Authors Note: If there are any grammatical errors, I'm sorry, I was being a lazy bum and didn't read over it.
Recap: He then sighed knowing this would be a long path he would have to take alone, being an outsider, just like all those years ago.
Neji sat at his desk with his head down. He didn't feel well, and it was nearly time to go home. He didn't want to go back. Tenten was having cravings, and it disgusted him. He didn't tell his father about it, and had to make her shut up, but she had rules about that. He had to sleep with her at night, be there for her every need, feed her cravings. He didn't know why he was trying so hard, but yet again, he did. His father still had resentment about the Hane situation, it was unlikely for him to be that way. Neji's mother returned home, rejuvanated as ever, and yet he still didn't want to be around her. School was where he could escape his problems, and he planned to stay for afterschool studies. He subtely banged his head on the desk.
"Mr. Hyuga, I understand you enjoyed the break so much, you wish it back, but you have to pay attention here." The teacher joked. The teachers always "joked" with the noble sons. They knew they could have them removed. The noble sons never had thoughts like that, though. The last thing they thought about was having teachers removed. They mostly thought about themselves. Sasuke, the most. Gaara second. Lastly, Neji. Neji sat up slowly, the class turning away as he looked around. He stretched his arms up.
"Neji..." Sasuke whispered next to him. Neji rested his hand on his hand.
"Hm?" He asked.
"You've been absent. How do you feel about Gaara leaving?" Sasuke asked. Neji opened his eyes and looked at Sasuke.
"It's a little sad losing him." Neji chose his words carefully. "So sudden, also."
"It's back to just us," Sasuke shrugged. "it's always been you and I." He turned back around. Neji watched the dark haired boy for a while, pondering on his words. It has been them for as long as he can remember. Losing Gaara would be...a slight dent on things, but not as much as it could be.
Neji watched the board, then the bell rung. He remained in his seat and looked out of the window.
"Neji, are you coming?" Sasuke asked, gathering his things. Neji shook his head.
"I'm going to stay afterschool for studies..." He drifted, thinking to himself. Sasuke put his bag over his shoulder.
"Do you want me to stay with you? Maybe you can tell me what's been going on and stop being so secretive." Sasuke frowned, very serious. It was obvious that he didn't like it.
"I wouldn't want to depress you." Neji smiled at his friend.
"It wouldn't feel right if I tell you all my problems, which I do, and you keep all yours bottled up. Like all of the time." Sasuke sat on his assigned desk and looked at Neji.
"Where should I start?" Neji sighed and shrugged, closing his eyes. "It's not really something I'd like to share." He realized.
"I'm not going to force you...but..." He stopped and looked out of the window too. "I don't want you doing something drastic."
"Like...?" Neji asked.
"You're human, I know you feel...you could do something crazy, like committing suicide." Sasuke breathed out. Neji chuckled at his response. "It's not funny. I remember the day you-" Sasuke stopped and looked at his friend who had stiffened. "Well..." He sighed. "Do you want me to stay with you? I wont mind." He said apologetically.
"You may leave. I just need to be alone. Clear my mind." He stood up, grabbing his bag and stuffing his things inside. "Don't worry about me. You have your own stuff to worry about." Neji smiled, walking past his friend and out of the classroom. He walked down the hall and out of the school to make it to the library in the other building.
True, there were other places he could've gone to avoid going home, but he didn't feel like thinking. The first good place that popped in his head was what he'd stick to. The library wasn't empty, but it was only 3 more students there. Two girls, one boy. A girl and a boy sat together and giggled, hugged up. Then the other girl sat alone, intently reading a book. Neji recognized the girl. Ino, one of the junior nurses for Sasuke. Neji was very familiar with her. He resisted the urge to sit in front of her and pesture, and sat at his own table and put his things down. He looked out of the big window for a few seconds, then laid his head down.
A soft sound was made at the ground near him, and he looked up to see Ino sitting in front of him. She had her hands under her chin and smiled at him. Neji stared at her.
"Hyuga. The library...I've never seen you here. You come intimidate all the books?" She joked. Neji gave a small smirk.
"You're exactly right." He said, completely sitting up and looking at the blonde.
"You look tired. Haven't been getting rest?" She asked seriously, her nurse instincts kicking in. Neji sighed and rested his head in his palm.
"I'm a raging insomniac," He said. "help me." He held back a smirk.
"You're joking, but I could probably help you." She said. "I've never actually dealt with an insomniac before, but I know what to do in case of it."
"What if I'm not an insomniac? What if I just avoid sleeping because I have nightmares?" He asked.
"Then maybe you need someone to talk to. I wont say a therapist, because that's all they are; someone to talk to. Do you need someone to talk to?"
"Yes. I need someone to ask whats wrong so I can continue to tell them not to worry about it. Those are always the best conversations." He chuckled.
"Seriously, Neji. If you need something to get off of your chest, I can be the one to tell it to." Ino gave a serious look. Neji sighed and put his head back down, he'd been hearing that too much.
