A/N: Hello! This is the third chapter of Breaking the Glass Ceiling!
Just to let everyone know, I got the idea after watching She's the Man, and there will be a couple similarities (I'm thinking of making a bigger scale catfight, that would be fun) but no love hexagons, though there might be some triangles.
My sister once remarked that a good Naruto parody of She's the Man would go like this: Neji wants Sakura who likes Sasuke who is really Tenten whose brother is dating Karin so she hates Sakura who's with Neji to make Sasuke jealous who is really Tenten who's crushing on Neji who thinks she's a guy…
Er, anyway, sorry for my babbling and on with the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
The morning of the first day of their new school finally arrived for Tenten, Ino, and Sakura. They had spent the night at Tenten's house, discussing last minute plans and making sure that Tenten made a presentable boy. The next morning, they got up early to prepare Tenten for the "trial" of walking into school and being able to act like a boy for one whole day. If she could make it through the day, she was officially in the "safe" zone.
"It's official," announced Ino, examining Tenten critically, "If you didn't look so young, you'd make a cute senior boy."
The boy's uniform consisted of a white shirt and a loose jacket and slacks, both in a standard navy blue color. Tenten had to admit, she looked good in it, despite some slight difficulty breathing thanks to the bandages swathing her torso. The weight of the braid on the back of her neck was still a strange sensation, but she preferred it to cutting off all of her hair. Thank goodness that long hair wasn't too uncommon for boys, at least according to Hinata. Tenten probably would have died if she had been forced to cut off her lovely hair.
"I do look convincing," admitted Tenten, turning in front of the mirror, "But pray tell why do I need so many bandages so tight? I understand my chest, but the rest of my torso?"
"Because anyone who might accidentally see bandages around your waist will assume you got an injury or something to your stomach, and won't question you too much." Explained Sakura, also examining Tenten. "Besides, if we just wrapped your chest, it would look out of proportion with your waist."
"Got it," Tenten checked herself over in the mirror one last time before hefting her messenger bag over her shoulder and turning to Sakura and Ino, both of whom were dressed in their own (girl) uniforms with their own bags. "Everyone ready?" She asked with the solemnity of a general heading into battle.
"About as ready as I'll ever be." Said Sakura cheerfully.
"I would be too if the uniform wasn't so GREEN." Moaned Ino, yanking the hem of her skirt self-consciously.
"It's just the skirt and collar, Ino-pig."
"Don't talk back to me forehead girl, you actually look GOOD in this God-awful shade."
"Thus why I am needling you, my dear boar."
"Shut up."
"After you."
"Billboard brow!"
"Toyo-kun, please control your girlfriend."
"Hey! That retort doesn't even make sense!"
"Let's go." Said Tenten, completely ignoring the conversation and heading for the door, "Hinata said she'll meet us under the plum trees, and we need her to show us the office."
"You mean you need her to show you around, Sakura and I already know which buildings are which." Ino was always quick to point out that she knew things Tenten would need help with.
"Hey, you guys moved in yesterday, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm still a girl. That means that sharing a boys' dorm is an incredibly stupid idea. Which is precisely why I signed up as a day student." Tenten unlocked the door and held it open for her two friends.
"Meh, whatever." Ino sashayed out the door, not seeing the exasperated look the two remaining girls shared before following.
The ride to Konoha Academy was quiet, all of the excitement gone and the dread of being at new school taking its place. Sakura was reading without taking in the page of her book, while Ino fiddled unconsciously with her fringe, watching the scenery pass by without really seeing it.
Tenten couldn't let her thoughts wander much, seeing that she was the one driving, but a tiny voice at the back of her head bemoaned her predicament, wondering how hard she must have been hit on the head and why she always spoke before she thought. At the same time, the voice also gushed over all the boys she would certainly come in contact with, ignoring the fact that any boys she would meet would think she was homosexual and run away if she tried flirting. Good thing she had never been interested in such things.
I could really sympathize with Sakura, if Inner Sakura is this annoying… Tenten didn't quite get the concept of Inner Sakura, but if she was anything like the little voice, she could empathize.
"There it is." Said Sakura suddenly, right as the school came into view.
Konoha Academy was a 'wealthy person' school, originally founded for the aristocracy's sons, and (after the school was almost burnt down in a misguided feminism protest) their daughters. So it was very well kept and HUGE, laid out like a very small town. Easily the most eye catching building was a huge tower rising from the courtyard, with several buildings laid out like a compound.
