Sorry about not updating last week. Explain to you later. But I'm not gonna delay this chapter any longer. Here it is! Hope you enjoy it!
This chapter is dedicated to Rotc girl for suggesting the story and Frozen Fire for suggesting the setting! If you like this whole chapter, credit goes to these two for helping me! Thanks a million!
FireLight Horrors
Chapter Title: Old Susanna
By: lainey-bo-bainey
The poor Hyuuga sniffed, and continued to watch the television before him, as he was all slumped up upon the couch. He coughs, causing him to jolted upright for a bit, and soon laid down to rest once more.
Ding Dong!
The door bell rang, disrupting the peace and quiet that filled room. He sat up from the couch, where he sat lazily and glared at the door.
"Who the hell would go visit here at midnight…" he thought, and shrugged, choosing to ignore whoever was outside. Maybe they'd realize that it's twelve… and no normal person would go and visit someone at twelve midnight.
Knock Knock Knock
Standing up, Neji grudgingly stomped towards the door and swung it open. He cocked his eyebrow,
"Hello there!" greeted Sakura, so much full of glee compared to him.
"Uh… hi…" he greeted back, and looked over her head to see the others behind her. He sighed. "What do you want?"
Ino, who was standing behind Sakura and leaning against the doorframe, spoke, "Some hospitality, please…" she told sarcastically as she walked past Neji, intruding his home and ignoring his glare. She was soon backed by the others who followed her in, too.
"What are you guys doing here…" the Hyuuga asked and glared once more.
"I dunno… I thought we'll do our stories here?" Naruto asked, and lied down comfortably upon the couch.
"What do you mean…? I'm sick… that's why I'm not going… remember?" he stated, and glared.
"Oh yeah! I remember!" Naruto exclaimed, causing the Hyuuga to roll his eyes, "We know that you're sick… and we were actually supposed to go to your house… but then you're sick… so I just decided to go to Hinata's house, instead! By the way, what are you doing here?" He asked bluntly.
Neji rolled his eyes, "You idiot, we live in the same house."
"Eeewww! Neji, that's just sick and wrong!" Naruto groaned.
By the time, all Neji could do was stare and glare, "Don't you dare get the wrong idea… our family lives in the same house… our relatives live in the same house… and FYI, we sleep in different rooms… just in case you're that dumb to think we don't"
"Oh, hi guys!" greeted a voice from behind. They turned to see Hinata going down the stairs.
"You invited them over? You knew that I'm sick, Hinata…" Neji growled.
"Well, I didn't exactly invite them over…" Hinata reasoned out.
"Great, so can you explain why these freaks are here!"
"I just told them that we could do it in my house… and-"
"It's not your house alone…" Neji interrupted bluntly, "Mom said I should rest… I'm tired… how would I rest when Naruto's here!"
"The name's Uzumaki…" Naruto interrupted, causing Neji to turn to him, "Naruto Uzumaki…" and he winked at Neji.
"What the heck-?" Neji shuddered. "You're weird, Naruto…"
"As if you aren't…" Naruto murmured.
Neji glared at him, but the glare upon Naruto did not last long, "Whatever, bottom line is, why are you guys here?" he asked them, "and where's the bun head?"
"Awww… that's so sweet! You guys call each other by nicknames!" Sakura squealed, "Ten-Ten calls you white-eyed freak, too!"
"Shut it…" Neji scowled, "Where is she?"
Ding Dong!
The doorbell rang as if in cue. Neji groggily walked towards the door and swung it open; he glared.
"Hello there!" Ten-Ten greeted.
"It was you…"
Ten-Ten stared at him innocently and soon walked passed him, "It was me what?"
"I told you I was sick… and we were supposed to do our stories in your house… I told you I wasn't coming… you told them we were gonna do our stories here…"
"I never said anything…" Ten-Ten stated.
"Oh really?" Neji asked, amused. "Care to explain why they're all here!" he asked, pointing to the others.
