Neji knew his bushy browed friend was dying to ask. The fact that he was practically bouncing in the line to get coffee next to him was the biggest giveaway, and Neji knew he wouldn't be ignored. He let out a resigned sigh, taking a step closer as the latest person at the checkout finished having their order taken. "Go ahead and ask, Lee, before you explode."
His friend didn't need to be told twice. Lee swung around to face him; his dark eyes bright with excitement. "That was her, wasn't it? The one you're always watching?"
"I'm not always watching her." Neji replied gruffly. That made him sound like a stalker.
Lee rolled his eyes. "Please, Neji, you are constantly being distracted by her. Look, even now. I am trying to talk to you and all you can do is think of her."
That wasn't true. Neji just seemed to have the uncanny ability to know when she was nearby. That intriguing, dark haired beauty that seemed to leave him speechless. Their interaction at the entrance of the café just now had been their first, and Neji—like an idiot—couldn't even say more than two words to her. He finally had a chance—an excuse—to talk to her, and he turned into a simpleton. Good going, birdbrain. He scolded himself.
Fingers snapped in front of his face, and Neji focused once again on his long-time friend. "If you like her that much, why have you not talked to her sooner?" He asked, amused. Neji was always so unflappable and sure of himself, but when it came to this girl, he, for once in his life, didn't know what to do.
Neji fixed his friend with a look. "And say what, exactly? 'I've been watching you from afar since last year when you participated in the campus sporting event. I fell for you at first sight, with your auburn hair flowing in the wind behind you as you ran with reckless abandon, your melodic laugh drifting over to where I stood on the sidelines. My eyes were transfixed by you from that day onwards, and I have been unable to look away since.'" Neji scoffed. "Really, Lee, she would think me a ridiculous fool at the least, not to mention a crazed stalker."
It took a few moments for his bushy browed friend to respond, transfixed as he was with Neji's words. "Yes!" He said after a few seconds of deliberating. "Say exactly that to her! I almost fell for your words just now. I am sure she will also. You should speak that way more often, Neji."
The line moved forward again, giving Neji an excuse to turn away from his friend. He shook his head, eyes rolling at Lee's words. "Don't be ridiculous, Lee. She would more likely punch me in the face than accept my declaration of affection."
"Fine, fine." Lee held out placating hands in front of him, surrendering. "But, you have finally, officially met her. You now have an excuse to talk to her the next time you run into her."
And yet, that was the problem. Neji never ran into her. They did not share any classes, and it wasn't very often that he was even able to catch a glimpse of her from a distance. This meeting in the café was rare indeed, and he was afraid he would not get this chance again. But, perhaps…
Neji reached the front of the line before he had the chance to ask Lee the question on his lips. He gave his order to the employee, paid, and stepped to the side to wait for Lee.
"Lee," Neji turned to his friend once he had completed his order. "The party tonight, are you still going?"
A grin threatened to spill across Lee's lips, but he kept it at bay. No point scaring off his poor friend before he had even finished voicing his thoughts. "Yes, of course."
"And… everyone will be there?" Neji knew he wasn't fooling anyone, but his stupid pride kept him from asking the question he truly wanted to ask.
"I suppose so. Since Naruto is holding it, everyone who's anyone will be there." Lee sighed at seeing Neji's sceptical expression. "Don't look so unconvinced. The girls said they would be there tonight, did they not?"
They did, but that was not a guarantee that she would be there. Neji despised parties, but perhaps she enjoyed them. Maybe, if he had gone to some parties, he might have had the chance to meet her earlier. If this was the only chance he had to see her again—especially soon, before she forgot who he was—then Neji would just have to suffer through one night of ridiculously loud music and unpalatable beer.
A defeated sigh escaped the young man's lips and he drew his hand to his temple, rubbing the sudden headache that had appeared. "Fine, I will go tonight. But if she is not there, I will be leaving immediately."
This time, Lee couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face, and he clasped his hands in excitement. "Excellent! I am sure you will not regret it."
The barista called their names and they stepped forward to collect their drinks, before making their way out of the café and onto their next destination. Neji heaved a sigh. He just hoped the evening didn't turn into a disaster.
.
.
.
The house was crowded.
