Chapter 9:

Clasped hands

I think my mind totally went blank and everything I felt over the course of the day was completely pushed aside. Screw Sakura, and screw pretending to hate Naruto, because he is officially mine now. This is a new feeling for me. Knowing that I have a man wrapped around my finger is something I never thought possible, and it felt too good.

I broke the kiss, catching my breath after what seemed like hours of lip action. Where did this experience to kiss come from? I'll never know. I'll just say it was pure instinct.

"You're crazy." I whispered breathlessly, making him smirk as usual, and seeing his old self start to come back only made me smile as well.

"You drive me crazy." He whispered back.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, I think I like it." He scoffed. Soon enough, we heard my dad's footsteps approaching my room, so we leaned back on our bean bags as far away from each other as possible. Seeing him scramble with a look of fear in his face gave me a thrill, so I couldn't stop my goofy grin, even when my dad walked in, not bothering to knock like he usually does when I'm alone.

"Just checking to make sure everything is...okay," He looked us over skeptically.

"Dad, everything is okay. Can you please...like...not?" I blushed, feeling extremely embarrassed at being treated like Daddy's little girl. I mean, I still am, I just don't like to show that to Naruto. This is the kind of secret treatment I like to receive when I'm hanging out with dad away from other people.

"Sorry, sweetie, but I am your father and I gotta look after you." He made sure to emphasize the word "father," giving Naruto an intense glare, then excusing himself back out, only closing the door halfway.

"Dad, I know you're still there."

I heard him mutter a curse and footsteps becoming faint thuds as he walked off to the living room.

"I'd love to talk some more but I think you should go before my dad throws a fit." I stood up, watching him do the same and step closer to me, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Tomorrow I have a game, the final one of the season, so I can't see you...unless you actually come and watch the game." He cocked his head, in a matter-of-fact way.

"Oh..." I didn't know if he was indirectly asking me to come watch his football game, but then I remembered that I was currently the school's laughing stock. "I can't. I need to fix this whole problem with the photo, if I go, I'll be harassed by everyone."

He flinched a little, scrunching up his nose in a pained expression, "Shit, that's right..."

This whole situation did bother him, I could tell by the look in his eyes. It was pure pain. Meanwhile, I could only feel anger, and the more I thought about Sakura, the more it fed my urge for revenge.

"Well I promised I was going to make her pay, didn't I?"

I looked up at him wide eyed, "What are you planning?"

"Honestly, Hinata, the more shady things we do, the worse it'll be for you. I think we definitely should go and talk to the police. She isn't getting away with this so easily." He looked determined, sure of what he was saying, a one eighty turn from earlier, when he was doubting and refusing to put Sakura in her place.

"Y-You're serious?"

"Of course, Hina, I care about you. I promised I would protect you, and I won't fail you now."

"But you refused to do this earlier, what changed your mind now?"

He sighed, "Because I realized I'm an idiot."

It was quiet. Where did this sincerity come from? He's usually so self entitled, so sure of himself, but now he was putting his pride aside for me. I couldn't help but blush; I knew I wasn't going to regret forgiving him. But one last question stood.

"Naruto...did you ever...love Sakura?"

I could see him stiffen, his jaw tensed, and he looked down as if remembering something, and it was evident that this memory was a painful one. We stood there, in longer silence, a heavy kind of silence that only happens when you ask a question with an answer you really shouldn't know.

"I...did. I used to, but a long time ago..."

I admit, his confession made me jealous. Furious.

He continued, swallowing hard so that his voice didn't break, "She...cheated on me with Sasuke, I walked in on them in her room, all over her bed..." His voice changed, he now sounded incredibly angry, much like I did, and it disappointed me.

"Why are you friends with those two? All they've done is betray you, you're too good of a friend to do something like that...and the fact that it still bothers you...does that mean you still care for her?"

He flinched at the question, looking almost offended, but quickly regained his composure, "No! Never. I couldn't, even if I tried." He hastily replied. "She's my past, now. All I care about is the present, and a future with you in it."

I felt my face grow hotter, and suddenly the room was spinning, "I think I need to sit down..." I muttered, stumbling over to the bed.

"Are you okay?" He keeled down to get a better look at my face, "you look pale, Hina."

"Y-yeah...I think forcing myself to throw up might've been too strenuous on my body."

"You did what?!"

"I had to or else-"

But he interrupted me once more with one of his tight, endearing hugs. Whispering how everything was going to be okay, and to never hurt myself again, because either way he won't allow it.

