Seven Days

DAY FIVE AFTERNOON

DAY FIVE AFTERNOON

I stared at the soulless eyes of one Neji Hyuga. Uncle Hiashi had a sudden business dinner and he took Hinata and Hanabi with him; something about introducing them to his business partners. So, Hyuga and I were left alone in the mansion.

It would have been fine if I just went home. But uncle Hiashi made Hyuga promise to take me home himself, as an apology for cutting my time short with Hinata. I declined obviously but uncle wouldn't have it any other way. So now, we were standing by the door. I was glaring at him while we waited for the chauffeur to bring the car around.

I was in a turmoil. There were feelings inside of me surfacing that I could not understand. And it's making me crazy. I know Neji Hyuga was innocent yet I could not help but direct my anger at myself to him.

Well, he might not be innocent since those weird feelings happened around him.

My anger towards him is justified.

Right?

Hyuga sighed as he turned away from me. "What is it this time?" he asked, obviously exasperated.

I gave him a humped as I crossed my arms over my chest, turning away from him. The car came around. Hyuga stepped towards it and opened the door before he signaled for me to get in first. I got into the car still in my mood. The Hyuga sat down beside me with another sigh.

"What's your problem?" I barked at him.

He turned to me so fast I was shocked he hadn't given himself a whiplash. He looked both offended and like I had just lost my mind. "You're the one that's in a weird mood, lady. Don't shift the blame on me,"

"I am not!" I answered, a bit defensive because I knew he was right.

I heard a soft chuckle and I turned towards the driver. I scrunched up my face at him before I closed the window separating us from him. I then crossed my arms over my chest as I returned my glare to the man sitting beside me.

"Just seeing your face makes my blood boil," I stated.

The Hyuga's usually pristine face morphed into a very angry expression. "The feeling is mutual," he snarled. "Before meeting you my life was relatively quiet!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "First of all, that's boring. Secondly, why is that my fault? You just keep blaming me for all your problems,"

"And how is it not your fault? Hinata was soft-spoken before she met you. Now she laughs out loud. You come into the mansion and turn it upside down with all your weird quirks,"

I had to let out an indignant laugh at his statement. "How is Hinata laughing out loud a bad thing? It just means she's finally relaxing into herself. Besides, it was you who decided to hate me with all your might without even trying to know me!"

"What are you talking about?" he looked genuinely clueless and that made me madder.

It was like he was saying I didn't even matter enough to garner hate.

I don't know myself anymore.

I hated the thought of him despising me. Yet. . . It hurts to think that he thought less of me than what I initially believed. I felt tears blurring my sight and Hyuga's eyes widened in obvious panic. He stretched out a hand to reach for me but I slapped his hand away.

"I may be loud and childish, Hyuga, but I've never been dumb. I saw how you looked at me that very first time we met," I started, my voice shockingly calm. "Those look in your eyes–like I was some bug not worthy of breathing the same air,"

"Wait–that's. . . That's a misunderstanding," he interrupted reaching for me again but I flinched away from him.

I gave him a bitter laugh. "I heard you talking to Hanabi, Hyuga," I added and his eyes widened again as he realized what I was talking about. "Rest assure, I've hated you just as much since then,"

I gulped down the rest of the words I wanted to say as I wiped my tears dry, not allowing my tears to fall. I clicked the intercom that would allow me to talk to the driver.

"Stop the car, please,"

The car came to a slow stop and I opened the door, leaving a speechless Hyuga behind me. Normally, I would have rejoiced at rendering such a narcissistic man at a loss for words but not at the moment.

All I felt was a stabbing pain in my chest. So torturous all I wanted was to cry.

"I don't know what he sees in you," a voice kicked me out of my own thoughts.

I stopped and turned to look at the direction of where it had come from. There were three girls. I had no idea who they were but I was pretty sure they went to Konoha High too. They were a bit familiar.

The woman on the right chuckled. "It seems like they are fighting though. So dramatic exiting the car like that. And so close to crying!"

I furrowed my brows at them as I glanced back at the highway. Then I remembered all those times I felt like someone was watching me. "Are you stalking me?"

"We just could not understand why he would choose you," the one on the left added. "Is it your face? Is that his type?"

They all started laughing. And then the woman in the middle stared at me. "What is there to like?" She gave me a look from head to toe and when she met my eyes, she looked a bit deranged. "If he likes your face so much, should I destroy it?"

She finished her sentence with a huge grin. As if what she had just said was not crazy at all. I took a step back, away from them.

"I have no time for this," I snarled. "If you have something to say to Hyuga go to him,"

I turned to leave. I wasn't in any mood to argue with people who obviously would not be able to see reason. Besides, as an athlete, I cannot be seen arguing in the streets. I have my reputation to think about. And one wrong decision can cause me my spot in the tournaments.

As I was leaving though, the girls called me back. We were in a fairly crowded place. I had to somehow appease them so that they wouldn't make a scene. So I decided that humoring them first was the best course of action. With a sigh, I stopped and turned around. As long as I deescalate the situation and not make it worse, it would be fine.

That was the last thought in my mind before I saw a glass bottle heading towards my head.