edited: 21/3/18

"We touch, I feel a rush... it isn't much, but it's enough to make me wonder what's in store for us"

v.

Sasuke started at the materials in front of him blankly while Anko-sensei sat down to allow her class to start on the warm-up she had just assigned. Sasuke's only issue with the assignment was that he had to work with his partner. They had only been given one set of materials to share between them, so unless he wanted to only get half of the warm-up done, he had no other choice.

He never really knew how to start speaking to the Hyuga. She had been making attempts to speak to him over the past three weeks, but because he rarely responded so communication between them remained sparse. Silence was the only way Sasuke knew how to deal with her. He feared that she may realize he wasn't as disinterested in her as she might think otherwise.

Sasuke examined the materials in front of him, deciding to just go ahead and start on the assignment. Without looking, he reached for one of the vials. Instead of feeling the cool surface of the small glass vial his hand brushed against something much softer and warmer. Immediately he retracted it, ignoring the lingering warmth caused by the contact with her hand.

Discreetly, he examined the dark haired girl seated beside him. Her pale eyes were still trained on her warm-up paper, a look of concentration on her face. The light blush colouring her cheeks was the only thing that betrayed any sort of reaction.

Sasuke knew they probably didn't have a lot of time left before the timer Anko-sensei set went off. The two of them really needed to start on the group portion of this assignment, which was all of it, before he ruined his perfect grade in the class.

Resigned, Sasuke once again let his dark eyes settle on the timid Hyuga seated beside him. He kept his face carefully blank to mask the shock he felt when he met her unsure gaze, which was already on him. Her pink lips parted as if she was about to say something, but she quickly shut her mouth and dropped her gaze. He thought she would turn back to her assignment, so he was surprised once more when she set her pearl like eyes on him before speaking.

"Ano...Uchiha-san?" her gaze dropped to look at the materials laying on the counter between them "I-I think that... that we should take one strip of paper each. We-we... we don't need to test all three chemicals..." As she spoke, her already soft sweet voice grew softer and softer until it completely trailed off.

Sasuke nodded his head once in agreement, and she smiled at him in return. Swallowing thickly, he quickly turned away from her, thoroughly ignoring the pleasant feeling her smile sent coursing through him.

This time when Sasuke reached for a vial he carefully monitored his hand. The two got to work and shortly afterwards the timer sounded, signalling the end of their five minutes.

As Anko-sensei was getting up to collect the warm-up, Sasuke heard the distinct clink of glass hitting the ground. From the sound, he could tell the vial didn't break. It simply bounced a few times before rolling to a stop a few moments later. The classroom—which had already been relatively quiet during the warm-up—was suddenly completely silent. All eyes turned to the centre of the room where the noise had originated from in anticipation.

Two students that Sasuke vaguely recognized from seeing in class over the last few weeks—but never bothered to learn the names of—wore guilty expressions on their faces. One stood, leaning over the counter to look at the ground beyond it. The other remained seated, one arm frozen in mid-air right above the spot their partner was nervously looking at.

"Good thing that was the one filled with water." The one standing said weakly, letting out an awkward chuckle which he quickly tried to play off as coughing when no one else laughed with him.

Unamused, Anko-sensei narrowed her eyes at the two, causing both to visibly gulp. There was a drawn out moment of silence before she spoke.

"Detention, both of you."

The pair groaned, turning to glare at each other. Anko smirked before looking around the classroom and speaking again.

"Looks like it's time for the first seat re-assignment of the semester." This time the entire classroom let out disgruntled noises. "Hyuga, switch seats with the idiot who knocked over the vial."

A sinking feeling washed over Sasuke, but there was no way he was disappointed.

The seated student stood up, casting one last glare at his former lab partner before gathering his things. Hinata hastily stood as well, doing the same. Finishing, she quietly left for her new seat. His dark eyes followed her as she sat down. Her new lab partner immediately greeted her, a little bit too enthusiastically. When the Hyuga politely greeted him in return, her lab partner blushed and rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish look on his face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at them. The thud of a text book hitting the counter in front of him brought him back to his immediate surroundings. His new lab partner sat down heavily in the newly vacated seat, muttering under his breathe and sending glares in the direction of his old seat. Sasuke thought he made out the words "lucky bastard" somewhere in the his new partner's whispered triad.

