"Every time I say that life cannot get any worse, life replies "Challenge accepted"

-Anonymous

Chapter 6

Challenge accepted

"I was in a house. A very tidy house in the country side. The curtains were yellow and the walls were a sorry excuse for a blue. Yes the house was tidy but it wasn't going to last long. Only a tiny earthquake would be able to break it down. But that didn't surprise me. A granny was sitting at the porch of the house at an old, forgotten by everyone as it seemed, chair. She was sipping her coffee quietly listening at the birds and looking at the trees and the nature ahead. The granny finished her coffee stood up and suddenly the room changed. Mirrors were surrounding me, but they weren't reflecting my image… they were reflecting the granny… as I got closer to one of them the granny suddenly dropped dead. I saw a familiar necklace hanging on her aged neck…"

I breathed heavily as my eyes shot open at once. I was drenched in cold sweat and I was feeling a bit nauseous. I was going to vomit. That was how I was going to die? Old and forgotten by the rest of the world? I certainly did not want that. The talk I had with Ino the other day had me thinking. She was right. I felt lonely. How did I not noticed it before? Does that mean I am some king of depressed? That I need a shrink?

I panicked and started crying in the middle of the night. I didn't even know what time it was I didn't know where I was. I was lonely. My whole life I had been lonely. My pillow was wet in seconds.

I am lonely. But I cannot help myself. It's not my fault that I couldn't love anyone… it just never came. My life is like a dessert while my friend's life is like the jungle. There is no other way to describe it.

After I finished with my outburst I took a good look at the mirror. My reflection was at least frightening. I had red puffy eyes, wild and uncontrollable blond hair, pink cheeks and red nose, yeah exactly my description. The electric clock beside me begged me to take a look.

5:30 just great.

I knew I couldn't sleep anymore so I made myself some coffee and went to my art room with Mr. Henry to watch the ships and the sea. It calmed me a bit.

My weasel purred against my arm. Just a kind reminder that he will always be by my side and never leave me. He was indeed a very loveable and extraordinary pet to have.

I decided to do something I never had done before. I putted on my sneakers and my hair in a lone ponytail and I walked out the door running. I started slowly and then I picked up my pace till my lungs burned and begged me to stop. The landscape was beautiful in the morning. I just loved the sea and the early sun against my bare skin, the breeze was refreshing. It felt really good. I decided to do it every time, I liked it plus it was healthy. I headed slowly home.

Time flew by and before I knew it, it was 7:00. I blasted the radio on with Lana Del Rey, just another melancholic tone added, and proceeded to take a long hot bath to wash out all my stress and signs that I had been actually, me Temari no Sabaku, crying. We don't want to erase the image of the hardcore bitch off of everyone's minds now do we?

I threw on some jeans a black Rolling Stones t-shirt and my boots, grabbed my bag and headed towards my favorite café.

The traffic was bearable. I parked outside and made my way in. I saluted Naruto with a nod and sat with Ino, at our favorite spot. I was really surprised to find her already sitting there. She usually didn't show up this early, I always had to wait for her.

She shot up the moment she saw me and fell desperately into my arms. I hugged her tightly. Something was terribly off. I didn't like that. I didn't like that at all.

"Hey, Tem. You have no idea how glad I am to see you. I- I just don't know from where to begin…" she started kind of awkwardly; she was on the edge of tears. Her eyes red and her whole figure somewhat neglected, so unlike her usual self. The Ino I know would never go out like this. Not that there was something wrong, she just seemed ordinary.

"From the beginning sweetheart, take it slow" I said in a calming voice. It was so clear that she needed a friend. I sat down in a chair and made a sign to Naruto to bring me the usual.

"You see, yesterday I stayed in Sai's place. After we were done doing you-know-what I felt so content so happy and I wanted so much to show him, so I told him. I told him I loved him… "She hiccupped and swallowed hard.

"That's good. Continue..." I nodded at her.

"A- And he just stayed silent. He didn't say a thing. Not a sound… he doesn't love me back Temari…" By the time she just couldn't hold her tears anymore. Ino was a very sentimental person but this has the first time I saw her actually crying over a boy, yeah, sure, all the other times was like the apocalypse had come but this was different. This was true.

"You want to know what I think, because sure as hell Sai loves you, I believe you just scared him Ino, I have seen how he looks at you. The other guys were looking at you like some kind of meat they just have to eat. I think you just scared him. I mean, how long have you been together? A month? Three weeks? So just stop worrying and crying and wait for him to respond. Okay? I'm sure he will try to get things straight"

She smiled a big and true smile that reached her ears. I smiled at her too. I just couldn't cope with a sad Ino.

"You think so?" She exclaimed enthusiastic.

