I do not own Naruto
No pots were harmed in the making of this Fan Fiction
Twentieth Chappie! Whee!!
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Tenten patted Temari's arm awkwardly. "Um, how could you have known he was a…. sadist?" she asked, a weak grin.
Temari had been fuming ever since the gallery yesterday, when she had lost her temper at both Hidan and Shikamaru. She didn't really know why, she had just suddenly been struck with a wave of rage from what Shikamaru had told her. "It's just so annoying. Why am I only hit on my psychos?" she asked, drumming her fingertips on the tabletop.
"I would answer, but it will just make you angrier," Tenten said, crossing her legs under the table. Temari sighed and opened her math book as Kakashi walked in.
"I wouldn't say it then," Temari whispered to Tenten.
"Fine… but have you talked to Shikamaru. I mean, I'm pretty sure after you flipped out, he kind of got the wrong idea," Tenten murmured, pretending to flip through her math book to the correct page.
Temari bit her lip. "I'll see him in Home Ec today… I can talk to him then," she said, as quietly as she possibly could.
Not quietly enough though, for mister Kakashi though, for he turned, throwing a piece of chalk at Temari. She let out a noise of surprise and ducked, looking properly abashed. "I'd do it without yelling though," Tenten whispered, coughing as she was done to disguise her voice.
Temari threw Tenten a dirty look as she looked back to her book.
A few hours later…
"I can't believe you set fire to the Home Ec classroom," Ino said, sighing as Temari sat on the curb, her head resting in her hands.
"It was an accident," she said, her voice muffled. They were surrounded by fire trucks and people milled around outside. "And I technically didn't set fire to it… I blew it up," she added, sounding mortified.
"Ok, tell us what happened," Sakura said, rubbing Temari on the back.
"Could you just let me explain?!" Temari asked, her voice growing louder as she was mixing something in a bowl.
Shikamaru stared at her. "Explain what?"
"'Explain what,' that's all you've been saying," Temari growled, shoving the mixture at him.
He took it, pouring it into the pot. "Temari, there is nothing you have to explain," he said, sounding bored.
"I just want to apologize!" she exclaimed, leaning on the counter.
"Fine, apologize then," Shikamaru said, handing the spoon to her so she could stir the ingredients in the pot.
She took it, shoving it into the pot as she began stirring. "I'm sorry," she said, sounding angry. She didn't like apologizing, but now that she had insisted on it so much, she couldn't help but do it anyways.
He just watched her, and Temari kept stirring, not paying any attention to the actual food she was supposed to be cooking. "Temari, the pot, it's…"
She turned around to see it smoking and bubbling. "What the--"
"What did you put in there?" Shikamaru asked. Temari held up a bottle of something, with the label partly worn off. "Nitro-methane…" he read. Both he and Temari paled. "What the fuck were you thinking?!"
"It was with the other ingredients!" she exclaimed. They looked at the pot.
"EVERYONE, GET OUT!" Shikamaru yelled, before grabbing Temari and pulling her towards the door. It exploded as the students were getting out, and they flew into the hallway wall across from the classroom door.
"What is it with those flashbacks?" Ino muttered.
"O-oh, my g-god Temari," Hinata said, sounding horrified. "A-are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I just sprained my ankle. I'm going to the hospital as soon as they are done patching everyone up. God, how could I be so stupid?"
"It wasn't really your fault," Tenten said. "I mean, we use the Science classroom as the Home Ec classroom, so it makes sense that this might happen."
"Like I said, it was with the other ingredients. I don't know how it got there," Temari said, sounding miserable.
"Was Shikamaru ok?" Sakura asked, sounding concerned.
"Pretty much the same as me, only instead of his ankle, his leg was ripped open," Temari said, starting to sound sick.
"Omigod, where is he?! Is he alright?!" Ino demanded.
"They took him to the hospital in an ambulance."
"Well, then h-he should be f-fine. It wasn't y-your f-fault," Hinata said, trying to reassure her.
"Yippee for me then," Temari said. She sighed and, leaning on Tenten, got up. "Well, looks like it's my turn in the ambulance," she said, letting them help her over to the ambulance.
"We'll drop by later," Ino said, hugging her.
