I'm ba-ack. C8
You guyses seriously owe me. (-ahemcommentwithpraisesineedalifeahem-) You don't know how long it took me to type this chapter—seventeen pages in Microsoft Word, over four months typing, deleting and re-typing and at least three times just having to start over, what with all the thunderstorms here. (-ahemandmystupiddogturningoffhtepowerahem-)
Anyway, if you read the old style of Math Quiz, PE Mile Run, Death, you will see the differences. Also, thanks for sitting through my horrid writing. D8
I owe you all for waiting patiently for this new and updated chapter. -huggles everyone-
Note: I live in America and I'm not smart enough to use the metric system, so when, "The speedometer raced up the bar, reaching almost sixty. Tenten shivered when she remembered that the speed limit was actually forty."is used, it means miles, not kilometers.
Disclaimer! I don't own Naruto. This is a fanfiction, peoples. Fan. Fiction. Did you catch the Fan?
"Tenten, honey! Wake up!"
Tenten rolled onto her side, pulling the blanket over her eyes. So…tired… She thought. She tried to open her mouth to yell back a reply, but all she could do was snuggle into the warmth of her bed.
"Tenten!"
She sat up, opening her eyes. They stung and her body felt much heavier, so it was had to resist the urge to go back to sleep. "What…?" She tried to yell it, but it was more of a mumble.
"Tenten! Wake up! School starts today!!"Tenten shot out of bed, opening her bedroom door. "I'll be right down!!" She screamed. She slammed the door and turned to her closet.
"Holy shit! I can't believe it!" She mentally slapped herself. "First day of school, and I've gotta mess it up! Dude!!" Tenten's hand shot out into her closet, pulling out whatever her hands touched. Quickly ripping off her pajamas and pulling on the shirts and pants she had randomly chosen, she leaped down the various flights of stairs of her home.
"NotimeforfoodIgottagoloveyamomgoodbye!" Tenten yelled, grabbing her cell phone from the kitchen table and two hair-ties that her mother conveniently placed for her.
Her mother chuckled to herself. As the door slammed in response, she sighed, "Brings back old memories…"
XOXOXOX
"Neji! Wake up!"
Neji ignored the voice coming from the opposite side of his door. He rolled over to his side, and pulled the pillow of his head.
"Neji Wake uuup! I don't want to be late!"
Neji sat up. Will she ever shut up? He thought, glaring at the door. Who cares about school, anyway?
"Pleeeease!"The knocking soon became pounding as Hinata became more frantic. "I don't wanna be late on the first day of schooool!"
Neji brushed the hair out of his eyes. Do you think she'll leave if I stay quiet enough?
"Neji, if you're awake and pretending to be asleep…!" She hesitated.
At least finish the stupid threat. Neji stood from his bed, and jumped onto the ground. Her strolled over to the door, enjoying Hinata's pleads.
"NEJI!!"Hinata almost fell on her face when Neji opened the door. Her pulled a lock of his coal-black hair behind his ear, and glared at his cousin, as she frantically avoided his eyes.
"N-Neji, school!" Hinata pleaded, focusing on a loose thread from her jacket. "P-Please!"
Neji growled. "Leave. Me. Alone." He slammed the door shut. "Go without me."
He heard a low whimper from behind the door, a light scratching sound, then silence. He shouted out his favorite cousin's name with no answer. Feeling a bit triumphant, Neji turned to his closet.
After getting dressed, he strolled out of the Hyuuga Mansion, observing everything he could; stalling.
"Damn you, Hinata," He closed his eyes, letting his memory guide him out. "Forget school…"
He continued walking down the streets, his eyes opened to see where he was going, then closed again. He smiled a bit, realizing that one wrong turn means no school for the day.
XOXOXOX
Tenten sprinted down the streets, beginning to regret her decision to skip breakfast. Ooooh, I'm so hungry!! Why didn't I take a bagel or something?! Her stomach ached, and her heels started to burn, but she kept running. "Dammit!" She shouted outloud, voicing her thoughts.
"Late, Tenten?" A shop owner smiled. Tenten remembered the rosy cheeks and white mustache, and shouted a yes in reply. She thought something was wrong when the usually cheerful shop owner didn't laugh, so she focused her eyes where he was staring and gasped.
"Hyu—"
Tenten fell backwards, her head throbbing. Neji pressed his hand against his forehead as he cried out a curse word.
Tenten gasped, closing her eyes. She felt the wind blow through her hair, and it took her a second until she realized that she hadn't yet hit the ground; in fact, she was standing upright. After a moment of effort, she peeked through her eyelashes at her savior.
Neji was glaring down at her, his forehead reddening, his eyes cold. His face was red—perhaps from all of the sudden excitement? Tenten was suddenly hyper-aware of his arm flexing around her waist, and struggled to get out. She blushed when Neji didn't let go.
"Hyu-hyu-hyuuga Neji!" Tenten shouted, her face red with embarrassment and chagrin. "Wh-wh-what a-are you d-doing!!" She winced, realizing that her voice trembled and stuttered.
Neji frowned, his eyes suddenly becoming confused. "You don't feel it?" He muttered, his voice extremely low. Tenten strained to hear it. "It's pretty bad…I wasn't quick enough." He sighed.
Tenten wondered what he was talking about, leaning away from him. His arm pinned her to his waist, tighter. Tenten's blush got fiercer.
"W-what?" Tenten snorted. Snorting was good; he wouldn't be able to hear her voice trembling any more.
Neji's confused eyes turned slightly amused, and he dropped her to the ground. Tenten's legs wobbled, unstable. Neji kept his arms on her waist, like he was making sure she wouldn't fall. "Your head," He said, cocking his head. "You don't feel that?"
Tenten winced. The back of head suddenly stung. She brushed the back of head lightly with her fingers, afraid to make the pain worse. She shuddered at the blood that she saw when she observed them.
"How did this…?" Tenten's voice was not trembling anymore; she was too busy being curious to be embarrassed.
Neji sighed again, letting go of her waist. "I told you," He closed his eyes, and placed his hands behind his head. "I wasn't fast enough."
Tenten nodded, avoiding his face. She blushed again when she realized that she bumped into Hyuuga Neji. She snapped her face upwards.
"I'm so sorry!!" She gasped, placing a hand on her mouth. The bump on his forehead was redder. "I-I didn't see you…!"
Neji opened his eyes. They were relaxed, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Who cares?" He closed his eyes, and the smile was gone. "I really don't give a crap, anyway."
Tenten blushed, irritated. "B-but your head…"
Neji opened his eyes once more. They were surprised. "Oh…Yeah…" His hand touched his forehead lightly. "Doesn't even hurt…"
Tenten growled. "But, I—"
Neji groaned. "Aw, shut up."
Tenten obeyed, snapping her mouth shut.
Neji's eyebrow knitted together in amusement. A smug smile brushed across his lips. "Huh. Someone listened to me."
Tenten blushed, now fueled by embarrassment, irritation, annoyance and chagrin. "Well, I have to get to school," She said, attempting to close the irritating conversation. She stepped beside him, her shoulder bumping his.
Neji, his face smooth once more, grabbed her arm. Tenten clenched her teeth together, her heart thumping louder than ever.
"Hold on. I'm not gonna let you go," Neji said, a bit loud. He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes, Tenten noticed. "I'm not losing you that easily."
Louder…
"I'm pretty sure blood-loss is going to be a difficulty for you in the near future," He mused. "I should make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself more…"
Louder…
Neji twisted his body around, his hand still grasping Tenten's wrist. His face had no smile or frown, but wasn't exactly expressionless. An emotion unknown to Tenten hid behind his eyes as they contemplated her injury.
"I'm going with you to school." He said aloud. His stomach twisted as he wondered if he should really go with her, but his mind was clear; it told him that a pretty young girl might get hurt more, and only he would be to blame.
Tenten's face cleared of all color. Instead of filling with it, it drained. Her stomach twisted, her eyes getting wider. She could not think of anything, except what every average teenage girl would think:
Hyuuga Neji. I'm going to school with the Hyuuga Neji.
She looked away. "Um…Neji…" She blinked. "…Wouldn't that be bad for your image…?"
To Tenten's surprise, Neji laughed.
