Nerd Love

Because even Nerds deserve love.

Synopsis: Imagine a school that defies the laws of nature: Cheerleaders asking out a nerd, Shikamaru, a sortakindamaybe nerd, wearing glasses, Temari getting a ninety four on a science test, Neji being a jock, Tenten being a girl jock, Tenten, the girl jock, being best friends with Temari, also a sortakindamaybe nerd, and Kiba and Naruto being on the foot ball team.
Hell, yeah! This is my story.

By: Ikamaru

Shippings: SHIKATEMA, NejiTen, ChouIno ( eventually), and some NaruSakuSasu KibaHinaNaru triangles going on. But we mainly focus on our favorite star-crossed lovers. ( Or should I say cloud-crossed? )

Genre: Au/Romance/Humor/Drama

"I got a ninety four, a frickin' ninety four!"

"Ninety four isn't that bad, Temari."

"What do you know, Tenten?!"

Said girl sweat dropped, placing a comforting hand on her best friend's shoulders. "Really, Temari, it isn't."

"Feh." A scoff, "What did you get?"

Tenten avoided her gaze. "Ninety six…"

"Ninety six?!"

"It's only one question, Temari! And I only got it right because Neji helped me study."

Temari finally seemed to calm down, looking apologetically at her brown-haired companion.

"Sorry, Tenten."

Tenten smiled, shrugging in a "hellitdoesn'tmatterlifeistooshorttoholdgrudges" kind of way.

Temari smirked, because she just didn't smile; it simply wasn't something she did.

"I envy you, though. You study partner didn't bail on you."

"He didn't bail on you! He had to work on his parents' deer farm. It couldn't be helped."

"Feh."



"You sound like Shikamaru."

A glare. "Feh."

Tenten rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Temari's back, guiding her into the cafeteria.

"Come on, Tem, lunch'll make you feel better."

Temari, not completely content, made a huffing noise, which, apparently, Tenten took as a yes because she pushed open the cafeteria doors – with her foot – and proceeded into the lunch line. Temari followed suit.

"Seriously, Temari, I don't get why you go into the lunch line every day if you're not going to get lunch."

She frowned and scoffed once more. "Feh, shut up, Kiba. Like I'd eat this garbage."

"Seriously, Temari, why do you?!" Called a voice two paces ahead of them, directly in front of Kiba, in a whiny voice that any normal person couldn't help but laugh at.

Temari was not any normal person. If at all possible, her annoyed frown deepened. Then, without warning, a smirk blossomed across her lips and she slung her arm over Tenten's shoulder.

"Because Tenten gets her lunch from the caff., no matter how much I try to convince her otherwise."

Tenten grinned, reciprocating Temari's reactions.

"That's right, losers, so just back off."

Kiba rolled his eyes, slightly less confrontational than Naruto.

Naruto, on the other hand, mumbled something under his breath.

Temari, as everyone expected her not to do, said nothing.

A few short minutes later, Tenten got her lunch.

At the table, Temari took out her sack lunch (because she's just that cool and she can get away with it) and made a face at Tenten's spaghetti and meatballs.

"I swear, Ten, I just saw that thing move."

Tenten laughed, waving her hand in a nonchalant way.

"It doesn't matter." Then, the brown-haired girl took note of her best friend's bologna and cheese sandwhich. "That sandwich you're eating was once alive, so there's really no difference."

Temari rolled her eyes affectionately. Her best friend, Tenten was a major animalist and strict vegetarian. Temari had bravely followed suit for a while, but there are some, unlucky meats she just can't do without. For the most part, though, she joins her.



"How about it's still moving?"

Again with the hand wave.

Kiba took a seat across from Tenten, and Naruto took a seat to his left, across from Temari.

"How is it we were ahead of you guys but you got here first?" Kiba questioned.

"'Cause we're awesome like that."

The two girls responded in unicen.

