High Heels

Chapter 6: Secrets and Revelations

A/N: Obligatory smidge of backstory reveal.

--

"HE DID WHAT?" Sakura shrieked.

Tenten winced at the volume, but grinned nonetheless, and the two friends squealed happily.

"I can't believe you hid it from us for so long!" Ino exclaimed. "How long have you been together?"

"Ever since Christmas of eighth grade." She answered proudly.

"We're so happy for you, Tenten." Hinata smiled at her.

"That means you'll finally stop dancing around each other!" Sakura gasped. "Are you going as dates for prom?"

"We're...still talking about that." She laughed sheepishly. "We haven't yet gone public with our relationship. We want it to stay a secret until at least Friday night."

"Eeee, this is so much fun!" Ino cheered. "Ooh, we should doll you up extra pretty for your boyfriend!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Sakura nodded. "Give her the works this time. And I don't wanna hear any complaining from you, Tenten. You are gonna knock him so far off his feet that his head will be in the clouds even after he marries you!"

Tenten blushed red. "See, I knew I shouldn't have told you..." She grumbled.

"Oh, Tenten, it's okay." Hinata patted her shoulder. "At least my cousin's happy now."

"Yeah...if he's happy, I'm happy." A faint smile crossed her lips and a dreamy look was in her eyes.

"She's so lovestruck!" Ino whispered excitedly.

"Well, it is Thursday night. Tomorrow night's prom! And that means after that, you can be as lovey-dovey as you want." Sakura looked proud. "I always knew you'd get a boyfriend first."

"Wha- Oi!" Ino cried. "You doubted poor little old me?"

"Honestly, Ino..." Sakura looked her up and down. "...yes."

"I cannot believe you, Forehead." She exclaimed over-dramatically, putting a hand to her forehead and pretending to swoon. "Here I've put my faith in you for two years, and you repay me for this?"

"Lighten up, little Miss Dramatic." Sakura grinned. "Shikamaru's gonna be there, remember?"

"I know, I know. I'm just giving you a hard time." Ino hit her playfully. "Soooo, got anyone asking you to prom?"

"Who, me? Nah." Sakura shook her head with a scoff. "As if anybody'd ask me. For all they know, I'm at home studying Friday night."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot." Ino sighed. "Well, at least Shikamaru asked me. Though...he seemed pretty serious when he did. He said he had something to tell me tomorrow night."

"Weird..." Tenten frowned. "Couldn't he have told you today or something?"

"No, he said it had to wait for tomorrow night for some reason." Ino's face fell for a moment before brightening. "Maybe he's gonna ask me to go on vacay with him?"

"Girl, please. Now you're being presumptuous."

"I know. But isn't that the point?"

--

Sakura lay on her bed. The others were long gone, and she'd gotten into her pajamas a while ago. She frowned. "Something about this doesn't seem right...why couldn't Shikamaru have told Ino this big bad secret today? Is there a reason why he'd...?"

She gasped, shooting straight up. "Maybe he's cheating on her!"

"Maybe who's cheating on who?" Karin's voice came from her room, where she was working on homework.