Beyond The Stars

#15: Things Are Heading The Wrong Way As Usual

"Oi yoi, Hina! I got the day free today, believe it! So why are you ignoring me?!" Naruto shouted from a couple feet away.

It has been 3 days since I had confessed. Since I has spilled the beans. Since I had let the cat out of the bag. Since I had---

Yeah I'll stop there.

I wasn't ignoring Naruto, I simply was not paying attention to him.

It's been days since his last free day, he hardly gets any. So I shouldn't be not-paying-attention to him.

But...but I had let what Sakura said to me the other night get to my head.

"Naruto likes you, baka."

Like I can't believe she called me a baka!

Oh, who am I kidding?

I mean it obviously wasn't true, but that's all I could think about whenever I saw Naruto during the day.

He'd always give me one of those boyish head nods before grinning at me.

It was cute.

Whoa whoa whoa-- I did not just think that.

Oh yes you did!

I can't possibly believe that Naruto Uzumaki was cute!

...or could I?

"Jeez Louise, Hina! How are you so fast, even at walking?!" He complained as soon as he caught up to me.

"I only stopped because the sign said 'Stop'." I crossed my arms, getting confused because Naruto burst out laughing.

"Oh Hinata," he slung him arm over my shoulders, and off shiver running down my spine as he did, "this is a dead end, believe it."

His breath tickled my neck as he rested his sharp chin onto my right shoulder, much like he did when we had first met, and his hold on me tightened.

I was about to shrug him off when I accidentally turned my head.

Wrong. Move.

I hadn't realized Naruto was that close so that our noses would be touching.

We were only a few inches apart, and I was so sure that he could hear my heart pounding away in my chest.

Because I could.

Really, what was going on here?!

"Hey..." He spoke softly, something that I didn't want him to do.

I actually really wanted him to freak out and move away, but he didn't.

Not a single move.

"Hi?" I made an awkward face, not sure why I wasn't moving either.

I mean, he had his arm around me, I was crossing my arms and now we're evading each other's space.

It was kind of comfortable---in a weird, retarded way.