And another chapter ^-^ This one does relate to me, partly! Which is why I loved writing this chapter!


9. Change

I was never one to fuss over my appearance. I kept the same hair style, wore similar clothes and make up was a mystery to me. I had the same hair style for as long as I can remember, it just stuck. All the girls in the academy used to tease me about my hair, but when I finally tipped over with anger, they never teased me again. Possibly because I threatened them with kunai and shuriken. Iruka sensei didn't approve of my methods, so I did get in trouble.

Today the girls decided on having a girly pampering day. I sluggishly agreed to go as I had spent too much time in male company. We all had a pedicure and manicure. I allowed myself to have a pedicure done, and I had them painted bright red to match the detailing on my top. I sat on my chair waiting for the other girls to finish. Hinata had all her nails painted light blue, Sakura had her toes painted bright pink and her nails a teal colour. As for Ino, she managed to have purple on her toes and stripped blue and purple for her nails.

We stopped off for tea at Ichiraku's. My stomach had been growling for over thirty minutes so my face lit up when the bowl was placed in front of me. I dug in quickly and the girls just stared at my obscure eating habits.

"Tenten, I think you have spent too much time with your male team mates." Ino kept staring at me.

"What do you mean?" I said with some noodles draped out of my mouth.

"You aren't very girly." Sakura said.

"Since when has that been a problem?"

"Never, it's just that you have always been about weapons and getting stronger. You never shown any interest in boys, it's just strange for a girl of our age." Ino said, tucking into her food.

"Not everything is about boys."

"Oh come on, even Hinata show's interest in Naruto, and she is the shyest person in the village."

I looked over to Hinata and she was as red as a tomato.

"So what, that time will come. And if a guy doesn't like me the way I am now then he does not deserve my time." I finished slurping up my noodles.

"And you have had that hairstyle for way too long."

"I like this hair style, plus it's easy to do in the morning and I don't have to worry about it. I don't have time for trivial things like how my hair looks."

"Seriously Tenten, you don't think about changing your hair?" Sakura said.

"Why would I when it's perfectly fine."

"Maybe a boy will ask you out for once." Ino said it quietly but I still heard her.

"I'm going home." I took some money out of my pocket and placed it next to my bowl.

Not everything revolved around guys and whether or not I wanted to be in a relationship. My goal in life is to be as strong as Tsunade and that is the only goal I need. Boys would just get in the way of that right? I stormed back to my apartment and locked the door. I jumped onto my sofa, curled up and rolled over on my side.

"Do I really need to change myself?" I asked myself.

I sat there pouting for a bit, wondering if what the girls were saying was right. After a few moments I leapt out of the sofa and into the bathroom. I faced the mirror and pulled my hair out of its buns, allowing my hair to cascade down my shoulders. It had become very wavy and stuck out slightly. I stared at my reflection, wondering if I went out with my hair like this, would I still be the same person. I have had this hair style for so many years, leaving my apartment with my hair down felt alien to me. I felt so self conscious. I screamed at myself and messed up my hair with my hands.

"What have the girls done to me?"

I quickly jumped in the shower to try and tame my wild mess of hair. I had come out of the shower and changed when I heard someone knocking at my door. I walked up, with my wet hair dripping down my top, and opened the door to see Hinata.

"Hi Hinata." I said.

"Hi Tenten." She replied.

"Come in." I stepped away from the door and she walked past me. She found her usual seat and I followed behind. "Would you like a drink?"

"No thank you. I'm here as Ino and Sakura feel a bit guilty about what happened earlier."

"Then why aren't they here?"

"They felt embarrassed."

"They are the ones to feel embarrassed? They were the ones telling me I'm too much like a guy and that no guy will take a second look at me." I flopped down on the seat next to her, bringing my knees to my chest.

"Oh Tenten don't feel that way. A guy will come along that will like you for you."

"You really think so?"

"Of course."

"But I have been thinking and maybe I do need a change of hair style."

"Really? You won't keep your buns?"

"Oh I'm keeping them, I just won't have my hair like that often."

"What hair style will you have?"

"I might just wear it down, that will be a big enough shock for most people."

"I think you will look pretty with your hair down." Hinata gave me a sweet smile and we continued talking all night. I had fallen asleep quite quickly as today really took it out of me.

I woke the next morning, and when I looked in the mirror to put my hair up, I remembered that I was going to keep it down. I brushed through it removing any knots and making it tame. The gentle waves flowed down and my hair reached just below my shoulders. I started tugging at my fringe to try and hide my face, but it didn't work.

After several attempts to leave the house, I finally exited and locked the door behind me. I felt a gentle breeze brush through my hair and it was a strange sensation, almost flattering. I quickly ran to our next training session, and whilst running through the main street, a few people noticed it was me and gave me a smile and a wave; others started whispering to each other. It made me feel uneasy, like I shouldn't have changed my hair in the first place. I tried to put that thought out of my head and hurry to my training session.

I reached the training area and they had already started warming up without me.

"Sorry I'm late guys!" I ran towards them and placed my hands on my knees to steady my breathing.

"Err Tenten?" I looked up to see Neji staring at me.

"What?"

"Your hair is down!"

"Well done Neji." I was trying to hide my embarrassment. "I fancied a change, why is it bad?"

"No, it's just different seeing you like that."

"Oh Tenten." Gai sensei was crying with Lee just to the right of Neji. "You look so beautiful. The flower of our group has grown."

"Er, thanks Gai sensei."

We returned to training and I couldn't help put tuck part of my hair behind my ear. Maybe Ino was right, letting my hair down was a nice change.