The Denial Twist
x.x.x
p0g0stick
Thank you, thank you, thannkk yoouuu guys for the wonderful reviews. (: I was feeling a bit put down from a few personal problems but now I feel fann-tassss-ticc! (: Please don't forget to review though if you do read—it just makes the fic all the more enjoyable for me to write (not like it's not already enjoyable enough!)
On with the fic! (I hope this turns out just as good as the first chapter—that chapter was like my baby )
EDIT: I fixed up a few errors I found in Chapter 1, and fiddled around with this one a bit (but not really, because I didn't change anything. XD )
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WARNING: This is rated M for a reason, mostly because of the strong use of language and possible…er…situations? You have been warned.
XXX
Disclaimer: Besides my cell phone, the only other thing I own is my new pretty blue nailpolish...YAY NAILPOLISH!
XXX
"Just because she makes you feel wrong,
She don't mean to be mean or hurt you on purpose, boy,
Take a tip and do yourself a little service,
Take a mountain turn it into a mole."
-The Denial Twist, The White Stripes
XXX
Showers were nice.
Sasuke liked them; they were another great time to just think. The other best time to just think was when he was alone in his single bed.
Alone.
Oh, what a wonderful feeling that 'alone' was.
He tilted his head back as the water hit his collarbone.
Of course, he'd never admit to liking showers, maybe only to himself, but he was so full of it that even that would damage his pride.
So he kept this little tidbit a secret even to himself.
He would also keep the secret of what had happened the night before, because, hell, he could only imagine what would happen if such a scandal had been issued across the graduating (graduated) class.
Stepping out of the stall, Sasuke ran his dry towel over his mop of black hair, soaking up the water that had lodged itself into the tendrils.
As he walked, the towel wrapped around his torso, the majority of last night (or this morning, whichever you'd like to call it) came creeping into his mind
Didn't walking into his room, stark naked, bar the towel, seem a bit humorous at this point? It sure made him recall the prior activities, but he tried to avoid what had happened before he had blacked out on the grass, falling asleep.
After he had woken up at dawn, resting upon a patch of grass next to the sidewalk, Sasuke had stood up and dusted the dirt and dead leaves off of his jacket and pants. He ended up shrugging off his jacket; already feeling confined it in from summers approaching humidity.
He had begun to walk home, passing cars and early-morning joggers, and when he was still five blocks away from his house, he gave up and waited on a bus stop, along with an elderly woman and some teenager with his mp3 turned up so loud, it even hurt Sasuke's ears (as sensitive as they were).
Damn teenagers and their damned heavy metal, he was still sure that he hadn't recovered from that.
The towel was dropped to the floor without much care, and Sasuke pulled on a pair of boxer's and an undershirt, not planning on going anywhere today and definitely not planning on going anywhere tonight.
Stupid ass Prom.
It was a waste of time and funds, all for a few hours of happiness and then possibly a few years of regret.
Part of Sasuke wondered if that girl would be going to prom.
Obviously, she was a girl, and as many males knew, girls would rather have bears claw their eyes out than miss the 'wonderful' experience that is prom. She was most likely no different from the rest, no different than Sakura and Ino, or for a matter of fact, any of the other girls in his graduating (graduated…) class.
And then, after lying back down on his bed, another thought popped into his head.
The other part of him wondered if Hinata would be one to tell of what had happened earlier.
This was a good time to rack his mind to all memories of the young girl. She was extremely quiet, that he could determine from her voice and reaction last night (this was a stupid assumption since he was only gathering information from spending a few minutes with the stupid girl), never had sent him threatening love notes (from what he could REMEMBER…) and had never been in many of his classes
"Bullshit, the girl won't tell. I'll never see her again anyway." Sasuke calmly told himself, and half-smiled, smugly, starting to drift off into a thick sleep.
But the images of her naked danced through his mind.
"Fuck off." He grumbled, batting at invisible forces in front of his face.
This time he fell, and stayed, asleep.
