Chapter 4
…
I felt so happy with myself this weekend. Not only was I able to kick up my grades, but everyone, including the popular kids, had started reading the school magazine for some reason.
I was in my room working on my homework when Neji popped in. "Have you seen my leather jacket?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.
"Why do you want it?" I didn't mean to pry, but Neji wasn't the type to care about appearances. Father had bought the leather jacket for him when he had a conference that he forced Neji to go to with him.
"Nothing, some of the classmates just decided we needed a break." He was fidgeting. A lot, I noticed. "It's just a get together."
"Is Tenten going with you?"
"Y-yeah." For the first time in my life, I heard Neji stutter.
I felt bad that Tenten hadn't told me. Seemed like I was always getting left out when it came to get togethers.
"There's leftovers in the fridge if you or Hanabi get hungry," and with that, he left.
.
.
I took a stroll out of the Hyuuga compound.
As I walked past the ramen shop, I saw a figure that looked so much like Sasuke… No it was Sasuke, and he was walking towards me. I stopped.
"Staring much?" he folded his hands in front of his chest, which was very much exposed. He had several buttons on his shirt undone, and on top of that, he looked like he had just gone for a jog. Very sweaty.
"I…um… W-what are you doing here?" I asked, feeling embarrassed. He saw me gawking.
"I've been told they sell the best ramen here," he shrugged. "So, what's the princess doing away from her castle?"
"I'm g-going for a walk." Did he just call me a princess?
"So, I'm guessing you're bored of being locked up, aren't you?"
"Yeah."
"How 'bout I pick you up for the bonfire tonight at six?"
"Wait, what?"
"Unless it's your bedtime at six, I don't see a reason not to," he smirked, as if daring me to say no.
Say no, you can't go out at night, remember? Say no, say no, say no.
"O-okay."
"Good. I'll pick you up."
He left before I could ask him if he knew where I lived.
.
.
I hugged my baggy jacket closer to myself. I suspected it was going to be really cold there. Or you're just self-conscious.
I had little faith in Sasuke's coming. I mean, he didn't know where I lived, and he didn't tell us to meet somewhere, or ask me for my number. Maybe I'm over-thinking things.
Honk! I heard the horn of a motor.
That's when I realized Sasuke knew where I lived. Should I be frightened?
Neji hadn't gotten back from his get together yet, Hanabi was still doing her homework and father was still at work, so this was the perfect time to sneak out.
I picked up my backpack and climbed out my bedroom window, being careful not to alarm the guards outside.
Sasuke was riding on a power bike; I felt a bubble of excitement in my chest. I had never ridden on one before.
I sat on the back seat of the bike and held onto Sasuke as he drove off.
.
.
The wind combed my hair. I decided I loved this method of transportation, I loved the feeling of the wind in my face. I rested my head on Sasuke's back, and I smiled.
Soon after, Sasuke parked in front of the carnival. Thousands of people were there, everyone had a peculiar reason as to why they came. It was not at all what I imagined the place would look like. No, it was better than I had imagined.
As we walked inside, I clung on to Sasuke's shoulders; he didn't seem to mind at all. My breath caught on in my throat, it was as if the stars were talking to me, they seemed to sparkle at the beat of the drum, and it was magnificent. There was something to look at everywhere I turned: the gaming machines, the street performers, all kinds of sweets being sold outside. That's where I was heading to before…
"Wait," Sasuke grabbed my hand, "we are not going there yet."
He headed towards a bulky man in a funny ghost costume handing tickets out to the people lined up, and I followed behind him. "Two tickets to the haunted mansion," he said, the man handed him the tickets as Sasuke handed him cash.
"W-what?" I realized that my hands where still clutching to Sasuke's shirt.
"Scared?" Sasuke asked, looking very amused.
I shook my head. I was scared, of course, but I wasn't going to admit that to Sasuke.
It's just a costume and a lot of makeup, Hinata; it's all just fake, I told myself over and over again as I walked into the mansion.
.
.
Deep inside the forest, I realized the haunted mansion wasn't just a place to scare people, or a bunch of actors wearing makeup and costumes. No, it was all too real for me. Apart from the fact that it was a competition that Sasuke asked for, it was the sickest thing you could ever think of as entertainment. It was like every time I moved, something was moving with me, and I wondered if people ever died here, because it looked a lot like a grave yard right then.
So I did the only thing I could think of in this dire moment, I hid in the bush from every scary creature, even Sasuke. Ever since we entered the forest, Sasuke had taken every opportunity he had to scare me. This was not my day at all.
I felt the presence again, I panicked. The forest was closing up, the thing was getting closer. I tried to run, but my leg wouldn't move. It got closer, and...
"Boo!"
I screamed.
"Seriously, Hinata, you should have told me you were terrified of this stuff," Sasuke said, not even trying to hide the smirk on his face.
"H-how could y-you?" He had been the one scaring me all along?
"Let's go, we don't want to get left behind," he changed the subject, holding a hand out to me.
I hesitated for a moment, but I wanted to go home, so I got up and let Sasuke lead me out of the forest to the finish line.
.
.
Sasuke handed me another teddy he just won from a game, again. I had never felt so special in my life.
"Oh my, you guys make such an adorable couple," a middle-aged woman said to Sasuke and me.
Wait, do Sasuke and I look like a couple?
"I…w-we're not…"
"I know," Sasuke hugged me closer to him. She walked in the other direction smiling.
"W-why did you say that?" I asked. I knew I should've untangled Sasuke's hand from my wrist, but I didn't want to.
"Say what?" Sasuke asked with a cool expression on his face, as if being here together, like a couple, was normal.
"N-nothing."
If I knew one thing about Sasuke, it was that he was an expert at changing the subject.
"Hey," he said, and I turned my face to look at him. He handed me candy floss. Yumm.
.
.
Just when I thought the night was finally over, Sasuke handed me another candy, a heart-shaped candy.
"Thanks," I said as I began licking it. "How come I didn't see you eating any candy?" I asked Sasuke.
"I don't like sweet things," Sasuke said dryly.
"Okay."
.
.
Sasuke dropped me off at my house at almost midnight. I didn't think I had ever been that happy until then.
"Thanks for, um, taking me to the carnival," I blushed. He handed me my bag and the cuddly bear he had won for me. I had to convince him to keep the rest, I didn't think I could sneak them into my room without my father asking where I had gotten it.
"Are you sure you don't want to keep the rest?" he asked, getting off his bike.
"Yeah."
He walked towards me and put a flower in my hands, "Here." His hands left mine. They felt so warm.
"T-thanks."
"Hey, we should go out again," Sasuke suggested. That's when I noticed his face was inches from mine. And before I could think of my reply, our lips locked.
I felt butterflies in my tummy.
"I'll see you on Monday," he whispered in my ear.
"I…I-I…"
"Goodnight, Hinata," he said, before getting onto his bike and driving away.
Then I regained my consciousness. And I realized Monday is the day the magazine had to print out something.
I'm doomed.