Beautiful Stranger
The first time she saw him, he was wearing a leather jacket and dark jeans, his spiky black hair was wet and messy, and he dismounted the motorcycle gracefully. She watched carefully as he walked toward a small group of friends, a corner smile playing on his thin lips, and he moved like a lazy cat.
Hinata felt her heart skip a beat. She didn't believe in love at first sight, but seeing that man there had put her convictions in doubt. He wasn't the type of guy she usually got involved with; she knew that just by looking at him. And she doubted the stranger would notice her anyway.
— What are you looking at? — Temari's voice woke her from her trance, and she almost jumped in fright. Her friend's green eyes lifted in the same direction as hers. — Are you looking at Uchiha Sasuke?
— M-me? Wait, looking at who? — she stumbled over her words, feeling her cheeks blush. — I wasn't! — she lied.
— Uh-huh, you don't fool me, Hina, especially when you blush like that. That always gives you away! — she teased playfully, Hinata pouted. — But I don't blame you, Sasuke is a piece of bad news.
— You know him? — she asked, curious.
She had just left the bookstore that faced a park where people often gathered to chat or play sports. There was a parking lot right in front, which was where this Sasuke had parked his motorcycle and was talking with other guys. She had made plans with Temari to go to the movies that afternoon.
— Around. — Temari shrugged and started walking along the sidewalk, followed by the Hyuuga seconds later. She continued talking as soon as the brunette matched her steps: — He's friends with my younger brother, he shows up at home now and then.
— Hmm — Hinata murmured, thoughtful.
— I know he's a total hottie, but I'd stay away from him if I were you — she advised without stopping walking. The movie theater was only a few blocks away. The brunette didn't need to ask why for her to explain: — Sasuke is the type of guy who likes to have fun around, if you fall for him it'll be like shooting yourself in the foot.
The owner of the pearl orbs laughed at Temari's comment. Sure, she wasn't wrong in thinking that Hinata would want more than a casual fling; unfortunately, she had always been the type of person who got attached easily to things, and that included people. But once in a while, she felt like living an adventure. She sighed and took one last look back, even knowing she couldn't see Sasuke and his group of friends anymore.
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Life was kind of funny sometimes, huh?
Hinata had followed Temari's advice and tried her best to stay away from the famous bad boy Uchiha Sasuke. Although she saw him around the college campus now and then, she always limited herself to just watching him from afar. She caught herself fantasizing about him in not-so-decent moments, and it wasn't like she felt proud of it — because she really didn't, it was more like embarrassed, considering she had even woken up wet from erotic dreams involving him.
But as they say... Life was kind of funny sometimes, huh?
Because of all the places Hyuuga Hinata could run into Uchiha Sasuke, she never imagined it would be at a concert of her favorite band. Luckily, she had managed to buy a ticket from someone who had given up going — maybe she had never been so happy about someone else's sadness, but who could blame her? — and it only got better because it was a ticket for the VIP area! From there she had a great view of the band playing the metal she loved!
After jumping a lot and singing along with the band at the top of her lungs and sweating a lot, she went to get a bottle of water at the VIP area's open bar. She thanked them as soon as she received the water and drank it all in quick gulps.
— I'd take it slower if I were you. — Sasuke's voice came suddenly, and she almost choked in surprise. She coughed a few times and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand to clean the water that had spilled. — Looks like I scared you.
Hinata looked at him with wide eyes in surprise. Sasuke was leaning on the bar, wearing a black tank top with the band's design, the shirt showed off his muscular arms covered in tattoos. That corner smile that didn't show his teeth played on his lips, and he seemed amused by something she didn't understand. His hair was messier than the last time Hinata had seen him, and he wore a gold earring in one ear.
It was as if her panties got wet instantly.
It wasn't from sweat.
He looked even hotter all sweaty like that.
She bit her lower lip. Sasuke was still standing right in front of her, waiting for an answer.
— You appeared suddenly, I wasn't expecting it — she justified the scare. — And it's just water.
— I know, Hinata — he said. She felt a shiver when he called her by her first name without any suffix.
— You know my name... How? — She tilted her head to the side, confused.
He smiled at her in an almost immoral way. He approached her along the bar counter, Hinata had to lift her head to look him in the eyes. She almost regretted doing so, because in that position his face was very close to hers. His breath smelled of mint, his perfume burned her nostrils, it seemed like fresh sage in winter. She felt the blush spread across her face, her body froze, as if someone had glued her feet to the floor.
— You're not the only one who watches when you think no one is looking. — Sasuke twirled a strand of her hair around his index finger and blew on her face gently. — See you around.
He moved away from her then, the smile was still there when Hinata watched him leave. Her whole body was trembling, and she let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her face was still warm, the blush had spread to her neck and ears.
God, why did Uchiha Sasuke have to be so handsome?
