Well, I took everyone's comments into consideration and changed it- I hope it's better.
I've fallen prey to my own imagination. I wrote an AU high school ficlet thing in which Tenten is a new student. –Gasps- if there aren't enough of those already, I have decided to scrimp on this whole inclusion of other couples thing. I cannot be assed.
Disclaimer: (first in a long time, huh?) I do not own Naruto, nor Quando, Quando, Quando. The latter to which I listened to while writing this- the Michael Buble and Nelly Furtado version. I love it. It's totally unrelated, I know, but I wanted to mention it.
Change My Mind
The young woman sat at the table, her legs crossed as she sipped the orange juice in her glass. It seemed that the organisational committee of the dance event truly hated her, for they had spelt her name wrong. How that had happened, she didn't know- how do you get Temtan from Tenten?
She was the only person not dancing with someone, or smoking outside. She looked out and snorted.
"Smoking is highly unattractive."
Tenten turned slightly, a young man she hardly even knew was standing behind her chair. She'd been at the high school for only a year and most people were still distant and wary of her. Not that she minded, of course. It wasn't like she needed anyone.
"Are you here to make conversation?"
"No," the youth replied. "I'm here to ask you to dance."
"Well then," Tenten said pleasantly. "Seeing as I don't even know your name, I don't really see the point. And don't try the 'I'm sick, and my medicine is to talk to you' line. It's never going to work."
The boy blushed darkly and shoved his hands deep into his pockets.
Tenten returned to her musings.
A few minutes later, another stranger sat down beside her.
"Go away."
"Make me, babe."
"You're drunk. I don't talk to drunks." Tenten could smell the fragrant punch in his breath and sighed.
"Well, I might not be the best looking guy here, but I'm the only guy talking to you." He winked slyly at her, all the while leering down her dress.
"Is that supposed to make me want to rip off our clothes and start making wild and passionate love to you?"
"You know, half the grade thinks you're a complete bitch."
"You know, the entire world knows that you're a complete sleaze. Get lost."
"Slut," the boy snarled in her ear, before stalking off.
Sick of the bad choice of music the DJ continued to play; Tenten left the suite and walked out into the garden.
Her emerald green chiffon dress flowed gracefully around her and she walked confidently in her heels, flipping back her hair in the light breeze. She sat down on a stone bench and slipped off her shoes. Tenten rolled her eyes at the couple sitting opposite her in the stone courtyard, making out while taking photos of themselves.
"Get an actual room, idiots." She muttered.
The young woman soon slipped away and walked quietly through the gardens, enjoying the feel of the lush grass beneath her feet.
She looked out at the view of the city from the hilltop and smiled. The cool breeze refreshed her senses and brought a light scent of aftershave or cologne.
"Fancy meeting you out here." The owner of the deep male voice, accompanied by the aftershave, appeared at her side.
"What are you doing out here?" Tenten asked, turning to face the intruder.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," his unusual white eyes noticed that she was no longer wearing any shoes and smirked.
Tenten stood only a few inches shorter than he, but he still seemed to tower over her.
"I'm leaving," she snapped.
"I don't know why I bothered coming out here tonight... but why are you leaving so soon?"
"It's boring- I hate the music."
"It's not something you can dance to."
"Tell that to the people in there," Tenten looked back at the small dining hall. "And since when did you know how to dance?"
"Since when have you known anything that tells you otherwise?"
She stood silently for a few moments, noticing that he'd undone his tie and the top few buttons on his jet black cotton shirt- now untucked. His jacket, he held in one hand and his long locks hung down his back in a jet black curtain.
Tenten smiled as she remembered an incident earlier that year.
----------
"So," their teacher spoke softly. "I want all of you to think, honestly, of what you'd find attractive in the opposite sex."
There was a small amount of chatter and laughter amongst his students.
"I'm being serious!" he snapped, dividing the chalkboard in half with a single line.
A girl put her hand up and flipped back her hair. Tenten sighed.
"Good looks," she said.
Her companion giggled as she added, "Long black hair."
Half the class sighed- the girls were positively obsessed with the guy.
After about five minutes, the board was completely filled up on both sides. The young teacher sat back on the table and looked back at his students.
"It's a long list," he stated conversationally. "And now, I want you to think- what do you have that could possibly attract this supposed dream person?"
The class was stunned into silence. Then, a certain young man raised his hand.
"Myself," he replied arrogantly. "Everyone knows that I perfectly fit the entire criteria on the left hand side of the board."
"In the physical aspects, maybe." Tenten snapped. "But it seems that you lack both the intelligence and emotional capacity to even sustain a proper, adult relationship for longer than a week!"
He met her flashing eyes as his own danced with laughter. Her buns, wound tightly at the beginning of the day, were beginning to fray, and she kept sweeping her bangs from her eyes with some irritation.
