She Holds the Cards |SasuHina|

Part I: The Story Without a Protagonist

#1 came freshman year.

Presented to her with orange leaves floating around her, #1 was given to her by her friend and neighbor Kiba Inuzuka.

"Can you give this to Ino for me?"

Well, just because it was presented to her didn't necessarily mean that it was meant for her.

...

Come to my car real quick. -Kiba

Zipping up her peach backpack, Hinata felt like her heart would get stuck in her throat upon reading the text. His car? she thought, tilting her head slightly to let her bangs sweep along her forehead and out of her eyes, allowing her to have a clear view of the nearly empty classroom. Did he run out of gas again?

She rubbed her thumb against the screen of her phone, pondered, worried like she often did, and then marched out of the classroom just as the final bell of school rang. The hallways were full of students who sprung to life upon the end of school, and she had to hug the wall to avoid bumping into anyone. Scrolling through her contacts, she hoped that Kiba didn't need immediate help. It would take her a bit to get to the parking lot at this rate.

But five minutes and still no call or text from her friend, Hinata stumbled out of the building. She adjusted her backpack, made sure her purse was securely hung over her shoulder, and made her way to the freshman parking area. The entire place was swarming as students raced against the clock to avoid the after-school traffic. Hinata zagged through the cars, thumb finally finding Neji's number, and she would have called it if she had not come upon Kiba's obnoxiously red Jeep Wrangler.

He was there, leaning against the door with his hands stuffed into the front pocket of his hoodie. A bit of a somber frown was on his lips. Hinata felt her nerves spike. "O-Oh, Kiba!" she called, rushing over. Her friend looked up and saw her, frown disappearing behind a wide grin. But she was not fooled. His usual, enthusiastic greetings were nowhere to be found — something must have happened. "Are y-you l-low on gas again? Should I-I call N-Neji? I have h-his number right here if —"

"Actually, Hinata." He leaned forward a bit to scratch the back of his head. "I have something to give you."

Give? That's it?

She pushed her phone in her pocket, confused.

Then what was with the . . .

Squinting slightly, Hinata looked closely at her friend. Wait. Was . . .

Was he blushing?

Suddenly, she became very aware of everything. The rush was gone, leaving the freshman area relatively empty. In other words, they were alone — together. And he was blushing and he was a boy and she was a girl and they were friends and she had seen this a million times before! This is how it was in mangas, right before the childhood best friend confessed his love to . . . to . . .

Oh dear.

And the fact that he refused to look at her didn't help.

Clearing his throat, Kiba pulled out his remaining hand from his pocket, revealing a white envelope. Hinata felt the sun beat down on her and the asphalt pull her in, and she was nervous and confused and unsure, and this — this couldn't be happening! He was Kiba! Kiba didn't . . . he never saw her as . . .

Feeling faint, Hinata wanted nothing more than to disappear, but then —

He said something about Ino.

"H-Huh?" She blinked up at him, trying to meet his gaze, which he stubbornly avoided. Wait. She eyed the envelope and the red, glittery heart stickers that were plastered randomly on its back. What? "You want me . . . t-to give this . . . to I-Ino?"