"Mint chocolate chip, please. A cone, and uh…shower it with sprinkles."

I'm at the ice cream store with Lee and Neji. They've already got their ice cream. Lee's got rocky road, three scoops towering dangerously high in his waffle cone. It's smothered in chocolate syrup and topped by a luscious red cherry. Neji's got one scoop of vanilla in a cup. It almost makes me want to laugh at how predictable they both are.

The cashier, a surly looking teenager, punches buttons in the machine while his coworker puts my ice cream on the counter.

"Two dollars and eighty three cents," says the cashier in a boring monotone.

I lay down my money, exact change and all, and make my way back to my table.

Oh, wait. Napkin and spoon.

I go back to the counter and get them. The cashier guy still looks pretty mad, so I veer over to the other guy behind the counter.

"Can I please have a spoon and napkin?" I ask politely.

He nods and gets me some. "Thanks."

The boy - really cute by the way - smiles minutely. "You're welcome. Have a nice day," he looks at me right in the eyes, "and come back again when you can."

Wow. Okay. Was that an invitation or what?

I flash him one of my cutest smiles, "Yeah, see you."

I turn around, making my way to back to my table (for real now, this time) and make a show of doing run model walk. I can almost feel his eyes on my retreating back.

"Hey, guys." I sidle up into my seat, by Lee and across from Neji, still playing the role of temptress. Yes, adorable ice cream boy, fall before my alluring charms…

"Uh, Tenten." Lee says patiently. "You're sitting on me."

"Oh! Er, sorry." I get off Lee's lap, embarrassed.

I look back. Huh. Cute Boy's not there.

Lee grins broadly. "No, that's okay. I know you're just exercising your rights as a hormonal female."

"If I'm a hormonal female, then you're a hormonal guy for just thinking that." I point out. "Ew, Lee." I added for measured effect. He's one of my best friends and I've never ever thought of him that way. Okay, maybe a few times, but not anymore is what counts.

"Sorry, just trying to be funny."

At this point, Neji starts coughing. And because it's Neji, somehow it sounds a little refined and courteous.

It's like, like a person who-um, who-well; let's just say you have to meet Neji to understand. Or the whole Hyuuga family, for that matter. I'm telling you, all of them are whack jobs.

Sorry, went off on a tangent.

Where was I again?

Oh yeah, Neji coughs. He's coughing pretty badly, so I offer him a glass of water. Lee does, too.

No, we don't.

Weren't you listening to anything I just said? Like I said, Neji is a whack job. He's a self-described nonconformist; doesn't bend down to the man. He doesn't like fairy tale happy endings. Realist, pragmatist, pessimist, call it whatever you will. He's all those things.

Never needs help. Doesn't ask for it, either. He's offended if you even try.

Dignified guy, Neji Hyuuga.

I've never meet another person quite like him.

Once it subsides, he downs a glass of water on the table that I didn't notice before.

"Hey, you okay?" I lean forward worriedly. "Are you sick?"

He nodded. "A little, but I'm fine."

We take his word for it. Neji knows his limitations, and if he was on death's door, he wouldn't be prancing about in an ice cream parlor. He would be getting his will finalized, making sure scheming Hyuuga relatives didn't hone in on his trust money.

"I called you and Lee here to tell you guys something really important."

Lee and I nod attentively to our friend, ears taut.

"You know that book I was trying to get published?" We nod.

Neji's the smartest guy in school. He wants to be a writer when he grows up, and all the teachers say he has a lot of talent and potential. Thing is, Neji believes that you can never start too early. He's written a couple of works already, and I've read all the manuscripts. They're phenomenal.

"I found a publisher." I squeal excitedly. I can hear Lee gasp loudly beside me.

"No way!" I exclaim as Lee says, "Congratulations, Neji!"

He nods to himself. "He said I was brilliant and had he had high hopes of it making the bestsellers list." Neji pauses. "But I can't help thinking that it has a lot to do with my age."

In all truthfulness, he could be right. Young writers bring a lot of publicity, and teenage writers, mediocre ones, are cast out into the world, only to have their work be overly praised, and tank horribly as they get older. Too many shoddy writers are given a chance to get older and become even shoddier writers. (Sorry, kid. Not up to snuff for the big league yet.) But if my opinion counts for anything...I can say, with complete confidence, that Neji has been ready for the big leagues since he was thirteen.

"Come on," encourages Lee. "Don't underestimate yourself just yet! You've gotten this far, and you're so close to achieving your dreams!"

"Lee's right." I spooned some ice cream into my mouth. "At the moment it may seem like a crutch, but this is what's going to spring your career into action."

Neji stares at us for a moment. He looks somewhat belligerent and misty-eyed, but that could've just been the light.

"What did I ever do to deserve friends like you?" he wonders, head inclined like a tired old war veteran.

Surprisingly, I'm the one to reach out first.

Lee is speechless, and it's understandable he doesn't know how to react. It's shocking to me, too, but I've known Neji for longer.

"You were yourself."

"Still are," Lee adds helpfully.

"Unfortunately." I laugh.

All three of us are quiet for a long while.

"Hey, Neji. Mind if I have a taste of that vanilla?"

He smirks and slides it over to Lee.