"Bye, Hina, see you in fifth!" Sakura waved excitedly, blowing a kiss with her disturbingly sweet smile. Hinata's was more bitter. "Hina? Oh my Gosh, I'm totally going to start calling you that now! It's so kitsch!" She jumped up and clapped, it really wasn't that entertaining at all but Hinata waved. As soon as she turned around she grimaced, if she had to face one more day with that nuisance she would vomit.

Atleast she had her Hinata time. She almost got out of going to school that morning after claiming she had a pounding headache and her heart felt weak. Ramma just poured her a cup of tea and sent her off. So she was satisfied, she wanted to be home but at the same time this was a seemingly new environment. She had a new place to be with new people to see and new places to go, she was sick of staring at her pale pink walls and eating salmon all day. Let the record show that salmon is the staple of a Hyuuga diet.

So now she held onto her lunch nice and tight with intentions to go onto the roof again. All she had to do was sneak past Neji although seeing him was inevitable, they had a meeting this afternoon. She had a schedule for which days she had to see him. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It was the one thing that she dreaded more than anything. He wanted her so badly, too badly and he was much too concerned with her life.

He persistently asked of her physical condition and it made her insane. I'm in a bed, coughing up blood and losing ten pounds at a time because it's my favorite sport...

When she saw him approaching her, she didn't know whether to stand still or run for it. She had obviously taken too long to daydream and he'd seen her in the thick of people either going to class or lunch in haste to be the first in line or get the best seat in the back. Now it was inevitable, he was three feet away from her and she'd already turned when he called her name. He wore his typical prep-school outfit although this was a public school which consisted of a white polo shirt and tennis shorts, he had cut his hair slightly shorter as if it made a difference, no one really cared if his hair was even or not.

Now only time could save her from this. "Hinata, my dear, how are you? I barely realized you've started school already. You still look quite ill." You see? This was exactly why. Who still says "ill".

"Well, I feel fine." she responded hoarsely although it went unheard.

"Have you done well in your studies? Is there anything I can help you with? I want you to be your best even as you've come out of this sickness." He just continued on and on, talking and talking.

"Neji, I'm really fine." she interjected, stopping him in his tracks of never ending questions.

"Would you like to sit with us at lunch?" He took her hand and stroked it tenderly.

She desperately wanted to pull it out of his hand but she stood strong. "I'm actually going to eat on the roof." Oh dammit.

His look turned stern. "You're still at that? Can I ask you one thing?" he tilted his head sarcastically which made Hinata wanted to punch the look off his face. "How old are you? fourteen? You are far too old to be roaming around that way, people will begin to think you're not worth anything." That's NOT completely untrue.....yes it is.

"Neji, I don't need your approval to do things." Hinata subtly stated, pulling her hand away from him.

"Hinata, do not snap at me." he growled under his breath as if people were watching, as if they really cared.

Though she hated it, she knew the only way to get through to him was to admit some fault even if it was completely untrue. "You're right, I should be more mature. I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"I'm glad you see it my way." Neji sighed pleasantly.

"May I please go to the restroom now, I'll meet with you after lunch." she asked as if she really needed the permission of someone only a year older than her.

"Of course, I will be looking forward to it." He smiled before making his way down the staircase in front of him and as soon as he turned around, she gagged. This was exactly why she hated being around him from the fire that burned in the bottom of her belly.

Now she had a mission, she turned as soon as she was sure he couldn't see her and ran over to the nearby elevator, pressing the button just once and twisting where she stood as she waited for the door to open. Finally it chimed and she was given access to her personal world. She went up, coming out of the elevator to unhinge the door and climbing up the stairs that led to her personal world. But now she came face to face with the man that made her personal world a community club.

"Why are you here...again?" He asked sternly with half clenched teeth as he held a foam cup of coffee in his hand.

"This is my spot." What? You didn't think I was coming back? she spoke this while sipping from her tea and placing her cup on the asphalt.

"Leave." He grunted, turning away and staring into the grayish-blue sky.

"I can't." she pleaded in a sort of whining tone which she even thought was accidental.

He turned to her with a raised brow. She looked back at him, swallowing the lump in her throat as the chilled wind blew into her face. She looked sincere and he knew instantly there was something she was trying to avoid and quite desperately.

"Why?" He continued his stare.

She was entranced by his own look, not of his features but of his concern, she didn't know what to say that wouldn't make her seem completely useless. "Neji." she answered.

"Hyuuga?" He attempted to clarify although only one Neji went to the school.

She nodded without taking her eyes off him. He motioned with his fingers for her to approach him and she reluctantly carried her lunch over to him and stood directly to his left, staring into the same blank emptiness as him. And for a moment, it felt as though, she was alone. They were both alone, just alone together which took alone to a new level. It was serine, free out there and that was why she was entranced by it.

The sky was empty, she wondered if it ever missed the people it loved when they passed or if it ever acknowledged the rest of them...down there. "I just wish I was out there." he spoke barely a whisper."Just roaming."

"Why?" she asked modestly, still staring into the same clouds.

"What's wrong with Neji." he completely deflected her question with another question.

"I hate him." she stated blatantly without hardly thinking. The words in her mind ran over so harsh but it was just the truth.

"No you don't." he replied without hardly thinking himself. Because you, sir, would really know.

"Yes I do, and I hate him more every day." she could hardly believe she was saying this but when she was out here, no ears around to criticize her and no one to tell her its wrong, she was going to say it all.

"That's deep." he chuckled slightly, digging into the pocket of his slacks and pulling out a single long cigarette,.

"I have to see him after school three times a week, he thinks he owns me just because....we're supposed to be dating." she gritted her teeth together and he turned to her quickly, looking stunned.

"He's your cousin."

"I know." She said. '"I wish I could avoid it but....Father says there's no way around it." she spoke, still staring into the blue but he gazed at her, running his eyes up and down his body sympathetically.

"When exactly do you see him?" Sasuke asked, nonchalantly and Hinata answered quickly.

"Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Friday from four to eight." she answered so quickly.

He nodded. It ended there and she just continued to stare, she knew for a fact, this is it. This is where she wanted to be. This is where she loved being. She could speak out whenever she wanted, and say whatever, she was no longer so reluctant. She thought for a moment, just a moment that it might be because of the man standing next to her. But it was merely a notion.

I know this was a short chapter but I planned out this story in a way that each chapter has to lead into the other perfectly so these chapters may be slightly shorter than most of my readers are used to, don't worry, it'll all work out.