Chapter Twenty-Nine

It had been a week since the winter formal, and as the kids of Konoha were all taking a two week long break from school, Hinata and her friends sat in her home on a Wednesday night. Hinata's birthday was at midnight, and as her girl-friends all piled into her bedroom to celebrate it with her, they purposefully tried to avoid the elephant in the room, that was Hinata's engagement.

"Don't even worry about it, Temari. I told Sasuke that I loved him first." Sakura said to her, as she told them about the conversation they had after the dance. "Neji didn't say it until he gave me my promise ring, and that was two years into the relationship."

TenTen admitted, making Temari feel a little bit better. "Are all of our boyfriends emotionally stunted?" She asked, and they all laughed. "It's the trauma. I guess I never really thought about it before, but they all have had pretty rough lives."

Ino said making them nod in agreement, making Temari ask, "Even Shikamaru?" They glanced at each other, not sure if they should say anything. "Yeah, he had an important person die in his life while we dated, and he really shut me out."

Temari nodded, "Well what did you do?" A blush came to her face, "I-I tried to be there for him, but he cheated on me, so I just gave up. We didn't talk for two months, so I don't really know if he mourned properly."

Her friend nodded, "He told me about him cheating, and I promise that I gave him an ear full about it. No one deserves that." Ino placed her hand on the sweet girl's dainty one. "Thank you, Temari. I'm glad you guys are doing better, I promise there's nothing to worry about when it comes to us. Sai has my heart."

"Oh we know." They teased, making her laugh cutely. "How did you guys meet anyways?"

She smiled brightly, and clapped her hands together in excitement. "He had just transferred, after being homeschooled his entire life." Temari nodded, "That makes everything make so much sense."

They laughed at her reaction, "I know he's socially awkward sometimes, but he's come a long ways." They all nodded in agreement, "But yeah, Sakura spent the day showing him around, and when he saw me he called me beautiful. We all laughed about it, but I was actually flattered by it. After the whole cheating thing, I just became really insecure, and with Sai he helped me work through it."

The blush on her cheeks made her friends smile at her cuteness, though they had all heard the story a million times. "But anyways, we were friends for a few months, and we just sort of happened." She said with a smile, leaving out the part where she practically saved him from himself.

Since the death of his elder brother in a terrible accident, Sai had tried to bury the accident deep within his mind, and he was convinced that he didn't remember exactly what happened, but one summer night changed that for him.

After going out with their group of friends to a party at a mutual friends cabin, Sai was heavily intoxicated, and he stupidly decided to try an LSD tab. While he experienced a horrible trip, and relived the repressed memory. Ino found him stranded in the middle of the woods, almost a mile away from the party.

He was partially naked, and bleeding from where he had clawed away at his skin, while under the impression that he was being attacked by flesh eating fish. It was a horrible sight to see, but luckily Ino got to him before he drowned himself in the body of water, just a few feet away from them.

His perception of reality had been disoriented, but when he saw Ino, she was able to bring him back to reality. They talked for over two hours in the humid summer air about what he was experiencing, and in those two hours he cried for his brother.

It broke her heart to see how broken he was, and as she caressed his tears away, while he broke down with his head resting in her lap, she realized that she wanted to do everything in her power to ensure that he never experienced a heartbreak like that ever again.

Though they had their disagreements, they were truthfully a happy couple, but as the truth had been eating away at Ino for months, she had been over compensating, and Sai noticed the way she had changed. She wanted to be everything he needed, and though she was, she feared that once she told him the truth about Shikamaru, she would no longer be everything he wanted.

"How did you and Shikamaru meet anyways?" Ino asked the girl, and she blushed at the memory. "A girl from my school was actually on a date with him, and when I ran into them at the mall he recognized me as Gaara's sister. Then the girl had to randomly leave for some emergency, so I offered to show him around Suna."