"Image?" He snorted. "You really think I give a damn as to what other people think?" He laughed again. "Ha, fuck no!"
Tenten squeezed her eyes shut. After a moment, she looked into Neji's eyes. A hint of humor still lingered there, but that unknown emotion was still there, lurking in the shadows of his ivory eyes.
"Fine," She muttered. "I'll go with you."
Neji laughed again. Shouldn't I be the one with the grimace? And I thought I had every girl in school around my pinky finger. He smirked at the thought, and looked into Tenten's eyes. They were filled with something that vaguely reminded him of fear.
Tenten growled, her face regaining color. "Um…Mind letting go?"
Neji looked down at his hands, and lifted them up. He had unknowingly placed his hands on her waist again. He held them next to his shoulders, palms outwards. He shrugged. "No harm done," He muttered, the edge of his lips turning upwards.
Tenten bit her lip, and turned around. She stalked off, her hand placed on the back of her head. Neji followed her, his hands in his pockets, his shoulders sagged.
Neji smirked. She's interesting… He thought, his eyes wandering up and down her body.
Tenten growled lightly. What. A. Dick. She thought, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
As the two headed off towards the school, the shop owner chuckled. "Teenage puppy love," He muttered, turning back to his work.
XOXOXOX
"Tenten!!"
Lee hopped out the Main Office, his eyes filled with tears. Tenten laughed, relieved that the tension between her and her escort was finally broken with the cry of a friend.
"Lee!" She shouted, running towards him. Lee met her with a hug, and scooped her up into his arms.
"I missed you!" He blubbered. "When you didn't enter through the back 30 minutes ago like usual, I started to freak out!"
Tenten laughed, squeezing him lightly. "I'm fine, Lee, really!"
Neji snorted.
Lee let go of Tenten, and observed the Hyuuga standing a few yards from him. His eyes studied Neji's body with a questioning look in his eye, then turned to Tenten. "Why…him…?" He muttered through his teeth.
Tenten wrapped her arm around Lee's neck, and pulled him away from Neji. "I was running towards school, and I bumped into him. I almost fell on the ground, and got the back of my head hurt, so he escorted me back here." She turned her head ever so slightly so she could see Neji's face. He was staring at a few trees, his eyes avoiding hers. "He owed me from my injury."
Lee growled, anger lighting up his face. "He hurt you?!" He growled.
Tenten giggled. Lee was worse than an over-protective boyfriend. "No. I bumped into him, remember?" She sighed. "Look, I don't understand him, OK?"
Lee nodded, his face suddenly becoming understanding. Tenten giggled again. Silly over-protective, bipolar Lee.
Tenten couldn't talk to Lee much further, because a cry louder and more relieved than Lee's echoed through the hallway.
"NEJI!!" Hinata cried, running down the hallway. Her left hand was at her breast, her right flailing in the air beside her. Her feet were almost tripping over each other, and Tenten feared that at any second she would trip. "Neji!!"
The Hyuuga in question sighed.
Hinata nodded slightly to Lee and Tenten before the stream of words ran out of her mouth.
"Neji oh my God I'm so glad you're ok I can't believe it why did you take so long I was so worried when you didn't show up I was beginning to wonder if you had decided to not come but I knew that you wouldn't do that I was so worried!!" The words fell out her mouth, tripping over each other. She quickly shook her head, and her face of relief soon became anger. She squeezed her eyes closed, and her smile turned down at the sides and opened wider. "I can't believe you!" She pounded her fist on Neji's chest.
Neji took a step back, not knowing what to do with Hinata's quick mood change.
Tenten and Lee giggled.
Hinata glared up at Neji for a moment before sighing, and looking back down. "Hmmm…Whatever," She pulled a yellow paper out of her pocket. "We have to get our schedules." She said, grabbing Neji's wrist, and walking away. She nodded at Lee and Tenten again, then walked faster, Neji behind her.
Neji turned around, smirked, and muttered, just loud enough for someone who was paying attention—Tenten— "You're not escaping me."
Tenten shivered, her face warming up again.
XOXOXOX
Period One
Tenten stared blankly at the bleak black-and-white sign, which hung above the door.
Calculus.
The word bounced off the inside off her head.
Calculus.
Just the word made her head pulse.
Math.
Just what she needed after getting a can of whup-ass opened on her by stone.
Tenten's fingers tightened around the yellow paper in her hand, cursing the math gods under her breath. She slowly walked into the room, her eyes avoiding everyone else's. She hoped that they wouldn't notice the bandages wrapped around her head, but that would be impossible.
Lee laughed at the tension in her body. "Tens, it's only math," he laughed, using his childhood nickname for her. Tenten relaxed a bit at it. "You aren't gonna die."
Tenten flexed her body again. "Oh, really?" She muttered.
Lee chuckled. "I'm sure our teachers wouldn't do anything to us on the first day of school!"
Tenten growled. "I really wish you wouldn't say those words."
Lee frowned, his eyes filled with sadness. "Tens…" He pleaded.
Tenten sighed. "Fine!" She stomped into the room, slamming herself into a chair in the near-by desk. "I'll live through this day."
Lee sighed, and slid into the chair next to her. "Tens, pleeeease," He looked up at her, his puppy-dog eyes unleashed. "Be nice? For me?"
Tenten glared at Lee, then sighed, her eyes widening and her face relaxing. "You're right. I'm sorry." She rested her head in her hands. "I'm just so freaked out."
Lee patted her back with his hand. "Why?" He asked.
She stared at him, her eyes weary. "Hyuuga," She whispered.
Lee growled again, his face becoming livid again. "Of course," He muttered. Tenten could see him biting his lip.
Tenten looked back down at the desk. Her heart ached for her to explain everything to Lee, so he could confront Neji. Lee was bigger…When they were twelve, Lee was no match, but after an extreme growth spurt, Lee shot up, slimmed down, and filled out. He had muscles; enough for anyone to bet on him in a fight with Neji. But, then again, Neji always hid his body in large jackets, long-sleeves…Nothing that would focus on his build. Tenten smiled a bit imagining Rock Lee beating up the always confident Hyuuga Neji. Yet, she couldn't tell him…She wasn't sure of what Lee would actually do, even if she did beg him not to do anything…Lee was always protecting her, ever since the day they met…She didn't want him worrying more than he already did.
Tenten sat up, and laid her arm around Lee's shoulders, her head resting on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she muttered. "Please don't be an idiot and try to beat him up."
Lee turned to her, his face smiling. "Beat him up?" He laughed, squeezing Tenten around her waist. "I would never do such a thing to such an illustrious person from such an illustrious family!"
Tenten gasped for air, pounding on Lee's back. Lee quickly let go of her.
"Sorry," Lee smiled, not looking sorry at all.
Tenten smiled.
"Um, Tenten…"
Lee and Tenten turned around to stare into the eyes of the infamous blond of their class. Tenten wondered what was going on as Lee dropped his smile.
"Um, Tenten, I have news for you," Ino sighed, twisting a lock of her hair around her finger. "And you might not like it."
Tenten frowned. Ino was like the angel of death; only coming around to bring misery. Since she was so prone to gossip, she knew everything about everyone—false or not—and that meant that she knew what annoyed and frightened everyone. Knowing that she had that weight to bear, she would go up to students who had probably only heard about her, just to warn them. It was her duty, as she had explained it once. "It's Hyuuga, isn't it?" Tenten guessed, not really wanting to hear the answer.
Ino sighed again. "You got it," She muttered in her soprano voice. "I recommend staying with her, Lee. She might need it." Ino sighed again, then skipped off the opposite side of the room.
Tenten groaned. "Why, why, why, why, why?" She covered her eyes with her hands, and groaned again. "Out of all of the available class options, he was sent here?"
Lee patted her back. "Maybe it's fate." He suggested.
Tenten growled.
"Or not." Lee amended quickly.
Tenten lifted her hands, and turned around, her back to the door. "Stay with me, Lee," Tenten pleaded. "If you go, I might just spontaneously combust from all of this nervousness."
Lee laughed, and patted her back again, this time with more force.
Tenten responded with a punch of her own, ignoring Hyuuga Neji, who was having his own little crisis.
