The Game Begins
Love like life is a game of chance. You play all to win all but can also
lose all. So what do you do if you have never really played all? Syaoran
had thought long and hard about everything. The cards, Japan, Hong Kong,
Clows reincarnation and the Cards master, Sakura. He stared at the back of
her head during math class like he had for the previous six years, only
more lovingly than previously. Syaoran was now in High school and he had
managed to ensure he sat behind Sakura for the four consecutive years
before this. He could still imagine the twists of the long curly hair and
become lost in them, that was from the last time he had seen Sakuras
beautiful hair. Sakura had, been growing her hair, not that Syaoran
objected of course. She looked even more like a beautiful angel. He was
mesmerised by the twisting hair soft and shiny looking like silk, yet twice
as expensive, even though she wasn't actually there. He lost himself in the
swirls of golden browns.
".And the answer is Li Syaoran?" the teacher asked
"Forty two degrees" Syaoran answered not moving his eyes from her hair and stunning everyone because he had answered the algebra question without a calculator.
Suddenly the bell rang like a lightning bolt to the system Syaoran woke from the daydream that was Sakura and ambled out of the classroom. It was nearly Christmas and everywhere was starting to look icy. Although Syaoran didn't pay much attention as he sat down in the cafeteria with his friends and some other boys his mind only seamed to wander over to Japan where Sakura was sitting with Tomoyo. Eating her food with that perfect mouth green eyes glittering like emeralds. Why couldn't he tell her how he really felt?
* * * * *
He scowled at the slender form in front of him. Perfect body, hair; smile like an innocent flower and scent of a summer breeze. Her short golden brown hair hinted with blonde highlights. Green eyes sparkling rivalling the beauty of Sakuras. Her name was Chloe. A British girl who had transferred here while he had been away in Japan. She had quickly made friends with Meiling. But Chloe was a little different from the rest of the students here. He had actually known her since she was six and, like him, had a form of magical power, which she liked to express with playing cards. Another thing he liked about Chloe was she had never shown an interest in dating him like all the other girls at their school.
"Why the scowl Li-Kun? Not enjoying it here?" Chloe asked flipping over the top card from her pyramid formation. She stared at the card for a second then glance at Meiling and nodded. Meiling looked back nervously.
"He's Free" Chloe told her causing a wide smile on Meiling's face. Chloe then flipped over the two cards in the centre on the bottom row.
"Oh dear."
"What?!" Meiling gasped "he's not-"
"As if, just a little competition for his attention that's all"
Meiling had come back to Hong Kong two years before Syaoran and now knew everything there was to know about their new classmates and she and Chloe were constantly filling him in about everyone. Using Chloes cards. Meiling tended to use them checking whether boys were dateable but Chloe used the differently when it was just her and Syaoran.
"Any questions?" Chloe asked Meiling
"Who? Who is the competition and does he like me"
"Hmm."
"Your wasting her time" Syaoran told Meiling.
"No it's fine. Keeps me fine tuned with the cards." Chloe told Syaoran turning over two more cards.
"Three of clubs and five of hearts" Chloe told Meiling
"And that means?" Meiling asked anxiously.
"Yes he does and Tomaki Azusa"
"He likes me yay!" Meiling said and then wandered off to find her new target.
Chloe re-shuffled the cards and placed then back in their box. The got a new pack out and shuffled them. Syaoran instantly knew what was coming so leaned over to pay attention.
"Touch the deck please Syaoran-Kun" Chloe asked him and he did so. She then placed nine cards down in a diamond formation, and turned over the card at the very top.
"Ace of Spades." She told him "She's fine. Her magics getting stronger day by day" Chloe then turned over the tree cards in the centre.
"Four of diamonds. She's got a job, Saturdays. She's enjoying it. Doing well in school too" Syaorans heart started to drop. With her doing fine their would be no need for him to go back.
"Ace of Clubs. Hmm some tough choices to be made. And Jack of hearts. Someones on her mind."
"Who?" Syaoran asked before he could stop.
"I told you before I'm not allowed to tell."
"But you tell Meiling-"
"That's a completely different matter Li Syaoran. I'm not supposed to be doing this anyway so don't push your luck. Spying on people doesn't go down too well with my parents." She told him firmly.
"Fine" Syaoran said scowling "I just want-"
"If anything's wrong I promised I would tell you. You can trust me I wont lie" Chloe said her eyes imploring him to believe her.
"OK" Syaoran said his expression becoming a little more relaxed. Until Chloe turned over the bottom card.
"The Joker?" Chloe looked confused and then started rummaging around in her bag.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?" Syaoran blurted out
"Calm down" Chloe told him looking through a dusty old book. She read for a second and then turned over the two cards above it. "Oh how fun! She's going to a carnival this weekend." Chloe said. Then gulped.
"What?" Syaoran said his voice quite deadly.
