Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
"Hey, Tenten!" I whipped around. I see Tayuya waving for me.
"Hi Tayuya! What is it?"
"Okay, can you tell Neji that we have a staff meeting, in like, an hour? It's at the staff lounge room." She handed me a flyer, all with the time, date, and place.
"Oh yeah, sure." The disappointment was kind of hard to hide. In an hour, we were supposed to go to the forest. Tayuya saw my expression
"Unless you're busy…I can go find somebody else to go get him…" Tayuya bit her bottom lip, looking a bit worried. I couldn't say no.
"It's fine. I'll be sure for it to get to him!" Cheerfully I replied, and Tayuya's face instantly brightened.
"Thanks! Bye! Have fun with Neji at the forest!" She waved goodbye, and off to the main office she ran.
"I don't trust her…She seems a bit…suspicious…" Neji said in a doubtful voice, coming out of the dark shadows. Guess he came a bit early.
"Well, since you're right here, that saves me the trouble of finding you." I skipped to Neji and handed him the white flyer. A mischievous spark twinkled in his eye, but his face never changed. He grabbed my hands and pulled me in close, and kissed me gently on the forehead.
"Must I go?" Neji replied, setting his chin on top of my head.
"You better. I already promised her you would be." I whispered back, my lips barely moving. Still he heard me, and sighed.
"Alright then. If you say so. Can you find the path to the forest by yourself?"
"Mmhmm. Straight, then make a right turn at the big pine tree, right?" I snuggled into his arms some more.
Neji chuckled. "Left turn at the pine tree."
I lightly punched him on the chest, pouting. "Close enough."
"Righht. Till then, you wanna go hide behind the main cafeteria?"
"Sure, why not." I linked my arm in his, and that's how we went.
Time passed swiftly, and already did dusk come. Neji glanced at his clock and groaned. He pushed me out of his arms, and I moaned slightly.
"Have that meeting, remember?" Neji reminded me. I became more aware of my surroundings, and quickly nodded.
"Alright then, see ya." I got up from the ground, brushed my jeans, and waved good-bye to him. Neji did the same, and walked off in the other direction. Instead of missing him, I excitedly waited for him to be finished. He said he'd make up for the time lost. I had no idea what that meant, but I was eager to find out.
I reached the meadow without to much of a problem. The fabric over my knees weren't too dirty, and I plucked a few leaves from my hair. Walking over to the frayed blue blanket, I waited.
The moon has already gone down. Most of the animals in the forest have quieted, except the constant and steady chirps of the cricket. It was probably well passed midnight. The blue blanket was draped around my shoulders, trembling with me. I regretted not bringing a jacket or a sweater along with me. Nevertheless, my will and determination forced me to sit and wait. My eyes, heavy and tired, threaten to close. Between my eyelids, I could see a gang of three or four girls, walking to where I was sitting. That suddenly jolts me up, and I stand up, frightened and alarmed. They don't look the least bit tired, and definitely not happy. The three girls walk together in pace, next to each other. Heading for me. Something inside of me screamed, Run! My eyes darted to the path. No good. The gang of girls were blocking me. They were almost close enough for me to see their clothes, when my legs kicked in. A surge of adrenaline flowed through them, and away I ran. I could hear one of the girls shouting, Oi! Where are you going? They began to follow me. My legs carry me to the little cliff, where it hung over the pond. Desperately search for another exit, but there isn't. The only option was to jump. However, my fear of heights takes a grip of me, and the sight of the distance from ground and air makes me nauseous. When I turn around, the girls are walking toward me, so close now. It was like three lioness trying to hunt down one gazelle. Thoughts of how I'd die, scenes of how I'd die, they ran through my head, with not a moment to even let me thoroughly think about them. Tears escaped my eyes, and began to flow down my cheeks, getting my mascara all muddy. My voice trembling, I quickly whispered my last words. I said good-bye to my parents, I love you, I said good-bye to all my friends, Gai-sensei, and when I was about to say Neji's name, it got caught in my throat, letting loose more tears. The girls were close enough for me to see their faces, all who worked at Hyuuga Motels. All employees. I stepped back, and I could feel the crumble of dirt fall off from the cliff under my feet.