"They… um, magically flew over here! And… a… someone… told them… that we were gonna do our stories here! So they um… they suddenly popped out of nowhere and ended up here!" Ten-Ten explained.
"Was that supposed to be funny…?" Neji asked.
"No… it was supposed to stop you from glaring at me…"
"Well, it didn't work… try explanation number two…"
"Explanation number two…" Ten-Ten sighed, "Well, since I'm just so kind I felt sorry for you not coming and since I'M the one telling stories this week, I mean, I'm so awesome I bet you won't want to miss my story… anyway, so yeah, I decided to just do our stories here! Where you can join us too!" she forced a smile, but all Ten-Ten received was another glare.
"Or… you can go and believe explanation number three where my room's really messy and I'm too lazy to clean up and serve snacks and stuff… so I told them to go here…" she smiled.
"I hate you…" Neji stated, still glaring.
"Right back at ya…" Ten-Ten replied and shook her head, and headed towards where Sakura and Ino were sitting, upon the floor, and sat beside them too. She looked up to Hinata who was still on the stairs, leaning on the railing, "Where can we tell out stories…?"
"Dunno… do you guys want to go to the guest rooms or something?" Hinata suggested.
"Oh that, you have lots…" Ino joked, causing Hinata to giggle.
"Oh hey, can we go to the roof?" Sakura asked.
"Oh yeah, we totally should… There's a nice weather outside, too." Hinata said.
"Cool!"
"Awesome!"
"What?" Neji asked, "Why in the roof, it's cold outside. If I go outside, I'm gonna get a worse fever…"
"So?" Ten-Ten smirked, "You're not coming anyway, right?"
He narrowed his eyes, "You guys are here anyway, why leave me out?"
"Cuz we don't want the germs that you have…" Naruto smile goofily.
"Shut up…"
The Uchiha, who was leaning against the piano, groaned, "Is this all we're gonna do…" he complained, "Let's just go…"
"Go where, exactly…" Neji stated.
"Up…the roof isn't found in the ground, you know…" Sasuke replied with sarcasm and he pushed himself up and started to head for the stairs.
"But I'm gonna get even more sick!" Neji stated, ignoring the Uchiha's sarcasm.
"It'll pass…" Ino stated and also stood up. Soon, everybody else headed for the stairs too, including Neji.
Reaching the second floor, the headed towards the balcony which, except for Neji though. He slowly slipped away from the group heading towards a room which had a sign saying "Neji's room; open this door and die", obviously his. He opened it, entered the room and shut the door behind him, without anyone even noticing he was gone.
Back with the others, they reached the second floor's balcony. They sat on the patio found outside.
It was an elegant evening. There were tons of stars that could be seen upon the sky, and cold air was breezing gently through them.
"Hinata… you have the most awesomest house among all of us…" the pink haired girl commented as she ran towards the railings to breathe in the fresh air that was breezing through her.
"'awesomest'? That's not even a word, Sakura…" Shikamaru said.
"Well, I'm sorry… I'm not nerdy enough to know…" she told sarcastically and soon earned a glare from Shikamaru.
"Hey, where's Neji?" Ten-Ten asked when they were all settled down in their places.
"He might be still inside, he can't go out…" Hinata explained. "He might get even sicker, if he does…"
"Oh…" Ten-Ten said, "Oh well, just leave him…"
"Gee Ten-Ten you're so nice…" Sakura commented sarcastically.
"Well, he didn't wanna join anyway…" Naruto stated.
"Exactly…"
"Fine…"
"Anyway, it's my turn tonight…" Ten-Ten announced. "Tonight's story is just pretty short, but it's awesome… I heard it just this week, and it's titled, 'Old Susanna'"
In the Story
Here's the deal with fairytales, most of them all end in happy endings. Once upon a time, a man meets the woman, they go through a circumstance, and soon comes around, and live happily ever. Nevertheless, not all fairytales needs to have a fantasy in it… nor a fairy… nor a princess or a prince... nor… a happy ending…
Once upon a time, in a far away province, was an old man, strolling on the sidewalk, by a provincial park. It was a Sunday afternoon, not much people were in the streets, and not much cars were in the road; some people were probably staying lazily at their homes, hoping for Monday not to come, some were probably at their churches or any religious activities, teens were probably at the malls and movies, enjoying the last bit of the weekend until the next week.
