Hinata woke up with a surreal lack of messages. It was a light feeling she wasn't expecting.

She rolled over, holding her phone to her chest as she looked at the ceiling. She appreciated everything Sasuke had done for her yesterday. Even on the ride on his bike, he made her comfortable going at a reasonable speed to make her feel safe on the open-air death trap.

Hinata got up out of bed and headed to the kitchen as she opened her phone to find a lone message from Sasuke. A screenshot of a movie coming out in a few weeks that looked awful.

She smiled and started to message him back when Neji came to the other side of the counter.

"Hinata." Neji frowned at her, looking up from his phone. "Were you…?" He paused, unsure. "Did you get on a motorcycle with Sasuke Uchiha?" Hinata gaped at him. One of them tattled on her. "Hinata?"

"He drove me home," Did he only just open the message, or had they messaged him this morning instead of right when the incident happened?

"Why did you block your friends?" Neji continued his questioning. Was there a way that she couldn't explain without explaining? He wasn't going to understand. "You're hanging out with Uchiha but avoiding your friends. What is happening?"

Hinata leaned on the counter. "I… I don't want to explain my friendships."

"They are saying you went out to a movie with him." Neji pressed.

"It wasn't a date." Hinata clarified, knowing what he was thinking.

Unfortunately, by telling him it wasn't a date, she was also confirming that she was there with him and it wasn't just a misunderstanding. "What is it, then?"

"We have been going to see bad movies on the weekends. We both enjoy just sitting there with each other and making fun of a movie. That's all, really. Just watch a movie, talk about it, and pick another movie." Hinata explained. "It's just a hobby."

"A hobby that is watching movies with a boy," Neji said in an accusing tone.

"You didn't have a problem when I saw movies with Kiba and Shino." Hinata reminded him.

Neji faltered. "That's different."

"No, it's not." Hinata frowned.

Neji tried again. "This is Sasuke Uchiha, the playboy…"

"He never flirts with girls." Hinata corrected him. "He actively avoids them."

"Bad-tempered…"

"He just says what he thinks when he thinks it." Hinata corrected him again.

"He's from our rival family!" Neji snapped.

"We are just sharing a hobby, not talking about business," Hinata told him. "I'm not avoiding my old friends because I got a new one. I got a new friend because I couldn't stay friends with my old ones."

"You couldn't have picked someone else?" Neji whined in defeat before he realized what she had said. "Wait, what do you mean can't stay friends with them?"

"It's nothing you need to know about," Hinata told him firmly. "It's done. There is no fixing it."

"Hinata…" Neji started.

"No! It's done!" Hinata didn't want anyone else trying to convinceher that she was wrong.

Neji blinked at her out burst.

"Please let me have the friends I want." Hinata went back to her bedroom, closed the door, and collapsed on the bed.

Did she tell Sasuke?

Hinata wiped her eyes as she started to feel tears. She picked out a rain day cloud charm and sent a picture of it to Sasuke. 'Neji found out.' Was it okay? Their relationship wasn't one for him to listen to her problems.

'You still coming on Saturday?' Sasuke sent back.

'Yeah,' Unless her father found out, which might be the next step. This was getting ridiculous. It was unlikely the Neji was going to tell him. He knew better than to tell on her, even if he thought that he was protecting her. Her father could be worse than anything that he thought she was doing.

'Need a ride?' Sasuke sent a picture of his bike.

Hinata didn't even hesitate. 'Yes.' She grabbed a sweater and headed out to put her shoes on.

'Be there in a few. I'll park around the corner.' Sasuke messaged back.

"Where are you going?" Neji was used to hiding in her bedroom when she was upset.

"Out." Hinata puffed at him. Neji opened his mouth, but he said nothing. She felt a little bad for the snipped answer. "I'll have my phone." She showed it to him before taking it and her wallet and putting them in her bag.

She headed around the corner, where Sasuke was waiting, leaning against his bike. He didn't say anything. He just handed her a helmet and climbed on. She was glad he didn't want to talk about it.

Sasuke stretched his legs out as they sat on the bench in the park with his bike parked nearby and convenience store snacks in hand.

Hinata was looking much better. A good ride could get you out of a bad mood.

"Thank you." Hinata hummed into her drink.

Sasuke shrugged. He liked having her around. She was much calmer than his usual crowd and put up with his negative humor. She deserved a ride or two when she felt under the weather.

Hinata leaned back, looking at the light coming through the gaps in the leaves from the tree above them. She lifted her hand to shift in the light with a content expression on her face, enjoying her moment. Another emotional painting.

