Chapter 3: talking things out

Knocking on the door Tawny hoped he would answer.It was early morning after all.

"what." It came from behind the door it was the agitated voice of a man .

"can I come in?" she said sweetly.

"who is it." The man opened the door slightly letting a crack of light into the semi-dark room on the other side.

" Tawny." She didnt wait for a reply she just pushed her hand threw the door crack forcing it open she, stepped inside.

The door closed behind her. The light exited with it. "what do you want Tamra?" he asked coldly.

"you know I hate when you use my full name." She gave a disapproving glare to the direction she thought the door was. " can we turn on some lights?"

"no."

"fine." She felt for a chair and placed herself in it.

"what are you back for?"

"it didn't work out well the prince and I that is."

"really how not well." The man smiled to himself.

"dead not well."

"good very good."he nodded in aproval

"I need out of here as quick as possible."

"why?" he asked fairly amused. " to back home isn't that what you always wrote about in your letters." He walked over turning on a dim lamp and dug threw a draw pulling out some unopened mail he threw it at her cutting her arm and some above her knee. She took the letters holding them in her hands.

"why didn't read them?"

"I didn't need to you always where a complainer." He raised a brow.

She glared to him.

"why the sudden urge to go home?" he stood behind her hands on her shoulders.

"I just want to go."

"your debt is almost repayed you are free to go after one more task."

"one more!" she yelled standing quickly with fustration, the man quickly shoved her down the the couch again by her shoulders.'

"one more small task my dear." He began to gently rub her shoulders.

" I don't want too." She folded her arms over her chest and pouted.

"you have too." He said molotonely." Why do you want to leave so quickly."

"I just do."

"is their someone else?"

"no. the guy friend and I are going out to eat later tonight." She shook her head.

"not him." He said coldly , " the other one."

"what other one," she was trying to play dumb but horribly failing at it.

" the reason you wrote these, why you wanted to come back so often." He remarked toward the unopened letters.

"no other."

" don't lie to me Tamra." He added coldly as he breathed the chilling air onto her neck. " I know everything about you, until your debt is repayed you belong to me." He hissed.

"a…" she shivered before preparing to speak again." I knew him when I was a kid is true and its nothing more than an old friendship too me." She stood up and headed for the door.

"too me, is that all you think."

She stopped. "no its not all I think."

"then speak your mind."

"well here it is." She positioned her hand on the door knob. "screw you asss-hole." She turned the knob and stepped a foot out the door. " send me my last assignment as soon as you can. I want out of this town." With that she shut the door behind herself.

The sun was bright in her eyes it was high for only being around eleven. She placed her hand on her brow and posed her herself to look down at the streets below. It was bustling with many people buying, selling, coming and going.

She spotted a face in the crowd. " chouji!" she called out running down the stairs to meet up with her cousin.

"hey what's up?" she asked panting slightly by the time she reached him.

"shopping."

"shopping?" she gave him an odd look.

"not like that." He waved it off. "we need more rice and flour, bread and eggs."

"o." she drew out the letter slowly.

"we ran out again." He shrugged . " well so is that of life. Anyway what are you up too today?"

"im going to go see shika here soon, and then tonight at five im going out with Asuma." She shrugged imitaing his own. " well so is that of life." She giggled.

"why are you going to see shikamaru?" he questioned raising a brow. " in here." He pointed as the entered a small shop.

"I want to is all." She prohibited herself from saying to much.

"are you shure , I mean he could pick you up at our house." He grabbed a few loafs of bread from a shelf. " it wouldn't be a bother."

"no shika's house is fine with me." She then walked to a basket near the counter that countained eggs. " how many?"

"a dozen. But are you shure there is nothing bigger than that there?" he eyed her.

"its nothing honest." She raised her hands in defense almost dropping the eggs. " what else was there to get ?" sh equestioned.

"that's all from here, but I know there is more…" his eyes glanced to her as he placed the items in a brownn grocery bag and payed for the items.

"its just that i…a…" she trailed slightly. " he is your friend I don't want there to be something weird between the two of you." She smiled hoping she had fixed it.

"nothings wrong between shikamaru and me, its between him and you…" he glanced to her. " you two have been like this forever even when you where kids you would practice with him more than me." Tawny lowered her head. " I didn't feel third wheel or anything but I could tell."

" really?" she said quietly.

"but im not shure what you guys feel now? But I know that you two need to figure it out ok?" he stopped at a venders cart 20lbs of rice please."

" coming right up." Than man proceeded to fill a sack scoopin griceful after rice full into it.