She left the concert minutes later, her legs still trembling and her heart beating completely out of rhythm.
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Hyuuga Hinata was completely lost.
Seriously, she really was lost, crazy. She had realized this the minute she could no longer get that damn Uchiha Sasuke out of her head. Now that she was aware that he knew she was watching him more than she should, she wanted to stick her head in a hole in the ground and disappear completely.
Come on! She had eyes, appreciating didn't hurt, did it?
So why did she feel so embarrassed about being caught red-handed?
She sighed, resigned. That night there was a party at her cousin Neji's apartment, and she felt obliged to go. Unlike her, the Hyuuga was almost graduating from college and was celebrating his last semester with some friends. She thought it was amazing that he had become more sociable over the years, and hoped that would happen to herself too.
She sipped her green apple drink and leaned on the edge of the balcony railing. The night had just begun, but the sky was already full of stars, and she admired them, happy. She was there, alone, on the balcony, enjoying the night breeze and her own company. Hinata had long since gotten used to solitude, and it wasn't in a sad or bad way, it was more like independence and not always waiting for others to do what she liked.
She heard the sound of the balcony door opening and didn't bother to see who it was. It was common for young people to go out there to smoke or get some air. She continued immersed in her own thoughts until she saw someone's shadow and felt the warmth of a body close to hers.
— Hey — Sasuke greeted her.
There was still a safe distance between them, the Uchiha held a long neck beer in one hand and rested the other arm on the edge of the railing, turning sideways to look at her face. She pulled her arms close to her body, still holding the glass with the drink with both hands.
— Good evening — she wished back, awkwardly. She bit her lower lip not knowing what to say now. Until something came to her mind: — Are you friends with nii-san?
— Something like that. — He shrugged and then took a sip of his beer. — But then, I wanted to know when you're going to stop avoiding me.
The pearl eyes turned to his dark ones. Hinata would never stop finding it impressive how attractive he was. How could she resist when he always wore those dark clothes, the tank top that showed off his tattooed arms, the spiky black hair, eyes as dark as a starless night. She felt as if she was about to jump off a cliff, because she knew that once she dove into Sasuke, she would be unable to come back. It would be a one-way path.
She felt stupid for wanting to hand over her heart so willingly for him to break.
Because Hyuuga Hinata was the typical, cliché, damn good girl. And him? Well, he was...
— You're going to break my heart — Hinata murmured very low, she even doubted if he had heard her.
— How do you know? — he asked. The sly smile was no longer there, now he was serious, too serious.
— I know you will, just look at me and look at you.
His eyes looked at her clinically, analyzing her completely. Unlike him, she wore a white floral dress that went to the middle of her chubby thighs. Her hair was tied in a beautiful updo: part pinned on top of her head and the rest of the strands loose on her pale shoulders. She wore no makeup besides pink lipstick.
Sasuke found it amusing how she blushed when he did exactly what she had asked.
— So you're going to want to live forever in doubt? — the Uchiha asked, finally, after several seconds of silence.
Hinata lowered her gaze to her own feet and thought for a moment. Then she faced him again, he had one eyebrow arched, waiting for an answer.
— No. I don't want to.
This time he smiled, just that way that made her legs weak and her heart skip a beat.
— Do you want to get out of here?
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The first time he saw her, she was running with a box of books in her arms. He still remembered it was the day of the freshman reception, and Hinata was wearing jean shorts and a loose white blouse that was too big for her. Her hair was loose and flew as she ran, hurried.
From afar, Sasuke watched her climb the stairs leading to the library building. She was graceful, he admitted, beautiful too beautiful. He didn't believe in that love at first sight stuff and blah blah blah, all that was nonsense, just foolishness.
But the damn girl was beautiful like an angel. He was leaning on his motorcycle in the parking lot when Gaara approached, and as if reading his thoughts, said:
— That's Neji's cousin — he said. — Her name is Hinata.
— Hm — Sasuke grunted in response, making it seem like he wasn't as interested as he really was. Actually, her being related to Neji was a problem, they kind of had a rule among them about not dating or hooking up with siblings and stuff. — How do you know?
— I asked my sister. And just look, because that's the only thing you'll be able to do — Gaara teased him in a mocking tone.
Sasuke rolled his eyes and got on the motorcycle. He said goodbye to his friend with a nod and left.
Well, things would have been pretty easy. He could stay away from her and continue appreciating the magnificent beauty of the stranger, if it weren't for the small detail of having caught her watching him back more than a couple of times.
He said to hell with it all, fuck Neji, fuck everything.
It had become inevitable to watch her. Sasuke found it funny how Hinata always bit her lower lip and averted her eyes when she was embarrassed about something, or how she bit the tip of her pen when she was distracted and puffed her cheeks when she didn't understand something.
And the result of so much observation was right there in front of him.
Her small bare feet walked on the beach sand, and he followed