Chapter 17: Wavering Heart

I pulled away from his hold, backing up into the headboard of the bed. Though I wasn't sure, it felt as though my body were trembling.

"You...why did you..." I reached up and touched my lips, the heated intensity still there.

He kissed me...again.

Uchiha-san held his gaze. Beautiful dark eyes stared at me, as if looking deep into my heart. The feeling was like being exposed.

"You're asking why?" The look on his face was so serious, it seemed impossible to say anything at the moment.

He reached out towards me. I shrunk back and shut my eyes tight, afraid of what he'd do. The will to escape had completely left my body. I was just too confused.

I waited. There was no feeling of his hand on my face or any part of my body at all. Opening my eyes, I could see that Uchiha-san held a strand of my hair in his hand, the ends just barely entwined between his long and slim fingers.

"How many times will I have to tell you before you understand?" he asked his voice low and husky sounding.

I fought back the blush that would paint my face red as hard as I could.

Uchiha-san gave a small smile. He had a satisfied look on his face.

There was the great difference in strength that kept me from pushing him away as he came in closer towards me.

A soft click came from the doorway. We both turned our heads to see Sakura-san there, the expression on her face unreadable.

A heavy silence weighed down, not a single breath heard.

Finally, she asked with a slight tremor in her voice "What…are the two of you doing?" her eyes locked intently on us, unblinking.

I couldn't find the right words to say anything. With Uchiha-san and I this close together, of course it would look as she thought. Only, I wasn't so sure myself about the way I felt.

"S-S-Sakura-san…this-"

Without bothering to hear the rest of what I had to say, she dashed out from the room. I got up to follow after her, but Uchiha-san grabbed my arm, unwilling to release me.

I turned my head away from his gaze. He had that desperate look in his eyes once again, causing my heart to jump at the sight.

"Please…let go, Uchiha-san." .

"You still didn't give me your answer," he said.

"..."

Once I felt his grip loosen, I slipped out of his grasp and ran out as well.

Why were they sitting so close to each other?

The sound of sloshing mud and the heavy rain filled my ears as well as my own heartbeat. Thick gray clouds covered the sky. It was dark out. Even though I couldn't see a thing, I continued to run once in a while hitting the branches of a tree, scratching my face.

It didn't hurt. I don't think anything at the moment could've hurt me as much as I was hurting now.

Especially Sasuke, he was the one leaning in toward her.

My clothes were soaking wet once again, the water seeping through cold as ice. My vision became blurred as well. I'm not sure if it was the rain or my own tears. The feeling however felt like my heart had been ripped into two.

Now I know what they mean when they say karma's a bitch. It's because I had an affair with Naruto that Hinata's doing this to get back at me. She knew all along that I've loved Sasuke since our days in the academy, so of course she would go after him.

It's only fair...isn't it?

I came to a stop and stood there, staring at nothing but the earthly wet ground beneath me. Puddles of rain sat everywhere, needlessly slowly soaking up into the dirt.

"I guess...I get what I deserve."

Just then, I heard sloshing steps behind me. The person was running.

"Sakura-san!" she shouted over the heavy rain. I flinched at the sound of her voice.

Hinata?

As I was about to run, the first step I took caused me to topple over and fall face down into the ground. I struggled to sit up and used my arm to wipe away the mud that caked itself on my face.

"S-Sakura-san!" I heard her let out a sigh of relief. Her footsteps sounded closer. "Sa-Sakura-san...I-"

"Stay away!" Don't come near me. Someone disgusting like me...you shouldn't come near.

Even though I told her not to, she ignored me and continued anyways.

"A-About earlier, that was-"

I cut her off. "I know I don't have any right to say this, but...if your playing with Sasuke just to torment me please stop it."

I stood up and turned around to face her. "If it's Naruto you want, then I'll break it off with him, but in return I want you to stay away from Sas-"

Slap.

The sound echoed throughout the large clearing.

