Chapter One: Change.
Chapter One:
"They say you can't change a bad girl good but once a good girl goes bad… She's gone forever"
-anonymous
"Well Ms. Tanaka, it seems we finally got you now doesn't it?"
I rolled my eyes as the officer proceeded to search me for any kind of evidence that could be used against me.
"Bite me." I muttered.
"Oh ho ho. So much spunk for someone who's going to go to jail for a very long time, don't you think?" The officer said as he pulled me back off the hood of the police car.
"Don't hold your breath." I knew the system pretty well now. He would put me in the back seat, I would wait until he left to talk to the other officers and I would slide the booby pin I hid in my back pocket, pick the lock and leave.
As if on cue the officer left to talk to his partner on the other side of the parking lot and I proceeded to get out of the handcuffs. As soon as I felt his guard was down enough I snuck out of the door and ran to the forest which we were conveniently parked near. I stood completely against the bark of the tree and held my breath.
"WHERE'D SHE GO NOW?! Damn it all to hell!" I could hear the officer panic as he searched frantically. I took one last glance at the frenzied officer and climbed the tree I had just been leaning on. Once at the top I waited what felt like years but was probably a few hours as the cops searched the area for me.
I smirked once the officer gave up and drove off. I waited another few moments for good measure and then climbed back down the tree. I landed on the balls of my feet and wiped off all the dirt off of my legs and then let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.
Reaching in my bra, I pulled out my disposable phone and dialed a number I've been dreading to call for hours.
After three rings someone picked up but it wasn't who I wanted.
"Sasuke…. Yeah hey it's Ten… I know it's about three…. No... Just give the phone to Sakura. Kay thanks."
"Ten?" Sakura asked in her sleep like state. I heard shuffling in the back and a slight muffled protest. I'm guessing she's sleeping over Sasuke's house again.
"Yeah um I need a favor." I said as I shifted nervously from foot to foot. Glancing up at the full moon, silently praising the fact that it provided some light.
"Sure what is it?" Sakura asked a little more awake this time.
"Can you come pick me up?" I bit my lip and knew I was going to get a lecture.
"Tenten Mai Tanaka! What the HELL have I told you about getting into trouble! You remember what the judge said! If he catches any of us in his court again WE'RE all going down! What the FUCK were you thinking?!" Sakura yelled in my ear. I cringed in pain.
"I was thinking I wouldn't get caught and I didn't. Unlike you I don't have extremely noticeable pink hair!" I mumbled the last part but I knew she heard it anyway.
"You're pushing it Tanaka. What if you had gotten caught? Do you know how much trouble we'd get into?" Sakura took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Where are you?"
I smile triumphantly. "The park near Konoha High."
About ten minutes later, Sakuras' black Porsche pulled up in front of the bench I was waiting on. Hearing the lock click I climbed into the passenger seat.
"Ten." Sakura started.
I cut her off. "Please just drive. I don't want to talk about it." I looked out the tinted window and sighed.
"Okay." Sakura said as she drove off.
My name's Tenten Tanaka. I'm seventeen years old and a junior at Konoha High. I have dark brown hair that I wear up in two buns with equally dark brown eyes. I'm a Taurus and I'm about 5'7. My best friends are Ino Yamanaka and Sakura Haruno. I have known them since pre-school. I'm half Chinese and half Japanese. Oh and I tend to be in jail longer than I am in school. I couldn't tell you why I started acting out. I guess it could be a cry for attention but I have a lot of attention. I live with my adoptive family, the Haruno's and I love it there. But Mr. and Mrs. Haruno are never home. They are always away teaching at some big medical retreat or convention (due to the fact that they are world renowned Neurosurgeons). That just leaves me and Sakura home alone a lot and with nothing to do. Where are my parents you ask? Well my mom's probably off somewhere sleeping around for drug money while my dad is in Konoha State Prison on a life sentence. So I guess you can say that messing with the law runs in my blood. Sakura and Ino never really got much into the whole delinquent lifestyle until Sakura met Sasuke and Ino met Shikamaru. Then magically they decided how fun it could be even though I've been telling them that for years. Sasuke is like an older annoying brother to me and he tends to pick on me for no reason. But he did teach me all I need to know about fighting and sneaking around. Shikamaru on the other hand is like the cool uncle you always see at thanksgiving who gives you extra cake. He's crazy smart but extremely lazy. Troublesome, his words not mine. But he taught me how to break and enter undetected. Now we're all one big happy family unless one of use gets arrested again.
Why you ask?
