A/N: Is it just me or is it somehow easier for girls to cross dress as boys than it is for boys to cross dress as girls? I mean in like movies and stuff, not in manga where the boys are so pretty they're inhuman. I dunno, but it seems more difficult for boys to cross dress than for girls.
Just a note: Since Konoha Academy is pretty prestigious, there are no AP classes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
"What should be interesting?" a cold, intimidating voice asked from behind Tenten. A chill went up her spine; she could practically taste the hostility that emanated off of the unknown figure. Well, not entirely unknown, she knew his voice, but not him. Taking a deep breath, Tenten turned around to face Hyuuga Neji.
Tenten thanked her stars that she had learned how to maintain a neutral expression under stressful circumstances, otherwise she would have been gaping quite rudely at the Hyuuga. As it was, she had to fight the blush that was threatening to rise up on her cheeks.
Her first thought was that Hyuuga Neji looked like a member of an ancient aristocracy; with pale skin, long dark brown hair tied neatly back and lavender-tinted eyes identical in shade to Hinata's. That's where the similarities ended, unlike the shy Hinata, he exuded confidence and arrogance. He was at least half a foot taller than Tenten's five-foot-seven-inches, and muscled like a shinobi. All in all, Hyuuga Neji had a very cool, intimidating presence. Unfortunately for Tenten, the look he was giving her could have melted granite.
"What should be interesting?" he repeated, his eyes resting on the arm Tenten had around Hinata's shoulders. Tenten opened her mouth to respond, but Hinata beat her to it.
"Neji-nii-san, this is my friend Katana Toyo-kun, he's new here. Toyo-kun, this is my cousin Neji." Introduced Hinata, "He's a senior, like you Neji-nii-san, and all he meant was that he was glad that we had a class together."
"You've never mentioned a Katana before. Any reason why?" Remarked Neji. He stared directly at Tenten and completely ignored Sakura and Ino.
"Ino-chan only introduced us at the end of the summer." Ino started and stared incredulously at Hinata's lie. And she hadn't even stuttered. All of our lessons are finally paying off, thought Tenten smugly, knowing that Ino and Sakura were both thinking along the same line.
"Really? Is that true?" Neji directed the question to Ino without even looking at her, "And what on earth are you doing here? I thought I saw the back of you when I left middle school"
"Of course it's true, Hinata wouldn't lie!" snapped Ino, "As for what I'm doing here," she grinned evilly, "Suna High was no fun, so Sakura and I thought a change of scenery was in order. And what place has better scenery than here?" she waved a hand around the courtyard.
"Fantastic." Neji's tone was completely flat, "I'm sure that the Uchiha will enjoy seeing you and Sakura again." This evoked two completely different reactions from the two girls.
"Sasuke-kun's here?" asked Ino excitedly, eyes sparkling, while Sakura paled and gulped nervously.
"Yes he is. I did tell you didn't I?" asked Hinata, confused. Tenten was completely confused about the thread of conversation. She had heard a little bit about this Sasuke, but it was typical 'cute boy' rants from Ino (i.e. he's absolutely perfect, a prodigy, sooo hot, etc). Sakura hadn't added much to the dossier, for some reason when the topic of Uchiha Sasuke came up she would turn pink and go mute until the subject changed.
"Yeah, you did." Answered Sakura, "I just forgot about it." She looked like a deer in the headlights. Ino, attentive best friend that she was, noticed and put a hand on her friend's shoulder and squeezed it gently. Tenten wanted to ask what was going on, but unfortunately, Neji wasn't finished interrogating her.
"Who are you?"
"Hinata told you, I'm Katana Toyo." Tenten was getting tired of the repetitive conversation with the Hyuuga.
"I mean, where are you from, why are you here, and what do you want from Hinata-sama?" The glare that he gave Tenten made her feel like she was an inch tall.
"I've been at Suna for the last three years, and I decided I wanted to join Konoha on a sports scholarship." Explained Tenten, annoyed. "And what about Hinata? She's a new friend of mine."
