10.25.2002 – Hey there! My new 'fic! ;)
Summary: AU - Sakura is an abused girl, scared and shy of the world, severely depressed. When her best friends, Tomoyo & Shaoran, find out about her cuts and problems……Slowly she gets better, draws to the world, and with that: a boy falls in love with her. *SxS*
Prologue/Alone . . .
She tied the pink kerchief round her glossy auburn curls, only a few bangs showing. She glanced into the mirror with a large bright smile, as usual.
"Sakura-chan!" Kinomoto Nadeshiko called to her almost six-year-old daughter, "are you ready dear?" She gracefully rushed up the stairs, sweeping the girl into her arms. "There you are," she whispered with a giggle, and called, "Touya? Where are you?"
It was the perfect autumn day; the sun sitting in the sky brightly, like a dazzling diamond reflecting hope into the day. A small chill was in the air, but it was barely noticeable because of the happy and warm sun.
"Here," young Touya replied with a small hidden smile, "dad's waiting outside."
They were going to the nearby park of Iroko, Tokyo, with its beautiful cherry trees and fountains.
Nadeshiko nodded, picking her small daughter up in her frail arms. "C'mon," she hushed the young girl, "want to go see the park?" She smiled and giggled again.
* * * * * * * * *
Dark rain clouds gathered above in the sky.
Beautiful Nadeshiko sighed, glancing above, and said, "Will it rain?" She frowned, but shrugged it away. Yet to her half-prediction, it began to rain. First it came lightly, and then harder.
"We'll catch pneumonia out here," Kinomoto Fujitaka remarked, gathering the picnic things, "We should leave," glancing at Nadeshiko, his wife, for approval.
The pretty lady tugged Sakura gently with her hand, "We've got to go…"
The Kinomoto family was soon ready to go, driving out of the parking lot and down the road. Pausing at the red stoplight, but as turning green, they crossed the street…………
A green van rushed ahead at forty-five miles per hour, in a straight and fast line…yet the rainy day distorted the image, the large puddles causing the driver to swerve into the front of the Kinomoto car.
* * * * * * * * *
She slowly opened her eyes, dizzy and nauseous. "Where am I?" she whispered hoarsely, and tried again, louder, "Where am I?"
The doctor quickly turned to the girl, sighing in relief, "You're all right. Uh, y-you're in the hospital, dear," she said. Looking away quickly, she continued, "You were in a car accident. But…your family seems to have been less…uh, less fortunate…" trailing off.
Sakura widened her jade eyes. "No, no, no," she cried, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks, "it can't be. They're alive…" but a part of her knew the truth, the cold truth. She could now remember the car accident, the green van crashing into the car, her mother's shrieks, her father lying numbly, and then it was quiet…and she had passed out.
Sakura was a smart girl. She knew what happened after car accidents and death: "Will I be sent to a h-home?" she asked, eyes wide with sadness and regret.
The female doctor sighed, "For right now…you'll be staying with me, but because you have no nearby relatives that can take care of you, yes, you will be sent to a home…" She sadly gazed down at the small child, wondering why that if her parents had been killed, she had not been………
Sakura began to whimper, like a lost puppy in the rain; she needed a home, where her family was… Big tears formed, quickly rolling down her cheeks, but she was a strong girl; she cried silently.
For the doctor, it was painful for her to see such a young girl be so strong, crying silently, not letting the world hear her.
"W-when can I go home?" Sakura asked, sniffling a little, "Can we go home now? I don't want to stay in the hospital," she looked up.
The doctor weakly smiled, "Yes. I'm Doctor Minamoto, but please call me Akane. I'm not the best of cooks, but I'm sure we'll make do somehow for the next month or two…"
Sakura sadly gazed up into the young doctor's large honey-coloured eyes, trusting her with all her will. "Don't worry, I can cook," she replied. Her heart thumped heavily against her chest, tears shadowing her small, dark life. She could still remember that morning, her mother smiling happily, her brother hiding a small grin, and her father grinning passively. That morning, everything had been perfect; it was so strange how her life could be changed instantly… Would she be fine in the world?