"Definitely sweetheart" and then I remembered that I had ordered a cappuccino 15 minutes ago. Damn that Naruto, he can be so forgetful sometimes.

"NARUTO, WHERE IS MY DAMN CAPPUCCINO?" I yelled at him, cursing inside. I needed a coffee and it was about time to go.

"Ohhhh shit, COMINGGG" He yelled back. Just as I thought he had indeed forgotten all about it.

About a minute later he came with Ino's tea and my lovely coffee. He flashed us one of his usual "Good morning sunshine" grins. If I had to resemble him with something it would be the sun.

"Hey girlie, I added some honey to your tea so it could brighten up your day and make your eyes a bit brighter. Cheer up will you? Life is a wonderful thing" He nudged at Ino still smiling.

"Thanks Naruto, Hinata is so lucky" She thanked him gratefully. Yup, that's Naruto for you.

Now, enough with all the diddling dandling. It's time to get to work.

Ino and I walked in the company's building like a boss. The automatic doors opened up and we strolled in with such confidence. Like a movie.

We get to the studio to change into nice clothes and put on our fake smiles to enchant the readers of whatever magazine we are selling our photos to. Yup. That is capitalism for you.

But I'm not complaining. I like my shoes and my apartment and basically my so called life but… is this really all there is to it. Sometimes I feel like I am being held captive from the things I own.

If my brown leather sofa is going to burn I know that I would be really sad because first it was so hard to find the particular sofa and second it was like I had a problem solved.

My life is full of problems so I had taken care of the sofa thing. But then it gets burned. Now I have to look for a new sofa. What's the point of that actually? It's not like I am going to die if I don't get another sofa.

Suddenly a Fight club quote jumped into my mind "Things you own end up owning you" and Tyler Durden is right once again. Why would I want to be sad over a sofa?

I took a good look around me. Models running like crazy, getting their hair and make-up done. My fellow co-workers. Is this really what I want to do in the rest of my life? I sure liked the idea at first. Fast money that's what I used to call it.

But that wasn't the original plan. This, all of this, wasn't me.

Several days now I am looking blankly at my canvas in my dusty art room. It seems like I have run out of inspiration, out of ideas. Out of life.

What happened to me? How long have I been asleep without even sleeping? The nightmare of loneliness started hunting and choking me again.

"Temari my beautiful darling, if you just hurry up we might get this shit done and go rest. So put the damn clothes on ok?" Lee snapped me out of my personal torture.

"Be there in a bit, and would you stop stressing me out like this?" I back-talked him.

"Yeah yeah whatever. Like you are indeed stressing out." He pointed out jokingly.

"Shhhhh. That's my excuse for being late you silly." I said in a fake mysterious and secretive voice.

"Hahahahaha. You sure as hell have no idea how to lie Temari-Chan" He said while I was stepping out wearing a 50's style dress and some polished pointed heels.

"Well I believe you have the cover guaranteed with that thing on." Ten-ten came out of the blue and gave me one big bear hug that filled me with love. Now I remember why I stayed so long. Smelling her perfume and having her messy hair in my face I understood that these girls became my family.

"Yeah right Tennie. Keep complementing me like that and when I don't succeed you will be the one accompanying me when I would cry and get sulky." I nudged her jokingly. She was wearing a similar dress to mine and had her hair down in curls. Some eyeliner and a bright fire-red lipstick completed the pin-up look perfectly.

"Well, sorry to interrupt you girls, but Temari if you don't go to get your hair and makeup done within 3 seconds I will call Tsunade and she will not be happy dealing with all this. Vite vite dear, vite vite." Lee threatened me.

"Oh I was about to go, relax a bit, will you? " I replied cockily.

"Just do it"

I sat next to Sakura while I was waiting my hair to get fixed. She had a huge grin plastered on her face and her green eyes were shining brightly.

"What is up with you dear Pinkie? I bet that redhead hottie did his job well" I nudged her.

"Come on Tem. Would you just stop pestering me? His name is Sasori by the way and he is so awesome. He is interested in puppets like your brother, Kankuro. So charming and elegant. He seems so harsh but I think he is really sentimental." She got dreamy over him with hearts instead of eyes and the usual pink tinted cheeks.

Adios bitchatchos dear Sasuke. Officially.

I smiled at that. "Hey care to fill me up on the galleries events?" I asked so kindly.

"Of course. Tem I want to thank you again for what you did. I just needed someone so much and you've been there for me. So thank you. I hope I can make it up to you sometimes." She said looking at me dead in the eye.

"You are my friend Sakura. I couldn't leave you like that. But I'm glad you appreciated it." I smiled gratefully. "So, how did you meet the mysterious redhead, puppet lover guy?"

