-pokes head timidly from behind screen- I swear not to run away if you swear not to kill me...
Dear readers,
I am so terribly sorry for not putting up another chapter in...well, since October. A lot of...stuff has been going on lately in my life and getting on the computer has not been something I can do very often anymore. I know that there are no excuses, but hear me out! -Nov-Dec- I had to study for and take the ACT and our team went to the final playoffs for the first time in 24 years...my best friend for so long decided that because I didn't want to be a whore I was "anti-social" because I didn't want to hang around his new friends, and so now he refuses to talk to me and they're spreading goodness knows what kind of rumors...academics have been insane...trusts have been broken...and then Christmas my mother went to the hospital for six consecutive seizures...the next day my big brother was admitted for surgery because his organs were shutting down and poisoning his body...now we've got our first and biggest jazz competition of the year and our group is being absolutely uncooperative...school has developed a killer left hook and I'm worried about my used to be best friend because I think that he might be getting into things he shouldn't, and I can't do anything to help him because he won't talk to me at all...my AP Euro test is coming up all-too soon and I have to pass it for the college credit I need...I've got no teacher to help me with my solo for Tri-State and District, so I have to teach myself...I'm going to take my ACT test again so that I can get a 32 to give me the right score to get into M.I.T...and I'm having to prepare to sing 'Hero' by Mariah Carey for a tryout at my school...home life is being crazy so I'm rarely allowed on the computer, and the library doesn't let me save files, so I can't update there...SO! All of that equals...I HAVEN'T HAD TIME!!! -wails- Again I am very sorry...but I am working very hard to get on more often. Shawn threatened me so thank him that this chapter's coming up. -smiles- Oh, and I'm sixteen now. Yay! -celebrates November-
But despite all of this I have not forgotten you all, and I am determined to put up more chapters and get back to writing this. I just have to...balance...my time. Yeah. So, hope you enjoy what's to come. All of my eternal love goes to you all!
Chapter Fifteen - Monster
Hinata swiftly became bored of walking in complete silence, and she figured that acting completely cold would look somewhat strange, so she decided that she'd go out on a limb. "So, Sakura-san...how is Sasuke-kun? I've seen you and Naruto-kun, but I haven't seen him in a while."
"Well, I actually have no idea. The three of us do not train together anymore and our team has not had any missions lately, but I gave up on him since I have Naruto now. I don't know what I was thinking before," she said letting go of his hand and putting her arm around his waist.
Hinata smiled, trying to feel happy for the two. "Well, you two fit very nicely together. You both are very lucky, and I definitely wish you the best of luck, although, it doesn't look like you need it."
'It is a nice fit, not bad, but it's not perfect. When I was with you everything felt as if nothing could ever go wrong and that if you would only stand beside me I could do anything - even stand up to your family, and I did. I stood up to Hinata's father all by myself because I loved her, but instead of doing the same she gave up on me so that things would be easier for both of us. If she had only believed in us a little more everything would be perfect right now...' he thought to himself sadly. The path he was on was definitely the easier road, but Naruto did not want easy, he wanted it to be perfect, but it did not seem like that would ever happen.
"Thank you Hinata, but I am sorry that things had to work out the way they did for you," she said in a sympathetic tone that she did mean. Though she did not feel bad for what she had done thus far, she would have preferred it would have happened to someone who was not as nice as Hinata.
Hinata smiled sadly. "Oh, there's no need to feel sorry for me...I just, well, I did it myself...my loss, and my fault, so no need to feel bad." She bowed her head and became quiet.
--
"...hmmm, I spy with my eye something that's rainbow..."
"...is it that rainbow over there?"
"Good guess, Neji! Your turn!"
"...I spy with my eye something blue..." Neji said dully, finally giving in and playing the game.
--
'She said it was her fault AND her LOSS, that means she DOES still have feelings for me, I knew it, but unfortunately I do no not think that it will work, she seems pretty dead-set on staying apart for my benefit.' Naruto thought at first happily. He was smiling and brought his head up. Then he was sad and put his head back down.
"What is the matter Naruto-kun, you seem very weird today...more then usual that is. You keep on changing from happy to sad really quickly, what is the matter?" She asked turning his head towards hers.
"Nothing" Naruto said plainly then looked back down at to ground.
--
"The sky," Lee guessed and smiled, glad the trip had turned pleasant again and that Neji joined in the game.
"Nope," Neji answered, hands behind his head as he walked. "Try again."
"Ummm...that bluebird?" He groaned when Neji shook his head, smirking again. "Dangit, Neji, you made this near-impossible, didn't you?"
Neji shrugged nonchalantly. "Think about it."
--
Hinata blinked and looked over at Naruto, then sighed. "Perhaps we can do something to cheer everyone up, like tell stories or play a game while we walk?"
--
"I think Neji used his Byakugan to pick something far away so we would not find it..." Lee said looking around for a blue object.
--
"Why don't you start Hinata, you can tell us a story," Sakura said agreeing with Hinata about breaking the awkward silence.
Hinata smiled shyly, scratching the back of her head lightly. "I'm not very good at saying things, so it might be kinda funny..."
--
Neji shook his head, smirking. "It's closer than you think...do you guys give up?"
Kiba nodded his head. "I can't think of anything...what is it?"
