"Yes... Neji will no longer be attending this school. He's leaving Konoha tonight... Ahem... Now. Shall we start class?" Kakashi asked. I looked down at the desk and clamped my eyes shut. "Today, class, we will talk about the subject of forgiveness." Kakashi's subjects, coincidental?! I growled. "Forgiveness is-"
"Kakashi-sensei." I stood still looking at my desk. He stopped and looked at me.
"Yes, Tenten?" He asked. "Do you need something?" I shook my head then… all of a sudden, I nodded quickly. "Well, what is it?" I bit my lip.
"I'm not feeling too well…" I responded "Can I see the nurse?" I asked. Kakashi raised an eyebrow as Shikamaru eyes me closely. "Please, my head really hurts…" I faked a groan and held my head.
"Fine, fine." Kakashi scratched his head. "Shikamaru, please escort her."
"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered under his breath and we walked out the door.
"Good. Come back as soon as possible… Now, I shall continued, class…" Kakashi started to talk about 'forgiveness' again. How I despised that word…
"You're not really sick are you?" Shikamaru asked. I looked at the ground and continued to walk down the halls as Shikamaru stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"No." I responded.
"Then why did you want to leave the class?" Shikamaru asked.
"Well, Neji didn't really break up with me…" I responded. Shikamaru stared at me.
"You mean, Temari lied to me?!" Shikamaru's voice raised. I shook my head.
"Yes she lied to you. But because I didn't want you to know. I don't want you to know…" I looked away. Shikamaru had a confused look on his face.
"Why not?" Shikamaru asked.
"There are a lot of things that you don't know about him… and I'd like to keep it that way. I told Temari all these things. But, I don't want her to get into this mess me and Neji caused."
"… A mess you guys caused? Are you pregnant or something?" Shikamaru asked. I blushed quickly.
"N-No!" I shouted at him. "Why would you ever think something like that?!" He chuckled.
"Just wondering, Tenten." Shikamaru smirked. "Is it bad… this mess?" I nodded.
"There's things… that I didn't like about him, so I broke up with him. He apologized for what he did, but I still didn't accept it. I didn't forgive him, and I told him that I'd never trust him again…"
"What exactly did her do?" Shikamaru asked.
"He lied to me. He lied to me about who he was, and what he did. And… other things…" I muttered quietly.
"So that's why you left Kakashi's class. Because forgiveness was mentioned? God, Tenten… you're so immature…" Shikamaru scratched his head.
"Yeah. I am. I can't decide whether to forgive him or not…" I mumbled. He tapped my shoulder and rubbed his forehead. I looked up at him.
"Tenten, the answer will come to you. Just give it time…" Shikamaru looked back at me.
"What?" I asked. He was silent and opened the nurse's door.
"Tenten has a headache. I was to accompany her here. Good bye, Tenten." Shikamaru flashed a grin at me and shut the door.
"Oh, Tenten-chan. Are you alright? Here, take a seat…" I recognized the voice; Shizune. "You always get sick so easily." She ran to the cupboard and brought out a thermometer.
"…" I was silent as the thermometer was placed in my mouth. I looked at the ceiling. Neji… His famous smirk appeared in front of me. He held out his hand. When I reached out, he pulled back and walked away. No. Neji. Wait… "Neji, wait!" I shouted out loud. The thermometer falling out of my mouth shattering to bits on the ground.
"T-Tenten-chan?" Shizune turned around. "Oh my god…" She quickly cleaned up the glass and stared at me. "Are you alright?"
"Neji…" I mumbled.
"He doesn't go to the school anymore…" Shizune touched my forehead. "You need to rest." I shook my head.
"No. I saw him. Neji was standing right here. He was-" Shizune shook her head.
"You were hallucinating, Tenten-chan. Neji's not here…" She quickly laid me down on the bed.
"I'm not sick… I'm not hallucinating. I saw him. He was here. He held his hand out to me…" I muttered as a tear slipped down my face. Shizune looked away and walked back into her office. I sat up and looked out the window.
Why the hell am I thinking about him?! I shook my head and got out of the bed. "Shizune-san. I'm okay. Can I go back to class now?" She looked at me funny and then nodded.
-After School-
"Hey Temari." I grinned at her.
"Hey. I heard you had to go to the nurse from Shikamaru…" We were walking back to her apartment.
"Uh yeah." I scratched my head. "I had a headache."
"Too much thinking of Neji?" She smirked at me. I shook my head. "You sure?" I looked at her and grinned sheepishly. "That's what I thought." Temari laughed.
"I didn't think that it would be that bad. Just because I didn't forgive him. It's killing me…" I rubbed my forehead roughly.
