Happy Birthday Temari

by: FreyaLin

She didn't really know how much he would change her. He was the first guy who has ever made her so happy and sad at the same time.

"Maybe, it just wasn't meant to be," she muttered to no one and sighed a ghastly breath.

"Why do I feel so empty?" She walked passed a restaurant filled with the joyous laughter of the young Konoha villagers. "Why can't I be like them; happy like there's nothing in this world but me and my happiness?" She kept on walking towards the 5TH hokage's office. That was the only reason for her to come to the village in the first place. She didn't have any reason to come and visit, well not anymore.

"Thank you, Temari-chan, for your time," Tsunade smiled. "I heard your next mission is around 5 years long. Good luck on that." she crossed her fingers under her chin and smiled.

"Thank you," Temari bowed and turned around towards the door to leave. Just then, he walked into the room. She gasped silently. Now of all places, why? She thought to herself and forced a smile.

"Hey Shikamaru," she waved as she walked passed him. She noticed Ino walk into the room as well. Seems like they're getting along just fine, she thought bitterly. Don't get her wrong, she's cool with Ino and all, but that fact that Shikamaru chose Ino over her was a bit unnerving. She walked over to her hotel pondering her situation; loving someone who didn't love her back.

"What now?" She thought aloud sitting inside her room. Tomorrow she would be able to leave Konoha for good, but for now she had a lot of time to kill before she could sleep. There was a knock on the door, fortunately someone decided to help her kill time.

"Come in."

"Temari-san!" It was Hinata and the gang.

"What's with all of this?" she saw each one of them holding a blanket and a pillow.

"A sleep over silly," Sakura chimed in.

"But it's not even sundown yet."

"So? That doesn't mean we can't have fun in the mean time," Tenten retorted and set her things to the ground. "So, how have you been Temari?" Temari then nodded towards Sakura and Hinata, silently stating that she didn't want them to hear what she was about to say. Tenten catching her drift pleaded, "Hey Hinata, Sakura could you do me a huge favor? I forgot to tell Neji that I'll be spending the day here, could you tell him for me?"

"Why don't you tell him yourself?" Sakura whined and pouted. Tenten just kept on smiling in hopes that Sakura would give in, luckily she did. "Alright, but you owe me big time for this!" with that she stormed off causing Hinata to stumble behind her. Temari and Tenten sweat dropped.

"So as you were saying?" Tenten turned and faced her. Temari smiled. That's just like Tenten, straight and to the point, one of the reasons why I trust her so much.

"Well, aside from my next 5 year mission, nothing new. Same old news and same old feelings as always…" she half smiled and looked down. Tenten frowned.

"I see, well from what I've heard until now, it seems like you are building up your hopes that one day he'll come back to you, which is hurting you now in the process. I don't think it's wise to continue this angst any further or you'll get sucked in deeper." Tenten said a matter-of-factly. Temari just nodded, half of her understood while the other hated Tenten for saying that, and she herself hates that part the most.

"What if you can't stop building it? I mean, it's like the only thing I have left," she mumbled.

"Well, you've got to at least try. When you are truly ready and when you really want to get over him, you will," she smiled and hugged her. "No matter what, you have to keep being yourself and never forget that you are the only one who truly matters. Meaning, don't give in to self-pity just because you didn't get the guy you wanted." She giggled as a pillow was thrown her way.

"You know so much…it seems like you've experienced this many times before," Temari looked up at Tenten and saw her smile.

"You have no idea," she laughed and hit Temari back with another pillow. "Like I say, 'things always happen for a reason' and this dilemma is happening to prep you up for something bigger that's going to pass."

"But what if you are tired of waiting for something to pass?" she sighed again, for the hundredth time.

"Enough with the 'what ifs', we need to go partying and dance your sorrows away!" Tenten smiled and got hit on the head with a second pillow.

"You were right, Tenten. I feel much better than I did before. But I still can't forget him," Temari said falling into bed. They had a wild night of drinking and partying. Many guys looked her way, but she didn't notice or rather she was in her little bubble of Shikamaru to notice anything else.

"Hey, I never told you to forget him-don't. Just understand you're position and learn to accept it. Only then will you be able to move on." Tenten slurped and giggled.

"You sound like a fortune cookie," Sakura laughed and threw a pillow at her, which then resulted in a pillow fight. Couple of hours later the pillow fest ended and everyone excluding Temari was asleep.

She was still preoccupied about her whole Shikamaru situation. I wonder if I should tell him that I love him. I know it's too late now, but for some reason I just want to tell him before I leave and never see him until later…much later.

The next morning went by fast, everyone was cleaning her room and whispering about for some reason Temari didn't know.

"Thanks for the clean up girls but why are you guys setting up the tables and why are you guys decorating?"

"For your birthday. You think we'd forget?" Tenten laughed. Today was her birthday? She didn't know until she looked at the calendar.

"Oh my god," she muttered, she'd forgotten her own birthday.

"And this is also for your next 5 year mission," Hinata smiled and blushed. "Sorry, if you didn't want one but we really want to show you how much we'll miss you." Temari was in awed by her Konoha friends. She felt so lucky to have friends like them.

"Even after 5 years, you'll still be in Sunagakure so we'll never see you in sometime," Sakura stated twirling a tape in her hand. "So this is for memories!"

"So just sit down and accept it!" Tenten pushed her down and began working again.

After about and hour or so people began coming in. She was surprises that everyone seemed to have a gift for her. Then there was cake and a wish. I wish that even after I'm gone Shikamaru won't forget me. She blew out her candle that stated 20 hoping that her wish would come true. Finally she was able to leave Konoha. Looking back on the gifts she had received the one that kept replaying in her head was Shikamaru's gift. And all he gave her was a CD.

"Maybe he mixed some songs for me," she said to herself, jumping from tree to tree. When she finally got home she popped the CD into her computer. Opening the CD, she saw that there was a picture and a note. Clicking on the picture first, she gasped silently. It was a picture of Shikamaru and Temari that someone seemed to have taken at a dance. Those were the days, she thought and smiled. Too bad those days are long gone. She then clicked on the note as the page popped up she was again surprised.

"A poem?"

"Temari," she read, "'the time that I spent with you made me happy

That night at winter dance made me feel less crappy

Thanks for dragging me onto the dance floor

Making me dance until my legs were sore

I am happy that I got to spend time with you

For if I didn't I wouldn't be true

To myself or anyone around me

Thanks to you I can finally be

The person that I've always wanted to see

More talkative and more outgoing

And I won't stop being this person until I'm knowing

That you love yourself for who you are

And that you changed someone into a star

This may be your farewell present

As well as your birthday present

I'm sorry for not getting you anything for your b-day

And every night from now on I will begin to pray

That we will meet up on this fateful day....

Happy birthday Temari'"

Temari was speechless for words. She didn't know what to think, what to feel. The poem was so sweet and confusing. She didn't want to get her hopes up but they went up anyways.

"At least I can try to move on knowing you have some feelings for me. Here's a poem I'll give to you Shikamaru." she whispered.

"You win, I give up, stay with her,

I'm done,

We'll still be friends,

But I've had enough

Of trying to get close to someone

Who's already in love,

You'd probably forget me,

Even if you say you won't,

But don't you worry,

I'll lose these feelings of hope,

On my 20th year,

On this day,

Happy birthday…

I guess,

To the one you've already left" one streak of tear left her eye as she tilted her head back.

a/n: yes I know this story was extremely sad but i wrote this when my crush left me so BOO! lol that was a year ago though so yeah. The poem Shikamaru gave her was what my crush gave me for my birthday before he left out of state FOREVER!!!! sad...hoped you guys liked it anyways!!!