Chapter 18: Is This What You Call a Happy Ending?

-&-

Tenten furiously flipped through every single page of the magazine she was holding, each flipping with such force that it tore the page until the magazine was in shreds.

FLIP.

TEAR.

FLIP.

TEAR.

"Tenten," Hinata said, worriedly, "are you alright?"

"NEJI," she said shortly, "IS A CONCEITED EGOMANIAC who as NOTHING in common with me except we'd like to KILL EACH OTHER!"

"W-What happened?"

Tenten narrowed her eyes.

"He came at my door this morning to apologize- or I THOUGHT he was going to apologize, when all of a sudden- he slams a pie right in my face! And not just those dough-y ones- those stick icing ones where it takes you a frickin' three hours to get out of your hair! AND some got in my eyes and now they're all bloodshot!"

Tenten shoved her face in front of Hinata's to emphasize the redness of her retinas.

"O-Okay…"

Tenten sighed.

"I don't know- sometimes I think Neji's really sweet and such a gentlemen…"

She slammed her fist into the ground.

"…until he turns into some backstabbing, pranking, son of a—"

"I get the point."

"Right."

The brunette blew her hair out of her face and landed on the couch. "Are you going to the masquerade ball tonight?"

Hinata didn't answer- just blushed.

"Oh…" Tenten said slyly. "You ARE?!"

"N-Naruto asked me yesterday."

Tenten grinned, and then sighed.

"At least some romances go right."

Hinata gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sure you and Neji will—"

"Eh, I hate that guy," Tenten said, bluntly, waving her hand. Hinata sweatdropped and picked up her purse, a brilliant idea springing upon her.

"I-I have to go somewhere- but maybe I'll see you tonight? At the ball?"

Tenten snorted. "Not likely."

Yeah.

Not likely.

-&-

"Oooooooooooooowwww…"

"Geez- how much wine did you DRINK?!"

"Oooooooooooooowwww…"

"Seriously- GET A GRIP!"

"Oooooooooooooowwww…"

BONK.

"SHOOT! NARUTO! I HAVE A KILLER HANGOVER AND THAT IS NOT HELPING!"

Sasuke was vomiting everything he had eaten and drank from last night into a bucket and towel. And Naruto's punch just then did not make it any better.

"Gross…"

Naruto rolled his eyes and pressed an icepack to his friend's head.

"No loud noises, please," Sasuke groaned.

DING DONG.

"DAMN IT!" Sasuke cried, falling to the floor. "I'm soooo dead…ugh…"

Naruto looked at Neji. "Can you get the door?"

"Sure."

Neji got up and opened the front door to face a very shy-looking Hinata.

"Hinata?"

"H-Hey."

Neji stared.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were anti-social."

Hinata flushed.

"Um…Tenten was looking for you," she fibbed.

Neji raised an eyebrow.

"Tenten?"

"Yes."

Okay, this was weird. He hadn't talked to his cousin in years because they hated each other…or so he thought…and now the girl he hates was to talk to him?

Weird.

"Oh, and I heard about Sasuke's hangover- this should help."

Hinata handed him a can of PediaSure.

(A/N: PediaSure is kind of like this sweet milk stuff that supposedly has a lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber and it's supposed to help hangovers. I wouldn't know though- I just read it somewhere…)

Neji stared again.

"Uh…thanks."

"S-So Tenten should be by here later on."

"Fine."

Hinata fled from the doorstep. Hopefully, her brilliant plan didn't go awry.

Yup, that was pretty weird.

"Who was that?" Naruto chirped as Neji closed the front door.

"Cousin," Neji said, monotonously, tossing a can at Sasuke. "Drink it up. It's supposed to help."

Sasuke downed the can in one gulp.

"Eh…maybe a little."

Naruto stared as Neji turned and walked out the front door.

-&-

"Okay, we're at the store, now. You don't have to squeal in protest anymore, geez. How about this dress?"

"Um…"

"This one?"

"N-No."

"This one?"

"NO!"

"Oh my GOD! THIS ONE! YES!"

"NO!"

Sakura frowned as she dropped the rather short cut pink dress she had been holding in her hands.

"No offense, Hinata, but you're sort of pale. We can't get you a white dress, and we definitely can't get you a black one either. They contrast so much- but that blows because your hair's almost black and your eyes are almost white."

"Um…how about something more simple? Like—"

"RED! Naruto would LOVE you in red!"

"…more like orange."

"EW! HINATA IS NOT GOING TO WEAR AN ORANGE DRESS TO THE BALL."

Even though they were kind of insulting Naruto, Hinata had to agree. If she wore orange with her black hair- it'd be like Halloween.