"Thanks… see you later," Temari said, before the ambulance doors closed.
A few hours later…
"This is fucked up beyond all belief," Tenten said. They were sitting in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting for Temari to get out.
"Tell me about it," Ino groaned.
Hinata just nodded her agreement.
Sakura walked up. "Temari should be coming down in a few minutes," she said, sitting down and brushing her pink hair out of her face. Most of the school was coming and going from the hospital, checking up on friends and the like.
"Hey guys." They turned and saw Temari hobbling towards them on a cane. She looked extremely uncomfortable, and she also had some bandages on her arm. Tenten and Ino jumped up, immediately hugging her. "Careful of the cast girlies," Temari said, giving them, and then Hinata and Sakura hugs.
"Let's get you out of here," Ino said, supporting Temari on one side to help her move.
"So, how's your ankle?" Sakura asked as they walked towards the parking lot of the hospital.
Temari grimaced. "I've got a 'grade 3' sprain. Apparently I'll be using crutches and shit for a month at least." She sighed. "I'm more worried about school. Apparently I've been suspended."
"O-oh n-no," Hinata said. "T-that's horrible."
Temari moaned. "I am going to be in so much trouble," she said as they got to Ino's car and got in.
"Well, where do you want to go? Food? Shopping?" Ino asked as they pulled out from the parking lot.
"I want chips. I want ice cream, soda, chips, sweat pants, and chick flicks," Temari said forcefully.
The others giggled. "Junk food and movies it is."
"Hey Ino, could you actually drop me off at Hotto Kaferate Café?" Tenten asked. "I'm meeting Neji."
"Sure," Ino said as they drove onto the main road. Temari put the music on, looking moody.
"Hey Temari, how long were you suspended for?" Tenten asked.
"A month," she said.
"T-that's not too b-bad," Hinata said, attempting to lift her spirits. Temari shook her head with a snort.
"Tell that to dad. He may not be much of a father, but he is going to blow a gasket if he find out," she said.
"By the way, how's Shikamaru?" Sakura asked.
Temari slid down a little in her seat. "I haven't seen him yet," she said quietly. "Don't say anything," she said to the others, sitting up suddenly.
Ino nodded. "We won't. You've been screwed with today already."
They pulled up in front of the Hotto Kaferate Café and Tenten jumped out. "See you guys later. I'll stop by your place later Temari, maybe catch one of the movies."
"'Kay, bye Tennie," Ino said.
Tenten walked inside the café and looked around for Neji.
"Hey Neji!" she exclaimed, walking up to where he sat at a table. She slid into the seat across from him.
"Hey Tenten," he said, sipping his coffee.
"I'll have a iced mocha please," she said to the waitress. Then she looked back at Neji. "You look so… gloomy," she said.
He gave her a look. "Woah, down boy," she said, holding her hands up as she leaned back. "Is this about the attack, because that was weeks ago," she said, raising her eyebrows.
He clenched his fists on the table. She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, my god. It is isn't it? I thought we had put that behind us!" she exclaimed.
"'Put it behind us'?" Neji demanded.
'Maybe that wasn't the best thing to say,' Tenten thought. "I mean, moving on from it."
A muscle in his jaw jumped. "Moving on? Tenten, I would have thought you of all people wouldn't be so eager to forget," he said.
"I am not saying we should 'forget'. I'm saying it shouldn't rule my life, or yours. Is that all you've been thinking about?" she asked.
"So what if I have been?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.
She stared at him in silence as the waitress brought her her mocha. "Why?" she asked.
"Why shouldn't I? I should have been able to stop it from even happening," he said.
"Nothing happened though! And how could you have done anything? You weren't there."
"That's not the point Tenten," he growled.
"What is then?!" Tenten exclaimed as she threw her hands up. She could feel people staring but she didn't care.
"The fact that I wasn't able to do anything."
"Godammit Neji! Why do you do this sort of thing? I've known you for 8 years and it's always the same thing! Oh, I cannot talk to you right now," she said, getting up and stomping towards the exit. He didn't follow and she was partially glad.
She stormed down the street. She didn't know why she was so angry, but his whole attitude had set her off. She stopped on the middle of Honotomo Street and blew out an annoyed breath.
"Shit."