Tenten had to admit, it was very nice.
"Wow, isn't this place amazing?" Sakura was practically falling out of the passenger window; she was leaning so far out, "I can see the track field, the courtyard; the plum trees are over there—hey! There's Hinata!" Sakura waved at their friend so energetically that she actually did fall out of the car. Fortunately, Ino was able to reach around the back of Sakura's chair and grab her uniform to haul her safely inside before she hit the ground.
"Forehead girl! Do you want to die?" snapped Ino, whapping Sakura on the back of her head, "I don't. If you die, then I won't have a roommate or a banter partner!" Tenten turned and raised her eyebrows at Ino.
"You call your bickering banter?" she asked incredulously, forgetting to pay any attention to other cars and pedestrians in the parking lot.
"Well it sounds better than bicker and keep your eyes on the road! Shrieked Ino as they almost hit two boys that had the uncommon sense to run right in front of the car. Tenten slammed on the brakes just in time, throwing poor Sakura and Ino forwards.
"Oops," said Tenten sheepishly, "Heh, didn't mean for that to happen." Sakura and Ino simply sweatdropped and shook their heads.
"Just park and I'll forget about it." Said Sakura, smoothing down her fly away hair and checking it in the side mirror. "By the way, Hinata looks pretty scared…" Tenten chose not to look and instead concentrated on finding a good space near the plum trees.
Without any further incidents, Tenten parked the car and she, Ino, and Sakura all jumped out. Tenten was more than a little apprehensive and nervously straightened her clothes as they walked towards the plum trees. She still found walking like a boy made her self-conscious, but not as much as before.
Hinata didn't wait for them to get to her. In fact, Tenten had never seen the girl even hurry before today, when she practically flew towards them.
"W-what on earth were you th-thinking?" panted Hinata, her hands resting on her knees as she stopped to catch her breath. "You sc-scared me."
"Sorry Hinata-chan," said Ino cheerfully, "but Toyo-kun here wanted to have a near death experience. But hey, it's not our fault he's such an ass." Tenten glared at Ino, who blatantly ignored it.
"Anyway," Ino continued, "Could you introduce us to a few people? I don't like not knowing people." As she spoke, a couple of good-looking boys their age passed by, drawing Ino's gaze.
"Yeah, riight." Sakura rolled her eyes at the dreamy expression on Ino's face. "Come on, let's go to the office." Hinata nodded and began to lead them, taking on the role of a tour guide for Tenten, albeit a quiet, slightly creepy one.
"Over there," Hinata gestured at what appeared to be an enormous food court, "Is where you eat. There are several different selections of food and you can pick and choose as you please. And over there is the gymnasium; it's divided into the girls' and the boys', though the sexes sometimes play games together." She pointed at a massive stadium-like building.
"We already know were the dorms are, so I assume that the other buildings are for classes?" guessed Tenten, waving a hand at the unidentified buildings. Hinata nodded the affirmative.
"So which one's the office?" she asked. Instead of speaking, Hinata simply pointed at the massive tower.
"You're kidding, right?" Tenten raised her eyebrows. "That's an office?" It looked more like a radio tower.
"Nope, she's not, that really is the principal's office." affirmed Sakura, "But we just have to go to the first floor to get our schedules first, then we can find our classes. The other floors are for detentions, paperwork, meeting rooms, etc."
"Okay." The four girls walked up the steps and through the open doors. Inside the office were a few chairs so people could sit while they waited; a potted tree, a massive bookshelf and a secretary's desk with a woman sitting behind it. She looked up and smiled as the four girls (well, three girls and one guy to her eyes) walked into the room.
"Hello Hinata-chan," she said, smiling. "How can I help you?" She was rather pretty, with short black hair and dark eyes.
"Hello, Shizune-san, these are my friends, Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, and Toyo-kun." She pointed to each of them in turn. "They are starting here today, and they need their schedules."
"Ah, of course." Shizune looked up a few things on her computer and quickly printed out three pages, "Here are your schedules, and do any of you need a map?"
"No thanks, we have Hinata," said Tenten, smiling politely at Shizune. "Thanks for the schedules." She accepted the papers and was about to turn around when a loud male voice boomed from behind her.
"And just who are these beauties and where have they been hiding from me?" Almost reluctantly, Tenten turned around to find a tall white-haired man with a weird grin leering down at Sakura and Ino. Ino glared at him, while Sakura looked rather freaked out.
