Well, that wasn't too long of a wait, was it? :)
:D
I'm glad I'm back in your good graces again! Yay! :D
Devil'sLittleBabyGirl: My sincere apologies, dear. :D Hahahaha! Argh. Opal's a meanie. . . I don't like her much. :P
light-of-midnight: Thank you! You and I share the same preference. I love watching/reading things on gangs and fights of any kind. It's almost an obsession. XD ¡Su inglés es perfecto! Really, your English is very good, so don't worry about it. ;D
hatake-kate: Thanks, dear! :D
AnimeFreak218: Haha. I might quote you! :D
RandomlyHomocidal: Haha. You're a procrastinator like me! Ha. :D No, he's not tricking her. Yet, at least. ;) No, Neji was just being his conceited self thinking he could figure something out he'd never taken the class for. XD Thanks, dearie.
Eh. I'm not too sure about this chapter. It's . . . weird. XD
Disclaimer: I hate Twitter. Why did I ever join? XD And Kishimoto owns this. With his stupid flashbacks. . . *mutinous*
Nine.
Sakura was a big help in the Chemistry area.
She explained everything and helped me comprehend it a little better.
She almost surprised me from her vastness of knowledge.
I vaguely wondered how she'd been able to remember it all.
Though the work was hard and rushed, boarding school and I eventually had come to respect each other.
I did the homework (well, most of it, at least) and boarding school gave me the grades.
It was developing nicely for me.
I also had found friends by the way of fighting, an odd occurrence.
Usually the only people I make friends with concerning fighting is the police officers.
The next day after school, I went to our rundown building, intending to find Neji so I could ask him about his fight the previous night.
Ino and Sakura were the ones I found in the main room, squabbling about something or other.
"Where's Neji?" I interrupted, drawing their attention as I stood before them.
"Upstairs," they answered in unison before returning back to their previous quarrel.
I charged up the rickety stairs, making my legs ache and burn in protest.
I reached the top of the stairs and took a deep breath to calm my fast beating heart.
Neji was standing with his back to me, speaking to someone.
"Hey, Nej—!" I called out, stopping short as he whipped around quickly.
I silenced myself.
When Neji had moved aside, he revealed the person he'd been talking to.
She was pretty, sporting long, dark hair and large eyes.
"Hold on," he told me shortly, sounding impatient.
He turned back to the girl. She looked about the same age as me.
He said something to her, putting her attention back on him.
The girl listened intently, her arms crossed and her face agitated.
Five minutes later, Neji finished speaking and the girl left without a word.
As she passed me, she looked me over once again, her gaze flickering away coldly after I met her eyes.
Neji watched her leave, glancing at me once she was gone.
"Girlfriend troubles?" I inquired casually.
Neji chuckled.
"Family."
"Oh. . . So that was your sister?" I responded curiously.
Neji smiled.
"Cousin."
"Right," I amended.
Neji rolled his neck and stopped, gazing up at the sky passively.
Light was dimming from the universe, the clouds giving off deep twilight colors.
"Do you, uh, need a minute?" I asked slowly.
"Nope. Sorry," he sighed.
"Would you be willing to spar?" I questioned half-heartedly.
"Sure. Give me a second."
I nodded and quietly laced up ACE Bandages on to my fists and forearms.
Neji was taking his time getting his bandages.
I waited by doing cartwheels and back handsprings.
When I brushed the dirt off my hands, I noticed Neji sitting on the edge of the roof, facing me.
He clapped his hands.
"Didn't know you could do that," he exhaled, amused.
I scoffed.
"It's easy."
Neji smiled a little.
"Teach me how."
I smirked at him.
"Sorry. Maybe some other time when you're not teaching me how to fight."
Neji rolled his eyes but stood, sighing.
"Fine, fine," he muttered.
Neji did not start off like he usually did, lecturing me.
He stood and charged at me, his face contorted in determination.
He jumped, swinging his leg on level with my ribs.
It caught me off guard and I barely attempted to block the attack.
I fell to the ground, lancing on my butt.
I flinched in pain.
"Ow."
Neji did not sympathize like he usually did.
He waited until I stood to hit me again; he'd told me once that hitting someone when they were down was an unfair fight.
His punch was in the gut and left me breathless, sucking in air.
I stumbled backwards, clutching my stomach with one arm as I doubled over.
