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STANDARD DISCLAIMER APPLIED

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…little

…miss

…unforgettable

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((chapter five))

—in a trap, trip, i can't grip,
never thought i'd be the one who'd slip
…then i started to realize
—i was living one big lie

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I'm not going to act like everything went wrong straight away. No, to begin with, everything was perfect. Really. Neji was wonderful and I really thought I was in love.

Well, I was, but that's beside the point!

No, I thought everything was perfect; I thought he thought everything was perfect, too. But, as Sakura pointed out multiple times, guys get very good at acting.

At first, I could tell it wasn't acting. He smiled like he did when we were young and he let me act like I used to; it was like we went back in time and got ourselves stuck in an extremely entertaining time-warp. We stayed out late partying, which was a somewhat new experience (oh, I'd partied; I normally passed out though, instead of partying) and we watched movies. We went out on dates and we held hands and we ate at posh restaurants.

Hinata thought we looked like the perfect couple.

Sakura congratulated me.

Ino told me the truth. "He's bored. You're doing the same thing over and over and over again. Do something different!"

It is a well known fact that guys can become bored very easily, but I kidded myself that Neji was different. Well, yeah, he was different; he was more mature and funnier and a total sex God, but he was also a guy.

And, let's face it…

Guys can't help but be guys.

And of course Ino'd know. I just didn't listen. I acted like I hadn't heard her and we went on the same dates and did the same things; he smiled in the same way and I held his hand in the same way.

And it all seemed forced.

Tch, it's my fault, I know. And I'm whining, I know. But I have to whine and moan and complain. Because I lost him again. Again. Plus, I can't blame it on him this time.

Because I lost him on my own.

...

After three months of dating again, he left.

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The Break Up And the Make Up

(hour of the revelations)

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"Ugh, Tennie, seriously; please, just stop whining. You're driving me completely and totally insane."

"Aw, come on, Sakura. Give me a break. I screwed up big time. I mean, seriously; biiiiig time. Hug?"

"No chance."

"Come on!"

"No. Listen, Tenten— this is your own fault."

"Tch, what am I going to do? He's already gone."

"You're going to sort it out. Now. Before this gets any worse. Text him, email him, call him— just do something! And hurry up. My mobile is almost out of battery and you're the only person who's called me."

"I've only been talking for a few minutes!"

"It's been three hours, Tenten, and you sound like a broken record."

"I am a broken record! Whichever moron wrote my life gave up halfway through, and just decided to copy and paste the beginning. It's not fair. Your life is going fine."

"That's because my relationship with Sasuke wasn't boring."

"Ouch. Besides, I don't think that's the real reason, anyway— maybe—"

"—sorry, Tennie. You're making me cranky."

"Blunt, aren't you?"

"Stop making me look like the bad guy! You're— you're—! UGH! You're impossible!"

Beeep.

I blinked.

She hung up.

Well, this blows.

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So I had a real, proper epiphany— not the stupid ideas I had when I'd first tried to get over Neji and it was nothing silly. It was entirely simple.

And I decided I was going to try harder.

I put on some make-up, straightened my hair and didn't put it up into my trade-mark two buns, and spent at least an hour picking my outfit. I chose a skimpy black dress, plus jeans (since my legs mucho suck) and dolly-shoes. I smiled at a gob-smacked Lee, kissed his cheek, and said "I'll be back late; don't wait up."

He nodded and smiled. "Look at you, Tennie; you're all grown up!"

"Pfft, don't make me blush." I waved goodbye and left, tugging my phone out of my pocket as I did so. I scrolled through my contacts until I found his name.

Neji, Gorgeous

I waited for his voice.

"Tenten."

He sounded worn out; tired and sad. Like I'd made him tired; made him sad; just because he'd heard my voice. I bit my lip, suddenly unsure. "Neji, can I come round? We need to talk."

"Maybe now isn't a good time, but… wait, we do?"

"Yeah. I don't know if you felt the same way as me, but I know I screwed up and I want to have another try. Please? Will you think about it? Can we talk?"

He didn't reply.

"Moron! I straightened my hair for you!"

A chuckle.

"Really? You hated doing stuff to your hair; if I remember correctly, you always did it to mine."

