Finally an update right? It took awhile to write because of summer writer's block then computer problems but yea. It's here now. But now there's one more problem. I'm sorta kinda banned form using the computer because of some school stuff so I'll only get away with using it now and then. You can imagine that updates won't be very often then. I'll be my best though. Until next update. Later.

Chapter 7

Sasuke stared up at the ceiling with a bored stare. He had woken up a few minutes before but just didn't have the drive to remove himself from the bed. It was Saturday so the team would be hanging out together. Unfortunately Neji hadn't picked a place so they would most likely end up at the mall and he Neji would be stuck paying for ramen, BBQ and other such things in pretty much bulk. Then he would be dragged all over the mall by Naruto to see the same things that they had seen last week. It was tiring and he didn't feel up for it today.

His thoughts soon drifted back to the night before. He hadn't planned to do any of that. He hadn't planned to take Hinata out, he hadn't planned to talk to her about Sakura and he most definitely hadn't planned to kiss her. It just sort of happened because it ended up being sort of like a date. He wasn't complaining and would never take it back but his plans had been to leave that sort of thing until next year which would be in just under three months. He had planned to just chill and be a free guy.

The problem was his actual feelings for her. He wasn't too sure about them. There were somethings he admired about her, there were some he didn't mind and some he found terribly amusing. He liked her silent determination, she wasn't pushy either and he didn't mind that was usually silent or quietly humming to herself. Her blushing was amusing. Especially after he kissed her. Imagine if he hadn't kissed her on the cheek. He smirked at the thought. He concluded that yes he liked her.

Now, to plan the course of action.

He was shocked out of his thoughts by his cell phone ringing for a text message. He stretched across to the bedside table to pick it up. The text was from Neji reading 'My house.'

His face broke into a smirk. They had a place now and what a place it was.

It only took half an hour for Sasuke to get ready and be at the Hyuga mansion. It turned out that Naruto was a little busy and wouldn't be coming over until sometime later so he didn't have to pick him up. He drove up their drive way and parked the car beside Suigetsu's baby blue junk muffin.

"No Naruto?" Neji asked when he opened the door to let him in.

"Ino." Sasuke answered easily stepping into the house. "How'd you get your uncle to even think of letting them in?"

"I didn't." Neji answered leading him to the living room where Suigetsu, Juugo, Shikamaru, Chouji and Lee were watching television on the huge plasma screen TV. "He suddenly decided it would be a good idea to invite the team over since I hadn't thought of the place yet. Something about friends."

"Weird." Sasuke concluded and Neji 'hmm'ed in agreement. "Did you get that thing that I asked you for?"

"The Thursday thing?" he asked and Sasuke nodded. They changed course to head towards Neji's room upstairs. "I'm not sure, maybe. I got a few of them recently and I haven't sorted them yet."

"I should tell people you collect beads." Sasuke commented suddenly. Neji scowled shooting Sasuke a glare.

"That would be lying." he said as if lying would put a damper on anything that Sasuke could say. He didn't care that it wasn't the truth. The part about Sasuke actually saying that that got to Neji was the damage control that he knew he'd have to do afterwards if anyone believed him. Sasuke smirked as the same thought passed through his head.

"It'd be fun." Sasuke said and followed Neji into his room. Neji rolled his eyes before pointing at his desk.

"The top drawer." he told Sasuke allowing his friends to pass by him.

"What's in the bottom drawer?" Sasuke asked as he approached the desk.

"Mainly junk." Neji answered from the door way. Sasuke looked back at him with an arched brow.

"Junk? In your room?" Sasuke asked disbelievingly.

"You're going to call it junk, why elaborate?"

"You're right." Sasuke agreed after a moment of thought. Neji shrugged.

"Do your thing. I have to go and make sure they don't break anything." he said leaving the room. Sasuke watched him leave then turned back to the desk as he pulled out a small Ziploc bag.

