A/N: here is the next chap
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Winning Isn't Everything
Chapter 5
By AngelzGrace
"Oh no…" Tenten said as she heard the bell ring.
The day before when she had gotten home, she had huffily filled Temari and Hinata in about how it had gone. Temari just laughed she herself was rather happy with her partner, though she would not admit it. Hinata had been sympathetic which you would expect from the sweet Hyuuga. She had then left to go to her evening job with Hinata, Hinata and Tenten worked at a small classy diner called 'Hannah's Diner. The pay was ok and they worked for three hours. Temari worked for two and a half hours in a salon called 'STUNNING' anyway Tenten had gotten back from work and had sat down to watch a movie whilst Hinata went of to bed after doing her essay for biology. Temari too had gone of to her room as soon as she had eaten some food and loaded the dishwasher. After Tenten watched the movie she remembered she too had an assignment due, after she was done with that, she had gone straight to bed forgetting to set her alarm clock. Once again she had gotten late she had told Temari to leave without her and had gotten dressed quickly in camouflage cream pants, which did look slightly messy since they weren't exactly ironed, she had put on sneakers and a pale pink and yellow top that showed of her stomach. She had on the same silver necklace with a heart pendant that she had worn yesterday. She had been in such a rush she did not have time to do her hair so running to the bus stop she had hastily tied them up into the normal buns.
So now, she was running through the halls trying to get to her first drama lesson and the bell had already gone. "Damn!" she cursed as she looked around for the drama hall. Finally, finding it down a narrow corridor, she opened the door rather hurriedly and entered, everyone stood there and they all were looking at her.
"Your late!" a voice shouted out of nowhere, Tenten jumped slightly startled.
"Sorry" she said as she spotted there teacher "Anko sensei" she added to sound politer, this teacher looked rather foreboding.
"Sorry is nothing, I don't tolerate tardiness, if you want to get anywhere in my class I demand you get here on time!" Anko snapped hands on hips she glared at Tenten.
"I will make sure to always be on time, I promise" Tenten said, she could see the girl Kin laugh at her, Tenten just ignored it after all she was already in trouble.
"Very well this time I'll let you off, now everyone get with your partners" Anko said loudly, Kin just shrugged her shoulder
"Shame you didn't get detention 'panda'" she said giggling nastily. Tenten frowned but just walked past her sidestepping as Kin stuck her foot out to trip her.
"Hi Neji" Tenten said pouting slightly, Neji raised an eyebrow,
"Hi" he replied quietly as Anko started telling them what she was expecting for their plays.
"This is silly," Tenten muttered only Neji heard her.
"Ok brats! Get working on your scripts!" Anko said loudly with a snap of her fingers, and then she walked over to a desk in the corner, sat down, and started eating dumplings.
"Why exactly does she shout? We're not deaf!" Tenten complained to herself as she watched her partner. Neji went and sat at a desk taking out paper and pen, and started planning their script. Tenten followed and sat down opposite him taking out her own paper and pen, she too began jotting down her ideas. After a long silence Neji looked up, "Arisawa" he said
"What?" Tenten said looking at him her lips forming a pout for being interrupted. Neji glanced at something across the room then back down at the paper.
"Nothing" he said after a moment
"Huh? why did you call me then?" Tenten asked "baka" she added, Neji looked surprised no one ever had called him a 'baka' before. They went back to their work after about three minutes…
"Arisawa…" Neji said again.
"What?!" Tenten snapped exasperated.
"Kin, that girl" he said looking across the room again, this time Tenten followed his gaze.
"What about her?" she said pouting, she very much disliked her.
"She seems to dislike you…," he said hesitantly
"Yeah and?" Tenten asked now rather lost "what are you getting at Hyuuga?"
"I think its- well stay out of her way its best," he said hesitantly.
"Right…" Tenten answered, she was sure that was not exactly what he was going to say first. But he didn't add anything so both returned to their work.
Once the bell rang for lunch three lessons later, Hinata grabbed a sandwich and went off to meet Sasuke in the entrance hall. Tenten sighed Temari had decided to eat with Shikamaru so they could 'discuss our script together' as Temari had said. Normally the three boys ate together but Sasuke had decided to get some work done with Hinata. So Tenten was alone, after eating she bought a can of lilt and decided to go for a walk on the school grounds.