"Well, he apparently left today right?" She asked me. I nodded. "How do you feel about that?"
"I don't know. Some part of me feels like chasing after him. The other part of me wants to laugh at him for running away. I'm not sure. Mixed emotions, Temari." I responded.
"Let's got to my house." Temari smiled. "We can do homework, and then watch a movie or something. That sound good?" She asked. I nodded.
"Yeah. That sounds great." I thought that the movie would take my mind of Neji, but, I think it made it worst. Much worst to tell you the truth.
-The Movie-
"Kari… I'm so sorry. I never should have gone out with that… Ruka… I'm so sorry for cheating on you. Please accept my apology. I know you said that you'd never forgive me, but, I truly am sorry…" Kari looked away and then looked back at Haru.
"Haru-kun… I do forgive you…" Kari smiled at him. "Cause, I really do love you."
"I love you so much, Kari…" Haru then kissed Kari. They pulled away when Haru said… "I'm glad that you forgive me. You won't regret this. I'll stay by your side forever. And I just want to apologize to you one more time about cheating on you. It will never happen again!" Kari smiled and hugged him.
"I accept your apology. And I'm sorry that I was so harsh, when I broke up with you…" Kari smiled as Haru looked down at her and hugged her back.
"…" I was silent as I heard sniffles coming from Temari.
"Aw man, that was so sad! I thought Kari would never forgive Haru for dating Ruka!" She wiped her tears. "At least it ended happy, right, Tenten?" She smiled at me. I looked down. "Tenten?"
"Did you plan this?" I asked her. She blinked and let out a small laugh and looked down at her lap.
"Yeah. I did. I was hoping this would help you with your decision. You don't have much time, Tenten." She took my hand and looked at me. I looked back at her. "He's leaving tonight. You may never see him again…"
"But, I can' just forgive him like that! He lied to me… and he killed the ones that I love!" I looked away. Temari sighed loudly. She squeezed my hand.
"But he apologized. And he didn't lie about his feelings…" Temari muttered at me. I looked at her.
"I know he apologized. And I somewhat forgive him. But he lied to me about who he was! How do you know that Neji wasn't lying about his feelings?" I asked. She smiled.
"He came to me today as he was leaving the school. As usual, I came to school late. But, I saw him as he was leaving, and … He asked me if you talked about him and I nodded. I also told him, that I knew everything about him. He was a little startled, but, I told him I wouldn't turn him into the police or anything. And then…"
"I still really love her." Neji mumbled. Temari nodded.
"I'm sure she loves you too, Neji." Temari said.
"I don't think so…" Neji's memories of her played in his mind. Temari scratched her head.
"Well, I think she does." Temari grinned. "I think she still loves you."
"… I know I love her a lot." Neji muttered. "But, I think it's better to hide it. She doesn't trust me after all. Not anymore. Since I lied to her. I lied to her about who I was. I lied to her about everything… I'd be surprised if she'd even talk to me anymore.." Neji looked away… Temari scratched her head.
"I know she wants to talk to you too. But, her pride isn't letting her. She thinks that she can never talk to you again because of what you did to her, and her family." Neji looked at Temari.
"That sounds reasonable. The problem is that she thinks that I don't love her, and that all I said to her was a lie. But it wasn't. When I kissed her, it was a real kiss from my lips. When I told her a loved her, it came from my heart…" Neji looked away.
"You're getting worked up over this." Temari scratched her head. "And it's a pretty big problem. But, I'll help you out. You're leaving tonight, right?"
"Hn…" He responded.
"Don't worry! I promise I'll get her to at least come and say good bye to you." Temari smiled at him. He nodded and walked away.
"He… really said all that?" I asked. Temari nodded.
"Yeah. He's leaving tonight…" She looked at the clock. She's running out of time! "Go now. He'll be leaving soon, Tenten! If you don't go and straighten this out, you will regret this!!" Temari shouted at me. My eyes widened.
"I'm not sure. I'm scared. Temari… I do love him. I really do." I looked down. There. I admitted my true feelings. I loved him all along. Even when I didn't want to forgive him, I loved him. When he was leaving the classroom, I wanted to stand and tell him I loved him, and that I wanted him to stay. "I wanted to forgive him, Temari! I really did! But I was scared! I was so scared, that… that I was making a mistake! That when I forgave him, that he'd try to come back and kill me! I didn't want him to hurt anyone else!"
"If you told him that, he'd probably stop killing people… why? Because you told him to. And he loves you, Tenten. Now go." Temari pushed me towards the door. "He's leaving. Tell him everything, Tenten. Make him stay." I nodded nervously.