"Ne…ji…!" Hinata grunted, pushing against his back. "Go…in…!"
Neji grunted back, his hands gripping tighter onto the doorframe. He felt his fingers dig into the wood, and gritted his teeth. Dammit. Math with that girl! Why didn't I just ignore her? He smiled grimly. My own little version of a hit and run…That stupid shop owner wouldn't have been able to see me, or identify me.
Hinata took a few steps back, then ran, shoulder first, into Neji's back. When that didn't move him, Hinata resorted to becoming a teenage girl again.
"Neji, go iiiin! If I'm late, what's gonna happen to my record?" Hinata whined, her small fists pounding against Neji's back. "The teacher will come, and we'll both get in trouble!"
Neji ignored her. There was no chance of her getting him to move. He could easily snap her neck without trying—that was how fragile she was, and how strong he is. Instead, he scanned the room.
Sitting on the teacher's desk, the infamous Naruto was playing with the teacher's things—snapping pencils, crushing coffee mugs, splattering ink; the usual. In the row in front of him, Ino was sitting at desk, looking at her delicate fingers—her nails, Neji assumed— and the desk beside her held her other/opposite half, Chouji, scarfing down a months worth of snacks. Beside him, Shikamaru was laying face down into an open book—Neji wondered randomly if he had fallen asleep in the middle of a word. In the row behind them, Kiba was shouting at a very defiant Akamaru, who refused to stop barking. Shino sat a desk away Kiba—leaving a desk in-between them open— his arms crossed across his chest, his face with a vacant look. With the dark sunglasses he wore, Neji couldn't tell if he had fallen asleep, or was just pondering about something. In-between them was an open desk; left open for Hinata, as always. The row behind them held the exchange students; Gaara, Temari and Kankurou. Temari and Kankurou seemed to be engulfed in a conversation, as Gaara seemed a bit repulsed from it. Neji wondered mildly what it was that they were talking about, then shrugged it off. Behind that row was where Lee and Tenten sat, both now totally concentrated on a mini-battle. It seemed as if one word would send them flying out of their desks, and into a full-out brawl. Beside Tenten was an open desk, which Neji winced at. He would probably have to sit there. The only other open seats were Hinata's, and the row behind them. That row was completely empty—but Neji knew not to sit there. Sasuke and Sakura—the lovebirds of their classes—were in the corner, faced away from everyone. Neji felt mildly repulsed by what he thought they were doing, and distracted himself by turning around.
Hinata gasped, tripping over. She had started another running tackle, but Neji had turned around, so she just kept running. Neji sighed, and reached out, grabbing Hinata's waist, saving her.
"Neji, you moved!" Hinata gasped, a little dizzy. Her porcelain face had a hint of red creeping into her cheeks. The shock of almost falling probably withheld the blush from staining her cheeks.
Neji sighed, letting go of his cousin. "Hinata, shut up, and answer me this: Who was that girl I walked in with?"
Hinata took a step back, her small index finger lying on her chin. Her pearl eyes were confused, her brows furrowed. "Why do you care?" She asked finally. "You never show any curiosity for anyone else…Why now?"
Neji winced inwardly. She was so damn perceptive. "Look, just, what's her name?"
Hinata smiled, closing her eyes. "Her name is Yahiko Tenten. Her mother owns the local inn, and her father died when we were eight," She opened her eyes again, confusion turning into curiosity. One delicate eyebrow raised while the other laid resting over her eye. "She's been in our classes since we were first enrolled in school, Neji. You don't remember her?"
Neji grunted. "I don't remember anyone," He lied. He remembered everything. It confused him as much as Hinata, if not more, that he didn't remember the peculiar tomboy of his classes. All the girls were always so girly, it hurt him. So, why would the only different girl blend in?
As Neji pondered this, something sent him back into reality. A shout.
No, it was more of a siren.
"Aw, shit! He's comiiiiiiing!!" Naruto shouted, snapping everyone out of their post-vacation, pre-school state. He leaped off the desk, landing on the ground with a crash, and leaped onto Ino's desk—making her back raise and her body tilt backwards—jumped onto Kiba's—which made Akamaru whine in fear—onto Temari's, then Lee's—which snapped him out of battle mode—then, finally, he slid into his own, right behind Lee. Sakura and Sasuke slid into their own beside each other. Chouji hid his snacks and smacked Shikamaru's head, waking him up, in one swift movement. Shikamaru shut his book, then laid back down into his arms. Kiba shouted at Akamaru once more then stuffed him inside his jacket. Hinata yelped in fear, and dashed into the seat in-between Kiba and a suddenly somewhat relieved Shino. Temari and Kankurou stopped talking and Gaara kept staring out the window, ignoring his siblings. Neji ran into the room, sliding into the desk next to Tenten's right before the teacher stepped into the room.
Tenten blushed. "What are you doing?" She hissed, putting as much venom as she could in the words.
Neji ignored her, focusing on a strand of his hair. He chuckled darkly inside—he was picking up one of Hinata's less favorable habits.
Tenten hissed again, but ignored him. Just as she was going to turn around to Lee, a man with his black hair swept to the side walked in. A cigarette—unlit—was perched on the side of his mouth, which was currently in a scowl. Tenten wondered how he managed to slid a cigarette past Tsunade, but she was more focused on the fact that everyone around her was groaning.
Asuma included.
"Is old lady Tsunade doing this?" Naruto cried aloud.
Asuma scowled. "Budget cuts are a bitch," he muttered, more to himself than to the class. "Well, you all know me, and I know you all, so let's just skip the introduction crap." He said, louder. He turned around, towards the chalkboard, and glared at his desk. He mumbled something intelligible, then said, "Chouji, if you keep those chips away, I won't take away your lunch pass."
Chouji obeyed quickly. Naruto sighed, relieved. Tenten heard him chuckle, "Damn, I didn't get busted?"
Asuma obviously heard it also. "Busted for what, Naruto?"
Naruto stiffened, then suddenly relaxed. "Nothing, sir," He said, his voice mocking. Idiot, Tenten thought. Don't you know why we all respect Asuma?
Asuma, almost on cue, stomped up to Naruto's desk. Everyone twisted around in their chair to see. Sakura and Sasuke nudged their desks further away. Lee nudged closer, and Tenten grabbed his shoulder, holding him back.
"Naruto, you have three seconds to either apologize or leave this room. If not, you'll wish you never indulged such secret information to your buddies," He spat the word, the side of his mouth grinding down on his cigarette. Naruto turned white. "Now, I'm gonna start counting…"
Naruto gulped. Tenten felt bad for Hinata, because out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Hinata's pale skin was losing even more color. Poor Hinata, Tenten pitied, watching her cringe away from the action. She focused back onto Asuma and Naruto. Asuma's been unleashed. Nothing can stop him now…
He's blackmailing him. Tenten thought grimly.
"One."
Naruto's hands twitched, and color regained.
"Two."
He stood up, his eyes on the same level as Asuma's.
"Thr—"
Naruto smirked, and his hand snapped out. Asuma winced, obviously expecting some sort of physical pain, but nothing happened. It was silent in the room. Then, Naruto smirked his mocking smile, and raised his open hand. Lying in his palm was Asuma's cigarette, in one piece. Tenten's eyes widened in shock—and almost appreciation— since she thought that you could tugged on that all your life, and Asuma would've never let go, the way his teeth was grinding together.
"Smoking's bad for you," Naruto spat, twisting the cigarette in his hand.
Asuma's face turned red, and, for a second, Tenten wondered if he was going to explode.
He did.
"OUT!!" Asuma screeched, one hand pointed towards the door, the other balled in a fist on Naruto's desk. "Out!! And if I EVER see you in here, you will be—"
Naruto cut him off. Fueling the fire, Tenten groaned. "Expelled? Who cares?" Naruto laughed.
Asuma suddenly got quiet. His red face calmed down, and he was staring down at the desk, his hands trembling. He looked up and muttered a few words, just low enough for Naruto to hear.
Naruto suddenly went pale again. He fell back into his desk, his eyes frozen open. "How—?" He croaked, his voice rough and shocked.
Asuma smiled, and pointed towards the door again. "Out," He said, smiling.
