3.
At first she thought about kindly canceling their meetings for the rest of the year. It seemed pretty easy and cleaner than a breakup per text.
Saturday night went by, Sunday night came and went by too… then one week went by also. She couldn't contact him; he didn't contact her. Even in school, he didn't look even once at her, despite all the worried looks she sent his way. Some of her friends asked about what was going on with her, and each time she'd reply that he just intimidated her. Only to Amaru couldn't she lie as she knew some of the story. The redhead helped most of her worries go away –she suggested that he may have found someone else, which made her feel much, much less bad.
She started to breathe again… until they received back their math grade the following week. She scored a B-, and him, a D. All her worries crushed back on her with the force of ten thousand angry men.
When she looked at him, he seemed fine with his grade. He just neatly folded it and put it in his notebook. During the class he seemed focused as he took notes; her on the other hand couldn't focus anymore.
The loud bell indicating the end of the course brought her back to earth. Gathering her courage to approach him, she saw him went out with the first students, crushing her hope of talking to him. She waited for everyone to flock outside before taking out her phone.
Hinata: hey
She regretted writing. She wondered if he still had her phone number, if he still wanted to talk to her after letting him down, if he was in the mood to talk to her after receiving such grades. Questions rolled on in her head for ten minutes, before she decided to go face to face. She dreaded the prospect though.
Making her way through the corridors, she received an answer.
Sasuke: hey
It was just a one-word message but the relief it brought her would have been the same if he wrote a whole book.
She wanted to apologize for everything, even for his note but she refrained from writing too much. If he was anything like her cousin besides the similar dark looks, she'd better keep it short and to the point.
Hinata: how are you doing?
She wanted to hit her head in the nearest wall but let it go. She still slapped her face while groaning.
Hinata: just wanted to know if you've found someone to work with.
Sasuke: I'm fine and no.
At least he wasn't keeping her in an unnecessary suspense or lying. She breathed deeply.
Hinata: if you don't mind, I'd like to work together.
Hinata: if you still want of course.
Hinata: but if you don't, it's ok. I'll understand.
She was through typing another text when he sent her one.
Sasuke: look, my grade isn't your fault.
Hinata: it isn't what I meant.
Sasuke: you gave a positive answer after we received our grades.
She waited but he didn't write again.
Hinata: I'm sorry.
Sasuke: there are no reasons for you to feel bad.
Hinata: I admit that your grade is my main reason, but I really want to help. I'm not pushing myself to do anything.
Sasuke: Naruto doesn't blame you either. You can breathe alright.
Hinata's: Did you two talk about that?
Sasuke: yeah
Hinata: what have you told him?
Sasuke: that I preferred working alone. Which is true
Hinata: what did you need help with, then?
Sasuke: getting teachers' explanation about courses I've missed.
Hinata: but last Saturday you were studying recent materials
Sasuke: just let it go.
When she reached the cafeteria, she approached her usual table but then she went south to Tenten's table with whom she had yet to talk to. The thing was she had never been a lucky girl. As soon as she moved away, Naruto yelled for her. She bit her bottom lip. Naruto's voice was too loud to be ignored, so she went to him to sit at the place he usually kept for her. It used to be next to him, now it was between him and Sasuke, his best friend ever with whom he liked to talk a lot. Sasuke seemed really too close, even though he was at a decent pace given the cafeteria system.
Those thirty minutes were the longest of her life. Every breath he took seemed to fan her neck's skin, every word he pronounced rang in her skull, every look he gave to his right pierced through her soul… yet he acted as if she wasn't the very next person on his side.
She almost fell out of her chair when her phone clung.
Ino: you ok?
Hinata: yeah
Ino: you sure
Hinata: I'm fine, promise
Ino: everyone can tell you lie. Even Kiba, and that's saying something
Hinata: you reconciled?
Ino: yeah
Ino: but that's not why I'm writing.
Ino: Ever since Sasuke took your phone number, you've been weird. It's as if he took it by force
Hinata: Sasuke has nothing to do with it!
Ino: that's why you hold your breath every time he moves?
She pursed her lips.
Hinata: it's not him, it's me
Ino: look Hinata. Just tell us the truth and we'll help.
Ino: I heard the rumors about him.
