Section 20: Hinata's Options
Hinata sauntered into her bedroom slowly, trying not to be noticed. She sat down in bed, and was ready to lie down slowly. Then a light ignited from outside the hallway, and Shino was standing in the doorway with a lit match. He shook it out the flame, and hung the lamp against the wall.
"Good evening Hinata."
"Hello Shino-sama..."
Shino walked over to Hinata, and sat down next to her. "Why were you sneaking around?"
"...I just didn't want to bother anyone, and I had a bad day anyways."
He looked at her slightly puzzled, "...Why? ... aren't you and Naruto...?"
Hinata lashed her head up slightly, "No... he's happy right now with how things already are between us."
"...but... I saw you... kiss him."
Hinata drew back in fright, "Y...y... you were there, Shino-sama?!"
Shino sighed shamefully, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been shamefully spying on you. I just..."
Hinata curled up with tears in her eyes, "...just what... why..." Shino sighed, looked away from Hinata, and got up from the bed. Just as he was about to leave, Hinata called out, "Shino-sama... wait!" Shino jerked to a halt, and turned his head back partially. "...Did you mean what you said earlier?"
"Mean what?"
"H...How you said you didn't like anyone... you don't?" Shino began to sweat nervously, and tried to force out words so he wouldn't look suspicious. "Shino-sama... why don't you tell me... I'll help you get her attention for you... if you let me."
"I can't do it. I don't want to tell her right now... I'm sorry..."
Hinata jumped up in excitement, "No! No! We don't need to tell her yet! Just tell me so I know who it is!"
Shino turned away solemnly, "I can't..."
Hinata latched herself onto Shino's jacket, and started tugging in a pleading fashion, "Please tell me Shino-sama, its ok!"
Shino stood still, clinching his fist tightly. Sweat ran down steadily around his sunglasses, and he started to panic. He looked down at her, and into her light blue eyes. He could never really think straight when he looked into her eyes, and he just never had the nerve to tell her. "She doesn't like you... you're just a freaky kid who likes bugs, and never talks... Why would she like you?"
Hinata sighed, and leaned against Shino's chest, "...I'm sorry I'm being so annoying.... I'll stop..."
"It's you..."
Hinata heard, and pulled her head up gasping to look up at Shino. Her eyes were glassed over with surprised tears. "...Shino-sama...?"
Shino stood still, without looking down, "All I could do... was help you out with Naruto. It was the only way you'd be happy." Hinata curled up clutching his jacket tightly in shame. "It hurt a lot, because I wanted you to notice me sometimes, maybe like me or something. I guess that was stupid of me, to wait for you to notice."
Hinata remembered what Naruto told her earlier that night.
Flashback:
Naruto pops up saying, "I'm sorry love sucks so much."
A different image of Naruto pops up saying, "I don't know, it seems as if everyone loves someone they could probably never have..."
"I'm sorry Shino-sama..." Shino looked down at Hinata a little surprised. "I... I chased someone I could never have... and ended up ignoring others around me."
Shino held her closely, comforting her while she opened up. "Hinata, don't beat yourself up..."
"...Shino-sama."
Shino pulled her back, and looked down at her solemnly, "...but there's something I want you to know." Hinata glanced up questionably at what Shino had to say. "Kiba... he's always cared about you."
"K...Kiba...? But he always..."
"...doesn't seem like it? I know..." Hinata stepped back, and looked up at Shino in confusion. "He so dense, he doesn't even notice that he likes you."
"...I...I didn't know people could do that..." Hinata curled up and blushed, "No wonder he hated Naruto-kun so much..." She clinched her eyelids shut,"I've never felt so confused before!"
"Don't worry about me, Hinata-chan... I know you are."
Hinata shot her head up, and opened her tear soaked eyes, "I can't! I have to worry about you..."
Shino looked away, and turned his back to Hinata. "Try not to..." He walked out of the room, leaving Hinata standing in the center of the room.
"I...I don't know what to do..."