Friday afternoon Tenten was Hinata were waiting in line at the cafeteria. Tenten was talking but had yet realized Hinata was not listening. "So after all that my parents decided I wasn't grounded anymore. Do you want to hang out tomorrow and study for our History test? Can you believe we have a test already? I really think Mr. Orchimaru is pure evil." When she didn't get any response for her friend was when Tenten noticed the far off look in Hinata's eyes. Tenten gently used her elbow to nudge her, "Hello?"
Hinata was pulled back to reality, "Huh? What were you saying?"
"What's wrong with you?"
Hinata sighed and hit her head against her empty lunch tray, "I did it again Tenten. I sat next to Sasuke again and I could not stop taking. And I kept talking till he put his head phones on. It was so humiliating."
Tenten patted her best friend on the back, "Hinata you are trying too much you and Sasuke are friends."
"Not like we used to be. We used to be so close and it's all my fault that we aren't anymore. Every year I say this will be the year we reconnect. And now I've run out of years and who knows what's going to happen to all of us after we graduate. I could never see him again."
"Don't you think you are being a little over dramatic?"
Hinata sadly put her tray on the line and pushed it forward, "No…..well maybe. You just don't understand Tenten I did something…..very bad to Sasuke. I have to gain his friendship back so that I can apologize. I just have to."
Tenten never saw her friend so upset. She remembered they used to be really close but Hinata never talked about why they suddenly stopped being so close. She saw how badly this was upsetting her and offered some words of encouragement, "You can do it Hinata. You are trying to hard you need to just relax and be yourself."
She thought about it for a second, "Maybe I am trying to hard I don't even know what I am talking about half of the time."
Tenten pulled her tray off the line, "Yeah I'm sure once you relax things will happen naturally, you ready to pay?"
"I'll meet you at the table I'm going to get some Jell-O." Hinata pushed her tray along the line until she reached the rows of jiggling different colored bowls. She quickly spotted the last bright red cherry flavored one. Hinata reached out and grabbed the bowl; at the same time a raven haired classmate did. She looked up to not only see Sasuke standing next to her also holding the same bowl she was. She had no idea he was only a few people ahead of her, she prayed he hadn't heard her talking to Tenten.
Sasuke didn't notice Hinata until the both grabbed the same bowl. As they stood their Sasuke tried to mentally prepare himself for the random ramblings that Hinata had been spewing lately. He never remembered her being so verbally aggressive. However, the only word she said was a barely audible "Sorry", as she let go of the Jell-O they were both holding. She quickly grabbed a green bowl set in on her tray and walking just as quickly down the line and away from Sasuke.
Confused by her sudden quietness he followed her to the payment line as he called out, "Wait that's it?"
She turned around stunned that he spoke to her, "What do you mean?"
"I mean you've been a regular…..well for lack of a better example Sakura with all your talking lately. And all of a sudden it's just quiet Hinata again?"
She shrugged trying to hide the pink that was rising to her cheeks, "I…guess so."
He was still confused but he wasn't going to question it, "Ok then here let's switch." Sasuke switched his red for her green Jell-O. "It's for Naruto anyway."
"B-But Naruto hates the color g-green."
Sasuke smirked, "I know." Hinata couldn't help but giggle Naruto always brought out Sasuke's childish side. "See you around."
Hinata wanted to jump for joy but had to control her excitement as she walked over to her girlfriend's at their table. Tenten immediately noticed to grin on her friend's face. "What's got you all smiley?"
Hinata slid into her seat next to Tenten, "Oh nothing just that Sasuke said he'd see me around. I didn't over talk I just relaxed and he said he'd see me around."
Tenten knew this was a big deal for her friend, "Well good job on your progress let me know if I can help."
"Will do."
Across the cafeteria Sasuke was sliding in next to Naruto. Naruto picked up the green dessert and sighed, "Sasuke you know I hate green it's such an ugly color."
"It was all they had. Just eat it and stop complaining."
Naruto was about to argue when he saw Sai walking past their table, he called out to him, "Hey Sai! Where are you going? Come sit with us."