Ino: you shoulkd talk to us. Kiba and I'll have your back.
The sentiment behind those words were more ominious than comforting for Hinata. She told everything to Ino, well the summarized version. It was enough she felt guilty; she didn't need to drag Sasuke down in a hole with her. She pointedly looked at Ino who shook her blond head.
Ino kept on her track, searching something Hinata couldn't understand until she came clean. She thought Sasuke forced himself on her. when Hinata read that, she looked up at Sasuke as she put her phone against her chest. The dark haired teen who was talking to Naruto got his view blocked and ended up looking at her instead. He arched an eyebrow. He looked like he wanted to talk, all the while giving her an intense gaze. Closing his eyes briefly, he reopened them and leaned a bit on his chair's back. He resumed talking to Naruto as if nothing just happened.
It was hard to tell why, but her heart beat desperately hard against her chest.
Hinata: He has never, ever made a move on me. I doubt I'm his type. He's quite even cold toward me, so nothing will ever happen between us, whether by force or by desire.
Ino paused after reading it, looking straight at Hinata whose face somewhat held sadness. The blond girl swiftly looked at Naruto before typing again. She sent her a text, before looking up with a small smile as she put her phone back in her blouse pocket.
Ino: then Sasuke is much of an idiot as Naruto.
When Hinata wrote about not being Sasuke's type she felt exposed, as if she'd shown one of her insecurities. The answer of her friend intensified the feeling. So much tears had been shed that she didn't feel like crying anymore. If anything, she felt like chuckling at herself.
The rest of the day was spent thinking about a way to show Sasuke that she genuinely wanted to help, not because of Naruto or pity. Even as she went to bed at 9, she tossed and turned for another hour before she found an idea which had her up for the better part of the night.
All she wanted was to make things right again. A given word should be respected. Besides, showing that she didn't want to work with him from the beginning despite accepting made her look weak; his grade was only the final nail in the coffin. All these thoughts kept crowding her mind as she allowed and fed them. She knew Sasuke would be hard to convince, whether it be out of pride, or being convinced she didn't want to help. Whatever both of them felt, she was going to make him accept her back.
When the bell put an end to the first course of the day that she shared with him, she almost ran out of the class to be the first out so she could cling to some of the bravery garnered. However, her courage falter by a huge amount when she saw him going out with two girls ready to pounce on him… as per usual. She knew she had to move quick.
She hastily tugged on his arm, swerving toward the opposite direction of the girl. She received a shocked look from Sasuke whose body barely moved, and surprised ones from the girls. Hinata decided to focus on the boy in front of her, not wanting to guess what the others might think of her action. Remembering Ino's words yesterday, she guessed Sasuke's reputation would've her put in a certain category.
Sasuke finally straightened himself, visible recovering from his shock.
"What do you want?" he asked with intensified coldness.
Feeling his urgency and annoyance, she swiftly held out a notebook with some papers. He didn't take it.
"what is that?"
"I came w-with… s-some notes from the courses y-you've m-missed" she still offering them "please, t-take them"
He finally took them. She felt as if she was giving him some love letter, deciding that it'd have probably been easier than this.
"Sasuke-kun" she felt weird, addressing him directly like that and even weirder when he looked up from the notes, all traces of annoyance gone "w-we can w-work together a-again, at N-Naruto-kun's-"
"let's do this instead" he said as he started backing out slowly "if I've got questions, I'd come to you… thanks for the notes"
He turned his back on her as he put the folder away in his backpack.
"o-okay" Hinata whispered to herself.
She didn't have to wait that long to have him ask questions. The first morning he came to her, she stuttered badly, spoke slower and lower than usual to the point he had to scoot closer to her, enough for her to pick up his scent. Her mind was too preoccupied with the closeness to really smell anything though. After that less than successful meeting, she was depressed: she made all of her moves and failed ; certainly Sasuke'd just cancel the thing. This time she was going to just accept it, and leave him alone for good. That idea didn't sit well with her.
Yet, he came back. No comments on her being weird, or harsh reactions to her. He came back; he kept asking.
The following days had been productive: he'd come with stuffs he didn't understand or exercises he'd done. By doing that, she'd noticed her own gaps in knowledge too. At first he only took five minutes on their lunch break, then she extended it a bit longer up to fifteen minutes.