I heaved dry air, hearing it rush into my lungs.
Neji kicked me in the side, his foot arching into my hip.
He continued without pausing.
He struck my stomach again, and then my cheek.
I fell down once more.
"Stop," I spat through my bleeding lip.
I looked up at him.
Neji was standing above me, leaning forward.
His brow was confused, as if he hadn't realized what he'd been doing.
"I—I'm sorry," he murmured, still puzzled.
He kneeled and helped me to my feet, supporting me with his hand around my uninjured waist.
"Do you need Sakura to look you over?" he inquired, sounding truly remorseful.
"Um. . ." I stammered, doing a mental assessment. "No . . . I think I'm fine."
Neji didn't listen; he'd already started to lead me down the stairs, gripping my waist tightly.
"Sakura," called Neji as he moved me into a chair in the "medical" section of the building.
Sakura broke off her conversation with Ino cleanly, briskly heading over to us.
"Kami, Neji, what'd you do to her?" gasped Sakura, quickly pulling on surgical gloves and getting a cotton ball on which she poured some sterile alcohol.
Ino peered over the couch, examining me also.
Neji shook his head and leaned back against the wall, banging his head against the concrete from behind.
Sakura and Ino sharply looked up at him before darting their eyes away.
Clearly, it was private, whatever he was experiencing.
I swallowed, settling the bile in my stomach some.
"This will sting some," Sakura warned me as she brought the swab of cotton to my busted lip.
I flinched at the burn of the alcohol on the wound and dug my fingers into my jeans, trying to create a pain that would rival the one I'd been previously experiencing.
"What else hurts?"
"My side," I answered, touching my cheek tenderly; I would definitely have a bruise tomorrow.
Sakura scrunched up her nose and frowned, ordering, "Lift up your shirt."
I obeyed, pulling up my shirt to reveal my side.
Sakura ran two fingers down the skin where my rib cage was, feeling for breaks.
"The worst you'll probably have is some heavy bruising. I didn't feel an splinters of bone, but if you do get sharp pains and aren't able to breath well and clearly, you need to come see me again. Anything else?"
I shook my head, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.
Sakura noticed my expression.
"Come on. You need to lie down; I can tell."
She helped me to a backroom where a clean mattress was lying on raised wooden slats.
On the bed there were clean sheets, and located on the far wall was a window that showed a darkening sky.
I lied back against the pillows, finding them comfortable enough.
A fan swiftly moved above, shaking.
I exhaled and closed my eyes, willing away my dizzy feelings.
Sakura retrieved me a bag of ice, which she made me keep firmly pressed to my cheek.
As soon as she left I removed it, laying it beside me on the mattress.
I was concentrating on breathing evenly when I heard Sakura talking to someone outside the door.
It was muffled, but clear enough for my ears.
"What the hell are you doing, Neji?!" she hissed, sounding livid.
Neji uttered something illegible.
"Don't give me that crap!" she snapped. "She's not someone you can just pummel, you idiot! She can't handle that level of beating, yet!"
"I know that!" Neji snarled, his voice raised. "Don't you think I do?! I just lost it, okay?!"
"Well, you can't lose it," responded Sakura aggressively, not backing down. "Especially not with her. If it were any one of us or one of your high-level fights, it would be different, but don't you ever lose control over yourself like that again with her!!"
Frustrated, Neji shot back, "Why should it make any difference?! She may not be skilled enough yet, but she will be and then she won't be any different than any of the others!"
Sakura did not reply for several seconds, and I wondered if their conversation was finished.
"No, she won't. You know it, I know it, everyone can see. She won't be like them, ever. It's not in her character," she ultimately said, so quiet I could barely hear her anymore.
Another pause, this time longer.
"Look, if you want me to take over her training, I will. I won't sacrifice your pride for her life, Neji Hyuga, and you know that I stand by my word."
I could just picture Neji sighing deeply at her words, kneading his forehead in thought.
"No," declared Neji eventually, "it will never happen again, Sakura. I swear."
"Good. You know how much I hate cleaning up blood."
I heard Sakura walk away, her boots resounding against the concrete floor.
There was a thud from the wall outside my room.
I assumed it was Neji.
I glanced back at the fan above me, the cool air emanating.
I closed my eyes and lulled myself into sleep.
So, what'd you think?
Review, por favor.