"Well after you left me I went to the bar to get a glass of champagne and I was about to go out to get some more fresh air before getting back on. Well then we kind of bumped into another and he offered to take me out. He seemed cute so I accepted of course and for the next ten minutes I was having real fun you know? I forgot all about Sasuke and it was nice. We talked about many things but then we saw everyone backing away forming a circle and we thought someone was hurt or there was a fight happening and we went to check it out to find that it was actually you with that Shikamaru guy," at that point I started blushing like a mad man. "You danced oh so passionately, really Tem, you were amazing, and then Sasori asked me out." She finished her story still smiling.

Well, at least something good came out of that gallery event.

Oh not only that my dear, did you forget the talk you and I had the other day, I am absolutely sure he fancies you and the feeling is mutual. Wonderful!

Will you shut up? Maybe I like him but I am only sexually attracted to him, nothing deeper you know?

Yeah yeah just when you get the chance just accept his offer and then I'll just stand by and watch how much deeper he can get.

Psh like that would ever happen!

Wait and see dear, wait and see…

Just shut up.

I don't know how but it seemed like my inner voice, my inside instinct, was right. I don't even know the guy so well. Usually I am not superficial but when you have some "James Dean material" you can't resist. You just have to take a bite.

"TEMARI" Ino shouted all of a sudden.

"Yeah sugar foot, what's the matter again?" I asked faking a bored face.

"Sai texted me and wants me to go to dinner with him" She announced excited! Damn right I was correct once again! Maybe I should do this for a living. Love counselor. Why not? It sure has a nice ring to it.

"See? I told you not to worry! Gosh, if could I would've hugged you but I can't since Hanna is working on my hair" I said smiling.

"Yeah I can feel your satisfied aura from over here thank you very much" Oh the irony! She should be the one satisfied with the results! I'll just let that pass…

"Oh and Tema-bear, forgot to mention that you are eating at my house tonight!" I guess I just might not let this one pass though!

Thanks for asking Ino! Really appreciate it…. What am I going to do with her case? Sometimes I even wonder why I still hang around with her. I guess I just can't help it.

I turned to give her a piece of my mind but she was already gone. Damn, that manipulative bitch!

My phone rang as I was getting ready for Ino's so called dinner. I don't want to go, I'm scared. Seriously. She is so up to something and I don't like it. I didn't like it from the moment she promised me to make it up. And if my conscience is right, Shikamaru will be there… and I just don't want to see his smugly smirk nor his arrogant attitude.

I've done her a favor and this is how she is paying me back? What a nice friend!

It was Ino. Like always.

"What do you want?" I replied harshly, venom dripping from my mouth.

"Jeez don't be so rude! Dress nice! Byeee" I'll kill her.

I parked my car outside and proceeded in the mansion. The Yamanaka family was plutocratic, anyone could see that! Yet they still had their way of saying don't mess with us, they didn't shout it unlike some other bastards I know of.

I wore an elegant, sexy, backless black dress. My hair were wavy and not in their usual four ponytails. My characteristic ruby red lipstick, some golden jewelry and my classic Christian Louboutin black heels were accompanying the look. Yeah I like the whole "Elegance is a silent lady" theme. I prefer to be charming and sexy over flashy and conspicuous.

I rang the bell and waited for Ino to go all hyperactive on me.

The door slowly opened but it revealed hawk-like eyes and a man figure. The voice that blew me away from the moment I heard it first rung clearly through my ears.

"Hello there my lady, Ino was so excited over your arrival" he said so simply offering me his arm. Such a gentleman! Who did he think he was fooling anyway? I grabbed it and intertwined it with mine.

He was wearing a black suit with a black bow tie. He was cute. He looked sexy. He was so manly. Masculine jaw line and lean nose paired up with those exotic color-mixed eyes of his. I think I am completely absorbed by his presence once again.

He lead me down some halls I didn't even know existed and then through some doors. We reached the huge double mahogany door and before we entered he leaned down and whispered huskily in my ear,

"You look beautiful, forgot to mention" his arrogant smirk was on. I nudged him and opened the door casually turning around to face him one more time.

"Well that makes two of us" and with that I confidently stepped in the room. There was a gigantic wooden dining table, some leather couches and a wooden fireplace matching the dining table. Everybody was dressed elegantly in suits and some women even wore long gowns. Beautiful sight. Where was Ino actually?

I saw TenTen and Sakura talking to a few fellows among them Neji and Sasori, Sakura's new boy toy. I started walking towards them until two magenta eyes and a bulky figure blocked my way.

Shock.

"Hidan?"

A/N: Hey there guys! Long time no see huh? Well I am back and I want to thank everyone who reviewed the time I was gone or even read the story! Well I have some pretty good ideas now that I am back I am going to mold them into the story so just stick with me ok? :D

Thanks again to those who supported me =3

Kate (R&R)