"Yeah, well; it took an hour and I burnt all my fingers. Come on! Think of all the hard work I've put into it; say yes, please. Please! Pleeeease." I was begging him, I knew it, but I also knew he liked the idea of me spending some time dressing up, just to see him.

I could practically hear the smile in his voice.

"Fine. Come right over. I've just got to get dressed first."

"That really isn't a necessity."

"…Tenten."

"Alright, alright! Sheesh! See you then, Neji!" I let him go, flipped my phone shut, and then waited for a taxi; after a moment's consideration, I shook my head and began to walk towards the park. Nothing like a good ol' Kiba/Shino reunion to cheer a gal up!

I wandered quickly through the park, head down, until I heard a familiar voice. "TENTEN!" And then I was lying on my back, with a dog licking my face. Ugh. The injustice of it all; my hair was going to be so messed up. "Woah, Akamaru; DOWN! Only I'm allowed to lick her! Whoops, sorry Tenten." Kiba grinned sheepishly, yanking me to my feet. "Goin' somewhere nice?"

"Yeah. Neji's house."

"God, I don't get it with you two! On, off, on, off—! Are you on now? Or off?"

"Off," I sniggered. "But I'm going to switch it to 'on' again."

Kiba suddenly looked away, almost sadly. I blinked, confused, and then decided to change the subject. "Kiba! So, uh, where's Shino?"

The dog-boy frowned. "Tch, I wondered that as well. Apparently, he's around Hinata's. They're talkin' and stuff. Not romantically! Nah, she's got Naruto for that. But Shino's just happy talkin'."

"Won't that just make him sad?"

"Makes me sad."

"Oh."

For a second, I thought Kiba was going to continue; he looked torn, and then he grinned. "…so, footie? Now? Or, y'know, on your way back? Come back through the park! I'm lonely an' stuff! Pleeeease?" Kiba grinned, switching on his famous puppy-dog-eyes and I melted.

"Fine," said gooey-pile-of-mushy-stuff Tenten.

Kiba merely grinned. "Go and get him, tiger. Rawr."

"Rawr, indeed."

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I whistled as I walked, happy as I could possibly be; I was going to see Neji again and we were going to be friends, and then more than friends, and then back to BFFL and boyfriend and girlfriend. Yup; life was officially perfect.

Well…

—it was until I saw slut-face standing outside his front-door, mascara running, screaming his name. Her hair was pink; but not Sakura-pink. This was a skanky darker pink and she was wearing practically nothing. A short skirt and sparkling pink boob-tube. I scowled and did what any almost-his-girlfriend would do.

I hid.

"NEJI! NEJI, LET ME IN! I LOVE YOU!"

Like hell you do.

I love him.

"Karin." I blinked, startled; he'd appeared behind, smirking slightly. "When I disappeared, that's what I was doing."

"You were doing Karin?!" I practically shrieked, my eyes wide in horror— pleasesaynopleasesaynopleasesayno—

"What?! No! I mean, she was at college with me! I didn't do her." A pause. "She is an ex-girlfriend though. She's actually the reason why I split up with you."

"Huh?" Yes; a witty, mature response.

"She started stalking me; phone-calls and texts and shit. I'm waiting for her to start boiling bunnies; not quite Fatal Attraction yet, though." Scowl. "It's obvious that she's after Uchiha, though; that's why she calls and does this stuff."

He shrugged.

"I just wait for her to go away."

"Hey, that's not a good enough reason to dump your loving, beautiful girlfriend— but I forgive you because you're hot." I winked, frowned, and then stuck my hands on my hips. "Well then; Tenten to the rescue, I suppose!" I smiled cheerily before diving out of my hiding place.

Karin turned to look at me, her face suddenly fixed into a scowl. "Who are you?"

"Neji's girlfriend; the spectacularly awesome, Kim Possible!"

Heh. We used to do that; Sakura was the 'super intelligent Brace-Face', Ino the 'hot, hot, hot, Sabrina!' and Hinata the 'cute and angelic, Daphne!' (the last one being from Scooby-Doo, because we all loved that show with a passion!).

She snorted, and then froze. "Girlfriend…? GIRLFRIEND?!"

"Ouch, you're killing my ears."

"I'll kill you, bitch-face. He's mine. M. I. N. E."

I shrugged. "Well, no, he isn't. Right? Dumped you, didn't he? And Sasuke isn't single, either. Just so we've got that sorted." I sighed; this girl…! She was impossible, most certainly; an E-GoD for sure.