"These are the new students, Jiraiya." Explained Shizune, "And stop grinning like that. Tsunade won't like it if she finds out you've been scaring the new girls again."
"Ah, right, sorry." Jiraiya cleared his throat, "I'm Jiraiya, your vice principal. Nice to meet such gorgeous young girls. This young man hasn't been bothering you have he?" he jerked his thumb at an irritated Tenten, though to those unused to her would have thought that she was completely neutral to the scene.
"No, Toyo-kun hasn't been bothering us at all, he's our friend." Sakura assured Jiraiya. You're the one bothering us.
"All the more reason to be careful." Sniffed Jiraiya, "You can never trust teenage boys nowadays, especially the ones who claim to be 'friends' with you."
And you definitely can't trust perverted old men thought Tenten, grateful that Jiraiya thought she a boy.
"We'll keep that in mind." Said Ino, smiling in a 'charming' manner and grabbing Sakura's and Hinata's wrists as she surreptitiously inched away from him, "See you around, Jiraiya-sensei."
"See you around, young ladies!" said Jiraiya cheerfully, ignoring Tenten completely. The instant his back was turned the girls high-tailed out of there.
"Hinata, please tell me that the locker rooms and dorms are lecher-proof." Ino begged once they were out of the tower and well out of ear shot of the vice principal.
"I'm not sure about that," Hinata began hesitantly, "but Tsunade-sensei has given permission to everyone of the female species to beat him if he is caught peeping. But he isn't interested in younger high school students; he prefers hitting on the senseis."
"Clearly, there is a God." Murmured Ino, clasping her hands in mock prayer.
"And I'm grateful that I'm a guy," remarked Tenten offhandedly, grinning widely at the irritation on Ino's and Sakura's faces.
"Don't count on it." Sakura informed Tenten tartly. "Okay, so what do you have first period?"
"Let's see…I have a Morino Ibiki for Foreign Language. You guys?"
"Math with Kakashi-sensei." Replied Hinata.
"Same as Hinata's," confirmed Sakura. They smiled at each other in relief.
"Damn, I have History with Asuma." Said Ino glumly, before looking over Sakura's shoulder and brightening, "But we have Science and P.E. together!"
"That's not too bad, what about you Hinata?"
"I have the same PE class as you two, and I have Home Ec with Toyo-kun."
"I have the same period of PE and—no way!" Tenten gaped at the name across from that class.
Oh no, oh no, no no!!! Went her logical self.
No way! He's here!!Was the little voice's reaction.
"What's wrong Tenten?" asked Sakura, noting the look of panic on her friend's face.
"Hinata, why didn't you tell me that Maito Gai taught here?!" demanded Tenten. This can't be happening, why couldn't this happen some other time?!
"He only started last year. Why is it important?"
"Maito Gai…" Sakura repeated the name carefully, "Wasn't he your Shinobi instructor from before we met?"
"Yeah, and he knew me better than anyone. He could almost always see through my tricks."
"Uh oh," murmured Sakura
"Why is it so bad that he could see through...?" there was an awkward silence as Ino figured out what the others knew. "I knew that." She declared lamely.
"Maybe he doesn't remember you?" suggested Hinata optimistically
"I think he will." Said Tenten quietly, "He was my foster father for a while, and he wanted to adopt me." A smile crept up her lips, "But he scared the orphanage officials, so they took me out of his home."
"Oh." Murmured Hinata
"How'd he scare them?" asked Ino, tilting her head to one side. "Last I checked, the manager of the orphanage was a terrifying bi—witch." She hastily amended as a teacher with red eyes and black hair passed them.
"You'll get the idea when you meet him." Was all the explanation Tenten offered. "At least we all have at least one class together." She draped an arm around Hinata, "You, Sakura, Hinata and me together in possibly the only class we can talk through. That should be interesting."
"What should be interesting?" a cold, intimidating voice asked from behind Tenten. A chill went up her spine; she could practically taste the hostility that emanated off of the unknown figure. Well, not entirely unknown, she knew his voice and his name, but not his face. Taking a deep breath, Tenten turned to face Hyuuga Neji.
A/N: Short chapter, I know, but this seemed a good place to stop. I'm sorry about the pointlessness, but I had to include it.
So, Tenten will meet Neji face-to-face, wonder how she'll take it?
Please review, I need reviews to live!! Okay maybe not, but I need to know what you think!!!