Tenten

It was about eight in the morning, and I thought I'd be able to sneak out to meet the girls, but my mother was already awake. I cursed under my breath and tried to get out through my window, but she'd heard me, and came through the door.

"Tenten! You're awake...hey, wait what are you...GET YOUR LEG BECK IN THIS ROOM THIS INSTANT YOUNG LADY!" She screamed. I'd been half out of the window when she'd barged in. I pulled my leg back in reluctantly, and sighed, my shoulders sagging. "And what HAVE you done to your hair?" I reached up and touched the three-braid thing that Ino had done. I couldn't very well tell my mother the truth. So I fibbed.

"I tried something new."

"What, exactly is that supposed to accomplish?" My mother raised an eyebrow as if she were skeptical. Personally, I was too, but I couldn't tell her that. Or Ino.

"I dunno, I was just sorta experimenting." Not entirely a lie. "Besides, if it's a mess, I've got, like, six hours before we leave. I've got time to wash it out."

"Wrong."

"What?"

"Your father is retarded, I swear. It turns out that our meeting was scheduled for noon, not two." I stared.

"You're not messing with me, are you?" She shook her head from side to side, slowly. "That means..." I had very little time to see my friends. Thinking fast, I leaped over my bed and ran past my mother and down the stairs.

"Where are you going?" she called after me.

"Errands!" I shouted over my shoulder, and slammed the door behind me.

"Sorry I'm late, guys!" I panted. I was bent slight, resting with my hand on my knees. The two of them--Sakura and Ino--were sitting at a table in our favorite cafe.

"What took ya so long?" Ino asked.

"My mom was onto me...and then she told me our meeting was bumped up." I waved my hand as if to say "etc, etc." She nodded understandingly. I plopped into a seat next to her and called a waitress and ordered my usual. "I was in a real hurry to get out of the house."

"I can tell." Sakura pointed to my head. I put my hands up there and felt...three odd braids tied together at the top of my head. I hadn't done anything with my hair before I left the house. Quickly, before anyone else saw it, I ripped the rubber bands from the ends of may hair and let the braids tumble down on their own, shaking my head to loosen the plaits. My hair fell onto my shoulders and in front of my eyes, and I could see the waves that it had left.

"See," Ino said. "I told you it'd be gorgeous." I sighed. I'd look at it later--and probably wash it out, too--but for now, I just wanted to relax.

My coffee arrived, and I sipped the foam from the top.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look, we know when something's wrong."

"Guess."

"Well, it's unavoidable, so you should probably make the best of it."

"But...but..." I couldn't think of anything to say that I hadn't already said. "You're right." I listened to them talk about their social lives, but my thoughts were elsewhere. For starters, what would this guy be like?

If he was the age I thought he was, he'd be childish and rude. For sure.

But cute. Because that's how things turned out. I didn't even know his name...

"Tenten. Hey...TENTEN." I jumped, nearly spilling coffee down my lap.

"Huh?"

"Go home! It's ten thirty!"

"Shit!" I hugged them goodbye quickly and sprinted for the door, nearly colliding with someone on the way.

I raced home, my wild hair flailing out behind me, and my coat falling off one shoulder. I got through my front door to see angry parents.

"Where were you?"

"I told you, errands."

"Go get ready, we leave in an hour."

"Okay," I squeaked, and slid past them, heading to my room. On my bed was a poofy dress that looked like something my mother would've worn to prom.

Dude, I thought to myself, fuck that! I pulled my own dress from my closet, as well as shorts and a t-shirt. It was a warm day, and if they intended to send me and Neji off together, I wasn't going to look like I was headed to a wedding. I took a quick look in the mirror and threw my hair back into a bun, since I had no time to shower and blow dry. It was, according to my parents, it was a half hour drive. They were probably just lying to get me to hurry up.

Well, it worked. I put my clothes on hurriedly and found my shoes under the bed--flats that would look good with either outfit. I checked myself over in the mirror one last time, and decided I looked fine.

Time to go. Good luck, my reflection seemed to say. "Thanks." I smoothed my dress one last time and joined my parents.

Neji

"Neji! Neji, where are you?" I heard them calling to me, and ignored them. I'd sneaked out last night for a walk and just...hadn't gone back to my room. Instead, I'd hid out on the roof, the one place they never thought to look for me. I'd hidden there before.

The family of my betrothed was coming today. I was supposed to be dressed by now. They didn't know, but I'd already showered, at about four this morning, when everyone was still asleep. All I needed to do was get dressed in those ugly clothes. The ones I never dragged out unless there was a wedding, which...now that I think about it, there will be. Mine. I had yet to tell my "friends"at school, and wasn't sure I was going to.

"Neji, please, come out! They're going to be here soon!" Fine. Let them come. I didn't care. Well, I did.

I'd rather marry someone of my choice, even though I DID think I should honor my father's final wish for me. I loved my dad, so why shouldn't I? No reason, that's why.

"Neji, they're here!" Really? I peeked over the edge of the roof. Indeed they were. There were two females and a male. The younger of the two women I hoped was my fiancee. The man was hopefully her father.

The man had an intense look on his face, and it matched his wife's annoyed one. Neither of them were particularly good looking. I couldn't see the daughter's face from the angle I was at, so I didn't know if I liked her appearance or not.

I climbed through my window and got dressed, taking care to out on a t-shirt under the button up and wearing jeans instead of the itchy dress pants provided. I'd get looks of disapproval, but I knew we weren't staying in the house that long anyway.

"Neji!" I slid open the door. "Oh, there you are!" The maid grabbed me by the hand and dragged me down the stairs. Before we entered the living room, she gave me a once over, licking her thumb to remove a smudge of dirt on my face, quickly fixing my hair--which I kept long, so required keeping--and straightening the outfit I was wearing, looking at it disapprovingly, but there was nothing she could do. I heard my uncle exchange his greetings, and then compliment the mother and daughter. They thanked him politely, but I couldn't tell if my uncle was sincere in his compliment to the girl. Suddenly he announced me and I stepped forward.

The parents were even less attractive and more aged-looking up close, but they seemed like nice-enough people. Their daughter, Tenten, was gorgeous.

I knew I loved her the moment I saw her. But, judging by the glare she was giving me, that wasn't something I should tell her right away.