However, if one had to listen close enough, one would probably still hear him muttering curses at himself for still thinking about the girl-in-the-towel scene.
XXX
Hinata regretted fainting onto the floor, not because there was a chance that Sasuke Uchiha saw her (and really, she didn't care who he was,) just that it must have been embarrassing, falling half-naked in front of a boy…but then again, she was pretty sure he had left before that episode.
Her back hurt now, not to mention her neck, spine and shoulders.
Why couldn't she have stumbled over to her bed and fainted there?
No, she couldn't even faint right; she had to do it all wrong, just like every other thing in her life…up until that moment, that is. Things were going to change after tonight, and she was all too glad to accept them.
When Hinata had gotten up from her unconscious state, she was surrounded by the maids; all with exceedingly worried expressions. Once she sat up, the one right above her head had rushed off to get Neji.
As Neji came, he cringed slightly, and turned back around.
It took Hinata a second to realize that her towel had dropped, and one of the maids instead pulled it back up to her chin to cover her bosom.
That was just what Hinata needed even more—to flash her elder male cousin and the majority of her female help.
The latter wasn't that bad but equally embarrassing, Hinata was a very private person and excruciatingly self-conscious, despite her mature age.
"Get dressed, first, Ms. Hyuuga, then you may talk with Mr. Neji." The maid who had pulled the towel back up offered, and each one began to dissolve away to leave Hinata alone in her doorway. Once she heard their footsteps each begin to fade, Hinata stood up, clutching the towel near her hip and her bust.
Inside her room, she used her foot to close the door until she heard the click and carefully removed her towel, worried for any more intruders.
Maybe this time the Queen of England would pop out of her Vanity and offer her some tea.
She shook her head, smiling at her attempt of a joke.
Don't be an idiot, Hinata.
As the towel was removed, she was careful to not look in her large mirror at her reflection. Once she began to develop, she remembered pleading with her father to remove it (the vanity that is), for her embarrassment was too great to even let herself see her body.
But, her father scoffed and told her to grow up, there was nothing wrong with her appearance—hell, girls her age should be begging for their room to be filled with mirrors so they could stare at their reflections. Girls had to look flawless before leaving the vicinity of their room. It was a natural thing.
So then, Hinata thought that she was not natural for not liking to look at her reflection. But the worst part was that she lacked a mother figure to argue on her behalf, to hold her and tell her that it was perfectly natural to not want to look at herself, and that she'd grow mentally and emotionally into this body sooner or later and learn to love it.
Hinata, now clad in pale green panties and a white tank top, began to slip on a pair of cotton navy-blue shorts.
Now she could look at herself in the vanity and not fret about her shoulders, waist, hips, thighs, chest…she was just Hinata.
Sitting down in a chair, she picked up a brush and a bottle of de-tangling spray. She sprayed a generous amount into her hair before smoothing out her tangles and knots. It didn't take long, due to her hair being naturally straight, but since it was so thick she was certain there were more tangles underneath her curtain of hair.
But instead, she separated the hair into three sections and twisted it into one large braid, tying the end with a hair tie.
There was a gentle knock on her door.
"I'm clothed," Hinata called, fingering the tip of her braid.
The door opened, and Neji Hyuuga stepped in, wearing a black shirt and jean pants. His hair was out of its usual ponytail, and his deep brown bangs were covering his silver eyes.
It was weird, the Hyuuga eyes…known throughout the house and the remaining Hyuuga relative. The eyes were a genetic disability of the iris that many people didn't—or wouldn't—understand. At first it was deemed a form of blindness, but in truth it was a well-kept secret that the Hyuuga eyes actually made colors more vibrant and livelier.
Strange, but true, it was nature's way of being ironic; it showed off its sick sense of humor. Lack of color in the iris and no pupil equaled in more vivid colors presented towards the optic nerve and sent in transmissions to the brain…it was all just so complicated, but it had been decided that the disease had just always been there, and slowly developed as the family's generations grew and grew.