And loud. Too loud.
Tenten felt instant regret at coming along, but she knew she couldn't leave. Sakura had driven them and Tenten didn't have another option to get back to campus.
Her eyes scanned the room, filled with young adults gyrating to the pulsating music. Some were huddled together in corners of the room, needing to shout in order to be heard above the din. Ah yes, how romantic this is. Tenten thought sarcastically. How this was considered by anyone to be fun was beyond her.
An elbow dug into her side and she turned her gaze to meet Sakura's beside her. The pinkette huffed. "Let's go in. Maybe after you've had a drink or two, you might start loosening up."
"I doubt it." Tenten mumbled to herself, but she obediently followed her friend further into the house. Tenten wasn't planning on drinking tonight anyway. Her plan was to wait until Sakura and Ino left her to find their boyfriend's—which she knew they would, despite their protests that they would stay with her all night—before finding someplace quiet where she could chill until her friends were ready to go.
"Remember," Ino said seriously, making sure to give Tenten a pointed look. "Don't accept anything from a guy you don't know. Hell, you should only accept something that Sakura or myself hand you, okay? And if someone asks you to go upstairs and escape the noise, decline." She cocked her head to the side, finger tapping her chin in thought. "What else, what else?"
Tenten laughed at her friend's concern. "I'll be fine, Ino. I may be inexperienced at parties, but I'm not stupid."
As they moved their way through the house towards the kitchen, Tenten took the opportunity to scan the room one more time.
"Looking for someone in particular?" Ino asked, a knowing glint in her eye.
"What? No, of course not." Tenten's cheeks burned and she resisted the urge to cover them with her hands. Had she been that obvious?
Her friends laughed at her discomfort and Sakura linked her arm through hers, bumping her hip playfully. "Don't worry. If we see him, we'll tell you straight away."
Was it possible to instantaneously combust from embarrassment? "S-see who? I don't know what you're talking about." Lies, lies, lies. Maybe if she told enough of them, they would stop pestering her.
"Mhm," Ino cocked an eyebrow at her and gave her body a once-over. "That's why you dressed up tonight."
She couldn't deny that. Tenten wore the only dressed she owned—a mid-thigh length, emerald green halter neck. She only possessed the dress because Sakura and Ino had insisted that every girl needed at least one dress in their wardrobe. The dress, along with the fact that her hair was loose tonight, tumbling halfway down her back in thick, dark waves, was the evidence that she had, indeed, dressed up.
"Don't look now, Tenten, but Lee and his extremely handsome friend just walked through the door." Tenten knew she made a mistake as soon as she spun around, eyes zeroing in on the empty entrance. Her friends burst out laughing and Tenten's face flamed in response.
"Don't do that to me!" She hissed, turning back around to glare at her friends. A hand came up to her chest and she took a deep breath, trying to still her erratic heart.
"Sorry." Sakura looked very unapologetic in her apology and Tenten wondered if her friends brought her here just to tease her.
Ino looked past Tenten, her eyes widening. "Don't freak out Tenten, but it looks like someone is heading your way."
"No way. I am not falling for that again." Tenten crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to be the butt of another joke.
"No, I'm serious." Ino insisted. "He just walked in and is heading your way. Looks pretty determined too."
She was tempted. Oh, she was so tempted to look behind her, but Tenten didn't want to be made a fool again. It wasn't often that she took an interest in someone—especially not so soon after meeting that someone—and her friends knew that, which was why they were having so much fun teasing her.
Tenten's body was humming with a nervous energy at the thought that she might see him tonight. She didn't know what she would do or how she would act if she came face to face with him. And her two friends weren't helping.
Maybe she would go get a drink, after all.
She turned on her heel, intending to make her way to the kitchen, but instead—for the second time that day—she found her face buried in a hard chest as she ran into someone.
Thank you for your kind words regarding the first chapter. Since the reviews have been positive so far, I've decided to add to the story. I'm not sure how long it will be - it might only be one more chapter after this - but I hope you enjoy it no matter how long (or short) it is.
I absolutely love writing in Neji's POV, and I hope you enjoyed learning his thoughts about Tenten. I'm currently working on the next chapter, so please look forward to that.