Neji didn't respond, he only glared meaningfully at the arm Tenten had around Hinata. Hastily she removed it, wondering if he had a cousin complex or something, since the action seemed to placate the jerk.
"A sports scholarship? For what sport?"
Definitely a cousin complex.
"Ninjutsu." Neji raised his eyebrows and a slight smirk curled up his mouth. Why is he looking at me like that??
"Oh, really?" he asked, "Standards must be falling, you don't look like much. You aren't very tall, and you look pretty wimpy. I doubt you even could make Genin without working yourself to a breaking point." Anger bubbled up inside of Tenten, screaming for her to tear his head off, riddle his body with kunais, knee him in the groin, or just do something!
"What can I say? I'm stronger than I look." Tenten said in a pleasant tone, trying not to let her anger seep into her tone. No way am I going to give him an excuse to widen that stupid smirk.
"Maybe, but I'll have to see about that."
"Why? How are you so important that you have to see--" realization dawned on her. "…you're the captain of the Shinobi team, aren't you?" His smirk widened.
NO! He widened the smirk!
"It appears you have brains in your head, so I'll let you off the hook this once."
Off the hook? How did I get on it? Oh, right, Hinata.
"Look," Tenten held up both of her hands in a 'harmless' gesture, "I'm not about to hurt Hinata. I respect her a great deal, and I'm not about to do anything to her." She wanted to say, 'I don't bend that way' but that would probably just confuse him.
"You better not, if you do, I'll castrate you." Tenten winced, and Neji broke his glare at her. "Why are you here though, Haruno-san?" Tenten noted how he wasn't as curt with her as he was with Ino.
"I wasn't being challenged enough in Suna." Was all she had to say, "And they cut the Sand Kunoichi." That seemed to snag his interest.
"I heard about that. It's a waste of talent in my opinion. The Sand Kunoichi were known for being exceptional." A little bit of Tenten's anger ebbed and she visibly relaxed. This Neji guy might be an arrogant jerk, but he wasn't sexist, that was a relief.
Sakura nodded vigorously "Yeah it was, and since that team was one of the only reasons I liked that school-"
"Hyuuga!" Sakura, Tenten, Ino, Hinata, and Neji all turned towards the interruption. A boy about a year younger than Tenten was heading in their direction. Like Neji, he was very handsome, with spiky black hair and onyx eyes. But it wasn't an aristocratic handsome, it was a more 'bad boy' sort of handsome. Tenten could easily see why girls like Ino would be so attracted to him.
Besides Tenten Ino let out an excited squeal at the sight of him, while Hinata simply shook her head. Sakura, on the other hand, let out a frightened squeak and grabbed Hinata's arm.
"Hinata, we don't have a lot of time before class starts, shouldn't we go try to find the classroom?" Hinata glanced at Sakura, confused. Upon seeing the pleading look in her eyes, she quickly gave in. She knew that look; it was the one she used when she really didn't want to see someone.
"Sure, Sakura-chan."
"Excellent! Let's go!" Sakura grabbed Hinata's arm and promptly ran off, ignoring Hinata's cries of "Sakura-chan! That's the wrong way!" Tenten and Neji stared at their retreating backs, trying to figure out what was going on, while Ino simply shook her head.
"I don't know what Sakura's thinking, she's going to have to face Sasuke sometime." She remarked. At Tenten's questioning look she added, "I should probably go find my own class, I'll tell you at lunch. Bye Toyo-kun!" she winked at Tenten and ran off before she could say anything.
"Ino! Hey INO!" Don't leave me with the jerk!
"What was that all about?" Sasuke walked up to Neji, looking from side to side as though searching for something. "I thought I saw your fan girls hassling you."
"No, it was actually your fan girls hassling me. New ones." Had Tenten not been Toyo, she would probably have done something painful to Neji. But for now, she contented herself with an ordinary glower and a clenched fist.
"Fantastic." Groaned Sasuke, then noticing Tenten's presence asked "Who are you? A freshman?"
