You need to know things the other's don't know. It's what no one knows about you that allows you to know yourself. -Don DeLillo, Point Omega on privacy
Sleepless Night 9
Hinata hummed as she sat on the bleachers. The boys track team was out late doing drills on the field. With that being said, so was the cheer team, conviently enough. Just watching the two teams in the same area was both entertaining and weird at the same time. Very rarely did the cheer team go to track events to cheer at, however with their university championship in a month and her older cousin had every intention in keeping his team in the top three and she was sure the cheer team was going to be present. A sigh was heard from the Hyuga girl as she caught Neji-for the tenth time during practice- look over at the cheer team with melancholy in his eyes. They hadn't spoken much since that night. How did Hinata know about it? Well, it was Hanabi who spotted their dear older cousin take their dear friend up to the room and they didn't come down for the rest of the party. Needless to say, something happen. Hinata wasn't too sure if it was a good thing, but when the group noticed their absence from the main party scene, it was Sasuke who silently snuck himself by their door and heard the commotion. Even at breakfast, they were silent at the table and didn't look at each other. Naruto tried his best to spark some kind of conversation, however it came to no avail.
"Hinata!"
She turned her head and was greeted by the girls. Ino and Sakura sat themselves next to her and smiled.
"What are you still doing here?" Ino asked.
"I'm waiting for Neji to release the team from practice. Naruto and I have dinner plans a bit later." Hinata replied with an aggravated sigh. "But of course they started their championship training…"
Sakura chuckled. Their ears perked up as there was a rhythmic chant coming from the group of cheerleaders. Tenten was being lifted into the air, held up by her two bases and back spot in shorts and a sports bra with her hair in a high ponytail with a bright red bow.
"So, is it true?" the pink haired med student asked quietly. "They slept together right?"
Hinata shrugged. She wasn't sure and the only one who would know is Sasuke since he went upstairs to check on them. Ino crossed her arms over her chest and hummed. They were super awkward now, not just Neji and Tenten but their whole group. Shikamaru has been a bit more uptight than usual, but made no comments toward the situation...if you'd even call it a situation. Sasuke noticed the change of atmosphere and was rather unsure what to make of it. Rock Lee and Shino were totally out of loop since they missed the party, so they were just confused. This was supposed to be a good thing right? The girls sighed in unison. That game was planned. They had all agreed to play the Kiss Me Threes when Neji and Tenten found them. Sure, it was fun and they danced and all that, but they wondered what happen the morning after they woke up-with hangovers-between the two of them. Could they just go up and ask? Sakura shook her head, they'd be meddling.
"We were already meddling…" Ino sucked her teeth. "I even spoke to Sasuke earlier today and Neji won't budge on what happen. He refused to confirm or deny anything."
"Sounds like him…" Hinata sucked her teeth. "I haven't had a chance to speak to Tenten privately yet."
"We should do so after practice," Sakura stated. "The sooner the better. I don't think I can take anymore of this awkward air."
The Hyuga girl nodded in agreement. "Same."
Another hour and a half passed and the sun was setting. Tenten nursed her water bottle with a towel draped around her shoulders.
"Good work today, Ten." her captain called before heading back to the campus buildings.
"Thanks, Karin." The Chinese woman replied before stretching her legs out.
Man, she was sore. And it didn't help she was still recovering from the party. Tenten's shoulders drooped as she sighed. Her ears perked up when she heard a soft voice calling her name. It was Hinata who was walking her way with Ino and Sakura behind her. They greeted her with smiles before sitting on the well cared grass next to her. It was Hinata who went right for the the topic of the party, right off the bat. The party, she thought. Upon waking up the next morning, she had found herself on top of damp bed sheets, in the arms of her super naked best friend. At first she had panicked, which cause him to wake up. With throbbing headaches they laid there for a moment, trying to remember bits and pieces of what happen that night. Of course, the only things that flashes through her mind was Neji hovering over her and his head between her legs...her face began to tingle.
"Well… what happen?" Ino asked. "After you tried to remember everything?"
"Uhm…" Tenten bit her lip. "We just kind of laid there and looked at each other."
Ino groaned while Sakura cocked an eyebrow.
"You two didn't talk about the situation?" The pinkette leaned in.
Tenten shrugged. "No, I guess we didn't."
"Ugh, you two are hopeless, I swear…" Ino sucked her teeth.
Hinata shot Ino a glare before putting a hand on her best friend's shoulder. There was something Tenten wasn't telling them. A small detail that was actually quite important. If she were to tell them, though, she wasn't sure if she'd want to deal with their pestering; it was between herself and Neji.
"I just… was it an accident?" The cheerleader pondered. "Was it just because I was there with him?"
The girls shot worried looks at each other. That was a great question. Yes, it was obvious that Neji had feelings for her. But who was to say he didn't try to be handsy with the person closest to him physically? He had an almost nonexistent track record of sleeping with randoms at parties, but that's not to say it didn't happen before.
"Do you like him, Tenten?" Sakura asked quietly.
Tenten's eyes shifted towards the track team, who were doing their cool down stretches and chatting between themselves.
