Forbidden Attraction

Chapter 17: A Watery Surprise

Hinata whispered to Sakura, "I told him that I only see him as a friend, and he said he understood and needed time to clear his head."

Sakura looked straight into Hinata's eyes and asked, "So you're saying you don't have any romantic feelings for him? Hinata nodded in agreement.

"Hey, it's alright," Sakura reassured her friend. "We all go through these things, and it's better to know sooner rather than later. I'm proud of you for being honest with him and with yourself." Sakura pulled Hinata into a warm embrace, holding her tightly. "You'll find someone who truly deserves you, Hinata. Someone who will love and cherish you for who you are."

Hinata smiled at Sakura's words and returned the hug. "Thank you, Sakura. Your support means a lot to me," she said, feeling grateful for having such a good friend by her side.

Sakura pulled back and looked at Hinata with a grin. "Hey, let's forget about this for now and go get some ice cream! My treat!" she exclaimed, taking Hinata's hand and leading her towards the door.

Hinata couldn't help but laugh at Sakura's enthusiasm. "Alright, alright. But can we make it green tea flavor?" she asked, walking with her friend out of the door and into the bright sunlight. As they walked towards the ice cream shop, Hinata felt a sense of relief wash over her.

The two friends strolled down the sunlit streets, the weight of Hinata's recent emotional turmoil gradually lifting with each step. The prospect of enjoying green tea ice cream with Sakura was a welcome distraction. As they reached the quaint little ice cream parlor, its colorful signage and cheerful ambiance invited them inside.

Sakura walked up to the counter, a twinkle of excitement in her eyes. "Two scoops of green tea, please!" she ordered.

The friendly ice cream server nodded and started scooping the vibrant, creamy dessert into crisp waffle cones. As she handed them to Sakura, she noticed Hinata and greeted her with a warm smile. "Good choice! Green tea is my personal favorite."

Hinata smiled back, feeling a sense of camaraderie with the server. "It's the best," she agreed.

With their ice creams in hand, Sakura led Hinata to a cozy corner booth bathed in soft, filtered sunlight. They settled in, and for a moment, the only sounds were the clinking of spoons against waffle cones and the gentle hum of the parlor's cheerful background music.

As they savored the soothing green tea flavor, Sakura couldn't help but break the silence. "You know, Hinata, it takes a lot of courage to confront your feelings like you did. It's a crucial step in finding the right person."

Hinata nodded, her gaze drifting to the tabletop. "I just hope he can find happiness too."

Sakura reached out and gently squeezed her friend's hand. "He will. And you will too. These things take time, and it's all part of the journey."

𝌀☯𝌀

After getting Ice Cream with Sakura, Hinata sat on her couch staring at nothing in particular she felt like crying but why? She realized didn't like him more than a friend. Kissing him just felt weird, unnatural. She looked at mochi who was pawing at the bathroom door where her litter box was. Hinata got up with a sigh and opened the door letting mochi in. She goes to the sink deciding to wash her face. Turning the faucet she notices no water come out. She tried turning on the kitchen sink and the shower multiple times, but nothing was coming out. Did she forget to pay her water bill? She ran to her mail to check. No water bill. Shoot. She wanted to take a shower later tonight since she had school tomorrow. Frustrated, she dialed the number for apartment maintenance.

"Good afternoon, this is apartment maintenance. How can I assist you?" the voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Hi, um, my water isn't working," Hinata said quietly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Have you checked your building's water valve?" the maintenance worker asked.

Hinata hadn't thought to check the valve, so she thanked the worker and quickly checked. However, that didn't solve the problem.

"Okay, it looks like there may be an issue with the building's water supply on the 6th level. We'll need to call a plumber to come out and take a look." the worker informed her.

Hinata's heart sank. She didn't want to go without water for that long, but she didn't know what to do. "Uh, okay, thank you," she said before hanging up.

Nervously, Hinata grabbed a bag with some clothes and a towel, hoping that Uchiha-san would let her shower at his place. After all, Sakura was still there, so it shouldn't be an issue, right? She took a deep breath before leaving her apartment.

𝌀☯𝌀

Sakura lounged on Sasuke's couch, scrolling through her social media, idly wondering what was taking him so long to get back from the store. Her musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. She got up to answer it and was greeted by a nervous-looking Hinata.

"Hey, Hinata! What's up? Still need some girl time?" Sakura asked with a warm smile.

Hinata shuffled her feet and hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up. "A-actually, my water is out...I was wondering if I could shower here."

Sakura's smile turned sympathetic. "Oh no, that's terrible! Of course you can use the shower. Sasuke's not here right now, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it."

She led Hinata to the bathroom, gesturing to the towels and other amenities that were available for her to use. "I'll just be out here if you need me," she said, giving Hinata a reassuring smile before heading back to the living room to give her some privacy.

Hinata turned the shower knob and listened to the sound of the water splashing against the tiles. She hesitantly slipped out of her clothes, folded them neatly, and placed them on the bathroom counter. She reached into her bag and pulled out a fresh set of clothes before stowing away her old ones. After checking the water temperature, she stepped into the shower, feeling the warm droplets wash away the dirt and sweat from her skin. She closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh, enjoying the feeling of the water cascading over her body.

"Mom, really? I'm almost 18. Plus, I told you..." Sakura whined into the phone. She paced the living room while biting her thumbnail, listening to her mom yell on the other end. "Mom, please. Ugh." She eventually hung up the phone, feeling exasperated.

She quickly sent a text message to Sasuke informing him about Hinata's presence and her sudden departure. "Hey Hinata! I have to go, my mom's being difficult. I just messaged Sasuke, so he knows you're here. Sorry about this," Sakura apologized as she gathered her belongings and hurriedly left the apartment, feeling guilty for leaving Hinata.

As Hinata was rinsing her hair, she was completely oblivious to any external noise as the sound of the shower drowned out everything else. She lathered the bar of soap and gently scrubbed her body clean, enjoying the warm water cascading down her skin. Once she was done, she turned off the water and carefully stepped out of the shower.

As she reached for her towel, she heard a voice, "Sak-". But before Sasuke could finish, he realized it wasn't Sakura. Hinata was in front of him, staring at him wide-eyed with surprise. She gasped, as her face turned red with embarrassment. She let out a loud scream. Hinata's nerves got the best of her, and she ended up slipping on the wet floor, landing hard on her backside with her legs spread wide open. Sasuke slowly closes the door. "P-P-Pervert!!!" Hinata yelled.