Author's Note: Hi, everyone! How are you doing? Here is another chapter of Skinny Love. Sorry that I haven't updated for a while. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Thirteen

How long had it been since Gaara last talked to Hinata? Two weeks.

She had been sitting anxiously on her seat during classes, gazing at his back and wondering why he wasn't saying a single word to her—not even a glance. She wondered if she had done something wrong that made him distance himself from her. She replayed all she could in her head, trying to figure out what went wrong during their date. It all seemed normal to her, but there must be a mistake somewhere along.

Sleeping peacefully seemed to be a long lost luxury, rolling around and trying to find the right position to sleep in her bed—where to place her head on the pillow. It felt like the most uncomfortable thing in the world for two whole weeks.

She wanted to go up to him and ask him what she had done. Unfortunately, she didn't have the courage to do so. She created the image of coming up to him and asking him what was wrong numerous times in her head. She hated herself for being a coward.

Every time their eyes met by chance, he would quickly avert his gaze with a frigid expression on his face. That made her heart felt heavy. She would sadly look at his back hunching over his desk, wishing he would just say something—even if it was something mean.

"Did something happen, Hinata?" Neji asked her one afternoon as they walked home from school.

She shook her head no.

She knew he didn't believe her, but was silently grateful he didn't press her more on her problem. She didn't want to tell him about Gaara, fearing he would confront him and start a row.

Eating lunch with Sakura and Ino felt so lonely despite the joy and excitement radiating from the two girls. She would stare blankly at her lunch box, picking at her food and mulling over Gaara. Her friends didn't notice it was bothering her so much. Even if they did, they neither showed nor asked about it. However, they kept trying to make Hinata talk.

One afternoon after dismissal, she was on her way to her locker when she saw Gaara slipping onto his shoes all alone. Her heart began to race. Clenching her fists tightly, her nails sinking into her skin, she gathered all the courage she had in her and, for the first time after a long while, felt determined to go to him and ask him what was wrong.

The steps she took towards him felt heavy, as if her shoes were glued to the floor. Her stomach felt like it was tied into a tight knot. Anxiety was swelling up from her chest and tried to climb its way up to her throat, yet she kept walking towards him.

"If you don't like me, then why don't you say so?" she said to him, a little louder than she intended it to be. Some people turned their attention towards her.

Gaara seemed surprised to see her standing next to him with her eyebrows knitted together and an angry expression on her face, which he didn't get to see much often.

Neither of them said a word, stunned. The distance between them was closer than Hinata thought it would be. She could feel his warmth on the fabric of her uniform. The sound of her heart beating was loud in her ears.

He averted his gaze away from her as he closed his locker. She watched him turn away, his back facing her.

"I don't hate you. I just need time to think." He said coolly and began to walk slowly.

She opened her mouth and asked him, "T-time to think of what?"

She silently cursed herself for stuttering.

He neither answered nor looked back. She felt like wanting to cry. The anxiety was still swelling up in her throat, refusing to back down. It was joined by her sadness, making it harder for her to breathe.

She pursed her lips and decided to run after him, tears brimming in her eyes. She caught up to him not far from the school gate. She held his elbow to stop him from walking and made him turn to look at her.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" she begged. "Was it something I did?"

He looked into her eyes with a blank look on his face. People turned to look at them as they passed them by. Just another couple fighting, they thought as they carried on their own business.

"It's not your fault, Hinata." He reassured her, scratching his jaw as he averted his gaze from her. "I just need time to be by myself for a while."

Her grip on his elbow tightened, pulling him so that he wouldn't try to walk away from her again. "Won't you tell me what's bothering you?"

He pursed his lips and didn't say anything for a while.

Sweat started to build along the sides of her face. It felt like a million years until she finally got an answer from him.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you." He finally said, hesitantly meeting her gaze.

It was unfair. She was just starting to feel comfortable with him, but then he decided to push her away and distance himself from her. She hated the feeling of being ignored by the person she trusted with all her heart. She wished he could tell her what was bothering him so that she could listen to him—so that she could be useful to him.

She let go off her grip on his elbow and wiped away the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Sorry for being pushy." She muttered, her head bowed.

She heard him release a soft sigh. It was an irritated kind of sigh. Her heart broke into a million pieces. She knew it was coming. She had become an annoyance to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

She watched his back as he walked away from her, getting farther and farther until she couldn't see him anymore. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes. This time, she let them fall.

Author's Note: That's the end of chapter thirteen. Please let me know what you think about it. I like reading your comments and inputs. Also, tell me what you'd like to see on the next chapter! I'll see you guys soon. Have a nice day!