Chapter 5
Hinata was sitting at a cute little café, sipping warm tea, and waiting for her friends. Tenten suggested the idea as a way to relax before the start of a new day—no special occasion, just for fun. Ino leaped at the idea, and well, everyone else just went along with it. Speaking of Ino…
"Hey, girlie, what's up?" Ino's cheerful voice rang out. Ino slipped into a chair beside Hinata. The waiter came and politely asked Ino for her order.
"Nonfat vanilla latte please," Ino replied automatically. When the waiter left, Ino turned and stared into Hinata's eyes. Hinata noticed a familiar and foreboding glint in Ino's green-blue eyes, and Hinata gulped.
"I-Ino? What is it?" Hinata whispered.
"I'll tell you a secret," Ino whispered back, though her whisper was as loud as Hinata's yell. "You can't breathe a word of this to anyone…but you'd better use it to your advantage! I can't be risking my life if you're gonna waste the intelligence…"
Hinata looked at her friend, frightened. "I don't know if I can," Hinata squeaked.
"Trust me, you'll love it," Ino smiled a bit elfishly. "You ready?"
Hinata didn't reply before Ino told her.
"Sakura rejected Naruto for real last night."
Hinata felt Ino's piercing gaze cut through her own swirling thoughts. Why would she be telling me this?
"O-oh," Hinata replied, not knowing what else to say.
"Don't be so slow to catch on," Ino scolded her loudly. Hinata noticed a few heads turn in the café. It was early in the morning and people were just getting their daily caffeine. Hinata felt heat rush to her cheeks.
"Ino, quiet down…" Hinata whispered.
"While Naruto is busy crying his eyes out over rejection, you'll be there to save him from a river of tears!" Ino smiled brightly. "He won't know what hit him, and he'll be forced to fall in love with you!"
Hinata looked at her friend with wide eyes. "I-I don't know!" she cried in a whisper.
"Hey, what's the secret?" a new voice asked. Hinata saw Tenten walk in, looking as fresh as a daisy, so to speak, though Tenten was not as gentle as one. She yanked the chair from under the table and practically fell into it.
"We were just waiting for you, Miss Socialite," Ino smiled, avoiding the question unnoticed.
"There's the real socialite," Tenten smiled, waving enthusiastically. "Hi, Sakura!"
The pink haired girl looked…horrible. There was no other word to describe it. Her hair seemed a little less lustrous, her eyes a little more dull. There was no happy color in her cheeks, and she looked just tired.
"Wow, don't you look gorgeous," Ino said sarcastically. Sakura's glare said thanks a lot!
"Well, I can't even stay that long anyway," Sakura said, turning to Tenten. "Sorry about that."
Tenten shrugged. "Oh well. At least you showed."
"Well, I have to go too," Ino said, getting up. She noticed the waiter just coming back with her drink. "I'll have that to go, please!" she said with a glamorous smile. The waiter looked a little miffed but went away again, probably for a disposable cup.
Tenten cocked her head at Hinata. "Well, do you want to hang around here, or start the day?" Hinata got up with Tenten. The girls left the café, and split up, to go about their daily routines.
Sakura walked quickly toward the Hokage's office. Ino's comment stung a little—not because she cared about Ino's opinion of her. But because if Ino mentioned it, then Sakura must have looked a little less than how she normally did. Sakura peered into a reflective store window. She didn't look as bad as Ino implied, but… She decided to take a break from her feelings. She hoped that immersing herself in work would do just that. She strode purposely towards the Hokage's building, anticipating on seeing her beloved mentor.