Chapter Eleven
Three weeks of spring break went by very quickly. Hinata noticed that two days before school. Laying in bed she tried to remember the things she had done during the vacation. The only thing that was the most memorable about it was when she went out with Haruno Sakura from her class. She learned so many things from the pink-haired girl, such as fashion, beauty, and confidence. She looked at herself differently ever since that day. She found so many things she considered pretty about herself after taking a good look at her reflection on the mirror. Still, there were dark circles around her eyes, but after learning a good tip to conceal them from Sakura, she didn't make a big fuss about them anymore.
The morning after spring break, she decided to send Gaara a good morning text. She waited, while putting on her school uniform. When her phone didn't ring, she decided to observe herself on the mirror. The dark circles around her eyes were concealed with make up, and she looked alright, but there was something quite not right. She looked at herself from head to toe and grimaced. She rolled up the band around her waist once, and liked what she saw.
She quickly opened her phone when it rang and felt her heart skip a beat when she read his reply, saying good morning. She pursed her lips, thinking of something to reply back.
She typed, "I can't believe it. It feels like it's only for a few days we're on a holiday."
She reread her text a few times before pressing send.
After getting her bag, she walked downstairs and had breakfast with her family. Hanabi and Neji were already waiting for her in the dining room.
"I'm sorry for making you wait," she apologized meekly as she promptly sat down on her seat. "Where is father?"
"He's gone already." Neji said.
"You look different, onee-san," Hanabi remarked.
A smile tugged on Hinata's lips. "Oh, really? How?"
Hanabi cocked her head slightly to the side, pursing her lips in deep thought.
"You seem cheerful for the first day of school. Usually you look so…sour."
Hinata chuckled heartily, a hand over her mouth. "Is that so?"
"Right, Neji-nii?" Hanabi turned to Neji.
Neji's eyes scanned Hinata's features with a serious expression on his face. She remained daintily on her seat with a smile adorning her face. He finally agreed with Hanabi.
"Thank you." Hinata's eyes twinkled.
On the train ride to school, Hinata gazed out of the window while waiting for Gaara's reply and watched the buildings passing by her eyes. It felt different seeing those, especially after being at home most of the time.
"Isn't your skirt too short, Hinata?" Neji's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
"W-why?" she faltered, turned to him and noticed the frown on his face.
"I don't like the way those boys look at you. How disrespectful."
Her cheeks felt suddenly warm and her heart skipped a beat.
"B-boys are looking at me?" she asked him slowly, a smile tugging at her lips.
He looked at her, puzzled. "Yes."
Her lips widened into a grin from ear to ear, and an excited chuckle escaped.
She noticed that boys were looking at her when they entered the school gates. She could see from the corners of her eyes heads were turned to her and felt their gazes on her. A month ago she would feel insecure and uncomfortable, but that day she felt glorious. She wanted them to pay attention to her, to notice that she was beautiful.
She walked into the classroom and the first thing she saw was Gaara seated on his desk peacefully reading a book, resting his face on his hand. After setting her bag down on her desk, she walked over to his and greeted him good morning. He looked up from his book and his serious demeanor changed when their eyes met. He said her name, surprised.
She slightly tilted her face, smiling.
"H-how's your holiday?"
"Fine, thank you." He managed to say. "You look different."
"Is it good?" she beamed
He nodded.
She felt unexplainably happy when he told her that. She didn't know why, but it did.
"Thank you." I'm really happy to hear that from you, she wanted to say but her lips felt like they were stitched together.
A faint smile appeared on his face. "I suppose Haruno managed to tweak you up a bit."
"I think she did a marvelous job at it."
His smile grew wider and he hummed in agreement.
"What are you reading?" she asked, looking at the characters on the pages of his book.
"A collection of horror short stories."
"Do you like horror, Gaara-kun?"
He nodded.
She chuckled. "I'm actually not surprised."
"What about you, Hinata? Do you like horror stories?"
"I enjoy watching and reading horror, but I can never sleep afterwards."
"We should probably watch a horror film together," he suggested casually.
She glanced at him. She felt her heart skipped a beat.
"T-together?"
He nodded his head, his usual calm demeanor didn't change.
"Together."
Her face lit up into a wide smile.
"Alright. When?"
"I'll let you know."
She promptly went back to her seat when the school bell rang, her cheeks blushing and heart pounding hard against her ribcages.