Reaching up, I touched the side of my face. It was throbbing. The sudden out lash had been so unexpected.

"You...You won't listen to a thing I say, will you?" she stood there, her fists balled up, trembling at her sides. "What do you mean 'want' Naruto back? He's not a thing!"

What the-"I know that of course! What I'm trying to say is that I'll stay away from Naruto if you stay away from Sasuke!"

"Just who do you think you are to decide all of this?" the Hyuga cried, her cheeks flushed red either from the cold or her anger. She took a step forward. "Something like that doesn't matter anymore. I don't feel anything for him and neither does he for me!"

"And so in a desperate attempt, you decide to go after Sasuke?" I wasn't sure why, but she was really pissing me off. "Don't you think you gave up a bit too quickly?" I wanted to make her mad, and the best way to do it was to provoke her verbally. "If you really loved him, you would have fought back!"

I waited for her response. Her long bangs shadowed her eyes from view.

"You're...right."

Huh?

"If I really loved him...I...should have fought back like you said, but..."

What kind of reaction is this?

Slowly lifting her head up, the look on her face was as clear as day. I held back the urge to gasp.

She was crying, that I was certain of. She wore the expression of an abandoned child, her eyes filled with tears, her cheeks flushed. Trembling, she spoke, her voice clumsy yet firm.

"...he loves you."

There was no trace of malice or jealousy in her voice when she said this, only pain and regret.

"Hinata..."

"If...If Naruto really did love me, he wouldn't have looked at me in that way on our wedding." She gave a small smile. "The Naruto I was in love with...wouldn't have looked so doubtful. He would have just thoughtlessly rushed in."

This was the first time I'd ever thought of such a thing, but...never did I think she was as beautiful as she was now, her tears hidden by the rain.

I then felt guilty at the moment.

Hours after Sakura left, I returned to the apartment only to find Uchiha-san asleep on the couch, shirtless, but with black pants on thankfully.

He must've been waiting for me...again.

I sighed. Walking over, I couldn't help but notice the Uchiha moving around a bit in his sleep. From the expression on his face, he seemed to be having a bit of a nightmare. I placed my hand near his temple, gently rubbing it. He seemed to still have a fever. A few minutes later, he had calmed down and returned to a peaceful sleep.

Digging through the closet, I pulled out a few guest blankets and draped them over him.

It must be the fever. No wonder he wasn't in any condition to leave.

I bent down on my knees and unconsciously found myself staring at his face.

He really is too handsome. I blushed at the thought I had just had. Calm down, what am I getting excited for anyways? He says he loves me, but is that how he really feels? For all he knows, it could just be a false illusion of love. One minute we're together and the next, he gets tired of me.

If something like that were to really happen...I don't think I could take it.

I turned my head to look at the clock. It was now five in the morning.

No wonder I'm tired.

Just as I was about to get up, I felt a grip on my wrist. Turning around, I found myself staring into the face of Uchiha-san.

His cheeks were red; his breathing came out in shallow breaths.

His eyes half-way opened, he opened his mouth to speak, but seemed to have trouble doing so. Finally he said the cutest thing I'd ever heard him say.

"You're...here. I thought...you weren't...coming back..." his voice trailed off as he fell back asleep, obviously still weak from the fever.

He's like a child. I tried suppressing a giggle to keep from waking him up.

"I...love you..." he mumbled.

My heart skipped a beat just then.

"I...really love you...Hinata..."

Covering my mouth, I turned away, my face heating up.

If only he'd stop saying such embarrassing things.

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update, I mean I know I say this a lot, but I really mean it. I finally got inspiration for this chapter after talking with my friends and daydreaming in class. Just to let everyone know, I may not be able to update for a while once spring break comes. So far, I'm failing algebra and world history and my dad might not let me on the computer for about a month.

I love everyone who's read my story up till this point and has supported me since I submitted it. Arigatou Minna-san!♥