"That's so cute, Temari. I would've introduced you two sooner if I knew you were at all interested." Hinata said, "It's so weird, we've known Gaara for years, and we like never met you." Sakura said, making them all nod in agreement. "Yeah, our dad is very sexist, so when Gaara or Kankuro throw parties and such, I try to stay away, because if I were to get caught doing anything, I don't know what he'd do." She explained, making Hinata ask, "Do you mean like drinking or something?"

"Yeah, he's super strict with me, but when it comes to Kankuro and Gaara, they've always been able to practically do anything. Shika and I have been together for two months, and I haven't told him we're dating, because I know he'd make me break up with him.

He's like horrified by the thought of me having sex." They all gave her looks of empathy, "That sucks so much, Temari." She shrugged her shoulders with a small smile, "I'm a good liar, so it's not too bad." Sakura laughed before asking, "Are you still a virgin?"

A deep blush came to her face, and they waited with anticipation for her answer. Taking a deep breath she said, "Okay, don't laugh." They nodded, "I'm kind of.....scared to like." She couldn't even finish her sentence, before TenTen laughed at her demise, making her sigh deeply, and Hinata place her hand on her shoulder in a comforting way.

"You're such an ass, TenTen. That's normal, Temari." "Is it?" She asked, and Sakura asked, "Well what are you afraid of?" Another sigh left her lips, "Just everything, and I know I'm pretty, but no one has really seen me naked before."

They all nodded in understanding, "Babe, that is completely normal. In the beginning, I couldn't have sex with the lights on, I was so insecure." TenTen admitted, "I had to get high just to forget about how insecure I was." Sakura admitted, and it made her feel a little more normal. "Oh, so then it's normal? Because I felt like a huge freak."

They laughed, "No, it's completely normal. What helped me was lingerie." TenTen said, "And after a picture of me got leaked, everyone thought I was hot, so I realized it was all in my head." Sakura said with nonchalance, making Temari's eyebrows rise, "Your nudes got leaked?"

"Well kind of? We had an old friend, and she took a video of me while I was naked, and it spread like a wild fire." She explained, making Temari shake her head. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. That's so fucked up, I can't believe she'd do that to you." She nodded, "Yeah, but it's whatever, I got the guy in the long run."

"Oh, did she like Sasuke?" She nodded, "She did, and we've been together for about two months now, but she still flirts with him. I already have a short temper, and I swear it takes every bone in my body not to punch her every time I see her."

"Please do it, I've been waiting for a reason just to fucking jump her." Ino said, making Sakura laugh. "Seriously! She just bothers me." TenTen agreed, making her friends laugh.

"Well luckily I've never met her. That's so incredibly fucked up, like boys do that enough to us, and she thought it was a good idea to do that to you. I literally hate her already."

Temari said genuinely, making her friends nod in agreement. Hating the topic of conversation, Sakura smiled and said, "Enough of me, are you excited for your birthday, Hinata?"

She shrugged her shoulders, with a smile on her face. "I guess? It's not like I'm doing anything too exciting." She said, though she was excited to see her boyfriend fight in his match, before getting dinner with everyone. "Well you're eighteen, that's a big deal."

Ino said with a smile, "Why does everyone keep saying that?" She asked with a blush coming to her face, while she played with the ring around her necklace. "Because you almost didn't make it." She knew someone would say that, and frankly that's why she wasn't look forward to her birthday.

  Just a year ago, she was about to commit suicide, and end it all because of a boy, that had caused for her to act on her intrusive thoughts. A large part of her was happy that Sakura was there when she was, because then she wouldn't of had the incredible year she had.

Hinata wouldn't of gotten accepted into her dream college, survived an abusive relationship, or even met Naruto. Though it was obviously something to celebrate, a part of her couldn't help but wonder if she would've been better off dead.

Hinata had been diagnosed with clinical depression, just four years ago, and everyday she was learning how to survive with it. Some days were better than other's, and she was lively with her gorgeous smile on her face, but other day's she laid in her bed, simply staring at the drywall, thinking of nothing in particular.

To prevent those days from consuming her, she had a regime of working out at the gym twice a week, going to school, and sometimes forcing herself to socialize with people for one day, before resting on the seventh day of the week.