But for the elders like this elderly man, the good ol' typical Sundays is a time for relaxation; yoga, exercise or stroll beside the park, like what the old man is doing.
He was doing his usual walks around the park when he stopped midway. He heard a faint voice coming from inside the park. So he decided to go in the park and see who the owner of the voice was. Going deeper inside, he soon found a lady, sitting on the bench that was placed beside the lake. He heard her singing.
He slowly approached the old lady and soon realized that she was singing the song "Old Susanna". The old man sat down beside her and… that was how they met.
They talked and chatted about their lives and everything about them, and soon enough, the old man fell madly in love with the old lady and vice versa: she fell in love with him too. It was not long until they got married. They were getting old, anyway; and they were still single. It was like a rushed love… they met, got married and the end… they lived happily ever after.
On the wedding night, the old man heard his new bride sing "Old Susanna" once more and he laughed off, since her name was Susanna too.
A year had passed quickly, and they were both living happily together. Susanna would always sing "Old Susanna" to her husband as he fell asleep, making it his lullaby. Although for the past year, and with every night his wife would sing him the "Old Susanna", he started to get sick of it; and was soon able to sleep without his wife's singing. By this, the old lady got offended but didn't seem to mind, anyway.
One evening, the old lady had to go on a meeting so she was out late.
Back with old man, he had stayed at home to rest. The night when his wife was out on a meeting, it didn't take him long before he went to sleep, as though he didn't need the song "Old Susanna".
It was late in the dark of the night, when she was going home. Susanna hadn't brought her car so she decided to walk home instead. On her way home, sadly enough, she got hit by a bus and decapitated.
A little while later, the old man's slumber was disturbed when he heard someone singing "Old Susanna, won't you cry for me…"
He shook his head and moaned, "Suz, be quiet, I'm trying to sleep…"
When that didn't work, he rolled over, only to meet his wife's headless corpse, which was still singing "Old Susanna"
End of Story
"Good story, Ten-Ten…" Ino commented.
"Cool" Sakura commented.
Ten-Ten smiled and thanked them.
"Oh well!" Naruto exclaimed and stretched, "Let's go… I'm sleepy…" he stated.
"Yeah… me too… how the heck will I go home if there's a 70 percent possibility that I'm gonna fall asleep on the way home…" Sakura stated bluntly.
"Hey, Shikamaru, are you sleepy?" Ino asked so suddenly.
"Obviously…" Shikamaru yawned.
"Sasuke?"
"Huh?" Sasuke slowly looked up at Ino.
"How about you?"
"What about me?"
"What I just said…"
"What did you just say?"
Ino narrowed her eyes upon him in irritation, "God, you're clueless…" she told him, as he only rolled his eyes.
"What she's asking is if you're sleepy…" Sakura stated, as she decided to help Ino up.
"Yes"
Ino gawked, "Why didn't you just say that in the first place? Why did Sakura have to be one who asks?"
"Cuz you're annoying…" stated the Uchiha.
Sakura held her laughter although it was too late because the others heard it. Sasuke turned towards her and said, "You are too… so shut up…" and Sakura glared.
"Ok, main point is…" Ino stated, "Since everyone is sleepy… like, you know, we could have a-"
"No sleepovers, Ino…" Ten-Ten groaned.
"Why not…"
"You know, that's actually a good idea…" Sakura commented, but nevertheless, she earned an outstanding glare from Ten-Ten, which she made her force a smile.
"That'll be ok, actually…" Hinata said, and also earned a glare from Ten-Ten.
"Ok! So we'll sleep here!" Ino exclaimed.
