Chapter 14

Tenten Pov

I woke up late. I didn't go outside or attempt to get out of bed. Shikamaru finally came in to check on me, what happened next didn't go over very well.

"I'm sorry" I mumbled.

"That's all you have to say?! You've stayed in here enough, it's time for you to get up and go out right now!"

He pulled the sheets off of me and threw my dress to me. I let a few tears fall.

"I-I don't-"

"You will! Or else you stay here and do the chores and take care of mom!"

"FINE! I'll do them just leave me alone you big jerk!" I yelled.

That wasn't meant to come out of my mouth. Either way Shikamaru had stormed out of the house. I sighed.

"Could this day get any worse?" I said to myself as I changed into my dress.
I just had to say that didn't I?
After an hour or so of giving Abilene her medicine and doing Shika's chores a knock came to the door. I went over and opened it to see Ino, glaring at me. She didn't look to happy. What had I done? We weren't meeting with her or Princess Hinata today were we? I don't remember making any plans. Either way, it's best to let Ino in your home when she gives you a mean look. She went over and sat in the chair, I joined her after I finished sweeping the dirt she dragged in with her shoes.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I sat down.

"Word is that you came home late last night." she said.

Is someone stalking me or something? Maybe Neji had told Hinata and Hinata had told Ino. But if that's so Hinata would have come along too.

"And this is important for you to tell me because...?"

"You went back to the dividing river didn't you?"

I shrugged.

"I did end up wandering a little. I was just stressed over some things yesterday and needed to walk around. I don't tend to pay attention when I'm trying to clear my mind." I explained.

"Is that so?"

"Is there something I missed for today that you're mad about?"

Before she said anything another knock came to the door. I looked at Ino and then went to answer it. Lord and behold, there was the Princess of the Nymphs, Hinata. I wanted to be relieved, but her face made me feel otherwise. She brushed past me and sat in the chair I was just in. Did Neji tell her something? I'm so confused.

"Want some tea?" I asked, closing the door again.

"Yes." they both said.

I went over and started to boil the water. As the tea was being made I could hear them whispering in the room. They had never been so... so... weird before. The tea had finished and I walked back into the room, placing the tea on the coffee table. The both took little sips before saying anything.

"Neji told me you were out near the river last night." said Hinata. "And that he upset you somehow."

"I just couldn't help him feel any better about being so.... I guess he already told you."

"No. He didn't tell me he felt this way. He only told you and as you tried to help he said one thing and you went off crying like a child before he could even explain himself. And here you are, doing chores and staying home as if the whole thing never happened. Maybe you don't care about my brother after all."

Even Ino looked shocked.

"Hinata, what have you been taking to think this up! He just sounded like he was annoyed with Tenten and of coarse she'd get upset because she was just trying to help him feel better and failed!"

Hinata seemed to have ignored Ino's reasoning and looked back at me.

"If you really care about my brother, you will apologize to him right now."

"B-But Hina I-"

"I don't care if you're mother is sick in bed! You come with me and apologize to my brother right-"

"Hinata shut up!" Ino shouted.

Hinata looked over at Ino, about to say something else. But then another knock came to the door. Why was everyone coming to my house today? I stood up and went to the door yet again. My face went warm and I was at a loss of words. This always happened when I first see Neji.

"H-Hi."

"Can we talk... alone?" he asked, nodding towards Ino and Hinata.

Ino took Hinata by the arm and brushed passed us both. By the looks of it she was going to give her a stern talking to. They closed the door behind them and I fell to my knees.

"I-I'm sorry I left! I should have let you talk to me more and I shouldn't have been talking like a fool! Please forgive me your highness!" I bowed to the floor, just in front of his feet.

"You know you're not suppose to bow to me Tenten." he said.

"It's how someone is to apologize to their Prince though, that's the first thing I was taught."

Suddenly I was picked up by the shoulders and he made me stand up straight. I knew I was blushing again.

"I'm the one who should apologize! You really did make things sound better I just... I just... didn't want you to know how much sense you were making."

I starred at him. What the heck?!... It couldn't be that he...

"You didn't want a human to be making sense of a nymph's problem?"

He shook his head.

"I didn't want you to know because I wanted you to think that you still had a chance with me!"

There was an awkward silence that followed. I couldn't believe my ears. Was this some sort of dream? Suddenly the door opened again, this time I saw Shikamaru's red mad face starring back at me.

"So I leave for an hour and you're here making goo goo eyes at the prince?! I can't let you do any work or caring without getting distracted!"

"N-No! I did all the chores and gave Abilene her medicine! I even brought her some food that she's still eating! You know that she eats slow now!"

He just shook his head.

"First you call me a jerk then you let your friends over when you're suppose to be watching mom! Why don't you even call her mom anymore?! Stupid human!"

And with that he hit me. I'm not sure where cause I can't exactly remember, but either way I fell to the floor. I was in so much pain that I was crying again. Soon after I ran out the door, not responding to any of the people who were yelling at me to come back. I didn't. I went to our lake, and by our I mean Neji and I. I washed my face, but from crying so much there were black bags under my eyes. Shikamaru hit me hard too. I rubbed it so it felt better, but it still looked kind of brown. I sighed. Why was today such a let down?
Then I realized that it started to look orange and pink, like a sun set. I looked up to see indeed the sun was setting, so I had better get going to that spot. I hurried over, I really needed someone to talk with but at the same time I wanted to forget my problems. I decided that I would tell Sakura about it all tomorrow.
The sun was almost gone when I saw Sakura. There was a boy Kewolen with her, so I hid behind a rock until he ran off somewhere. I quickly walked to Sakura, seeing as the bridge was already showing up. She smiled back at me and then looked around confused. Had she really not noticed that the guy had left? Odd.
Soon enough though, we were standing in the same place as yesterday.

"Hi Tenten" Sakura said smiling

"Hello Sakura, beautiful circles" I joked, since I had the same ones.

"Jee. Thanks. Same goes to you" She glared at me and I just laughed.

"So how was your day?" She asked me, looking into the water yet again.

"My day was sorta shitty" I admitted.

I never use that word around anyone, only ever once with Neji and he laughed at me.

"Oh.. I'm sorry.. do you mind if I ask what happend?" She asked.

"I got into a fight with the Prince, and my friends got mad at me and just as Neji and I were making up my brother came in and hit me. It's kind of dark so you can't see it, but I have a big bruise." I chucked a rock into the river, making a "plop" noise as it landed.

"I'm sorry.. that must of sucked" Sakura patted my back a couple times

"No it's fine. I'll talk to them tomorrow about it" I said, now wanting to avoid this topic. "How about you?"

"Oh, mine was pretty good, compared to most days" she smiled and went off in her own little world.

"What happend?" I asked. Making a wild guess that the guy before had something to do with it.

"I told the girl who enjoys making fun of me off.. and I uh.. um.. got to watch the... sun set with the guy on my team.." She stuttered, getting a red face already.

"Was that the guy who I saw you stand next to a bit ago?"

"Yeah.." her smile looked like it could brighten up a house, along with that very red face she had.

"You two looked adorable" I said with a smile, showing her that I was happy for her.

"Thank you.. Though I doubt he likes me" she mumbled sticking her foot out of the side of the bridge

"You never know.." I said, thinking back to what Neji had said earlier.

Suddenly I heard footsteps coming on the bridge. I looked up to see it was the guy from before. I think my heart was hitting my ribs. I almost took a step back, but I ended up freezing in position. I was totally frightened.

"Tenten.. meet Sasuke. Sasuke.. meet Tenten" Sakura said.