It was a strict regime that she started during the summer, and during the last few weeks as life had gotten in the way, she was starting to exert herself, and her energy. Truthfully she couldn't remember the last time she had any alone time, but a part of her was glad for that, because her thoughts had only gotten darker as her birthday approached.

Each year when her birthday came around, she always thought about her late mother, and the way she always treated her daughter's birthdays like national holidays.

As morbid as it sounds, when she was a child she loved her birthday, because it was the one day her father never hit her mother, or even dared to raise his voice at her. Even he knew how important birthdays were to her, and he didn't want to ruin it for his wife.

Before she knew it, the clock struck midnight, and as her friends cheered for their friends birthday, she covered her face with her hands, and began to cry. Sakura's caring emerald eyes looked to her, and she placed her hand against her friends back.

"What's wrong, Sweetie?" She asked softly, while the girls all grew silent. "I-I don't know."

Hinata answered her, knowing exactly why she was crying. "Please, someone get me Naruto." She managed to get out between sobs, making her friends nod, before they heard a knock to her bedroom door almost on cue.

When Temari opened the door, Naruto, Konohamaru, Hanabi, and Neji were waiting with a cupcake that had a single candle. The smile on his handsome face faltered, "What's wrong, Princess?" He asked her softly, making her wrap her arms around him immediately.

Glancing over his shoulder at Sakura, he gave her a nod while mouthing, 'I got it'. With a nod, she was off, bringing everyone out of the room with her. "Princess?"

He spoke softly, while taking her petite body into his arms, and sitting on top of her bed. "I-I." She started, feeling Naruto's hand as he took her hands away from her face, so that he could look into her tearful eyes.

"I miss my mom." Hinata finally admitted, making him nod in understanding. "I-I never realized until now, that she really was the only reason I truthfully enjoyed my birthdays. She always made sure that they were perfect, and here I am, crying because I don't know if I'm happy with the fact that my best friend saved my life a year ago."

It broke his heart to hear her confess that, though he was glad that she did. "And my depression just always worsens around my birthday. Last year around this time I was staring death right in the face, and I wanted nothing more than to welcome it."

  It felt nice to finally be able to admit the way she felt to someone, but her mind was utterly blank as she spoke her truth. "And I don't know if I'm proud of myself, or what it is, because when I'm with you, it's like I've finally found a reason to live."

A blush came to his cheeks, "I want to live for you, Naruto. So that I can always be by you side." He gently kissed the temple of her forehead,"Well I'm glad you feel that way, because I need you by my side for the rest of my life." His words only brought more tears to her eyes, as she shook her head. "You're just saying that."

"Princess, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true. Genuinely I don't want to imagine my life without you, because just in a few short months you've made me realize what real love is, and I love you too much to ever let you go."

His truthful words, combined with his beautiful blue eyes made her nod. Her eyes were still filled with tears, but she felt heard. "And even if you're not proud of yourself, I'm proud of you, Princess. The things you've gone through in the past year, is enough to make anyone go completely insane, and you managed to pull yourself back together. You're so strong."

"I hope I never become my mom." She admitted aloud, instantly wanting to take it back. Parting her lips to say how she didn't mean that, Naruto caressed her face with his soft thumb, making her pause before telling the truth.

"I was in an abusive relationship for two years, because she made me think it was okay. I hate to admit it, but I genuinely thought the way he way he treated me, meant that he loved me." Shaking her head, she laughed to keep from crying at the memory of her mother.

"My father is a great father, but he was a horrible husband, and he abused my mother tirelessly, until she just couldn't take it anymore." When she admitted that, Naruto just shook his head, trying not to instantly hate him. "When I was ten, two years before she died, she was wearing sunglasses, and I asked her why she was wearing sunglasses indoors.

Though it shouldn't of stuck with me the way it has, I remember her taking off her sunglasses, showing me her swollen shut eyelid from where my father had hit her, and saying that it was because he loved her." As she told the story, Naruto noticed that she was no longer crying, she just stared at her hands with a blank expression.

