I do not own Naruto
Hinata was pulling a wool sweater on over her head. It had very Nordic-styled patterns on it, over a cream base, and was her absolute favorite. It was warm, versatile, and she loved the deer and bird pattern. She smoothed her hair back, checking the bag she was packing. Pajamas, underwear, toothbrush, hairbrush, cleanser and moisturizer, extra wool socks, a pair of jeans for tomorrow, a compact with conscealer, translucent powder and lip gloss, her cell phone… was she missing anything?
She shook her head and zipped it up. She pulled a puffy winter coat on over her sweater and a pair of mittens. It was freezing outside, the wind rattling against the trees and window panes. She pulled a hat on and grabbed her bag, carrying it out into the hall. She felt like a human marshmallow as she went downstairs and pulled her boots on. It wasn't her fault she liked to be warm though. It did suck that the car was gone though, which meant she had to walk to Temari's.
She was about to step outside when the door swung open and Neji came barreling in, his teeth chattering. "It's goddamn %&$# *% cold out there!" he spat, slamming the door shut. He rubbed his arms quickly as he kicked his shoes off, dumping his bag onto the floor. Hinata nodded.
"It d-does look c-cold," she agreed, picking her duffle up and slinging it over her shoulder.
"Are you going somewhere?" Neji asked, shivering. Hinata nodded.
"Y-yes," she said. "I'm g-going to Temari's for the n-n-night."
Neji nodded. "I ran into Temari on the way to the dojo," he remarked, starting up the stairs. "Have fun."
"T-t-thank you," Hinata said. "See y-you tomorrow." She pulled open the door and slipped outside. It really was cold, very cold. She started down the road, towards Temari's house. Her hair fluttered behind her in the wind, at least the part that wasn't held down by her hat. She leaned into the wind as she walked, keeping her arms crossed over her chest to keep the warmth in.
Temari's house was about 20 minutes away, and Hinata hurried as quickly as she could bundled up like she was. Finally she turned onto Temari's street, spotting the mansion just a little ways away. She hurried into the yard and up to the door, ringing the bell with one mitten-ed hand.
She heard thumping inside and Temari flung the door open. "Come in!" she said, pulling Hinata into the house and slamming the door behind her. "Did you walk here? Jesus Hinata!" Temari exclaimed as Hinata peeled off her outerwear.
"Y-yeah… it wasn't so b-bad though. I k-kept moving," Hinata said, draping her coat over the back of her chair, along with her hat and mittens. She followed Temari upstairs, the house much quieter than normal. "W-where's your f-family?" Hinata asked curiously, pulling her duffle behind her, her socked feet padding on the carpet.
"Gaara and Kankuro are out somewhere and dad's gone on business. Thank god," Temari said, chuckling. "He's been getting on my nerves so much lately!" she exclaimed. "Anyways, Tenten's already here." Temari pushed her door room open, revealing Tenten flopped over on Temari's bed, snacking on goldfish crackers.
Tenten raised her head, grinning at Hinata. "Heyh Hinatha," she said through a mouthful of cheesy cracker. She swallowed, propping herself up on her elbows. "Did you get home okay after the movie?"
Hinata nodded. "What movie?" Temari asked, bounding over to her bed and jumping on, bouncing slightly as she landed.
"We went to see Magic Mike at the matinee theater," Tenten said with a grin. Temari's mouth popped open.
"Luckyyyy," Temari whined. "I love that movie…" She trailed off, hearing something downstairs. "That's the door again, hang on a sec," she said, jumping up and heading downstairs.
"So… Hinata… how's Neji doing?" Tenten asked casually, popping another cracker into her mouth.
Hinata sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the bed. "I t-think he's a-alright. He's been so d-down lately, but he s-seemed less… m-m-mellow when he got h-home today. Maybe it w-was just the c-cold t-though," Hinata sighed. "I wonder what's b-been wrong… w-why do you a-ask, Tenten?" she asked curiously.
"No reason," Tenten said quickly as Temari came back upstairs, Ino trailing behind her.
"Hey girls!" Ino said, grinning and dumping her bag onto the floor. "Hey Tenten, long time no see," Ino said jokingly.
Tenten rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah…"
"Sore from practice yet?" Ino asked, planting her hands on her hips.
Tenten raised an eyebrow. "Not at all. I'm still in tip top shape from soccer," she remarked.
"Well, we'll see how long that lack of soreness lasts after we have you start tumbling," Ino said. She bent back into a bridge, before kicking over, careful not to hit anything. "It takes some decent stretching and flexibility to even do that," Ino said, swishing her hair over one shoulder. Tenten chuckled.
"I bet," Tenten remarked.
Suddenly they heard the door downstairs bang open and someone yell up the stairs. "Is that Sakura?" Temari asked, looking towards the door.
The four poked their heads out of the door and saw that Sakura was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking distraught. "Sakura?!" Ino asked, running downstairs to her.
"I'm moving," Sakura said as Ino reached her. Ino stopped dead in her tracks. Hinata, Tenten, and Temari gasped.
"WHAT?!" Ino shrieked, her voice practically high enough to shatter glass.
"I'm moving," Sakura repeated, her face crumpling. "To London. My parents are making me move to London."
Tenten practically leaped down the stairs, Temari and Hinata hot on her tail. "You are joking!" Temari said, grabbing Sakura by the shoulders. "Tell me you're joking!"
Sakura shook her head. "I wish I was," she said. "But I'm not. I'm moving right after Christmas."