She had walked for a few minutes sipping her can and was now on the grassy area that held a few Sakura trees, the wind was blowing breezily. The grass was still wet from the rain that had kept up for more then an hour. Up ahead she saw none other then Kin there with her two flunkies. Tenten was about to turn and leave the area for the sake of peace but Kin had spotted her, she came towards Tenten rather quickly.
"Well if it isn't panda" she said sneering, Tenten frowned
"What do you want?" she said
"Aw not getting mad are you?" Kin taunted
"I'm leaving if you have nothing better to say to me" Tenten said turning to leave, Kin pushed her slightly, Tenten's can fell form her hand splashing on her pants before it hit the ground.
"Hey!" Tenten yelled angrily "what is your problem!" Kin smiled
"Oh look panda you wet your pants," she said loudly causing a few passer bys to stare; Tenten closed her eyes to calm herself.
"You're such a teme!" Tenten snapped, she whirled around ready to storm off when Kin shoved her hard, Tenten fell down hard. Kin's two flunkies laughed nastily.
"aw panda you should watch where your walking" Kin said, Tenten got to her knees, her hands and knees were muddy and green grass stains were on her top.
"You are so dead Kin!" she said turning to Kin but the two boys moved in front of her, blocking her way. "Move it!"
"your not touching Kin" the one with his face mostly covered up said, Tenten pushed him slightly and turned to walk away once again, personally she wanted to trash all three even if she couldn't it was worth a try, but her parents had said if they even heard one trouble she was going to have to go back home. Tenten was brought back to the present when someone grabbed her hair from behind and pushed her face down in the dirt, two people were holding her arms and Tenten could here Kin laughing.
"Get off of me!" Tenten shouted struggling; Kin grabbed her by her hair, pulling her head up making her look at her.
"Stay away from 'My Neji kun'" she hissed venomously. Tenten's eyes widened.
"Wait…" Tenten began before she could say much more her face was pushed into the ground again, 'damn, she thought, is no one seeing this?' it seemed everyone had gone though since she could not hear any sound of talking or laughter.
"Did you hear me bitch!" Kin snapped pulling her hair violently, bringing tears to Tenten's eyes, Tenten felt her hair come undone from their hold as Kin pulled harder.
"I-I-," Tenten began only to get her hair wrenched once again, anger filled Tenten giving her strength, pulling her arms from the two boys grips she grabbed Kin by the hair, "h-hurt me again and I will hurt you" she said as Kin pulled her once again, "now let go of me" reluctantly Kin obeyed.
"Stay away from Neji kun" Kin said in a harsh whisper.
"How can I, I'm his partner" Tenten said one hand on her head.
"Why you little-!" Kin started, shoving Tenten hard; Tenten lost her balance on a slight bump and fell back hitting her head on the ground. "Boys, you know what to do, finish this of, I'm going to class" Kin said angrily, the boys nodded and grabbed Tenten by an arm each.
"What are you doing!?" Tenten yelled struggling in their hold. "I need to get to class!"
"Not in that state your not" the boy who hadn't spoken before said "your skipping class!" with that they shoved her down a small slope that sectioned of the school garden and the out of bounds area, Tenten gasped as her nose bumped against the ground, she felt blood dribble down her lip. Her top caught on a jagged stone that was jutting from the slope and tore from the hem shortening it even more then it was. Tenten hit the bottom with a thud; once again, the pain brought tears to her eyes.
"Later loser!" the other one said and they both disappeared. Tenten lay there for a few moments, the only way out was through the principles private lounge and there was no one there to open the door for her. Tenten closed her eyes trying to calm her breathing.
After a few minutes, she knew everyone was in their own classes, she stood up slowly her body felt bruised, slowly she tried to climb the steep slope it was only about 7 feet tall however since the grass was wet she couldn't get much farther on. Grabbing the jagged stone that stuck out she tried to pull her weight up, just when she was a little up her hand slipped and she fell back with a thud.
"-risawa? Arisawa?" Tenten heard someone call her. Getting to her feet and wiping the blood from her face, she could feel her nose bloody up again.
"Ober here!" she said thickly she saw a shadow fall over her.
"Oh god, Arisawa…" Tenten squinted to see whom it was and was shocked to see-
"Neji…" she said surprised, she could see he looked shocked, he didn't even seem to be able to hide his shock "I guess I loog teddible, I need to ged do class, is dere a way I can ged oud ob here?"