She had been trying to figure out why on The green grass of this planet, would Sasuke Uchiha, kiss her. She didn't get it, she just couldn't understand. It just wasn't understandable. She hadn't told anyone. Not Temari or Ten-ten, she could tell them later when they are out on their girls' day out to the mall. Not Hanabi, even though the girl had spent the entire morning in her room criticizing her clothes and talking about her dislike for the uniform they had to wear at her school. She didn't even know how to feel about this whole 'he kissed me' thing. She was frazzled and didn't think talking about it with other people who would probably expect her to know how she felt was the best course of action. She'd have to think about it first. What was she supposed to say to him the next time she saw him? That was tomorrow!

Hinata looked around her room. It was clean now. She was just about ready to leave. She pulled on her jacket quickly and now she was ready. She pulled her door open jumped out and right into someone else. She squeezed her eyes shut expecting to feel the pain of landing hard on the ground on the ground. It didn't come.

"That was quite an explosive…entry? Exit?" the 'someone' commented and Hinata cracked an eye open to see the very person she had just been thinking about just inches from her face. She felt her face heat up and she could tell she was blushing because Sasuke's already arched brow rose a little higher in amusement.

"H-hi." she squeaked. She tried to push the fact that his arms that were wrapped around were what were keeping her from hitting the ground out of her head. He was holding her in something that almost resembled the dip in a classical dance. The thought of them in formal dress suddenly presented itself in her head. She dismissed it immediately.

"Hello." he answered her. He couldn't help looking at her wide frightened eyes and red face. It was…adorable.

"Um... C-can you take me up?" she asked. They were in an awkward position. What if her father decided to come upstairs for something?

"Sure." he answered pulling her up into his arms and setting her down with her back leaned against a wall. He removed his arms from around her but leaned them on the wall of either side of her. Hinata look at them both then up at him wide eyed. This couldn't be happening. Not in her house! Not where her father could see them! Why did the place matter more than the why?

"W-what are you d-doing?" she asked nervously.

"Nothing." he answered taking in her demeanour. "Just wanted to talk. You seem like someone who would run."

"Run? What do you want to talk about?" Hinata asked pushing away her stuttering.

"I think you know." Sasuke answered leaning a little further into her space. Hinata practically flattened herself onto the wall. He went still just before her. Hinata was almost panicking at how close he was now and was taking breaths to help calm herself.

"Talk." she prompted trying to keep calm. Suddenly he was coming closer again. Her hand shot out and was instantly caught causing Hinata to close her eyes reflexively.

"I want to us to go somewhere else tomorrow." Sasuke's voice whispered into her ear. Her eyes flew open at just how close they were. The only place they were touching was where he was holding her hand away from him. She could feel his breath brush the top of her ear. She froze up. "Is that alright?"

"Uhn." was her choked reply.

"I'll take that as a yes and don't be so tense." he told her and she felt him place a small kiss nearby her ear. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Hinata watched frozen as he backed away. When he released her hand it fell limp at her side. How could he just walk away so easily? Like some lady killer? He looked so cool walking away. He stopped at the staircase to look back at her with a small smile.

"You have nice ears by the way." then he was gone.

'What the hell?' was Hinata's first thought when she came back into motion. 'As if it wasn't bad enough that he kissed me last night he just had to go and do this crap! What am I supposed to think now? What's he even doing here?'

Her cell phone brought her out of her thoughts when it rang. She fumbled with it but managed to answer it in time. "Hello?"

"I'm coming up the driveway now. Get out here girl!" Temari's voice came through and Hinata couldn't help a small smile.

"Yea." she replied quickly before ending the call and going downstairs. She was immediately presented with the reason why Sasuke was in the house when she was greeted by Kiba as he rushed from the kitchen to the living room with a huge bowl of dip. Suigetsu literally hopped along behind him with arms filled with bags of chips.

Hinata could hear the noise the boys made even before she moved to the wide archway to the living room. Most of the official team was there enjoying the huge flat screen television and someone's game console. They seemed to be having fun. She saw Sasuke across the room watching them with an almost serene blank look.

