Hello all. Thanks for reading this fic. I really appreciate those who have reviewed so far (LoveIsBlue and soar2survive — thank you so much! You made my day!). And I would looooove some more. Ya know, to keep me going. And I will make you all a deal, if you review this story, then I will read and review one of your stories (if you have one). Hopefully that gives you a little more incentive to review. :D

And also, this story is a little different than a normal linear story that you might read. POV wise, it jumps from person to person. Mainly, it's going to be Tenten and Neji's point of view. Also, this story is nonlinear. Meaning it jumps from the present to the past and back again. Its weird when you read it chapter by chapter, sorry for that, but hopefully it'll all make sense by the very end.

Neji--before
Academy Days

Today was just like any other, no different from the rest. I woke up as usual, ate the same breakfast as yesterday and the day before, got ready, and walked to school. I entered the classroom and sat in my usual spot, next to the same people as any other day. But one thing was different that bothered me.

"Tenten! I saved you a seat!" The boy in front of me yelled as he flailed his arms so the said girl would notice him. She smiled, and ran to her saved seat. I stared at the girl in disgust. I've never seen her before in my life, but I already know that I don't like her. She was just another one of those girly girls that aren't good for anything but being annoying.

"Hey guys." She waved at the three boys that saved her a seat. It just has to be the seat in right in front of mine. So now I have to look at her stupid hairdo on that fat head that blocks my view.

"Alright class, quiet down, quiet down." Our sensei tried to tame these wild beasts. He sighed when no one would listen to him.

I look down to the girl sitting in front of me. Instead of listening to our teacher and doing her classwork, she was folding a piece of paper, horizontally and then vertically, to cover up her chicken scratch handwriting. My eye twitched. It does that sometimes. I don't know why.

She passed it to the boy on her right, and he passed it to the boy he was sitting to. When he began to open it, I noticeably leaned forward. I wasn't that curious as to what it said. I was just bored. Yea. That's it.

"Hyuuga Neji, would you care to explain?" The teachers' words to me echoed in my mind. Oh shit, I'm in trouble. I don't even know what he was teaching about.

"Er...About what sensei?" I manage to sheepishly say. I could feel all eyes were on me. All except that Tenten girl. That bothered me.

"Weren't you listening?" He noticeably sighed, as if he was disappointed in me. "We were talking about the increase in the number of immigrants, right before the Kyuubi attack."

I had nothing to say on this subject. I really didn't. Sensei just liked to pick on the kids that weren't listening. He's good at it too.

He just looked at me with an anxious stare. He wanted my answer, I knew that. "Well...? Do you have anything to add to our little lesson?"

"No sir." He closed his eyes at me and sighed.

Stupid kids get to play at recess while I have to clap these stupid erasers. I glared out the window at the playground littered with screaming kids. I'm not going to lie, I hate recess. Why I am so mad is beyond me.

I clapped the erasers twice when out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar face. That Tenten girl.

At first I assumed that she would either be one of those kids that sat by themselves on the wall and just wished they could have something to do at recess or that she would be one of the popular girls that had nothing better to do than to stand in a random spot on the playground and judge everyone that walks past. Both are annoying as hell.

But to my surprise, she wasn't either. She was running to the field, with a soccer ball in her hands with about 20 boys following her yelling and cheering.

"Hmf." So she was one of those girls...

It took me 20 minutes, but I cleaned every one of my sensei's erasers. It was a pain, but oh well. It gave me something to do.

After school was a busy time. It was when everyone was out and about. The kids were playing with their friends and trying to get rid of their parents. The older kids would be sitting underneath a tree or at the local Ichiraku ramen stand. And the grownups would be trying to keep a hold of their rambunctious child. It was rather annoying. All I really wanted to do was sit someplace peaceful and relax. There was almost no quiet place outdoors that I could go to.

My hands fidget in my pockets, trying to grasp the small amounts of lint in the very corner. I sigh as I walk down a dirt path, trying to get away from the noisy town. At the end of the tree surrounded dirt path, I found myself in back of the local park. To my surprise, it wasn't busy like the rest of the town was. I scan the open fields and all I found was a swing set. My eye twitches; there it goes again.

Sitting on the left swing I see a little girl. She had dark brown hair that was placed in two buns and her head was hanging down pretty low, as if she was sad. All I see is the back of her head, but I was almost sure that it was that Tenten girl from class.

Why was she here? Shouldn't she have something better to be doing than pouting on a swing? Why doesn't she just go home?

Then it hit me. What if she didn't have a home to go home to? What if she is abused by her parents? Maybe she lived alone?

My eyes drift to the dirt path I stood on. I thought about being nice to her and talk to her, but I refuse to be like that. Whatever her problem is, it's not mine, so why should I care?

I continued the back road home.

theres chapter 3.

I know it was dull, but remember...i'm just getting the story rolling! Be patient.

Please review! I'd just like to know who's reading and whether you like it or not!

:D

and as long as I have at least one reader, I will continue.