"Hinata, what happened to you? You didn't drink at the party, what's up with the fainting?" Neji inquired, watching her moves carefully as he leaned against her wall, eyes flicking between her and the small lamb figurines he detested so much.
"I g-guess it was just exhaustion," Hinata offered, trying to keep her face straight. She was never much of a liar, but there was no way she was going to reveal to Neji—a person she usually trusted a lot of personal information with—what had happened.
She averted her eyes away from him. They would surely give away her lie, despite their lack of emotion.
Neji could read and point out things others could not…maybe it was due to his lack of input…he rarely talked, and when he did actually talk, he didn't talk a lot.
Usually those rare moments when he did, he was scolding or disagreeing with a point made.
"Hm," Neji grunted, and moved to sit on her bed, "I suppose you did seem really tired when I sent you up to shower…"
Hinata nodded slowly, slowly turning her eyes to him, trying to keep her calm.
"Well, you had better get some more sleep before 1:00. It's currently 9:00 am, if I were you I'd make sure you were rested up before you start to get ready." He slowly rose and began to walk towards the door.
"Yes, Neji," She smiled politely, and moved to her bed as he left, sort of like they were playing a game of musical chairs.
"This is going to be a long day," Neji muttered, exiting his cousin's room, "it'll sure as hell be the death of me."
Hinata giggled, slipping underneath her beds covers and drifting off into a light slumber,
She would jump awake every now and then, worried that some dark, brooding man was going to burst through her window.
XXX
The phone was ringing.
BRINGG.
Maybe, just maybe, if he ignored it…it would stop…
BRINGG.
Maybe it would implode and cease its horrible noise.
BRI-bup.
The ringing ceased, if only for a moment. Sasuke found himself surrounded in a delicious silence that could only exist when one had awoken to an empty house, on such a relaxing day as this after a long sleep.
Then his answering machine clicked in.
"Don't leave me a message—BEEP."
Sasuke almost laughed at his witty response to the unknown caller's.
"Sasuke! Come on, pick up…please, I'm desperate…you don't understand, the worst possible thing has happened…EVER!" a pause, as Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to cease the throbbing pain beginning to form in his head, "PLEASE pick up! I'm begging you; I won't EVER disturb you again, ever! I promise, I'll—I'll make this up to you, I really will—" the answering machine abruptly ended, silencing Naruto Uzumaki.
Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief, closing his eyes again—
BRINGG…
Oh, God, not again.
The answering machine kicked in again after a substantial amount of rings.
"Please, Sasuke, I'm on my knees, I won't stop calling you until you pick up and help…and don't threaten me by telling me you'll take out the phone's cord, because I know despite all of your smarts even YOU couldn't do that…"
It ended again.
Sasuke grunted at Naruto's doubt in his intelligence (he could unplug the phone! He just didn't…feel like getting up…)
And thus began the cycle of the ringing, the answering machine, and the silencing.
Finally, Sasuke, giving into Naruto's pleas, picked up the phone from its cradle.
"What do you want, Naruto?" His voice differed greatly from what he was feeling at the moment, being that he sounded calm and collected.
When really, had Naruto been here, the phone cord would be around his neck...if the phone actually had a cord…
"Oh my God, Sasuke…I didn't get the limo." He sounded like he was going to break down into tears.
Yes, tears.
Tears, which were so rare, especially from Naruto…although he still carried many annoying traits, he had left a lot of his childish nature back in junior high and instead was much more stoic and introverted.
Scratch that. He was anything BUT introverted. His hair even screamed LOUD.
But stoic…that was something even Sasuke could appreciate.
Naruto did always speak his mind, which was a real plus, but sometimes Sasuke didn't mind stone-cold silence, and at least Naruto offered that.
"The what? The fuck, Naruto, how am I supposed to help you?"
"Sakura's expecting a limo, and…oh my God, Sasuke, she'll kill me because I promised her I had this big glossy number, but when I went to book it I didn't have enough money so I started saving, but then the tux and the corsage and the roses…I LOST TRACK OF TIME."
Sasuke backed away from the receiver, the last part was shouted so loudly he was a bit scared about Naruto's mental state.