Sakura placed a finger on her lip, still thinking.

"How about…yellow?"

"Ew! Like, laser yellow?"

"No…something soft. Buttercream…daisy…pale?"

Tenten pulled a chiffon dress off the rack. "This one?"

"That's good!"

Hinata considered as she held the dress in front of her, looking in the mirror.

"This could work…" she said, swaying around.

"HECK yes it could work! You look so hot that—"

"I think you should stop before she faints of embarrassment," Tenten said, bemusedly.

Sakura smiled. "You look really nice, though, Hinata."

"Thank you," she replied quietly.

"Hey, Sakura?"

"Yes?"

Tenten folded her arms.

"You may be putting on this whole cheerful mask right now, but something's bothering you- care to share?"

Hinata raised an eyebrow. Sakura blinked.

"Nothing's wrong."

"Sure."

"Really," Sakura shrugged.

"Sasuke lives right next to you," Tenten pointed out. "We know you know he got drunk."

"Wait- what makes you think that I even know that you know I know he got drunk?!"

"Because Naruto says Hinata knows that Sasuke got drunk so that must mean that you know something we don't know about you knowing that Sasuke got drunk."

"…"

"Huh?"

"Whatever," Tenten said hastily, not really knowing what she'd just said either. "Just spill."

Sakura rolled her eyes. Might as well.

Turning around slightly, she spotted a box of wigs in the corner.

"Excuse me," she asked the sales clerk, getting an idea, "how much are those?"

"Free- they're out of season and we're getting a new shipment soon."

Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"Free? Really?"

"Sakura- what are you planning?"

Sakura disappeared behind a curtain, with an armful of wigs.

Hinata blinked, suddenly remembering something.

"Tenten! My cousin wants to meet you! Right now!"

Tenten looked at her for a moment and burst out laughing.

"Neji? Wants to see me? Yeah right- he probably rigged the door or something—"

"Tenten!" Hinata said earnestly. "I think he really sounded apologetic- you should go see him! Really!"

Tenten shrugged.

"I'll think about it."

But Hinata had had enough. Taking her purse, she whacked Tenten in the arm with surprising force and the girl stared at her like she was crazy.

"Hinata! Ow!"

"GO!"

"Ow- okay, okay…!"

Never defy the demands of a shy girl gone aggressive.

-&-

An hour later, while Hinata sorted through the dress she had bought, the doorbell rang.

She opened the door, learning to be precautious at first.

"HelloOOOEEEEEEEKKKK!"

Hinata slapped a hand over her mouth and blushed in embarrassment.

Naruto stood in the doorway, raising his eyebrow.

"Hinata?"

"S-Sorry…"

Naruto coughed slightly, shifting nervously from foot to foot. It was awkward.

"Um…here."

Sticking out his hand, he shoved a box in her open palms.

It was a corsage- half dead, and surprisingly, orange.

Hinata was at a loss for words as Naruto rambled on.

"Orange's my favorite color," Naruto explained. "And I bought a whole bunch and dyed them- you know by sticking them in orange water, but then I had used orange dye, which kills flowers, so even though they all turned out pretty bad, this one was the best, and what I'm trying to say, or ask you, is maybe, if you still wanted to er, go to the Mas—"

"Yes!" Hinata yelped, then clapping her hands over her mouth again.

Naruto blinked.

"Really?"

Hinata cautiously opened the box and took out the dead orange corsage. It limped sadly in her palm.

"Er…I can buy you a better one now, if you want- this one's a little—"

"A-Actually," Hinata stammered, "I'd like to wear this one."

Naruto blinked as Hinata slid the flower over her wrist, examining.

"Thanks, Hinata."

-&-

Tenten was stopped by a surveyor as she set step on Hyuga's property.

"Excuse me?" she asked.

The surveyman was young- probably no older than twenty.

"Yes, miss. Just a little survey- no harm at all. And I'll even throw in some extra tickets for the movie premiere coming up on—"

"That's alright," Tenten said, uneasily. "I'm just here to see someone."

"No, no. I assure you- just this way and it'll take just ten minutes."

"I said n—"

"WHAT are you doing on my property?"

Tenten looked up to see Neji, standing in his doorway, glaring at the surveyman standing too close for comfort near Tenten. She took the opportunity to skip away and Neji walked forward, picking up the surveyman by the collar.

"Get off the sidewalk. I don't want to see your face here again, or I'm calling the police."

The poor surveyman ran away.

Neji blinked and then hurriedly cleared his throat. "Oh. You're here."

Tenten narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

Neji blinked.

"What do I want? What doyou want?"

"You're the one who wanted to see me."

"You're the one who wanted to see me."

