Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura or any of its characters.

A.N.: My first one-shot. Hope you like it. That's all I could hope for.

Nothing to Lose
Dream of Autumn

"Li-san," a girl with wavy dark brown hair and eager brown eyes bowed as she offered a heart-shaped box of chocolates to a handsome teenager with messy brown hair and mysterious yet attractive amber eyes.

The boy gave the girl a curt smile and accepted the gift. "Thanks…?"

"Hadori Yuna," Yuna answered with a grin.

"Hadori-san," he repeated with a smile. "Thanks again."

Yuna giggled. "It was nothing, Syaoran-kun."

Syaoran bit his lip. "Li would do just fine."

The grin on Yuna's lips faded. "I see." Forcing a smile, "So I'll see you around, Syao—" He winced. She sighed. "Li-san."

"See you," was all he could say as Yuna turned and walked away, a scowl on her face after getting rejected.

He slid the box of chocolates to his friends, who were grinning impishly at it, a new addition to that year's Valentine's Day treat care of Syaoran.

"How long could this day possibly be?" he groaned.

Another girl with short honey brown hair tied into pigtails and misty emerald green eyes that look through a pair of thick round glasses knitted her brows in worry and anxiety as she watched Hadori Yuna march in a huff. Kinomoto Sakura had been standing near the middle of the cafeteria for fifteen minutes watching one girl follow another in giving gifts to the elusive heartthrob of the school, Li Syaoran. She gulped and clutched her custom-made Valentine card close to her chest. She was about to approach his table, which he shared with his soccer teammates, just the most popular guys in school, and dared what the others had done, when she was brusquely shoved to the side.

"Out of my way, geek!" a voice came.

Her emerald green eyes widened upon recognition of the girl. Michido Ayame. The most popular girl in school. Flipping her long black hair, she strutted her way towards Syaoran's table—and bravely sat on his lap. Seeing he made no action to ward Ayame off, Sakura hung her head and retreated to the far corner of the cafeteria, where her loyal circle of friends sat and ate their lunch.

"I can't do this," she announced.

Four pairs of eyes, all behind thick pairs of glasses, stared at her sympathetically.

"It's okay, Sakura-chan," Daidouji Tomoyo comforted her, motioning her to sit down on the chair next to her.

Sakura sat down and placed the card she made on the table. "I guess it's better this way. It's not like he's gonna lose something big if I don't give him my card, right?"

"Of course he's gonna lose something big!" Sasaki Rika cried. "Who wouldn't want to get the beautiful card you made?"

Sakura's heart swelled. This was why she loved her girlfriends to death. The five of them, Tomoyo, Rika, Mihara Chiharu, Yanasigawa Naoko, and she, had been the best of friends since they were toddlers. They basically grew up together and had been there for each other through high and low. That's why it didn't matter to them even if they were at the very bottom of the social ladder in Tomoeda High School. As long as they were together, everything would be alright.

Doesn't matter if I can't have you, Li Syaoran, Sakura thought.

"But we're meant to be, Syaoran-kun!" a cry suddenly reverberated throughout the cafeteria.

Heads, including the ones that were on Sakura's table, turned to see Michido Ayame on her knees, clutching Li Syaoran's knee and crying. Aware of the attention that was on them, Syaoran gave them a glare and stood.

"Syaoran-kun," Ayame sobbed, still on the floor, her hands on his jeans.

"I'm sorry, Michido-san," he sighed. "But I'm not interested." And walked away, ignoring Ayame's cries.

Chiharu sighed. "How the mighty has fallen. Don't you think so, Sakura-chan?" She blinked at the now empty seat in front of her, beside Tomoyo, who also seemed not to notice her best friend disappear.

"Sakura-chan?"

Sakura found an opening when Syaoran walked away from the table, towards the cafeteria door, which was near their table. With a newfound courage she didn't know she'd have, she hurriedly stood, took the card with her and caught the boy just in time he reached the door.

"Li-san!" she called.

The head of brown hair turn her way and amber eyes met emerald.

At once, Sakura was at loss for words. He was so damn gorgeous up close.

"Yes?" he jerked a brow.

"Uh… I…"

Gulping, Sakura bowed and extended her arms. "Happy Valentine's Day, Li-san," she greeted him without looking up. The moment the card left her palms, she immediately straightened her body and walked away, leaving him standing by the door, dumbfounded.

Upon reaching their table, Sakura let out a long exhalation of relief and faced her friends, who were all staring at her with awe, surprise, and wonder.

"Wow!" Tomoyo managed to breathe out.

"You actually walked up to him!" Naoko almost shrieked.

Sakura smiled weakly. "I guess I didn't know I had it in me."

"KAWAII!" the four girls squealed.

"And besides," Sakura continued, her eyes drifting to Ayame who was now being comforted by her snobbish clique. "It's not like I've anything at risk. I'm not on top of the social ladder to worry about my reputation. So basically, I've got nothing to lose."

