Chapter Eight.
Unwanted Feelings.
I'm not really the kind of person who gets confused easily. Usually, I figure things out before they get the chance to puzzle me. Though I tend to keep my thoughts to myself, right now, I found it hard to keep my face blank. What I can't figure out is how did this girl manage to catch me off guard like this?
"Don't hurt yourself...", she said in this tone, a tone I can't quite describe. Was it sweet? Flirty? Enchanting, maybe? Either way, though I hate to admit it, her voice stopped me on my tracks. I stood my ground, but I can't help it but show the shock on my face. I really did not see that coming. I felt my eyes widen. During the course of the last week, I never thought of Tenten as the type to talk in that manner. Could it be that she has fallen for my so-called trap this early?
No. That can't be it.
She must have found out. Or else, she has no other reason to approach me like this. For all I know, this girl hates me with all she's got. Not that the feeling isn't mutual.
No. That can't be it either. Clearly, she isn't the smart kind. With a mind like her's, I strongly believe that she isn't able to think in a way that she'd figure out this plan of mine by just merely observing my behavior. Tenten, what has gotten into you?
What am I stressing about, anyway? Whatever it is going on through this girl's mind, it would be best to just go on with this scheme. Surely, whatever she has in mind isn't that complicated.
"Neji-kun", and just like that, all my effort of pushing these thoughts out of my head, wasted. Her warm breath tickled my ear. What was she doing?
It was only then that I noticed how close she was. I could smell her watermelon scented perfume. Her hair on the other hand had a different aroma. But it was intoxicating as well. Her hair wasn't in its usual buns, it was in a ponytail, which was slightly disrupted probably by all the running she's done. She had these hazel eyes, no, they're darker than hazel.. Her nose isn't that tall, but it perfectly complemented her lips..
What am I thinking? Snap out of it, Neji. Damnit.
What the hell is she doing?
No.. it's not what she's doing. It's what I'm thinking. I'm just a little light headed today.. that's all.
She grabbed on to the plastic bag I was previously grabbing from her and she took it without hesitation. She left her tip toes and she was again not higher than my shoulders. She then skipped into the gym with a smile on her face.
Don't think about that anymore. We have a game this Friday. We should start practice soon.
"COUNT OFF!", I said, and the team quickly obeyed. They lined up according to the positions they play in and then started counting.
"ONE!", it was Uchiha Sasuke who started this time. Clearly, he is the team's ace player. Swift, and can make decisions faster than anyone else. Has incredible accuracy and high stamina. Stoic by nature, adding to the fact that he is unstoppable when it comes to the court. He kind of reminds me of myself. Surely, he'd make a great Captain next year.
"TWO!", followed by Uzumaki Naruto. I have to admit, as troublesome as these two are, they are two of the best players this team has right now. The team work they have is incomparable.
"THREE!", Subaku no Gaara is another story. This one has impressive accuracy, can shoot 10 out of 10 baskets from the three-point line, but believes that he is more of a one-man show.
"FOUR!" "FIVE!", Inuzuka Kiba, Subaku no Kankuro, could use a little improvement on defense. "SIX!", Akamichi Choji. The largest center in the district, but, like Inuzuka and Kankuro, could use improvement.
Everyone was lined up, and I can tell that everyone was here without listening to the count off. After this, we'd start the practice game.
Soon enough, practice was over, and Naruto, Sasuke and I were the only ones left in the gym.
"Tenten had to go somewhere urgent. She told me to past you the message.", Naruto said as he grabbed onto the ball on the hardwood floor. Yes, I did see her leave. The nerve of that girl. She was supposed to clean up the gym after practices, and she just left right after the game.
"Hn."
Naruro turned to his left and grinned, soon after, he started dribbling. "Teme! How about a little one on one?", he called out to Uchiha.
"I'd prefer a game with Captain.", Sasuke answered with a smirk. He was sitting on the floor, holding a bottle of water.
Naruto then looked at me. his eyes slightly widened. His grin faded. "Speaking of game, what's up Captain?"
"Huh?", what was he talking about?
"You seem.. uhm.. a bit off?" his dribbling slowed. Off? What did he mean? Wasn't I in my best condition? And then, Sasuke spoke up.
"Yeah. Usually, even when we move together, we can't get pass you. The game a while ago was.. should I say, easy?", so that's what they meant. Often, they said that I was unstoppable when it came to basketball. That's why I became the Captain of the basketball team. I just can't understand. As far as I was concerned, I played to full capacity in the practice game. What did they mean, off?
"You seem distracted. Actually, this isn't the first time.. for the past week, you've been playing kinda off too, Captain.", Naruto added. There was absolutely no reason for me to get distracted. The only thing distracting around here is that girl, not that I was paying her so much attention while a game was going on. I just had to look at her and check whether she's cleaning off the equipment by the sidelines properly from time to time during the game.
"Hn.", I walked towards the bench and sat down with my eyes closed.
"Ne, Captain. There's something I've been wanting to ask you. If it's okay.", A few seconds later, Naruto was sitting beside me, still holding the ball.
"What?", I waited for Naruto to speak. All he did was stare at the basketball in his hands.
Sasuke seemed interested for he was looking at Naruto intently.
"Why do you hate Tenten so much?", I froze. I could feel my forehead shaping itself into a frown.
"What are you saying?", as far as I knew, I haven't shown any hatred towards Tenten with the team around. So what was he saying?
"I mean, the way you look at her.. it's like.. how Teme used to look at Haruno Sakura when we were still Freshmen..", and right then, I could practically hear the scowl on Sasuke's face. I never really paid much attention to gossip, but it was a known fact to the basketball team that Uchiha Sasuke liked Haruno Sakura, he's so crazy about her, but never seemed to have the courage to say anything, at least, that's what Naruto' says. But I never knew that Sasuke used to hate that girl.
"Hn. You hated her?", I asked and then I looked at Sasuke, for some reason, I wanted to hear from him. His scowl vanished and his face was once again blank.
"No. Never.", I could swear that there was a slight blush on his pale face. I can't believe this. Uchiha Sasuke, actually blushing. This is why I hate this "love" thing.
"You see, Teme here hated Sakura, because she was", Naruto made airquotes then, "annoying. Or at least he thought."
"Shut up.", Sasuke said, almost inaudible, looking down on the hardwood floor.
"Turns out he was so upset because he can't seem to take his eyes off her. He said he made three mistakes in his math test because Sakura was annoying, but the truth is, he was just distracted 'cause she was sitting right in front of him!", Naruto laughed so hard while Sasuke's scowl seemed to be coming back.
"Shut up, Naruto.", Sasuke stood up and took Naruto by the hair. "We'll be going now, Captain.", he said and then they left, Uchiha was dragging Uzumaki towards the gates.
Hn. That was some story. Uchiha Sasuke, hated the girl because she was so darn distracting..
"You are a distraction."
I remember now, that's what I told her the first day she came.. The day when it all started.
Honestly, I didn't know how to answer Naruto's question.
"And then you should know that the team needs to focus. You saw what happened right? I need those guys to practice, not to have a good time."
Yes, I said that too. Seeing her laughing with the team.. Those vibrant eyes of her's sparkling..
I just had to make her quit. She would not be of help anyway. She'd just be a distraction.
Yes.. that must be it.
..
..
..
No, that isn't it.
Come to think of it, it really isn't
Sasuke, sometimes I wonder how much more I have in common with you.
Saying that the team needs to focus is just a sorry excuse for the truth. The truth which I had denied for the past week.
The team isn't affected by her presence. I was the only one distracted. Maybe that's why I'm desperately trying to get rid of her.
I can't focus whenever she's around.