Thanks for the reviews people! You rock! Btw, sorry for the cliffy!

Chapter 3: Girl Friend, Not Girlfriend

Both of the Hyugas were quiet in the car. Neji was still pissed off of that fact that Hinata was disobeyed him from hanging out with Sasuke. Also, Hinata was too anxious to even defend herself. Even Hanabi questioned their silence and why they took so long to pick her up. Neji only shrugged. Hinata just made a pathetic whimpering noise, indicating that she didn't want to explain what's going on. Hanabi was left confused and decided to give up on them and drift off to day dream world.

A few minutes later, they were home. Hanabi was the first to step off the car, since she couldn't stand the silent madness. Before Hinata left, she faced Neji. "I-I'm sorry, Neji-nii."

He snorted. "Yeah...right."

Hinata gave a sad frown. "I tr-truly am! I-I... didn't mean for you to g-get hurt."

Neji's face calmed a bit. "I know you didn't," he said softly, "but why can't you realize that Uchiha's up to no good? I can't even imagine why you're trying so hard just to be with him!"

"H-He saved me life," Hinata reminded. "And I n-need to p-pay him back."

"Not this again," he murmured. "Hinata-chan, I don't trust him."

She took his hand reassuringly. Neji felt the warmness rushing at her touch. She's always so sweet, he thought while taking a glance into her kind eyes.

Hinata squeezed his hand even tighter. "I... can take care of m-myself Neji-nii. Please l-let me prove that." Her words were soft, but firm and serious.

Although she tried so hard to convince him, Neji just couldn't believe that. Hinata was always the delicate and fragile flower. She needed to always be protected. She can never even live up to the standards of her strict father. How was Neji going to let her take care of herself?

"Hinata," he breathed out and grabbed her hand with his other. "Just be careful with Sasuke. Don't let him change you for who you are."

She smiled and got out of the car. "D-Don't worry Neji-niisan, I promise I w-won't change! You c-can count on it!"

"Alright," was his final unsure answer and he drove off, Hinata going inside her house with a happy look on her face.

I will protect myself,she committed to herself. She was then stopped by Hanabi.

"What were you and Neji talking about?" Hanabi asked, still befuddled as ever.

"Nothing," Hinata replied, walking past her.

The younger sibling followed, still having more questions that must be answered. "Who's Sasuke? Is he your new boyfriend or something?"

"No!" Hinata exclaimed, lifting an eyebrow. "You were l-listening to m-my conversation!?"

"Maybe." Hanabi swayed her body sideways while looking at another direction.

"My God, Hanabi!" Hinata quickly went into her room and slammed the door. "S-Stop interfering in my personal l-life!"

"Pfft. Why should I!?" Hanabi went inside her room. "You're not important!!!" She then slammed the door in response.

Why did Hanabi have to be so annoying? Hinata thought while turning on her computer. She signed onto her username and checked if anyone was online. Nope. No one seemed to be inside their homes these days. That is, except for the no-lifers. Which is me. She turned off the computer and slumped on her bed and started to think about her only friends. Kiba goes out, and so does Shino. Don't they ever ask me to go out with them? Well, there was that one time... Hinata started to reminisce about those failed attempts when her two friends tried to make her go out, but she would always refuse.

I need new friends! She began pulling out a journal from inside her pillowcase and started writing about the things that happened today. Neji-nii was being too overprotective. He just won't let me do anything in the world! He thinks I'm so weak. But not Sasuke. Well, actually he thinks I'm weak too, but I doubt he'll be all over me like some bodyguard. I'm also wondering how I must owe him back. He said he'd think of something, but while he is, I'm his slave. YEAH RIGHT. He's so... strange. Why do so many girls like him anyways?

She closed the small lavender book and placed it back into her pillowcase. There were two things that stuck out of her mind. One, was the pay-back. Two, was Naruto Uzumaki for some random reason. She never saw him in awhile. How dreamy he was, with his messy blond hair that Hinata just wanted to tangle her fingers in. And his lively blue eyes--- it just showed how innocent and adorable he can be at the same time. She closed her eyes and Naruto came in he head, smiling at her.

