Hey guys! As most of you know, NejiTen is my life and I have an account dedicated to them on Insta. I started a chapter story for them and have been posting them periodically on Instagram every few days. But of course, I need to share it with everyone here too. Every one chapter on Fanfiction is three to four chapters on Insta so it might take me a week or so to post each chapter (depending on how long the story goes for.)

The writing style is very different to what I am used to (if you have read any of my other stories you'll notice that straight away). I don't usually write in first person or in present tense so there may be a few errors-despite the fact I've gone through it a few times.

But now to get into the story. I hope you enjoy it! We need more NejiTen love in this world! XD

Hello and welcome to my story. My name is Tenten Mitashi and I am a sophomore at Konoha High. I live with my father in a small, two story home. We don't have a lot of money but we get by and we're happy, so I shouldn't complain. I've been on the archery team at school since my freshman year and I have to admit I'm quite good at it. What can I say? I just have a way with anything that has to do with sports. You name it, I can do it. Running? Check. Swimming? Check. High jump? Check. Sports has always been easy for me. Academics on the other hand? Well, I haven't failed a class yet so that should count for something, right? I barely scrape by sometimes, especially in Math's and Science, but who doesn't? Those classes are hella ridiculous. I mean seriously, when are we ever going to use algebra in real life? Or a Bunsen burner for that matter? (I swear, the explosion only burnt the tips of his hair off. It totally wasn't my fault!) I have a lot of friends, but only a couple of really close ones. Naruto Uzumaki and Rock Lee are two of my best friends in the world, as unlikely as I know that may seem. Because of my tomboyish nature, I've never really known how to get along with the female populace, finding it much easier—and simpler—to talk to boys. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I can't talk to girls. It's just we never have anything in common. They want to talk about the latest things in fashion or how they do their make—up, while I am much more interested in how the latest baseball game on television ended and who I think would be this year's athletics competition winner.

Okay, so you're probably wondering why the hell I'm telling you all of this. Well, this is my story so I should be able to tell you whatever I want. But let's face it, you're probably thinking that my story sounds a little boring. And you're completely right. It is a little boring. Nothing really happens to me: I wake up in the morning, go to school, come home, sleep and repeat. Not the most exciting of high school lives. But I don't really care. Well... I never used to care. But I'm a teenager. Of course I'm going to want some excitement in my life eventually. And... Well, I suppose that's when he comes in.

I've always had a rivalry with Neji "the Prodigy" Hyuga, and with good reason. He is perfect. And no, I do not mean that in an "oh my gosh he is so gorgeous I want to eat him up" kind of way. Although that description isn't technically wrong—he is gorgeous, what with his long, dark hair and his pale, lavender eyes—I swear he is literally perfect. For one, he is amazing at sports—even better than me! Not that I'm jealous or anything. Ok, maybe I'm a little jealous. Nope, scratch that. It actually infuriates me. On top of his frustrating sports skills, he is even good academically (more like the top student in our grade, but I don't want to praise his skills too much). The only thing that he doesn't seem to do too well in is making friends. Neji is kind of a loner. I mean, I guess you could call us friends but we don't really hang out. I talk to him—my dad did teach me to be civil with everyone—but that's as far as our relationship goes. Neji is quiet and reserved, and when he does open his mouth, most of the time it is only to put the other person down. The jerk.
Although recently he has been acting a little different—strange even. I've asked Lee (since even though Neji is mean to him, Lee for some reason has taken a liking to the teen) but he hasn't noticed a change in the Hyuga. Maybe it's just me; maybe I'm just over thinking things. I guess I have been thinking about him a bit more than usual lately. But I think I have the right to think about him, especially after what happened the other week. I mean, Neji did punch a transfer student from Suna High in the face when he squeezed my butt in class the other day. Messed up the boy's face paint and gave him a very nice black eye. And then he punched the boy in the other eye when he stated he only groped me because he likes me. That kid has some serious issues when showing affection if that's the case (which wouldn't be a surprise if those rumors about his puppet collection is true). It got Neji suspended for a week. A big thing because he had never gotten in trouble before—not even when Naruto snuck some "questionable" magazines into his locker right before we had a school inspection in our sophomore year.
Why did he do that? Does Neji have some kind of male code that tells him he must protect a woman's honor—or butt, in this case—from humiliation? Hm. It might be a good thing that this transfer student will be here all year.
Hi. My name is Tenten Mitashi and this is my story. Maybe this year won't be so boring after all.

