Author's Note: Thanks for the review, Yukiko'Yuli! You're such an awesome supporter (insert thumbs up). It doesn't feel like a long time has passed since I started this fanfic and here we are at chapter 10! Anyway, I hope everyone will enjoy reading this chapter!

Chapter 10: Desperation

Tenten's POV

I had fallen in love with my overly dashing roommate, hadn't I?

It was few minutes after 11 PM when we returned from the lake. After taking a shower, Neji fell asleep almost immediately. As for me, I was wide awake.

Thoughts had been running through my head and I just couldn't bring myself to sleep. My mind kept on wondering if I really had fallen in love with Neji. For someone who never exactly knew what love was, it was definitely a difficult question to answer.

It felt different being around Neji compared to the times I spent with Deidara in the past. With Deidara, I felt comfortable and happy. But there wasn't anything more than that. I just couldn't imagine a future with Deidara. It was like I wasn't even afraid to lose him.

It wasn't like that with Neji. Whenever I'm with him, I always anticipated spending more time with him in the future. I wasn't simply focusing on the present time but I thought further ahead. At first, I thought I was like that because I enjoyed him company. But after recent events, I had realized it was something more than that.

When Neji held my hand by the lake, I really didn't want him to let go. I wanted him to continue holding onto me even though the grounds weren't bumpy anymore. Disappointment came rushing throughout my body when he let go of my hand and I hated that feeling.

It felt like Neji would one day leave me and that thought alone was enough to scare me.

I had definitely fallen in love with my white eyed roommate. But what could I do?

I mean, what were the chances that someone as perfect as Neji Hyuuga would feel the same for someone as ordinary as me?

I tried not to sigh too loudly since I wouldn't want to wake Neji up. I really couldn't handle having to talk to Neji without falling in love all over again.

It was too painful to deepen my love for him if he didn't love me back.

I was beyond frustrated as thoughts continued running marathons around my mind. I groaned and reached for my phone. I was desperately in need of help. I opened WhatsApp and decided to ask for assistance from three of my closest female friends. I really couldn't think of anyone else to turn to. And it was safer to discuss this matter through WhatsApp. I couldn't risk having anyone eavesdropping on our conversation.

Tenten created group "Please Help"

Tenten added Sakura Haruno

Tenten added Ino Yamanaka

Tenten added Hinata Hyuuga

Tenten: Is anyone awake?

Ino: I am! It's too early to be asleep.

Sakura: I am too. Is something wrong, Tenten? The name of the group is worrisome.

Hinata: Is there something bothering you, Tenten?

Tenten: I have a problem.

Ino: Are you pregnant?

Tenten: What?! No!

Sakura: You're the only one who would have a problem like that, pig.

Ino: Shut up, forehead! I am completely aware of the existence of protection.

Hinata: Calm down, guys. Let's listen to what has been bothering Tenten.

Sakura: Ignore Ino, Tenten. Tell us what's wrong.

Tenten: I think I'm in love with Neji.

Ino: How is that a problem?!

Hinata: Oh my goodness, I'm so happy.

Sakura: Oh she finally admits it.

Ino: About time. I thought I'll grow grey hair already by the time she admits it.

Tenten: How is this not a problem?! Neji will never like me back.

Ino: Are you serious?

Sakura: Oh Kami-sama, why is she such an idiot?

Hinata: Why are you so blind, Tenten?

Ino: Oh my goodness, even Hinata is pissed off.

Tenten: What do you guys mean?!

Ino: Tenten. It is so obvious that he likes you!

Sakura: Way too obvious. Don't you ever notice how he glares at every guy who stares at you?

Ino: Does it ever occur to you why guys from school never exactly get close to you? I mean, you're a gorgeous girl and very talented! Guys will definitely want to talk to you.

Sakura: But nobody had ever gotten as close as to get your number. Have you wondered what the reason behind that is?

Tenten: I never really notice that. But I guess it's because I am scary?

Ino: Well, it's true that the guys are scared but it's not because of you.

Hinata: It's because Neji nii-san is scaring them too much.

Sakura: How could you not notice these, Tenten? Unbelievable.

Ino: Even someone as clueless as Naruto noticed. I can't believe you, Tenten!

Tenten: Well, maybe he is just doing that as a friend! Maybe he just doesn't want them to bother me.

Ino: Oh Kami-sama, can you bring some common sense into this girl's head?

Sakura: If you want to prove it yourself, why don't you just confess?

Tenten: I can't bring myself to do that!

Ino: Then why don't you try to flirt with him and see how he reacts?

Tenten: What?! I can't do that too!

Hinata: Just kiss him in the morning when you wake him up. See how he reacts to that.

Ino: Oh my, I wouldn't have expected Hinata to come up with something like that.

Sakura: Do it, Tenten. Stop being an idiot and see the truth for yourself.

Tenten: There must be a better way to do this!

Ino: Either you confess or you kiss him. It's your choice.

Sakura: You better do it, Tenten. We can't stand how clueless you had been.

Hinata: Do it, Tenten.

Tenten: What have I done to deserve this?

Ino: Being such a blind idiot all this time.