Sai stood their thinking about Naruto's offer. He'd plan to eat his bagged lunch outside not in the crowded cafeteria but he couldn't think of a reason not to sit with Naruto and his friends. He sat down next to Shikamaru, "Thanks."
Naruto made the introductions, "So this is Sai he's new in town, this is moody wrong Jell-O color getting man is Uchiha Sasuke and sitting next to you is Naru Shikamaru boy genius."
Sasuke rolled his eyes a mumbled a "Hey" to Sai. Shikamaru just nodded from behind the book he was reading.
Just then Neji arrived pulling a chair up to the head of the rectangular table, "Hey guys…and new guy."
Sai waved as he unpacked his lunch, "I'm Sai."
"Hyuga Neji, nice to meet you." He turned to Naruto, "You are not going to believe this just ran into Coach Gai in the hallway and he told me Hitmoi Tori moved away."
Naruto groaned, "What? He was supposed to be our wide receiver."
"Yeah Coach Gai said if we don't get somebody new during try outs it's going to be Jun Kun."
Naruto slammed the table, "JUN KUN! He is terrible the only reason he keeps making the team every year is because his Father pays for the uniforms."
Sai had no idea what was going on. Shikamaru picked up on this and put down his book to explain, "Naruto and Neji play for our school's football team. Naruto is the running back and Neji is the quarterback. That's basically all I can tell you as I don't understand their love for that game I'm more of a shoji man myself. What about you?"
"No I was never any good at sports." Trying to make conversation he turned to Sasuke and asked, "What about you Sasuke you look like you would be good at sports."
Sasuke dropped his fork and his forehead cringed. He knew was about to happened and he glared at Sai as Naruto's eyes widened and he practically yelled, "SASUKE! WHY DON'T YOU JOIN THE TEAM?"
Sasuke had heard this every year ever since the entered high school, "No"
"Come on Sasuke. Wide receivers have to be fast and you are pretty fast."
He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow to Naruto, "Pretty fast?"
"Ok you're fast you run almost every day. And you're always timing yourself so you can beat your records. If this school had a track team you'd be on it. And you like football I think you could be pretty good."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow again, "Pretty good?"
Neji joined in, "I agree with Naruto that you are fast but you lack any actual football skills plus you aren't a team player."
Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Neji I know you're just jealous and don't want me to try out for the team because you know that I'd not only make the team but totally outshine you.
Neji chuckled, "Sasuke I'm quarterback, MVP, and a shoe in for captain. You could never outshine me. Not on the football field or anywhere else for that matter."
Sasuke shoved his tray away and leaned in closer to Neji, "I could outshine you with my eyes closed. You are just jealous of how much better I am than you."
"Jealous of what? Sasuke the only thing you are better at me at, is having a gigantic ego."
"Are you serious? I don't have an ego you are the one with the enormous ego. It's the reason you like playing football because the field is the only space that your gigantic ego fits!"
Naruto tried to diffuse the situation, "Guys calm down you both have equally gigantic egos. And if it helps I'm way better than both of you at football."
Sasuke immediately spun around, "Are you kidding me?"
Neji shook his head, "You can't be serious?"
Sai sat there in silence as the three boys in front of him started an heated argument with each other at the table. He turned to Shikamaru who had gone back to calmly reading his book as if nothing was going wrong. "I thought you guys were all friends?"
Shikamaru nodded eyes still on his book, "Yes best friends."
"Is the fighting normal?"
Still with eyes on the book he said, "Yeah they always have these little arguments."
Sai never had many friends growing up so this behavior was new to him. "So what happens next?"
"Just wait they'll be friends again by seventh period. It's nothing serious. Don't worry you'll get used to it." Shikamaru patted Sai on the back, "Welcome to Konoha High Sai."
Across the room Ino was staring at Sai from behind her purple glitter folder. She set it up to look like she was reading something when really she was focused on the pale boy a few yards away. Tenten couldn't take it anymore and slammed the folder on to the table, "Ino you are starting to become a stalker."
Sakura rolled her eyes, "Starting to? She has been dragging me around the whole school following him this week. If he ever realizes it he's going to put out a restraining order on her."