Sure, he was probably closer with the ass than any other human being, but it wasn't like they had been excruciatingly close.
"What am I supposed to do about it, you nimrod?" Sasuke demanded, his teeth clenched slightly, angry for being pushed into this prom-thing when he had avoided it for so long. He didn't want to have anything to do with it, never had, and knew he never was going to.
"Hook me up, please Sasuke, I'll pay you back, just get me a limo…you have so much money and I know that you're not even using 80 percent of it!"
"You dobe, you were the one who had told me back when we were 16 that if I dropped out I would lose all of my money before I reached 30."
"Damnit…JUST PLEASE HELP ME! After the prom, I will be out of your hair forever, you know that…"
Sasuke sighed.
He made a list of pros and cons in his mind, and witnessed that the pros outweighed the cons—just barely.
"Alright. Get me the number of the company, I'll call, and I want you to come and pick me up at noon. Don't ever tell your children how Sasuke Uchiha, the bastard, was never nice to you." He fell backwards onto the mattress, making a mental note of the Limo Services number as Naruto recited it to him.
Why did Sasuke feel as if this whole prom thing was going to lead him into an early grave? It might be just a hunch, but he was usually correct.
XXX
"I…It…I…" Hinata was left utterly speechless.
"What is it, Hinata?" Tenten asked, peering over the girls shoulder and into their shared reflections in Tenten's own mirror.
"Well, uhm, Tenten…it looks just…it's not me…" Hinata responded, rather bluntly (well, as blunt as Hinata Hyuuga could be.)
Her hair was fashioned so it was almost folded on top of itself. Her hair was pinned around the top of her head, and allowed the end of it to fall around her face, like her old short haircut she had before she even reached her teenage years.
She would rather not relive her past.
But, she had to admit, it was a nice style (just not on her), and longer than her hair had been when she was younger. Its tips reached her shoulders now, and it was a bit difficult having to adjust for such a sudden change.
Her hair had been long since she had decided to grow it when she was 14. Hinata was sick of being referred to as boyish, and growing up through her teenage years motherless, with a family mainly of males…it did things to you. Sure, when her mother was alive, she would take pride in Hinata's long, silky hair, and brush it day in and day out. But once her mother became deceased, it was as if her father, the second it happened, took Hinata into the kitchen, tied her hair into a messy braid, and chopped it off with a huge pair of sharp kitchen scissors.
She remembered how hard it was to wake up in the morning and feel almost naked without her hair. Her neck was open for the entire world to see, her shoulders were bare, and her ears, her arms, her back…it all felt cold.
Every year or so, her father would go and take her to have her hair cut, get rid of the excess pieces that had grown during those past 12 months.
And Hinata detested him for it. Secretly in her mind, she'd complain about how cousin Neji could keep his long, brown-black hair, or her younger, toddler sister Hanabi, with her beautiful black-as-night hair was able to have it flow freely…and Hinata had to rid herself of hers.
She might as well have shaved her hair and worn boy's clothes.
Luckily enough for her, she had met Tenten on her 14th year, and Tenten had politely scolded Hinata that she was no longer a child, she was growing into a young lady and needed to bring that out more in her appearance ("Of course," the then-younger Tenten added wisely, "if anyone judges you on just your looks, then I'd recommend not hanging out with that person.")
They had been friends ever since.
Sure, Hinata had gotten closer to Sakura and Ino, the four of them were all very close, but no one could separate Hinata and Tenten, especially from that moment onward.
School project for Geography on the Hydrological cycle?
Tenten and Hinata worked on it together.
Science poster on the Periodic Table of Elements?
Tenten and Hinata worked on it together.
Soccer teams in Physical Education?
Tenten and Hinata were on a team (Hinata didn't mind this one a bit, mostly due to her inability to hit the soccer ball…and Tenten? Tenten was a soccer star).
Their birthdays were 3 months apart, although not exactly. Hinata was older than Tenten, but that didn't matter. Up from her 15th birthday to this very day, she had celebrated her birthday with Tenten in the middle of the month of February.
