A/N: all righty! Next chapter already! WHOOT! I said it woudl be longer and VOILA! here it is! ENJOY!

Disclaimer: i don't own Naruto...WAHHH!!!!

Chapter 3

Driver-Zone and the Bleachers

"So stupid." I muttered to myself. ME being asked out by a JOCK was against everything grade 9 had taught me. I continued muttering as I trudged down the pathetic path, back home. Gradually, I heard the sound of wheels on pavement. Choosing, to ignore it until a: "What's up Hag?" made me turn. Standing, on his skateboard was my newly old friend Sai. He was a full head taller then me, with messy black hair and onyx eyes, drained of emotion. He wore his usual outfit (use your imagination) and had almost no emotion to his voice, although he could get angry.

"What's up?" he repeated.

"I'm dead. Bug off before you find yourself also like me."

You see, we have this rivalry thing and he's kinda winning.

"Smooth like dead ice. As usual."

"What does that even mean?"

"Guess."

"You're a fag."

He got pissed. Point for Haruno.

"You're a pain in the ass."

"And you're a pain up a donkey's ass."

"Go jump in a ditch…

"…and suck on a lemon." I finished for him.

I guess I should explain. Sai is my uncle's wife's brother's wife's kid. A cousin 3 or 4 times removed. When we were little, we hung out until we were told that there was an engagement for us. Then we started the whole rivalry thing until we got our parents off our backs.

"So…I heard Neji asked you out. You that desperate? You, Sakura, with a jock." He shook his head at the notion.

"What the…? How'd you hear that?"

He snickered. "I didn't. But you just confirmed my suspicions. I bet Tenten would be thrilled to hear that. Hey, you think she'll cry on me?" he stared at me and laughed. I turned to him and noticed why he was laughing. Clutching his sides, he pointed at my feet. I clenched my teeth and stepped out of the dog poo.

"You know, when you get in 'driver-zone' you could have the world end and you'd come up to a stranger and ask the time."

I scowled, but it was true. 'Driver-zone' was what we called my tuning out. The nickname was a long story, involving three car accidents, compliments to me of course, driving into a tennis court and asking a telephone pole the time. No, I was not drunk. It was an honest mistake.

"Yea, well you'd ask a pig to marry you and it'd turn you down." I reproached. Sai was hot, had a brain, but the only girl he could carry a conversation was with me and that freak-show Tayuya.

I suddenly remembered what he'd said earlier.

"What do you mean, would Tenten be thrilled?"

He looked at me like I was the class idiot.

"You know, if you even somewhat used your eyes, you'd see how she like him. She almost drools when she sees him. EVERYONE knows. I heard that he asked you out to get you two to hate each other."

"Jocks aren't generous, I'll admit that, but they're not diabolical either."

He shook his head. "No, but cheerleaders are."

"I'll murder that Temari."

As I continued walking & muttering, Sai gave me some space. Man, he thought, she's a freak-show. Doesn't have limits, pride or humiliation.

"Ms. Haruno, if I may see you for just a minute."

I heard snickers. Great, a detention after a detention.

"Yes, Mr. Genma?" I approached his desk. Oh well, the sword is a faster way to die, then by the whip. Right Mom?

He gave me a smile. So fake, I thought.

"Since I'm sure you enjoyed my lesson so much, I'm positive you'd like to demonstrate the observation of water into wood."

I gave him a baffled look. "Huh?"

He scowled. "The bleachers, Ms. Haruno. Pour water on the bleachers and tell me what you see." I shrugged. How hard is that?

As we walked towards the bleachers, I wondered what else was up. Probably a six-to-eight page essay on the amazing experience of water on wood. As we continued slowly moving, I heard a little tune. The tune turned out to be Mr. Genma's cell phone. As he picked it up, he glared at me. Oh yeah, it was my fault it rang.

"Hello?" he began to walk away, but stopped. Then, "Tenten, however did you get my

cell phone number?" I stared. And then I almost laughed at his expression of pure freight. After a series of 'uh-huh's he slammed his phone closed and turned to me.

"You're off the hook for now, but if I ever catch you sleeping in my class again, it'll be worse. Much worse. Do you understand me?"

I was enraged. I felt like contradicting him, like it's not your class, it can't get worse then a few detentions and was he THREATENING me? But, clenching my teeth, I answered a "Yes sir." But it sure as life didn't sound meek.

As he marched off, I heard a tapping from above. I looked up and saw Tenten in a window, cell phone still in hand and holding up a sign that said: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. I grinned and a minute later, she stood outside with me.

"Thanks for that."

"No problem. Friends even at gunpoint, right?"

"Yup. I owe you one. Say, what did you say to him?" Ah curiosity. A beautiful thing.

"Oh, just that I saw a rascal get in his car and drive off."

"Really? And the rascal being…?"

She grinned. "Hinata. That girl's amazing for an 8th grader. Picked the lock with a Bobby pin!"

We both laughed. After a while, she turned serious.

"I think…you should check out the bleachers."

"Aw come on. Not a detention from you too!"

She shook her head. "Just go there."

"Yeah, yeah."

I walked towards them. What was so special about the bleachers? Just wood. Ah here we are.

I turned the corner and almost gagged. There, IN CLEAR VIEW, Ino and Neji were making out. As if sensing me, she turned her head and saw me. Instantly, they were about a foot's length apart. If I wasn't so grossed out, I would have laughed at them.

"Sakura, it's so not like this." Ino was getting up. Damn this driver-zone. I quickly walked away, calling an apology over my shoulder.

"Come on Sakura, hear me out."

I continued walking, even a little faster.

"I saw enough. I don't' even wanna hear it."

"Come on. What happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'?"

That stopped me. It was true. I always was saying that. Just a bad habit. I sighed and turned to face her.

"All right, but you'd better have one damn of a good excuse."

She smiled. "It's like this…"

A/N: BWUAHAHAH!! CLIFFHANGER!!! always wanted to do one of those..tehe, sooooo bad..and yes, it will eventually get back to the NejiXTenten pairing...but how!??! only time will tell...nah, it's in chapter 6..i think...

R&R please!