Chapter 2- Naruto

It was truly a blessing that nothing got out of hand from the night before. Like Lee promised, the extra people that came over that night were indeed cool people. None of them caused issues and when I went to bed with that easing my mind, I didn't want anyone to cause Neji unneeded stress or any reason to give Lee a hard time because of his friends.

I had an early shift so I was thankful I was able to get out early I wanted to go home and rest. I thought about that boy from the party on the way home, he was so handsome and he was so nice. His energy was very warm and it gave me a blush that didn't last long due to the hit of reality. I most defiantly was not his type. I was thicker than other girls, something that made me insecure. I wasn't super thin like Sakura and Tenten. I know I shouldn't be but this is the side effects of men telling me so. It made me very insecure and was why I worked out a lot. It sucks thinking I am not good enough because of how I look.

I triggered myself suddenly, I became very depressed the rest of the walk home, hanging my head as I walked into the house. No one was home and the house was kind of picked up but there was a few straggling pieces of trash and the surfaces needed to be wiped down. I knew if I went to go lay down this depressive episode would just last longer. I put music on and began cleaning to get rid of my train of thoughts.

It wasn't too long after that Ino had dropped by with Tenten. Their calls rang through the house as I was cleaning the countertops in the kitchen.

"Hinaaaaataaa" Ino exclaimed.

"Yea" I called back to her, turning down the music blasting from Neji's speaker

"Heeeey girl! You went to bed so eaaaarly" Tenten whined as she jumped up on the barstool. Ino handed me a drink after putting the bag of snacks on top of the kitchen island.

"Yea-" I took the ramune and set it down to throw the rag in the sink and wash my hands "-I had work at 5am today" I said in response. They both winced and made faces at me. Like most, the idea of waking up at 5am after a raging party would make anyone cringe. I chuckled and walked over to retake the drink.

"ewe" Tenten cringed

"Yeah that's ass, sorry" Ino said, jumping up onto the other barstool. I shrugged and stood on the other side of the island and took a swig before setting it back down.

"Its okay. I am just gladded everyone had fun" I smiled

"Haha yeah! specially Lee~" Tenten giggled as she went to pull out her phone eagerly.

"Yeah most defiantly" Ino said, raising her brows to take a sip of her tea

"Ah here!" Tenten exclaimed as she turned her phone to show us a picture of lee throwing up in the courtyard out front.

"Oh man that's what that smell was" Ino said as we glanced at it. Tenten took the phone from our views and overlooked her pictures

"At least that's all that happened right? didn't get too crazy?"

"Yeah It was pretty chill. Oh wait there was that one guy" Ino said Tenten showed us her phone again and there he was, the wild haired blonde kid shirtless and on the floor wiggling like a worm as the sweat from his back against the tile floor made farting sounds, everyone in the background of the video laughing. "Oh yeah, him"

"Yeah he was hilarious " Tenten said, taking her phone back to scroll through the other videos and pictures.

"Yeah he was gONe" Ino said with a chuckle as she looked over Tentens shoulder.

"Do you guys know his name or anything?" I asked timidly. They looked to me with a questionable stare and I blushed and took my drink "I just...think he is cute " I mumbled. Tenten chuckled with Ino.

"No I dont but you're right, now that I look at him he is kinda cute" Tenten said

"Mmn, Yeah I agree specially with that beanie on over his wild hair" Ino said "but no I didn't catch his name. I was distracted by Sai" Ino proudly bragged as she took another drink of her tea

"Are you guys official yet? Come on, we need to double date" Tenten whined as she shoved her. I took a sip of my drink and chuckled as I watched Ino flush.

"we can go on a double date why do we have to be official?! jeez" Ino said timidly. Tenten shouted with glee then gasped

"OOOh! And hinata you should make a move on that crazy guy so we can do a triple date!"Tenten said excitingly as she stood up off the barstool

"Triple date with who?" We turned to the distant voice and watched Neji walk in with his work uniform on. Tenten took the opportunity of being off the barstool to run to him.

"You and Tenten with Sai and I and Hinata here-" My eyes widen and I shake my head at Ino slowly, Neji catching me and me looking away as she finished"-wants to see what Lee's friends name is" Tenten gasped and stepped away from Neji and backhanded his chest playfully

"You were talking to him!" She exclaimed.

"oh yeah that's right. You guys were hanging out all night weren't you? what do you think of him?" Ino asked. My eyes lit up and I looked to Neji curiously, thankful that Ino asked so I didn't have to. Neji walked around to the kitchen cupboard and pulled out a glass, filling it with water as he sighed.

"we weren't hanging out ALL night and I think hes alright. Its only night so who knows" He said. I looked down and bit my lip, tapping my finger against the glass bottle. Ino looked at me then took her tea

"Alright, I need to meet Sai for hangover blues." Ino jumped from her seat and hugged Tenten before hugging me. I threw my arms around her and smiled. She cupped my face and looked at Neji before looking back to me "I think you should ask Neji to invite him over again to hang out" she whispered. My eyes widened and I went to exclaim but she interrupted "Why would he say no? It isn't like its someone he doesn't know is coming over right? And by how they laughed and talked last night im sure he likes him even just a little. Give it a shot" she whispered as Tenten talked to Neji behind us. I looked back at them then to her and she warmly hugged me again before pulling away and waving at Neji. He waved back and I walked with her to the front door.