I swear the stupid school system invented algebra just to mess with teenagers heads. Seriously, like what the hell are they talking about with all these "x + b = y" and stuff. When did letters become part of a math's problem? Just no. Letters should stay where they belong— in the English language. Not in stupidly confusing math's equations.
As I sit here, staring at one such stupidly confusing equation, the teacher calls for a volunteer to answer. Now the thing with not getting picked in these kinds of situations is to avoid eye contact and look like you're busy. Pretend to be absorbed in a question or look like you're writing something down in your notebook. Ninety percent of the time it'll work and the teacher will move on to the next victim.
"Tenten, would you like to answer this." The teacher, Mr. Kakashi Hatake asks, eyeing me skeptically in that special way of his, like he knows you haven't been paying attention in class for the last half an hour.
I sigh, somehow knowing this would happen. Like I said, ninety percent. That method doesn't work every time. And Kakashi sort of has it out for me. He knows I can't work these equations out and yet he insists on picking me to answer them almost every time. Stupid teacher.
"Sorry Sir, but I don't know the answer to that question." I say as politely as I can, trying not to let my frustration come out.
Kakashi gives me another one of his oh-so-famous looks and shakes his head. "If you were paying attention you would know this." He scolds.
I roll my eyes and look back at my notebook. "Maybe if you taught better I wouldn't have a problem learning." I mutter under my breath.
"I heard that. You can stay after class to clean the blackboard for me." I resist the urge to roll my eyes a second time as Kakashi calls on another student to answer. "Neji, how about you give it a shot."
"Easy." Neji stands from his seat behind me and walks to the front of the class. He picks up a piece of chalk and starts writing on the board, explaining his answer as he goes. I have no idea what he is talking about—honestly, the show off—and I sink into my seat, grudgingly accepting that I may just fail maths this semester.
"Well done Neji." Kakashi praises, before turning back to the class, going on to the next question.
The transfer student—what was his name again? Ah, Kankuro—leans over from his desk beside me. "I can help you study if you'd like Tenten." He whispers with a wink. His eyes are almost completely healed from when Neji punched him a few weeks ago. Pity, I quite liked that look on him.
I fake a smile. "Thanks Kankuro but I'm pretty sure you are worse in this class than I am. I'll pass."
Kankuro pouts in response. "C'mon Tenny, we can help each other study. I know you want to."
Kankuro suddenly slams into his desk and he grunts in pain. I glance back with wide eyes to see Neji, his foot still outstretched from kicking the back of the boy's chair. I hide a smirk as Kankuro turns around in his chair, wincing at the pain in his stomach.
"What the hell was that for?" He whispers harshly, glaring at Neji.
Neji just shrugs his shoulder, looking bored. "You're disturbing the class. Be quiet."
"Don't tell me what to do, freaky eyes!"
Kakashi turns around to the class, throwing a piece of chalk at Kankuro's forehead with surprising accuracy. "Stop disturbing the class or you'll be staying back for detention after school."
I follow along for the next few minutes before turning back around in my chair to look at Neji.
"Thank you." I mouth to him after he looks up at me. I smile at him so he knows that I really did appreciate his intervening, even if it was just because Kankuro was disturbing the class.
Neji just shrugs his shoulders—I'm beginning to realize that he does that quite a lot—and mouths back, "Whatever," before looking back at his notebook, effectively ignoring me.
I turn to face the front of the class with a huff, my arms folding across my chest in annoyance. How rude! I was just thanking him, he didn't have to be such a jerk about it. That's the last time I ever thank him for anything. I decide, fixing my attention back to the teacher and to this never-ending lesson.

