Author's Note: I'm so sorry for taking longer than usual. I'm actually set on updating almost every day. It's just hard to keep up with all of my ideas so I end up working too long on one chapter hehe. Enjoy.

Chapter 11:

going together

He was quiet for a long moment. It drove me crazy, I wanted to yell at him to say something, anything. I still had hope in us, I've endured so much up to this point because maybe he really does care about me. It's a new feeling in my life that I never want to give up, but he was making it so hard to let go of my doubts.

"Let's talk in person, then. I'll pick you up in a bit." He spoke quietly and hung up, I still sat there in disbelief and wide eyed, with my phone still pressed to my cheek. Did he just hang up on me?

Instead of wondering what crawled up his ass and died, I got up and got dressed, making sure I didn't look too decrepit. I ran downstairs in a thick wool cardigan, jeans and boots, which caught my parent's attention as I never dressed up unless I was going out. I told them that I was going out with Naruto, and they were pleased to hear that I, for once, wanted to go out and socialize after a whole week of locking myself in my room, only to come out when my tutor was here or to eat.

Sitting on my front porch, waiting for him, I thought things over. Why is he so quiet and defensive? Was admitting he loves me actually a mistake? Maybe he just cares for me because he feels guilty, but that only angers me more, to think I'm so pitiful.

The sudden purr from his car engine broke through my thoughts. Looking up, I hoped to see him step out of his car to give me a proper greeting but he just sat in the driver's seat, staring down at the wheel and simply waiting for me to get in.

I scowl, not daring to look at him while I open the car door and settle in next to him, making sure to slam the door closed as hard as I could; I knew it ticked him off.

"Where are we going?" I speak first after a few minutes of driving and me not knowing where the hell his route was taking us.

"I have something to show you..." he trailed off quietly. It was freaking me out. He was never this quiet.

"Well aren't you gonna say anything else? Maybe a, 'Hey, Hina! I've missed you!' would suffice?"

He didn't respond, didn't even show a particular expression, letting me know he was ignoring me some more. Really? I'm right next to you! But my train of thought is at a halt once more when he makes a sudden turn into a muddy terrain, driving through more green than I'd ever seen since the horrible camping trip when my dad got us lost in the forest.

"We're here." He says nonchalantly, slowing the car down to a stop, looking ahead for a second before turning off the engine and putting the keys in his pocket. The scenery was beautiful where Naruto had taken us. I never even knew a place like this existed in Konoha, it was a cramped suburb, but further studying the image before me made me feel nostalgic. I remembered our first date at the beach, sitting on rocks by the water.

We got out of the car which he parked in a grassy, flat, area surrounded by tall pine trees that seemed never ending from where I stood, down so close to ground. The forest encircled a small cabin that watched over a fairly large lake. The water listened with golden, blue and green hues from the sunlight that seeped through the branches of the sky-scraping pine trees.

"Naruto..." He looked to the side, acknowledging me yet not looking into my eyes, "this place is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, ever, but why are we here?"

I looked up at him, he still avoided my gaze, looking around, keeping his eyes busy.

"My parents used to come here with me when I was a child. We don't do it anymore though...sometimes I wonder if they're really happy together, or if it's all an act..."

Where did all of this come from? He never spoke about his family negatively. In fact, one could almost consider him a momma's boy or a dad's "sport." They were a very dynamic family from what Naruto led me to understand, they were very open with each other, and had a lot of fun together. Maybe he noticed there was a rift somewhere...but why bring that up now?

I decided to stay quiet and listen, I wanted to hear him finish his thoughts before I could really say I understood what he meant.

He sighed, "They're not perfect, I know that, but it's all starting to sound like a lie...they say they're in love, but they don't show it..." He stopped talking and held my hand unexpectedly. It was his usual squeeze of reassurance, I knew then that he was not holding anything negative towards me. If anything, he only sounded scared and confused. He pulled me along the grassy field toward the cabin and sat down on a long bench that stood right before the water. It was soothing to watch the water swaying back and forth with the wind.

"How...How do you know you...love someone? Like really love them?"

My shocked, wide-opened eyes looked up to meet his glassy blue ones that looked like they were right at their peak to release tears; he must have been holding them this whole time.