Annoyed, Tenten retorted, "Actually, I'm a senior. My name is Katana Toyo, I'm new here."
"Katana? Interesting last name. Uchiha Sasuke."
"Nice to meet you." I think. Sasuke nodded curtly at her before turning to Neji.
"Hyuuga, class is going to start soon; Ibiki won't be pleased if you are late, even if you are the class president. Even the dobe headed off for class early, and we have Kakashi."
Kakashi? Isn't that Sakura and Hinata's sensei? Poor Sakura…
"Don't have to remind me, but it's better than having Gai first period." Tenten, Neji, and Sasuke collectively shuddered. A normally energetic Gai is one thing. A wide awake Gai on caffeine early in the morning is just torture.
"Wait, do you even know who we're talking about?" asked Neji
"He's the guy in green spandex who shouts about youth, right?" Tenten tried to make it sound as though she had seen him around campus. No need to say she had met him before, which would only complicate things.
"Yes, he's the older one."
"There are two of them!" The horror on her face was unfeigned. Oh that can't be good for the students' health.
"Well one's a teacher and the other one is my roommate, Lee." Neji corrected, "You'll meet him if you try out for the Leaf Shinobi. What do you have for first period?"
"Chinese." Replied Tenten, wondering why he was asking.
"Hn, that's what I have. Later Uchiha." Sasuke nodded and began to head in the opposite direction than the Sakura and Hinata took off in. Neji also started to leave; Tenten had to hurry to catch up to him.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"To class." He gave her a look that said 'were you so stupid as to not have heard the conversation taking place right next to you?'
"I know that! Why'd you leave without me? I don't exactly know which classes to go to."
"Why not, weren't you here during unpacking day?" There was that are-you-stupid look again.
"I'm only a day student, and my guides ran off." Because of you and your friend, thank you very much.
"Hn." Neji kept walking, and Tenten took it as a sign that he didn't care too much if she followed him this once. Good thing she had always been a fast walker, since Neji had very long strides.
"Do you know why Hinata hasn't told me about you?"
Not this again!
"I don't know, but maybe she forgot. I forget things all of the time." Replied Tenten, trying to sound light hearted.
"Do you really think I'd believe that?" He's getting fond of that are-you-stupid expression.
"Look, Hinata and I were only introduced a few days ago. She was showing me and Sakura and Ino around. I wasn't hitting on her, besides; she's interested in someone else, isn't she?" Neji gave a slight, reluctant nod. "So you have nothing to worry about!" Tenten really hoped that her sincerity showed through her tone. Having this guy on her back would be a problem if she was going to pull off this charade. For some reason, she felt he could see through her, NOT a good feeling for any girl. Especially for a girl currently in drag.
"Hmph, I'll believe you. For now." Inwardly Tenten let out a sigh of relief. "But any wrong moves and I'll cheerfully kill you."
"Deal." He can do cheerful? I'd like to see that!
"Here we are." They reached the classroom and Neji opened the door and entered, Tenten following close behind.
Students milled around the classroom, chatting easily with one another, getting reacquainted after a long summer. Neji ignored all of the greetings directed at him and made his way to a seat near the back, right next to the window. The instant he sat down, a few girls flounced over to him, yelling date offers and 'Neji-kun!s', completely ignoring the Hyuuga Glares.
So, the guy has fan girls, thought Tenten, wincing in sympathy. In Suna, Gaara was the boy with a fan club, and it was a well known fact that the easiest way to get exercise was to run with Gaara while a horde of fan girls were at his heels.
Tenten sat in the row in front of Neji's seat, about two seats over to the right. Almost immediately a boy wearing a suit of green spandex and a bowl cut bounced over to her and declared in a loud, carrying voice;
"WELCOME NEW STUDENT! I, Rock Lee, the Green Beast of Konoha wishes to know who you are!" he gave her a thumbs up and a grin that went ping.
Oh no, Gai has a Mini Me! Everything about the boy, from the disturbingly thick eyebrows to the shiny smile, was reminiscent of Gai-sensei.