Ino replaced her folder as she glared at her friend, "You two are so funny, you just don't understand what it's like to be in love."
Tenten nearly choked on her food, "In love you've barely spoken to the guy."
"Have you ever heard of love at first sight?"
"Have you ever heard of being declared legally insane?"
Ino waved her off, "I don't care what you think. I know how I feel."
Tenten rolled her eyes she had heard this before Ino always fell for guys hard, "Alright do whatever you want get married have a kid live happily ever after."
"Laugh all you want but Sai and I would make a beautiful couple and have equally beautiful children."
"Keep talking like that Ino and you'll be pregnant by prom."
Sakura and Hinata couldn't help but laugh at Tenten's joke. Hinata stopped laughing immediately when she saw how angry Ino's face was; she felt terrible and tried to fix the situation. "Well actually Sai seems pretty nice and he is very good looking. I…..um I love his hair…..very black."
She shot Sakura a desperate look to help. Sakura jumped in "Uh….oh yes very black and I'm sure he'd love to get to know you. And once you two do that who knows what could happen."
Ino started smiling again, "Thank you…." She turned to Tenten as she said, "Nice to know I have you two to support me."
Tenten put her hands up in defense of Ino's stares, "Alright I'm sorry Ino I was just making a joke. Sai seems like a good guy. I mean he is already hanging out with the guys and you know they hardly like anyone."
Ino looked back to the boys table where Sai and Shikamaru were having a nice discussion while the other three argued in front of them. "You're right oh he is so cute I can't stand it. I can't wait till he becomes my boyfriend. The three of you should get boyfriends also so we can quadruple date."
Tenten rolled her eyes, "And she's back to the boyfriend thing. This is going to be one very long year."
~Saturday Hyuga Household~
Tenten was lying on Hinata's bed and had been taking notes from her text book and being quizzed by Hinata for over three hours. She checked her watch and groaned as she slammed her book shut, "Why do we need to know this? I'm tired of studying it's Saturday let's go do something."
Hinata pushed away from her desk and let her rolling desk chair roll her over to her friend. "We are having a test this week that's why. And we need to get good grades so we can get into a good college."
"But we know this stuff we haven't' missed a single question yet. Let's not fry our brains and go see a movie or something.
There was a knock at Hinata's bedroom door which was slightly ajar causing it to open wider reveling Neji. "Hey Hinata…." He looked over and saw Tenten. "Why hello Tenten, I didn't know you were here. I came to invite Hinata to a movie which you are more than welcome to join. But, you have to promise to try to control yourself once the lights go off."
Hinata was confused, "Why would she have to control herself?"
Neji chuckled, "You know how attractive I am to Tenten so she is going to want to touch me all over when the lights go off."
Tenten rolled her eyes, "Yeah that would not be a problem. Get lost Neji, we are studying we have an important test."
"Ok then I'll be on my way to meet Sasuke then."
Hinata perked up with the mention of Sasuke's name. Here was another opportunity to work on her new plan with him, "We would love to go we'll meet you down stairs."
Tenten was already shaking her head as Neji left, "Hinata I don't want to go."
"You just said you wanted to do go to a movie."
"I misspoke."
"Come on Tenten please it will be fun, please, please, please!"
Tenten groaned and rolled her eyes, "Fine no begging but you have to sit between me and your cousin, because lights on or off I will want to touch him and not in a good way."
"What?"
Tenten did not choose her words carefully, "I meant I will hit him."
"Oh ok for a second there I thought you were admitting you had feelings for Neji."
"Believe me that will never happen."
As they were walking down the stairs Hinata mumbled to herself, "Never say never Tenten."
Across town Sakura was waiting rather impatiently in front of Ramen Ichiraku. A common meeting place for her and Naruto who was at that moment late as usual. Sakura rested her head against the side of the building and let out a long sigh, "You'd think after all these years I wouldn't bother to show up on time anymore."
"Sakura?"
Sakura opened her eyes to see Lee standing in front of her, "Oh hey Lee."
"Hey Sakura how are you?"