"What made you come on the first day?" Maybe he shouldn't have said anything.

"Honestly…" Hinata pulled her knees up to her chest, curling herself around them and laying her head down to look at him. "I wanted a distraction. And… I kept coming because I liked your company."

Sasuke stared at her as his face and chest became warm.

Hinata closed her eyes. "You're a welcome distraction."

That may have been the most attractive thing a woman had ever said to him.

Sasuke shouldn't have, but he leaned forward.

Hinata's eyes shot open. Her hand flew to her cheek. Sasuke retracted and looked away. She couldn't have imagined that. He kissed her cheek. Her heart raced, and her cheeks burned.

No, she must have imagined it. … Right? She sat up to control her breathing. What did she do? How was she to respond to that!?

Sasuke cleared his throat. "Good distraction?" Hinata gapped at him, and his blooming blush. She couldn't tell if it was meant as a friendly joke or not. She knew Sasuke wasn't one to be a flirt. "Should I apologize?"

Hinata shook her head.

"Good." Sasuke hummed, laying his head back and closing his eyes, letting the sun hit his face.

Hinata made a decision, and before she could overthink it, she stood up. Sasuke peeked at her as she leaned over his height.

Sasuke hadn't expected her to be so bold. Shrivel up and blush. That is what he expected. Through hooded eyes, he could see her eyes squeezed shut, but the kiss she offered was gentle. He let his eyes slide back close. He lifted a hand to her hip and pulled her forward until she had to brace her arm on him to not fall.

When Hinata broke the kiss, she only backed up a hair, eyes still closed, cheeks red. She was second-guessing it.

Sasuke pulled his other hand up behind her head to tell her she shouldn't.

"Hinata?!" They both flinched as they broke apart. Sasuke tightened his grip on her hip as she stumbled. She made fists in his shirt, showing her nerves.

Hinata whimpered as Kiba crossed the street. "No…"

They didn't have enough time to get on his bike and leave. They were going to have to deal with this one.

Sasuke got up, putting himself in front of her. If he got hit, he didn't want her in between.

Hinata didn't let him. She was in front of him with her hands on Kiba's chest before he could get close enough. "Kiba, please."

After a brief failed struggle to get past her, he turned his aggression toward her. "What the hell has been with you!?" Kiba barked in her face. "You throw a tantrum, cut us off, so you can go make out with Sasuke Uchiha!?"

"No!" Hinata pushed back on Kiba, but only enough to keep him from advancing. "This is not about us!"

"So what, you didn't like your friends, so you want to go hooking up?" Kiba accused. "Is that the 'real honest' you?"

"Hey." Sasuke snapped. "Watch it."

Kiba switched his target again, trying to push past her.

"Kiba!" Hinata shoved back with her full arm, and he fell back. She got his attention back. "This!" She yelled. "This is what my 'tantrum' was about."

Kiba gapped at her.

"It's never about my decisions! I'm always wrong to you! I'm not allowed, new friends?! I'm not allowed to not text back?! If I kiss someone, I'm a whore?!" Hinata's voice cracked. "You are overanalyzing me! I didn't lie. You just don't look at what you are doing!"

"Hinata, I didn't mean..." Kiba stammered.

"Yes, you did!" Hinata screeched. "And Shino wouldn't argue with you. He might tell you to stop, but he won't tell you that you're wrong. I'm sick of it. I don't want it anymore."

"But..." Kiba tried.

"No!" Hinata cried. "I'm done. Stop calling me. Stop looking for me. Stop tattle-tailing on me. I don't belong to you!"

Sasuke hesitantly took hold of her arm. He could watch her rage at the idiot all day, but she was going to feel bad about it later.

Kiba had the good sense to look ashamed, but it was soured by bitterness. "But really, Hinata? Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He should have just kept his mouth shut.

Hinata didn't. "Yes! He's nice, he's funny, he doesn't treat me like a child. He doesn't act as if he owns me." She lost all the fire as she continued.

Okay. He needed to get her out of here.

Sasuke tugged on her arm. "Come on."

"Stay out of this," Kiba growled, getting up.

"I want another ride." Hinata locked eyes with Sasuke. He nodded.

She was going to break.

Sasuke grabbed their helmets and headed for the bike.

"Your dad's not going to let you date Sasuke Uchiha," Kiba yelled after her.

"Then keep your mouth shut," Sasuke called back.

Hinata got on the bike, and he took off.