Authors Notes: Hi everyone! I know the Itachi/Tenten and Neji/Ino pairings are horrible. Personally, I don't really like it too. But I couldn't think of any handsome guy for Tenten's crush or any pretty gal for Neji. I would use Sasuke and Sakura but they are 2 of the main characters in the story and they are made for each other. Plus I don't wanna use OCs so I have no choice! SORRY! But eventually, its gonna be Neji/Tenten cuz they rock! And Sasu/Saku as well. Thanks to those who reviewed and enjoy this chapter.

More than Friends

Summary: Tenten's out to find true love. Tired of hearing her best friend, Hyuga Neji, talk about how easy it is to get a girl. Tenten says she can find someone special before he ever could. Neji doesn't know the first thing about love--all he knows about are hormones. But after weeks of dating misery, both are ready to accept defeat...until Neji suggests they date each other. Do friends really make better partners? Pairings: mostly Nejiten and at the end Sasu/Saku and maybe Shika/Ino.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Rated: PG

Chapter 3

The next morning seemed so near but felt so far away. Tenten could hardly wait! She talked to Neji a few minutes ago on the phone and learned that he had hooked up with some blonde exchange student named Ino. "I wonder how she looks like…She must be a really pretty girl to catch the eye of Hyuga Neji. Is she prettier than me? Wait..why am I thinking about this. It's none of my business…" thought Tenten and she brushed aside that thought.

"I should be thinking what to wear to school tomorrow, or what should I say to Itachi…" Tenten said to no one in particular. She continued with her thoughts until slumber took over her.

The next morning, Tenten tried to find something decent to wear. She finally settled on jeans and a white top. She was contemplating if she should wear her large spectacles or leave them at home. Finally, she decided to put them on. She pulled her glamorous brown locks into a tight bun and looked at her watch.

"Drats! I'm running late!" she exclaimed when she saw the time. She dashed out of her house and ran to school as fast as she could. On her way to her class, she accidentally knocked into someone and was about to fall backwards when strong arms grabbed her and pulled her into his chest. "Wow, I feel so safe and secure in these arms…" Tenten thought as she snuggled deeper into them. She finally decided to look up and came face to face with a smirking Neji.

"Feeling very comfortable huh? Now get off me!" he teased.

"Ne..Neji! Sorry about that!" Tenten said, turning a little pink.

"Am I seeing what I'm seeing? Are you blushing?"

"NO, I'm not! Why the hell would I blush."

"You…" Before Neji could continue his sentence, his view of Tenten was covered by a head of blonde hair and his lips were captured by another pair of lips.

"I..Ino…" Neji muttered in between kisses.

Tenten frowned at the scene before and started to back off. "Erm..Neji, I see you're a little busy, catch you later." And she walked off before Neji could say anything.

Tenten glanced back at Neji but he was too busy kissing Ino to notice. Tenten felt something tugging at her heart. "What's that funny feeling? I feel so unconfortable…I didn't feel this way before when I see his other girlfriends clobber all over him. What's wrong with me? Maybe it's just the nerves. I'm meeting Itachi later and I'm a little nervous. Yeah probably just the nerves." Tenten thought to herself as she hurried to her class.

Sakura joined her on her way and they both ran anxiously as they were already late. It's not good to be late when that old spinster Mrs Crumblebottom was their teacher. However, luck wasn't with them. A gaggle of school girls had their backs towards them and were blocking the whole corridor. They were gawking at something in front of them.

"Oh come on!" Tenten yelled. Both girls started squeezing and pushing their way through the crowd of girls and groaned upon seeing what the commotion was all about.

"EWW! Would you look at that! Those two are disgusting!" cried Sakura in anger. Tenten sighed and had to drag Sakura away from screaming at Sasuke who was being smothered by a very pretty brunette. His crowd of fan girls was shooting death glares at the brunette. Sasuke took notice of neither the crowd nor Sakura's booming voice and continued in the lip lock.

The girls ended up being late for class and had to attend detention the next day. Finally, the last bell rang and the students were free to go home. Tenten was feeling really nervous as she walked alone to Breeks Café to meet Itachi. She was thinking what to say to him when suddenly; she felt a pair of arms on her shoulder. She looked up and almost fell backwards when she saw who it was. "OH NO!" she screamed in her mind.

"Hey Tenten, how are you today?"

"H..Hi Itachi, I'm g..great!"

Itachi stopped and smiled charmingly at her. To Tenten's surprise, he cupped her face with one of his hands and looked into Tenten's eyes.