He was inclined to agree.

v.

Hinata leisurely walked to her locker, a smile on her face. School just ended a few minutes ago. She wasn't as eager to be heading home as she might have been last year, but she was still pleased to be finished with her classes for the week.

School had been good to her so far. She liked all her teachers, and she wasn't having trouble in any classes. Hinata was sure her father would nothing to complain about when he saw her grades. She hadn't encountered any problems with any of her fellow students yet, which was a nice contrast to last year.

Despite being ignored for the most part, she had even been getting along with Sasuke, though she wouldn't have to worry about that any more. She felt a bit disappointed that Anko-sensei had given her a new lab partner, but he seemed like he was going to be easy to get along with. He already seemed to like her, and was more than willing to talk to her, which was a lot more than Hinata could say about the Uchiha.

Hinata soon arrived at her locker and wasted no time putting her textbooks away. Pausing, she took out her phone to check the time. At that moment she heard the sound of a familiar female voice calling her name.

Startled, Hinata looked up and saw both Sakura and Ino walking towards her. Ino happily waved at her while Sakura seemed preoccupied with her phone. When Ino nudged the pink haired girl she quickly raised her head to give Hinata a quick but genuine smile. Hinata waved at them in return, happy as always to see her two friends.

Ino waited until the two were closer before she started speaking. Hinata patiently listened as her friend complained about the latest boy who had confessed to her. Realizing her phone was still in her hands, Hinata absentmindedly placed it on top of her locker before she quickly resumed her packing.

"No need to rush," Ino commented offhandedly. Hinata paused to look at her.

"Take your time, we can wait," Ino added, her blue eyes scanning the crowded hallway in search of something... or rather someone.

"You're only saying that because you think Sasuke might show up," Sakura deadpanned.

Hinata struggled not to laugh, though she couldn't keep a smile from forming on her face as turned her attention back to her locker.

Ever since Ino found out the location of the Uchiha's locker, she had taken every opportunity to wait with Hinata while she used hers in hopes they would bump into him. So far, Ino's efforts had been fruitless. Lately, Hinata hadn't seen Sasuke at his locker while she was there. Despite knowing this, Ino had remained persistent.

"And because Hina-chan always give us a ride home," Ino added defensively, glaring icy blue daggers at the pink haired girl standing beside her. Sakura rolled her emerald eyes but didn't respond.

Hinata looked between her two friends apprehensively. She hoped she had misinterpreted their reactions and neither of them were serious. These days it was getting harder and harder to tell.

Closing her locker, Hinata turned to her two friends so they could leave. As the three made their way out of the school, Hinata silently worried about the tension that still hung in the air between them.

None of them noticed a phone topple to the ground in front of Hinata's locker as they walked away.

v.

Hinata let out a sigh as she dropped her bag and flopped onto her large canopy bed, still fully clothed in her school uniform. She shifted her position so she could bury her head into her pillow. She had been in such a good mood the past few weeks too.

Shortly after coming home she ran into her father. Hinata hadn't seen him much the past few months because of his back to back business trips. He had only recently returned. Usually Hinata could get away with a bow and a murmured greeting but today he had a few things to talk to her about.

First he asked about school, or more specifically her grades, before launching into a lengthy lecturing about Universities. He wanted to make sure she was only considering the best schools in the country, he wouldn't accept any less. Hinata thought he was done after that, but he went on to talk about an invitation they had received in the mail.

The Uchiha's were hosting a huge gala to celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of their company. Her father briefly mentioned just speaking to Hanabi about it, before he proceeded to give her another lengthy lecture, this time on the "proper" way a Hyuga was to present themselves at these type of events—and the gala was still two and a half months away!