Lunch time finally rolls around but I have to stay back to wipe the blackboard for Kakashi. While the other students file out, shouting like mad people as they make their way to the cafeteria, I head to the front of the class. I notice that Neji has stopped and is talking to Kakashi just inside the classroom, no doubt asking a question—or better yet, telling the teacher about an equation he had done wrong on the blackboard—so I ignore them.
I can reach most of the blackboard just fine but there is writing at the very top of the board that I can't quite reach, even when I'm on my tiptoes. I groan, jumping to try and swipe the stray bits of chalk.
"Need a hand?" I look behind me to see Kankuro staring at me—or more specifically, my butt—and resist the urge to roll my eyes. I really need to stop doing that. I really don't feel like dealing with him right now. My stomach is grumbling and all I want to do is go eat.
"Thanks Kankuro but I'll be fine. Won't your siblings be waiting for you? You should hurry to them."
Kankuro props an arm against the blackboard, leaning against it leisurely. "Na. Temari is a senior so her lunch break is at a different time. And Gaara will be fine, he doesn't talk much anyway." He shrugs like it's no big deal.
"Aren't you older than your brother? Why are you a sophomore as well?" I ask, knowing it'll stop him trying to flirt with me. At least for a moment.
Just as predicted, Kankuro starts shuffling his feet together uncomfortably. "Ah yeah. I got held back a couple of years ago so now I'm in the same grade as him. But it's not so bad. Gaara gets picked on sometimes so it's good that I can be here for him more."
"Wow. That's... actually really nice of you." I'm shocked, I honestly was not expecting that comment. For all the ways Kankuro can be annoying, he must love his family a lot. Not many people are willing to stand up for their siblings in school.
Kankuro grins at me flirtatiously and the moment is ruined. He has gone back to annoying. "You really think that's nice? Why don't you have lunch with me and I can tell you all about it, hey Tenny?"
I raise an eyebrow at him and roll my eyes. "First of all, don't call me Tenny. My name is Tenten. Secondly, I would rather eat dog vomit. So please stop asking me."
Kankuro sidles up next to me and leans in close to say something, but before he gets a chance to say anything—and before I get the chance to knee him where it hurts—he is yanked backwards by the back of his collar.
"The teacher wants to see you in his office." Neji informs him coolly, coming to step beside the older teen. He gives him a level stare that looks both bored yet irritated at the same time. "Now."
Kankuro glares in response at Neji and walks away, throwing a quick "see ya" over his shoulder to me.
Neji studies my face for a few seconds before stepping closer towards me. I watch his eyes as they roam across my features and my heart picks up in my chest unexpectedly. Just when I think he is about to say something though, he takes another step forward and plucks the duster out of my limp hand, moving his way to the blackboard with ease. He starts erasing the very top section of the board in silence, once again ignoring me.
"I could have done that myself." I mutter, folding my arms across my chest angrily. "And I didn't need you to come and save me either."
Neji turns around to raise his eyebrow at me, unconvinced. "Who says I did that to help you? Besides, it's painful to watch you try and reach the top of the board. It's easier to do it myself." He steps back, placing the duster down and turns to look at me, eyebrow still raised. "But you really shouldn't let him talk to you all the time if you don't like it."
"Believe me, if I knew how to get him to stop then I would. He's persistence is annoying." I put a finger to my lips and tap it in thought. "But he is actually kind of nice. I didn't expect him to care for his little brother so much. It's pretty sweet."
Neji's beautiful lavender eyes turn angry and he glares at me. "Are you really going to be taken in by him just because he said that? That's pretty low, even for you."
"Excuse me?" I snap my eyes up to look him in the eye, my anger coming to the fore. "I am not being taken in by him. And what the hell do you mean 'even by my standards'? How dare you imply I have low standards!"
Neji looks taken aback from my outburst and takes a step back. A good thing too because I really feel like hitting him right now. "I didn't mean it like that. You don't need to get so angry."
"Oh you haven't seen me angry yet Neji Hyuga! But please, keep on insulating me and I will gladly show you how angry I can get."
Neji has the gall to roll his eyes at me but he stretches out his hands in a placating manner, trying to calm me down. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just meant—"
It's my turn to hold up a hand, this time to silence him. "I know what you meant Neji. And I don't feel like sticking around to listen to you right now."
I storm out of the room before he has a chance to say anything more. I'm angry at him, yes, but even more than that I am hurt. He is implying that I have low standards. Has he always thought that way? Does he think that I like Kankuro, just because I said it is commendable that he loves his family? The jerk. Maybe he has always thought that about me. He knows I hang out with Naruto and he has always had something against my blonde friend but I don't know what it is. Maybe Naruto is too much of an inferior to Neji—he does have an ego so I wouldn't be surprised. But even if that's the case, he shouldn't say it out loud. And what business is it of his?
"Stupid Hyuga." I mutter to myself, as I quickly make my way to the cafeteria. Whatever, I'm not even going to bother about him anymore. By the end of lunch I'll be laughing so hard from Naruto and Lee's stupidity that I won't even remember the name 'Neji Hyuga.'

Thanks for reading! Rates and Reviews keep me happy so please comment what you thought of the first (three) chapter(s). They make the plot bunnies work harder. ^.^

Stay tuned for chapter two! It's already in the making so hopefully it won't be too far away. ^~^

P.S. I'm sorry I'm writing Kankuro as kind of the bad guy. I have nothing against him myself- he is acutally one of my favourite characters. But I needed to use someone and seemed to fit the bill. xD