It was strange—Hinata had a younger sister, but she never felt the connection she had with Tenten.
It was sisterly, maybe even bordering on motherly, despite their age difference.
Tenten frowned back at the reflection.
"You're right…" She undid one pin, and a cascade of cobalt fell across Hinata's shoulders and neck.
For all of Tenten's tomboyish ways, she sure did have a very feminine streak when it came to hair and appearance. This was almost comical despite the fact she almost always left her hair in a ponytail or buns, didn't bother wearing skirts or dresses, and don't even get her started on make-up…for if she did, you'd never get her to stop.
"Can't we just leave my hair…how it usually is? Please, Tenten…I don't want anything too extravagant." Hinata gave a pleading look to the mirror.
Tenten shook her head, but the shaking switched to nodding.
"Alright…I love your hair anyway." She patted Hinata's hair, "Now move, I've got to get mine done," she grinned at her friend.
Hinata smiled and wordlessly stood up from the chair and let Tenten sit.
"What are you going to do for your hair, Tenten?" Hinata pondered as she stroked her own hair, untangling any knots that Tenten had left in her wake.
Her friend shrugged, undoing the two parallel buns she had that rested either side of her head.
This was the scariest part about Tenten: how ultimately gorgeous her hair was. Even Hinata admired it to no end. Every time before it was released, the elder girl held her breath just because it made the moment so much more…precious.
The girl's hair fell to the beginning of her waist, and was in long, thick waves.
"Tenten, if you ever cut your hair, I will simply have to murder you!" Hinata gasped.
"I will have to say the same to you, Hina! You're one to talk; I'd give anything for straight hair…" Tenten sighed.
Hinata smiled sympathetically.
"Tenten, many girls would kill for your hair, and you know it. I'm going to change," Hinata withdrew a package from Tenten's closet, and began to move towards her friend's bathroom, which rested directly across the room from the closet.
Tenten made a whimpering 'humph' sound, and then nodded, fooling with her hair.
They had gone dress shopping months ago, and both had bought decently-priced dresses, that each believe suited the other, down to every stitch of thread.
As Hinata removed the dress from the package, she smiled lightly.
This was it.
Tonight was tonight…all the years of preparation to graduate…and now the prom.
Here goes nothing.
XXX
Sasuke felt like he was signing his life away, as he scrawled his signature on the cheque.
He put down the pen and gave the cheque to the Limo Service's front desk cashier.
Naruto was brimming with happiness, thankful to at least be on decent terms with the Uchiha enough so that he could help him out of this bind.
"Thank-you, so much Sasuke, I really mean it." Naruto offered.
"Hn," was all Sasuke sent back to the blonde, and put his wallet back into his dark denim jean pockets.
The duo began to walk out of the dealership and towards Naruto's car.
"So…you still are not going to prom, huh?"
Sasuke shot him a look, but kept his head forward.
"No."
Naruto's shoulders sagged, "Come on, I know it's not the most exciting thing…but won't you miss everyone? This is your last chance to see any one of these people…EVER!"
They reached Naruto's car and the conversation was paused as both climbed in, and Naruto turned the key in its slit, listening as the car purred to life.
Sasuke stared straight forward at the street, buckled into Naruto's car in the passenger seat.
Naruto drove.
There was utter silence until Naruto slowly broke it.
"Is it...because you don't have a date? I know you haven't socialized much in t—"
"I. Am. Not. Going. To PROM." Sasuke growled, clenching his teeth, "I am not going because I don't want to, nothing more and nothing less than that one reason, and that one reason only. Alright?" He looked at his comrade who was now steering them into a bit of a traffic buildup.
Obviously, countered Naruto in his mind, this is a very touchy subject for Sasuke.
Sigh.
"Fine, then…end of discussion." Naruto smirked ahead at the traffic, as he slowly lifted his foot off of the accelerator.
Sasuke stared dumbly at his acquaintance.