"I'm fine." He mumbled. Ino stayed silent and looked at him.
"Neji, from the conversation we've had, I've diagnosed you with depression." She said sadly. "Talk to me please." She pleaded. Neji didn't do anything...he took the diagnosis and remained quiet. There were so many possibilities as to how he could be.
"So, how's working for Sasuke?" He looked up at her, his chin resting on the desk.
"...Neji, what are you doing?" She sighed.
"You told me to talk to you." He said.
"You know what I meant, what's wrong-" She was interrupted by Neji's cell phone. Neji looked at it, and a look of discomfort and disgust came over his face all at the same time. He stared at the phone for a long time until the vibrating stopped. In an instant the phone lit back up, and his eyes got wider. Ino watched irritably, and finally snatched his phone from his hand, answering it.
"Hello?" She said.
"...Who is this?" A soft voice asked.
"Ino Yamanaka, who is this?" She asked.
"Why do you have Nejis phone? I need to speak to him." The soft voice got irritated.
"Neji seemed bothered by this call, are you pestering him?" Ino got serious. The girl hung up. Ino closed the phone and handed it back to Neji. He stared at the phone for a minute, then it blazed again. His fathers name popped up. He sighed and answered it.
"Father?"
"Neji, who is Ino?" The soft voice asked. Neji slammed the cell phone and look at Ino.
"Neji, who is that? Is she bothering you?" Ino asked. Neji shook his head and looked back out of the window. He knew the consequences of bad treatment of Tenten.
"I should...go home now." He forced out, standing up.
"I'll walk you." She got up also. Neji didn't oppose, he walked out of the school with the blonde and on course to his ride. "You know, Neji...I'm going to get you to talk to me about important stuff one of these days." She said. Neji nodded.
"Want to know something?" He said after a long while. Ino looked up at him and nodded. "The girl who called...I got her...pregnant." He sounded sick to his stomach. Ino's eyes got bigger.
"Who is she?" She asked.
"My gardener. She was originally my slave...but I didn't really need her as one, so I gave her a job. I didn't know she'd end up as a pshycotic...bitch." He said with venom dripping from his voice. "I'm not mad at her, though. It's my own damn fault." His footsteps got heavier.
Neji really didn't know why he decided to tell Ino and no one else, and he didn't feel releived at all. It only made him more angry. He walked to the end of the street where his car waited for him. He opened the door for Ino, and then he got in.
"Neji...pregnant. I don't...I can't comprehend." She shook her head.
"Well, comprehend it. It's true. It's...sickening. I don't even remember how it got to this." He said. The reality of everything was shutting in on him, and he felt a strong depression come over him. His face changed and his body slumped.
He was letting emotions get to him and for the first time he was truly sad.
Neji walked into his home and looked around. Tenten was sitting on the stair, waiting. He watched her walk to him.
"Neji, where have you been?" She sounded worried and irritated. He didn't answer, instead he just watched her. "I needed you...I was scared." She hugged onto him. Neji shook a little. The hug made him feel worse than before.
"Oh, Neji, you're back!" His father greeted him with a smile. He gave an awkward look to Tenten, but looked back at his son. "Come to my office, I have some news to tell you!" He said excitedly. Neji shook Tenten off and followed his father to the office. Tenten followed behind.
"Um...alone." Neji's father said when they made it to the door. Tenten stood outside the door. His father closed it and shook his head. "Sit down, Son!" He smiled. Neji sat down, taking his bag off. "Well, I have some great news. Today, I signed the greatest business deal! It'll bring ample money into the household, we'll be thrice as rich!" He threw his arms in the air. "This deal also requires your mother and I to travel around the world, which she can explain to you later because I still don't have the gist of it. So, you'll be the man of the house until we get back!" He said.
"Wait, why can't you take me with you?" Neji asked.
"Oh, I knew you'd ask that! You have studies to tend to, Neji. We can't make you drop them!" His father was still smiling.
"You can! All I'm going to do is be a nobleman when I get older, and that doesn't require an education at all!" Neji shouted.
"Calm down, Son." He said.
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down! You can't just leave me here!" He stood up. "What kind of parents do that?"
"It's not like you're here alone, you have Maria! Hell, you've got someone your age; Tenten!" He said. "And it seems like she's taken a liking to you." He chuckled.
"That's not funny!" Neji shouted. Now, his father began to worry.
"Neji...calm down...is something wrong?" He asked, sitting up in his seat. Neji didn't answer. Before he felt tears swell up in his eyes, he left the office.
"You can go stay with a relative! A friend?" His father shouted after him. Neji ignored it as he ran up the stairs and slammed his room door behind him.
The tears felt like rock salt in his eyes since he hadn't cried in a very long time. He felt himself letting go, he hit his wall, basically lost all control. He eventually slid down into a corner and balled up, crying everything away. For some reason, it wasn't enough. He didn't give it his all, he wanted his crying to be subtle because he didn't want people to think he was doing what he was actually doing. He laid down and continued to cry, it was what he needed most at that time.
Still, he was suffering.