The obnoxious honking of a horn from outside heralded the arrival of the Sabaku siblings. Hinata could see them through glass windows of the living room. She saw Temari jump out of the back of the van before it even stopped properly and sprint around to the driver's seat to yank Kankuro out. He just managed to pull up the brakes before he found himself being shoved away. She couldn't hear them but she could imagine the argument they were bound to be having.

Hinata went to open the door before they knocked. Kankuro greeted her brightly with a quick hug before running into the house. Gaara gave her a respectful nod and entered as well.

"Come on Bunny, we don't got all day!" Temari yelled from the driver's seat as she honked the horn again. Ten-ten poked her head out the door of the Sabaku's monster of a van.

"Let's go!" she shouted. "Hey Neji."

Hinata looked back to see the very person standing there. He waved at his girlfriend but from that close Hinata could see the small smile that he wore.

"Later." he said dismissing her and pretty much pushed her out the door and slammed the door behind her.

Sasuke watched as she left through the living room window. He didn't know what had possessed him to do what he'd done earlier but whatever it was he wasn't complaining. It had been interesting and had given him what he wanted. Technically, she didn't say yes but she didn't say no or even contest his yes when he said it for her. He had a few things to do for tomorrow but those could wait until later. Now the question was: would she get cold feet? The next one would be: how to get her to go out with him again?

"Hinata!" one of the girls called pulling Hinata out of her thoughts. They had finished most of their shopping a few minutes ago and were having a late lunch in a small cafe the mall had. Hinata looked at both Temari and Ten-ten. They both had worried looks on their faces.

"You've been spacing out quite a few times since we got here. You ok?" Ten-ten said, her concern was evident. Temari was also giving the younger girl a critical look as if trying to discern what was wrong with her.

"I'm fine. I think we should talk." Hinata told them and watched as they both looked at her questioningly. "I don't think I've told you everything about the break up."

"What did you leave out?"

"He broke up with me to date Ino."

"Ino? I knew they looked kind close." Ten-ten commented thoughtfully.

"They're together. You wouldn't have known unless you were in my year." Hinata told them

"Why didn't you tell us sooner? I would have creamed his stew for you." Temari said.

"You can't do that!"

"You're right." Temari surprisingly agreed before: "I should cream his balls instead!"

"No. That's why I didn't want to tell you. You're going to get 'payback' now." Hinata protested. She might not have like the reason he left her but she didn't want to get back at him or anything.

"It's only natural." Ten-ten justified.

"We only believe that destroying the guy that destroyed your heart is a balance on the scales of justice." Temari told her with a serious face. Hinata could tell that she was already plotting the method of payback.

"How are you by the way? That whole thing must have hurt. You should have told us. We would have comforted you." Ten-ten added.

"I'm fine. I'm dealing with it. It doesn't bother me it's just a little disturbing when they're being all lovey-dovey but I'll get over it soon enough." Hinata told then. They watched her for a moment before Temari broached a question.

"How are you dealing with it?"

"Intensive training to not care much about anything." Hinata answered. It wasn't intensive but it was training and it was working.

"Uh-huh..." Temari said doubtfully. Hinata cared too much not to care. She was so compassionate sometimes Temari swore she would be easily manipulated.

"Is there another guy?" Ten-ten asked and Hinata froze up instantly. Temari and Ten-ten watched as her face coloured and spared each other a glance.

"There is a guy." Temari marvelled leaning forward in her seat. She hadn't expected that. Hinata didn't have guys crawling to date her and with the very strong crush she had on Naruto other guys just hadn't been an option.

"Maybe." Hinata answered timidly. She wasn't ready for this conversation.

"Maybe? What's that supposed to mean?" Ten-ten asked also leaning forward. Hinata wasn't generally a person who would answer with a maybe.

"He's a sorta friend-" Hinata began.