"I don't know if I'm the right person to answer that." I whispered back. I was undoubtedly in love with him. I knew it, but was I sure? Maybe? I know, it doesn't make sense, but even if I knew I was in love with him I still was plagued with doubt about his intentions, if he sees me as being worthless like I do.

I opened my mouth to continue, but the words were stuck in my throat. An oncoming sob was threatening to break my voice, and I could feel the uncontrollable sting in my eyes.
"I think loving someone m-means...much more than just those three words...if I said I loved you, you would know I did, but you wouldn't be sure because we doubt other people's intentions with us. You want them to know you love them back but they start to look so far away, like the kind of fleeting dream that only comes on a rare occasion. You've learned to hate yourself for so long that when a person comes around, dying for your attention, actually taking care of you, the world you know becomes a blur and you don't know what's going on. You feel out of control when you're not with them. You miss them but you feel pained just thinking about forcing them to be with you if they reject you..." I hung my head low as I spoke, I thought I would falter and stutter, but I didn't. The words slipped out of my mouth as smooth as butter.

He was speechless, I was relieved because I didn't want to hear what he had to say yet, I wasn't prepared. I don't know if he noticed my insinuated confession.

"Hinata..."

We looked into each other's eyes once more, both of us had tears rolling down our cheeks and we didn't even know it.

"Y-yes?"

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

The moment I heard those words sent a shock up my finger tips, and through my joints. I stared at him in disbelief,

"You're falling for me?!" I desperately held his hands in mine, my hope summoning more tears than my eyes could handle, so they poured non-stop.

A slight blush stained his cheeks, eyes wide, lips parted in a look of surprise over his realization.

"Yes. I am-" But I didn't let him finish answering, because my lips were on his in an instant.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, he held my petite waist with both hands. We stayed still like that. Our lips still touching, just taking in each other's scent and enjoying the electrifying feeling of it all.

We pulled away, almost at the same time, and he caressed my cheek. It was as if he was admiring me from a brand new perspective. I guess it was the first time he gazed at someone with love in his mind. Returning his loving gesture, I caressed the whisker marks on his cheek and kissed it, rubbing my thumb over it tenderly. His hand gently rested on mine, closing his eyes, savoring the moment just as I did.

"I can say that you're officially my girlfriend?" He asked, eyes still closed, with the most serene look upon his boyish features.

"Y-yes." I could feel a swarm of butterflies spreading from a tight ball at the pit of my stomach all the way up my chest, leaving a warm feeling around my heart.

We smiled, holding hands tighter than ever, and stood up. He offered to take me for a boat ride around the lake, which to my surprise was nothing to him, as his arm strength was more than enough to paddle us out into the middle of the lake.

"The water looks so nice..." I said, poking my hand in, only to take it back the second I came in contact with its freezing temperature.
He chuckled, "Yeah, I can't wait to come for a swim during the summer."

"How long has it been since you came with your parents?"

"Years. Since I was ten, basically. They always figured an excuse to not come." He didn't sound as upset as he did earlier, thankfully.

"Don't worry. I'll come here with you as many times as you want." I placed my hand over his now that he had stopped paddling.

He giggled like a little boy receiving a new toy and it made me smile from ear to ear. It made me ecstatic to know I could make him happy, to see him feel just fine after talking about something that hurt him.

"Now that we're officially dating, and that you have seen my special place, I'd like to take you somewhere else. Now, don't laugh, but I've always wanted to do this with a girl I really liked. Sakura never showed interest in it, so I never tried with her, but I know you would love it." He beamed, a sparkle in his eyes that told me just how much this meant to him. I nodded, letting him know I was listening. He scratched his neck, a red tint to his cheeks as he spoke sheepishly. "There's this amusement park on the outskirts of town, near a couple of farms. It's quite old, but that's its aesthetic. I remember my parents taking me there for my seventh birthday, but I've never gonna back since. I'd love to take you there."

I furiously nodded, the heat that covered my face was reaching my neck and I was completely red, "Th-That's so sweet of you, Naruto! Of course I want to go!"

"Then it's settled! Tomorrow we'll have a whole day together. Just us two."