She didn't even want to imagine how much more tedious her father's lectures would get when the event drew nearer. She disliked going to these things in the first place, knowing she would have to endure her father's stringent scrutiny the entire time just made her like them even less. She knew he would be watching her like a hawk the entire night, tallying her every faux pas so he could berate her about it in private.

Maybe if she was lucky she'd be sick that day, but knowing her father he'd just slip her a few pills and say she was good to go. She buried her face further into her pillow, disregarding the fact that it was progressively becoming harder and harder to breathe. Suffocating seemed more pleasant than going to the gala anyway.

Hinata was brought out of her wallowing by the sound of a phone ringing. Odd, hardly anyone called their house phone. She decided to let someone else answer, and went back to her pity party. She wasn't looking forward to the dress fittings either. Their seamstress was a meticulous woman, a fitting could last all day.

The phone eventually stopped ringing, only to immediately start up again. Obviously no one else was going to pick it up. Hinata sighed before rolling off her bed, and heading into the hallway. When she answered the phone, immediately she was greeted by the frantic voice of her cousin Neji.

"Nii-san? Is something wrong?" she asked nervously. The panic in his voice worried her. She briefly wondered why he didn't call her or Hanabi on their cellphone instead.

"Hinata? Thank goodness," Neji let out a heavy breathe of relief. "I was so worried, I thought something happened to you."

"What? Why?" Hinata struggled to recall anything that might have happened recently that would worry him.

"You weren't picking up your phone. I called you ten times in a row, left voice mails and must have sent you at least fifty texts" He explained, sounding much more composed than when she had first picked up the phone.

"I'm so sorry... I had no idea."

How could she have missed that many of his calls? Did she forget to take her phone off silence? She would have to check when she got back to her room.

"I tried calling Hanabi to ask her about it, but she wasn't picking up either." Neji continued, "So I feared that... sorry, hold on a moment."

Why hadn't her sister answered her phone? The younger girl usually got home before Hinata did. Her thoughts were interrupted by her cousins voice suddenly reappearing on the other side of the line.

"Sorry, I just received a text from Hanabi, she said she was speaking to your father when I called her."

Hinata had almost forgotten, her father had mentioned speaking to her sister. While Hanabi tended to get off a lot easier, their father still talked her ear off whenever a big event was coming up.

"I'm glad you're okay." Neji finished, voice betraying more affection than it usually did.

"Thank you for being so concerned" Hinata said, smiling.

It was so sweet of him to be worry about her. Before he started University his concern could be a bit… overbearing to put it mildly, but she had always appreciated the sentiment. Even after moving out of the house for school, Neji still tried to keep in contact with her. He usually called her on Fridays after his classes finished to ask about her week and share how life on campus was going. With the misunderstanding cleared up, they had their usual talk about school life and hyperactive, spandex wearing roommates before saying their goodbyes.

Back in her room, with her good mood from earlier having returned, Hinata decided to search for her phone. Who knows how many calls or texts she might have missed since she had forgotten it on silence. Probably just Neji's if she was being realistic. While she had come out of her shell over the years, she still wasn't what anyone would call a social butterfly.

After a few minutes of searching her school bag, her blankets, bed sheets, and even under the bed, Hinata still couldn't find her phone. She was starting to panic.

Taking a deep breath to calm down, she tried to recall the last time she had seen the device. Thinking it over, it was when she was checked the time shortly after school had ended. Did she accidentally put it in her locker with the rest of her books? Or even worse, did she drop it? If she had, she might never see it again. Hinata sighed, she couldn't know for sure until Monday. There was no use worrying since there wasn't anything she could do about it now.

Standing up, she decided to finally change out of her uniform. She was about to take off her skirt when it dawned on her that she could check her car. Maybe she simply left her phone there. Hopeful, she zipped her skirt back up. Hastily putting her shirt back on, Hinata picked up her keys and left the room.

She had just stepped into the hallway when she spotted Hanabi coming towards her. Hinata smiled warmly at her sister. She was about to greet her when the younger girl started speaking first

"Hey Nee-chan."