Then he noticed the smirk…
Oh, God…
"If you're gay, just tell me Sasuke…it's nothing to be ashamed of…I'm sure your boyfriend will be welcome at prom!"
Obviously this was the funniest thing in the entire world because Naruto was laughing harder than a hyena.
"Shut up, asswipe," Now Sasuke was started to get really angry. He had just paid rent on a fucking limo for this guy!
"I didn't hear a denial!" Naruto chimed, laughing to himself as he edged further up the line of traffic.
"You ass, I get you a limo and this is how you thank me? You're lucky I'm not making you pay me back with interest," Sasuke growled, folding his arms against his chest, and struggling to keep them there for fear of strangling the loudmouth.
That remark probably caught Naruto's attention, because now the young man's jaw had dropped slightly.
"Sorry, Sasuke…but it's true…you've never even been with a girl, from what I can remind you…not even a guy, at least…not that I've known of…did you ever date some secretly behind our backs?"
These questions were getting too personal for Sasuke's taste.
"Never dated someone, and I never want to…relationships are trouble, I've observed." He groused.
"But sometimes they are the best thing in the world…" Naruto looked at Sasuke, and Sasuke caught his eye.
Naruto's eyes held something?
Was it…sympathy?
"Don't contradict me, dobe." Sasuke muttered, as he turned and stared out of the passenger window.
"You're so fucking stubborn," hissed Naruto, hitting the gas too hard and swerving down a street, getting angry at the traffic.
"I'm stubborn? You have been pestering me about prom all day, and since I can remember you have been asking me about my goddamn personal life!"
"Well sorry for being worried about you!" Naruto groused, racing down the street.
"I never asked you to be." Sasuke retorted, glaring at his own translucent reflection in the window.
He was so sick of all of this, ready to jump on the next plane and fly away from this town.
That's when he noticed the neighborhood they were in…
Why did it seem so familiar…?
It was like any other neighborhood…trees….more trees…houses; too large and too ordinary…all painted the same pale colors, one after the other…
"Where the hell are we going, Naruto?"
"I had to stop by Neji Hyuuga's house and tell him I got the limo."
"The fuck? Why couldn't he have gotten the limo?! That guy is loaded!" Sasuke's eyes bore holes through Naruto's head.
Then, right then, sitting in Naruto's car, full to the brim of old clothes, fast food containers and old paper's…
Sasuke Uchiha had an epiphany…
Neji Hyuuga was Hinata Hyuuga's fucking cousin.
Oh dear God…
Please don't let her come out when he's there, if she did he'd fucking die…
And then he'd imagine her naked for the hundredth time that day.
That bitch! Every single fucking time he closed his eyes…
Couldn't get her annoying as shit voice out of his head, or her empty, creepy eyes…
And her body!
Shut up, mind…shut up!
She was nothing special, no interesting qualities, nothing, nothing, nothing!
Good. Now that's settled…
"Well, Neji couldn't lend me any money…his uncle's away and he said he couldn't dip into the savings anymore, especially after last night's party…"
Oh God, the party. Stop it, Sasuke…look natural. The dobe never suspects anything anyway.
"You okay? You look tense…" Naruto inquired, pulling over, right next to those huge white gates…
"Fine! I am…just. Fine." Sasuke squirmed in his seat.
THE BOY KNEW! THE BOY KNEW!
"Al...Right…" Naruto gave him an odd look, and got out of the car, "wanna come in?" he asked Sasuke, before he closed the door.
You knew something was wrong with you when you had Naruto Uzumaki giving you weird looks.
"NO! No, I'm fine…" Sasuke assured him, trying to look at something to keep his interest in.
Never again was he entering that house…no matter how hard anyone asked or pleaded.
Ahh.
A breath of relief, as his nerves calmed themselves.
Outside it was sunny, bright, trees were swaying in the early summer wind, and the streets were completely empty…
Unless…
Wait…
There was a car pulling up, coming in the opposite direction him and Naruto had headed…
Oh, fuck Sasuke Uchiha twice…
Hinata was in that car.