The two "little men" opposite them rolled their eyes, munching on their respective foods. (Kiba had a hamburger and Naruto had pizza. )

"Kiba!" Explained Tenten uproariously, apparently appalled. "How can you eat that?!"

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "It's very simple, Tenten. I take it in both hands like this," he picked up the burger, "open my mouth" he opened his mouth, "take a bite," he bit down, "and chew." He chewed.

Temari and Naruto exploded into laughter.

Tenten crossed her arms sullenly. "Some friends you are."

Temari rolled her eyes yet again - seriously, she did it so much she made it an art form – knowing Tenten wasn't really upset.

They all ate in companionable silence for a few more minutes; Kiba and Naruto have a discussion about a 389 horse power with a six cylinder engine – whatever the hell that was. I swear, guys and their cars….

Until Neji sat down next to Tenten.

"Hello, Tenten."

"Hey, Neji."

At once, the other males on the other side of the table made smooching sounds. Tenten and Neji ignored them; a feat only doable from much practice. Temari, however, never one to hesitate in coming to Tenten's defense, spoke.

"How old are you, seven?"

Tenten laughed, Temari smirked, and Neji smirked. Because laughter wasn't something Neji did – at least not in a place as public as the school cafeteria. And Temari smirked just because smirking was something she did – a lot.

Tenten looked over her shoulder boredly, and then whipped her head back around so fast her neck cracked.



Temari rose a brow, silently questioning her.

"What?"

"Nothing," She replied quickly, too quickly.

Temari glared at her briefly, before glancing around the table at each of them individually. Ideally, Naruto would be the easiest to get the information out of – whatever it was about – but he probably didn't register what it meant – whatever it was. Kiba would be almost just as easy, but he might not get it, either. Tenten was just as bad – or was it good? – at Temari when it came to not agreeing to something. So, that left only one candidate, Neji.

"Neji what is it?"

"Shikamaru and Tayuya."

Tenten punched his arm, glaring at him.

Neji cringed and held his arm.

Temari casually, as casually as she could've, looked over her shoulder at the previously mentioned two.

Tayuya, a cheerleader with apparently glorious long red hair, was hanging on his arm like the slut that she was.

Shikamaru, as usual, appeared disinterested.

Temari's eyes narrowed the slightest amount – not even one one hundredth – as she observed the two. As a science major, if high school students have a major, she was good at observation. As such, she noticed when Shikamaru caught her eye.

Nothing changed, neither of them blinked, and passer-by and on-lookers wondered if they were even breathing.

Shikamaru had the oddest look in his eyes, almost as if he expected her to do something. Temari's own eyes remained expressionless. When Shikamaru saw this, his eyes widened the same fraction as Temari's narrowed, but he did nothing apart from that. Unfortunately for Shikamaru, in that particular situation, paying attention would've been advisable.

To Temari, it all happened in slow-motion.

Shikamaru didn't break her gaze, though he kept walking. Another cheerleader, a platinum blond, was walking along with her tray, which consisted of salad and cool blue Gatorade, when she ran into 

Shikamaru. At least it looked that way. In reality, she poured it on him. The whole, entire bottle. "Because Gatorade had, like, a zillion calories!"

The result was Shikamaru on the floor, their school's impeccable white, collared shirt forever stained, and the uniform black trousers that would soon grow sticky were soaked – possibly beyond ever being dry again.

Tayuya, apparently a potential target of the cheerleader's nasty, one step plan, had managed to avoid everything. But this time, instead of clinging to Shikamaru when he got to his feet, she made a face and walked off with Ino, noses in the air.

Temari, as potential future girlfriend of Shikamaru, did absolutely nothing. Which, much to Tenten's disbelief, as she knew Temari's secret, caused her friend to gasp.

The other boys, as they were boys, erupted in laughter. Except Neji. He smirked. But his eyes laughed for him. Soon enough, the entire cafeteria was laughing. Except for two girls by the names of Temari and Tenten.