Sakura: I can't agree more.

Tenten: …

I did not have enough courage to confess, that was for sure. My mind had used up every last piece of brain cell and I still couldn't think of a better way to find out Neji's feelings for me.

It looked like I didn't have much of a choice.

"Neji, wake up."

Why did I even bother to wake Neji up by shaking his shoulder? I knew how futile that was. Perhaps I was just buying some time before doing what my friends told me to.

"Is this really alright? I mean, it's like I'm stealing his first kiss. Wait, hang on. I don't have to kiss him on the lips, do I? I can just give him a peck on the cheek or something."

I took a deep breath before kneeling beside the bed. I could feel my heart thumping loudly against my chest as I got closer to Neji's sleeping face. The fact that he looked extremely good looking while asleep didn't help calm me down at all.

"Get a hold of yourself and do it, Tenten."

And so I did it.

I timidly kissed Neji on the cheeks and I had to say that his skin was as soft as it looked. I felt myself heat up almost immediately at the contact.

And I felt like I was about to explode in embarrassment when I made eye contact with a very shocked Neji.

I quickly backed away from the bed and stood up. I covered half of my face with my hand, desperately trying to hide my flushed face. Neji, on the other hand, just stared at me in shock and I noticed his face turning redder by the second.

He wasn't saying a word and that scared the hell out of me.

"What have you done, Tenten?"

"I-It's getting late and I had to wake you up. A-Anyway, I'll get going first!"

I was never so glad to have already taken a shower and was ready to get to class. But I found myself cursing when I realized there was plenty of time left before class would start for the day.

Neji would definitely know that I was lying.

Neji's POV

"What just happened?"

The first thing that registered onto my mind when I woke up was the softness I felt on my cheek. It felt very warm and comfortable but it was a foreign feeling. I definitely didn't expect it was Tenten kissing me on the cheeks.

And she ran off before I could say anything.

My face was burning and the spot where Tenten's lips touched me burnt with even more heat. I couldn't begin to understand what was going on and I groaned in frustration.

"I need a cold shower."

For the rest of the day, Tenten had been openly avoiding me. She would look away immediately whenever we made eye contact. She didn't say a single word at all.

She was acting weird and I really had no clue what was going on in that head of hers.

I had tried to talk to her for a few times but she would walk away in an instant. She wasn't even trying to avoid me discreetly.

When class ended, I wanted to use the time to talk to Tenten. However, not surprisingly, she was already gone. I sighed and decided to walk back to our room. I was never so glad that basketball practice was cancelled that day because our coach had something urgent to attend to. I wasn't exactly in an ideal state for basketball practice.

Tenten wasn't inside the room when I entered. I slumped onto my bed and took my phone out. I was desperately in need of answers and I didn't know what to do. And being the desperate person I was, I decided to ask help from some people whom I assumed might have some ideas on how to deal with my current situation.

Neji Hyuuga created group "Desperate"

Neji Hyuuga added Naruto Uzumaki

Neji Hyuuga added Sasuke Uchiha

Neji Hyuuga added Shikamaru Nara

Neji Hyuuga added Kiba Inuzuka

Neji Hyuuga added Shino Aburame

Naruto: Dude, are you in desperate need of girls? I know a good place, you know.

Neji: No, idiot.

Kiba: Are you in desperate need of some fun? We can go out tonight!

Neji: No.

Shikamaru: Are you in desperate need of Tenten?

Neji: What?

Sasuke: Looks like Shikamaru is right.

Naruto: Don't tell me you were so desperate and did something inappropriate to Tenten!

Neji: What the hell, Naruto. No.

Kiba: You can't blame Naruto for thinking that way.

Shino: It's because Tenten had been avoiding you all day today.

Shikamaru: Like you're some sort of plague or something.

Neji: I wasn't the one who made things awkward between us.

Naruto: Something did happen! What happened?! Did you guys do it?

Neji: NO.

Sasuke: Did you kiss her?

Neji: Why are you guys assuming it was me who did something?

Shino: It's because you're always desperately trying to chase away all the guys who tries to get close to her.

Neji: …

Sasuke: So what happened?

Neji: She kissed me this morning.

Naruto: SHE STOLE YOUR FIRST KISS?

Neji: NO. It was just on the cheek. But she freaked out and left before I could say anything. Then she acted weird for the entire day. I have no idea what is she thinking.

Kiba: Things are getting interesting, aren't they?

Sasuke: Why don't you just go to her and ask her about it directly?

Naruto: Or even better, go to her and kiss her on the lips! Show her the right way to kiss!

Shikamaru: I think Tenten will be the one who show Neji how to kiss.

Shino: It's because Neji never kissed.

Neji: Shut up. I will not do that.

Naruto: Oh come on, Neji. You two are taking forever to progress! Just kiss her and show her how you feel! How difficult is that?

Shikamaru: The idiot is right. Stop acting like a troublesome virgin.

Sasuke: He is a virgin.

Shino: It's because he never had sex.

Kiba: Shino Aburame, you made my day.

Neji: Shut up. I won't do that.

Sasuke: Either you be a man and kiss her or she'll ignore you forever.