"Oh, stop being an egomaniac and just spit out whatever you wanted to tell me."

"What are you taking about?! YOU stop being so stubborn!"

"YOU!"

"No, YOU!"

Tenten drew back, ready to bite his head off.

"WHY did you call me out for?!"

"YOU'RE the one who called ME out!"

"DID NOT!"

"DID TOO!"

"Who told you to come here?!"

"Who told you to come here?!"

"Hinata," they both said at the exact same time.

Both sets of eyes widened and then narrowed.

"Wow…I never knew she was such a sly little—"

"Me neither."

A beat passed.

Tenten took quick advantage.

"Whatever- I'll bet you were pleased to see me at your door."

"More like disgusted."

"Denial, I see."

"Am not!"

"Are so!"

Neji leaned forward. "I wouldn't want to see your face if you were the last animal on earth!"

"Sure you wouldn't," Tenten smirked. "I saw the way you looked at me when I first came."

"Whatever," Neji said, falling deeper and deeper into the game.

"Admit it, Neji. You LIKE me!" Tenten was surprised at the gall she suddenly had.

"DO NOT!"

They both sounded like children.

"Yes, you do! THAT'S why you almost beat up that survey guy earlier! You were…JEALOUS!"

Tenten almost screamed out the last part.

Neji mock gasped.

"I WAS NOT!"

"Yes you were! You were JEALOUS!"

"I WAS NOT!"

Tenten took a daring step near him and smirked.

"Prove it."

And that was how Neji wound up grabbing her by the shoulders and kissing her on the lips- not totally the dreamy fairy tale kiss Tenten had yearned for forever, but still pretty romantic.

Tenten was half dazed and half thrilled.

They both made a mental note to thank and/or strangle Hinata later on.

-&-

Masquerade Ball, School Gym

"I can believe you made me come," Sasuke grumbled, hands stuffed in the pockets of his tuxedo.

Naruto walked over cheerfully, snapping a Masquerade mask over his blonde head. He handed on to Sasuke, who ignored him.

"Dude- your hangover's done with," Naruto said, "We force fed you twelve cans of PediaSure- you're alive and kicking."

"I still don't know why we're here," Sasuke grumbled again.

Naruto looked at him.

"Don't tell me you forgot my whole 'MISSION' speech."

"Who could? You said the word 'mission' about thirty times."

Naruto snorted. "It was only seven, for your information."

"Whatever."

"Remember," Naruto said, pulling him down to a whisper, "when I wink at you, that's when the plan begins."

"Hn."

"Plus," Naruto added, "since tonight is when we pull the plan that could very well get us kicked out of school, we might as well party the night away!"

He scampered off through the crowd to find Hinata.

Sasuke grumbled. The blonde dorkus maximus had a date- even Neji had a date…and here he was, stuck with his own shadow and a juice cup for company.

Until-

"Excuse me," said a voice.

Sakura!

Sasuke's head snapped up at the familiarity, but with disdain…he successfully concluded that this girl wasn't Sakura at all.

She blinked at him, confused.

"Are you okay?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Sure."

The girl had gently curled brown hair and bright green eyes hidden behind a feathered mask that matched her dress. Did she even go to their school? He'd never seen her before.

"You know," she said, "a guy like you shouldn't be sitting by the punch table all night. Don't you have a date?"

"No."

"Well, what about your friends?"

"They're with their own dates."

The girl stared at him, and then held out a hand.

"Want to dance?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her.

"No."

The girl simply sat down next to him.

"I know you're Uchiha Sasuke," she said, bluntly. He raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"All your pranks. You're quite notorious."

"Thanks."

The girl smiled coolly at him. "And I know about Haruno Sakura too."

Sasuke shot out of his chair and gaped at her.

"W-W-What are you talking about?!"

The girl waved a hand airily.

"I've seen you around- and everyone knows about the pranks going between your group and hers."

"Hn."

"Anyways, I'm Sana," she said, smiling at him.

Sasuke sat down, tense.

"So," Sana said, twiddling her fingers, and trying to make small talk. "Any plans for the future?"

"Does the hospital count?"

Sana blinked at him. "The hospital?"

"Yeah- I'd probably get beat up by Sakura so bad the next time I see her, I'll be half- dead."

Sana looked at him a moment longer before bursting into laughter. Sasuke raised his eyebrow. She laughed…at his lame joke?

Sana wiped a tear from her eye. "Sorry- I guess, in my situation, I probably understood that better than—er…nevermind."

Sasuke looked at her. "Situation?"

"Nothing, nothing."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Sana seemed…uncomfortable.

"Do you want to dance?" she asked again.

"No."

"I bet you'd dance with Sakura," Sana said, playfully.

