Gone [Naruto fanfic]

#30

I stood up, gripping my chest with one arm to try and support myself, and then started to walk out of the circle of people. There was no point in me staying when so many others who he actually knew would want to see him.

"Wait."

I stopped.

"Who are you?" Gaara's voice was weak and unsteady, yet somehow full of authority.

A chill ran up my spine and my body stiffened. I turned back to face the Kazekage, who was now in a sitting position, propped up by Naruto and Kankuro.

"Someone you wouldn't know. And the very little I did wasn't enough to help you at all." I replied quietly, the shame of my failures weighing heavily on my shoulders.

He wanted to say something else, but the crowd moved forward, blocking me from his view.

It was probably for the best.

I dragged my feet as I removed myself from the crowd. Tenten came up beside me.

"Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.

I gave a weak laugh, but it ended in me painfully wheezing.

"Do I look okay?" I gave her a half-hearted smile.

"Here, let me help you."

"Thanks Tenten."

She slipped my arm over her shoulders and held me up. I looked up, and saw Temari coming towards us, Sakura following close.

"Lady Chiyo is dead, isn't she?" I asked softly as Sakura stopped in front of us.

She bowed her head, a tear slidding down her cheek as she nodded solemnly. Temari put her arm over Sakura's shoulders and brought her into a quick hug.

"By the way...What happened after I got knocked out? Because whatever did happen, my whole body hurts like hell because of it."

Tenten started, nearly dropping me.

"I completely forgot to tell you!"

"Tell me what?" I asked suspiciously after regaining myself.

"I think I've figured out why Neji always acts weird around you!"

This piqued my interest. I could tell that Tenten had gotten Sakura's attention as well.

"When we had reached the entrance to the hideout, and Neji used his Byakugan, he saw that you were inside. And when he saw the place coming down, he started to panic."

"Neji? Panic? Puh-lease Tenten! The guy barely shows any emotion! Last I checked 'panic' isn't even in his vocabulary." I scoffed.

"But that's not all of it! When you got knocked out by the two members of the Akatsuki, he was the first one to get to you, and held them back while we got you out of there! And then, when things had gotten a little quieter, I saw him looking at you! Especially at your face."

"Okay Tenten, if you're trying to creep me out, then you are succeeding. Joke is over, cut to the chase please."

I could see a slight, mischievous, blush creep up on Tenten's cheeks.

"I think he likes you."

Sakura and Temari looked at Tenten, disbelief painting their features. It took a second for what she said to register completely.

"HE WHAAAAT??? Are you insane Tenten?! That couldn't possibly be true!" I glanced uphill, spotting Neji in the crowd. "He's...Well, he's Neji!" Disbelief clouded my thoughts.

"And I thought only girls acted like that around someone they like?"

Tenten shrugged. "How should I know why he acts like that? I'm only telling you what I saw and what I think it is. And you also have to consider the fact that I've been his teammate for years, so out of everyone here, I know him best." she insisted.

"Yeah, but I'm still finding it hard to swallow." I retorted dubiously.

I sighed. This had been a really long day.

"I guess I have to thank him for saving my damn life though. Would you mind doing that for me, Tenten? I don't want to give him, or anyone else for that matter, the wrong impression."

"Do you not like him?" Tenten asked curiously.

"Not in that way. At least, not for the moment." I looked back into the crowd thoughtfully, looking for Neji again.

"And also I can be super awkward around people of the opposite gender." I added with a small laugh. Which I instantly regretted after pain spiked through my chest.

"Well, if what Tenten said is true," Sakura started, "I don't think that the problem is going to resolve itself anytime soon."

"Why would you say that Sakura?" I asked.

"Neji is a pretty serious guy, and I've never known him to act this way, or like a girl for that matter. So if he does in-fact, like you in that way, he's probably pretty genuine and serious about it."

"I have to agree with Sakura on this one." Temari chimed in.

"Ugggh! Why do my relationships with the guys here have to be so complicated?" I complained to no one in particular, "Before I got here my life was so simple, I scared the crap out of the guys I knew and yelled at them enough to keep them away from me. And my dad also helped with the scaring part."

The four of us laughed.

It kind of felt good, just taking a moment to talk about normal teenage girl stuff. We were usually so busy with being ninja and going on missions, that we didn't have time to be and act like the adolescents we were.

I took the opportunity.

When the laughing died down, I asked them, "Hey, would you guys like to come over to my apartment sometime? We could play some games and talk about girly things and do some girly stuff. I think we've all deserved a little time to relax. Don't you think?"

"Sure!" Sakura replied.

"That's a second from me!" Tenten said.

Temari shrugged, "If the chunin exams are still a go, then I'm sure I could take a little time off while I'm there."  She winked.

Temari and Sakura walked back into the crowd, leaving me and Tenten to our own thoughts.

And in that moment I realized just how hungry I was.

============================There you go! Now you guys know that I'm awkward around guys...

Ahem.

I really want to thank everyone who's read this far, it really makes me happy to know that I'm entertaining other people besides myself. :)