Shikamaru, his expression still unchanging from bored and annoyed, picked himself up off the floor and walked out into the hall, dripping Gatorade as he went. When the two double doors swung shut after he left, the room stopped laughing. There were many odd looks, as if wondering why he didn't run out of there like a scared child. Or why he didn't have the courtesy to blush. Or why he didn't say even one thing. Most doubted he would've had the ability to form coherent sentences.

Temari knew better.

She began to eat her lunch in peace, acting as if nothing had happened. The only change in her demeanor, however, was that she was unnaturally quiet. Soon she had finished her lunch, both because she'd started when the entire rest of the caff was still in shock, and because when not talking you generally have nothing else to focus on and thus ate quickly, crumpled up her sack into a make shift ball, tossed it toward the trashcan free-throw style – she made it – and got up, out of her seat.

Tenten made to follow, but right that moment Neji spoke.

"Tenten, do you have any plans this weekend?"

And one simply does not walk away from their crush when they're about to ask them out. It's just not done. So, Tenten prayed that her bestest girlfriend would forgive her.

Temari, stoic as ever, sneaked the dishcloth lying idly next to the pudding – or was it soup? – and took the same route Shikamaru had into the hall way. Completing phase one of her quest, as she saw him leaning against some lockers, – she'd already begun to map the thing out in her head – she made her way over to the lazy genius and handed him the cloth.

He looked up at her curiously, but wordlessly took it, drying off his face first.



"I'll hold your glasses." She offered/told him.

He handed them to her.

"Why'd she do that?"

"Do what?"

"Don't play innocent; it doesn't look good on you."

"Feh. Troublesome woman."

She rolled her eyes affectionately.

"I refused to take her on a date."

Temari found herself smirking despite the fact that her best guy friend just got Gatorade dumped on him and was now soaking wet.

He opened his eyes and noticed her smirk. One blossomed over his own lips.

"What's the smirk for?"

"You're too good for her. That slut deserves someone like Sasuke."

"You're calling Sakura a slut?"

"Not everyone that likes Sasuke is a slut."

"Do you like him?"

"No."

"Then why are you saying that?"

"Because a friend of mine happens to like him, and she is most certainly not a slut. Watch what you say, Nara."

The smirked remained on his features as he turned to rummage through his locker. Guess what? He didn't have a combination. He would be too lazy to remember it. Yet no one ever got into his locker. It was one of those it'stooeasyitcan'tpossiblybetrue things.

Promptly, he began to unbutton his shirt, and soon he tossed it over his head and into the locker, which was surprisingly clean for him, and slipped on the new white shirt.

Meanwhile, Temari took time to enjoy the view.



"Geez, Temari, blink."

She smirked. "Dream on."

Now finished with the buttoning, the bell for fourth period rang.

Temari turned to her left to go down to the hall to World Studies , fascinating stuff, World Studies, only to discover that Shikamaru was following her.

"What are you doing?" She asked amidst the students pouring out from their classes. "Your class is that way."

"I know where my class is."

"So why are you going to mine?"

"I'm walking you to your class. She might go after you next."

"What are you, my body guard?"

"No, but she thinks we're dating."

"Heh."

"Feh."

"I don't need your protection."

"Deal with it." He stuck his hands in his pockets.

Temari rolled her eyes, her arms hanging at her sides.

Soon, sooner than they would've liked, her fourth period door, room 401, was right in front of them.

"Bye, Shika."

"Later, Tem."

With that, Temari's smirk still quite evident on her features, she opened the door and made her way to the fourth row, opening her desk and taking her supplies out of it. Once she'd gotten out her book, – complete with flaming drum book cover – laid out her mechanical pencils, – there were two in case one ran out of lead – laid her eraser-pencil – you know those cool pencil thingies that have a pushable eraser inside? – and folded her hands on her desk, Tenten came in.

Traditionally, as she did five out of seven days of the week, she took a seat directly to Temari's left. Tenten, unlike Temari, bothered not to do anything with her stuff. She did, however, have the common sense to take out her book.