"You know, you have beautiful eyes. You shouldn't hide them behind those spectacles. Let your hair down from those tight buns once in a while too, they need to breath you know." Itachi chucked.

"Wow..even his chuckle is so sexy…" thought Tenten. The time seemed to stop as both of them just stared into each other's eyes. Tenten finally, reluctantly, tore her eyes away from his gaze and said:" Thanks, erm I will…"

"Let's go Tenten." Said Itachi as he held her hands and led her to the café. Tenten couldn't believe it. Itachi was actually holding her hands? She blushed and found that the patterns on the floor were really intriguing at that moment. She could feel people staring at both of them while they were walking and she felt quite uncomfortable. Finally, after a long torturous silence (to Tenten, it was torturous), they reached the café and Itachi let go of her hands. Tenten looked up, and turned red the moment she looked at Itachi's smiling face. They took a corner seat and ordered their coffees.

"Tenten…" Itachi started as they settled down.

"I sorry if I seem too forward or sudden, but I really like you a lot and I want to get to know you better. I've been observing you for quite a while now, although I don't think you even know. Would you like to go on a real date sometime this weekends?" said Itachi gently.

"What! I've been observing you too! I had a crush on you the moment I set my eyes on you! I like you too! Of course I wanna go on a date with you!" squealed Tenten happily in her head. She started thinking about her dream she had previously and a large smile was planted on her face. Itachi looked amused and broke her thoughts by saying: "I take that gigantic smile of yours as a Yes?"

Tenten immediately woke up to reality and went red again. "I'd love to." she whispered. Itachi laughed at her embarrassment and stared teasing her.

"You don't have to be embarrassed next time when you're with me. I'm your boyfriend now you know?" With that, he slipped his hand underneath her jacket on her lap and held her hands. Tenten felt a soft, warm hand covered her own cold and trembling ones and started to relax.

"Did he just said he's my boyfriend?" thought Tenten. She just smiled at him sheepishly. Inside her heart, she was screaming with joy. She felt someone's eyes looking intently at her and she turned to that direction and saw Neji sitting at the other corner looking at her with an unreadable expression. She gave him a smile and thumbs up while Itachi wasn't looking and her jacket slipped onto the floor exposing their held hands.

Neji's point of view…

Neji was sitting down comfortably sipping his coffee and talking to Sasuke when he saw Tenten and Itachi walked in. He started frowning when he saw that they were already holding hands. He didn't like what he saw at all. And he didn't like Itachi. He didn't like them to be so close to each other. "The only guy she can be close to is ME!" he thought to himself. He kept observing them and saw that they were chatting happily and Tenten looked much more at ease than before and wasn't even blushing anymore.

"So, they're really dating now?" questioned Sasuke as he too, looked on.

Neji remained silent and kept his eyes fixed on the giggling couple for the whole 15 minutes or so. Sasuke saw this and smirked.

"Why are you looking at them? Jealous that my brother is dating a girl, one of the only 2 girls you haven't dated before? Or are you jealous because you like Tenten more than a friend?" he added the last part cheekily.

"NO I AM NOT jealous. I just want to win the bet." Neji lied as he gritted his teeth. He was angry and maybe jealous but he didn't know why. He thought that maybe he's big ego is taking over him and he just didn't want to lose the bet. Hyuga Neji never loses.

A while later, Sakura walked into the café and joined Tenten while Itachi took his leave. He kissed Tenten goodbye much to the displeasure of Neji.

"Why are you scowling? Aren't you happy that nerd came and end their little date?" Sasuke said. He looked at the girls and saw Sakura without her spectacles first time in his entire life. She was wailing and complaining so loudly that anyone who wasn't deaf could hear her. Apparently, some dude knocked her off her feet and her spectacles fell off and got trampled on by someone else. She looked really mad and Sasuke thought she looked so cute. He didn't notice that she was that beautiful before.

Her hair was like petals of cherry blossom, sparkling in the ray of sunlight. It was such a cliché and overused saying, exactly like something one might hear in one of those cheesy, unrealistic chick flicks that he detested so much. The kind of movie that she probably loved, and would sit and squeal over for hours on end with her only friend Tenten. Sasuke blinked, coming out of his daze, and glanced at his empty coffee cup. He glanced back to the table where the object of his current fixation was supposed to be sitting, whining about her broken spectacles. To his surprise, a pair of suspicious green eyes was staring back at him, exactly the color of emerald held up to the light…

They stared at each other for a long, appraising moment, before Sasuke allowed a faint smile to quirk his lips, raising his empty cup to her in a mock salute. That action appeared to break the spell. Sakura abruptly stood and marched determinedly forward, a fierce scowl on her pretty face that she probably thought made her look threatening, but in actuality made her look adorable. Sakura reached him and stood with her hands planted on her hips.