"Shut up! My relationship with Neji is hot and spicy and on, on, ON!"

"It might have been hot and possibly spicy, though both traits would come from Neji; but it's definitely off, off, off."

"YOU— YOU BITCH!"

Wah! I can't win in a cat-fight! Because, seriously, cat-fights are nothing like real fights. You have to cheat and scratch and claw at your opponent. And, you know, with no fingernails, you can't really scratch or claw. I can cheat! But cheating comes to nothing if you can't scratch or claw.

She launched herself at me, practically spitting acid; I was ready to stand and fight (or be scratched, whatever), but my knight-in-shining-armour stepped in front of me.

"Karin."

I shivered; jeez, when did his voice become so cold?

"N—Neji?"

"Leave. Now." He sighed. "I've already told you, multiple times, that it's over. I'm not telling you again. Just go"

Tears trickled down her cheeks, along with mascara, and then she turned to me, still hissing and spitting. Sheesh, seriously; she looked just like a witch slash bitch. Burn the witch-bitch. "I'll—! I'll be back! And I'll kill you!" She screeched.

I giggled. "It was so much scarier when the Terminator said it."

For a second, she looked as though she was going to laugh— and I was going to take back everything mean I'd said about her and proclaim her to be my newest best friend. Then she sneered, "Funny, dork— why don't you just go back to your nerd-herd?"

With an evil cackle, she flew away on her broomstick like the wicked witch she was.

Neji watched her go, one hand on my shoulder, and then smirked down at me. "I was going to wait for the two of you to fight," he confessed, still smirking. "But then I realized you'd actually straightened your hair and you looked pretty."

I practically let out a roar. "Don't I always look pretty?!"

"Yes, but—" He paused, tugging a piece of my hair playfully. "—this time it's different. You're looking pretty for me… I like it."

I blushed and then turned away, glaring after Karin. "You realize, she will actually be back. She's like this girl Ino was talking about; Gaara's sister. Yeah, Karin's a total E-GoD. And she might go after Sakura. I don't know. Am I rambling? I am, aren't I? Gosh, this is uncomfortable."

Neji simply laughed and pulled me inside.

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You have 5 new text messages.

TO: Tenten Possible
FROM: Sakura-Face

Sorry for snapping at you, babe. Brace-Face says she's sorry. Hug?
x

Reply?

((—yes.))

TO: Sakura-Face
FROM: Tenten Possible

No worries, Brace-Face, I was kinda annoying + whiny. Apologies, dear friend. ++ Kim got her guy. It's totally possible.
Bad joke.
x

NEXT MESSAGE

TO: Tenten Possible
FROM: Ino, Sabrina

Wah! E-GoD might be stalking my boyf!
x

Reply?

((—totally!))

TO: Ino, Sabrina
FROM: Tenten

Argh, I have one too! Swap?
x

NEXT MESSAGE

TO: Tenten Possible
FROM: Kiba

Sorry if I came across as awkward back then. Srsly. Just stressed. Honestly.
Not often you see the girl you love most growing up. And growing away from you.
Footie?
x

Reply?

((—wait. Who's this girl? Because seriously, I'll punch her in the face for making you sad—))

NEXT MESSAGE

TO: Tenten Possible
FROM: Naruto

Ramen, ramen, ramen! Tell Hinata I'd like to treat her to dinner! She still won't give me her number!
Is that a good sign? I'll ask Sasuke-bastard!

Reply?

((—tch. Couldn't text Neji because he'd beat him up. Maybe I should accidentally-on-purpose show Neji the text?))

NEXT MESSAGE

TO: Tenten Possible
FROM: Neji, Gorgeous

Night.
x

Reply?

TO: Neji, Gorgeous
FROM: Tenten Possible

G'night.
x

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L

o

v

e

you. More than anything. Seriously.

((you spin me right round, baby—))

When I'm away from you, it h u r t s.

((—right round—))

I know you can't possibly feel the same way.

((—like a record, baby—))

I don't want you to feel the same way.

((—right round—))

I love you. Honestly.

((—round—))

Hug?

((—round!))

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((I, I'm really falling for you))

"Ugh, Tenten! What is this weird obsession you have?" Neji moaned, pushing yet another teddy off my bed. I scowled at him, sticking my hands on my hips.