"Yes, I think I do."
Ino cocked an eyebrow at this. "What do you mean 'think'?"
The cheerleader scratched the back of her neck. She wasn't sure how she felt about him. She's always seen Neji as her companion, her counterpart, partner in crime, and all that… but romantically, she's only thought about it a few times. And with them having sex completely shit faced and remembering some of it the next morning… she wasn't completely sure.
"You need to talk to him." Hinata stated firmly. "Maybe he can help you sort your feelings out. It's as you said… you're each other's counterparts."
Tenten hummed and looked down at her water bottle. She supposed she should… it would be best for all of them if they got this whole thing sorted out. The cheerleader didn't want to speak much about it to her girl friends though, they had a tendency to butt in with their two sense and completely miss the point or not offer any valuable input. Scratching the back of her head, she stood.
Neji glanced over to the girls. They had started walking back towards the campus buildings. Bringing his water bottle to his lips, he took a sip. The rest of the team sat around their captain, looking at each other. They were trying to figure out who would ask him about what transpired that night while they were downstairs partying. Of course the Uchiha didn't share whatever he found with the group, so that left everyone wondering. However, it was Shikamaru who was bold enough to ask the question.
"Did things happen?"
Neji snapped towards him. Shrugging, he took another sip.
"Oh, so you did score." Kiba grinned. "About time."
The group chuckled as their captain rolled his eyes. Their laughs died down as they noticed the Hyuga's eyebrows cast downwards. In unison, they pursued their lips together.
"So...uh," Naruto murmured. "Did something happen? Like… something bad?"
"No," Neji said flatly after a moment. "Not really."
The group heaved a sigh. Getting anything out of home was going to be a big pain. The guys all looked to each other for some way to have the Hyuga open up about what happen. Sasuke then stood and closed his water bottle. Eyes were on him as he announced that he was heading back to the campus buildings to shower and change.
Sasuke hurried as he threw his sweating track shorts in his duffle and washed away the field dirt that attached itself to his legs and hands. Dashing out the shower, he pulled up his boxers and skinny jeans. His combat boots clanked against the tiled floor as he made his way to the parking lot. Fishing his keys from his leather jacket, the Uchiha hopped onto his motorcycle and drove out of the lot. There was no way he would miss her at this point, he thought. She usually walked home on nice days like this; it was only an hour and a half from her house… Settling in front of the opposite side of the physical education and science building, Sasuke kicked down his bike stand and waited. After a moment, he pulled out his phone and sent a text message. The response came almost instantly with an affirmative reply...although it seemed hesitant. Another twenty minutes passed when the girls had emerged from the building. Tenten looked over at him with her eyebrow raised as she walked over, her friends behind her.
"Hey Sasuke," Sakura smiled at him.
"Hello, Sakura," he replied smoothly. "Sorry to break up your little hang out, but Tenten and I have somewhere to be."
The girls looked between the Uchiha and their Hua friend. Tenten shrugged before she swung her leg over the bike with her own bag attached to her back. The cheerleader waved at her friends before snaking her arms around Sasuke's waist. Hinata squinted as she watched them speed off onto the Main Street. It was Ino who made a comment first.
"That was…" she mused. "Since when did they hang out?"
Sakura shrugged. "It happens sometimes. He usually tells me when they do though, so I wonder if it something important."
"Wait… why does he always tell you?" The blonde turned to her.
Sakura offered a small smile. They were good friends, and she was typically around Sasuke the most during the day or weekends. They did have a little fling going on, however nothing too serious. But that didn't mean he didn't talk to her like that. Hinata's eyes kept their gaze at the direction that Tenten had sped off to with the Uchiha. Reaching into the pocket of her sweater, she pulled out her phone.
"Hey Naruto," Hinata murmured into the mic. "Am I still meeting you for dinner?"
"Yeah, if you're still up for it, babe." The Uzumaki's voice sounded from the other line.
"Hinata, what are you doing?" The two girls looked over at the Hyuga.
She put her mic on mute. "What? You don't want to go after them?"
Ino and Sakura went wide eyed. It was a bit out of character for Hinata to be so forward.
"I don't think we should," Sakura stated. "Sasuke won't do anything with her like that."
"It's not Sasuke I'm worried about…" The Education major murmured. "Once Neji notices that Tenten left without him, he might go after them."
Ino shifted in her spot. "So, let him."
A sigh escaped Hinata's lips as she held her friend's stare. She turned her mic back on.
"Sorry about that," the raven haired woman said. "Yes… I'm still up for it. Though, I have a question."
"Sure, what's up?" Naruto asked.
"Did you know that Sasuke just left with Tenten?"
There was a pause on the other line.
"No…" the blonde trialed. "Did they just leave?"
"Yeah, they did. So, he hasn't said anything to you?"
"Not a thing…" Naruto mused. "I'll let Neji know that she went ahead with you or something."
"Tell him she went home with Ino. That way he won't ask any questions."
"Alright, babe. I'll meet you in front of the science building."
Hinata pocketed her phone and ran a hand through her hair.
