Hidden Secrets

Genre: Drama

Info: Tenten is currently dating the famous Uchiha Sasuke and THE Hyuuga Neji is her best friend. What could possibly go wrong with two prodigies there to protect her and care for her? With pressure from Sasuke and the other girls, she develops a complex eating disorder called bulimia nervosa and begins to purge her food.

WARNINGS: Eating Disorders (anorexia and bulimia) and possible OOC.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

A 12-year old Tenten ran freely through an empty training ground. She then did a cart wheel, followed by a round off, landing right in front of the white-eyed Hyuuga prodigy, Neji. "You've been keeping secrets from me." Tenten said in a joking tone. "Hn. How so?" the Hyuuga prodigy questioned. "well, a little green bird told me that you like someone." she continued in a mocking tone. "Hn." "So it is true?" "Hn. It is not." "Really.." "Hn, really." "Are you sure?.." "Hn. Yes, believe me, if I knew, I would tell you."

Tenten P.O.V.

'That was then. In the end, It was me who ended up keeping the secrets.'

My name is Tenten, I'm currently seventeen years old, and this is my life story.

I suppose the bulk of my problems started when I was thirteen, about a year after I had become a genin, to be more specific, it was when I started training for my first chuunin exam. That also just happened to be around the time Neji's fangirl's were most vicious.

The day Gai-sensei told us about the upcoming exam, Lee, Neji, and I went out for a bite to eat to celebrate. We went to our favorite dango shop. We found a vacant table close to a window with three chairs around it. We had cooperatively decided that Neji would go order, I would get the napkins and straws, while Lee would try not to get too excited, and just wait at the table.

As I walked over to the condiment counter to retrieve the napkins and straws, I overheard a few fangirls talking.

"Like oh my gosh, isn't that OUR Neji?!" one fangirl squealed.

"Yeah, and he's like with his totally bushy-browed freak of a teammate." replied another one of the girls.

Then another continued the loud, disruptive conversation, "Oh, and that like fat weapons girl. Like seriously, I'm surprised she can still manage to jump up into the air to throw weapons at OUR handsome Neji!"

"Like totally true. I mean, like doesn't she already weigh a lot, why does she bother carrying all those weapons that she can't even hit Neji-kun with. Like, they're just making her even MORE heavier!"

"And that hairstyle of hers, it just makes her cheeks look fatter." At this statement, I reached up and touched my left cheek. I was so appalled by their horrendous conversation, that I quickly grabbed three straws and a bunch of napkins and stormed off.

Little did I know, the 'mean girls' just said all of it as a plot. "So," the leader of the fangirl pack said in a malicious tone, "do you think she heard us?" "I think so." answered one of her lackeys. They then all had laughed, but of course, I didn't learn about their plot until I wound up in the hospital.

As I reached our table, Neji sat the food and drinks on it and sat down. I followed in suit, sitting myself down as well. He moved my food in front of me, sesame dango of course, my favorite. I looked at it, then looked up at my two male teammates and asked, "Do you think I'm fat?" At first, Lee looked at me quizzically, then answered with something about youth. I ignored his bizarre response and looked toward Neji.

"Hn. You are not. Why are you asking this anyway?" Neji questioned coolly.

"Well, I don't know, I mean I'm just making sure I guess."

"Hn."

You see, growing up, I had weight issues, until maybe around the age of ten. However, it still makes me conscious whenever someone even suggests I'm fat or brings up anything about weight. At that time, because of my consciousness, even hearing Neji's valid response, I denied my own best friends' words, and went by thinking that I was fat.

Later that day, walking out of the dango shop, I heard one of the girls mumble something about me not being able to pass the chuunin exam since I probably wouldn't be able to keep myself balanced because of my weight. After hearing that, I began to ponder on whether or not my being overweight would affect my performance during the test. From that point until after the exam, I avoided eating.

The first few times I skipped meals, I felt dizzy and sick, but eventually, my body adjusted to my abnormal eating habits, which consisted of not eating, or barely eating anything at all, if you could count it as eating. Also, if I felt that I had eaten too much, I would engage in at least one hour of vigorous exercise for every extra ounce I ate, on top of my usual daily spars with Neji, that got more intense as the test date grew closer. When it was time to eat, I avoided it by saying that I wasn't hungry, or that I had eaten a lot the meal before. I kept telling myself that I would only do this until I lost ten pounds, and within the first week, I had successfully lost those ten pounds, however, I became obsessed with losing more weight.