"Thank you Ino" I said after her as she stepped onto the porch.

"Go for it. I'm excited for our triple date" she waved and walked through the courtyard, opening the big gates surrounding the mansion and closing it behind her. I turned to go back into the house, passing by the puke from the night before. I sighed an exhausted sigh and continued into the house to go get the stuff to clean it. Tenten was walking down Neji's hall, towards his room as I walked into the front room. Neji was walking into the livingroom to get his duffle bag he set on the sofa. I watched nervously then went to speak but nothing came out as he picked up the bag and turned towards his wing. He almost disappeared into the hall when I finally spoke out.

"n-n-NEJI! " I shouted. He looked up from his phone with turned to look over his shoulder at me "I...Uhm..." He dropped his hand with the phone in it and waited for me to say what I wanted, he had that look on his face. "is there...I mean...I wanted to know if perhaps you got that boys name...Maybe?" I looked from his intimidating gaze, to the floor then back up. He sighed .

"Naruto" He said before turning down the hall to walk towards his room.

"Naru...to...mmn" I paused then shouted after him "Can you ask him to come over sometime?!" I shouted eager after him, no response as he turned into his room and closed the door behind him. I sighed with defeat then looked down with a frown that turned into a smile. "Naruto..." I repeated.

I felt a warm feeling inside, the beginning blossoms of having a crush for the first time in a while. I couldn't help but to think of him the ret of that day. I went to my room and laid on my bed and allowed myself to daydream on the possibilities of meeting again. Then I began disassociating due to the negatives that filled my mind shortly after. Doubts on what to do due to my paranoid thinking of I cant easily fall for someone. It had to be different this time. I wasn't going to fall for cute words and pickup lines that would make me flush easily. Then I paused my thoughts. I was thinking of all of this like I was even his type. Assuming he would like me and not Sakura who was not only single but thin and beautiful. I had to go to bed early so whos to say he didn't talk to another girl at the party like her or Temari. The only thing we bonded over was him asking me if I wanted a shot and I even had to make him repeat it. How cute. I closed my eyes and threw my arm over my eyes and sighed a deep sigh till I gave in and allowed the depressive episode to hit till I passed out

The next day I had woken up a bit late I didn't have work and Neji and Tenten did. They both left relatively early so they would be back by mid day. It sucked that my day off was 2 days after the party and not the day after. Nonetheless I was happy to have a day off and the morning to myself in the house. It was so quite. After checking out the front room and who had been here, before realizing they had work, I made my way to get a glass of water. I looked out the window and listened to the chirps of the birds in the tree branches that shadowed over the kitchen window. I raised my arms high to the ceiling, interlocking my fingers and feeling the muscles in my back adjust and stretch out. I dropped my hands to my side and motivationally nodded.

I turned the corner at the end of my street, lightly jogging and moving at a steady pace with deep inhales through my nose and out my mouth, counting the seconds in my head form 1 to 60 then 1 to 30 in a repetitive cycle for the first 10 minutes. Warming myself up as the ability to control my stamina slowly became getting better and better. My earbuds shoved in my ear I nodded after the 10 minute mark and exhaled a deep breath before starting the light sprinting through the slowly awakening town. Turning the next corner down the main street. I smiled at Ino who was walking outside the flower shop, to set up the morning bundles. Upon noticing me she smiled and waved. I waved back and continued on, not wanting to bother her as she walked back into the shop. I allowed myself resting times and circled around the main street then down a few blocks before turning back down my street and slowing to a walk as I approached the gates of the courtyard. I took the earbuds out of my ear and gagged at the smell as I approached the Porch. I looked to my left and there was the mess I was suppose to clean yesterday.

"lee..." I mumbled, rolling my eyes and jogging up the steps to the porch and going to prepare the journey in getting this vomit up. For the most part the chunks were up though it did stain the concrete patterned stones. I felt the disappointment in my face after the hour of scrubbing and sighed. Standing up I was at a defeat and gathered the cleaning items and bucket of dirty water and continued on inside.

"The store was so packed..." I mumbled to myself as I sighed upon approaching the gates of the mansion. I reached into the shopping bag as I walked through the court yard and pulled out a can of spray that I was hoping will pick up the stain, though I think Its just wishful thinking. walking up the steps of the porch I walk through the front door and turned to close it.

"Hey Hinata " Neji said from behind me as I had my back to the living room, removing my shoes and turned back around to greet him

"Hey I-" As my body turned, my eyes met with the wild haired blonde boy from the other night. My face flushed as neji spoke though it was fading out for me as I stared at the wide smiled man who waved upon the muffled introduction

"You remember Naruto?"

I nodded slowly