"Good thanks how are your classes?"
"Pretty well I'm really trying to buckle down colleges will fight over an athlete and a scholar. At least that's what Coach Gai says."
"Well you're a pretty smart guy I don't see you having any problems."
"Actually I'm terrible at English I swear Ms. Kurenia runs out of red ink on my papers."
"I'm pretty good at English, not as good as Hinata. But if you ever need someone to review your papers I'd be happy to help."
Lee grinned, "Really? That's really nice of you I would have to do something equally nice to return the favor?"
Sakura started to blush 'Is he flirting with me? Lee is one of the most popular boys in school, he couldn't possibly be flirting with me….can he?' "O-Oh really?"
He leaned in closer to her, "Yeah maybe you and I could g-"
Lee was interrupted by a very load voice yelling, "SAKURA!" The both turned to see Naruto running toward them, "Hey Sakura so glad you're still here I know I'm super late I'm sorry but I have a really good reason…" That's when he noticed Lee standing there, "Lee? What are you doing here?"
Lee took a big step back from Sakura, "Nothing just ran into Sakura here….I should get going wouldn't want to intrude on you two."
Sakura tried to stop him, "Oh no you're…"
He cut her off, "No it's fine I'll see you two at school…bye."
Naruto was totally unaware of the awkwardness that had just filled the air. And didn't notice Sakura's eyes following Lee as he left. "Anyway before I was rudely interrupted by Bowl Cut Lee over there I was saying I have a really good reason for being late."
She was annoyed by his rudeness and crossed her arms, "What is it?"
Naruto gestured to Sai who was standing behind him. "Sai I don't think you have met Sakura yet have you."
Sai nodded, "Not formally, nice to meet you."
Naruto chimed in, "So I ran into Sai who was looking for a flower shop. Can you believe it a flower shop? And I told him he was in luck because I know of a great one. Don't I Sakura?"
"Ummm….Sai can you excuse us for a moment." She grabs Naruto by the collar of his shirt and drags him around the side of the building. "What is going on?"
Naruto rolled his eyes, "Sakura have you forgotten that Ino's father owns a flower shop. A flower shop that Ino is working at right now."
"What's your point?"
"Do I need to spell it out for you? Ino has a crush on Sai."
"I know that, but she is too nervous to even say one word to him."
"Yeah I know that, listen I've thought this whole thing out on the way here. She's not expecting to see him tonight, and she'll be in her environment and more comfortable. They'll start talking, then maybe start going out, then maybe fall in love and before you know it you and I could be dancing as best man and maid of honor at their wedding."
She was surprised by this whole plan, "Why are you doing this?"
He shrugged, "Why not? Ino's a good friend and Sai's a nice guy. I think they be good together. So what do you say are you in?"
'He's so sweet.' She grinned, "Sure let's do this."
"YES! Let's get our match making on!" He linked his arm with Sakura and took off towards Ino's flower shop.
Sakura tried desperately to stop him, "Naruto! We forgot Sai!"
A few miles away Shikamaru was roaming the halls of Konoha University. He just broke away from the tour group he was on with his parents. He had wandered his way into the library when he saw a familiar face. He couldn't believe his luck as he walked over and sat in seat across from her, "Why hello Ms. Temari."
She had been in the library since early that morning for a term paper. She had barely noticed the time or anything else going on around her, so she was more than surprised to see him there. "Hello….Nara is it?"
He leaned back and put his feet on the table, "Yeah but you can call me Shikamaru. So I take it this is where you are when you're not teaching?"
"Yeah I do but you're still in high school. So what are you doing here?"
"Thinking about coming here next fall, so my parents wanted to take a tour. Not exactly my idea of a fun Saturday night. Seems like you're having a lot of fun, isn't there some college party you could be attending?"
She picked up her book she was reading, "Well no parties for me until I finish this paper on Kimura now if you'll excuse me."
He smirked, "Ah, Kimura he is definitely interesting."
She raised an eyebrow, "You know who he is."
"Yeah he's a nineteenth century Japanese philosopher. Not my favorite I much prefer Akita or Kito although Kimura's views on female, male relationships are interesting."
