Chapter 10

"He kissed you?" Ino squeaked. "KISSED, AS IN K-I-S-S-E-D?"

Tenten shrugged, her sigh turning heavy. "Full peck, on the cheek."

"You are serious, aren't you? Come on, give me a hug," the blonde girl wrapped her arms around her dearest friend, who was almost in tears. "I know you feel weird."

"You don't know, Ino. It hurts so much, pains me so much that he's a player, and he might be tricking me," Tenten managed to let out an explanation.

Ino nodded in agreement. "I know, Tens. Come on, don't cry. You are the strong Tenten that didn't cry even when you injured Kakashi with the kunai."

Tenten knew that Ino was referring to something else. Yes, she did, she injured Kakashi with the kunai, however, Ino had known that she had been hiding her guilt so well. It was something that marked her life as a fashion designer.

It did hurt her when she saw Kakashi with that mask of hers, and pained her even more when he said the mask was for his enjoyment, when she could clearly see the look in his eyes.

She smiled slightly. She knew that she could depend on Ino. That's why she is her best friend after all.

"Thanks, Ino."

Ino grinned. "Now now, stop crying. We are in the middle of the hallway. Everyone is staring at you."

Ino walked along the lockers. Her class had just ended, and she was going to her locker to pack up, and then head home with Tenten.

Her blonde ponytail bounced as she strolled towards the self-painted locker of hers. It was purple, with small tiny heart-shaped fake jewels stuck onto the handle. One benefit of being a design student in the Konoha Academy was that each student gets to decorate their own locker.

Ino bumped into a person. The impact sent Ino flying and landing onto the ground with a thud. Her books were scattered across the marbled floor, and her design books were flipped open.

"I am so sorry! Are you ok?" she got up hurriedly, concerned for the strange person sprawled on the ground.

"You troublesome woman. How could you not see that a person was…" he moaned.

Offended, Ino raised her eyebrows and glared at him. "Excuse me, I was the one who was walking in a straight direction. Like straight."

"We have already knocked into each other, what's the problem?"

Ino scrutinised the guy who had just gotten up. His jaw was deep-set, and his eyes were the colour of midnight. Lean and tall, he seemed like he worked out. His hair was the shape of a pineapple, which infuriated Ino.

"Do you have any respect for women? You aren't supposed to find them troublesome. Or maybe you cannot get a girlfriend, that's why you think that women are troublesome," she finished smugly, taunting him to reply.

The man smirked, and reached out to touch her face. "In fact, no. I am going to ask one out right now."

She swivelled and turned around to see who else was there. "There aren't any people here."

"Yamanaka Ino, would you go out with me?" he smirked even more.

Ino's face exploded red. She blushed so hard, that one might wonder her blood vessels were literally bursting.

"But I-I-I don't even know your name."

"Don't then."

Her tingly sensation just disappeared right then. Fury controlled her, and she grabbed his collar. "How am I supposed to know your name then?"

"I find it troublesome to say my name."

"Your name wouldn't be that long," she snapped.

"Nara. Shikamaru Nara."

Tenten spaced out as the designer was lecturing about various components that made up in the project of Wedding Dress. She vaguely remembered hearing about feelings and emotions and such, as well as skill and technique.

What load of crap.

"Miss Tenten!" the designer called out. "Miss Tenten?"

She snapped out of her nap, and stood up abruptly. "Yes?"

"What is the final and the most important component?"

She looked blankly at the teacher. He was expecting her to give him a smart answer, with that little continuous nod of his.

Honestly, she did not know what to say. Her mind was totally blank. Trying to come up with a valid answer, she bit her lips. "Passion?"

"No. That was a good try though," the teacher praised her. "I bet all of you wouldn't even know the answer."

"What's the answer then, Jiraiya-ojii-chan?" Naruto asked curiously.

"It's love. It's love. You have to put your love into a dress, especially the dress you are making for a wedding."

From then on, she realised.

She was in love with Hyuuga Neji.

Neji sat in his classroom, staying behind as the others shuffled out of the room in a rush. Having no urgency to head home and see Tenten again, he decided to leave a lot later.

"Hey, Neji, aren't you going home?" Sasuke asked. "It's already 3."

"No, I have no intention to. Besides, I have to do the work with your girlfriend anyway."

"Don't make any moves on her, you asshole," Sasuke said lightly, and patted his back. "Sort out your own feelings, and come back to reality."