"So, I saw Shikamaru leaving. His class is on the other side of the building. Did he walk you?"



"Yeah, what of it?"

"Nothing. It just means something."

"It doesn't mean anything."

"He likes you."

"He doesn't like me, and it meant nothing."

"If it means nothing why are you grinning?"

"He's got AA American Literature this period, and I've got his glasses.
--

Temari raised her hand.

Asuma smirked, and pointed at her.

"Can I use the restroom?"

"Sure, Temari." He went to his desk, pulled a sticky from his pad, wrote on it, and handed it to her.

"Should you encounter the principal, tell her I can't find my hall passes."

Temari smirked. "Sure thing, sir."

She got out of her seat, shooting an apologetic grin at poor Tenten who now had to suffer by herself, though it couldn't possibly be horrible with Neji behind her, grabbed the hall pass out of Asuma's awaiting hand, and headed out the door.

Temari frowned at the hall pass, realizing she didn't have any pockets. That meant she would have to hold the frickin' paper. She sighed in annoyed fashion, glaring at her black, knee-length garment.

"Stupid skirt."

Half-heartedly, she felt around until she found a pocket. Smirking, she folded up the paper in half four times, if for no other reason than because it was too small to make into a cat, and put in her pocket. (Seriously, who makes skirts with pockets?)

A few more dozen or so steps and she came to the girls' room. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside and saw Ino there, apparently having arrived minutes before her, step into a stall. Pointedly ignoring her, she, too, stepped into a stall.

Moments later, she stepped out to see Ino already at the sink, applying mascara.

Temari rolled her eyes, annoyed with the preppy ways of Ino Yamanaka, and washed her hands. Instead of wasting paper – Tenten was the vegetarian, Temari was the eco-nut – she dried her hands on her 

hair, effectively matting it down. Stupid humidity. (Though that didn't especially matter when she was inside…)

Through drying her hair, she gave herself the once over in the mirror and then turned to Ino, her left hand poised on her left hip. She steadied herself and took a deep breath.

"Look, Yamanaka, just because Shikamaru didn't go out with you, doesn't mean you have the right to dump Gatorade on him."

Ino whipped around, effectively screwing up her mascara, her right eye now looked Egyptian, and glared at Temari as if she was the spawn of Satan.

"Just because he's fucking you now, Subaku, you think you can be all high and mighty."

Temari snorted, appalled. "Check your facts, cheerleader."

"What, you're already carrying his baby, nerd?"

Seething, Temari took a step closer to her, now also glaring at her.

"At least I haven't slept with half the guys in the school."

"At least I've gotten some."

"Tell me, who kisses better, Sasuke or your Grandma?"

"That's it! Come here, you bitch!"

"Bring it on, you slut!"

Uh, oh, guys, hold on to your helmets.

Cat fight!

xD Yeah, that sounds dorky, deal with it. Anyway, I thought this chapter turned out pretty good. There was even a smidge of ShikaTema in there; I'm sure it's not too hard to find. Before I go further, let me point out for all your ShikaTema fans who don't despise Ino's guts, she will get someone in the end. Just not Shikamaru. Hell no, not on my watch! X3 Sorry about that. At any rate, I should have the next chapter out in two days, maybe?

It all depends on a few factors:

I'm not exhausted from camp. ( I swear, volleyball has never been so exhausting. )

I get REVIEWS! (Seriously, guys, even if the only thing you say in your review is all my errors, REVIEW!)

If my inner muse decides to stay.



Lastly, I would like to give credit where credit is due. Extraordinaire, if you're reading this, I base some of this off of your stories. Not your wonderful plotlines, for I would never steal those, but the way you write. You get it? Like the group of words clumped together in italics. Your stories give me inspiration. :333

But, to all who are reading this, she did it first. And review! (Have I hinted enough yet? BD)

Luv Ikamaru :3