We decided to let the weekend pass by, just to see if the commotion died down and people quit bugging me about some Photoshopped photo, but things only seemed to worsen once I started receiving texts from strangers saying they wanted to meet up for sex. It was sickening, not to mention Naruto's rage wasn't letting him wait any longer.

Monday morning came around and we prepared ourselves to speak with the principal.

"Are you sure you wanna go through with this?" I asked him. I could fend for myself, and if it really bothered him to do this to Sakura, I wasn't going to force him. He only nodded, still staring at the principal's door, as if it did anything to speed things up.

Shizune, the principal's secretary, would tell us every five minutes that Ms. Tsunade would come out of her office soon, but we sat there waiting for almost an hour, until the tall blonde lady finally opened her door for us.

"So what's the matter?" She sat behind her desk, and the two of us sat across from her, looking at each other as if to figure out who would speak first, so I nodded and took a deep breath.

"A student named Sakura Haruno has posted a fake picture of me doing...inappropriate things online, without my consent, and it has turned the whole school on me." I looked down and waited for her reaction, hopeful that she could bring an end to this.

"Hmm...when did this happen? Can you show me the picture?" She was tentative, at least. Still, I was embarrassed of the photo and couldn't stop myself from sweating nervously.

"It happened last week, here," I handed her my phone and she looked horrified at the picture, passing it back to me quickly.

"Alright, this is definitely breaking the code of conduct and I am not letting her get away with it. For now, all I can offer you is a tutor to work at home while we settle this."

"Wait! I can't, my parents will know!"

"They have to know, you're being bullied and it can lead to you seriously getting hurt. Thank you for speaking up, Hinata, we only want to help you. Now, I will call your parents and get your counselor to arrange the tutoring, and you will agree to it because it is for your own safety." Tsunade was loud and clear, focusing on her computer monitor to find my records.

I looked over to Naruto who sat next to me quietly, yet held my hand so tightly, it gave me strength to continue with the plan. However, I wasn't prepared to tell my parents what was going on. They always looked over me with so much love, and even if I got the slightest cold, they would freak out and make sure I was back to normal in no time. They were so caring, always asking me how my days went, I just knew that they would be heart broken once they find out what was going on. Not only would they be extremely worried at the fact that I was practically vulnerable to sexual abuse and bullying because of this picture, but disappointed of me because I lied and kept it a secret.

"Alright, I'll call your parents in a couple of minutes. Why don't you two step outside and wait a little longer?" She gave me a reassuring smile, telling me this wasn't a mistake, that I did the right thing to not stay quiet about something so horrible.

We stood up and made our way to her door, but Tsunade called Naruto's name, stopping him right before he closed it behind us

"Thank you for supporting Hinata, Naruto. You're a good friend. I'll make sure to excuse your absences today."

Naruto nodded, "Thank you, Ms. Tsunade." He smiled at her and closed the door behind us, shrugging.

"She seems nice."

"Yeah...but she's probably telling my parents everything right now..." I groaned, and turned to sit back on the chairs we had been sitting on for an hour prior to the meeting; their surface was still warm.

"I know it must hurt you to have them find out this way, but it's better they knew what was going on. They want to protect you, just like I do, but they can't if they don't know what the danger is. Don't worry, Hina. I'll be here, no need to be scared." He keeled down, holding my hands in his and bringing them up to his lips for a peck, running his thumb over the area he kissed.

"I don't think I would've gone through this without you." I admitted. Sure, I was set on getting Sakura back, but once I was in that office, I felt like my confidence was squashed down to nothing. Tsunade had a very overpowering aura, even her posture made me feel intimidated, but if it wasn't for Naruto's warm hand, holding mine, interlocking our fingers together, I wouldn't have the guts to do what I did in there.

"It's my pleasure to help." He gave me a cheeky smile that wrinkled his nose a little, and made his eyes narrow down to thin lines.

It was this kind of moment that made me want to tell him I loved him. No one had ever stood by me this way, or held my hand with so much tender love and care. He was perfect, even if he had his flaws, there was no denying his feelings were sincere in every way. It made him perfect, the way he expressed his affection. I wondered just what drove him to fool around with so many girls, and figured maybe all he was doing was trying to get back at Sakura for cheating on him, and in that moment I swore I felt my heart ache. He was trying to get back at Sakura from the beginning, to make her feel what he felt when he saw her and Sasuke in bed.