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: Nejiten and Sasu/Saku

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Rated: PG

Chapter 7

November 1st, homecoming Saturday was cold and sunny. Since Josh was on the football team and Alice was a cheerleader, Neji and Ino were going to the football game in the afternoon, and then going home to chance later for the dance. When Neji and Ino got to the game, they scanned the place for a seat and Ino pulled Neji over to the section behind the cheerleaders. Neji saw Sasuke sitting alone out of the corner of his eye and gestured him to come over to sit with them.

"Hi Sasuke, how are you?" greeted Ino.

"I'm ok." He replied in a monotone voice.

Ino didn't seem to mind his lack of enthusiasm. "So, who are you taking to the dance?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Don't know her name."

"My girls told me that you and that Sakura had a thing going on. I thought you were going to ask Sakura. But then I heard she's going with this other unpopular guy called Lee." Said Ino.

Ino had hit a nerve. Sasuke scowled at her and glared at Neji. However, Ino didn't seem to notice. She continued, "What do you see in that wide forehead geek anyway? She's so plain looking and blah…"

Neji nudged Ino in the ribs. "I think she's pretty." Neji said.

"You don't want to go out with a nerd like her. It'll hurt your reputation. I'm sure you could get someone better, Sasuke." Ino said firmly.

"Tenten really likes Sakura." Neji said. "She's her best friend after me." Neji said, trying to to tell Ino to lay off Sasuke. Neji could see Sasuke fuming.

"Well, Tenten liking her doesn't say much. She, herself isn't that popular too, you know?" Ino's words made Neji's stomach churn.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Neji had totally forgotten Sasuke was beside them.

"Well, Tenten's nice, but…" Ino trailed off.

"But what? Tenten doesn't hang out with the populars because she got better things to do. Like writing and hanging out with me." Said Neji, getting a little cranky. He couldn't stand people saying something negative about Tenten.

"Pardon me, Neji. I was just making a simple observation." Ino sounded hurt.

Neji immediately realized that he was too harsh on her. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm a little big brotherish when it comes to Tenten. Sasuke knows what I mean, don't you?"

Neji looked on his right and expected Sasuke to break the tension but unfortunately, the seat was empty.

"Nevermind." Ino said. "I'm sure we can find something more interesting to talk about other then Tenten."

As Ino launched into a speech about how much Neji was going to like her dress, he sighed and tried to appear interested.

Later that night…

Tenten had to admit the school gym looked really pretty. The committee must have spent a lot of time on this. There were white lights strung up all over the walls and even on the ceiling. The room was lined with tiny tables and iron chairs with candles. On the walls were huge paintings of famous Paris sights. And at the entrance was a paper mache sculpture of the Eiffel Tower. It looked like the theme for the dance was Paris. Itachi and she had arrived at the dance early, since his band had to set up their equipment for the performance. Now the band was in full swing but not many people had arrived yet. Tenten scanned the crowd for Sakura and found her standing alone with a glass in her hand. She didn't look like she was enjoying herself. In fact, she looked depressed.

"Hey, what happened to Lee?" asked Tenten as she approached Sakura.

Sakura pointed at the dance floor.

"He's been dancing the moment we got here. How can anyone have so much energy? I'm so tired already, so I left the dance floor. I think I can definitely rule him out at Mr Right." Sakura sighed.

"Well, you look beautiful today. You should keep an eye for other interesting prospects."

Sakura did look incredible. She looked every inch a prom queen in her pink chiffon dress and she wasn't wearing her spectacles. The girls had gone back to the mall and gotten the dresses they tried on the other day.

"Well, yeah, I guess so. I haven't been teased tonight. Not even once. I'll just take a walk outside and look around. Enjoy yourself Tenten."

Once Sakura was gone, Tenten felt like a wallflower. The gym was slowly filling up with students and Tenten was the only one standing alone. She was bored and frustrated. Her new heels were killing her and she hopped towards one of the tables. From her view, she could see Neji entering the gym with Ino. After watching Neji and Ino move onto the dance floor, Tenten leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes. Her eyes popped open when she heard Itachi speaking into the microphone.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to Tenten," he said in his deep, sexy voice. "She's my brown-eyed girl."

A hundred pairs of eyes were immediately on Tenten. She stood up and gave Itachi a little wave and a smile, feeling herself blushing. She couldn't believe Itachi wrote a song for her. She looked at Itachi as he sang the song. The tempo was slow and perfect for the dance's theme. However, she felt depressed. Tenten hadn't been on the dance floor even once, and now she was just going to stand on the side and watch everyone have fun.

"May I have this dance, little lady?"

Tenten turned around. Neji was standing beside her, his eyes twinkling. In his navy blue suit and tie, he looked elegantand sophisticated. He looked like he just stepped out of a GQ magazine.

"It would be my pleasure, sir." Tenten replied, stepping into his arms.