Naruto stood up, grabbed his things, and sprinted out, almost falling over his feet. Asuma straightened his tie, stood up straight, and walked to the front. His voice was as pleasant as his expression—almost overly.
"Well, shall we start?" He smiled, turning back around.
Tenten nodded slowly, a chill running up her spine. Lee passed her a sheet of paper, and Tenten looked down to read it.
Wow. I would never want that to happen to me.
Tenten nodded, sighing. She scribbled on it, gave it back to Lee, and started on her work. Lee was quiet also, shoving the note into his back pocket. Neji noticed that his face was too hard—almost as if he was trying to cover an emotion.
Neji sighed. That was too much excitement for him to handle. Stupid Naruto, He thought, his eyes focusing on the back of Gaara's head. He wondered for a moment what the note Tenten and Lee passed said, but he ignored it.
After and oddly pleasant—and quiet, Neji noted—class, everyone began to gather his or her belongings and leave. As Lee and Tenten passed Neji, he noticed a piece of paper flutter down from Lee's pocket. Studying the retreating bodies of the two friends, trying to make sure they wouldn't see him, he picked it up and read it.
Wow. I would never want that to happen to me. Neji noticed it as Lee's handwriting. It was too rough to be a girl's.
No kidding. If Asuma knew my biggest secret, I might as well confess it to him. Oh well.
Neji bit his lip when he found himself bothered by Tenten's side of the note. "Him" had a heart around it. He bit it harder when he noticed that the only thing he could think of was, Who is "him"?
XOXOXOX
Gym
Tenten jogged down the hallways, her hand gripping the yellow schedule tightly. She was excited, but still sad. It was time for her favorite period—Gym. Although, Lee did not have this class with her, nor the following one. Then their schedules would remain on the same track for the rest of day, but she still grimaced at the bittersweet problem; on one hand, she had her favorite class, gym, on the other, there was no Lee in it.
The rest of their day, following up to this class, had been going well. Neji went to two more class with her, Hinata attached to his side, then stayed out of her sight. Even in those classes, Neji stayed on the opposite side of the room. Tenten was oddly grateful at him for that, but stayed more grateful towards Hinata—because she had all classes with Neji, if Tenten saw her enter the class, she knew to brace herself.
Her eyes scanned the hallways—almost completely empty, the last of the people being the troublemakers or new students. She stopped when her eyes fell on the sign she was looking for, the Gym entrance one. She slipped quietly in there, trying to not be noticed. She winced when she heard her name being called before she entered the locker room.
"Tenten!"
Tenten looked up warily, wondering whom it was. Her eyes widened in shock and horror when she saw Hinata walking closer, still wearing her long, baggy jacket over her gym clothes. She tried to gulp, but her mouth had ran dry, not allowing her to do that. She knew that Neji must be somewhere in the Gym, probably waiting to either ignore her past the edge of suicide or irritate her past the edge of murder.
"H-hey, Hinata…" Tenten tried to smile, to no avail. She noticed a flicker of emotions pass through Hinata's eyes before she settled on almost ashamed. Red stained her almost-white cheeks, and she looked down, embarrassed. Tenten wondered if she should explain that it wasn't Hinata that she mad at—just her ever-so-kind cousin.
Hinata seemed to know, though. "I'm sorry, Tenten…" She muttered, her voice low and bashful. When she looked back up, her cheeks had gone redder and her eyes seemed to pleading, Don't be mad. Tenten tried to smile again, this time with better results.
"It's OK, Hinata," She lied, walking up to her, patting her head lightly. "It's not your fault that your cousin is a douche." She smiled, telling the truth this time.
A noise—Tenten almost recognized it as a laugh—escaped through Hinata's lips before she turned around and waked off. Tenten realized that there was an edge to her step—was she anxious? Still ashamed? Or just trying to hold back a current of laughter? Tenten, fearing it was the median, stepped up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, hey," She said, trying to make her voice soothing. "What's wrong?" When Hinata didn't look up, she shook her a little, being careful to not do it too hard—Tenten had a strange feeling that if Hinata was jostled too much, she would shatter.
Hinata finally looked up, her eyes scared and pleading for comfort. Her eyebrows were knitted together, her brow crumpling in pain, her full lips twisted downwards into an unconscious frown. Tenten gasped a little—she had not expected Hinata to be so worried. "Neji," She said, her voice as fragile as she looked—very. "He hasn't come yet, and I don't want to get in trouble."
Tenten stared at her, trying to comprehend what Hinata meant. If they had all the same classes, it was probably more than coincidence…It had to be the work of her father's influence on the school administration. She was probably assigned the job to watch over Neji, to make sure he didn't skip school or the like. So, by letting him out of her sight, letting him choose to not come to one class, she would probably going to get punished for it at home. The fear in her eyes; the way she always wore her large, baggy jacket; the way she always flinched or cringed whenever someone was yelling…It made Tenten's stomach twist uncomfortably, making her thoughts go straight to the words child abuse.
Tenten frowned, her thoughts suddenly turning malicious. As she cursed Hyuuga Neji in many different ways, she told Hinata, her voice oddly flat, "Don't worry. I'll get him."
Hinata's eyes suddenly got a new emotion—was it embarrassment or guilt? "No, no, no!" She shouted, her already high-pitched voice shooting up an octave. "Don't! Please, don't bother yourself with my problems!" She looked away, taking a step back, her face suddenly turning a deep red and her eyes ashamed again. "It's…It's my problem…"
Before Tenten could argue to that, a loud BAM filled the gym hallways. The sudden noise made both her and Hinata jump—but Hinata's jump seemed to be more out of fear then surprise. Tenten wanted to ask if she had an idea of whom it was, but she didn't, for fear that she knew who it was already. She slowly turned her head towards where the sound came from, cringing.
Neji came in, his face twisted in a scowl; his body hunched forward, his hands balled up into fists. He stomped as he walked, fury blowing out of him. Close behind him was a man; his odd gray hair swept to the side, his expression slightly bored, as if he wanted to go home. He was an opposite of Neji, his hands were in his pockets, his lips almost a smile—they twitched in amusement to Neji's stance.
Neji, ignoring everyone, went on to enter the basketball court. But, Kakashi had other ideas. His hand flicked out, grabbing Neji's collar before he could open the door. Neji, shocked by this movement, fell backwards, staggering. Kakashi lifted his collar up higher, up to his eyes, making Neji's feet raise an inch off the floor.
Kakashi smiled, his eyes locking onto Hinata's embarrassed posture. "I presume he's yours?" He asked, his voice smooth and kind. Tenten knew it well enough to hear an underlying tone of teasing—most likely on Neji's side.
Hinata's blush grew fiercer. She nodded; her eyes were locked onto the tile floor beneath her. "Y-yes…" She said, her voice barely a whisper. "I-I'm s-s-sorry for th-the t-tr-troub-ble…" Tenten felt sorry for her again, knowing that her stutter only came in moments of great pressure—it took Hinata years to control it, but it always seemed to slip out at those times.
Neji growled. "I'm no one's, bastard," He hissed, glaring darkly at Kakashi. He ignored it, looking straight ahead.
"In any case," Kakashi started, letting go of Neji's collar—he dropped to floor, trying to steady himself. "I caught him trying to ditch school. Keep an eye on him, please."
Hinata nodded, her face still turned downwards. Neji, irritated and finally in-balance, stomped off, towards the basketball court again. Hinata cringed away when he stepped in her path—It made Tenten's thoughts turn malicious again. How the hell can he just treat her like that? She thought, wanting to punch Neji badly. She has to go through so much for him, and this is what he does?
Finally unable to stand Neji's behavior again, she flicked her own arm out, fingers curved halfway into a fist, and grabbed Neji's shoulder. She was shocked when she realized how thick and muscular it was, even underneath the heavy jacket he wore. She ignored that thought, squeezing her hand, trying to cause damage.
Neji twirled around, his eyes furious and cold. "What?" He hissed, his voice low and full of venom—it made Tenten flinch. His mouth was twisted into a smile—no, not a smile. He showed his teeth, but it was far from a smile.