'The guy who sleeps through almost every class knows about nineteenth century philosophers?' She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So you believe in Kimura's view that between every male and female there in an underlying sexual attraction?"
"I didn't say I believed it, I said it was interesting. He was definitely a bit presumptuous to say it happens with everyone when in reality it only happens to most."
"Most?"
He took his feet off the table and leaned in closer to her, "Yes don't you think so? I mean take us for example."
She found herself leaning in closer, "What about us?"
"Well Ms. Temari you are a very attractive woman so I think it's pretty obvious that I am sexually attracted to you."
She blushed and pulled away, "Well your example fails because I'm not attracted to you. You are underage and my student."
He smirked, "You are a teacher's assistant so you aren't technically my teacher. And as for the other problem I am only underage for another seven days."
"They are only problems if I was going to go out with you which I am not."
"Well I don't think I asked you out….not yet anyway."
She hid her smile behind her book, "I should get back to my paper."
He grabbed her notebook and wrote some things down. "Here's the name of a book that should really help you with your paper. And also my number if you like to talk more about philosophers or anything else that's on your mind." He got up and winked at her before turning around and leaving.
She watched him leave from behind her book. Once he was out of sight she snapped back to reality. She looked down at her notebook and shook her head, "What am I thinking?" She ripped out the page in the notebook she was about to crumble it up and throw it out but she ended up folding it in half and sticking it in her folder. "I might need to check out that book….after that I'll throw it out….I mean why else would I need it."
A girl studying at the nearby table shushed her for talking out loud. Temari hadn't realized she was talking to herself. She hid her embarrassment in her book and went back to her paper trying to focus on that instead of the six foot tall, pineapple haired guy who just left.
A few blocks away Sasuke was standing outside the movie theater waiting impatiently for Neji. He was about to leave and head home when he heard Neji's voice from down the block. He turned and saw Neji and Tenten arguing as they walked towards the movie theater. They didn't notice Sasuke standing there as they continued to yell at each other.
Sasuke peaked around the arguing couple to see a rather uncomfortable Hinata standing there. He motioned her over to him, "What are they arguing about now?"
She was relieved to not be alone with Tenten and Neji fighting anymore. "They have been fighting about who should get to pick the movie since we left the house."
He rolled his eyes, "That must have been fun for you."
"I don't understand why they fight so much."
"Who knows? They probable enjoy it."
She giggled, "Probable." Hinata reminded herself she needed to be more confident and casual when speaking with Sasuke "So what's playing?"
Sasuke shrugged, "No clue." He looked up and scanned the movie titles, "Let's see Moonlight, Famished Trials, Trident's Revenge, Mario's Landing….and it looks like the they are playing Takatsuki Jones and the Cave of Impending Danger."
Hinata immediately flash back to memories of her and Sasuke watching the Takatsuki Jones movies as kids, "Cave of Impending Danger is your favorite one."
Sasuke smirked, "And if memory serves me right it's yours too. Remember when we'd have sleep overs where we have Takatsuki Jones movie marathons. Then we'd stay up half the night making up stories about his next greatest adventure. You always came up with the best stories."
She couldn't believe he remembered, "Really?"
"I probable still have a bunch of the ones you wrote for me when we were kids somewhere in the house." You always were a talented writer." She turned a bright shade of pink and looked away. "So do you want to see it?"
"Huh?"
Sasuke pointed to the movie sign, "Do you want to see the Takatsuki Jones movie?"
"Oh but what about them?" She turned around to Neji and Tenten who were still arguing behind them.
"They are going to be arguing for at least another 15 minutes. The movie starts in ten minutes, there is always at least a five minute line at the concession stand I know that you hate to watch a movie without popcorn, so if we don't leave right now we are going to miss the previews and you know I hate missing previews."
Hinata gave one last look towards her best friend and cousin. "Hey guys." Neither of them stopped arguing or even looked in her direction. "Hey Sasuke and I are going to see the Takatsuki Jones movie…guys?"
Sasuke looked at his watch, "Nine minutes Hinata."