"It's not an obsession! They're all presents and I like to keep my presents, y'know?"

Neji smirked. "So if I got you..."

"Shut up!"

((I hate what you're putting me through))

"Lie down, then, Tenten." Neji murmured, his voice silky-soft and oh so smooth. I wanted, for just a second, to feel him on top of me; and, I could tell from his eyes, that he wanted me underneath him.

Ugh.

I am NOT supposed to act like a horny guy.

Seriously.

"No, Neji. We're watching Bourne Identity and then, maybe, I'll lie down."

He rolled his eyes. "We've been dating for ages now."

"Yes, and isn't it lovely?"

((What have you done to me now?))

"I thought you'd be more excited. It's our anniversary. An entire year of an on-off relationship. Perfect, right?"

I blinked. "It's been an entire year since you showed up at the apartment and I stole your really expensive jacket? God, how time flies. Sorry about that, anyway."

"—sorry about stealing my jacket?"

"I still haven't given it back."

"Tch. It suited you."

((I just can't sleep at night))

"…Tenten."

"What?"

"The film's finished. Can we—?"

"No."

"…"

"…give me a hug, and I'll think about it."

((My bed is wet, don't know how))

So we hugged; for ages.

It seemed like ages.

And then, suddenly, I was giggling and tugging off his top, and he was smirking and pulling off mine, and we lay there, with our bodies entwined, just smiling and happy.

It might have gone further if I hadn't fallen asleep.

((Will someone please turn on the light?))

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I am not the type of girl who punches cute guys.

…that's Sakura. She does it to guys who she likes; depending on how much you rate, you could a huge smack in the face or a gentle flick. She barely touches Sasuke; not because she doesn't love him, but because they're too busy making out to start fist-fighting.

I'm pretty sure she would have smacked Naruto as well, if she'd found him crawling across her bed.

"Naruto!" I hissed, glaring at the pile of tangled limbs and blonde hair. "What the hell are you doing?"

Neji rolled over, gazing at me in a sleepy, yet totally amused, way. Naruto gathered himself up and dusted himself off, before smiling directly at me. "Sasuke-bastard said Neji was getting his freak on, so I went to go and see!" He chirped brightly.

I gave him my DEATH GLARE OF DEATH. Neji snorted.

"Don't kill me!" Naruto begged, waving his hands in front of his face. "'cause, I totally need your help! Sasuke-teme won't help, Neji would hate me for even asking, and Ino's not particularly good at keeping a secret. I'd have asked Sakura but she was engaging Sasuke in a game of tongue-wrestling."

I sat up, pulling the covers around me; no matter what Naruto had said, Neji hadn't been getting his freak on and all we'd done was cuddled. Was I disappointed? Not really, but maybe.

Tch, did I say it had to make sense?

I shooed Naruto out of the room, before standing up and tugging my dressing gown; Neji watched me wander towards the bathroom, still smirking, and I felt the blood rush to my face. Wah, don't blush, don't blush! I practically zoomed into the bathroom, picking up some random clothes, and got dressed.

When I ambled back into the room, the Hyuuga had turned the other way. The moment I turned my back, there was a muffled, "you look good." And I smiled happily, chirped thanks in return, and then hurried out of the room. Naruto was sat in the kitchen, with three cups of coffee (he seemed to have judged that Neji wasn't going to be waking up anytime soon) and a smiling Lee.

"Ah, Tenten! You look positively youthful!"

"Likewise, Lee, likewise…"

I gulped down my coffee and then grabbed Naruto's arm, yanking him out of his chair; he barely had time to grab his coat, before I was dragging him down the road and towards the shops. "I'm assuming you're getting something for Hinata."

"Actually… I'm picking something up!" He blushed happily, before dragging me in the opposite direction.

"Ugh, Uzumaki; you owe me." I said, crossing my arms and pouting miserably. He grinned, nudging me, and then pointed at the shop name. I blinked.

Pervy Sage Productions

"He writes all the books, too! But you can order some of his, uh, nicer books if you know what to ask; otherwise, he'll just send you porn. I ordered something nice for Hinata; it's called Lily, Sweet. It's really cute. And I also ordered another of his books, about this hero-guy who's parents are dead and shit happens. It looks okay. Bit boring, but okay." Naruto paused, before ushering me inside.