"Neji," The name finally came out. The girl in the center came up to me, her expression enraged and annoyed, coming closer and closer.
I don't want to die.
I stepped back another step, more dirt fell from the cliff. The girl took another step too, another step to my death.
But I need you to know.
A desperate cry escaped my throat. The girl smirked, amused by the sound. The last step, she grabbed my arms, and shoved me off the cliff.
I love y-
Narrator's POV--
"What the hell was that?" Neji panted heavily, gulping for air. Behind him were the unlucky fellows who he had just beat up.
Neji shrugged off the rope from his shoulders. The guys attempted to tie him up, but failed. And got kicked hard in the crotch as payback.
He dashed outside, checking his watch at the same time. Shit, he thought, It's already passed midnight.
Neji hurried out to the field, kicking away roots and branches that had strayed from their tree. Fear was growing inside of him, fear that something had happened to Tenten. After a while, he could barely make out a person, far far away. The closer he got, the more details he saw. It was a girl, a girl with buns…
"Tenten!!" Neji cried out in relief. He slowed down, his breathing returning to normal.
Tenten shook her head. "No."
"What?"
"I'm not Tenten." The girl came out of the shadows made by the trees, and showed herself as...
"Tayuya?! What are you doing here?" Neji demanded the answer. Tayuya slyly smiled, and walked up close to Neji.
"I just wanted to see you, that's all." Tayuya sneakily placed her fingers on his arm. Neji didn't move, frozen all over inside.
"Where's Tenten?" Neji asked.
"Oh , her?" Neji sensed a bit of envy and hatred in Tayuya's voice. "Oh, nowhere. I bet she's already gone home, it's so late right now." She set her body against him, leaning on him for support. He still didn't move
"Isn't that where you should be? Home?" Neji responded icily, suspicious of everything Tayuya was saying, certain it was all lies.
A confused expression flashed over her face for a brief moment, but then she tipped her head and laughed lightly, as if he was being humorous.
"Now now, Neji. Don't be so quick to point out people's negatives." Tayuya wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself up to Neji's ear, for he was so tall and she so short. In a quiet tone, she whispered, trying to be seductive, "I know you like Tenten, but she's so boring. So ordinary. But I can give you more." Tayuya sneakily slid one of her hands under his shirt and rested it on his torso. "More," she whispered again, letting loose her wavy long hair, creating a similar curtain-like sweep over the two teenager's faces.
That did it for Neji. For so long, the thought of Tenten in danger had made him freeze up inside, unaware of everything else except his goal. But when he heard Tayuya say that about Tenten, he lost his senses.
"Get off of me!" Neji, blinded with rage, shoved off a startled and confused Tayuya . However, when doing so, he caused her to trip over a root, and sprain her ankle. But to Tayuya that meant nothing. Neji, still infuriated, stalked off, calming down as he stomped his way through the thick forest. But out of the corner of his ear, he heard a faint sob. His will broke, and turned around to look at Tayuya.
She was wailing miserably on the ground, her mascara too, running black streaks across her face. Her hair all wild, as if reacting to Tayuya's response. She hid her face in her hands, trembling with every sob.
"Why?" Tayuya cried, the sound covered by her hands. "Why? I loved you so much, for so long, yet some girl comes by for two weeks, then all of a sudden, you turn on me. She made no attempt to sit up, just crying there on the dirty ground.
She continued to sob on the forest ground. Neji felt a pang of sympathy for the girl, and he walked back to Tayuya. He placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to momentarily stop crying and look up. Neji gently whispered, "I'm sorry." And then he walked back onto the trail, leaving Tayuya staring after him.
A/N: Yeah….this chapter is really long…sorry about that……..
