Secrets in the Hidden Leaf

Chapter Thirteen: Jealousy

Sakura, Ino, and I stood away from the unconscious Shikamaru and Sasuke. Naruto, Lee, Neji, Shino, Kiba and Choji were talking in a group, probably about what had just happened. TenTen and Hinata were having a conversation of their own, they were glancing at me, to Sasuke, then to Shikamaru. I didn't like being spoken about, it reminded me of being in the Ame.

"Amaya-san?" Ino said, I turned to look back at her. "I have a question to ask you."

"No, I do." Sakura argued. The two girls gave each other glares, growling, and their fists were clenched tightly. They seemed to really dislike each other, from Naruto and TenTen, these girls had used to be best of friends. "Amaya--"

"Stop, trying to steal everything, Billboard Brow!" Ino snapped, angrily.

"I'm not trying at all, Ino-Pig!" Sakura growled back.

Even though I was getting a bit amused, I had to stop it. I stepped in front of the two girls, and pushed them farther away from each other. They were still glowering at each other, but they had calmed down. And together they yelled, "Do you like Sasuke-kun?!"

Everyone snapped their heads towards us, I felt my face redden and Iaughed darkly. "Me? Like Sasuke? I only like him as a friend." That was a lie, but I didn't want to be rivals with Sakura and Ino like they were now. Also, it would be embarrassing to admit that I do with what happened just recently.

Ino and Sakura looked a bit relieved, out from the corner of my eye I saw TenTen say something to Hinata. The Hyuga girl only responded with a shrug. "Y-You don't?" Ino asked, she seemed to believe it.

I shook my head in repsonse, "No, I don't like Uchiha Sasuke like that. Now if you excuse me, I'll be going to the ramen shop."

That seemed to have gotten Naruto's attention. "Oi! Can I come, dattebayo?"

"Of course, my treat." I replied, and walked as Naruto, TenTen, and Neji followed.

"Gah! I want to come!" Choji whimpered loudly, I turned around to let him come but he was watching Shikamaru with sad eyes. "But---"

At the same moment, Shikamaru and Sasuke jolted awake. My jutsu had been released and I sighed with slight relief. The mark on Sasuke seemed to have disappeared from his face and arms. Ino and Sakura ran over to Sasuke and was demanding if he was okay. On the other hand, Choji and Lee strode over to Shikamaru and helped him up. Shikamaru nodded at Choji and glanced my way, I gave him an apologetic glance and gestured him to come along.

He nodded, and walked with me. I didn't glance back at Sasuke, knowing he's already staring after me with those dark eyes of his.

I finished my second bowl of spicy ramen, glancing at Choji and Naruto who've finished their tenth bowl. Everyone else was protesting that I shouldn't pay for the whole thing but I insisted, I had enough money anyway. I rested my chin on my head and tapped my chopsticks onto my empty bowl, thinking about Sasuke's actions earlier. I was disappointed in him, somehow, but I couldn't put my finger on why I'm disappointed.

"Arigatou, Amaya-chan!" Lee shouted in happiness.

Naruto agreed and held his stomach, "Mmmm...this is good ramen, dattebayo!"

"I...want...more...but...I...am...too...full!" Choji exclaimed happily.

I laughed in response, and nodded to them. "You're all welcome."

"Are you sure you want to pay for all of this?" TenTen asked, she was looking at me concerned. "Naruto and Choji went a bit overboard, and this could be really expensive."

"I have enough money, thank you for your concern, TenTen-san." I responded, modestly. "My sister gives me money every week or so. And I save up, so I buy what I need."

Shikamaru chuckled, and set his chopsticks down. "Not to change the subject about money, but what happened? All I remembered was being attacked my Sasuke."

"Amaya-chan saved you, dattebayo!" Naruto announced, mercifully. "Well, kind of... she did this interesting jutsu where you two passed out suddenly."

Shikamaru glanced at me, a little lazily. "Really?"

Shikamaru also knew that I like Sasuke, but hearing this seemed to have surprised him even more. I shrugged at him, giving him a friendly smile. He smiled back, and I turned to the owner shop, everyone was finished eating-although Neji was just finishing up. I payed the owner, and he gave me a grin. We all exited, it was getting dark now, the sky was a dark blue, pink, orange and a bit of lavender. This was something to write about later, I could ask Kei to find my guitar or flute so I could play music.

"Well, my father will be looking for me..." Neji muttered. "Thank you again, Amaya-chan, for the food. Have a good night everyone..." Neji turned and left, just as Lee jumped onto Naruto's shoulders. Naruto flailed his arms and fell flat on his face.

"LEE, DATTEBAYO!" Naruto growled while getting up. "Nande?! Nande, dattebayo!"

Lee began to do squat thrusts. "I need to do my nightly training! And I thought you were stable enough for me to jump over you! Night everyone!" Lee sprinted out of sight, just as Naruto sprung where Lee was just exercising, Naruto frowned and just lied there looking up.

TenTen yawned, "I guess I should get going back home. Thank you, Amaya. Night night, everyone." TenTen waved and strolled home.

Everyone had to go home, and I was the only one left. I began to jog back to Kei's, knowing she'll be worried if I didn't come home the time I promised.

Still awake, I sat outside my balcony staring at the sky. I had my journal on my knee and my pen in my hand, I had wrote what happened today, it sent a shiver down my back at the memory. Almost all of my memories did that. I don't understand why Ino and Sakura had to ask if I liked Sasuke, I do, but yet I don't at the same time. He always seemed to change his mind about me, at times he's sweet and generous the next he's cold and doesn't want anything to do with me, making me partner up with Naruto instead.

That wasn't a problem, though. I needed distance from Sasuke, and ever since day one he's been with me. But it still confused me. I set my pen and journal aside and closed my eyes for a brief moment.

"Amaya."

I was so startled, I fell off my chair and held back a scream. I blinked and squinted to to see Sasuke, I stood up quickly, glaring at him. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm here to apologize." he told me, taking my hand in his. "And I need to talk to you...about us."