Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Author's note at bottom.

"Gaara…I…can't do this. I can't leave my family." Hinata whispered, as if it would lessen the blow.

Gaara stiffened. "Are you saying that because you don't want to hurt me? Or are you saying that cause you mean it?"

Hinata blushed and tried not to betray her inner thoughts. "The way I feel about you…isn't what matters."

Gaara griped her upper arms. "Isn't what matters? It matters to me! It should matter to you too! Stop living your life like the good little girl you've always been! Do what you want, not what your family wants. Live your life for you!"

Hinata started to tear up. She could hear the rejection, fear and anger in his voice, though he was trying to hide it. Never had she heard him so upset. She just wanted to make it go away, as well as the pain she was feeling as well. Gaara let her arms go and shuffled away, not looking back. Hinata didn't know weather it was because he wouldn't- or couldn't. The door slammed behind him as he left her.

Hinata hugged herself. Making people happy was what she did. But at the moment she couldn't come up with a solution to make everyone happy. Not everyone would end up happy.

She bolted.

Gaara punched the metal swing set. His knuckles cracked and were bleeding. The physical pain hurt much less. He examined his fists with cold calculation and then flung himself moodily onto the swing. His heart was pounding and his knuckles were throbbing. All and all he was a mess.

She wants to make her family proud. It's always been her goal. Why should I take her dream from her? It's just that she is the only thing I want and crave for. Why should I suffer? Nothing makes sense anymore. I want her…but I want her to be happy too. I want to be happy. Why does everything have to be so hard?

Brrrrriiiinnngggg! Gaara ignored the ringing of his cell, concentrating on his thoughts. Only when it didn't stop ringing did he pick it up. It was Kiba.

"What do you want?" Gaara snapped.

"Whoa, you sound like someone just broke your heart," Kiba joked; not realizing it was the truth.

"Either tell me why you are calling or shut the hell up."

"Geeze, we just wanted to know why you weren't in school." Kiba's voice was muffled. "Here Shino wants to talk to you."

"Gaara."

"Shino."

"You kidnap Hinata?"

"Yep."

"She reject you?"

"Pretty much."

Gaara heard Kiba yelling in the background and almost smirked. This was how their friendship worked. Not totally normal, but it was what they were like.

"What do you mean by pretty much?"

"She didn't tell what she felt towards me. Just that she wouldn't leave her family." Gaara swung back and forth, his feet touching the ground. He had outgrown this set of swings a long time ago.

"She has always wanted to make her family proud. I guess she sees the marriage as the only way. Don't blame her for it."

"I'm trying not to."

"Where are you?"

"The park."

"Meet you there?"

"Yeah."

Hinata was walking around town, dragging her feet. Her heart was heavy and she wanted to scream out her pain.

I'm so sorry Gaara. I do love you. For so long, I tried to deny it. Father would never approve. I'm sorry that I can't tell you how I really feel. But this marriage has to be done. Even if it makes us unhappy. I'm so sorry that I have hurt you Gaara. I'm so sorry that you fell in love with me. But most of all, I'm sorry that I will never tell you how I feel-or that if it was you I was supposed to marry I would have no objections.

So you probably all hate me. Yes she loves him, but she won't admit it. She has been trying to make her family proud forever and goals are hard to give up. And even if her family are all stuck up SOB's they are still her family. Don't worry: I love happy endings so expect one.