  "In the beginning I blamed her, because she instilled in me that abuse from your partner was okay, and for over two years I believed it. Now I realize that she was just that brainwashed, you know?"

Tears fell from her eyes as she said, "A-and it scares me, Naruto. Because she was that blinded by what she thought was love, and I never want to be so blinded by my emotions, that I start to lose parts of myself again. I've been there before, and it took so much away from me that I practically could no longer recognize myself."

His hands cupped her face, and he gave her a comforting smile. "I won't let that happen." He said, "Your mom was a victim, and I'd die before I ever hurt you, Princess. You have this fear that we're gonna become your parents, and I wish I could make you trust me when I tell you that we won't, but I understand that it's gonna take some time. So you just gotta trust me enough to make this leap of faith, because I'll always catch you, Princess."

His handsome face, and words of affirmation brought a smile to her face. "Okay. Thank you for listening to me."

"Of course, Princess. I love you." She smiled, and kissed his lips, "I love you." When she composed herself, the both of them left the room, where her friends and family were sitting in the hallway. Noticing her first, Neji stood up with the cupcake, and relit the candle.

Giggling at her cousin, she shook her head, "Happy birthday to you." He started with a smile, making the others join in. Their singing, and Naruto's hand's on her waist made her smile, before the singing concluded, and Sakura whispered with a smile on her face, "Make a wish, Hinata."

Closing her eyelids, Hinata thought of a million things, but ultimately decided to "wish," that her friends remained healthy. Blowing out the candle, she smiled before taking the cupcake from her cousins hands.

"You're growing up too fast." He said while throwing his arm around her shoulders, making her laugh cutely. "I love you, Neji."

  "I love you more, Hinata. You know you'll always be my baby sis." She smiled, before feeling Hanabi's arms wrap around her waist. "You guys always just forget about me."

  They laughed, "We could never forget about our little Hanabi." Naruto watched them laugh and hug each other from a few feet away, and it brought a smile to his face to see Hinata happy.

"Is she okay?" Sakura asked him, and he nodded, "She just misses her mom." Ino nodded in understanding, "Well thank you, it was all so sudden." He nodded, "Of course, and yeah I just think it hit her all at once, she's had hell of a year." The three of them all nodded in agreement, "She really has. She's such a great person, sometimes I think she's too good for you, but when I see you guys together I know that she's happy."

As Sakura said that, Naruto smiled at her, "Are you finally on board with our engagement?" She rolled her emerald eyes, "I still think you both are moving way too fast, but I talked to Neji about it, and he had a solid point. Hiashi is going to kill you, and you guys will need the support."

Her saying that made him laugh, "But I swear that I will hurt you if you ever hurt her, Naruto. She's like a sister to me, and I can't see her hurt again." He playfully nudged her, "Have a little more faith in me, Sakura. I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt her." She just shook her head with a smile on her face, "I know you wouldn't."

"Have you talked to Sasuke since he left?" He asked, and she nodded. "Yeah, I think he's planning on being back earlier than we expected." Naruto nodded before asking her, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." She said, making him give her a pointed look, that made her laugh nervously. "What?" She asked him, and he shrugged his shoulders. "He was just worried about leaving you alone. So when he asks me how you are, and I tell him that you're fine, will that be the truth?"

Truthfully, she hadn't gotten better, and since Sasuke left last night in search of his brother for what he said was the last time, she stared down her last bottle of antidepressants, contemplating downing them, and ending it all right then and there.

Since the incident with Sasori, she had subconsciously been on the verge of a mental breakdown, and she didn't realize that until yesterday when she contemplated suicide for the third time that week alone.

With a sigh leaving her lips, she smiled through her intrusive thoughts, and decided not to bring up her struggles. "It will. It's my best friends birthday, and the last thing I want to do is make it all about me." Naruto couldn't say another word, before she engulfed her friend in a hug, while telling her happy birthday.

Though her words put a nervous feeling in his stomach, and a lump in his throat, he brushed it off, and conversed amongst his friends.