"What the hell?" Tenten spat, letting go of his shoulder, but still wanting to hurt him. "Do you even know the word—or emotion—compassion? Sym—"
Neji cut her off with a growl. "Piss off," He growled, flashing his teeth again. It sent shivers down Tenten's back, making her palms sweat. Fighting the tension in her muscles, she reached out for him again. He jerked away, walking backwards into the gym. The door opened, and Neji stumbled through, Tenten almost falling on top of him.
No one was expecting what happened next.
A loud, high-pitched scream filled the hallway and gym, making everyone jump. When Tenten and Neji looked to see whom it was, they noticed Sakura, a silent observer to the argument just moments ago, tears streaming down her face, and her eyes wide open in horror, staring into the gym. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the floor, her brow crumpling and her body shaking with the loud sobs that ripped out of her chest. Hinata ran to her side, her eyes frozen open in the exact horror that Sakura's eyes portrayed, if not weaker. The pain and horror in Sakura's eyes were staggering—Tenten's skin shivered looking into them.
"NOOOO!!" Sakura sobbed, her scream filling the rooms again. Everyone from the locker rooms ran out, their eyes locked at the same position Sakura's eyes were on. A few gasps and shouts filled the hallways, but Sakura's screaming drowned them out. "Why! WHY?!" Her face fell to her hands, tears now gushing out of her eyes, staining her clothes and dripping onto the floor at a rapid pace. More screams, all Sakura's, echoed in the rooms, bouncing off the walls and hurting Neji's ears. Tenten, slowly and unwillingly, turned her head, following the gaze of everyone's eyes, as did Neji.
The gasped. Tenten saw Neji's already porcelain skin turn whiter, his white eyes widening in horror. Tenten stared at what everyone was staring at, her bottom lip quivering. Sakura's loud screams of denial sliced through the air, making Tenten's heart ache for her and Neji's stomach churn uncomfortably.
Sasuke's white corpse, now splattered with blood, laid about ten meters away, in plain sight. His right hand held a gun tightly, his finger on the trigger. The pool of deep red blood laid around his head, but his shirt and jacket also had splatters of the horrifying liquid all over it. Tenten's mind, although it could only repeat the words Sasuke's dead, Sasuke's dead over and over in her mind, picked out something strange—although it was too busy to find out what, the scene picked at Tenten, annoying her in the midst of the horror.
Tenten was vaguely aware of Kakashi shouting out for someone to call the police, of Neji trying to pull her away from where her feet had frozen. She realized that Sakura was still screaming as Hinata dragged her off, trying desperately to soothe her. But her mind wouldn't let her focus on those things. It focused on Sasuke's face—his eyes wide open and horrified. She wanted, desperately, to be able to walk up to his body and examine it, but she knew that she couldn't. Not because Kakashi was making everyone leave, but because she was a coward. Because even the idea of being close to a corpse made her knees tremble.
She closed her eyes, her mind begging her body for sleep. She fought it—she knew that in moments of extreme stress—just like Hinata's stuttering, only in situations ten times worse—that her body needed sleep. But, she still tried to stay awake. She heard Neji shout out her name—she felt a mild shock at that, she didn't know he knew it—and Kakashi saying the words "she needs rest". She wanted to tell them, No. I'm okay, but her body wouldn't allow that. The huge, black waves of sleep washed over her, threatening to drift her away with the current.
The last thing she felt before the unconsciousness hit her, was a pair of strong arms lift her into a soft, warm cradle.
XOXOXOX
Neji was irritated—strangely so. Tenten had fell unconscious from all the stress, and he was forced to carry her to the main office? At least an extra ambulance was there, waiting for patients going into shock. As Sakura was carried off, laying in the bed in the back, still screaming, Neji sat up front, Tenten still asleep in his lap. Something about his expression made the easy-going driver refrain from teasing him, and he found it was better that way. He didn't like being questioned, no matter what his actions.
Once Sakura was shipped off to the shock ward—a wing in the hospital made specifically for patients who stayed in denial, such as Sakura—Hinata bustling beside her, Neji was forced to stay in the waiting room, Tenten still asleep. When he asked if she could have her own bed—just for an hour or so—he was shrugged off. So here he was now, sitting in an uncomfortable chair with Tenten sleeping soundly in the chair beside him.
It was natural for him to be irritated, but this was another kind of irritation. This one made him wonder constantly when Tenten was going to wake up, when she would speak again. Not the kind that he usually had—the "why-the-hell-am-I-taking-care-of-this-girl" one. The "when-is-she-going-to-wake-up-and-why-can't-I-stop-thinking-about-that" one. It bothered him. He didn't care about this…tomboy. So, why were his thoughts always turning to her?
He tried to distract himself—he tried to go to the shock ward, check up on Sakura's status with Hinata. Sadly, they didn't let him leave the waiting room. And by "they", it was "Kakashi".
"You can't just leave her there, Neji," Kakashi had said. "She needs rest—it's really no surprise. And if the hospital won't look over her, who will? You're the only one left."
Neji grumbled over that for a while—where was Lee, that stupid, overprotective boy? Wasn't he attached to Tenten's hip, her savior and protector? Why was he here? He fought the urge to call Lee with Tenten's cell phone the entire time; he fought to urge to call and explain what was going on so Lee could be here instead of him. But, something stopped him—another reason for the uncharacteristic irritation.
He didn't want Lee to come.
Neji knew that if Lee came, then he would have to leave—either to safety from Lee's amazing concern or because Lee kicked him out. Neji felt bothered when he realized that he didn't want that to happen. He wanted to stay next to Tenten, to watch over her until she opened her eyes again. It was unnerving, the feeling that coursed through him when the thought of Tenten waking up with him not there even passed his mind. Neji was frustrated—why couldn't he just leave? If it was anyone else, he would be able to do it. Was it because he felt guilty for this morning, was he trying to make up for it? Or was it something completely different? And why her? The questions bothered Neji, bouncing off the inside of his skull, echoing.
The door in front of him opened a bit—he noticed Hinata's pale eyes, set under a dark fringe of eyelashes, stare back at him. They seemed worried and sorry at the same time—Neji twitched, annoyed at that.
"How is she?" Hinata asked, slipping through the door. Her voice was soft, delicate, almost afraid to make itself audible. Neji wondered what had happened down at the shock ward.
Neji grunted in response. Still out cold, and I have no idea when she'll wake up, but everything's perfect. He bit back the words, remembering how strongly Tenten had reacted to the way he had treated Hinata—another twitch. It was her fault for taking it, why should he get blamed? People who yelled were horrible, he knew that. But people who allowed themselves to be yelled at…
Hinata slid into the seat next to Tenten. Neji noticed the tears at the corners of her eyes, the way her skin seemed almost perfectly white. What had gone on? Neji fought the urge to ask the questions, knowing that his eagerness and curiosity would come out as cruel words—when he wanted information, he wanted it.
Hinata, after a moment of checking Tenten's temperature, finally looked up, her gaze meeting Neji's. He felt slightly embarrassed—sure, she definitely knew that he was staring at her every move, but for her to meet his gaze so head-strong…It didn't happen much to Neji, being as his eyes were colder than ice, as he noticed.
"She horrible—a mess," Hinata said, her voice on the edge of breaking. Neji knew at once whom she meant. "She can't stop screaming out his name—she can't believe he's dead…She needs him, now more than ever…" She looked away, her face regaining color—a deep red one. "We had to sedate her…She's only just now getting some rest…They don't know what to do—she's being so difficult, not allowing anyone to even get near her." She shook her head, breathing out a frustrated sigh. Her face went redder in amazement at her own actions, and her eyes focused on the décor of the wallpaper.
Neji sat, waiting for more. She looked like she had so much to tell…But knowing her, she probably wouldn't say a thing, afraid to break anyone's trust in her. Neji had so many questions to ask, although, some weren't even related to Sakura. A question bubbled up to his lips now, but he bit his tongue, not wanting to scare Hinata. He turned his head away, staring at the plant beside him.
Hinata looked back at Neji, questions in her own eyes. "Where is everyone?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence. Neji looked up, startled. "Why is it only you and Tenten?"
Neji frowned—he had wondered that too. It couldn't be that it was only him and Tenten who came to the hospital—everyone else was almost sure to follow, Neji knew that. Were they waiting somewhere else? Had the police sent them home? Did Kakashi send them home?