Well we made, mostly me, a huge mistake in one of our choices about two years ago and it had a huge ripple effect. The judge let us off the hook but said if we're back in his court room again we're all going to jail. And I turn eighteen in a few months so that means I'm going to the big house.
"Tenten, are you listening?"
I was brought out of my thoughts as I turned to look over at Sakura. Raising my eyebrow to suggest I wasn't. She let out an exasperated breath and ran her finger through her long front bangs.
"I was saying that you may need to be more careful now. I can't afford a jail sentence on my permanent record. I have enough small charges. I'm not singling you out. I gave Sasuke and the others this same speech. I just don't you messing up our futures, especially yours Tenten. You had such a bright future." She looked at me with these sad eyes.
I sighed and took my hair out of its buns and ran my fingers through it. A nervous gesture I picked up from Sakura. It hides my face while also hiding my feelings.
"Tenten look at me." She touched my knee and I looked at her through my bangs. "It's okay to tell people why you act the way you do." I remained silent and after she realized I wasn't going to answer her she stopped the car and that's when I realized that we were at Sasuke's house.
Sasuke lived in the richer parts of Konoha since his family owned Sharingan Weapons, a multi-billion dollar company. He lives with his older brother Itachi while his parents live in England at the company's headquarters.
I opened the door and climbed out. Sakura followed after me and with a click locked the car doors. I turned to her and hugged her and she hugged me back, tighter.
"Thanks for coming to get me." I whispered in her ear.
"Anytime, I promise no matter where you go, I'll find you." She vowed. After a while we let go and she smiled at me. "So what you get?"
I smirked. Pulling off my knee high boots I pulled out the diamond earrings she had been admiring, new bobby pins for me, a new IPod, and fifty dollars.
"Wow Ten. You're getting good at this. It's getting kind of scary." Sakura said with a slight laugh as she took the earrings and pocketed them in her sweat pants. I just smiled at her as I put my shoes back on.
But the moment was interrupted when I felt a punch to my cheek. Not hard enough to break anything, but enough to potentially leave a bruise.
I grabbed my cheek and looked over at Sasuke who was leaning against the threshold with a slight smirk on his face.
"Hey Panda-chan." He said casually. I glared at him and heated up red with anger.
"What the FUCK Uchiha?!" I shouted at him.
"You're the one who woke ME up at God knows what time!" He said coolly and inspected the dirt in front of him.
I clenched and unclenched my fists before I pounced on him. I repeatedly tried to hit every possible place on his body but he kept dodging me and to top it off, he was LAUGHING. The bastard was LAUGHING. That only fueled my anger.
Sakura casually stepped over us and headed upstairs. She mumbled something about "dumbasses and bed" before the door to, I'm guessing Sasuke's room, closed.
After about fifteen minutes, I calmed down and sat on his stomach, straddling his waist. I smirked when I noticed that he had a black eye coming in and a few cuts on his cheeks.
"You know this position you're in is extremely compromising." Sasuke said as he broke me out of my silent victory party.
I then flushed with embarrassment.
"I know I'm sexy and all but I feel as though incest is wrong, Panda-Chan." Sasuke said nonchalantly.
"Bastard!" I laughed as I plucked his nose and got off him.
"Yeah but you love me." He said as he got up and hugged me. "Haven't seen you at school lately. What's up?"
"You know this and that." I said as I shrugged.
"By that you mean you were running from the cops again." He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No. It means I wasn't anywhere that's any of your concern." I said with a little too much attitude I assume. I yelped when he pulled my hair harshly.
"Tenten." He said in a warning voice. He only says my name when he's serious.
"Okay, I wanted to see if I saw my mom again." I muttered under my breath. Although, I hated her for abandoning me, I still wanted to see if she even missed me.
"Go get ready for bed. Itachi's in his room go kick him out." I know that this was his way of telling me we'll talk about it later and that I was so dead for skipping school but I complied anyway.
Running up the stairs and down the long hallway and to the last door on the right across from Sasuke's room was Itachi's. Although there are about a million guess rooms in this big house of theirs, I have a slight fear of being alone in a dark room. That kinda happens when you have a drug addict mother who brings men home at random ours of the night.
I turned the knob and stepped into the room. I took off my boots and closed the door behind me. Taking off my skinny jeans and my t-shirt I shuffled through Itachi's drawers for a clean shirt and shorts. Finding them, I put them on.
I knew he was awake before I even got into the room. Itachi was never a heavy sleepier unless it was sick or extremely tired but even then the smallest of sounds could wake him up.