At that time, I did not know that I had become anorexic or the consequences were to come. However, that day came during my preliminary match against that Temari of the sand girl, when she had defeated me so easily. All my food deprivation had finally caused my energy to be completely depleted, and thus, I lost. Not because of my being overweight, but because of my obsession with not becoming overweight.

I woke up in the hospital the next morning with my sobbing parents at my side. Neji was there as well, and as I read his hidden emotions, I saw sadness, anguish, and a hint of frustration.

When my parents saw that I had awoken, their first instinct was to hug my to smithereens, then they began to scold me. They asked what I was thinking, and I merely answered "I don't know." They continued to give me a long lecture, at which I the end, I promised not to starve myself again.

They gave me one last hug before exiting out of her room, leaving Neji and I alone. For a moment, silence spread between us and he just stared in my direction. Then he spoke, restating the same things my parents said, except in a much more calmer tone. He too made me promise to not purposely starve myself again. Then, he did something so unlike him, he leaned over and gave me a hug.

He then followed through the door at from which my parents had walked out of moments earlier.

That day, I had made a promise to not starve myself anymore to two sets of people, my parents, and my best friend. And I didn't break that promise, not quite that is..

The next day, they brought me to rehab where I would have to stay for about a month or two to get better.

For the first few days, they had to force feed me. Eventually, I opted to not struggle, and just swallow the food, trying not to think how much weight I was gaining from it.

Every now and then, the nurses would let me outside for some fresh air, however, I had to come back before all meals. Little did they know, when I went around town for some fresh air, I was actually helping Neji train for the main matches. The nurses were even kind enough to let me go to the main matches. When Neji lost, I went to go talk to him, but my nurse cut my visit short and brought me back to the rehabilitation center.

For a while, I did not leave again, nor did Neji visit me like he had done every other day. However, the next time Neji had stopped by, he told me of the 3rd Hokage's demise.

Within a few days, I walked down the streets of Konoha with my comrades, wearing a black kimono which hung loosely on my still recovering body. No one spoke of my condition going to or at the 3rd's funeral, however, I do believe that I heard a few murmurs afterward as we were leaving. Neji, who took the liberty of walking me back to the rehab facility, merely sent them death glares. I pretended to not notice, but I think that he realized that their intense gazes and constant whispering were bothering me.

As Neji and I had continued to walk down the winding streets, we finally turned the last corner before seeing the large gated white two story building at which I had to stay. As I walked into the large metal gates, I realized that that day would've been the last time I'd be let out into the town until they thought that I was well enough to release. Let's just say the nurses found out I was training with Neji.

I turned once more to wave a quick goodbye to Neji before I walked through the doors of the secluded building, and he nodded in response.

----------

I stayed in that building for two months straight, with only a few short visits from my parents and Neji. The doctors and nurses limited their visits to 10 minutes a week, and let no one else visit for reasons that shall not be divulged in full detail for the explanation would be way too long. Let's just say that due to my guests' 'disruptive behavior' - Lee and Gai too noisy, Hinata kept fainting, Sakura, who at that time would soon begin to face a problem similar to mine, and Ino would burst out crying for who knows why.. Etc, etc. The staff decided that Neji was the only sane friend that I had, and as for my parents, they had no choice but to let them in.

Anyways, during those two months, there would be days where they had to practically shove the food down my throat, and days where I full on binged. However, my few binge episodes would make me want to exercise more, returning me to square one once again.

Eventually, by some miracle, the staff managed to make some kind of break through with my condition, and I began to eat normally again.

Soon, they let me go home, however, I still had to attend a seminar session once a week and follow a strict diet that they gave me.

As soon as they gave me my 'walking papers', my parents picked me up and brought me home.

Later that afternoon, I went out for a walk around town. As I walked through the streets, I soon reached the town park. I gently sat on a nearby bench, closed my eyes, and let the warmth of the sunlight burn on my once again tan skin.

A/N: Hey everyone, I just wanted to say thanks for reading this. I hope that you found it interesting. Please let me know what you think, but please don't flame. Please R and R. Also, this is the prologue, so just to let you know, it explains that she used to be anorexic. Just thought that I'd say that to stop future confusion since in the summary, it says that she is bulimic, and in the chapter, it says that she was anorexic. Also, can anyone guess who the 'little green bird' was?

Chapter Preview:

"Tenten, we're so glad to see you!" A female voice spoke to me. "So much has happened lately, we have to catch you up."

-Wise Angel192