Chapter 10! Hope you enjoy it!
I want to thank Hina Half Heart for being such a good person and trying really hard to review during the recent FF crash. Thanks again!
I own nothing…
-
-
-
Sakura and Ino and a couple of anonymous friends are in the parking lot talking. Neji crosses to them, and Sakura turns. Ino sneaks a look at her as Neji walks up.
"What time do you want me to pick you up?" Neji asks
Sakura hesitates, looking back at her friends. She's embarrassed.
"You have to check with your friends to see what time you can go out?" he says
"No. I was just…" she doesn't know what to say.
"You just what? It's a simple question."
"I have to think, okay?"
"Don't strain yourself. I'll pick you up at 7:30. If that's a problem, call me." Neji turns away and leaves.
"What was that?" Ino says
"What an asshole." Another friend says
"Shut up." Sakura grits her teeth and walks off.
"Is she serious about him?"
"No." Ino clarifies.
"Sounds like it to me."
"You have a guy dogging you like that you like that for a week and see how clearly you can think, okay." Ino nearly yells.
-
-
-
Sakura's crossing a playing field, heading to the locker room. She slows as she sees Sasuke waiting at the locker room door. The pause is momentary. She gathers her strength and continues.
"Get lost, Sasuke."
He blocks her entrance to the door with his arm.
"You're still mad?" Sasuke asks "Can we talk?"
"No." she shoves his arm away and walks into the girl's locker room. Sasuke goes right in with her.
Sakura stops and turns to Sasuke.
"This is cute." She says sarcastically.
"I want to talk to you."
"It's too late." Sakura says
"I've been in agony over this." He says
"I doubt it."
"What do I have to do to convince you that I love you?" Sasuke asks
"Start by leaving me alone. I'm late."
She turns; he grabs her and turns her back.
"You're going out with low-life just to hurt me, and you know what? It's working, it hurts."
"You've got everybody pressuring me to get me to your house so you can prove what a stud you are by beating him up."
"Where'd you hear that?" Sasuke asks
"Give me some credit, will you?"
"True, I invited him. Not to beat him up. But to show I'm a good loser." Sasuke reasons
"You're not a good loser. You're just a loser, period."
She pulls her arm free. A whistle blows and Sakura and Sasuke look around. The instructor who has busted Sakura earlier is standing before them. She's angry and mean.
"What's this?" Shizune asks
Sakura is scared, Sasuke couldn't care less.
"I'm talking to Sakura. Can you give me two minutes to finish it up?" he asks
Shizune's eyes narrow. She is outraged.
"Do you mind? There's nothing in here I haven't seen before."
"What's your name?" Shizune asks
Sasuke holds up his hands to stop her "It's Sasuke Uchiha with two 'h's." he turns to Sakura "Can I drive you home?"
The instructor grabs Sasuke by the collar. He yanks away from her and goes to the door.
"I really appreciate this, lady." He says sarcasm dripping.
"Consider yourself reported!"
He ignores her and walks out the door.
"Sakura? Your reputation is hanging in the balance here. Play around with me, and you'll have a lonely year."
"So I hear." She calls back.
She walks into the locker room. Sasuke watches her go, then backs away turning and angrily kicks the doors open.
-
-
-
A destroyed Volkswagen thing pulls up into the station and stops. Kiba gets out, and walks over to the repair bay.
Neji is at the workbench working on a carburetor. He looks up. Kiba's in the open bay.
"What's going on?" Kiba asks, with a toothy grin.
Neji doesn't know why Kiba has come to see him. He shrugs.
"Working."
Kiba walks over to the bench, and Neji wipes his hands on a rag.
"Good money?" Kiba asks
"It's okay."
"Looking at it for a career?"
"No." Neji says flatly.
"But you can always fall back on it. Good move. Listen, I heard about the bullshit with Sakura Haruno and how you're getting set up." Kiba says bluntly
Neji sighs. Does the whole world know?
"There aren't a lot of things I believe in, but one of then is, nobody sets up nobody." Kiba continues "Sasuke Uchiha is pretty rough, but he can be taken. He only works in a pack. We get him alone and Bingo!"
"I don't want to beat anybody up." Neji says
"You pop a knuckle and the gig's historical, right? Perfectly understandable."
"I don't want a fight. That won't solve anything."
"Look, on of the main reasons I'm such an asshole is, guys like Sasuke Uchiha. I can't deal with getting looked down by them. I'd rather have someone inject me with hot lead them be laughed at. I can't handle it. My father says I'm ruining my life to prove something. He's very perceptive for someone his age."
Neji smiles at the extreme remarks.
"I figure, spending two weeks next to you in the morning jail qualifies us as friends, and I told you I'd help you. I want to help you. If you don't want to nail Uchiha, tell me what I can do for you." Kiba smiles
Neji is at a loss as to what Kiba could possible do for him.
"If you're thinking about pounding Sakura Haruno, I don't go in for that." Kiba jokes.
"The offer is help enough, okay? I appreciate it." Neji thanks him.
"If you can't think of someway that I can help you, I'll feel outrageously worthless and crippled. Promise me, you'll think about it."
Neji offers his hand. Kiba looks at it. It's dirty. He hesitates, but shakes it.
"I'll think about it." Neji says
"Cool. In the meantime, can I cop a gallon of gas? I'll pay you back Monday." Kiba says with another toothy grin.
-
-
-
Neji and Tenten are walking down the railroad tracks.
"Do you think anyone can tell that you are carrying $4,200?" Tenten says
"Where would I get $4,200?" Neji asks
"True. You want me to tell you one more time that I think you're crazy?"
"No," Neji says
"You've been hording cash for years, right?" She asks
"Yeah."
She pauses "How bad is you uncle gonna ream you?"
With a smile Neji replies "You won't be able to measure it with existing technology."
"He's a miser, huh?"
"No, it's just real important to him that I get to college."
"He didn't go, huh?" Tenten asks
Neji shakes his head, no.
"I rag on you a lot about your family, but it's only because I'm jealous. It's gotta feel pretty good to have somebody watching out for you like he does." Tenten mumbles.
"Sometimes."
"He's still gonna kill you, though, right?" she laughs.
"Probably," he smiles
After a long pause, Tenten speaks again. "Is it her body or her face?"
"Sakura? I don't know. It's everything."
Tenten considers the remark.
"A fortune teller once told me I'd have big boobs when I grew up."
Neji sneaks a look at her chest.
"What happened?" he says
Tenten shrugs "I don't know. I guess I'm just lucky."
"I want to know why you're helping me with all this?" Neji asks
"Should I not help you? You're my friend. Friends help other friends."
"What do I do for you?" Neji asks
"No way on earth to put into words."
She walks ahead of Neji and heads down the embankment. Neji considers what she says, but comes to no conclusion.
In the distance a train whistle blows…
-
-
-
Okay, so that's it for now. I hope you like it. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!