She threw her hands up in defeat, "Ok let's go."
Fifteen minutes later Neji threw his hands up, "That's it I've had enough Sasuke, Hinata and I will go without you."
"Oh no the three of us will go without you! Come on Hinata." Tenten turned to where she thought her friend was standing to find no one there. "Hinata?"
Neji started looking around for his cousin, "Wasn't she right behind us? And did Sasuke ever show up?"
"I don't know."
The worker in the ticket booth behind them yelled out, "Are you two finally done arguing?"
Tenten walked over, "Excuse me?"
"You two have been arguing for almost twenty minutes no wonder the other half of your double date ditched you."
"Double date? No, no, no, no, not ever in a million years would I ever date him."
Neji pushed ahead of her to the ticket booth, "Wait back up what do you mean they ditched us?!"
The movie theater worker rolled her eyes, "Listen dude relax all I know is the girl who you two showed up with bought tickets to see Takatsuki Jones with this really hot guy and both went into the theater about 15 minutes ago."
He slammed his fist on the ticket counter, "He took Hinata on a date?!"
"It's not a date!"
"Not anymore!" He turned to the ticket booth worker, "Two tickets for that Jones movie now!" He grabbed Tenten's arm as he ran into the theater, "Come on! We have to stop them before Sasuke puts the moves on her."
Down the block from the movie theater was the Yamanaka Flower Shop where Ino was working. She was alone counting the minutes till she would be able to close up. She sighed as she flipped open her notebook on the counter and started to mindlessly doodle on the page. She started to day dream about her dark haired crush as she wrote his name over and over in her notebook with hearts around it. She was startled when she heard the bell on the door ring as it was being open. She looked up, "Hi welcome to the YAHHHHH!"
She quickly stood up and covered her mouth with her hand. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She blinked a few times to make sure that she was indeed seeing Sai standing in her flower shop. Sai didn't know what was going on he waited to see if she'd speak again which she didn't. "Are you ok?" Ino just stood there frozen like a statue. "I'm looking to purchase some flowers….that's why I'm here…..are you sure you are ok? Are you deaf?"
Outside the shop the two matchmakers were peaking inside the window. Sakura couldn't believe how quickly Naruto's plan was failing, "Look at her she is barely blinking. I'm going in."
"NO!" Naruto pulled Sakura back down into their hiding position, "She was to get the nerve to talk to him on her own."
Back inside Sai took a step closer to Ino and that's when Ino remembered the notebook open wide in between them and slammed it closed. It caught Sai's attention and he looked down to see a Konoha High sticker on the front cover. "Oh do you go to Konoha High? I go there too my name is Sai what's yours?
He waited but didn't get a response, "Ok then I just take this flowers over here." Sai reached over and pulled out a bouquet of flowers from the nearby shelf. He placed a twenty dollar bill on the counter in front her, "That should cover it keep the change." He took a big sniff of the flowers, "These smell great my date is going to love them thanks see you around."
Ino frowned as she sat back down in her chair and said to herself, "My name's Ino." She let out a sad sigh before letting her head fall on to the counter.
Outside Sakura was hitting Naruto over the head, "YOU IDIOT! YOU BROUGHT SAI TO BUY FLOWERS FROM INO FOR A DATE!"
He threw his hands over his head to protect himself, "I didn't know that's what he wanted the flowers for! Relax it wasn't that bad."
"It was terrible she stood there like a statue and didn't say a word.
"I can fix this I have a plan I just need your help."
"Why should I help you? Your last plan failed miserably"
Naruto pointed into the window at Ino who was banging her head against the counter. "Look at that depressed girl in there, you can't let her stay like that."
Sakura's heart hurt as she looked back in and saw how upset her best friend looked, "FINE! What's the plan?"
"Great I know we can do this Sakura. We just need some duct tape, some rope, disguises…."
She swung at him again, "We are not kidnapping Sai's date!"
Naruto rolled his eyes and threw his hands up, "Well I guess we need to think of a new plan then. Come on we have a lot of work to do." Naruto grabbed Sakura's arm and ran down the street of Konoha."
