A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the reviews last chapter, I really appreciate it. Anyways, yeaaahhh...I ain't got nothing.
Disclaimer: ...Nope, not quite, buddy boy.
During lunch period, the majority of the students had gathered in the main foyer, which left all the study halls through which I was wandering in empty. I whistled a quiet tune my dad taught me as a kid, all the while admiring the intricacy of the architecture of the building.
Clasping my hands behind my back, I murmured to myself the directions to get to the back hallway, meanwhile cursing at the Hyuga inside my mind.
Where does he get off thinking he can just do that? Fine, that ass can play the 'smooth criminal' all he wants, but I'm not falling for it. I swear, if he thinks I'm stupid enough to actually meet him at the back hallway then he's just-
I paused. How is it even when I'm talking to myself I manage to sound like a moron?
I hadn't even met him yet and my fists were already tightly clenched. He had a lot of nerve trying to throw me off my feet. I was Tenten, I didn't need to be bossed around, ever.
Like, ever.
…So yet why was I going to meet up with him, if everything in my gut told me not to?
And why the hell couldn't my heart stop beating so fast?
"Er.." I reasoned to myself, aloud, echoing off the silver hallways. "It's just to meet someone; to get to know him. Make some friends. Wait, wait, that's too generic…"
"It's because…I'm studying the male psyche." I nodded vigorously, ready to fist pump. "Yeah, I'm just trying to understand the way guys act. I mean, what girl doesn't?" I questioned myself, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully as I tapped my chin.
I pushed open a door, still muttering to myself, when suddenly Neji's smooth voice cut in.
"So you decided to show."
I whipped around, ready to defend. "It's for scientific purposes!" I screamed.
It took me a good 5 seconds to realize what I had just said.
…Crap.
The smirk slid off his face. Before, he had casually leaned against the wall, with one knee propped up and his arms crossed; he now unfurled his arms to stare blankly at me, as he waited for my response.
The blood rushed to my face, and this time, no amount of my inner will, despite its fervency, managed to calm the raging scarlet that bloomed across my cheeks.
"I-I-I-I-I" I stammered, raising one finger as if trying to make a point. "I was-"
Suddenly, Neji backed off the wall and placed one cool finger against my mouth, leaning in close enough for me to feel his breath on my face. His eyes were half lidded, calming, and with a hint of laughter.
"I don't need to hear excuses. I'm just glad you showed up, is all." He said serenely, before his smug grin grew back on his face, cockiness replacing the previous expression.
It took me a couple of seconds to realize that…I liked the calm, unguarded expression.
He stared at me for a few moments, the proximity between us making the blush ever worse.
Not that I was looking or anything, but since he was leaning in so close, I happened to take advantage of the moment. And not that I meant to, but I happened to notice he had very white teeth. And a rather nice jawline. His nose was probably pretty enough to be on a magazine cover. And his eyes were quite nice too…but it's not like I was looking at him or anything.
No. Nononono. Snap out of it.
My eyes widened, as I came to the delayed realization he was touching my mouth. The next moment, I scoffed and pushed his hand away, brushing my clothes down and glaring at the ground and averting his eyes, though the fiery blush itself had not yet subsided.
"What do you want?" I asked briskly, looking up back at him with a look of utter composure, my face still red. "You asked me to meet you here; well, I'm here."
He leaned back against the wall. "Yes, I can see that." The sarcasm oozed from his tone. He rolled his eyes toward the sky, yawning as he said so, before he surveyed me up and down and nodded.
My eyebrow twitched. "Alright, smartass-"
"Whoa, whoa, can we watch the language here please, Miss Tenten?" he said innocently, clasping his hands in front of him. "You know there are small children on the premises." He cooed in a baby voice, while gesturing around to the supposed 'children' frolicking in the empty halls. My dead eyes followed him with a crisp glare.
"…What kids?" I fumed, annoyed at his childishness.
Neji brought a finger to his mouth, shushing me. "Be quiet please, you know this is a study hall."
I unconsciously twitched a few more times. "…Ugh, you're impossible!"
He smirked again, folding his arms tighter. "Am I now?"
"You're just…GAGH!"
"Oh, how very ladylike of you. Gagh, is it?" He inquired politely.
By this point, I was twitching enough to have been mistaken for going into epileptic shock. I threw my hands in the air, not even bothering to answer, before walking across to the other side of the hall and banging my forehead against a locker, whining.