"She's going with her new boyfriend." Chloe told him
* * * *
She can't have, its impossible there's absolutely no chance, Syaoran thought helplessly that night. A boyfriend! Did I mean nothing to her? He stared at the photo-framed picture of Sakura in front of him. "Well she meant nothing to me either" Syaoran muttered scowling at the picture. Sakuras smile beckoned to him from the picture. He stared at it for another few minutes. Her hair, her smile, the silky dress she was wearing, she was the embodiment of an angel. Who am I trying to kid, Syaoran thought, she means everything to me, she's my oxygen so I can breathe, she's my light so I can see, she's my world. I love her so much.
* * * * *
It was lunchtime the next day, Meiling was hanging around her new crush while Syaoran and Chloe sat facing each other in silence. Syaoran was trying to read a book yet him mind just wandered to Sakura, while Chloe was shuffling cards and setting them out, flipping over the occasional card.
"Are you OK?" Chloe asked him as she stared at the card she just flipped over.
"Fine. Why?" Syaoran snapped back
"Your different today" she told him
"No I'm not what are you talking about" he snapped back again.
"I can tell your upset," she said to him flipping over another card.
"Stop using your cards to check up on me!"
Chloe looked into Syaorans eyes and lifted an eyebrow.
"I'm playing Solitaire" She told him "and actually I can see it in your eyes and body language, plus you haven't made any attempt to insult me or Meiling today."
"Baka"
"Not going to work now. Why does it bother you so much that she's got a boyfriend?"
"Its not that" Syaoran blurted
"Really? You haven't acted all scowly since I told you you've been too deep in thought!" Chloe said back to him annoyance starting to sound in her voice. "I'm not going to ask what happened between you two because I already know"
"What how!?!" Syaoran exclaimed shocked. Chloe started to look guilty.
"I got bored last night so I had a peek," She said weakly.
"I thought your parents didn't like you to spy" Syaoran questioned.
"Shut up" she said back quickly, "Look I know you really like her but let it go a little its OK there's no danger coming"
"How can you be so sure?"
"I Looked"
Syaoran looked at Chloe her short hair pulled back and small curls falling from it, in a way with her eyes sparkling the way they were she reminded him of Sakura, so he felt he had to look down.
"Anyway, because you're so intent on spying on this Sakura girl I thought you might as well do it in person." Syaorans head snapped upright. Chloe then turned around slipping her hand into her bag. And called to Meiling "Hey Meiling-Chan!"
"Yes?" Meiling said turning around
"Are you and Akagi-San Dating yet?"
"Yes why?"
"Guess where were going next week all four of us!"
"Four?" Meiling said and then realised the fourth person was Syaoran, who at the moment had a horrible feeling in his stomach. "Oh yeah, Where?"
Chloes hand shot into the air with four tickets held in it.
"JAPAN!"
* * * * *
".And the answer is Li Syaoran?" the teacher asked
"Forty two degrees" Syaoran answered not moving his eyes from her hair and stunning everyone because he had answered the algebra question without a calculator.
Suddenly the bell rang like a lightning bolt to the system Syaoran woke from the daydream that was Sakura and ambled out of the classroom. It was nearly Christmas and everywhere was starting to look icy. Although Syaoran didn't pay much attention as he sat down in the cafeteria with his friends and some other boys his mind only seamed to wander over to Japan where Sakura was sitting with Tomoyo. Eating her food with that perfect mouth green eyes glittering like emeralds. Why couldn't he tell her how he really felt?
* * * * *
He scowled at the slender form in front of him. Perfect body, hair; smile like an innocent flower and scent of a summer breeze. Her short golden brown hair hinted with blonde highlights. Green eyes sparkling rivalling the beauty of Sakuras. Her name was Chloe. A British girl who had transferred here while he had been away in Japan. She had quickly made friends with Meiling. But Chloe was a little different from the rest of the students here. He had actually known her since she was six and, like him, had a form of magical power, which she liked to express with playing cards. Another thing he liked about Chloe was she had never shown an interest in dating him like all the other girls at their school.
"Why the scowl Li-Kun? Not enjoying it here?" Chloe asked flipping over the top card from her pyramid formation. She stared at the card for a second then glance at Meiling and nodded. Meiling looked back nervously.
"He's Free" Chloe told her causing a wide smile on Meiling's face. Chloe then flipped over the two cards in the centre on the bottom row.
"Oh dear."
"What?!" Meiling gasped "he's not-"
"As if, just a little competition for his attention that's all"
Meiling had come back to Hong Kong two years before Syaoran and now knew everything there was to know about their new classmates and she and Chloe were constantly filling him in about everyone. Using Chloes cards. Meiling tended to use them checking whether boys were dateable but Chloe used the differently when it was just her and Syaoran.
"Any questions?" Chloe asked Meiling
"Who? Who is the competition and does he like me"
"Hmm."