"And just what is it about me that's so fascinating that you have to keep boring holes into the back of my skull!" she demanded in a high, frustrated voice.

Sasuke looked at her for another moment, and then smirked again. "Oh, nothing much," he replied lightly. "I was just admiring the way you look without your hideous spectacles." To his surprise, she suddenly flushed and blinked and looked away in a fit of embarrassment.

"Oh shit, did I just say that I admired her!" Sasuke thought in horror.

"Oh, you don't really think that was the truth did you? How could any ugly duckling turn into a beautiful swan, especially ugly duckings with wide fore heads?" Sasuke lied.

And with those words, he set the empty cup down on the counter with a dull tunk, picked up his books, and proceeded to stroll casually out of the café, leaving an openmouthed and extremely speechless Sakura gaping after him.

"Oooh, this is going to be interesting, I got a feeling he has a thing for Sakura." thought Neji in amusement. Tenten strolled over and joined Sakura and Neji.

"Sakura, you ok?" asked Tenten.

Sakura just stared at the empty spot Sasuke was sitting before he left and blinked. Then she blinked again and without answering her friend, she stormed out of the café in anger.

Tenten sighed. "Not again…can't they try to get along?" she asked Neji

"Forget about them. Let's talk about you for a second." replied Neji seriously.

"Me? What about me?" asked Tenten curiously.

"Don't go out with Itachi. He's not the right guy for you. He's just a jerk." Neji blurted bluntly.

"WHAT?"

"You heard me. Itachi is a jerk. He's a player. Stop seeing him."

"How could you say that? He's your good friend's brother! Itachi's not a jerk. He's a nice guy." Said Tenten, her anger rising.

"Even Sasuke says that his brother is a player. Don't see that suckface anymore Tenten, I don't want you to get hurt." Said Neji patiently.

"DON'T Call Him That! What is wrong with you? You are my best friend! You should be happy that I finally found someone whom I really like and who feels the same way for me." hissed Tenten.

"Listen to me Tenten, I know it better than you do. You're not experienced enough. I've seen more than you and I know Tenten. He is just not good enough for you. If you're seeing him just for the bet, then I…"

"The bet! Is that it? You wanna win the bet, so you're trying to stop me from going out with the person I like the most? Look, I didn't even stop you from going out with that Ina, or Ino or whatever her name is. So why are you stopping me! You're such a disappointment Hyuga! Is that what our friendship is worth? Just a bet?" screeched Tenten who is on the verge of tears.

"NO, of course not! I just…"

"Stop it Hyuga, You're just a mean, bloody, jerk with an ego the size of Russia and you just can't bear to lose. Enough of your Huyga Neji doesn't lose crap! I HATE YOU!" With that, Tenten turned around and started heading for the exit, tears streaming down her lovely face. Before she could take her first step, Neji caught her arm and pulled her back.

"You don't mean that…"

"YES I DO, Hands off!" seethed Tenten, refusing to face him.

"No, you don't hate me." Neji said quietly and lifted her chin up to face him.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt Tenten. You know I really care a lot for you. You're my very best friend, one who knows me the best. I'm sorry if the things I just said upset you. I don't want to see you cry. I won't let him off if he hurts you." He added, while using his fingers to wipe the tears on her face. He stared into her hazel eyes with a caring and soft expression which made Tenten soften.

She breathed heavily and replied: "I'm sorry for saying I hate you too. I don't hate you at all. I could never hate you Neji. I know you're always protecting me from harm and I really appreciate that. But I promise I won't get hurt this time. Itachi is a nice guy and I really like him a lot."

Neji signed and reluctantly said OK. Inside, he was getting that uncomfortable feeling tugging at his heart again but he dismissed it thinking that he was probably just worried about his best friend.

"So, are we still best friends?" Tenten piped in.

Neji playfully wacked her arm. "You bet!" and he pulled her towards him and gave her a hug. Tenten returned his hug and smiled to herself in his chest. "That feels so right…" she thought…

Ok, that's it for now. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! I'd love to hear from all of my wonderful readers! Next chapter would probably be on Itachi/Tenten and some Ino/Neji. I don't like the Ino/Neji pairing at all..so I guess I wont go into too much detail about that. And Of cuz there will be Neji/Ten. THEY RULE! Hope you guys like the Sasu/Saku parts too.