They all stood up and head inside. "Ok, um, there's a room over there and… yeah, you guys can sleep in the guest room." Hinata said as she led them towards a room. She opened it and allowed the guys to in. she was about to leave with the rest until Sasuke spoke up.
"There's one bed…" he stated.
"Yes…there is…" Hinata stated shyly.
"No way in hell am I sleeping beside anyone…" Shikamaru complained.
"Too bad… deal with it!" Ino said and shut the door close.
Hinata led them down the brightly lit hall and opened another door, "And you guys can stay here… my room's the one across from here…" Hinata stated as she closed the door behind them.
Just as Hinata had shut the door, Ino ran to one of the bed and jumped on it, "Do you think it's a coincidence when the guys only had one bed in their room and we have an exact three?"
"I bet you a cent, Hinata so loved us that she gave us a better room…" Sakura smiled towards Ino and she returned it with a smirked.
"Guys…" Ten-Ten interrupted, "I'll um… go to the washroom…" she excused herself and headed out the door. She opened it and closed it shut.
"Think she'll find the way back?" Sakura asked.
"Bet you a cent, she won't even find where the washroom is…" Ino replied back, and smirked.
Back with Ten-Ten, she continued to wander around the halls, searching for a certain room. It didn't take her long to find the certain room she was looking for, as it was on the same floor and the same hall. She noticed the sign hanging on the door say "Neji's room; open this door and die"; she chose to ignore the sign and proceeded to open the door. The door swung open lightly and Ten-Ten saw Neji's figure through the darkness of his room. He sat by a wide closed window, blocking any wind to go in the room, making it warm as ever, and the only source of light was the moon's, shining down through the window.
"I'm betting you missed the sign…" Neji spoke up, breaking the silence.
"No, actually, I just simply ignored it…" Ten-Ten stated, mischievously, "You can't kill me anyway…"
The Hyuuga tore his gaze away from the window and stared blankly at Ten-Ten, like he was looking through her.
"Don't you forget that I still know how to hurt someone without actually killing them…" Neji threatened.
"Ok, fine… you're being Mr. Grumpy again, you know…" Ten-Ten said bluntly.
"What do you want?" Neji asked straight.
Ten-Ten sighed as she slowly closed the door behind her. Turning back to Neji, she slowly walked towards him and sat beside the Hyuuga, "I…" she started. "I… felt bad… for leaving you out earlier…" she said slowly and smiled at him.
"Jeez, now you tell me…" Neji said.
Ten-Ten laughed for a bit at his sarcasms, "Sorry… ok?"
"Fine, whatever…" Neji said. He looked over pass her shoulder, and upon his clock, "It's way pass two… what are you still doing here?" he asked.
"Ino wanted to sleep here… they're all still here… down by the hall…" she explained.
"Oh…" was all Neji could really say at that time.
There was silence that followed their previous conversation, awkward silence. Neji returned his gaze back out the window and Ten-Ten just looked around hisroom, seeing as there was nothing else better to do.
That silence didn't last very long when Neji coughed, "You okay?" Ten-Ten asked, staring at the seemingly choking boy before her, but did no action to comfort him or whatsoever.
Neji coughs faded and stood up. He headed towards his bed; he sat down by its edge and leaned back, letting his legs still hanging at the edge. He moaned, "God, I'm a wreck…"
Ten-Ten stared at the boy before her and soon approached Neji. She sat by him and did nothing but stare.
"Staring is rude…" Neji stated.
Ten-Ten scuffed. She held up her hand and gently applied it upon Neji's forehead, feeling its warmth.
"You're hot…" she told, in a gentle voice; not making any move on taking her hand away from his forehead.
Neji, despite the situation he's in, still managed to smirk ever so mischievously, "I always knew you thought that about me…"
Ten-Ten rolled her eyes, "You idiot…" and with the hand that was upon Neji's forehead, she softly whacked him at the side of his head, causing Neji to groan, "I don't mean it that way… don't be a jerk…"
Neji, who was now done scratching the side of his head from Ten-Ten's smack, jolted upright to level Ten-Ten's face. "I thought you said I already was?" he stated, and to her surprise, Neji looked slightly offended.
