Chapter 22 - chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don’t own Naruto!

“Front desk?” He asked when someone picked up. “This is Shikamaru Nara. My girlfriend, one other passenger and I are currently stuck in one of the elevators.” He paused for a minute to listen to the person on the line. “We dropped from the fourth floor. We have no idea where we are.” Shikamaru listened for another minute before he hung up the phone. Ino looked at him expectantly.

“They’re sending maintenance over to try and get us out.” Shikamaru said.

“How long are we going to be in here?” Ino asked.

Shikamaru sighed. He knew this next bit of information wasn’t going to go over well with Ino. “They don’t know.”

“They don’t know.” Ino repeated in a monotone voice. “How can they not know?! This is awful.”

“Calm down.” Ino looked over at the girl across the elevator from her.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Ino snapped at her. “I have to make my entrance in less than fifteen minutes! And I’m stuck in an elevator!”

“Ino, Temari’s right, you need to calm down. They’ll have us out of here soon.” Shikamaru said, pulling Ino into a hug.

Ino looked up at him suspiciously. “You know her?”

“Geeze, chill, Ino. We just met at the restaurant after you guys left this morning.” Shikamaru said.

“Chill?” Ino said. “You want me to chill? I’m trapped in an elevator, I have to be announced in less than fifteen minutes, and I just find out that my boyfriend is talking to other girls behind my back, and you want me to chill?!” Ino’s voice rose steadily as she said this.

“Ino, she came up and talked to me first. You can ask her yourself.” Shikamaru said.

Ino turned her head around slowly and gave Temari a questioning look.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” Temari said, examining her nails. Ino considered this for a minute and then looked back up at Shikamaru.

“Ok, I’m sorry.” Ino said. “But that still doesn’t explain why she’s acting so cozy around you. Like when she got on the elevator.”

“Hm. That’s because, little girl, I don’t think you deserve him.” Temari said, momentarily looking up from her nails.

“And you think you do?” Ino asked, stepping away from Shikamaru and turning to face Temari.

“That’s right.” Temari said with a little smirk.

“Why you, you, you…” Ino trailed off, her eyes showing how angry she was.

“Ino.” Shikamaru said, trying to send a warning tone. He didn’t feel like having to break up a fight while they were stuck in an elevator.

Ino wasn’t worried about what Shikamaru was saying, and she was about to slap the girl in front of her when she heard banging coming from the top of the elevator.

“Hello?” Someone yelled from above.

“Yes?” Ino replied hopefully. “We’re down here.”

“It seems we’ve opened up from the wrong floor. Don’t worry, you appear to be just a little bit below the first floor. We’ll have you out of there soon.”

“But-” Ino started, but stopped when Shikamaru put his hand on her shoulder.

“Ino, they’re trying.” Shikamaru said, and Ino nodded reluctantly. She gave Temari a glare, and walked back over to stand by Shikamaru, resting her head on his shoulder.

A few minutes later, Ino’s cell phone started to ring. “Oh! I forgot to call Sakura!” Ino exclaimed, pulling her phone out of her small purse. “Hello?”

“Ino, where are you guys?” Sakura asked.

“We’re stuck in an elevator. Somewhere a little below first floor is what they said.”

“Are you guys all right?!” Sakura asked.

“Ya, they’re trying to get us out now.”

“Will you be out in time? We’re already by the doors. We have a little over five minutes before we walk in.”

“I don’t know. But here’s what I want you to do. Make sure Shikamaru and I are called last. That’s our best chance of making it.”

“All right, I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Sakura. Tell everyone not to worry, ok? We’re seriously fine.”

“Mhm. Well, hopefully we’ll see you guys soon.”

“Ya.” Ino said as she hung up the phone and went to put it in her purse.

“Well?” Shikamaru asked, staring at the ceiling.

“Sakura’s going to do what she can to get us to walk in last.” Ino said. “Hopefully we’ll be out in time.”

Shikamaru just nodded silently. He knew that this meant a lot to Ino, even if it was one of those things he didn’t really care for.

“What’s this big entrance thing you keep talking about?” Temari asked.

“It’s where my friends and I will be announced as we walk into the room.” Ino said matter-of-factly.

“What makes you so special?” Temari asked, glancing at Ino.

“My father owns this hotel.” Ino said.

“And that makes you oh so very special.” Temari said, her voice dripping with the intended sarcasm.

“Without me, there wouldn’t even be anything going on tonight, so I’d be quiet if I were you.” Ino said.

“And without paying guests like me, this little resort would go out of business.” Temari said.

Ino just glared at her and leaned against the wall, not making a comment back at this. Temari smirked in triumph, knowing Ino couldn’t say much to her. She watched Ino and Shikamaru, and then noticed that they were looking at the doors. She turned her head, and saw some sort of tool sticking through a small crack.

“You’re almost out.” They heard someone say.

“Oh!” Ino exclaimed hopefully. If they got out in the next few minutes they still had a chance at making it. She watched as the door was pried open. The elevator was halfway below the floor, and half of the space was open to the floor above.

“You’re going to have to be lifted up, one at a time.”

Ino glanced at Temari and Temari sighed. “Go on, drama queen. Don’t want to make you any later for that entrance of yours.” Ino smiled in gratitude as Shikamaru helped lift her up to the man above them, who pulled her through. Ino was grateful that her dress didn’t catch on anything and snag.

Shikamaru looked back at Temari and held his hand out to her. “I’m not going to wait all day.”

“Shouldn’t you get going?” Temari asked.

“Look, even though you caused all this drama with Ino, I’m not leaving until you’re out of the elevator. How troublesome.” Shikamaru muttered. Temari nodded and stepped forward so that Shikamaru could lift her up to the man above. Shortly after, Shikamaru hoisted himself up and crawled through.

“Come on, Shikamaru! We have to go now!” Ino exclaimed, grabbing his hand and running down the hall towards the ball room.

A/N: Ok, here’s the next chapter! They’re out of the elevator, but will they make it in time…? Remember, reviews are loved! =)

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