Rendezvous

NejiXTenten. She didn't know why she was out there. But the cold rain kept on falling, as if to bring them together.

Standard disclaimers apply.

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She has always been made fun of- by the girls, by the boys, by everyone. And she could almost hear them laughing, yet again. She's not particularly pretty. Neither is she smart. She's not from a prominent family. Neither is she famous for anything. She's average, and that's probably a nice word to describe her.

The group behind him was talking enthusiastically. It was annoying. He suddenly snapped his book close, catching the attention of everyone. Dreary silence filled the room as soon as the voices faded. His temper, his moods, his personality- each contributes to that space around him. A space that although everyone wanted to step into- no one would dare.

She shouldn't be out there. She should have stayed in the classroom to do something more productive. She shouldn't have skipped class. Her instincts told her so. But she refused. After three years in high school, she should have known better. The rain had been pounding on her for quite some time. Maybe that's what she needed to regain her senses.

The pitter patter against the glass window caught his attention. He left that crowded place to study alone in his room but it seems destiny has something else planned. The noise irritated him. And he starts thinking about that girl- that girl who, due to her giddiness and naivety, is probably drenched in rain by that time.

Those girls did a great job of setting her up. It would be easy for either of them to ask any guy to write a love letter. They're beautiful, they're popular, they're best friends, and they're looking for some fun- at her expense. Unable to see through their plot, she got careless. She usually isn't like that. It was all her fault.

He looked out of the window, watching her motionless, probably frozen. He smirked. It's just as he thought. Though their acquaintance is limited to their names, he always knew that she's a fool. He sighed in boredom. He was used to seeing her bursting with energy and optimism. It was only then that it came to him. She was boring that way.

The paper that she had been holding has melted along with the rain, along with her crushed heart. There are many things that she's not. But if there's one thing that she is- she's strong. Maybe that's why they won't leave her alone. Because she keeps on standing up no matter how many times they push her down.

They transferred to the same school in the same year, and they've been in the same class since then. Taking the seat beside him when no one else would, greeting him with pleasantries when he wouldn't even look at her, smiling at him every so often that he got used to it- that he learned to reply with a nod. He headed out of his room.

Why she fell for that trick? She herself couldn't tell. It was just a piece of paper. How stupid. She had been standing in that same spot since the time mentioned in the letter. She recalled she just finished lunch then. How many hours had passed by? She didn't care. But the sun has set and the sky is crying for her. She lifted her face.

He stared at her as her eyes turned from surprise to shock to hatred. She was shaking, not from the cold, he figured. It was due to that bottled up fit of rage. He didn't move an inch when she dashed towards him and slapped him hard across the face. He thought she was entitled to it. And he's determined to face the consequences of his actions.

Her vision blurred, tears overflowing silently. When her head is clearer, she made slow steps to approach him and when they were under the same umbrella, she buried her face on his chest. It was only then that she realized how cold she felt being soaked for hours. His body reminded her of warmth. She sobbed for the first time in many years.

The small sounds that she's making was distinct over the monotonous sound of the rainfall. He removed his jacket and covered her with it before wrapping his arms around her to stop her from trembling. He can't believe it took him that long. He can't believe he hesitated over something so necessary. And he can't believe how it felt so… right.

She paused before taking one step back. She didn't want to cause him inconvenience. Being with her is just going to mar his reputation. He's everything that she's not, after all. But she could only close her eyes, a blush creeping up her cheeks, when his lips touched hers. None of her wanted to refuse, all of her wanted more.

He's someone whose actions are based on a carefully constructed plan, resulting in excellent results. But he could get used to acting on instincts for a change. He's not particularly fond of sweets, except for her mouth. That taste, her hand softly caressing his cheek, her weight pressing against him- those were enough to trade for air, more than enough to trade for that umbrella that the wind blew.

She sat on the edge of her bed, a faint smile adorning her face. She insisted on going back when she felt him shivering. And they left each other with their first exchange of words. But she forgot to tell him a few things. That she's sorry for taking out her anger on him, that it's impossible for the school's top student to miss easy words and grammar- there was a couple in that letter, and that she's thankful that he's the one who came.

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AU or semi-AU or whatever lol I hope you liked this fic because I sure liked how it turned out.

Thanks for reading!