Naruto: Just do it.

Kiba: Do it before it's too late.

Shino: It's because someone might steal her from you.

Sasuke: And when that happens, don't come crying to us like a baby.

Neji: What have I done to have gotten myself into this mess?

Naruto: Being a coward and not expressing your love clearly.

Sasuke: For once, Naruto is right.

Shikamaru: For once in his life, Naruto sounds smart.

Kiba: Naruto has never sounded so wise.

Shino: It's because Naruto is usually an idiot.

Naruto: Shut up!

Sasuke: Anyway, you better do it, Neji.

Neji: …

"Is there really no other way?"

Tenten's POV

I couldn't bring myself to go back to my room and be in close proximity with Neji. Not after what I did that morning and how I acted afterwards.

I was hanging out at one of the gardens at school with Sakura, Ino and Hinata. I dragged them along with me right after classes were over. I told them everything, about what I did in the morning and how I ran away like a scared rabbit.

And I also told them how I had been avoiding Neji for the entire day.

Needless to say, my friends were unhappy about what I did. They said I shouldn't have avoided Neji that way. I knew they were right but I just couldn't bring myself to look at him in the eyes. I was worried that he might be angry at me for what I did and I just couldn't bear to see him glaring at me in anger.

I was scared he might end up hating me.

I was told that I was stupid to be feeling that way. But my mind was too messed up to think logically and I was beyond confused.

I had gotten myself into a big pile of trouble and I didn't know how to get myself out of it.

When my friends were already fed up with me, they pulled me from the grass and told me to go back to my room. Ino had a date with Shikamaru and ran off before any of us could stop her. As for Sakura, she wanted to borrow some books so she went to the library. Hinata said that her father needed her to be home for an urgent matter so she walked to the main lobby where a car was waiting for her.

And I was left alone.

I sighed as I walked towards the dormitory. I really didn't want to go back to my room that fast. I wasn't mentally prepared to meet Neji.

I took a longer route back to the dormitory and walked pass the outdoor basketball court. There was a bench on the sides of the court and I decided to sit for a while.

The sun was setting and the skies looked beautiful. The warm air was slowly turning into the night's chilly breeze and it felt cold against my skin. It felt nice just sitting there and staring at the mesmerizing colors of the skies above me.

It was peaceful and serene. And it would have been even better if I could get my mind to stop thinking about Neji.

I never knew love was this difficult to handle.

I was just enjoying the scenery in front of me when someone suddenly blocked my way. I was startled to see who it was.

Like I had said, I wasn't mentally ready for this.

"N-Neji."

I hated myself for stuttering and abruptly standing from the bench. For the first time in a while, I looked into Neji's eyes and felt myself blush almost immediately. In reflex, I looked away but was surprised when Neji grabbed onto my chin and wrapped his arm around my waist.

He turned my head back to him and all I could do was staring at him in confusion. I couldn't begin to make out what he was thinking. His expressions were unreadable and he wasn't saying anything. I found myself gulping nervously as I stared into his beautiful white eyes.

Why must he be so charming at a time like this?

All of a sudden, my eyes caught sight of something equally surprising. At the corner of my eye, I saw Deidara standing by a tree and he appeared shock as he stared at us. I didn't understand why he was there in the first place.

I looked over at Neji and noticed that he was glancing at the direction where Deidara was. His expressions were becoming even more unreadable by the second and I really wanted to know what he was thinking.

I was about to ask Neji why he was holding onto me like that but was silenced in the most unexpected way.

Neji was kissing me. Everything felt so unreal and I couldn't believe that I was living in reality. What was going on? I simply had no idea.

But the softness of Neji's lips on mine was definitely real. It felt comforting and warm and I couldn't get enough of it. Was it wrong of me to want more of these feelings in the future?

And was it wrong of me to hope that this wasn't an act and it was his true feelings?

I was desperately in need of answers.

Because I desperately wanted him to love me back.

Naruto Uzumaki created group "Neji is an idiot"

Naruto Uzumaki added Sasuke Uchiha

Naruto Uzumaki added Shikamaru Nara

Naruto Uzumaki added Kiba Inuzuka

Naruto Uzumaki added Shino Aburame

Naruto: Do you guys think Neji did it?

Kiba: Probably.

Shino: He did. It is because I just saw him kissing Tenten at the outdoor basketball court.

Naruto: Oh, Kami-sama, finally.

Sasuke: Neji isn't that big of an idiot, after all.

Shikamaru: But he must be an idiot if Naruto calls him one.

Sasuke: To be called an idiot by the biggest idiot is definitely the worst possible insult.

Naruto: Why do you guys keep on insulting me?!

Shino: It is because you're the biggest idiot I had ever met in my life, Naruto.

Kiba: Shino Aburame, once again, you made my day.

Naruto: Teme!

Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Are you curious on what will happen next? Look forward for the next chapter if you do! Please leave a review to share with me your thoughts on this fanfic. Suggestions are highly appreciated as well. Your reviews are valuable and everyone's opinion matters a lot to me! Thank you for reading and I hope to see you in the next chapter as well!