A/N: Yo! Sorry it took me so long...I hope you like it... {Naruto is not mine}
*~ Chapter II: Forget-Me-Not ~*
...Naruto didn't meet her at Ichiraku today....
As the weeks turned into another month, her friendship with Naruto has begun to fluctuate. One week, he's calling and texting her and making lunch plans every other day. Then, the next week he vanishes. Although he trains ritually he always make time for ramen. So...she says to herself, while crossing her legs at the edge of her bed...I wonder what excuse he will come up with the next time we meet. Although she hates to admit it, she knows that she is losing to Haruno. She would like to be optimistic and say things like "I don't give up" but she she understands the difference between coming to terms and just walking blindly. She's tired and achy from her training (or 'run for your life' as she likes to call it) with her beloved Kiba and Shino, hungry because she didn't eat lunch for reasons she will elaborate on later in her rant and, overwhelmed with her medical ninjusutu studies.
....and still no sign of Uchiha....
What she wouldn't do for a hit right now. Under normal circumstances, such words would not have festered in her mind but today...today... was a crappy day. It started when she woke up with her face plastered to an unfamiliar window. She feel asleep in her safe haven, while studying her notes from the day before. From there she literally sprinted to her apartment, stiff necked and all, to take a quick shower and put on a change of clothes (what still consisted of knee-length carpi's and a loose fitting top). She grabbed her scrolls and dashed to lecture hall to attend her weekly lecture on medical ninjustu. Once again, she had to sit and endure Haruno's compulsive and boastful need to prove that she's smarter than all of her fellow peers. Haruno might not be trying to come off intentionally as a kiss ass but damn-it, that's how it feels to her. She's been that way ever since our academy years. Ugh...she is really beginning to dislike the color pink. She has spent many nights trying to think of a logical reason to why she is beginning to harbor these feelings toward Haruno. And finally, she has realized that the animosity she holds towards Haruno is directly related to Naruto. What a shame. It's so ugly to be that way, so unlike her, so immature, but if disliking Haruno will ease her pain of knowing that an inevitable rejection from Naruto is in her near future then so be it. It's not like Haruno and herself has always been the best of friends anyway...so whatever.
But ,to get back on subject (now that she has gotten that off her chest) she left lecture hall to meet up with Kiba and Shino at the training field. There she spent the rest of her afternoon dodging, blocking, and ducking from Kiba's unpredictable attack patterns and Shino's stealthy parasitic insects. From self observation, she is beginning to realize that her defense is one of her strongest assets besides her kekkai genkai and her clan's special taijutsu. During sparring and actual combat, she finds herself more comfortable defending herself from her opponents attacks and assessing for the right moment to counterattack by using her opponent's strength against he, she, or them rather then going on full assault...like Kiba. Hell...its kept her alive for this long, she must be on to something.
After her grueling sparring session was over, she still had two hours to waste before her next lecture started. She had a lunch meet with Naruto at Ichiraku, although something was telling her he wasn't going to show she went anyways. There she sat for the next two hours, chastising herself for coming, because ONCE AGAIN, Naruto pulled a no call no show. She returned to lecture hall to overhear Haruno bitching to Ino about how Naruto spilled miso soup on her shirt because he was trying to finish his share and hers at the same time. She went on to say that during their lunch he kept saying how he felt as though he was forgetting about someone but he couldn't put his finger on who that person was. She continued talking about something else related to their lunch they had this afternoon and ended her conversation with Ino by saying:
"...so I told him that if he couldn't remember who this person way by the end of the day then I guess that "someone" isn't really that important"
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......she's REALLY starting not to like the color pink....
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So yeah..........that's pretty much how her day has been up to now. Her T.V. is on...but she's not watching it. She stands in her bedroom to stretch her stiff legs before flopping back down on her bed. I wonder...what do Haruno have that I don't. She thought while tracing the edges of her cell phone with her fingertips before tossing it ono her dresser out of frustration. "Maybe a walk will do me some good", she said out loud to her empty two-bedroom apartment. She grabbed her apartment keys and a ponytail holder off her kitchen table and turned the lock before slamming the door shut. I really need to get a grip, she thought while putting her long indigo locks into a high ponytail while trotting down the stairwell. She begun her walk at a moderate speed to nowhere in particular. She verbatim the new chants she learned in class today pausing periodically to greet her fellow comrades she come across in her journey to...well.. nowhere in particular. She broke her speed to help Ten Ten carry her vast amount of weaponry to get inspected at Konoha's local blacksmith. After helping Ten Ten, she continued on her meaningless path to nowhere. She just walked...and walked...and walked...down the main roads...through the alleyways and on the sidewalks. She figured, if she kept her mind busy she won' have time to face her worries. She won't have time to face that fact that her and Naruto will never be an item. Unfortunately, her mind betrayed her and she began to wonder how she would react if she ever witness Haruno flirting with Naruto. Will she be angry...will she cry (hopefully not)...will she curse...will she flee..will she be able to keep a straight face????? Hopefully, she will never have to find out.