"Your wasting her time" Syaoran told Meiling.
"No it's fine. Keeps me fine tuned with the cards." Chloe told Syaoran turning over two more cards.
"Three of clubs and five of hearts" Chloe told Meiling
"And that means?" Meiling asked anxiously.
"Yes he does and Tomaki Azusa"
"He likes me yay!" Meiling said and then wandered off to find her new target.
Chloe re-shuffled the cards and placed then back in their box. The got a new pack out and shuffled them. Syaoran instantly knew what was coming so leaned over to pay attention.
"Touch the deck please Syaoran-Kun" Chloe asked him and he did so. She then placed nine cards down in a diamond formation, and turned over the card at the very top.
"Ace of Spades." She told him "She's fine. Her magics getting stronger day by day" Chloe then turned over the tree cards in the centre.
"Four of diamonds. She's got a job, Saturdays. She's enjoying it. Doing well in school too" Syaorans heart started to drop. With her doing fine their would be no need for him to go back.
"Ace of Clubs. Hmm some tough choices to be made. And Jack of hearts. Someones on her mind."
"Who?" Syaoran asked before he could stop.
"I told you before I'm not allowed to tell."
"But you tell Meiling-"
"That's a completely different matter Li Syaoran. I'm not supposed to be doing this anyway so don't push your luck. Spying on people doesn't go down too well with my parents." She told him firmly.
"Fine" Syaoran said scowling "I just want-"
"If anything's wrong I promised I would tell you. You can trust me I wont lie" Chloe said her eyes imploring him to believe her.
"OK" Syaoran said his expression becoming a little more relaxed. Until Chloe turned over the bottom card.
"The Joker?" Chloe looked confused and then started rummaging around in her bag.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?" Syaoran blurted out
"Calm down" Chloe told him looking through a dusty old book. She read for a second and then turned over the two cards above it. "Oh how fun! She's going to a carnival this weekend." Chloe said. Then gulped.
"What?" Syaoran said his voice quite deadly.
"She's going with her new boyfriend." Chloe told him
* * * *
She can't have, its impossible there's absolutely no chance, Syaoran thought helplessly that night. A boyfriend! Did I mean nothing to her? He stared at the photo-framed picture of Sakura in front of him. "Well she meant nothing to me either" Syaoran muttered scowling at the picture. Sakuras smile beckoned to him from the picture. He stared at it for another few minutes. Her hair, her smile, the silky dress she was wearing, she was the embodiment of an angel. Who am I trying to kid, Syaoran thought, she means everything to me, she's my oxygen so I can breathe, she's my light so I can see, she's my world. I love her so much.
* * * * *
It was lunchtime the next day, Meiling was hanging around her new crush while Syaoran and Chloe sat facing each other in silence. Syaoran was trying to read a book yet him mind just wandered to Sakura, while Chloe was shuffling cards and setting them out, flipping over the occasional card.
"Are you OK?" Chloe asked him as she stared at the card she just flipped over.
"Fine. Why?" Syaoran snapped back
"Your different today" she told him
"No I'm not what are you talking about" he snapped back again.
"I can tell your upset," she said to him flipping over another card.
"Stop using your cards to check up on me!"
Chloe looked into Syaorans eyes and lifted an eyebrow.
"I'm playing Solitaire" She told him "and actually I can see it in your eyes and body language, plus you haven't made any attempt to insult me or Meiling today."
"Baka"
"Not going to work now. Why does it bother you so much that she's got a boyfriend?"
"Its not that" Syaoran blurted
"Really? You haven't acted all scowly since I told you you've been too deep in thought!" Chloe said back to him annoyance starting to sound in her voice. "I'm not going to ask what happened between you two because I already know"
"What how!?!" Syaoran exclaimed shocked. Chloe started to look guilty.
"I got bored last night so I had a peek," She said weakly.
"I thought your parents didn't like you to spy" Syaoran questioned.
"Shut up" she said back quickly, "Look I know you really like her but let it go a little its OK there's no danger coming"
"How can you be so sure?"
"I Looked"
Syaoran looked at Chloe her short hair pulled back and small curls falling from it, in a way with her eyes sparkling the way they were she reminded him of Sakura, so he felt he had to look down.
"Anyway, because you're so intent on spying on this Sakura girl I thought you might as well do it in person." Syaorans head snapped upright. Chloe then turned around slipping her hand into her bag. And called to Meiling "Hey Meiling-Chan!"
"Yes?" Meiling said turning around
"Are you and Akagi-San Dating yet?"
"Yes why?"
"Guess where were going next week all four of us!"
"Four?" Meiling said and then realised the fourth person was Syaoran, who at the moment had a horrible feeling in his stomach. "Oh yeah, Where?"
Chloes hand shot into the air with four tickets held in it.
"JAPAN!"
* * * * *