Songs: Shark in the Water - V.V. Brown
Misguided Ghosts - Paramore
Oopsy Daisy - Chipmunk
Pretty Fly (For a White Guy) - The Offspring
In Your Eyes - Kylie Minogue
Not Fair - Lilly Allen
I Can't Do This - Plumb

Chapter 2

She couldn't forget his face. The way he looked. The expressions he made while looking at her nearly nude form, covered only by the short-lengthed robe. It excited her and had her heart race each time she remembered. Her imagination was getting bolder with each fantasy and she felt herself sink deeper each time. Her love for Naruto was getting muddled over with thoughts and impulses that had her glowing red each time.

She knew, as a maturing young woman, it could only be natural. And she knew it was only normal to think such things about the one she loved. But she couldn't bring herself quite yet to accept that she had reached that stage in maturity - where lust started brewing.

It seemed extremely misguided to her - to the easily-shamed part of her - that with maturity came things so seemingly immature. Things like lust. And yet she felt it. Growing and growing from deep within, persuading her with endless temptation and impulses. Impulses that became increasingly worse than something like dropping her robe.

It didn't help that Naruto avoided her like the plague. It would never help. She knew - knew - it had to be that he was just incredibly embarrassed. Possibly even more than her. As she wasn't exactly mortified anymore by what had happened. In fact, sometimes, she would even wish it would happen again. And end much differently.

She sighed. Even watching him from afar was difficult now. Like he had somehow developed a Hinata-radar overnight and would disappear whenever she caught sight of him. It happened every time - even when she knew there was no way he could have known she was there. And even when she knew better, she felt her heart beat uncomfortably each time it happened. As if he were rejecting her with each disappearance. Even when she knew better, she couldn't help but think otherwise.

It wasn't until a whole week passed since he walked in on her, that he finally stood his ground when he saw her. At the light pink etched onto his cheekbones, she politely matched it. She stood idly by in fear of scaring him away and let him go first.

"Hey Hinata," he grinned, lightly scratching his flushed cheek.

Her lips parted in fascination and pride. Did he just greet her as if he hadn't avoided her for a week? A part of her envied his ability to bounce back. Aside from the adorable little blush caressing his skin, she would have thought that everything a week prior to this moment all happened in her head. God bless that tiny, little blush.

"Hello, N-Naruto-kun."

His name tasted like honey as it parted her lips. It felt so good to say it out loud. She looked into his eyes, unabashed by the familiar lull in her thoughts. The calm that occurred before flooding her mind. And flood, they did, the moment he took a step closer.

Now scratching the back of his head, he spoke, "So... um," he broke their eye contact for a second, "What happened last week..," and his gaze was back, "That didn't really happen, did it?"

She duly noted that he stopped advancing the moment he got within a yard of her. The stirring sensation that bubbled in her belly at the thought that she possibly intimidated him - him, Uzumaki Naruto! - enticed her. She had never had that affect on anyone before. While she had her doubts, the thought was surprisingly attractive.

"What do you think happened, Naruto-kun?"

She was alarmed. Slightly. The voice she heard was the voice she had in her fantasies. The ones where she felt flirty and playful, her only want to be a tease.

She saw his eyes widen, ever so slightly, for a split second. From the corner of her eyes, she saw his mouth gape open and shut. As if he didn't know what to say. That was new.

"I- You- Um." She wanted to giggle, and bit her lip. "You were- I saw... Nothing!"

Suddenly, his arms were whipping furiously in front of him, as if to tell her there was nothing to see.

He laughed nervously and continued, "N-Nevermind, Hinata. Forget I said anything. Goodbye!"

She was left stupefied as Naruto turned and ran away, jumping and disappearing from sight. She blinked and tried to process what just happened.

Feeling miffed, disappointed, and somehow rejected, she recognized the strange sensation of déjà vu and silently sulked within herself.

Just as she felt the courage to interact with the object of her affections - and possibly, maybe even flirt and tease him a little - he left. For the first time - after years of trying to persuade herself to make a move - it didn't terrify her. Actually, it seemed terribly fun.

That just wasn't fair.

Note: Unf. This is too much fun.