Ten-Ten cocked at eyebrow at him, "When did I say that?"
"Grade one."
Ten-Ten laughed off, "You still remember that?"
"Yes… and you never said sorry for calling me that too…"
Ten-Ten stopped laughing, "You gripped my head and bumped it onto the wall!" she said jokingly.
"It's cuz you were sticking up your nose into other's people's business!"
"I was not!" Ten-Ten defended.
"I was telling a secret to Naruto that time and then you popped out of nowhere saying 'whaddya guys talking about? Huh? Huh? Lemme hear!' god, you were annoying me to death!"
Ten-Ten laughed again and Neji leaned back once more, " 'K fine… I apologize… ok? I didn't mean it…" Ten-Ten said.
"Whatever…"
"Naruto said that you liked me…" Ten-Ten told out of nowhere.
Neji stared at her in shock, "No I don't…"
"I dunno… that's what Naruto said…" Ten-Ten grinned.
"I do not!"
"Sure… you… at least did?" Ten-Ten was starting to like annoying the Hyuuga as she continued to play along.
"Hell, no!"
"Fine… whatever…"
"You don't believe me don't you…?" Neji eyed her.
"Nope…" and the next thing Ten-Ten felt was an impact between her face and something soft, a pillow.
She gawked at what the smirking Neji just did, "Ugh! Don't you dare…" she said and took a pillow and smacked him with it too.
"Just to let you know, I don't like tomboys or girls who act like guys ok?" he whacked her with the pillow, "So I don't like you…"
Ten-Ten glared at him and whacked him back with a pillow, "FYI, I'm a girl… who just happens to be good in sports… athletic… not a preppy girl who cares nothing but her nails…" she said and threw a pillow towards Neji which he caught at ease. "And besides, I still love shopping and I still like guys, so… that proves I'm no lesbian… or tomboy… or whatever…"
"Wait," Neji said, "You like guys?" he asked as he caught another pillow thrown by Ten-Ten. "Who?"
"Like I'd tell you!" She teased.
They're pillow fight lasted for another few more minutes until Neji collapsed onto the bed, as a sign of giving up, "God, I'm exhausted."
"I better go… I told the girls I was only gonna go to the washroom…" Ten-Ten stated and stood to but before she could walk away, Neji, who was lying down on bed, held her wrists,
"Hey," he called out, "who do you like?"
"Why do you wanna know?
"No reason…"
Ten-Ten turned to him and gave him a goofy smile, "Did you know that if a person asks you who your crush is for no particular reason… it's most likely cuz they like you?"
Neji scowled at her answer, and before letting her go, he grabbed a pillow using his other hand and threw it to her which hit her right on the head. "Whatever… get out…" and he playfully pushed her to the door.
Ten-Ten laughed for a bit, and headed towards the door, but before closing it, she called out, "Good night…"
" 'night…"
!The End!
I'm SO SORRY for not updating last week! We had exams… and then we had it to this week… and next week is gonna be really hectic cuz it's the end of the school year. The week after that will be hectic to cuz it's the last week of school, and usually, we have our year end field trip and this year, we'll go to SPLASHDOWN, VANCOUVER! Whahaha! And year book signing too…
Anyway, so I'm not sure if I can update. Good news, I won't have homework anymore… so I MIGHT be able to update.
Review replies:
CryingBloodyTears- I appreciate you suggesting… although I don't quite get the suggestion. What do you mean by 'do a website of this story'? hehe… please kinda explain it more to me… I'm confused…
Wolfs- fluff… fluff… ok, that chapter had fluff…right? I tried my best… hehe, and if you have any idea for 'fluff' please tell me! I'm not a very fluffy-ish person… I'm having writer's block…
I feel so old!
Our grad's next week! Wednesday! Ahh!
AAAAHHH! gosh, i feel so old now... i'm graduating...
Anyway, R&R! thnks a million!