XXX
"Oh no…Tenten!" Hinata called out, stepping out of Tenten's closet, her deep lavender dress swishing as she moved.
It was definitely what Hinata wouldn't have (and would have at the same time) picked out for herself. She preferred neutral colors, or darker ones.
Ones that didn't stand out.
But Ino had insisted she get this one, especially once Tenten called her up from the changing room, had her race down to the mall, and had her convince Hinata to buy it.
It would have been strapless, if it didn't posses the thin spaghetti straps on either side. The dress was tight up by the bodice, and once it hit her hips, it puffed out a bit, ending just at her kneecap.
But it wasn't the dress that was causing little Hinata some problems, in fact, it still fit her perfectly from the day they had bought it, not tighter and not baggier.
In fact, it fit like a glove.
"What is it, Hinata?" Tenten rushed over, in the midst of adjusting her own dress, tying the top. She was wearing a dress with a halter, almost similar to Hinata's, only hers was tighter and more form-fitting.
And it was red.
(No comment.)
"My…my shoes, Tenten…I think I left them home!"
"But that's impossible, Hinata, didn't you buy them when you were with me?"
"Yes, I did, but then I took them home because you already had my dress in your closet…"
Tenten sighed.
"Ahh, Hina…okay, then let's go get them."
"Ah! Tenten…but…you're already dressed…Neji will see you…"
"We're only going to prom, Hina. Not like we're getting married."
"Right…" Hinata nodded, and followed Tenten, as she watched her friend retrieve her old car keys that rested atop the vanity.
"Thank God we still have a lot of time." Tenten said, drifting down the hallway, and slipping on a pair of tennis shoes.
Hinata had to laugh at her friend, clad in a very sophisticated red dress…and wearing running sneakers.
XXX
Sasuke gulped uncharacteristically as the two female figures removed themselves from the car. One was wearing a striking red dress that popped against her long, deep brown hair.
The other, obviously Hinata, was wearing a light purple-colored dress.
It looked okay on her. Nothing special.
He couldn't figure out who the other girl was, though.
Oh well.
Sasuke slid down beyond the dashboard, avoiding any unwanted stares from the pair. Hopefully they wouldn't come and inspect the car…
He relaxed as they walked right by Naruto's car without much notice, surprisingly, since they had pulled up right in front of it?
Maybe they knew it was Naruto's car and didn't have to look inside?
Maybe luck was on his side.
For extra precautions, though…Sasuke knocked on Naruto's dashboard.
It wasn't wood, but it'd suffice.
XXX
Inside the gates of the Hyuuga compound, Tenten and Hinata began to walk up to the door. Before they reached it, however, Naruto Uzumaki and Neji Hyuuga came strolling out.
"You asked Uchiha for help?" Neji grimaced.
"Who else could I? You already told me no…and I couldn't think of anyone else! Plus, Sasuke's my friend…I think…" Naruto spoke earnestly, and then spotted a girl and Hinata ahead of him.
"Hello!" The girl chirped happily.
"Ten…ten?" Neji looked shocked.
"Sorry, we need to get Hinata's shoes!" Tenten said, ignoring her prom date's stare.
Hinata laughed quietly to herself.
Tenten never took her hair out, not even when she was sleeping. The only times it was out was when she was taking a shower or brushing it, and Hinata was with her during the latter due to the sleepovers they had. Tenten never went to bed without brushing her hair.
Never.
Tenten rushed in, pulling Hinata.
"Did you see Neji? He looked like a fish!" Hinata was giggling more openly now, finding this very humorous.
"Ha-ha, Hina, now find your shoes!" Tenten edged her on, waiting outside of Hinata's room.
"Found them!" Hinata cried triumphantly, holding a pair of heels in a deep midnight-blue color. On the strap they had tiny jewels that glittered in the hallway's light.
"Excellent." Tenten smiled at her friend, and the duo now took their time stepping down the two flights of stairs to the bottom floor.
"What time is it now, Tenten?" Hinata asked, as they began to descend the final stairs in the last flight.