"Tachi." I said slowly.
"Hm?" He replied without even opening his eyes.
"Scoot over." I giggled when he turned and glared at me.
"You act like this is your room, Tenten." He mumbled but complied anyway.
I grabbed my emergency teddy bear from behind his dresser and cuddled next to his back.
"Tenten, you have all that space over there, why do you insist on practically sleeping on me?" He asked with a sigh.
"Cause you're hot and that's cold. You're yes and that no. You're in and it's out-"
"Shut up, Ten. And stop quoting Katy Perry songs." He mumbled.
I smiled and finally fell asleep.
"Should we wake her?"
"No. She looks so cute when she sleeps…"
"Sakura, she missed about a week of school. She has to go to school."
"You don't go to school."
"I'm rich."
"So?"
"So that means I really don't need school. I have a billion dollar company to run. I don't really need school."
"What if Itachi heads it up instead of you?"
"Will you two shut up?! You're giving me a headache."
I moaned and rolled over to my side to face the Uchiha siblings and Sakura all standing over to my left.
"Good morning Panda-chan." Sasuke said with a sigh.
"You sleep like the dead Ten." Sakura said as she crossed her arms.
"Well good morning to all of you too." I said as I pulled Itachi's abandoned pillow over my face.
"Ah-ah up you goes, Ten." Itachi said as he took the pillow off my face and threw it to the other side of the room.
"No! I wanna sleep!" I whined.
"Up Ten. You have school work to catch up with anyway." Sakura said as she pulled the covers off of me.
"You wench! Get off me!" I yelled as I tried to grab the covers back.
"No Ten. You need to get up. It's almost six-"
"SIX?! No! Why so early?!" I let go of the covers resulting in Sakura falling over due to the lack of force keeping her up. I grabbed the clock and nearly fainted when it said it was five-forty-three.
"See Sasuke I told you not to tell her what time it was." Itachi said as he picked me up by the waist and threw me over his shoulder and carried me to the bathroom.
"Aniki! Put me down! You bastard!" I shouted as I tried to punch and kick him.
"Sorry no can do imoto." And with that he threw me in the filled up water of the Jacuzzi sized tub.
"Seriously!" I yelled at them when I emerged from the water.
"Be down in thirty minutes Tenten." Itachi said as he closed the bathroom door behind me.
I pouted in the water for another ten minutes before I finally admitted defeat and got washed up. After getting out, I picked up my drenched clothes that I previously discarded from off the floor and put them in the hamper. I knew the maids would be coming around a little later to wash it anyway.
Wrapping a towel around my waist that I found in drawers under the bathroom sink, I walked into Itachi's room where I had my clothes for today laid out most likely by Sakura.
Sakura and I spent a lot of nights in the Uchiha mansion, so it was only a little while before the brothers made one of the spare bedrooms into a huge closet for us.
I got dressed in a black t-shirt with a red and black vest over it, following my black and red plaid skinny jeans with black combat boots. I pulled my hair back into its signature buns and went back into the bathroom to brush my teeth.
I was finally downstairs within about twenty seven minutes.
"You're making better time Ten. Good job!" Sakura said as she put a mouthful of cheerios in her mouth. I noticed her outfit was a cream turtle neck sweater and a cream and pale pink skirt with white flats. But that was crazy because it's spring time out and it's over seventy degrees unless-
"SAKURA! Seriously!" I looked at her with a wide gaze and she immediately flushed.
"Ten no!" She stuttered as she started choking on her cereal.
"You two are like little rabbits!" I said as I laughed at Sakura's burning red cheeks. "And you!" I said turning to the youngest Uchiha sibling who was smirking openly at the flaming pinkette. "Learn to keep it in your pants, damn!" His smirk dropped and it was Sakura who started laughing.
"Two for Ten and zero for the sex-crazed couple." Itachi called as he handed me a bowl of fruit loops.
"Oh yay fruit loops" I cheered as I sat down at the table near Sakura.
"She has the attention span of a squirrel on caffeine." Sasuke said with deadpan expression.
"That's my Ten for you." Sakura said as she continued to casually eat her cheerios.
"Sasu-kun, why do you always eat tomatoes in the morning?" I asked when I noticed the tomato slices on the plate in front of him.
"Because I want them." He said as he popped one in his mouth.
"That's nasty." I said with a small grimace.
"That's not the only thing nasty that I do." Sasuke said with a smirk pointed directly at Sakura.
"Perv!"
"Baka!"
Sakura and I said at the same time as we both hit him upset the head.