She noticed that he got along with all of her suggestions, but also how physically close they had come to be. Working together and comparing notes had people come naturally closer, if only to properly look at notes, but she was extremely aware of his body warmth and scent.
Things once got almost out of hand when being close, he grabbed her attention to talk to her. When their eyes had met, she'd actually pushed him back, a bit hard too. Realizing this went too far, she admitted in being really self-conscious about being this close to boys, using the word 'boys' on purpose for him not to take it too personally. He accepted and stayed away, making the work less fluid than before. She felt guilt as always; he didn't seem stirred as usual.
Something else she had noticed was how he was trying to catch up on notions not only from this year, but previous ones too. That made her wonder about rumors about him not going to school last year just to travel to Europe and America to go on spree. He was apparently a sophomore this year all thanks to his family's name and money. Whether it was true or not, she was certain of something: he was intelligent.
The following week rolled by and it was Friday, but not just any Friday: she was genuinely happy. Sasuke wasn't a threat anymore; if she was honest there, she felt chagrin for not having a decent amount of study time with him like that last Saturday when they did. The main reason however, was that she made up with Tenten. After being able to work with Sasuke, it brought out of her a kind of last strength –if she could clear things up with Sasuke, why not with her friend of forever? She almost laughed at how easy it turned out to be.
"Hey"
She spun around to see Sasuke, hands in pockets. Looking up at him, she saw him slightly froze as he quizzically searched her face.
"there's something different about you today"
"really?"
"yeah, you seem to be in a good mood"
"yes… I'm going to watch a movie with some friends"
"ah, nice... Which movie?"
Hinata was shocked, her mouth falling slightly agape. During the short time they have been working together, never once did they go beyond greetings. Worse, Sasuke was quite curt after they exchanged a few empty pleasantries. Now he was actually extending their exchange. At some point she knew she had been staring into those dark eyes for far too long, but when he smirked a bit, the words sprouted out of her mouth.
She distinctly felt like someone had sucker punched the answer out of her stomach.
"Before you … it's a romantic movie"
Sasuke almost grimaced, which hadn't gone unnoticed. They had made some good progress on their interactions, especially this morning as they exchanged more than greetings or the dreaded 'how are you'. She could shut her mouth, go straight into business i.e. studying and be fine. She was fighting the urging to add anything else, but the sensation in her belly was driving her insane.
She was in such a good mood with her reconciliation with Tenten who was still miraculously with her cousin; she had an outing with friends and his facial expression was such a conversation opener. Not to mention he had smiled at her. She bit down on her lips as she looked long at his profile… and he looked back at her.
"You don't like romantic movies?"
Sasuke was a bit surprised. He sized her up with an arched brow, gave a vague smirk which proved to be a little bit contagious. He nonchalantly shrugged as he sighed dramatically.
"I'd rather get gagged"
Encouraged by him answering her, she wanted to get him to talk more. She just couldn't deny this urging feeling: they were actually talking like normal acquaintances.
"Well, what kind of movie do you propose us to watch?"
"eh… to each their own"
"what kind of movie do you watch, then?"
"Well, action movies… kinda like the fight scenes"
"Like martial art?"
"yeah…"
"What about joining the karate club? May be you can learn one thing or two"
"Tsk! They can't handle a real fight"
"we can."
He stopped talking to look at her. She blushed.
"you do karate"
"yeah"
"So, you're more aggressive than I thought… Impressive"
"It was my mom's passion…" she said, her voice suddenly rough "and I followed suit"
"did you just say you can kick my butt Hyuga?"
At first she wanted to protest, but when she looked up to find him smiling she changed her mind. Something about his air nudged her to enter that game.
"d-definitely"
"hn! I'd like to see you try" Sasuke said as they entered the crawling cafeteria "when is your meeting with those friends of yours?"
Her heart beat so fast she thought she didn't hear him correctly until he faced her. A hope she would have never guessed to bloom inside her did, rushing violently through her chest to her gut.
"Tomorrow"
"let's work at Naruto on Sunday if you're free"
As they got in the line to get their lunch, she was planning with much gusto the perfect study session ever.