Chapter Twelve.
Good night.
Tenten.
"Oh God, tell me this is all a joke!", Sakura yelled over the phone. From the tone of her voice, it was pretty obvious that she's going crazy. I remained staring at the ceiling. My room wasn't really that big, it was just right, if you may. I've been lying in bed for a few hours now, thinking about stuff.
"Look, no need to yell, okay?", I said and I heard her sigh in response.
"Sorry.. It's just that, this is Hyuga Neji we're talking about. The almighty Hyuga Neji. You know, always gets the highest marks, great looks, captain of the basketball team, you know, the same one that every single girl in campus wants.", I felt my lips twitch into a smile. Sakura was right. This was Hyuga Neji. Someone unreachable, even to the prettiest girls in campus. And here I am, on the phone, talking about how I slapped him when he kissed me. Oh, the irony of it all.
"Who gave me the right to slap him, huh?", I laughed and Sakura too, was giggling over the line.
"Yes, who on earth gave to the right to slap him!", she was still giggling. "Why did you slap him, though? Still confused?"
And that is the exact reason why I slapped him. How could he play with my feelings like that? The situation's been so confusing, so messed up, all thanks to you, Hyuga Neji.
"My head's just so screwed up right now. I like him, then I find out he's just tripping. Then he goes off telling me things are real. Who the hell gave him the right to do that? Kissing me like that...", The last part was almost whispered.
"I get what you mean. For now, I think it's best if you'll just try and think things over. Sort things out. Make a diagram, table or list if needed.", she laughed. "And if Hyuga Neji is really that smart, he'll understand you. Just talk to him, okay? I gotta go, It's dinner time. Good night, Tenten.", and then Sakura hung up.
I slammed my phone down my bed. She's right, I've got to get things sorted out. Make a list, she says?
I got up and walked over to my study desk on the corner of my room. I sat on the office chair I bought with my own savings. I grabbed a notebook and opened it on a blank page. How should I start this?
My pencil made it's way onto the paper. POSITIVES: I wrote on the top of the page. And on the page opposite it, I scribbled the word NEGATIVES: on top. Now, let's get things started.
He's good looking. That's a positive, but I never considered that as an important aspect. What else to put on the positives?
I stared at the page for a good fifteen minutes, and then decided to do the negative first.
Well, for starters, he thinks so high of himself, though he certainly has the right to do so, as amazing as he is. He is very unemotional, but I can't say that that's a bad thing.
I spent thirty minutes with this list of mine, and ended up with nothing productive. The positive side was empty, and so was the negative. I really really really want to apologize, but I'm.. afraid. To call or not to call.
I grabbed my phone from my bed and flipped it open. Should I call him?
After a few minutes of pondering, I decided that it would be best for me to apologize. Don't get me wrong, mixed feelings or not, I shouldn't have slapped him. I really shouldn't have, after all, I did let him. I had no reason to do that.
I looked up his number, which was saved in my phone book. I pressed the green button then held the phone to my ear.
"Uhm.. Hello.", I said when he finally picked up.
"Tenten?", he answered. That's odd. It's as if he's colder than usual. His voice.. was very different from the way he talked a while ago.
"I wanted to say sorry.. for.. what happened..", I stammered. I can't help it but feel nervous. What if I say the wrong words?
"It's fine. I can't blame you. Forget what happened. It was a mistake for me to do that anyway.", his tone remained the same. Cold. So he has forgiven me already, I couldn't help it but sigh at the relief.
"Well then-", I was just about to say goodbye and hang up when he interrupted me.
"Get down here. It's freezing."
"What?", I'm not sure he meant me. Maybe he's talking to someone else.
"I said, get down here.", and then he hung up. So he did mean me. Despite not knowing what I was doing, I rushed downstairs and went for my apartment's exit, which was at the back side of the Haruno's bakery.
He wasn't back here, so I made a run for the front end of the store. And there he was. Hyuga Neji, leaning against the hood of his black sportscar, wearing jeans and a jacket over his white t-shirt. How could someone dress so simply and still look that attractive? Well, in this case, it isn't really a question. That's just the way Hyuga Neji is.
He was rubbing his hands, he was right, it was freezing here. Maybe winter's coming early.. and more importantly, what was he doing here?
"What are you doing here?", I asked when I was about five steps away from him. He was looking at to his left, away from me, his hands were now in the pockets of his dark blue jacket.
"Isn't it obvious?", he answered with a hint of annoyance. Of course it wasn't obvious. If it was, would I be asking. Baka. That's just what I wanted to say, but I don't really want to start a fight out here.
"No.. Anyway, why?", This is me playing nice.
He sighed and then kept his face blank, still not looking at me. "I came to apologize."
"Hey, it' fine. It's my fault too.", I said and walked closer to him. It really was cold. Maybe partly because I'm only wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
Without even looking, he then grabbed my hand, which was previously on my side. "So we're okay now?"
"Yes", I couldn't help it but smile. At this moment, he looked innocent, maybe not exactly 'innocent', but far from the cold blooded captain of the basketball team everyone thought he was.
"Hn. Good", he nodded and then slowly let go of my hand. The only thing that annoys me though is the fact that he hasn't even glanced my way.
"Why aren't you looking at me by the way?", so now I'm just playing.
"Uhm.. Your outfit..", Maybe it's just my imagination, but in this light, it looked as if he was blushing. He gestured to my legs, still not looking. "Wear something.. that's not that short.", that almost sounded like a threat.
"Is that an order, captain?", I asked.
"Yes, it's an order, Tenten.", he answered with a smirk. It was actually fun tripping like this. Maybe he wasn't as cold-hearted as I thought.
I went over and leaned against his car beside him.
"You said you came to apologize. How long were you planning on staying here, anyway? I mean, what if I hadn't called? I wouldn't even know that you're down here.", I almost forgot to ask him. He looked up, like he was staring at the stars.
"Oh, I knew you'd call.", he said with another smirk. Right now, I don't even know whether he's really THAT smart, or he's just a cocky bastard.
I laughed. "Got me all figured out, huh?"
I looked up at him to see his expression. His smirk was then replaced by a slight frown. "No. Not in the slightest." I couldn't help but frown myself.
"Then how did you know I'd call?"
His frown deepened. "I.. have no idea either.. I just knew."
Right then, his frown vanished and his face was blank once more. He was rubbing his hands again, and I was just about to invite him inside for something to drink when he said goodbye.
"I'll be going then. Good night, Tenten.", he made his way into the driver's seat and the slammed the door, right after, the engine started.
"Wait.", I knocked on the the door's window, and he opened it. I leaned down. He still wasn't looking at me. His pale eyes were focused on the wheel.
"Let's be friends, okay?", I said. He smirked.
"Is that an order, Tenten?", I couldn't help it but laugh at this remark of his.
"Yes, it's an order.", and for the first time, he looked at me. He was smiling. It was very different from his smirk. His smile was.. warm. So warm that I had forgotten that I was even cold. I smiled too. "Good night, Neji."
He smiled even more, his teeth were showing this time, which made me feel even warmer inside.
Of course, it was a well known fact in school that he's one of the most good looking guys around. But right now, I think saying that is a complete understatement. Surely, they've only seen him smirk and frown. Because seeing him genuinely smile, like this, was like seeing an angel.
Then he waved his hand at me, telling me to move. The glass window made its way up, and then the car sped away.
I made my way back to my second floor apartment, and just when I was about to turn the lights off, my open notebook took my attention. I took the pencil that was resting beside it and then scribbled the words "surprisingly a nice guy" on the positive side, only to find myself getting up from bed in the middle of the night, and then adding "has a very warm smile", to the list.