figure! "

"….n… no I don't. I can't wear that. "

"Sasuke will slobber over you like nothing had. You'll be the belle of the dance! "

Temari jokingly pronounced 'belle' in an exaggerated French accent, wrapping the dress around me as if to choke me.

But I still couldn't'.

I couldn't wear that dress; I'm way too embarrassed to bare my figure at Temari, let alone the entire sophomore grade that would be present at the dance.

"I… I can't wear that because… "

"Because? "

Temari smiled up at me and I searched for a right excuse.

"B…because Sasuke hadn't…called me yet. "

She looked bewildered.

"Hmm? But he did ask you out, hon. "

"I know… I know, but… "

Then I tell her what had been incessantly bugging me the entire day, even though I hadn't had the heart to even admit it to myself.

"I haven't heard from him since yesterday… and he wasn't at school... today, I mean. "

Her eyes widened just a tad, until she regained her composure and asked:

"Did you text him? "

"…ignored. "

Temari instantly whipped out her phone, determined to set this right.

"Shtt, don't you worry Hinata. If he's soused at a bar somewhere, I'll send Naruto over to go and bug him until he's sober and ready. "

We both sat around waiting for him to pick up; I heard the distinct ring of Sasuke's ringtone (Sexyback; a joke from Temari) …but he didn't pick up.

After almost a minute has passed, he finally came on.

"Hello? Sasuke, sweetie, what the hell are you up to agitatin' Hinat… what? Hello? Naruto? Why do you have Sasuke's phone? "

Temari asked incredulously.

I could vaguely hear Naruto's voice saying something, and Temari's expression changing; she frowned apprehensively.

Temari looked a bit confused as she clicked off her cell and turned to me.

"Sasuke's sick. "

--

(bloodiedsug's words on HSBK-

Sorry there's no SasuHina here… but there definitely will be in the next part…

As you probably noticed, this is a limbo session, the short one in between session four: sophomore year and session five: junior year…

Mainly fluff, but I'll try to link it to the main story… hope you enjoy it!

I'll update faster… I promise

Bear with me)