"but I mean yah, talk with him about it, he still really cares about you, and he was crushed when you left I don't know details or anything but it really hurt him."

"it did?"

"yes it did."

She downcast her eyes. " I never noticed I always thought of it as playful badgering never really…" she looked up " but now…I…"

"Tawny!Tawny." it was Asuma.

" hey Asuma." She smiled pleasantly for now she guessed she would have to put shika in the back of her thoughts and focus. " what are you up too?"

"nothing really you?"

"same, helping chouji with some shopping." She looked to her cousin who was barely visable under the food and bags.

"chouji goes shopping?"

"its for food!" he huffed.

Tawny giggled taking a bag from him. As did Asuma. The walked to a nearbye table the small group had decided to grab something snackable it wouldn't be time for lunch concidering it was only 11:30.

" so what will it be." The man behind the counter asked smiling. He was missing a front tooth and he apron was greasey.

"just some tea," pauseing she thought of anything else she might have wanted. " umm…I guess that's all o- and could you make the tea sweet?"

"shure can, next." He turned to Asuma. "coffee black, and a bowl of rice heavy on the sauce Martin." The waiter winked.

"do I come here that often?" Asuma chuckled.

"sometimes," the waiter smiled again, he was actually missing more teeth than when Tawny first saw his mouth.

"thanks Martin." Asuma nodded.

"your welcome, next." He turned to chouji who held up the menu.

"this half please." He motioned to the left side of the menu.

"ok then ." he walked back toward the kitchen.

" so how is the food here really?" chouji turned his attention to Asuma.

"good , Martin is an amazing cook." He nodded leaning his head downward to see Tawny who was spinning her stool around in half circles staring at the clouds going by. " what are you doing?"

It was a few mintues of silence till she figured out he was talking to her. " o nothing just thinking."

"about what?" he chuckled at the idea of a girl thinking.

" the clouds they are so fluffy and round like pillows." She smiled still watching the sky.

" why would you be thinking about the clouds you sound just like-."

Suddenly you could heard a shrilled squeak and a muffled bark getting louder from the other side of the tent.

"a rat a rat get it away!" a lady screamed.

"I wonder what all the noise is about?" the shop man asked not wanting an answer. " here you go." He placed the food and drink in front of its orderer.

Rat rat rat… Tawny thought to herself. " omg conway!" she yelled jumping up and darting around the side of the stand.

Followed quickly in toe by Asuma.

" well be back for these." Chouji took a bit of his muffin before following the rest.

"conway! Conway!" Tawny yelled desperatly. Suddenly the small mouse jumped into her hands and quickly scattered up her sleeve shivering.

She looked up and saw a white blob of a dog flying toward her ducking it pasted over her and hit Asuma in the stomach knocking him to the ground.

"are you ok?" she asked worried.

"fine." He rubbed his head as the small dog stood up and shook off from the fall.

"akamaru." Suddenly a boy red markings came sliding around the bend slamming into tawny knocking her to the ground.

"im so sorry." He held out his hand helping her up.

"uh." She rubbed her thigh. " ouch."

"akamaru what where you thinking?" he glared to the four legged pet at his side.

" kiba what is with the hurrying." Hinata and shino walked around the side to meet with the teamate.

" akamaru ran over this girl." He helped Tawny up. " and again im really sorry."

She watched his expression soften as he apologized his light brown puppy eyes gleamed in the light.

"a… it fine nothing broken I think." She rubbed her thigh again.

They walked to the stand togather th eother group had decided to join them for a bite.

" Tawny I think you might be late for whatever you had planned today its noon now." Chouji looked at a clock hanging in the shop.

"noon!" she looked up. " I should go."

"thanks for the snack guys ill see you later." She waved to asuma and chouji. " It was nice meeting you all."

"same here." hinata smiled with a wave from kiba. Shino did nothing but drink his sake.

"and Asuma pick me up at 8 ok? Thanks bye. Without leaving time to answer she darted off.

"so do you think I-." Kiba smiled triphantly before shino cut him off.

"no."

"why wouldn't I-."

"no. with her not a chance."

"damnt shino your such a party pooper."

" she's not your type boy. She needs a man, not a child." Asuma fixed his buckle trying to act macho.

"if she wants a man why is she going to shikamaru's house?" shino asked molotonely quiet.

They looked at each other than to chouji, holding his hands up inocently. " I dotn know more than anyone else." He protested.

End chapter

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hey guys, next chapter coming very soon soon as in ive already started writting it,lol. please review, without review i wont post it right away. ok thanks by for now.