How to be a Heartbreaker ✔

(25)

Three girls tumbled down the street, giggling and talking to each other. They reached the bus stands and coincidentally, the bus came around the same time.

They climbed in and sat down, talking cheerfully, ignoring the glances they got.

"Hey, did you guys see this?" Ino pulled out her phone and showed them a news on the web.

It was a blurry photo of Sasuke in his weird disguise with a unrecognisable Sakura, who's pink hair covered her whole face as they tried to escape the fans in the movie theatre.

The caption underneath read, 'SASUKE UCHIHA, CAUGHT ON A DATE?!' The sub captions continued, 'The young singer was found by fans on a secret date with a pink haired girl'

Sakura gasped silently. Hinata's hand went to her mouth.

"Oh my goodness," Hinata mumbled.

"Everyone in our school would know!" Sakura whisper-yelled to both the girls. They exchanged glances nervously.

"How, but?" Ino asked, trying to convince there was no way. Sakura deadpanned.

"Who else has pink hair and has piqued the interest of the oh-so-mighty Uchiha?" She angrily whispered. Ino laughed nervously, her own stupidity making her seem like an idiot to herself.

"You are right," Hinata nodded. "We should come up with a good excuse. Tell it to  Sasuke so that your lie can-"

"Wait, he already made a statement!" Ino said, scrolling down to read. The other two instantly looked into Ino's phone. "He said on social media that he was not on a date. He needed some time to be normal and it was a 'friend' from school, helping him."

Sakura didn't know how to react so she ended up half-groaning, half-moaning. She covered her face with her hand.

"I don't know what to say about his lying skills," she murmured. The bus reached their stop and the girls clambered down. "But enough about me. Hinata, is everything okay on your side? With Naruto?"

"Yeah, things are great," she said, her hand clenching behind her back as the trio walked towards the mall that was just a few hundred yards away.

"You can break his heart?" Sakura said, happiness evident in her voice, when she learned that atleast Hinata was doing better. She and Ino walked ahead, as unbeknownst to them, Hinata had stopped mid-walk.

"About that..." Hinata's voice trailed off. The two slowed their pace, glancing at each other why the former was being low. "I, I.... Is it okay if I don't want to be a Heartbreaker?"

The two froze in their tracks completely this time, and turned on their heels, speed walking upto Hinata, who was fumbling with her fingers.

"What did you just say? I think my ears are ringing. I didn't hear you," said Sakura, eyes wide open. Hinata shut her eyes tightly, not wanting to face her friends after she had betrayed them.

"I, I don't want to b- be a Hea- Heartbreaker," she pushed the words out, slightly panting as if they required great human efforts.

"But, that, why?!" Sakura spluttered, disbelief pasted on her face. Ino was shocked speechless. "Why, suddenly?"

"I just," Hinata struggled to find the right words, still not meeting their eyes. "I think I really like Naruto. He is, he is sweet and he really cares about me. He didn't try to change me; he accepted me just the way I am."

Sakura dropped her hands for a second before she covered her whole face with them.

"Ugh!" She said into them. She removed them and spoke in a panicked voice, "But Hinata, this is what we have worked so hard for! Because guys seem like they like you but in the end they are just going to hurt you!"

Hinata winced. "I- I don't know, Sakura. I, I don't think he is like that. I d- don't want to b- believe that."

Sakura sighed.

"That's the thing, Hinata," she said, her voice low, as she stared at the ground. Hinata chanced a glance up, but her eyes met with Ino's sad blue eyes and she tore off to look at the ground again. "You want to believe. That doesn't make it reality."

She sighed again. Ino was about to say something, but Sakura kept a hand on her shoulder and stopped Ino.

"It's fine Hinata. If that's what you want," Sakura took a deep breath before rushing the rest out, "that's what you will get. You are officially no longer a Heartbreaker."

-TBC-