Almost immediately—

"—ah! Fine maiden, you're looking beautiful today; your skin is as soft as the petals of a—Naruto." The old pervert, Jiraiya, looked up from ogling me.

I scowled. My skin was as soft as the petals of a Naruto? BASTARD! I moisturize frequently!

"You'd better believe it! We came for that book!"

"I thought it was for your girlfriend," Jiraiya stated, leaning forwards to peer directly at Naruto (or my non-existent cleavage— well, wouldn't he be disappointed? PERVERT!). "That isn't your girlfriend. If I remember correctly, this is the girl Hyuuga likes to talk about when he has to go shopping with you and Sasuke. Tenten, right?"

I twisted around, glowering at Naruto. "You shop for porn?"

"N—no! It was Sasuke's idea of a joke, for Gaara's birthday!"

I blinked. "Sasuke has a sense of humor? A slightly twisted one at that."

"…well, it might have been my idea— but hey, who cares?" Naruto ran one hand sheepishly through his hair, before turning to Jiraiya. "Right, old man, I want those books now. And don't try and give me stuff I didn't ask for! I don't want you tainting Hinata's innocent mind."

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and murmured something which sounded like, "no woman is ever innocent—" and then he disappeared into the back of his shop; meanwhile, I swirled around, trying to find something that wasn't xxx-rated; and then blatantly wtf-ed.

"Naruto, why the hell would anyone want to do that with that?!" I screeched, placing one hand over my eyes; it was truly scaring.

Sure enough, the blonde wandered over and gazed at it, before shuddering. "Ugh. Trust you to spot the most obscene, disgusting-looking and totally-uncomfortable pose—"

"—ooh, he has yaoi!"

The time, Naruto let out a screech. "I still don't get why women find that attractive! You know what's creepy? Having some older kid run up to you, when you were in fifth grade, so that they could show you a yaoi-drawing of you and your prick of a best friend!"

I turned around, mildly interested. "Someone drew you and Sasuke having it out? Who was top?"

Naruto just scowled. "That's why it was totally unrealistic; but Neji and Sasuke didn't think so— which is why he's still in the closet and doesn't deserve Sakura! But, nooo! Kiba kept yelling, "bottom, bitch!" whenever I passed him. ARGH! I hate that ass-faced dog-boy! And Sasuke-teme! And the ice-cube! And that drawing kid!"

I sniggered, before poking him. "Bottom, bitch."

"UGH."

Then I burst out into hysterics, and had to lean against a pile of books to keep myself calm; then I saw what the books were and hell did I freak out! Naruto watched me squeal for a while, before beginning to laugh as well. We stood there, laughing and laughing, and then Jiraiya walked back in and stared at us like we were completely insane.

"Your, uh, books, kid." He paused, watching as a few of his precious customers slipped out of the shop. He scowled and threw us out, sighing dramatically. "Have fun, Naruto, Tenten."

Needless to say, it took us a whole fifteen minutes to stop laughing and stagger back home. For some reason, I avoided the park. Naruto didn't particularly notice, since he was too busy complaining of stomach aches, but I did.

It was… strange.

I loved walking through the park, because I got to see Kiba, but, for some reason…

It just felt wrong.

I shrugged the feeling away, waved briefly at Anko (who blatantly checked Naruto out, practically undressing him with her eyes; I was waiting for her to do that creepy neck and-slash-or-anything-she-could-find licking thing), and then continued on our way to the apartment. I gazed briefly at the book he'd bought, skimmed through it, and then handed it back to Naruto; it was quite a sweet little thing, really.

I might have to borrow it off Hinata.

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TO: Sakura-Face
Ino, Sabrina
Hinata-Dooby-Doo
FROM: Tenten Possible

I'm not screwing up this time. Cheer for me?
x

Author's Note;

For those of you who didn't understand the Neji+Tenten bit, when they're lying in bed, it was, for lack of other words, Neji getting his freak on. Or trying to.
To tell you the truth, I have lost all interest in the fic. As far as I'm concerned, that's the ending; Neji and Tenten are back together, and everyone else is happy. Sorry for all of you who liked this fic, but I think it's relatively childish when compared to what I can write. So, this is the end for Little Miss Unforgettable.
And I hope it is unforgettable.

GYAH, BAD JOKE.
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