School was already over and students went wherever they planned. Some had dates for Valentine's Day. Some went to the library to study. Some went to the direction of their houses. The latter, as expected, was where Sakura belonged.

Kicking a stray pebble on the sidewalk, Sakura sighed. She felt good. Especially after giving Syaoran the card she made. It was… very liberating. She smiled remembering and looked up the orange-tinted twilight sky.

Kami-sama, thank You! I knew I would've never done it without You, she thought. Then, she also thanked Him that she didn't run into Syaoran after the incident. Although she knew it wouldn't matter much if she did since he probably wouldn't recognize her. Or see her. Or even knew she existed.

She sighed. Although it would definitely be nice to see him once again. Maybe wearing a nice black shirt that fits him so nicely it shows how hunky he really is. Plus dark baggy pants and white sneakers. Damn knockout! Sigh! Then he'd be leaning against the wall with both hands inside his pockets and a foot against the wall. Then he'd be staring at me with those gorgeous amber orbs I so ado—

Sakura froze. Shit!

The Syaoran she was imagining, well, wasn't an imagination. For he was just right across the street staring at her. And he had indeed caught her staring!

It was then that her knees started trembling. No way was she going to run into him. Not when he's staring at her the way he was staring at her. Which meant he recognized her. Not a good thing.

Think! Think! THINK! her mind screamed. Glancing sideways, the idea hit her. Kami-sama, thank You for the gift of intelligence! she prayed with relief and turned to tread a different path home, not minding if it was a longer route. She had only taken one step when she heard a very male voice call her.

"Kinomoto!"

Taking a gulp, she slowly turned and found Li Syaoran's handsome face a meter away from hers. Eep! She felt her face go hot.

"H-hai… L-Li-san?"

Crossing his arms across his chest, "Don't you live that way?" he jerked his head to the street behind him.

"Y-yes… H-how did you—"

"I live next door to you," he said casually.

Oh… oh yeah… "R-right," she let out a sheepish laugh. So much for the gift of intelligence. "I, uh, need to buy something for, um, O-Otou-san a-at the, uh, shop over there," she said pointing to the end of the lane.

Syaoran quirked a brow.

"So I'll see you around neighbor Li-san! Ja ne!" And she spun on her heels — only to be blocked by his left arm.

"I think that can wait," he simpered.

Sakura could feel the very fast beating of her heart inside her. "B-but Otou-san—"

"—is out of town, isn't he?"

She gaped at him. He knew?! "O-oh! Did I say Otou-san? I meant Onii-chan! That's right! Onii-chan—"

"I thought Kinomoto-san won't be home until next weekend," Syaoran pointed out in query.

Green eyes widened. "How did you—?"

Syaoran chuckled. "The next time you think about lying to someone, make sure that someone doesn't have a father who works with yours; or a sister who's classmates with your brother."

Oh… was all Sakura could think. She felt utterly idiotic. And it didn't help that it was her biggest crush she was talking to.

"You didn't wait for me to say my 'Thank you'," Syaoran saind, pulling her out of her self-pity.

She looked up to see him smiling down at her, his amber eyes twinkling with mirth. She felt her heart go mush and her face flush deeper. "Oh that? Really, Li-san, that was nothing."

"I don't think that was nothing, Kinomoto-san. So what do you say I treat you to a sundae?" he invited, the smile not leaving his face.

Sakura, for the second time that day, was at once speechless. He was asking her out! On Valentine's Day!

"Um… T-that… would be nice. B-but don't you have like a date or something?" she asked, unable to believe his words.

His grin widened and turned mischievous. "I think I'm in it… right now."

"R-really? Where's your date?" Sakura turned her head in different directions.

"I don't see any other girl besides you, Cherry Blossom," he said coyly.

Now, Sakura sensed she was quickly turning into a human tomato.

"U-um..."

"Would you say yes if I confess that I've been crushing on you all these years since you stood up for me back in kindergarten?"

Sakura's eyes almost made their way out of their sockets. Syaoran's smile turned boyishly attractive and the color pink tinted his cheeks.

"Y-you… still… remember?" she breathed.

He chuckled. "I don't think I'll ever forget that moment… Sakura-chan."

Sakura wanted to cry with happiness. Valentine's Day turned out to better than she had planned. "I guess… I guess a triple-strawberry sundae would be fine," she managed to squeak.

Syaoran laughed and offered her a hand, which she timidly accepted.

Sakura sighed as Syaoran squeezed her hand and smiled as Valentine's Day replayed in her mind. Yup. She had nothing to lose, alright. But everyting, as it turned out, was for her to gain.

THE END

A.N.: Errrr... How was it? PLEASE tell me what do you think because I won't have half a mind to delete it if it's not good. (I'm really harsh on myself, hehehe)