Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews and taking a chance on this story.

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

Besitos

Chapter Three: Sasuke & Hinata

Sasuke

With the night before still on his mind, Sasuke glanced around at his classmates. Any one of these girls could be Lavender Lotus.

But he limited the field to girls with naturally dark hair. That let out quite a few prospects: Haruno, Sakura and her equally annoying friend, Ino-something.

Hyuga Hinata fit the bill as far as hair and body, but she was way too withdrawn even though she had been a wealthy heiress in high school.

"Ugh, please don't let me drink like that anymore. I was a monster," Naruto moaned, keeping his head planted firmly on the desk.

"I told you that, but you insisted," Sasuke told him, opening his laptop and prepping for class.

"I don't remember anything! Maybe Iruka won't call on me today. Can I look at your answers?" Naruto hadn't bothered bringing anything for class when Sasuke had picked him up today.

"Fine."

"I can't do math. Especially with this hangover." Naruto looked a little green around the gills.

Math came easily to Sasuke; he loved calculating and coming to a simple answer after a specific process. The liberal arts like English were too imperfect, too many ways to interpret something.

"Good morning class," Iruka said cheerfully, setting down his briefcase and turning on the projector.

"Professor Iruka, please don't call on me," Naruto blurted, "I'm super hungover today."

Iruka massaged his temples as the class laughed. "Fine Naruto. Let's get started with class. Hyuga Hinata, please answer number four for us."

Sasuke knew the answer to number four, but Iruka picked Hinata. Ugh. Sasuke listened to her stumble and mumble her way through the problem; watching as she tucked long, silky hair behind her ear, chewing on her lip, and managing to look the same kind of helpless as a puppy.

Again, that hair was the right length and shade. But Hinata?

His phone buzzed against his thigh.

Itachi: Wanna grab some lunch after your class? My treat. Meeting a friend at the same time.

Sasuke smirked. Lunch, with his brother? And a friend? Itachi's history of "friends" usually meant some sort of hot girl.

He typed back: Sure.

Itachi typed back an expensive Italian bistro a few blocks from the school. Sasuke went there only for special treats, like their cannoli's and paninis, when he had finished a semester with all As.

"Where are you headed in such a hurry?" Naruto asked.

"Lunch. With my brother."

"Oh, could I-"

"No, it's private. See you later."

On his way out, Sasuke nearly bumped into Hinata who was busy typing on her own phone.

"Sorry," she mumbled, not looking at him beneath her curtains of hair.

That phrase kept coming to mind when he looked at her. "Curtains of hair." Lavender Lotus has curtains of hair…

Sasuke's stomach rumbled. He set off briskly down the hallway, pushing the phrase from his mind again.

Hinata

A weight had been lifted off her chest once the class was finished for the day. Stupid Naruto. What had she ever seen in him back in the day? He was nothing but an overrated party-boy who peaked in high school.

Itachi texted her that he was picking her up for lunch and that someone was joining them.

While replying, Hinata nearly crashed into Sasuke on her way out. She apologized but didn't dare look at him. It was bad enough she had caught him watching her during class, his brows knitted together, deep in though.

He pushed past her in the hallway, walking briskly.

Thank goodness Itachi wasn't stuck up.

Itachi: I'm out near the commons. Can't wait.

Hinata: Me either. Class was so tough. I'm ready to relax for a little bit.

Itachi: I'm ready to help you. How about a massage? I could start with your feet and work my way up

Hinata: Thanks, but no thanks. Just lunch. See you in a minute.

Outside, the sun shone bright on her face and warmed her skin. Iruka's classroom was always so cold; Math was so cold. Just numbers and formulas. No other interpretations.

Itachi was leaned against his car, suit jacket abandoned on the roof as he played on his phone. Wow he was good-looking. The sun caught his chocolate-colored hair, let down around his shoulders.

"There's my heroine," Itachi said, hugging her tightly.

"There's my hero," she told him, leaning into the embrace. He smelled like a magazine cologne advertisement, where the bottles were sold in very small ounces for triple figures.

"Are you hungry?" He opened her car door.

"Do you have to ask? College student, remember?" She plopped down on the slick leather seat.

"Well, I know how girls are," Itachi told her. "They tend to want to eat a piece of lettuce and drink a sip of water and you're full."

"Not this girl."

"You wouldn't mind if someone else joined us today, would you?" They were soon cruising down the main street to the bistro.

Hinata did mind, but she wasn't going to say anything. She liked spending time with just Itachi.

"No," she lied.

"Okay, good. I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. How are things at the club, really?"

"Oh, they're okay." She wondered vaguely if she should tell him his brother showed up last night with his friends. "Staying safe."

"Good. One night I'll bring some of my business associates by, drum up some money. But I'll warn them to keep hands off."

"Thanks?" Sometimes she didn't know how to take him, whether he was her pimp or her friend.

"Just kidding. Seriously, I think some of the guys do go there. But, your secret is safe with me."

He changed gears. "How is the book coming?"

"Great. Asuma thinks it has a lot of promise out of all the projects this year. He calls it 'life-like' and 'riveting.' How is that latest spy thriller?"

"I've had a case of writer's block. There's been a lot going on at work and then family stuff. My father wants me to spend more time with my brother. He thinks that Sasuke is going the wrong way. I blame that friend of his, Naruto-something."

A little chill went through her as some clues fell into place.

"Who is it that's joining us?" she asked, but suspected that she already knew.

"Sasuke. Since you two are in the same class and all. I thought I might check up on him at the same time. Is that not okay? I can reschedule with h-"

"No. Don't worry about it. It will be fun."

But Hinata felt like she had swallowed a tangle of eels.

Inside the bistro, Itachi found an out of the way place for the three of them. He went ahead and ordered water for all and let Hinata start picking out her food. She couldn't afford to be choosy, even though her stomach churned.

As she was picking out a caprese panini, the door chimed the entrance of a new customer.

"Little brother," Itachi said, standing up and thumping his sibling on the head.

"Itachi," Sasuke growled, but he smirked.

"You know Hinata, I trust. Since you're in the same class and all."

Hinata felt her cheeks heat as Sasuke turned that hard gaze on her next. He offered the briefest of nods and sat down in the chair farthest away.

So much for this lunch being cheerful.

Thankfully, the waitress came back and took their orders.

"Come on, order a cannoli too," Itachi encouraged her. "You don't eat enough Hinata. I know you're going to need your energy later."

"Sure," she squeaked. "Okay."

"And a round of cannoli for the table," Itachi said to the waitress, without waiting for Hinata or Sasuke.

Hinata tried to stay quiet throughout the conversation, pretend she wasn't there.