Chapter 2

Tenten POV

I woke up to the annoying noise of my alarm early Monday morning. Time to get ready for my first day back at school, I thought as I dragged myself out of bed.

"Morning Tenten!" said my younger sister coming up the stairs.

"Morning…" I said groggily.

"Mom says you have to drive us to school today!"

"Why can't she do it?"

"She said she was really tired so she went back to sleep."

Why can't I go back to sleep? I'm tired too! "Okay…I'll drive you to school."

"Good," she turned around and ran back down the stairs.

We were on our way to school when one of the twin boys asked me, "Sissy, how come you didn't go to school last week?"

"Because I got in trouble at school and they didn't want me there for a little while."

"What did you do?"

"Ummm…it was stupid, I really shouldn't have gotten in trouble."

"Then what did you?" asked the other one.

"Nothing…"

"Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!" the seven year olds chanted in the back seat.

"Both of you be quiet!" yelled my sister from the front seat beside me.

"Thanks," I said loud enough for just the two of us to hear.

"Yeah…whatever," she said turning her eyes back to her phone.

After dropping off the twins at their school, my sister and I made our way to the high school.

"Leah," I said with concern, "you've been nothing but rude to the twins and I all week…did something happen at school?"

"No…it's none of your business."

"Come on Leah, you know you can talk to me about anything."

"Everyone at school hates me."

"What, why do they hate you!?" I asked shocked.

"Because my sisters a druggie…"

"What are you talking about?"

"They hate me because my sister spends all her god damn time smoking pot and getting high with her stupid boyfriend she fucks every god damn night!"

I pulled the car over, "Why would you say that to me!?"

"Because it's true, my sisters a pot head and a slut and I get judge because of what you do!"

"Get out…"

"Excuse me!?"

"I said get out. Get out of the car…you're walking."

"Schools another mile away, I'm not walking!"

"Then take back what you said…"

"I'm not taking it back, it's true…all of my friends ditched me. Nobody even talks to me anymore. Ever since you and Neji ditched all of your friends, all of my friends ditched me, and now I'm all alone at school. Everybody thinks I'm exactly like you!"

I didn't even know what to say to her. We used to be so close; she used to be my best friend. I decided not to say anything; she probably just needed to blow off steam.

I restarted the car and got back on the route to school.

As soon as the car was parked, Leah swung open her door and slammed it behind her, walking as fast as she could to the main doors of the school.

As soon as the car was locked and I had my things I bolted for the girl's bathroom. With tears running down my face I leaned against the wall of the stall and locked it. I rolled up my sleeves to reveal hundreds of little scars covering my arms.

Pulling out the pocket knife I kept in my purse, I slid the blade across both my left and right arm, drawing blood.

I heard the door to the bathroom squeak as it opened. I wiped away the tears and took a deep breath.

"Tenten?" said a familiar voice, "Are you in here? Are you okay?"

I opened the stall forgetting about the fresh cuts on my arm, "hey Ino."

"Tenten!" she said giving me a hug, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah…I'm…fine."

"Well obviously your not! Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing…Leah and I just got into a fight, that's it."

"Oh good, well…not good but I thought maybe Neji had broken up with you."

I reached up to wipe away an escaped tear.

"Oh my god, what happened to your arms!?"

"Oh…uh…nothing," I said quickly rolling down both of my sleeves and putting my arms behind my back.

"Tenten," she said with worry in her voice, "H-have you been cutting yourself?"

More tears came.

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

I nodded.

"Then why won't you tell me? Just because we haven't been as close as we used to be doesn't mean you can't talk to me anymore."

"I know In-," I was cut off.

"When did this happen?"

"A little after my dad left…but I'm okay."

"Well obviously your not! Tenten, are you depressed?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Please stop lying to yourself. Is this why you and Neji stopped talking to everyone? Is he doing the same things?"

I decided not to answer her. I didn't want to reveal myself and I didn't want to hide it anymore either.

"Tenten…if you don't talk to me, I'm talking to the school councilor."

"No don't! I'll tell you. Just ask me anything and I'll answer you, truthfully."

"Is Neji doing the same thing?"

I nodded, "Yeah."

"How long has this been going on?"

"A while…I think the first time I cut was during freshman year."

"Well you have to stop! Promise me you'll try to stop?"

"Yeah, I'll try to stop," I lied.

"Good, now onto a happier matter…are you and Neji coming to Shikamaru's party this weekend?"

"I am, but I'm still working on Neji."

"Well, make him come…parties just haven't been the same without the two of you!"

I smiled.

"Come on, let's go to class.