A realization hit him just then—why was Kakashi allowing them to stay here? He didn't want them to leave—and the excuse of Tenten being unable to move was just a load of crap. He was Hyuuga Neji—they both knew that if asked, Neji would be able to get a ride home, easy. And the fact that Hinata was still here didn't do anything either—same reason, different person. He should've been sent home hours ago, when the corpse had first been seen. What was Kakashi hiding from them—or, rather, what was he going to show them?
Neji stood up abruptly, scaring Hinata a little. "Hinata, stay here with Tenten," He ordered, his voice low and cold. "I'm going to find Kakashi."
Before Hinata could utter a word, he was storming off, slamming the door Hinata had just entered from a few minutes ago behind him.
XOXOXOX
Tenten finally opened her eyes, a few seconds after the door had slammed. Her mind had finally given up—the war between common sense—she had to wake up, she had to know what was going on—and body control—she wasn't in any condition to move, she should rest—was finally over. Common sense had won, and her body was finally slipping back into consciousness. The first thing she saw was Hinata's frantic eyes, staring back into hers.
"Oh, Tenten!" Hinata smiled, her voice weak with relief. She smiled grandly, but a her eyes were still a bit distant—Tenten wondered what she was thinking about. "You're finally awake!"
Tenten blushed. How long had she been out? She sat up straight, trying to think clearly. "Um…Hinata…" Tenten looked up, her eyebrows knitted together, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face. "How…How long was I out…?"
Hinata suddenly blushed, almost as if saying Sorry. "Um…About three hours…" She said, her voice low and apologetic.
Tenten's eyes opened wide, her face draining of color. She stood up, quickly pacing. Her hands trembled as she walked. Suddenly, she stopped at stared at Hinata. "Three hours?" She asked, making sure. She did the math in her head. Three hours since Sasuke was found dead, who knows how long asleep in—what seemed to be a waiting room—chair… Tenten paled at the thought. "Where am I? Where's Lee? Who brought me here? How long have I been here? How's Sakura? Why—"
Hinata cut her off with a quick, low gasp. Her red face suddenly drained of color, turning snow white. Her eyes were shocked, almost scared. Her bottom lip quivered in what seemed like fear, confirming the emotion in her eyes. She turned her head down, hiding it from Tenten.
"Is…Sakura…?" Tenten asked, not knowing where her mind was going with the question. Sasuke had died, and his girlfriend, Sakura, had been going into hysterics the last time Tenten had seen her. Was she still hysterical? In denial? Had she finally grasped the fact that Sasuke was dead? Why did Hinata react so horribly to her name? Or…Tenten gulped, realizing that it probably wasn't Sakura who caused this reaction in Hinata at all. She slowly turned around, fearing Neji glaring at her.
She gasped when her eyes met the gaze of Hatake Kakashi, his expression livid.
"K-kakashi…!" Tenten gasped, choking the words out. Was he angry at Hinata? At her? But his eyes were not angry at Tenten—no, it was far away, the expression in them distant. Whether he was thinking something over or actually angry at Hinata or herself, Tenten did not care to find out. She took a step back, stepping closer to Hinata.
Suddenly, Kakashi's face smoothed out—his eyes went blank, his expression a stiff, formal one. "Tenten," He said curtly. "Where is Neji?"
Tenten shook her head, almost trembling. His face…it was so angry, so furious…And now it was just a calm mask—expressionless, cold and distant. "I don't know," She said, almost mouthing the words. The sight of Kakashi's face, glaring down at her was still in her mind, making her breathless.
Hinata spoke then, her voice a soft, calm one. It didn't sound anything like Hinata—it was formal, just as Kakashi's was. "Left. I think possibly to find you," Tenten wondered how she managed to keep it even, level. She probably has to practice it frequently, for her father, Tenten thought, almost grimacing. "He looked upset—I think he wanted to ask you something."
Kakashi nodded stiffly. "Well then," He said, his voice cool. "I guess I will have to find him, won't I?" He studied Hinata first, staring at her long, deep indigo hair. Then, his eyes flickered up to Tenten. Instead of being the blank look that it was a second ago, it was almost furious, but still questioning. They held each other's gaze for a while until Kakashi left.
As soon as the door closed, Tenten sunk to the floor, her heart thumping loudly against her ribcage. "What the hell," She started, her voice still slightly breathless. "was that?"
Hinata looked up, a strange expression in her eyes. Her jaw was set in a way that didn't match her—it was assertive, almost as if she was a leader instead of the follower Tenten kept thinking her as. "Tenten," She said, her voice low and cautious, no longer timid. "I think that you will have to find Neji." She looked down at Tenten, brushing her hair behind her shoulders. "Or, at least, don't let him and Kakashi run into each other. I have a bad feeling about that."
Tenten nodded helplessly, hoping that at this moment, Lee would burst into the door, a wide smile stretching his face. She cursed herself for feeling so dependent, for feeling so weak.
Hinata stood up, brushing her jacket off—Tenten noticed that she had changed clothes. Her jacket was different and her pants were the same as this morning. Tenten wondered randomly why she had changed, but ignored it and stood up, still shaky. "Wh-where did he go?" She asked, her hand gripping the side of the chair for balance. She almost winced when she heard her voice stutter.
Hinata smiled slightly, her eyes growing softer. Tenten noted that it wasn't her usual Sorry, but more of a Thank you. "I don't know—probably to the shock ward," She said, her voice soothing. Tenten realized that this was a reverse situation of this afternoon—she had been trying to sooth Hinata as she worried uncontrollably. "He's in a foul mood, so be careful." And with that and another warm smile, Hinata walked away with a strange sense of leadership that Tenten had not gotten used to just yet.
Tenten stood there, trying to regain her balance. When her knees finally stopped shaking, she took a step towards the door where Kakashi had exited. But before she could even touch the handle, it burst open, a very furious Hyuuga Neji on the opposite side.
"God dammit!" He shouted out, the words furious. His white eyes were cold, furious, and it made Tenten wonder why it wasn't black. He stepped towards Tenten not even acknowledging her presence. Tenten cringed away, fearing that he would strike the first thing he saw—her.
In mid-step, Neji paused. His eyes were still angry, but they were also confused, almost disappointed. He studied Tenten, then his mouth turned down into a scowl again, flashing his teeth. "Dammit, now this?" He hissed, his voice low. He sat down on the chair Tenten had just been gripping for balance, letting his head fall into his hand, the other one resting on his knee. "Fuck, can't anything go right today?" He muttered, more to himself than anything else.
Tenten, still shocked, wondered why everyone was acting so weird—first Kakashi, glaring down at her with his piercing black eyes and now Neji, glaring down at her with his piercing white eyes. A stab of pain stung her heart when she wondered if it was her fault. "…Ne…ji…?" Tenten whispered after a long second.
Neji lifted his head to look at her with mostly blank eyes. A hint of curiosity touched his eyes, but they were more calculating—he was definitely figuring something out. But, other then those light touches of emotions, they were blank—almost as if he was dreaming until Tenten spoke. Instead of forming a coherent word, he just hummed a questioning hum.
"…What's…going on?" Tenten asked, her voice careful. Afraid that one wrong word would send everyone back into angry mode, she took another step back.
Neji frowned—an unconscious movement. "We have to go back," He said after a moment. "to school. To the crime scene."
Tenten gasped—what had brought this on? And why did he use the word we? "Neji, I-I can't do that!" Tenten said, her voice almost pleading. Once again, she cursed herself for losing all of her hard-earned strength. "We can't do that! They won't let us!"
Neji's frown didn't budge. "They will, don't worry," He said, his voice as flat and blank as his eyes. "I have to figure out something." He turned his head away, the calculating emotion growing stronger. Tenten stayed quiet, afraid to break his thoughts.
What brought on this sudden use of we, Tenten didn't know. Was it because he felt guilty—no, that wouldn't be a strong enough emotion to drag her along on a "let's-find-out-what's-wrong-with-the-corpse" game. And, why did Hinata make Tenten find Neji before Kakashi found him? Why was Kakashi so angry earlier? Why was his eyes so angry, so questioning when he looked at Tenten? And why was Neji so angry? Why did he have disappointment in his eyes when he looked at Tenten? What was going on?