"NARUTO-KUN, THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR EATING LIKE A PIG!!!"
Boy...luck sure is on my side...she thought sarcastically while stopping in her tracks to focus on her new surroundings. It appears that her body has lead her to Ichiraku. Before her eyes she see Haruno fussing at Naruto for getting choked off his ramen.
"Hey that reminds me Naruto-kun, did you ever remember who you was suppose to meet up with today?" Sakura asked.
"No, actually I still can't remember for the life of me....well...I guess your right, when you said that if I couldn't remember by now then that person wasn't really important." Naruto said reflectively.
"Of course I was right, whenever am I not?" Sakura replied with a smirk.
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She took one last longing look at Naruto. After today, she will have to lay her feelings for Naruto to rest and face the facts....the only thing she sees budding from her and Naruto's relationship is friendship...if that... nothing more and nothing less. As she turned on her heels to start on her journey home she took in a deep breath and exhaled through her flared nostrils.
A violent shiver wracked her body within her first five steps away from Ichiraku.. Eyes still adverted to the ground, she continued her lonely walk home. This time, she was able to walk 10 steps before another shiver took control over her body, this time she felt a wave of heat travel from her face to the bottom of her spine. Its like my body is trying to tell me something. What did Lady Shizune call this sensation...intuition?...sixth sense? .......She's over thinking this...... The sun is setting so my body is probably just adjusting to the drop in temperature. She reassured herself while glancing at the sunset before readjusting her eyes to the road ahead of her. She notice two figures, standing in the middle of the road but, she is too far away to make out any facial features. But just from their posture she can tell that the one on the left is a male from his broad shoulders... slouching... with his hands in his pants pocket and the other...."OWW!" she said when she stubbed her toe on a rock in her path. She could feel the heat rising to her cheeks because she has just embrassed herself in public...What a graceful heir....she thought while trying to build up enough nerve to look up at the two figures again. Hands fidgeting on the edge of her shirt, she glanced up only to see that the two figures has disappeared leaving dancing leaves in their wake. Hmmm.....ANBU maybe?
Shrugging the odd event off, she continued to walk back to her apartment. Although she tried to remain cheerful about her decision with Naruto, it still hurts, ya know. To know that the reason why he didn't meet her at Ichriaku today was not because he stood her up, but because he forgot....when it came to Hinata, he forgets. She's not sure which is suppose to hurt the most...being stood up or being completely forgotten about. I betcha if it was Sakura he wouldn't have forgotten. She wants to remain positive, to be optimistic, but who is she kidding. There is a sparkle in his eyes that Sarkura only receives, she has stood idoly by and watched them converse before so she knows. It is not the same when he talks to her, that sparkle is there...but not as bright. Even if her and Naruto was to become an item she would always have to compete for Sakura's place in his heart. And, if she is going to be with him she wants all of him...not just 1/2 or even 3/4,but ALL. Why should she give it her all and only be rewarded with half of that in return. Why put myself through that.....she thought while turning on her shower. She's physically and mentally exhausted and to make matters worst ...she's sweaty. I think it's time to call it a night, she thought while entering the shower. She let the hot water kneed her sore muscles while she attempt to relax her mind and come up with a mental 'to-do list' for tomorrow. That reminds me, it's been a while since I've seen Neji-nisan. I wonder if he is on a mission...did he crossover to ANBU yet? I'll swing by his place tomorrow, just to say hi. She's really beginning to worry because she haven't seen her cousin...or Uchiha lately. Rather than swinging by Neji's place tomorrow maybe it will be best for to check the hospital first....just in case, she decided while reaching for her shampoo and conditioner. She waited until her hot water turn cold before she got out of the shower. She dried off and put on a cami and some cotton shorts for tonight's sleepwear. She looked at the clock on her nightstand....2200....Hmph, not bad timing tonight, she thought before allowing sleep to take over her senses.
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.....Later that night....
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KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
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....She cracked opened one eye to look at the clock.....0100...please don't let it be an ANBU summoning me for a mission....
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BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!!
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She tossed her sheets aside out of irritation and stomped to the door and opened it just enough for one eye.....NEJI!! .....her mind screamed out of relief...until she got a good look at him...
"...Hinata-san, I know it's late but the hospital was too noisy and a tad bit too crowded....what I'm trying to say is...do you think you can heal me?" he asked as if he was being a burden to her.
Shock and concerned to see her cousin in such a condition, she swung the door open. "Neji-nisan!! What hap----!?!" She started until she seen what else lied behind her door.
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...It seems as if her dear Neji is not the only one in need of a healing hand.