"YOUR CHAKRA!!!" He pointed at Kiba, cackling insanely, moving his finger to random points of Kiba's body. "SEE?! THERE! AND THERE!! AND THERE!!!! I WIN I WIN!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Kiba blinked, eyes as wide as saucers. "...I think the heat's getting to him, Akamaru." Akamaru barked in agreement.
"Neji I thing the heat is getting to you maybe we should stop for a while." Lee said looking oddly at the laughing Hyuuga.
--
"That is fine Hinata, lets hear one," Sakura said and smiled encouragingly, as well as trying to get Naruto to say something with no luck.
--
"You're just jealous because I'm better at this game than you are!!! Admit it!!!" Neji threw his hands up in the air and waved them around wildly. "You've always been jealous of me and my awesomeness!!! AND I DON'T BLAME YOU!!" He looked from Kiba, to Lee, then to Akamaru with an eerie look in his eye. "You all wish you were me..." He sniffled. "BUT YOU SHOULDN'T!!" He collapsed by a tree. "I'm SOOOOOOO MISERABLE!!!!!" he spouted randomly, beating the back of his head against a tree sadly.
Kiba stared at him with eyes that would have suited UFOs. "...Lee's right...we need to stop for a little while." He especially agreed when Neji began to cuddle Akamaru and squeeze the life out of him in bear hugs (much to the dog's discomfort).
--
Hinata sighed and thought for a minute, then reached into her pocket. 'That's strange...I could have sworn I had kept that candy bar in my...pocket...oh no, Neji nii-san must have gotten it...he can't have chocolate!! It makes him crazy!' She quickly pulled her hand out of her pocket and continued thinking about what she should tell.
She glanced over at Naruto who was silent, and then to Sakura. She sighed. 'I want to be on friendly terms with them, like none of this happened. Not for it to be totally uncomfortable.' "Maybe we could play an interactive story?" She looked at them hopefully. "Like each of us say two words to add to the story. Once upon...now your turn Sakura. Continue with two words. And then you, Naruto." She looked over at Naruto.
--
Lee pulled out his water cantine he had in his backpack and handed it to Neji. "Here I think you need some wate,r" he said to Neji, trying to get Akamaru away from him gently.
--
"A time," she said to Naruto then looked at him to see if he would actually respond and play the game with them rather than mope along the whole time. 'What is he so sad about? I'm right here with my arm around his waist , he has a real misson, but yet he still is sad. It is probably Hinata, he must not be over her, but I'm sure it will pass,' she thought to herself.
"A monster," he said simply in a still sad sounding voice. He decided to play the game rather than just be completely silent, it was not in his nature to not talk for extended periods of time. It was also Hinata's idea, maybe if he could get on her goodside completely he could explain his side of the story, not that he knew exacly what he would say, but he had a basic idea and he figured that was good enough.
She looked at the sad Naruto and then at Sakura and blinked. She was surprised as much as Sakura. She shrugged it off. "Was walking," she added her part.
--
I don't want water!" He chucked the water cantine as far away from him as he could and growled angrily. "I want puppy!!!" he screamed, clinging to Akamaru as tight as he could so Lee couldn't get him.
"Arrf..." Akamaru whined.
Kiba gasped in horror and started beating Neji over the head with a twig. "Let go of Akamaru!!!"
Neji hissed at them both and ran up to the top of a tree, loosening his grip on the poor dog but still cuddling him. "I could never have a pet!! DAD wouldn't let me!! And then Hiashi-sama wouldn't let me! IT'S NOT FAIR!! I WANTED A FERRET!!!"
Kiba stared up the tree with saucer-plate sized eyes. "We can get you a ferret if you come down, Neji..." he tried to say as calmly as possible.
Neji's eyes shone bright. "Reeeallllyyyy?"
--
"To the," Sakura said and then looked to Naruto hoping he was not going where she thought he was going with it.
"Hidden village to destroy it. When it arrived the town people stood up against the beast and with the help of the powerful Hokage they imprisoned it, but not in a cell or chamber in a boy. A boy that would be forever ridiculed and hated just for being a container for the monster and as much help as he was he would never really be accepted, despite what everyone says." Naruto said in the tone he had been steadily using. "Oh look the village," he said only a moment after he stopped talking. "I bet there is a ramen shop in there somewhere. Let's eat first then report for the package, I'm starving!" he said in his normal happy voice with a smile on his face and began to run towards the town. "Come on let's hurry!" he said calling back to the two. It was like he completely ignored what he just said and was back to his old self.
Sakura stood there completely stunned as Naruto ran foward, not just at the story but at the fact that he was happy now. After a bit she said, "Wait for me Naruto-kun!" and began to run to the village as well.
--
"Yes really, but you have to drink some water and give back Akamaru first, okay?" Lee said playing along with Kiba. The idea seemed to be working so going along with it seemed like a good idea.
Hinata sighed and shook her head, following them, walking slowly. "But he..." she murmured quietly to herself, continuing the story. "Stayed strong..." She took two more steps. "Even though," Two more steps. "It all...seemed impossible..." She looked up and wiped away a single tear and took off running after the two, trying to catch up.
N A R U H I N A
Thanks for reading you guys - it has really meant a lot to me and Shawn. We will keep right on writing for you. I apologize for my hectic schedule and hope that there is plenty of room in your hearts to forgive me (you too, Shawn...I need your forgiveness, too...) Rest assured that I will get better at posting more often. Thank you so much. -smiles-
-Skidoodle