Neji was scanning the floor and Tenten thought he was trying to keep an eye on Ino. But she was wrong.

"I wonder where's Sasuke and his date." He commented.

"Sakura isn't here too." Tenten said.

"I hope they are alright." Neji murmured as he pulled Tenten a little closer. Then they both fell silent.

Neji and Tenten hadn't danced much together. Neji had been to every school dance but Tenten only attended a few. And her usual pattern was that as soon as she arrived, she would start figuring how to ditch her date and head home.

"You look great Tenten." Neji said, looking into her eyes. They had moved into the middle of the dance floor and Tenten was aware that his arms were wrapped tightly around her.

"Do you really think so?" Tenten asked. Neji never gave her any compliments. They were more into affectionate teasing.

Neji nodded. "Yup."

"Thanks, but why are you being so nice? Its so unlike you."

Tenten was aware of Itachi's sexy voice singing in the background but her attention was all on Neji.

Neji chuckled. "Am I being nice? Well, excuse me." He spun her around and dipped her almost to the floor. The serious expression left his face completely.

"Hey, do you think that dress is too tight for you? It looks like its sewn on."

Now that was the Neji she knew. "Oh yeah, let me ask you something. How long did you look into the mirror today to do your hair?" Tenten asked giggling. "Five, six hours?"

They both broke out laughing. Then as Itachi picked up the speed of the song a little, Tenten started leading Neji in something that resembled a Tango. They shot across the dance floor, forcing other couples to clear a path for them. By the time the music slowed down, they had reached the other side of the gym. There wasn't much light and they were left dancing in the shadows. Neji pulled Tenten close again and she found herself putting her arms around his neck.

All of a sudden, Tenten felt out of breath. She was acutely conscious of both the pulse in her neck and the firmness of Neji's muscles beneath her hands. When she tilted her head to look at his face, she found Neji's mouth just millimeters away from her. Time seemed to stop, and she couldn't tear herself away from the piercing light in his eyes. This was what the other girls see, she thought. This is the Neji she've never known before. Tenten moved her head closer to his, closing her eyes. She almost felt sick to her stomach, but she couldn't stop herself.

"May I cut in?" Tenten heard a high pitched voice hiss in her ear.

"Ino! I was going to find you." Said Neji.

"Well here I am" Ino said, ignoring Tenten.

"Yeah, here you are," Tenten said she she backed off, away from Neji. "I'll catch you later Hyuga."

Tenten worked her way through the couples on the dance floor, determined to locate Sakura. She needed to talk to someone right now. When she made her way halfway through the room, she turned back and took a sneak at Neji. He was staring at her with an unreadable expression. Tenten felt paralyzed. At that moment, Ino pulled Neji's Head down for a kiss and the spell was broken. Tenten wasn't sure what had just happened between Neji and her, but she hoped that whatever it was, it wouldn't happen again

"Hey Tenten, have you seen Sakura?"

"No Lee. I'm looking for her too."

"Well then, let's go look for her together!" exclaimed Lee cheerily as he dragged Tenten along with him. Tenten groaned.

On the other hand…

Sakura had walked out of the school and was sitting alone by the pond. She looked up at the starry sky and started thinking about a certain jerk.

"What is happening between us? Why do I feel so hurt when he insulted me? I don't feel that bad when other people insult me. Why him?" thought Sakura as tears rolled down her cheeks.

All of a sudden, Sakura heard some giggling and footsteps coming at her directly. Before she could react, she was whisked away by someone and everything became a blur. Before she knew it, she was behind a bush.

Sakura thought she was being kidnapped and panic.

"Get off me. Who are you!" she screamed.

"Shut up, will you?"

Sakura frozed at the voice. She looked up and saw Sasuke panting heavily and glaring at her.

"What are you d…" Sasuke clamped his hand on her mouth, hoping that she'd stop before those stupid fan girls knew where he was. Instead of cooperating, she bit him. Withdrawing his hand, Sasuke hissed out a series of curses. Satisfied that he had no other way to stop her, Sakura readied herself to let out another scream. But her cry was muffled when Sasuke suddenly pressed his lips against hers.

His lips were soft. 'Almost like... rose petals?' Sakura thought as her eyes widened. But he broke off the kiss as quickly as it came, not wanting to get attached to the feeling of her lips against his.

'That IDIOT! He kissed me!' Sakura thought, trying to conceal the fact that she might've enjoyed it.

'Tell me I didn't just do that,' Sasuke thought. 'At least it shut her up.'

Meeting her gaze, he realized that she was expecting a rationalization of what just happened.

"It was the only way you'd be quiet." Sasuke muttered.

"B-but you kissed me!" stuttered Sakura

"Is that against the law?" asked Sasuke, trying to act as if the kiss didn't bother him.

Now, Sakura was furious. How dare he take away her first kiss. She was about to argue when Sasuke suddenly said, "I'm sorry."