Neji looked back and gaped at him. "How did you know?"

"Human emotions. Plus, we are alike; emo characters that are popular."

"I am not emo, I am just quiet," he defended himself.

"Yea, sure," the blue-haired man waved it off, and left the class.

"Yo, Ino," Tenten said cheerfully.

Ino looked at her weirdly. "Ok, so this morning, you were moaning over some guy, and now you are happy?"

"Why not? Besides, I need the happiness," she replied back with a smirk. "Let's go to my house and make some tea. "

"You know, I am really glad that you are happy and all, but isn't it a little bit weird to be happy after 6 hours? Have you really gone mental?"

She giggled. "Oh no! You are weird yourself! So how's that cute guy who asked you out in the hallway?"

"How did you know?" Ino stuttered. "There was no one there."

"Did you forget Shikamaru Nara is one of the famous guys around here? He's from the engineering department. Most of the girls are crazy over him."

"I…didn't know. Who the hell is Shikamaru Nara, and what is he? I mean, the way he confessed was romantic, but…I…um…"

Tenten guffawed. "Oh Ino! I know what love does to you! It will make Ino Yamanaka go woozy and giggle like a hyena. "

"Shut up, Tenten."

Tenten bit her nail.

"Am I really in love with Hyuuga Neji?" she mumbled.

Her heart trembled and shook. She clutched her legs, and sat her head on the knees.

No one could probably describe what she was feeling inside. It was pretty much contradictory. She felt happy that she was in love with him, and her heart fluttered whenever she saw him, however, sadness overwhelmed her when she knew that they weren't going to get together.

Honestly, it was shocking. This strange feeling that would take over her any moment of the day; it was incredible. Imagination ruled her mind; she always thought of her and Neji going on dates and such.

Love was a joyful, yet a gloomy feeling.

"Fuck this shit. I am in love with him."

Tenten's mouth closed shut after she heard herself say those words.

"Oh Buddha, what have you done to me now?"

Neji looked at Sakura and wondered why he had dated her.

The fact that she was gorgeous was true, but, she was also bitchy and downright short-tempered. He bowed his head low as memories of him being depressed after dumped by her flashed through his mind.

"Neji, the fact that we have broken up doesn't mean that we aren't working on this project together. Tomorrow is the last day, and it's done," Sakura snapped. "Can't you please focus more on this project?"

"Shut up, Sakura. You are the one not doing anything," he growled and flipped through the rest of the pages.

Sakura frowned. "If you are going to be a bitch, then do it later. Now, we are supposed to focus on this stupid design project."

Irritated, Neji started writing down some notes. He might not be a genius like Shikamaru, however, he was still smart. Sketching out an outline of a dress, he layered it with many strokes to make it look fluffier, and added lace to the bottom.

"Here, it's done." He handed her the sheet. "Satisfied?"

Sakura smiled. "I knew you could do it."

He rolled his eyes. "Thanks."

The pink-haired girl halted. "You know what, I am really sorry that I had dumped you."

"You don't have to be."

"No," she demanded firmly, "I do. It was sudden. I realise that I am in love with Sasuke. I mean, I did love you, but I love him more."

"I know," Neji said exasperatedly.

"Love is a strange thing, Neji. It takes guts to admit that you love someone, and even more guts to confess to that person."

Slowly, a feeling crept and ruled his mind. Everything Sakura was saying was making sense, and he could understand and feel it. His heart jingled whenever he saw her, the girl that he talked to every single night, with a sketchbook.

"Neji, are you listening to me?"

He was in love with her.

Hyuuga Neji was in love with Tenten.

Neji snapped out of his trance, and grinned at the girl beside him. "I was. Thanks, Sakura."

"For what?"

"Helping me."

Ok, I updated a day later. My school was holding some weird Sports Day, and we had to watch and bear through it. It was fun though; I went completely hyper.

Honestly, I have never experienced love, so the feelings that Neji and Tenten have is not well-described. I believe that love will come to us when we are a bit older, and not at the age of 14. So, excuse me for my lack of experience with love, and inability to describe love.

I am also more of a ShikaTema fan than ShikaIno, but this story was perfectly suited for the latter. Ino is always being stereotyped as a bitchy popular type of person, but she's also kind and caring. In fact, her character is suited best for being Tenten's best friend. One female character that I don't like is Sakura, but she is neutral after the 2 year gap.

Please read and review! I want to hit 100 for this story:D Pretty please?:D