"Tenten," Neji said suddenly, breaking her own thoughts. The shock Tenten had felt before hit her again—when did he learn her name? "If I tell you to trust me, will you?"
Tenten, wondering what this was about, gazed into his eyes. They were no longer blank—they were passionate, criticizing, and studying Tenten in a way that made her feel self-conscious. She felt her face redden at the force in them. Without speaking a word, she nodded her head.
Neji's features suddenly softened. A slight smile brushed his lips, the criticism in his eyes disappearing. "Good," He said, letting out a long gust of air. Tenten's eyes widened at that—why was he holding his breath? "Now, trust me, Tenten." The casual use of her name bugged Tenten—he didn't care before, so why now? "We have to go back."
Tenten felt her lips turn down, into a frown. "I can't do that, Neji," She said, her voice strong. She smiled to herself when she heard it—her power had been regained. "I can't…I won't be able to go back there."
Neji's face, possibly unable to keep sincere and kind as it was, suddenly twisted when his lips turned into a sneer. "No zombies, don't worry," He joked, using a heavy dose of sarcasm. "I won't let them eat your brain."
Tenten growled. Why couldn't he just stay nice—it was better that way. "Idiot," She muttered. "I'm worried about the corpse itself—how can you expect me to just stand there like…like…like you!" She blushed when she heard her voice level rise. "Besides, what are we going to find there? It's a dead body—there's nothing to see except blood and a horrified expression!"
Neji suddenly stood up, realization dawning on his face. "That's it," he breathed, probably saying his thoughts outloud. He looked up, into Tenten's eyes, and turned away. She realized that the unknown emotion she saw this morning was in his eyes again—it bothered her even more than usual. As Neji's body walked further away from her, he said, "If you want to leave this hospital now, follow me."
Tenten grimaced. Bribery, was it? Follow me or stay with a bunch of sick people and a furious Kakashi? She bit her lip, running to catch up with Neji.
XOXOXOX
"How the hell are we going to do this?" Tenten asked when she was seated comfortably in the passenger seat of a long, sleek black car. She leaned back against the smooth seat, wondering for a second why Neji opted to walk to school that morning when he could very easily drive there. Suddenly realizing that she didn't care, she just turned her head, pressing her cheek against the cold window—when had it started raining? The clouds didn't seem so heavy in the morning, but, then again, Kohona had an ever-changing weather system, not following the laws of mother nature what so ever.
Neji laid back in his seat also, focusing on the road ahead of him. His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly when he spoke. "When we first saw the body, I noticed that something was wrong—But, I couldn't quite place my finger on it," Tenten frowned, knowing that the same thing had happened to her—what had been bugging her? "And when you spoke earlier…" Neji pursed his lips, thinking. After a long moment, he opened them again. "You said 'blood and a horrified expression'." He paused, thinking again. The car idled at a red light, and when it started moving again, Neji spoke. "It hit me."
Tenten frowned, still looking out the window. "What did?" She asked, trying to hide the curiosity in her voice with sarcasm. Neil smirked a little at her failure.
"Suicidal people aren't scared of death, Tenten."
Tenten snapped her head up, staring incredulously at Neji. He was staring intently at the road, his face smooth. She felt her jaw hanging and closed it quickly. What was Neji trying to say? "What?" Tenten asked, the word almost a laugh. "What do you mean?"
Neji's smooth mask cracked—his lips twitched upwards once. "How do you think he died, Tenten? And, not cause of death."
Tenten took a second, trying to understand his question before answering it. "Suicide," She answered automatically as soon as she realized what he meant. "It's the only explanation."
Neji's mask cracked again. "So, let's say you became suicidal all of a sudden—your lover, Lee, or whoever he is, died," Although he managed to keep his expression in check, inside, his stomach churned angrily—what was Lee to her? "What would you do?"
Tenten blushed before answering. "One, Lee's not my lover," She said, trying to clear up the blurred lines between them. "And two, if he was my lover, I would kill myself. Obviously." She felt a light pang of shock when she realized how easy it was for her to give up her life for someone else.
"Exactly," Neji nodded, his stomach calming down with relief. "And, you wouldn't be afraid when you'd do it, correct?"
"Correct," Tenten said, wondering where he was going.
"So, you wouldn't have a horrified expression on your face when you'd shoot yourself?" Neji asked, his mask finally shattering. His face was a trifle smug, a smile on his lips.
Tenten gasped when she understood his line of thinking. "So…you mean…" She stopped, unable to finish her thought.
Neji's face hardened. "Yes," He said, voice low and hard, through stiff lips. "It couldn't have been suicide."
Tenten looked down, thinking through his hypothesis. Suicide was a huge decision…You wouldn't do it unless you were absolutely sure that you wanted your life to end. And you wouldn't have regrets either…Suicidal people don't ever have regrets with the way they chose to die…They wouldn't be scared of the bullet…
"He was killed," Tenten whispered, her face paling.
Neji kept his eyes locked to the road in front of him, his face hard and stiff. Slowly, he nodded.
Tenten, incredulous, stared out at the road also. The rain had became a downpour and the quick, quiet tap tap tapping almost echoed in the silent car. She couldn't believe it. Who would want to kill Uchiha Sasuke? He was loved by everyone—but, then again, with popularity comes hatred. But the hatred of those people were nowhere near the hatred that could lead to murder…And, who could've even pulled it off without anyone noticing the gunshot? Who could've had the chance to kill Sasuke? No one was near the basketball court at the time—only Hinata, Tenten, Neji, Kakashi and Sakura…And Sakura wouldn't—no, couldn't—do that to her lover. She could've easily done it and gotten away with it if she had just mourned, but not the way she did…The memory of her screams made Tenten shudder.
"You understand now," Neji said after a few minutes. It wasn't a question. "We have to go back, get evidence to present it. Before they just label this under 'Suicide'." Tenten shivered at the bleakness in his voice. Looking towards him, she saw the hard way his jaw was set; the blank, yet still analyzing, look in his eyes; the way his hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that Tenten wondered if it would come off with a quick jerk of his hands.
Tenten looked back down, at her hands, now laying in her lap, fingers intertwined. "…But…who could've…" She stopped, the words getting stuck in her throat.
Neji frowned. "Who knows?" He said simply. Tenten waited patiently for more. "…I guess…We have to find out."
This made Tenten's eyes open wide. When she opened her mouth, she closed it again, re-thinking her words. She knew that around Neji, everything she said would have to be re-thought. "Neji," She started, her voice slow and heavy with the weight of the knowledge she had just gained. "How can I…How can…I can't do that."
Neji growled—it made Tenten jump. "Of course you can't," Neji spat, his voice acid. Tenten flinched at the sound of it. "That's why I'm here. That's why Kakashi dragged us both into it." He snorted, an insult in Tenten's eyes. He spoke quickly, speaking his thoughts as soon as they came to him. "You can see things that I don't think that even I can see—amazing, I know, but obviously, Kakashi knew that. That's why he chose you also—your mind. But, since he knew that you were a weak little thing, nowhere near the strength that I can hold, he decided to bring me into the picture. I don't know what aspect he chose exactly, but it must have something to do with the fact that I have the willpower, the recourses and the time." He growled again, this time it was irritated and impatient—the car was once again at a red light. "Still, the exact reasoning behind this asinine decision is still unknown to me. But, why do I care?" He smiled a grim, threatening smile, flashing his teeth. "At least I get to figure out who shot Uchiha's brains out."
Tenten, sitting through his rant silently, finally spoke. "'Dragged us both into it?'" She quoted, almost angry at his assumption. Kakashi had been one of her very favorite teachers since she first had him in ninth grade. "Why would Kakashi do that?"
Neji frowned, stomping on the gas as the light turned green. "I don't really know, and, truly, I don't care," The speedometer raced up the bar, reaching almost sixty. Tenten shivered when she remembered that the speed limit was actually forty. "All that matters to me is finding out Uchiha's death, then I'll worry about wringing Kakashi's neck. In the meantime, worry about who could've done it. I don't really care about everything else."