"Sorta friend?" Temari asked.

"I think he's a friend but I don't know if I'm his friend but I might be." Hinata explained with a small smile.

"So you like another guy who doesn't like you." Ten-ten clarified.

"What with you and choosing the hard guys?" Temari asked frowning and took a sip of her drink.

"I don't know." Hinata answered sadly. It's not her fault really.

"Ok, so you like this guy." Ten-ten began but was interrupted by Hinata.

"Yes, no, I don't know."

Temari raised a brow at this but allowed Ten-ten to continue. "Do you think he likes you?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"How do you not know?" Ten-ten asked

"It's confusing."

"Explain." Temari ordered and they waited for Hinata to collect her thoughts. Finally, she decided on where to begin.

"Last night, he kissed me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It wasn't some super kiss or anything it was just a kiss on the cheek." Hinata answered softly. She was getting embarrassed already.

"Wait, hold on. Last night?" Temari asked and Hinata nodded. "Did you go out?"

"Yea but it wasn't a date or anything. We just talked a little and hung out and afterwards when I was leaving he kissed me."

"Out of nowhere?"

"Yes."

"Did he say anything afterwards?"

Now Hinata blushed red. "Good night."

"Habit." Ten-ten said immediately. "He probably dates a lot of girls."

Hinata nodded since she guessed as much.

"Definitely habit." Temari agreed with Ten-ten. Maybe she should make him get his act straight.

"But if it's habit why'd he do it again this morning?" Hinata asked and her friends shot her a look.

"This morning?" they asked and Hinata nodded.

"Last night and this morning? Hinata you didn't do-!" Temari began but was cut off when Ten-ten slapped her in the head.

"Don't be stupid." Ten-ten said annoyed as Hinata watched amused but confused. "Hinata wouldn't do that?"

"Do what?" the girl asked innocently.

"Stuff." Ten-ten answered.

"With boys." Temari added.

"That you should not do."

"Ever."

"When she's married." Ten-ten compromised.

"Never. Do you want Chocolate to kill her husband?" Temari asked and Ten-ten seemed to contemplate it for a moment before deeming it possible.

"Anyway back to the topic what exactly did he do this morning?" Ten-ten asked and Hinata quickly told her about earlier. The two listened carefully as she spoke.

"He might actually like you." Temari stated when Hinata was finished. Ten-ten nodded in agreement.

"Now the big question: do you like him?"

"I like him but I'm not sure I LIKE him. I only started thinking about maybe liking him last night." Hinata answered. She was very confused about this. She wasn't sure whether to like him or not. "On one hand he's silent, straightforward, sometimes easily angered and kinda mean. On another he's considerate, competitive, gives good advice, level headed and sometimes funny."

"Ok... Is that good?"

"Yea I guess." Hinata answered.

"You're gonna have to stop guessing Hinata." Ten-ten told her.

"Is he cute?" Temari asked.

"I guess."

"Is he blond?" Temari asked with narrowed eyes.

"No."

"Do we know him?" Ten-ten asked.

"Yes."

"Who is he?" Temari asked.

"I'm not telling you yet." Hinata told her.

"It's her fault, isn't it?" Ten-ten said jabbing her thumb at Temari. Temari looked at them wide eyed gesturing to herself. "You always want to threaten guys. As soon as you know who it is you'd probably go searching for him."

"I won't deny my protective tendencies." Temari sniffed. She lived with two boys and while she was the oldest they were bound to rub off on her. Those two were beyond protective.

"I promise to tell you soon." Hinata said with a small smile and her friends gave her smiles of their own.

"Sure, as long as I hear it from you first."

"I have a thought and I'm going to utilize it on Monday."

"What's that?" Ten-ten asked

"Surprise." Hinata answered happily.

"Come on!" Temari exclaimed then whined. "Bunny!"

"I thought you liked surprises." Ten-ten commented. Temari pouted and Hinata couldn't help but laugh. She loved her friends.