"Tenten and Sakura two, Sasuke zero. Come on foolish little brother! Don't let them dominate us!" Itachi said as he shook his head.
"That's not what you'd be saying if Aimi was here." Sasuke mumbled under his breath.
Aimi Itou is Itachi's girlfriend of about five months though they've known each other for years. True to her name Aimi is gorgeous. She has long midnight black hair, silver eyes and was the skin tone of a porcelain doll. She looked like she fit right in, in the Uchiha household. With everyone's characteristic of pale and dark features.
"Is Aimi-sempai coming? I love it when she visits!" I said as I grinned.
"No, Aimi is not coming today thank kami-sama. I don't think I could handle all of you all together at once." Itachi said as he rubbed his temples at the mere thought of it.
"But Aimi-sempai is awesome." Sakura said as she pouted.
Aimi was known for her kick-ass attitude and personality. Although she may come off hard and uncaring she's actually really caring and fun. Not to mention her fashion sense is amazing.
"Thanks I know." Itachi said as he rolled his eyes. "Now get out of here. You all annoy me."
"Whatever Tachi." Sakura said as she hugged him.
"Bye Aniki!" Sasuke called out.
"Ten…"
I froze on my way out as I attempted to sneak out the back window.
"School's that way." Itachi said as he pointed to the door Sakura and Sasuke had just walked out of.
"No, correction, HELL is that way." I said as I reluctantly got out the window.
"One more year Ten. Just one more year ok?" Itachi said as he handed me my back pack. "Can't you be good for at least a year?'
"No promises." I said with a slight glare.
"Tenten." Itachi growled out.
"Fine, fine. I'll try. Happy?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You need to stop hanging out with us so much. It's starting to change your personality."
"No it's not! But bye Tachi!" I said as I headed out the door.
"Bye Ten." Itachi said with almost disappointment evident on his voice.
After walking to school behind Sakura and Sasuke who were holding hands and sharing secret glances, we finally made it to Konoha High. The school was a fairly new building with four floors and a new gym. The principal was Tsunade-Sama. She was one of the only few people I respected in this whole building.
We walked up to Ino and Shikamaru who were cuddling under a shaded tree. When she saw me and Sakura she hopped up and hugged us.
"Where have you guys been?!" She nearly screeched in my ear.
"You saw me yesterday Ino." Sakura said as she shoved Ino off. Ino didn't seem fazed. She just fixed her ruffled purple mini skirt with star chains on them. To top it off she had on a purple heart-line tube top and purple converse, total Ino couture.
"Ok well what about you?" Ino said as she crossed her arms.
"Here and there." I said with a shrug. Ino looked like she wanted to say something but Sakura gave her a look stopping her in her tracks.
"Well alright." Ino said slowly. She then turned to a new sleeping Shikamaru. "Oi lazy-ass, come over here and be polite."
"I am being polite, troublesome woman. I nodded to Sasuke." Shikamaru said not moving from his spot.
"He did." Sasuke said as he sat next to Shikamaru.
"What about us?" Sakura said as she glared at Sasuke.
Shikamaru cracked open and eye and nodded then lay back down.
"Seriously that's it? Come on lazy ass!" Ino yelled as she stomped her foot down in defiance.
Reluctantly, Shikamaru got up and stood next to Ino.
"Whipped." Sasuke said as he smirked at Shikamaru.
"Shut up Uchiha." Shikamaru said with a glare.
"Don't say mean things like that Sasuke! You didn't even say hi to Ino! Play nice!" Sakura said as she glanced at him briefly.
"Woman you don't control me." Sasuke said as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms.
"I may not control you directly, but there's one thing I do, now get up and say hi!" Sakura said as she crossed her arms and dared him to object.
I've never seen Sasuke move so fast before in my life.
After our early morning jokes and conversations we finally sat in Ibiki-Sensei's homeroom class. Ibiki-sensei taught Trigonometry. Sakura and Sasuke are insanely smart not as much as Shikamaru who already aced this class but felt it too troublesome to move up to the next level to have to actually do more work. I'm here because I actually had to work my ass off to get here. As for why Ino's here….
We actually don't know why.
She pretty much sucks at math but she still made it to trig. I'm guessing its Shikamaru's influence or the fact that she actually just PLAYS the role of the dumb blonde when she's actually really smart.
Nah.
"Ten, what's number three?"
"I don't know Ino, ask your human-calculator of a boyfriend over there for help."
"He's sleep."
"Well wake him up!" I said through gritted teeth.