-x-

There was a ruckus coming from Hinata's locker when she was pounding on it. She kept trying to open the damn thing, but it just won't budge after she did her locker combination perfectly. She tried doing it again. "Okay one more time," she muttered and then opened it."Gah!" It still wouldn't unfasten itself. "Open you stupid piece of ju---"

A strong punch hit the locker and it was finally unshut. Hinata saw Sasuke behind her, with a bothered expression that wasn't really new to her. "You looked like you needed help. Again," he said.

"Um... yeah... th-thanks," Hinata retorted and got her book-bag from the locker, then closed it eagerly and walked outside the school. The depressed-looking boy chased after her.

"I need you to come with me," he whispered in her ear.

Hinata shrugged her shoulder a little. "Okay."

They both were outside of the school in a matter of seconds, but didn't really say anything to each. It was Sasuke who broke the silence. "I found a way how you can repay me back," he mentioned, jamming his hands into his jean pockets.

Yes! Finally! "W-What is it?" Hinata felt suspense rushing towards her. She needed to know. Now. Might as well get it over with it.

Sasuke approached her and was soon an inch from her. "I need you," he began, "to..."

Yeah.

"... be..."

Yeah.

"My girl friend..."

Yeah-- what!? "Girlfriend!?" Hinata shrilled. Now that, she just had to draw the line for. She was barely experience about the whole dating thing.

"No baka! I mean Hinata," Sasuke exclaimed. "I need you to be my girl. Friend. Buddy. Person." Say what again? "A friend! A really good friend!"

"Huh?" Hinata couldn't believe what he just said. A girl friend? She thought he had like millions of them, fan girls mostly.

"Did I stutter!?" That hit her hard. "I want you to be my friend!"

It was like he was reading her mind. After all, she did need new friends. "Um... okay." She wasn't sure whether she felt relieved or flabbergasted.

"But..." Ugh oh. The but. "You have to be with me whenever I need you. If I call you to come over, you WILL do it. No excuses. And don't started falling for me. Got it?"

"Question," Hinata replied.

"I never actually had a real friend... who was a girl that is," Sasuke explained, knowing what question Hinata was about to ask. "All my girl friends try to be my girlfriend. It's so annoying. It's like, I can't enjoy a female's company without being accused of liking her when I stare too much at her body. That's so annoying." He stepped forward, closing the space they had together and grabbed her shoulders. "That's why I need you."

Wow. Being a true girl friend to Sasuke. Hinata wondered how that will make the other girls feel. Especially Sakura. "I d-don't know..."

His grip on her clasped. "Please?" The sudden politeness made Hinata beam a little. She really hasn't seen him this way before. Even his facial expression tendered. That is so... amusing and friendly at the same time.

"I s-said okay!" Hinata giggled.

Sasuke breathed out deeply and changed into his usual moody state, only hinting gratitude in his dark eyes. "Thank you," he mumbled and then walked away, but stopped as soon as he forgot to do something else and came back to her. "Do you have a cell?"

She nodded and took it out. "You n-need my number?"

"Yeah," was his answer and they exchanged their cell numbers. "Kay thanks, bye." Before Hinata knew it, Sasuke left before her very sight. She started to leave as well with a very bright appearance that everyone around her was afraid to ask, until Kiba saw her.

"You look really happy," he stated and arched an eyebrow. "You raped Naruto or something?"

"What!? No... No!" she yelled and the happiness turned into an innocent accusation.

"Relax!" He patted her head playfully. "Sheesh, I was only kidding Hina!"

Of course you were. They started talking about random things after that but then Hinata had to go home. "Later!" she called out to Kiba. He smiled and waved while watching her go home.

-x-

"Hey there Delilah don't you worry about the distance, I'm right there if you get lonely, please give this song another listen, close your eyes..." Hinata's cellphone rang. She quickly picked it up. "H-Hello?"

"Hey," Sasuke greeted. "I'm bored."

Come on. They aren't friends for a day and he's calling her as if she was there for him everytime. "Go do something!" she exclaimed.

"But doing something alone is so boring." That made Hinata feel awkward.

"I d-don't think I c-could do that," she mumbled on the phone.

He grimaced. "Do what!?" He thought for a moment. "No! Not that!" That surprisement turned into a quick laugh. "I mean, like, do you wanna go out?"

Hinata reddened. "I thought we w-were friends?"