"Hello Hana-"

"Someone's at the door asking to talk to you." The younger girl cut in before her sister could finish.

Hinata was used to it by now, Hanabi did it often.

"I thought you and that guy broke up" Hanabi remarked, an unimpressed look on her face.

"That guy has a name Hanabi," Hinata reprimanded, the words flying out of her mouth reflexively.

Almost immediately afterwards the meaning of Hanabi's words sunk in, and her mood immediately sombred. Her younger sister never did like her former boyfriend.

Sensing the change in her elder sister's mood, Hanabi's brow furrowed in concern. The young girl pushed her lips together until they formed a straight line as she regarded the guarded look creeping onto her elder sister's delicate features. Hanabi opened her mouth as if to say something but Hinata spoke first.

"What is he doing here?"

"Something about a phone," Hanabi shrugged before turning to leave. "I don't understand why he couldn't give it to me at the door and just leave," she muttered, seemingly to herself, before she walked away.

The elder Hyuga almost smiled at that. Hanabi didn't like to show it, but Hinata knew her younger sister deeply cared for her. That didn't mean Hanabi was above blackmail. He knew that too. There was no way Hanabi would pass up the golden opportunity to use the phone and all it's contents against her .

Who knew he still cared enough to even think of her that much. Or to bother coming to her house to return her phone in the first place. A heavy feeling settled into her chest and she was suddenly hyper aware of every breath she took. The tight feeling in her chest making every breath feel more laboured than it actually was. The relief she should have felt at getting her phone back was easily overshadowed by the overwhelming feeling of dread currently threatening to suffocate her.

Why did this have to happen when she finally felt like she was over him?

Hinata had barely thought of him since the first week of school, though it wasn't hard since she hardly saw him. He hadn't spoken or even properly made eye contact with her once since their break up. Hinata thought he simply didn't care about her any more, that she was the only one still hung up on their past relationship. Now here he was, on her doorstep to return her phone to her like some knight in shining armour.

How was she supposed to feel about this? How was she supposed to feel about the fact that maybe he did still care about her, even if it was just a little.

Reluctantly, Hinata started walking. She made her way down the stairs and towards the door. She had so many questions and she was unsure if she wanted a single one of them answered. Standing in front of the door, she took a deep breathe before placing her hand on the handle. The conflicting feelings raging within her finally put a halt to her already slow movements.

She was confused, apprehensive, even a little angry at him for coming and causing her so much inner turmoil, but the most overwhelming feeling she had was of self loathing.

Because deep down the fact that he came made her happy, euphoric even, and she couldn't reconcile with herself for letting such feelings enter into her heart, for tricking herself all these months, for lulling herself into a false sense of security that could so easily be shaken.

She was such a fool.

Heat flooded into her chest like red hot molten lava, adding another unbearable layer to the tight and heavy feeling that was already there.

How could she let herself feel like this? Let herself feel anything close to the elation that refused to be buried by all the other feelings raging within her.

Pathetic.

A mocking voice echoed in her head. And it was almost like it was summer again, and she was lying in bed, locked in her room.

What happened to being over him?

The voice taunted.

Because she knew this didn't mean anything—it didn't. She was the one who made sure of that. She did this to herself, yet she dared feel…

She was just setting herself up for more heartache, but she couldn't help but feel…hope. Hope for what? She didn't even know.

In comparison to turning the knob, the months full of lectures to come seemed so irrelevant, so easy to deal with. At least she knew how she felt about that; knew how to act, what to say.

Hinata turned the door knob, and gently pulled.

Right now… she was lost.

End of Chapter Notes:

I originally wanted to have this up much sooner, but I really wasn't happy with the chapter. I realized that I probably would never get it to a point I was 100% satisfied with it, so I just decided to go ahead and post it.

A big thanks to naiu, misao97, Milkshakecat200, and rockyourlove for the reviews, and to those of you who favorited/followed this!