Tenten frowned, finally provoked. "Neji, do you really thing Kakashi would risk both our lives in this stupid 'who's-the-killer' game? That is…" She stopped, looking for a word. "Idiotic!" She half-yelled the word, settling for the first insult she could find. "I don't believe it!"
Neji laughed—it was hard, frustrated. "Of course you would think so—Kakashi's little pet. See, I'm not one to jump to conclusions. We need more evidence before we can pursue any suspect."
Tenten glowered at him, trying to see if she could shoot daggers out. "Neither am I," She said, her voice cold and cruel. "And, I'm not his pet. I'm solely a student who enjoyed his teaching experience. Besides, what does that have to do with anything?"
Neji laughed again, this time mocking. "You still don't realize?" He laughed. "Explain this to me—why were we the only ones in the waiting room?"
Tenten bit her lip, irritated that Neji outsmarted her. He was right, she knew. No matter how much she wanted it to be false, it was true. Kakashi always had reasons behind his actions—the reason behind only having Tenten and Neji inside the waiting room must be one of them. But, why was he so angry when Neji wasn't there?
Neji laughed, this time more naturally, when Tenten asked that. "Angry?" He asked, incredulous. "Damn, awesome! He probably was pissed that one of his lab rats escaped."
Tenten, annoyed with Neji's attitude, reasoning, and answers, stayed quiet, looking out the window. The rain was even heavier now—thunder boomed in the distance, making Tenten jump. She wondered where this heavy storm came from, but ended up ignoring it when her mind wandered from the car, from Neji, to other matters…Like, how messed up the rest of the school year was probably going to be like. The most popular boy in school was now dead…The most popular girl in school was in hysterics…This was going to be a year that no one was going to forget. Tenten smiled grimly. What a feast for the freshmen and seniors—this was a story that they could one day tell their grandchildren. More for seniors than freshman—it was their class that held the murder victim. Tenten's mind suddenly flew towards Ino. She had liked Sasuke before she liked Chouji, and she was Sakura's best friend before they both started dating. How was she taking all this?
Tenten's eyes slowly grew wider. How was she? Was she still angry at Sakura for taking Sasuke away from her? Would she go as far as killing Sasuke for choosing Sakura over her?
No, of course not. The line of thinking was just absurd, and Tenten shook her head in self-disapproval for even thinking it.
Tenten sighed, pressing her cheek against the window. Her mind was becoming desperate, trying to grab on to any solution that seemed even vaguely possible, she realized. Was this why investigators arrest the wrong people on those cases she used to watch all the time on TV? If so, Tenten could now sympathize. It was too much for her.
Tenten closed her eyes and listen to repetitive humming of the car's engine. She only needed to think about that when she reached the school. No, not even then. If she was to be "professional" for Neji, then the phrase, "we need more evidence before we can pursue any suspect" seemed right.
Tenten mildly wondered where she had heard that until Neji stopped to a screeching halt in front of the school.
XOXOXOX
"Hyu-Hyuuga Neji, sir!"
Tenten, shocked, quickly hid behind Neji's arm, which was complete stupidity as she soon realized. She had no need to be afraid or hide from authority figures, since it seemed that Neji had them all wrapped around his pinky. Even the middle-aged man who was wearing imposing badges and threatening weapons seemed to bend over backwards for the famous Hyuuga clan prodigy.
"I am requesting permission to enter the crime scene, officer," Neji said formally—it reminded Tenten of how Hinata had spoke to Kakashi back in the hospital. He folded his arms, taking away Tenten's protection, and lowered his head slightly, but not humbly. In fact, if anything, it made Neji look just a tad bit more threatening.
The officer jumped slightly, straightening his back and widening his eyes. Tenten felt sorry for him—he seemed to be in his twenties and spooked out of his mind. "S-sir! The head investigator is requesting that no one enter the scene, sir!" the officer said, almost shouting.
Neji frowned; his eye twitched. "Officer, I am now ordering you to allow me in!" He said harshly.
The officer, not wide-eyed and pale, nodded quickly and stepped out of the way, saluting Neji and Tenten. In shock, Tenten stared the officer—so young, yet taking such a beating from people who weren't even twenty…
Neji tched and looked down at Tenten. "Forget him, he chose this career," he said, guessing accurately from Tenten expression. "What matters now is to find one last piece of evidence and announce our 'discovery'." Neji sighed, saying the last word oddly, as if he wanted it out of his mouth.
Tenten nodded, feigning confidence. No matter how smart Neji thought she was or wasn't, Tenten didn't know if she had the ability to be able to find another problem—and she didn't even find the first one! She had stated a fact and Neji made what he could of it! Now it would be up to her, to find one more thing to start another investigation, one that would be longer and more valuable!
Quickly and desperately, as she walked into the gym behind Neji, Tenten tried to make a list of the things she knew about Sasuke.
Ducking underneath yellow tape she got her number one: his biggest rival was Naruto.
Standing behind Neji as he opened the gym doors, was number two: he was super popular and Sakura, the most popular girl in school and most well-known, but not royalty, girl in town, was his girlfriend.
Answering an officer's question about who she was, Tenten got number three: his family had died years back because of an alleged "virus."
"Be careful," Neji whispered, breaking Tenten from her list. "This is the corpse."
Tenten took in a sharp inhale. She quickly studied Sasuke's mangled corpse, then looked away, her heart thudding loudly. Breathing heavily, she tried to come up with another fact, to get her mind off of the gory and gruesome scene in front of her, and resolved with the only one she could think of: he had black hair and was the only left-hander in her class.
That was it.
"Neji!" Tenten shouted, grabbing the cloth of his heavy jacket. The Hyuuga looked down, startled, his eyes wide and confused.
"Neji, that's it!" Tenten said, her breath ragged. She opened her mouth in an almost-smile. "I found it out—Sasuke's left-handed!"
Neji frowned, his expression disappointed. He sighed before answering, "Tenten, try coming up with something valuable, ok?"
Irritated, Tenten growled, pulling down on his jacket. "No, Neji, think about it!" She said, almost shouting it. This was it, her chance to show Neji that even though he didn't think she was worthy, she really was. To prove to everyone that this wasn't a suicide and that some cold-blooded killer had gotten him.
Neji turned around, his eyes tired and his expression waiting. All of the investigators and officers in the room turned to look at her and the atmosphere suddenly turned heavy. Gripping tightly on the thick cloth, Tenten said, "If he was left-handed, why hold the gun in his right hand?"
There was a stunned silence in the air. The only noises was Tenten's heavy breathing and heart thumping. Neji stared down at the brunette's face, shocked and amazed, his mouth slightly open. Tenten stared back into his astonished pearl eyes with confidence in her own mahogany ones.
"Don't you see?" Tenten said after a while, her voice soft and low, speaking only so that Neji could hear. "He's holding the gun in his right hand, and it would only make sense for a left-hander to hold it in his left, not right. That's our proof, our last piece of evidence."
Neji nodded slowly, then more quickly. He took a deep breath and turned around, breathing it out. Tenten let go of his jacket, a strange feeling coursing through her. Abruptly, Neji's hand shot out and grabbed Tenten's shoulder, pulling her closer to him, to his side. Blushing wildly, Tenten struggled until Neji opened his mouth and spoke.
"This is Yahiko Tenten and I am Hyuuga Neji," Neji said, speaking loudly and shocking Tenten—where had he learned her family name? The next sentence Neji spoke shocked Tenten in spite of herself—she knew it was coming, but the context which it held was something she never knew a high-school student should ever have to say.
"We have found enough evidence to prove that the death of Uchiha Sasuke was not suicide, but, instead, a cold, cruel, homicide."
Yaaaaaaays. c:
Yes, I made Sasuke left-handed. No, I don't care if he's right-handed or not. No, I don't care about any OOCness, if any. Yes, I meant there to be an absurd amount of fluff for this chapter. Ys, I am happy Sasuke's dead. No, it's wasn't easy to right. And, if at all possible, don't bug me about his death!!!
Written through a cold, a 102.4 fever, countless headaches, a raging battle between insomnia and I, Mid-terms, ideas that had nothing to do with this story, and just too much time. I hope you guyses are proud of me. –sniff-
DA SECOND CHAPTER WILL NOT BE THIS LONG!! (I refuse to let it become this long..)
Cookies and kisses,
RB