"Ok!" Ino said as she smiled at me.
I sweat dropped.
"Tenten Tanaka, you're needed in the main office." The loud speaker blared out.
I stopped with my pencil in mid-air and paled.
"Ten… What did you do?" Sakura hissed out.
"I don't know." I whispered.
"What?"
"I said I don't know!" I said as bit harsher than I meant to. I just grabbed my books and headed to the office.
As I walked through the hallways I tried to remember what I could have possible did that would result in the school being notified. When nothing came to me I took a deep breath and headed into the main offices double doors.
"Hey Shizune-chan." I said with a smile at the office's secretary.
"Tenten." Shizune looked up at me with the saddest eyes and was about to say more before-
"TENTEN GET IN HERE!" Tsunade barked through the closed doors of her office.
"Please be on your best behavior." Shizune pleaded.
"What why?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Is the woman drunk again?" I asked with a smirk.
"No…" Shizune sighed. I looked at her with a questioning gaze but went into the office anyway.
And my blood ran cold.
There stood the officers from last night.
Shit.
That was the only way to describe this situation.
"Tenten, have a seat please." Tsunade said with a tired sigh.
I slowly made my way to the chairs between the two officers.
"Tenten do you recognize these men?" Tsunade said as she gestured to the two men.
I knew if I said yes I'd be done for but if I said no Tsunade would fry me alive for lying. I didn't know what I feared more so I settled for the safest route.
"…"
"Tenten answer me. Do you know these people?" Tsunade said as she rubbed her temples.
'…"
"Tenten..." Tsunade was starting to get frustrated at this point. She started rubbing her temples.
"…"
"TENTEN MAI TANAKA, ANSWER ME OR I SWEAR TO KAMI-SAMA I WILL HANG YOU FROM THE FLAGPOLE BY YOUR SHOE LACES!" Tsunade yelled as she slammed her hands on the desk.
I flinched.
"I may have seen them before." I answered.
"Well they seem to know a lot about you, Tenten." Tsunade said as she took a huge swig out of a cup that looked suspiciously like liquor.
"Really?" I said with fake calm.
Of course they knew me! Their whole team knew me! But how did they find me?! Oh God! I'm going to jail for a VERY long time. Damndamndamndamndamndamndamn damndamndamn-
"Isn't this yours?" Tsunade said as she brought me out of my internal freaking out. She threw a blue school I.D card at me. It had my picture, name, and school name on it.
I mentally berated myself to a pulp.
STUPID! How could you forget you had your I.D in your pocket! God you're so STUPID!
"Maybe." I said with false indifference.
"It has your name and picture on it!?" The officer that had frisked me last night shouted. I glanced at his name tag: Officer Riku.
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Calm down Riku." His partner: Minoru said calmly.
"Tenten, we know that with your track record we can only pardon you so many times before we have to make a decision. I'm sorry but we're sending you to a reform-slash-rehab school where you might get help." Tsunade said with a sigh.
"What?" I said with completely straight face.
"You're being sent to another school Tenten, a new place where you may be able to start new and fresh. You need help Tenten, you can find help there." Tsunade said again with sad eyes.
No, this can't be happening. This is all wrong.
"We have already received the okay from your temporary guardian's the Haruno's saying it was okay." Tsunade said as she gave me the papers for my new school.
"No…" I said slowly.
"What?"
"NO! I'd be DAMNED if you send me away to some REFORM school!" I said as I stood up and glared at her.
"It's either that or three years plus years in Jail. Your choice." Tsunade said as she rubbed her temples in an annoyed manner. I should be the one doing that!
"When do I leave?" I said with a glare in her direction.
"Tonight at seven. It's on the east side of Konoha." Tsunade said as she took out more papers to sign. "You're ride will be given to you by someone in the Uchiha household I presume?" At my affirmative nod, Tsunade waved me out the room with one hand.
I turned to glare at the officers before storming out of the office and down the hall. I leaned against the wall and my head was spinning. I was getting shipped away to some reform school. I would most likely have to change within one year to prove I could actually be a part of society without being a menace. Or it was goodbye to sunlight for as long as the judge saw fit.
It wasn't fair!
I thought as I angrily clenched and unclenched my fists before I angrily punched the wall closets to me. Pain shot up my hand but I ignored it and stormed into the classroom.
A/n: I know that's a weird place to stop but this is my first story *applause*. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter to Shadow Games. Tell me what you think. I take criticism really well so I won't be offended. But flamers can go play chicken with the bolt train. Xoxox
~Mystify