Author's notes:

Hello everyone, ok first of all I'd like to tell you all that this story is a NejiHina pairing, so don't flame me or tell me that they're cousins and the pairing is absolutely disgusting because frankly I'm aware of that fact (duh, I wasn't born yesterday and duh, I've seen way too much Naruto to establish that fact myself) and secondly I don't give a damn about it.

Constructive criticism will be welcomed but please don't flame. Anyways this is an Alternate Universe story which means the Naruto characters do not portray their respective roles as Ninjas instead they're regular students and don't get me wrong, this won't be you're usual High School story…

So if you support the NejiHina pairing and you're interested in my story then I salute you, so without further a due please read, enjoy and review!

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Chapter I: Closer than you think

Hyuuga Neji, was never one who asked for favors, in fact he had specifically told himself that asking for favors would be the equivalent to stooping so low and to him stooping so low would be a sign of unforgivable weakness. And weakness did not exist in Hyuuga Neji's vocabulary and he was quite sure that it never would.

Apparently his thoughts on asking favors were soon put to the test the moment his sensei had announced the fact that the school would be throwing a mandatory end of the school year dance, and to make matters worst Neji needed a date.

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"You're joking right?"

Currently, Neji and his friend the ever enthusiastic Rock Lee alongside his girlfriend Tenten were walking home after a day of school, Neji groaned as he regretted the fact for even telling his so-called friends his troubling problem.

"Are you telling me, that you, Hyuuga Neji, the Hyuuga Neji doesn't have a date for the school dance?" Tenten exclaimed in disbelief

How he wished he could wring his friend's neck then and there but unfortunately he had other troubles to deal with, "What's so unbelievable about that?"

Lee shrugged his shoulders, "Oh I don't know, maybe it's the fact that you tie for most good looking with Uchiha Sasuke and that you being dateless while having those looks is a complete mystery"

Neji rolled his eyes as he quickened his pace, "There were girls who asked me to go" he muttered softly, "But I turned them down"

Lee raised his, caterpillar like brow, "And why did you do that? I thought you said you needed a date, so why turn them down?" Tenten asked completely shocked and confused at the same time

Neji remained quiet for a while, apparently he as well had been thinking as to why he didn't say yes to the first girl that asked him, "Maybe because she's not the right one"

Tenten and Lee looked at each other with dumbfounded looks on their faces, moments later the couple began squealing crazily, engulfing their stoic friend in a death like hug. "Tenten, are my ears deceiving me? Or did Neji just say he wants to find the right match!"

Tenten giggled, "Who would have thought that Hyuuga Neji, ice cold Neji was a romantic at heart"

Neji angrily glared daggers at his friends, "Cut it out" he seethed threateningly, "I guess telling you guys was the biggest mistake I made"

Lee and Tenten rolled their eyes as they quickened their pace, "Stop being such a drama queen, for one I think looking for the right girl is really cute"

"And that's why my beloved Tenten and I will help you find your lost Cinderella" Lee added with a thumb up sign, "It may seem difficult but we will not give up!"

Tenten playfully punched the green clad young man, "Lee is right and besides…maybe your right match is closer than you think"

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"So, did he ask you out yet?"

Sweet and shy 16-year old Hyuuga Hinata carefully looked up from her book only to find her close friend and fellow classmate, Yamanaka Ino eyeing her with curiosity. "I saw Naruto talking to you; did he talk to you because he wanted to ask you out?" the bubbly blond continued to pester

Hinata smiled sadly as she closed her book and tucked it in her book bag, "No, no he didn't" was her simple reply before standing up from her seat

Ino eyed her friend sadly as she quickly caught up with her, "Hinata-chan, what's wrong? Didn't he pull you aside so that he could ask you out?"

Hinata shook her head, her long midnight hair swaying in motion, "You're wrong Ino-chan, Naruto-kun…he…he pulled me aside so he could rehearse"

Ino raised a brow, "Rehearse, rehearse what?"

"How to ask Sakura-chan to the dance" the dark haired teen mumbled, "He said he was going to ask her to the dance after school…" a single tear escaping from her lavender eyes

Ino sighed as she brought her sulking friend into her arms, giving her a reassuring embrace filled with sisterly love. "Don't cry Hinata, I'm sure…I'm sure Sakura will turn the idiot down and then…and then who knows, maybe he'll ask you instead!"

Hinata forced her self to smile but deep down it hurt her, "I'll be just an alternate then" she thought sadly, wiping a tear from her cheeks. "Actually, I don't want to go to the dance…"

"Hey, don't talk like that! You for one are going to that dance and secondly who cares if it's not with Naruto…Hinata-chan, there are other boys…and I'm pretty sure they'll be more than excited to take you"

Hinata nodded at her friend's words, indeed there were other compatible males who were willing to take her, even if those males weren't Naruto. "I mean, lets take Kiba for instance…he's been your friend since forever and I'm sure he'll be more than welcomed to take you"

Hinata smiled, "And there's Aburame Shino, another close friend of yours…I'm sure he'll be glad to talk you!" Ino added with a reassuring smile

"But Ino-chan…Kiba-kun and Shino-kun, they're my friends and…and…"

"And what?" Ino asked curiously, "I thought you liked them"

"I-I do…I like them…but I…I…I want to go to the dance…with…with…"

"Let me guess Naruto?" Ino said exasperatedly, "Didn't we just have the talk about picking other guys?"

Hinata nodded, "I was going to say…I wanted…I wanted to go to the dance…to the dance with…with the right guy…"

Never in Hinata's life did she ever see Ino smile so wide before, the blonde beauty was practically beaming madly, "Aw, that's so sweet Hinata!" Ino gushed as she hugged her friend tightly, "It's so romantic and sweet"

"Y-you…you really think so?"

Ino nodded her head vigorously, "Of course, I think you're right…I think you deserve spending that dance with the right guy, the perfect match"

"B-but…but do they exist? I mean…I mean…I'm not really one to believe that there is such a thing as the right guy…"

"I mean, I thought Naruto was the right guy…but it turns out he wasn't"

Ino smiled excitedly, "Of course it's true, sure it seems unimaginable but I believe that you're perfect match is just around the corner"

Hinata blushed uncontrollably, "Hinata trust me on my instincts…and besides I'm sure he's closer than you think"

End of Chapter

AN: anyways this is my first attempt of a NejiHina story so be nice to me ok? anyways, please leave a review because I love reviews!!!!