Sasuke glared at her.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I know you like her and everything, but—"

"I do NOT like her!" Sasuke retorted.

"Sure."

"I DON'T!"

Sana's look was so appraised that Sasuke crumbled.

"Okay…maybe a little bit."

Sana swallowed.

"Really?"

"Sometimes," Sasuke muttered, "I just wonder if she'd hate me for liking her. After all I did."

Sana's mouth was partly opened and she snapped it shut.

"I-I don't think she would be."

"Really?"

"Not at all."

Sasuke cocked his head.

"Besides," Sana continued, "she whooped your butt in most of the pranks, so you don't need to feel bad."

Disregarding how she knew that, Sasuke flared up.

"WHATEVER! I totally owned her with the concrete bucket!"

"Sure. And the duck-on-forehead didn't hurt."

Sasuke growled. "I still have a scar from that…"

Sana had gotten dangerously close to Sasuke and he blinked.

"So, you think you're better than her?"

"Yes."

The girl leaned forward so they were nearly three inches apart.

"Well, Sasuke," she said, mischievously, "think again."

It took quite a lot of willpower for Sasuke not to yell as the girl pulled off her curly brown hair in one swoop to reveal nothing other than the color Sasuke had been dying to see all night.

Pink had never before looked so beautiful.

"S-S-S-S-S-" he sputtered.

She raised her eyebrow. "Already've forgotten my name? I'm surprised, Sasuke, you fell a little deeper into that than I expected."

Sasuke could still not get his words out. Sakura continued talking.

"And, nothing personal, but your corsage is a little…feminine for tastes, if you ask me. Something red would have been a little nicer to your—"

"SAKURA!" he managed to gasp out.

"…yes," she said, slowly.

"Y-Y-YOU'RE SANA!"

Sakura stared at him. How dense could he get?

"Um…yes…"

"S-S-SO YOU HEARD EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT- ABOUT YOU!"

"Yes."

"A-A-A-AND THE DUCK?!"

"Yes."

Sasuke struggled to breathe for a moment, and then regained his form.

"Well…uh…"

"Um…" Sakura started.

"What I'm trying to say," she said, quietly, "is, I'm sorry. For…overreacting and everything. And I heard you while I was drunk, so, I know you wanted it to be harmless, but I'm really okay now."

Sasuke nodded numbly.

"Plus," she sighed. "I couldn't resist seeing your face as I kicked your butt at pranks again."

Sasuke growled. "Haruno…"

And then, he spotted Naruto.

He winked. It was the signal.

Sasuke stood up quickly, grabbing her wrist. "Let's dance," he said, gruffly.

"Huh?"

Sasuke practically ran to the center of the room, dragging her along.

"LET THE MISSION BEGIN!" came Naruto's yell. He was already onstage, a microphone in his hand, and a confused and scared Hinata in his arms. "PULL, NEJI!"

The Hyuga (who had managed to get his arm around Tenten) tugged on a rope dangling from the side of the stage.

And all hell broke loose.

The entire student body screamed as the ceiling fire sprinklers literally exploded- water flooding the entire room and everything in it. Girls and their dates ran out the exits for dry cover, and the few that stayed were now dancing happily in the "rain".

Naruto was whooping out of delight, shaking his wet hair out his eyes. Turning to a drenched Hinata, he grinned. Hinata flushed as he wiped a few strands of her hair out of her face and then kissed her.

Quite passionately.

And Neji would have done the same if Tenten hadn't jumped him already, so that was all settled.

But not for our final couple…

"Well, you just ruined my night," Sakura said, sarcastically, shaking her wet hair from her face, but beaming.

"This prank was supposed to make you mad," Sasuke deadpanned.

"I don't think that worked," Sakura whispered, drawing him closer.

"JUST KISS HER ALREADY!" Naruto yelled as he danced with Hinata. He sweatdropped. Loud as always.

Sasuke smirked and leaning forward, he kissed Sakura lightly on the lips. She smiled, wrapping an arm around his neck.

It was a perfect ending.

Almost.

SQUEAK.

"AUUUUUUUUUUUUGHHHHH!"

Fin.

Yeah, I guess some people can guess what happened at the end. If not, refer back to chapter nine.

Wow, guys. I can't thank you enough with putting up with my slackitude and procrastination. I READ ALL OF YOUR REVIEWS AND THEY KEPT ME GOING! I love you all, and I sincerely hope you will continue reading my other stories. Another story, another ending, albeit rushed. This fic was just purely for the crack and humor that came from my nonthinking fingertips.

Special thanks to Cat- who drew that duck scene. And for being my bestest friend.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Please leave your last thoughts on this story!

-aNdreaa