"Thanks so much, Temari. I owe you so much for being my friend." She smiled at me, as I quickly ran down the apartment stairs. I opened the door and a chilly wind hit my face. I walked out and felt wet drops fall from the heavens. The sky… it was crying… Maybe… I was too late. No… I shook my head and started to run in the rain. I ran towards the gate.
-Neji's POV-
"Why the hell am I waiting here…" I muttered quietly. I looked down at the cold ground. Tenten… I looked back at the village. I'll never be able to see her again. If only… I could run my fingers through her hair one more time… kiss her lips one more time…. Maybe hear her voice one more time… Then maybe I could leave this village happy. I sighed and picked up my bag and started to walk in the rain out the gate. When I heard someone shouting my name form a distance…
-Tenten's POV-
There he is! There's Neji… I ran faster. "Neji! Neji!" I shouted. I kept running towards him. He turned around slowly. He looked at me funny…
"T-Ten…ten?" He said slowly. I slipped and fell in a puddle. "Tenten!" He shouted as he dropped his bag and ran towards me. He held me in his arms. I rubbed my forehead.
"Neji…" I threw my arms around his neck. He didn't move but soon wrapped an arm around my waist and put one of his hands and loosened the buns on my head. My hair flowed down my back as Neji ran his fingers through my hair. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" I cried.
"Me too…" Neji whispered into my ear. I rubbed my face against his wet shirt.
"I forgive you. I do! And I'm sorry that I said that I would never trust you again. I do trust you, Neji. And I've always loved you…" I pulled away from him. I looked at his eyes. I couldn't tell if they were his tears, or the sky's tears.
"Tenten. When I said I loved you, I meant it! I really do love you. I wasn't suppose to fall in love with you, but I did. And it felt… great to be in love with you, Tenten. I'm sorry about lying to you! I just…" Neji looked down.
"I forgive you, Neji." I leaned on his shoulder.
"I'm… also sorry about killing your father and brother. I regret doing it. I keep thinking to myself… if I didn't kill them, would I still have met you…"
"Probably not…" I mumbled. "I'm sad that they're gone. But I'm happy that you admitted that it was you all along. Because… I was looking for the one who killed Dai and daddy. And I found him." I touched his cheek. "I wasn't really planning to fall head over heels for their murderer, but I did…"
"Tenten… oh god, I love you so much…" Neji rubbed his face against mine. I smiled and leaned towards him and kissed his lips gently.
"I love you too…" He kissed me back, and pulled me up with him. Neji embraced me again tightly. "Neji, don't leave Konoha. Don't leave me…"
"I have to. I have things to settle with my uncle…" Neji responded. "I'll be back. I promise… I need to quit this job… and I need to wipe all the sins away. I regret the act of killing… I apologize to all those out there who have lost their lived because of me…"
"Take me with you, Neji. I don't… want to be separated from you anymore…" I buried my face in his chest. He pulled away. I looked up at him. He shook his head. "Why not…"
"Hiashi-sama wants you killed. I can't bring you along and even risk the chance of you getting killed…" Neji held me close again. "I will return, Tenten…"
"Neji…" I murmured his name quietly.
"Tenten… you don't know… how painful it was…" Neji whispered against my wet damp hair. "I loved you so much, but you didn't believe me. It hurt me, Tenten…"
"I'm so sorry! I never wanted to hurt you! Believe me, Neji!" I tightened my grip against his shirt. "I never wanted to hurt you." I cried against his chest. "I was shocked and confused…" Neji pulled me away gently.
"I'll be back… I promise."
"I don't even know where you live…" I complained. He smirked at me.
"It's an hour away from here." Neji kissed my forehead. "I'll be back soon. Keep in touch." The sky stopped crying and the moon started to gleam brightly in the sky. He gave me his number. And he was off.
When will you come back… Neji… I think… I'm already missing you… I started to walk back home.
-Hiashi's mansion-
Knock knock.
"It's me, Neji." It was silent. Neji opened the door. "Hiashi-sama. I know you're mad at me… for not killing Tenten. I'm sorry, but you were right. I did fall in love with her… Hiashi-sama?" He walked into the room and turned on the lights. The desk was messy, and the blinds were shut. His chair was empty… Neji walked around and found a sheet of paper on his desk. Neji quickly read it. His eyes widened as he crinkled the paper. The paper shook in his hands. He slammed it against the desk and turned for the door. "Dammit!" He ran outside and looked up at the moon. He ran towards Konoha.
Let me make it there on time… Tenten!!
-
-
-
-
BWAHAHA! Another cliffhanger!! Review if you want to. No flames! I bet you guys already know what was on the paper right? xD
I shall update soon!