"That's o-only two w-weeks a-away," Hinata stuttered, shock on her face. "It's s-so sudden…"
Sakura nodded, misery on her face. "I don't want to go…" she said quietly.
There were practically flames in Ino's eyes. "Of course you don't!" she yelled. "I am going to go give your parent's a piece of my mind!" she said, thundering towards the door.
"Ino!" Sakura exclaimed, grabbing her arm. "Ino! How would that help anything?" Sakura demanded.
Tenten spoke before Ino could. "It would help because it would show them that there's people who need you here too Sakura! You're our friend. You can't just be told that in a couple weeks you have to leave your home!" Tenten nodded. "Yeah, that's what we can say," she said, grabbing the car keys from where they were hanging up on the wall. "Come on."
"I'll drive," Temari said, grabbing her coat out of the closet.
Ino pulled out of Sakura's grip. It was only until the four others were halfway to where Temari's car was parked when Sakura blinked and ran after them. "Wait!" she called.
"You coming?" Temari asked, climbing into the driver's seat of her jeep.
"This is crazy," Sakura protested.
Ino shrugged. "Nobody ever said I wasn't a little crazy. Do you want to come or not?"
Sakura hesitated, before climbing into the backseat. "Fine," she said. She felt grateful, really, for having friends so ready to defend her. Even if it was against something they couldn't do anything about. Even if, in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't the biggest deal in the world.
Temari backed her car out, before stepping on it. They went speeding down the street. "S-slow down, Temari!" Hinata said as they screeched around the corner.
"Sorry," Temari said, slowing down a little. Temari was already a fan of driving fast, and the tension right now made her want to go even faster.
Thankfully not fast enough that she was able to stop before hitting a squirrel sprinting for its hideout. "Jeez!" she said, slamming on the horn to scare it. "Stupid squirrel," she muttered, speeding up again.
They pulled in front of Sakura's house in record speed. "Maybe you should not all come in," Sakura suggested as they started to climb out.
Tenten shook her head as the group headed up the steps to Sakura's porch. Ino rung the doorbell as the four stopped in front of the front door, staring straight at the window in the door. Sakura fluttered near the back of the group. "What are you guys even going to do?" she asked, hearing footsteps in the house.
Sakura's mom looked through the window and froze. "What the hell?" she asked, opening the door. "I mean… uh, heck. What are you all doing here?" she asked, her brows raised.
Ino crossed her arms. "Mrs. Haruno, you can't just make Sakura move with you!" she exclaimed.
"Right to the point, aren't you?" Sakura muttered.
Sakura's mother looked taken aback, before frowning. "Did Sakura put you up to this?" she asked.
That caught Ino off guard. "W-what?" she asked.
"Sakura, come inside. We have to talk," her mother said. Sakura winced as she walked inside. "I'm sorry, but you all need to leave now," her mother said, closing the door.
Ino stared at it in shocked silence.
Beat
Beat
Beat
"Oh you have GOT to be kidding me!" Temari said. She rung the bell. Nothing. She rung it again. Nothing. "Sakura!" she called.
Suddenly they heard footsteps. Sakura's face peered through the window. "Go away! I'm sorry, but go away!" she hissed, before running back from the door.
The four stood frozen outside the door for a moment, before Ino whirled around and went rushing back to the jeep. "Come on," she growled.
"Ino!" Tenten exclaimed, running after her. Temari frowned slightly, before falling with Hinata her shadow.
Ino climbed into the car, slamming the door. The other three also piled in and Temari started it up. "What do you want to do?" Temari asked Ino as they pulled away from the house.
"I want to eat my feelings," Ino said, sinking into her seat.
"Gotcha."
Elsewhere
"I still can't believe you joined the cheerleading team."
Naruto was lying back on his bed, tossing a baseball back and forth between his hands. "I never knew you were even aware we had a cheerleading squad," Naruto said, chuckling to himself.
Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was sitting on Naruto's desk chair, leaning back slightly. "Whatever. It's harder then I had expected it to be," he remarked thoughtfully.
"Dude, have you seen those flippy things they do?" Naruto asked, sitting up. "I don't know how people can physically accomplish that. Why do you think I've been scared of Ino for the past like, six years? Because I'm pretty sure you have to make some sort of deal with the devil to flip around like that," Naruto said, sounding very matter-a-fact.
"You are a moron," Sasuke muttered.
Suddenly his cell phone went off. Naruto flopped backwards as Sasuke answered it. "Hello? Sakura?" he asked, recognizing her number on the caller I.D.
"Hey Sasuke," Sakura said, sounding very melancholy. "I've kind of got something to tell you. It's kind of a big deal."
Sasuke frowned slightly. "What is it? Are you alright?"
"I'm sorry but…" Sakura said, trailing off. "But, I'm moving away! After Christmas."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "What?!" he asked.
Naruto sat up, looking confused. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Sasuke ignored him. "Why? Where are you moving too? Why so suddenly?" he demanded.
"My… mother's job… she got a sudden offer. In London. It's a rush assignment and my dad found work there too, so we're leaving right after Christmas." Sakura's voice caught a little. "I'm sorry to tell you so suddenly. I'll miss you. I've got to go."
"Wait! Sakura!"
Sakura quickly hung up and Sasuke just sat there, still holding the phone up to his ear.
"What's wrong?" Naruto asked again, staring at Sasuke.
Sasuke snapped the cell phone shut. "Sakura just told me she's moving to London," he said, his face blank.
Naruto blinked. "Did you say London?" he asked, sounding shocked.
"Yeah… London."