"And this is coming from someone who has 'both the intelligence and emotional capacity to even sustain a proper, adult relationship for longer than a week'?" He queried with a raised eyebrow.
Tenten crossed her arms.
"Of course."
----------
"What are you thinking about?" he asked quietly.
"Nothing," Tenten said impatiently.
"Do you want to go back in? They're serving coffee and cake for-"
"What business of it is yours, may I ask?" She interrupted him as she met his eyes. "Why do you care so much?"
"Well, I am only looking out for a fellow classmate."
"That's a lame excuse." Tenten said, putting on her shoes once again.
"Come on," he said, holding out his hand. "I promise I won't try anything. If I do, you can knee me in the balls and we'll be even."
"Can't I just knee you in the balls when I want?" Tenten asked sweetly. "The name's Temtan, by the way. I sound like the name of a chocolate biscuit." She flashed the place card at him.
"Hyuugs Nejo-saba." He showed her his own card and she laughed.
"They worship you and yet they still spelt your name wrong."
"I'm Hyuuga Neji," he shook her offered hand daintily.
"Tenten," the young woman nodded with a laugh. "And you shake hands like a wuss."
----------
Back inside the room, the music had slowed down and people were drifting back to their tables to have their dessert, while some couples remained on the dance floor, dancing slowly to the mellow music. The pair sat down at a small table by a window and did not talk for a while. After some time, a waiter came with a tray of cake and some cups of coffee.
"You know," Tenten said after she stirred her drink, "you're not the asshole everyone thinks that you are."
"And you're not the ice queen that you want everyone to think that you are."
Tenten smiled.
"Well, I don't think there's anything wrong with putting some distance between myself and others."
"You let me sit with you," Neji said, sipping at the hot drink.
Tenten used the desert fork to cut a small segment of the cake.
"I did," Tenten replied cheekily, "but it doesn't mean anything, does it?" She chewed thoughtfully. "This is very good."
Neji took the fork from her and tried the cake.
"It's a bit sweet."
Tenten made a face at him, and rolled her eyes. A few minutes passed.
"So why now?" She asked quietly, keeping eye contact with him. "Why me?"
Neji shrugged.
"I felt like it."
"That's it?"
"Basically, yes."
"You have a reputation for breaking girls' hearts, Neji."
"Ahh yes- that's because my idea of a pickup line is 'you must have fallen from heaven because that would explain your face'. Not that I'd use it, of course."
"Right," Tenten said doubtfully with a smile on her face.
"Well, you definitely have a reputation for being a heartbreaker yourself." Neji said.
Tenten smiled.
"You're not getting any ideas now, are you?"
"Why would I? I'm only sitting with the most unattainable woman I've ever met."
"You're pushing it, Neji." Tenten said warningly.
"Why do you keep barriers, Tenten?" Neji asked quietly, helping himself to more of her dessert.
"I don't want to let people in."
"Why is that?"
Tenten was silent, her ears picking up the faint song.
Neji leaned forward. "Sometimes… you need to let someone in."
"Are you trying to be that someone?" Tenten asked, her voice promising a challenge and a threat.
"And if I am?" Neji's gaze met hers- a promise that he would get over whatever she threw at him lay within its silvery depths.
Tenten looked away.
Neji put down his cup with a sigh.
"Where did this come from? Is it just because you think I look good in this dress and you finally noticed me? Because if it is, then I swear I will make you regret it!"
"I've seen you for a long time, Tenten."
"That's worrying," Tenten said dryly. "She's not me."
"You know what I mean."
Neji leaned forward. "I promise I won't hurt you … And I promise I'm not just trying to sleep with you."
A small smile lit up her face.
"And I'll try and make this last for longer than a week," Neji added after some time.
"I'll hold you to that."
Neji's eyes drifted to her mouth. The lips curved into a smile and she sat back in her chair, shattering any hopes (for the both of them) of a kiss.
"So," Neji said quietly. "Do you trust me now?"
"Mmm…" Tenten thought for a few moments. "No."
----------
"I think I've come to a decision," Tenten said quietly.
"And what is that?"
Neji looked down at her, a hint of amusement in his expression.
"You're a terrible dancer."
Neji smirked.
"I can't say much for you, either, Miss Left Foot."
"You're typically annoying, you know? I don't know why I agreed to this."
"Because," Neji murmured in her ear, "I can read your mind… all too easily."
Tenten rolled her eyes.
"Don't flatter yourself, Hyuugs."
"You just think too highly of yourself, Temtan."
Neji smirked at her, and a wicked smile graced the young woman's face.
"You know, you did just hit on me before. I owe you a sharp kick."
There's still something wrong with it, right? I have a feeling I will never be happy with this, just like the ending of Blue