"Look terrible? Get to class? Arisawa look at you, your hurt bad," he said slowly, "give me your hand," he added getting down he lay on his stomach and held his hands down to her,
"Will you be able to handle my weighd?" Tenten asked unsure.
"Arisawa, don't argue…take my hand," Neji said curtly, Tenten nodded and coming as close to the slope as she could and taking his hands, she held tightly, he slowly pulled her up, wrapping one hand around her elbow when he could reach and pulled her up when she was finally up. He sat up out of breath taking in every cut and mark on Tenten, her hair was blowing softly in the wind, 'it looks better open' he thought, surprising even him 'where did that come from?' he thought.
"Danks" Tenten said softly as she pinched her nose and held it to stop the blood, Neji didn't reply as he pulled out a handkerchief that had the initials HN embroidered in dark grey silk on it. He held it out to her.
"Here"
"id'll ged dirdy" Tenten replied
"Take it Arisawa, it's just a piece of cloth" Neji replied not looking at her.
"um ogay" she said accepting it. After she had cleaned her face and the blood had stopped flowing Neji spoke.
"Arisawa, what happened?"
"Oh you know, I fell down that slope," Tenten said gesturing with her hands.
"You're lying,"
"What makes you say that? I'm telling the truth"
"I see, your whole front is dirty, what? Did you go lie down and slide down the slope on your stomach?" he said sarcastically. "Tell me the truth," he added coldly
"It's nothing Neji, I need to get out of here," Tenten said slowly
"Why? Lets go to the nurse, she'll clean you up, after all you only 'fell' its not like you got 'beaten' up" Neji said watching her intently.
"Please…stop" Tenten said "I-I can't go to the nurse, and you can't tell anyone I got hurt," she said slowly clenching her hands tightly.
"Hn, why not, I'll do whatever I wish to" he said standing up from where he had been kneeling.
"You can't please! Neji if it gets to my parents that there was any trouble I've been in, I'll have to go back" she pleaded as she stood up.
"I'm reporting this, no matter what you say Arisawa" Neji said calmly he glanced at her for a second,
"Hey!" she said as she took hold of his wrist as he took a step. "You owe me!"
Neji raised an eyebrow "hn" he said coldly
"You do Hyuuga; it was cos of you I got pummeled wasn't it, so you do owe me this much!" Tenten said pouting as she held tightly to his wrist. Neji's eyes widened in shock and horror, slowly he turned back to her.
"W-what…" he said quietly, putting his hands on her shoulders and shaking her gently "what did you just say?"
"You owe me?" Tenten said not sure why he wanted her to repeat it.
"Oh god…" he said in a barely audible whisper letting go of her,
"Wait…but I thought you knew…you helped me…" Tenten started confused, she had thought that Neji had known it was because of him. She felt guilty now, "I was lying," she said hoping he will believe her. It did not work.
"I'm sorry…I truly am Tenten" he said, he had his head lowered so she could not see his eyes. "I'll help you…you don't want anyone to see you right? I'll sneak you out of the school, I'll get you home and I'll let everyone know you're not feeling well," he said this all not looking at her. Tenten was shocked, he had called her by her name and he was being so nice, and she had thought he had helped her because it was of him, something inside of her stirred...
"Thank you Neji…" she said as he led the way to the parking lot making sure no one saw them.
When Neji had drove out of the school gates, Tenten breathed easier, glancing over at Neji she pouted slightly, he had not said another word and he seemed as emotionless as usual. Suddenly they stopped Tenten looked to see she had reached home.
"Thanks Neji," she said smiling at him and getting out of the car, Neji just gave a curt nod and once she had unlocked the front door and had gone in, Neji revved his engine and sped away from the house. He couldn't believe that girls could get so vicious over a boy over him. Sure Tenten was an ordinary girl who he could not really see anything fascinating in, but she did not treat him as if he was so amazing. That kin and her sidekicks were busted in Neji's book. He sighed frustrated, pulling out his cell phone; he dialed a number and waited as the phone rang.
Back in room 4, 2nd floor, a phone went off, 'Justin Timberlake's 'cry me a river' song echoed through the room…
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A/N: okies…well until next time, XD ja'ne