"Um, hi?" said Tenten, "I'm Toyo." She extended a hand and Lee shook it enthusiastically.
"Konoha welcomes you and your wonderful youth!"
"I-I'm sorry, what are you talking about?" Oh no…
"THE POWER OF YOUTH! The greatest force in this world!! Only I and Gai-sensei can use it to its full potential!"
Youth? Oh Gai, how many students have you psychologically tortured and/or brainwashed?
Lee took a deep breath, about to begin a tirade, when Neji abruptly cut into their conversation.
"Lee, it's too early in the year to be using up your youth. Shut up."
"YES MY ETERNAL RIVAL!!" at that precise moment the door flew open with a loud bang as the bell rang.
A man resembling a bear with many scars and burns across his face strode into the room and turned to face the class. An unnatural hush fell over the room.
"I am Morino Ibiki. I will be your Chinese teacher for the year. Anyone who disrupts this class will have one-on-one detention with me. Anyone who breaks the rules I will not hesitate to give them their due. If I think you've broken the rules, I will interrogate you. And my methods are quite persuasive. Any questions?" Complete silence. "Good, let's go over the rules."
Several threats and orders later, Ibiki started a new track.
"I will pair you up into partners. You will work together for the entire first semester, practicing pronunciation, pin yin, and projects. Any questions?"
Everyone in the room kept their mouths shut.
"Good," continued Ibiki, "Here are the pairs…"
Much to Tenten's chagrin, she was grouped into a group of three with Lee and Neji. She sat a row behind Neji, who was sitting next to Lee and looking completely suicidal.
"You," he gestured at Tenten, "Switch places with me."
"What?" Was this guy actually commanding her to do something? "No."
Neji trained a Hyuuga Glare on her. "Why not?"
Let's see: you're a freaking control freak, an emotionless bastard, and you threatened me with castration over Hinata! And I wasn't even doing anything!
"I don't want to get on Ibiki's bad side."
"He won't care."
"Forget it."
"I'll help you with your classes, face it, a group of juniors can't exactly do much."
Hm, true.
"That's tempting, but why--?"
"NEJI MY ETERNAL RIVAL! THIS YEAR I WILL FINALLY BEAT YOU!"
Oh.
Neji gave Tenten a look that mixed his frustration with something that looked almost like pleading.
Tenten may have only known Neji for an hour, but that was long enough to know that if he ever looked like that, she would be severely traumatized.
Damn him for being handsome and convincing!
"Fine, but you better not go back on your promise." Tenten warned as she moved her stuff to the seat next to Lee, who didn't look at all put out for being the reason of the switch.
"I won't." That was the last thing he said to Tenten. For the remaining twenty minutes of class he simply stared out the window, while Lee engaged Tenten in a surprisingly enjoyable conversation about Chinese weaponry after noting the picture of a Chinese sword taped onto her binder.
When the bell finally rang, Tenten suddenly remembered something she had been meaning to ask Neji.
"Hey Neji, can I see your schedule?" Without a word he handed it to her and Tenten compared it to hers.
To her complete horror, there were only two classes they didn't share, Social Studies and English.
You mean I have to spend all day with him!
"Well?" Neji asked, impatient.
Tenten forced a smile. "Well, that makes things easier. Most of our classes are together."
Neji just 'hnned' and walked out of the door, Tenten following from a distance. .
If she was stuck around a suspicious Neji for hours every day, it was going to be a very difficult year.
A/N: Oh god, I'm so sorry it took so long! Originally this chapter was supposed to also have Sakura, Hinata, and Ino in it with their first class experiences, but the chapter was becoming too long, so I had to cut it. I apologize to everyone who was waiting.
Not to mention my high school is completely evil! Honestly.
Thank to everyone who reviewed, it's deeply appreciated and I have gotten over the 50 mark! Whoo Hoo!
Review!!!! I live off of them!
Up Next: Sakura's in hell, Hinata's prone to fainting spells, and Ino is just annoyed.