"What? What did you say?" Sakura was taken aback. She never ever in her life heard Sasuke apologizing to anyone before.

"I don't want to repeat it." Came the reply.

Sakura stared at Sasuke in silence. The only noises were the sounds of leave rustling in the breeze. Sasuke's fan girls had retreated when they were satisfied that he was not at the pond.

"Why do you hate me?" Sakura asked abruptly.

Sasuke wasn't expecting that question and he choked on his saliva at Sakura's unexpected question, as he jerked his startled gaze from the ground towards her.

"What?" Sasuke replied in answer to her question.

"Why do you hate me?" she asked again. "Is it because of something I said? Or it it because I'm just an unpopular geek who'll never catch the attention of any guy in Konoha High?" She paused to ponder, head tilted slightly to the side.

"You know, I'm tired of fighting and arguing with you everytime we meet. We have been doing that for the past 3 or 4 years? I'm sure our best friends are sick of that too. Whatever it is, I'm sorry," she offered. Sakura looked at Sasuke in the eye.

He stared at her, flabbergasted. "I…you…didn't do anything," he stammered. "And I never said I hated you…did I?"

"Did Sasuke just stammered?" Sakura thought.

"Oh, well, not in so many words," she replied slowly.

"But I figured with the way you treat me all the time, you must not like me very much, and so I thought it must've been something I did to you. Was it that prank which happened when I first met you?" She looked up at him again.

"Or maybe it was the shoe. I didn't mean to hit you with it, you know. It was just a coincidence that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time!"

"It's not that!" Sasuke said. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation now.

"Then what is it?" she persisted. "How did I make you hate me, and how can I…stop making you hate me?"

"But…I…I don't hate you," he stammered.

She regarded him with a furrowed brow.

"But, then why do you insult me so much?" she questioned. "Why do you always try to make me feel so bad about myself?" She dropped her gaze, looking hurt as she thought of what he said to her the other day.

"I…I thought about it a lot, and I don't like it that you hate me," she admitted softly.

"Because I…I realized that I LIKE you, and I'd rather be friends than enemies. S-so whatever I have to do to make things up, I'm willing to do it." she added.

Sasuke was completely floored; it felt as though somebody had just sucker-punched him in the gut. But he had to admit to himself that it must have taken a lot of courage for her to just say something like that out of the blue, and he couldn't help but feel warmed by her sincerity. It didn't occur to him that she might be lying to him, that it might be some sort of joke. Sakura just wasn't the kind of a person who would do something like that to anybody, even to him.

Sakura sighed and slowly rose to her feet, and he realized that she'd taken his thoughtful silence as a sign of rejection.

"Well," she began quietly, "if you ever decide to forgive me, you know where to find me." She started to walk away as her tears started to fall again.

Sasuke just stood rooted to the ground, watching Sakura leave and trying to absorb what she just said. "Why…Why me.." Sasuke mumbled to himself.

"I love singing in front of a crowd." Itachi said hours later.

It was almost one in the morning and Itachi was driving Tenten back to her house. Tenten had given up looking for Sakura and she had been amused by Lee's disappointed face.

"Your band is great!"

"What can I say? Rock and roll Rocks!" exclaimed Itachi.

Soon, Itachi's convertible pulled up at Tenten's house. Itachi switched off the ignition and turned in his seat to face Tenten. He pulled her closer and kissed her with more intensity then he ever had before. Chills ran up Tenten's spine and every nerve in her body was tingling with excitement.

"Neji…" she whispered, feeling his soft hair beneath her fingertips.

In the next second, Tenten's heart stopped. She couldn't believe what just happened. Tenten just realized that she called Neji's name.

"What was I thinking! Did Itachi notice? Oh my god…" thought Tenten in alarm.

She pulled back and stared at Itachi's face. In response, he hugged her even more tightly. Itachi obviously hadn't heard her mutter Neji's name. A huge wave of relief washed over Tenten but she couldn't concentrate on Itachi's kisses anymore. She was thinking what was wrong with her and why she had said Neji's name instead of Itachi. She shook her head slightly and tried to clear her thoughts. Tenten tried to reassure herself that saying Neji's name didn't mean anything at all. She had just seen Neji and he was on her mine, that's all. No big deal.

"I never want to stop kissing you, " Itachi said as he held her hands gently.

"I love you, " Tenten whispered and buried her face against his shoulders.

Tenten had never said those three words to a guy before except Neji. But that was different,it was a family and friends sort of love. However, she didn't feel any fireworks when she said that to Itachi. Maybe she was expecting too much. At that moment, she was dead sure that Itachi was her destiny. End of story.

It wasn't until Tenten turned off the lights on her night stand that she realized that Itachi hadn't said "I love you" back to her. But she tried to comfort herself that she would…soon…

I wanna say a big THANK YOU to all my reviewers and readers! You guys rock! I'm typing up the next chapter already and it will be up real soon. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!