"God, stop with the games. I'm not a toy." I moaned into the cold metal locker.
His voice was so flat and monotonous I wasn't able to tell if he was either being sarcastic or being serious. "I don't believe I ever said you were a toy."
"No, but you sure as hell treat me like one!" I turned my head over my shoulder to shoot him an icy glower.
His head ducked down, so his face was invisible to me. A few moments passed, before he murmured, just loud enough for me to hear, "Then I'm very sorry."
I straightened up from my position on the locker, before deciding against facing him and letting my forehead bang painfully against it again, the sound echoing down the long hallways.
"Tch. Sure you are."
I froze, before realizing just how mean my voice sounded. It was cold; I had never addressed anyone like that, ever. I immediately regretted saying it to him, but as my pride boiled to the surface, I ended up staying completely still and reluctant for look at him.
Minutes passed, with no answer from him. The lack of sound perturbed me; Neji Hyuga, who always had an answer to everything, suddenly decided to get sensitive?
I turned around slowly, eyes bracing themselves for something as my eyebrows scrunched up in guilt.
…But he wasn't there.
My eyes quickly scanned both ends of the hallway, to no avail. He had disappeared.
Guilt overwhelmed me at that moment. I hadn't meant for it to come out so cold, nor did I mean to hurt his feelings! Considering how fresh he had been acting earlier, I never thought he would actually…be offended. It didn't really seem plausible considering his constant condescending attitude, added with his desire to regard me as his personal toy.
I clasped my hands together in one tight fist, and squeezed very, very hard. It was something I did whenever I was stressed, or upset. I had done this same thing when my father was taken away and during my first nights with my foster home.
I planned to go look for him, before suddenly I noticed something right where his feet were when he was in the hallway.
It was a small piece of white paper.
With a sinking feeling of defeat in my stomach, I untangled my hands and tiptoed over to the paper, kneeling down slowly and carefully, and looking around to make sure no one was watching. Then, I quickly snatched the paper up and straightened, feeling my frustration level rise as I read the calligraphy on the card.
Roof.
My hands fell to my sides as my hands clenched into fists again after what seemed to be an infinite number of times today. In the empty hallway, I yelled out loudly,
"Hyuga, you SUCK!"
Shikamaru popped one of his sushi rolls into his mouth, swallowing it, content, as his eyes drifted to the puffy clouds above them.
Both Neji and Shikamaru were seated on the roof edge; Shikamaru enjoying his lunch, but Neji occupied with other thoughts and not feeling hungry in the least.
"So how'd it go?" Shikamaru asked with a mouthful of sushi.
Neji exhaled loudly, blowing a stray hair away from his face. "She got pretty aggravated."
"Good sign, man." Shikamaru stuffed more sushi into his mouth and giving Neji a knowing look. "Usually, the more Ino hates me, the more she loves me."
Neji stared.
Shikamaru waved him off dismissively. "You'll get it someday."
"Hn." Neji crossed his arms and leaned back against the side of the roof. "Even so, she might not come."
Shikamaru rolled his eyes, trying to stuff a slice of sashimi into his mouth. "Why, are your charms not up to par?" he asked sarcastically.
Neji's face scrunched up in awkwardness, as he shrugged.
Shikamaru nodded at him. "Huh, I would've thought you would've gotten better after Azami and all."
Hardly discernible to any passerby but most certainly noticeable to Shikamaru, the temperature around them seemed to drop. Before Shikamaru realized what he had said, Neji had him pinned against the wall, by the collar, with fury in his eyes.
"Don't you ever…" he seethed, as Shikamaru looked at him with fear and regret in his eyes. "…bring her up again."
Shikamaru choked and nodded quickly, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I won't forget again." His voice was full of genuine apology.
Neji growled in his throat before releasing him and turning away from him, the tension real between them. Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head guiltily, as her mumbled.
"But you can't avoid it forever."
Neji sighed through his teeth.
"I know."
A/N: Whee, a twist. Oh, and a heads up to everyone, I'm going on vacation in less than a week, and I'll be gone for a month, but during the ungodly long plane ride I'll see if I can write more chapters and post them up. And possibly even while I'm on vacation if I'm not too busy...? ^^'
Either way, I hope you enjoyed, and I'm sorry if it's too short. Reviews please! No flames.
-silver