Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

I forgot to mention, I don't own the design of the daggers that Neji gave her. Nor do I own the design of the present Gaara gives her. Moment of artistic glory is over :( Anyway, thank you for helping me get over a hundred reviews!

Chapter Ten

Tenten picked up the sheet of paper from the floor, re-reading it, her eyes landing on the same to phrases that struck her heart.

But even as I write that request, I know what you will do.

I love you, Tenten. I always will. Your actions will never change that.

'What does he mean? Is he implying that I won't ever talk to him again?'

Her hands were shaking.

Flashback

"Look, Neji!" Five-year old Tenten held up a picture to show her friend.

"Hm?" Neji carefully took the picture from the girl's hand and laughed.

It was a crayon drawing of them. Neji was a stick figure with long brown hair, and Tenten was a triangle with a head, her hair in two buns. They had their arms around each other, huge red smiles streaked on their faces.

Underneath the picture was scrawled 'My Best Friend'

"That's a nice picture, Tenten." He smiled.

"Yup! Teacher told us to draw our bestest friend in the whole world, so I drew you Neji!" Tenten said enthusiastically.

"I'd draw you too, Tenten."

The little girl grew ecstatic at this, and launched herself on Neji. The long haired boy took a few steps back from surprise, as she jumped onto him, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Heeeeheeheee!" She giggled happily.

Neji shook his head, smiling.

"You're always gonna be my best friend Neji, for ever and ever!"

"You too. Forever." He held her closer to himself.

End flashback

Tenten knew it was stupid to get angry over such a little thing except that...

It wasn't stupid.

They had always said they'd be best friends forever.

They had promised.

For him to actually write that...after all their promises...

It was...

Infuriating.

She had ripped up the letter even before she felt the anger and betrayal surging through her veins.

'Neji...I'll never forgive you for this...'

That night was a turning point in Tenten's life.

The next morning, Tenten didn't see Neji at her front door, as she had every morning of her life. She felt disappointed. But there was also something else laced in...a kind of bitter triumph.

'If he doesn't want to face me, I'm not going to beg him.'

When she reached school, she walked straight into her classroom and sat down.

"Hey Tenten! How was my present?" Ino appeared next to her out of nowhere.

"Oh yeah, thanks Ino, it was great!" Tenten grinned at her friend.

"Ok good, 'cause I spent ages choosing." She threw herself down on the chair next to Tenten with a smug smile.

"So, what did Neji get you?" She said as she took out her books.

"Nothing special..." Tenten said lightly, her smile still on her face. "Anyway, where's Sakura and Hinata?"

"How the hell would I know? Probably in the library studying like good little nerds..."

Tenten was glad that her attempt to change the subject had succeeded. "Yeah."

Gaara caught sight of his girlfriend in the crowded corridor.

"Hey, Tenten!" He called over heads, rushing towards her.

Tenten looked up from the floor and turned. "Oh, hi Gaara." She smiled slightly upon seeing him.

"Happy birthday. Sorry I couldn't make it to your party." He smiled ruefully.

She laughed. It sounded like music to Gaara's ears. "It's fine, Gaara, you wouldn't have liked it anyway."

"I guess...but why didn't you come to the park that morning? Or this morning? I was waiting."

Tenten had completely forgotten about practice that day. "Sorry, I went to bed late that night. I think I just fogot today, you know, birthday and all..."

"Yeah, I thought so. Anyway!" He dropped his bag on the floor and pulled something out. "Here."

Tenten opened the jewelry box carefully and gasped. "Oh Gaara...it's beautiful."

It was a Celtic pendant. A sword, with two winged dragons twined around it. The sword was golden and the dragons were silver with bronze wings.

He smiled shyly at her. "You like it?"

"Yeah, I love it!" She hugged him tightly.

"Ok, good, 'cause for a sec I thought you wouldn't like it. I would've gotten you a weapon or something but I passed a store one day and that just looked really cute..."

"This is better than a weapon, Gaara." She breathed, admiring it's beauty.

Then, Gaara picked it up from the box. Stepping closer to her, he put his arms around Tenten's neck and clasped the ends together.

Tenten breathed in his scent as he put his arms around her, it was strange, he smelt so much like-no.

Gaara stepped back with an admiring look in his eye. "You're beautiful." He said softly.

She couldn't help but smile at the way he said it. "Thanks."

Tenten was bored. She hated math. The only way she survived was by having Gaara sit next to her.

Finally the bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Everyone immediately got up and put their books away.

"Ok class, I won't see you guys tomorrow so have a nice summer, and I'll see you next year!" Their math teacher called out.

Everyone cheered and stampeded out of the classroom, until Gaara and Tenten were the only ones left inside.

"Hey Gaara, wanna take a walk?" Tenten asked.

He looked at her in surprise. "Really? You don't have to go to Neji's place or something?"

Tenten shook her head. "No, not today."

Gaara grinned at her and took her hand. "Sure, lets go."

Tenten saw no sign of Neji as they exited the building, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Gaara and Tenten walked under the trees in the dying light of the afternoon, hand in hand, talking happily.

Gaara felt blissfully content. Somehow, Tenten made him feel...complete.

'I think I could love her...'

On impulse, he pulled Tenten towards him and put his lips on hers.

Tenten was silenced as Gaara pushed his lips against hers. She looked past his shoulder, and what she saw made her heart stop for a fraction of a second.

Neji. Staring at her. His face showing no emotion.

His friends, Naruto, Lee, Shikamaru and Sasuke were staring at her too, the shock clear on their faces.

Tenten ignored them. Her eyes bore into Neji's.

She felt the previous anger and betrayal flow through her, before the defiance and triumph coursed through her veins.

She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, allowing Gaara entrance, which he eagerly accepted.

Previously...

"AH NEJI! SASUKE TELLS US YOU HAVE FINALLY CONFESSED TO YOUR FLOWER!" Lee bounced next to him.

Neji shot a glare at Sasuke, who shrugged.

Naruto's eyes widened. "Seriously? You told Tenten? What did she say?"

Neji felt annoyed. "Shut up."

Shikamaru spoke. "She rejected you, right Neji?"

Lee and Naruto turned to Shikamaru in shock. "WHAT?"

The lazy blond sighed. "Think about it. If she had accepted him, would he be walking with us after school? And sulking, for that matter?"

The two fell silent.

"Oh..."

Neji turned away from them, but his eyes were met with a worse picture.

Gaara and Tenten. Kissing.

She was looking at him. He stared back, unblinking.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his friends turn and gasp.

But he ignored them. Instead, he was concentrating on Tenten's eyes...what was that emotion?

Betrayal.

He watched, as the love of his life closed her beautiful brown eyes and deepened the kiss with her boyfriend.

Please continue reviewing! Who knows...maybe if I get enough reviews, Sasuke will get a nicer love life than I planned...