"I don't mean like that going out. Stop misunderstanding me,"-Hinata heard a small huff- "Just going out somewhere without all that silent and mushy stuff."

"Oh. Okay." The pink tint on her face quickly faded.

"Pick up you in five minutes?"

"S-Sure." Then Sasuke hung up without giving Hinata a chance to say bye.

I'm going out with Sasuke, Hinata thought. As a friend thing... She got her journal again and wrote in it. Sasuke and me became friends. This could probably give me a chance to be with Naruto-kun! Yay!!! She closed it and went to checking herself in the mirror. Her hair was a little disheveled, so she picked up the brush and started fixing it, then started watching television. It was a comedy she recognized before about these teenagers from the 70's. Funny.

Five minutes later, somebody was knocking on the door. Hanabi was the first to answer it, and she saw a very cute looking-emo. "Hi," he said. "Is Hinata here?"

A wide smile spread through her face. "Are you her boyfriend?" she asked curiously.

Sasuke shook his head slowly. "No..."

She giggled a bit. "Well, she doesn't talk to anyone unless they're her boyfriend."

His gave a small smirk. "Then she has two boyfriends then."

"Hanabi, who is that?" Hinata came down and gasped when she saw Sasuke looking very handsome while she only looked casual. He wore a gray cashmere sweater with light black jeans. His hair was in the usual spiky manner. "I... I'm sorry." She grabbed Hanabi's arm and started mumbling something at her that Sasuke couldn't hear.

"What are you sorry for?" Sasuke questioned.

"My sister!" She jerked her arm.

"Hey!" Her sister pulled her arm back and went away. "Jerk," she uttered.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's okay." He cocked his head, beckoning to go out. She went outside followed by Uchiha and went inside the car.

-x-

They went into a pizzeria and sat on a small table. The waitress came with a pen and a little pad. "What would you guys like to eat?"

"Ugh... I'll take... a pizza with pepperoni," Sasuke retorted. "And my friend will have a...?"

Hinata kept looking at the menu. "A p-pizza with olives and p-peppers."

"Alright, and to drink?"

"Coke. What about you Hinata?"

"Coke."

"Okay." She grabbed the menus that lay on the table and headed off to prepare the pizza.

Sasuke laid back on his chair. "You always stutter around people?"

She nodded her head. "I c-can't stop."

"You nervous or something?"

"Yeah..."

"Hn. Why are you nervous?" The waitress came with their cokes and then went back. He started sipping impatiently.

"B-B-Because I am..." The questions weren't helping her as much either.

His eyes darted at the ceiling. "You like me?"

She glanced at another direction and blushed. "As a fr-friend."

He looked back at her. "You're blushing. Would you quit it?" Hinata stared down, trying to stop colouring her face. "Kidding," he said, which made her face come up.

Hinata nervously laughed and took some of her soda. Sasuke seemed like quite the comedian (sarcasm). "U-Uchiha-san..."

"Sasuke," he corrected. "Just call me Sasuke. You might as well get use to it."

"Okay SASUKE-SAN, h-how long do we have to be friends?"

His calmed expression changed into a scowl. "You don't want us to be friends?"

"N-No, I d-do! It's just, it's just, if you have a time that we s-stop?"

He tapped his chin. "Nope. We're gonna be friends forever." He gave a mocking grin.

Now that, she laughed at. "V-Very funny."

"I wasn't trying to be..." They were silent after that.

Oh crap! I need to apologize! "I'm sorry," Hinata said.

"It's okay?" The pizza was slammed on their table just in time. They both took a slice without exchanging a word after that.

-x-

After they finished hanging out with each other, Sasuke took Hinata home. "It was nice hanging out with you (sorta)," he told her.

"Thank you," she replied, knowing that someone enjoyed her company.

He made a little sound and walked away to his car, then driving away hurriedly, as if he just robbed a bank.

The door opened all of a sudden and out came Hanabi. "Did you have a nice date?" she asked sarcastically.

Hinata waved her hand. "We w-weren't in a date!"

"Sure." Hinata went inside and pretty soon came up to her room.

"Oh yeah Neji called," Hanabi mentioned. "I told him you were on a date. Oops."

I swear I'm gonna strangle her, Hinata thought and went to call Neji, explaining that she had none intimate moments with him, and they were just going out as friends.

End of Chapter.