Tenten checked her watch.
"Quarter past 3. I guess we still have a bit of time…sorry I rushed you with getting your shoes…" Tenten laughed, and they neared the threshold of the doorway, noting that both Naruto and Neji were still there, talking quietly to each other.
"S-sorry about that," Hinata smiled, as her and Tenten walked right through the two young men.
"Wait! Tenten!" Neji called, jogging after her.
"Hm?" The girl turned and looked at him, Hinata, who was ahead of Tenten looked back also and halted; listening to what her cousin had to say.
"Naruto, for lack of his brains, actually got us the limo!" His face broke out into a happy smile.
"Really?" Tenten smiled slightly also, looking back at Naruto, "for real?"
Naruto nodded excitedly, still a bit stunned at Tenten's change of clothing and hairstyle,
"Yup! But you have to promise not to tell Sakura I never had one…" Naruto pleaded, zipping his forefinger and thumb over his mouth in a quick motion.
Tenten laughed.
"Got it," the young girl replied, and turned to her friend who had been patiently waiting, "alright, we gotta jet, these sneakers are rubbing blisters into my heels." To prove a point, Tenten took her red, calloused heels out of the sneakers.
Then she trailed after Hinata who began moving again.
"Wait!" Neji called out for the second time, and both him and Naruto caught up to the girls and began walking.
"Firstly, you should know who Naruto had to use to get the limo…" Neji began, nodding towards Naruto.
"Well it was—"
"What is Sasuke Uchiha doing in your car, Naruto?" Tenten inquired, interrupting the young man.
"Uu-Uh-Uchiha?" Hinata sputtered, damn her uncontrollable stuttering.
I thought that…why is he…oh! Hinata cursed herself and her luck.
"Hinata, are you alright? Your entire face is beetroot!" Tenten laughed, then her mouth formed a surprise 'o', "and the tips of your ears!"
"Wh-why did Sasuke help with the limo?" Hinata asked, turning to Naruto. She felt another wave of heat spread across her face.
Oh God, what if Sasuke had told Naruto while they were in the car?
What if Naruto knew!
Knew that Sasuke had seen her almost completely naked!
Oh, the utter embarrassment!
What if Naruto told Neji? And Neji told his best friend, Lee? What if everyone knew?!
This was utterly mortifying.
Naruto laid a hand on her shoulder.
"What's wrong Hinata? Afraid of the big-bad Sasuke?" He cracked a smile, enjoying at how some people were just terrified of Sasuke's bitter and stoic nature.
She felt like she was going to faint.
Maybe that's why she did.
XXX
NEWSFLASH!
Ooh! I don't like that ending a lot…it doesn't seem to flow too well and it's all jagged-y…ha-ha, and I know this chapter seemed pretty pointless, but it will all matter in the end! I also screwed around with their ages a bit, if you noticed, and around with the Hyuuga history...I hope it all seemed clear. Also...the time bit was slightly muddled up...
So, anyway, I won't ramble on, but this was supposed to be posted on Sunday afternoon, sadly, I found out I had like five presentations and orals and whatnot due like…today (which is Tuesday).
Then all of those things got postponed until NEXT week so I was sort of like, "hurrah!" and got cracking.
But then it took longer than anticipated.
And there are probably a lot of errors I need to go back and check on…but I felt like being a good updater.
So, enough of me never shutting up P: just click that little purple button to keep my muse's engine purring!
-p0g0
P.S. Sorry if I hinted like…Hyuugacest with that flashing. But I was mildly entertained by it. (: I also hope you enjoyed that tidbit about the eyes. I made that junk up at the last minute. Hooray for weird, why-do-I-remember-this-shit-about-eyes from Grade 9 Biology! confetti.
P.P.S. AND I THINK TENTEN WOULD LOOK PURTY IN RED. :(
P.P.P.S. And I liked the part where Sasuke rapped on the dashboard. (:
P.P.P.P.S. WHUTT HINATA FAINTS AGAIN? D: