Elementary

First's the worst, but every story has a beginning.

She stood in front of the class, fingers twisting around each other and lips quivering. The sea of childish faces looked down on her scrutinising her short indigo hair, round face and big white eyes.

"K-k-k-konnichiwa!" she squeaked and ducked her head as a boy sniggered in the back row. "W-watashi wa... anou... anou... H-Hyuuga Hinata desu..." The little girl was on the verge of tears now from sheer nervousness. With a high-pitched "Hajimemashite!" she bowed quickly, thick bangs hiding her blushing face from view.

"Yoroshiku Hinata-chan!" Iruka-sensei encouraged. It was his first year assigned as an academy sensei and he was determined to do his best. "If you'd like to take one of the spare seats we'll begin by reviewing what we did yesterday. Now, who can tell me what we've learnt so far?"

With the attention directed away from her, Hinata hurriedly scurried to the back row and sat down looking to her lap. She placed cold hands on hot cheeks and sighed shakily.

"Ne, Hinata-chan why are your eyes white?" a blonde girl in front of her asked. Hinata blushed shyly and mumbled an answer. "Sorry? Didn't catch that."

"A f-family trait," Hinata whispered.

"Why didn't you come yesterday with the rest of us?" a messy-haired boy asked. Hinata was startled by his wild eyes and fanged grin as well as the bright red tattoos on his cheeks.

"Anou... My imouto was sick," Hinata murmured playing with her fingers shyly.

"If you want to talk, you can talk during break," Iruka said one hand on his hip and the other gripping his chalk. Hinata flushed in embarrassment and focused on Iruka-sensei's words, her heart still fluttering with nervousness.

"Right, I've shown you how to do this problem and now I want you to try it yourselves. Get into pairs, one boy and one girl per pair. Think of it as a chance to meet someone knew," Iruka-sensei instructed.

At once, Hinata noticed all the girls heads turn pointedly in one direction. Following their gaze curiously, she was puzzled to see the back of spiky raven hair. The boy turned to glare darkly at the eager girls, obsidian eyes narrowing in dislike.

He suddenly stood and turned, that dark glare coming to rest on her face. She barely held in a squeak of fright.

"New girl, I'll work with you."

She had the horrible feeling that her chance of making friends with any girl in the class had been blown to smithereens with those six little words.

He dropped his book beside her making her jump and walked round her desk and sat looking moody while the other children flitted around to find a partner of the opposite sex.

"Boku wa Uchiha Sasuke," the boy said a little smugly. "I don't like girls."

"G-gomen?" she said puzzled.

"Do you understand the problem? I don't want to have to explain it to you," Sasuke said rather rudely and she frowned, unimpressed at his attitude.

"H-hai."

"Good," he stated and scribbled down the answer to the first problem quickly. As Hinata began to do the same, she couldn't help but notice how his eyes would flick to her now and then. "You're from the Hyuuga clan aren't you?"

She jumped at the sudden sound and shyly nodded, avoiding his gaze.

"The Uchiha clan is the best clan in Konoha," Sasuke said stubbornly. "Especially my Oniisan, he's the best ninja ever. You don't have anyone like him in your Hyuuga clan."

"A-anou... N-Neji-niisan is a p-prodigy," Hinata said. She had heard of the infamous Uchiha Itachi and his achievements of course. Her father was immensely jealous of the Uchiha clan's luck with their perfect heir when all he had was her. The thought was depressing.

"My Oniisan's better," Sasuke said snottily.

"M-maybe," she said. Neji wouldn't answer her if she asked. He didn't like her any-more.

It seemed like hours before break arrived with a shrill bell that hurt Hinata's ears. The children all raced out, all of them getting stuck in the door from so many bodies trying to shove their way through at once. Sasuke of course was out first, smooth and swift as a cat and missed the rush with style.

"Why aren't you playing with anyone?"

Hinata squealed as her hiding place behind the tree was invaded and Sasuke's head came into view. She stared at him like a deer caught in the headlights and he sat down next to her, frowning when she quickly scooted away.

"You're like a skittish rabbit Hyuuga," he commented pulling out an onigiri and taking a large bite. She watched him owlishly as he devoured his lunch quickly, worried should she take out hers it would be gone and into his stomach just as quick. "But your not as bad as those other noisy girls."

"Ari...gato?"

"Don't get too flattered, you're still weird," Sasuke stated folding his arms across his chest. Her shy smile dissolved and she sighed sadly, shoulders slumping. Making friends was so hard... "So what do you want to do when you grow big?"

"L-lead m-my clan?" she replied unsure.

"I want to be in the police force with my Otousan and the other Uchiha's," Sasuke said with a nod. "Or maybe an ANBU like Oniisan. I want to be a great ninja."

"I... I'm s-sure you will b-be," Hinata agreed.

"I know I will, I'm an Uchiha," Sasuke said as though that made it a certainty.

"The Uchiha clan m-must b-be very great..." she said slightly in awe. Though she was of course proud to be a Hyuuga, she wasn't as proud to Sasuke's extent. He seemed to believe his blood and genetics were worth pure gold.

"Of course they are, everyone knows it," Sasuke said giving her a quizzical look. "If you ever need help running your clan, any rogues or kidnappers you come and find me and I'll sort it."

"O-ok, I will," she said with a smile. Peeking through the classroom window Iruka couldn't help but grin at the two quietest students of his class chatting in the shade of one of the trees. He hoped they'd grow up to be good friends. Who knows? If Hinata stayed as adorable as she was now at eight, maybe Sasuke would even fall in love.

The Chuunin's grin faded and he sighed. The last thing he needed was more love in his classroom. He was already dreading Valentines day.