* * * * * * * * *
"And go down Irategu Lane, that's where it is," Doctor Minamoto directed. She paused, glancing down at her new friend, "Sakura, if anything's wrong, tell me, okay? I'll always be here, or you can ask for me at the hospital. Are you sure you don't want a ride?" She gathered her long brown hair back into a ponytail. She glanced at the small girl sceptically with her soft honey eyes, worried about her. Wait, you aren't supposed to get attached to the girl, she scolded herself, but she couldn't help it.
"No, I don't need help," Sakura said, with a small false smile. She pushed her hair under the kerchief, tugged her coat sleeves down, and grasped her small backpack tightly. "I'll just go with my bicycle, and you'll come later to get it all cleared up, right?" she asked, double checking.
Akane nodded, "Yes. Now, be a good girl, and don't forget your old friend."
"I won't, Doctor Minamoto," Sakura replied, "I won't Akane. You're my friend." Sakura smiled softly, in earnest. Even though her family was gone, Doctor Minamoto had been so good to her… almost like her own mother. But nobody could replace her family's place in her heart. Nobody, but Sakura felt that Doctor Minamoto was just like another family member.
They hugged tightly. "Remember, Sakura, if you need any help or anything… just drop by," Doctor Minamoto beamed at Sakura.
Sakura grinned sadly. She wouldn't forget Akane, because she had given Sakura a nice little birthday party… And my bracelet, she thought, glancing toward her wrist, where there lay a thin silver chain, simple yet beautiful. "Domō arigatō gozaimasu," she whispered, "thank you very much… for everything." She caught her last scent of honeysuckle perfume, light and sweet and rather vague.
She walked out the door bravely, going the way Akane had told her to. Now, I'm alone, she thought, alone in this world… but I'll be fine. She soon arrived at the house, with its nice painted fence and pretty blue outside. Yet it didn't feel right to Sakura. She walked up to the door, held her breath, and knocked.
"Who is it?" asked a young woman with long reddish-brown hair and steely blue eyes. She had a perfect figure, petite and sassy. But there was something so dangerous about her, in her sharp blue eyes. She seemed to have an ominous aura, strong and fierce and dangerous.
She squinted down at the girl, "Yeah? Are you the new kid?" asking in a gentler tone, in a sympathising way. She smiled, showing a pretty grin and cute dimples, "Hi, I'm Harumi. What's your name?" Her voice was actually soft and sweet, with a slight Osaka-ben accent.
"Kinomoto Sakura," Sakura said, bowing slightly. Harumi, she thought, what a pretty name… She smiled softly, trying to make a good impression.
Harumi smiled gently, her steely eyes seeming to melt into beautiful blue eyes, "What a pretty name!" Glancing back into the house, Harumi called out, "Keisuke! It's the new girl! Come out!"
A young man with dark black hair and sharp grey-blue eyes walked out. He was quite handsome, if his eyes weren't so sharp… He was fit, a strong build, wearing his long hair back in a ponytail, covered by a kerchief. He wore a dark blue shirt with black jeans and a black leather jacket, a dangerous grin on his lips.
"What?" he asked, glancing at the girl.
"It's the new girl – should we tell father?" she asked, despair in her eyes.
Keisuke felt sympathy for the girl. "Well, we have no choice sister," he replied, "FATHER?"
An unruly looking man, face red and worn, came out. He had a stiff stare that made Sakura uncomfortable, his dark hair combed back.
"The new girl, eh?" he snorted, his breath smelling of alcohol, "Well, well, well…er, welcome. Guess ya'll be livin' here with me when Harumi and Keisuke are gone in the next two-three years."
Sakura's eyes widened: No, I can't stay here, no, no, no… She smiled, "Uh, yeah, I-I guess I'll be staying here…" Her voice tightened and crackled with fear. She glanced at the brother and sister, looking for help, but all she got was a distant and sympathising stare. Oh, great, they can't do anything… but, maybe it won't be so bad…
And that was the beginning…
So, is that a good start? Hopefully you all liked it. Yay, I'm finally back on track with all my 'fics. *Writing binge* I have a lot of ideas in my head, and I think I'll be able to do something with them. ;) Of course, I'm keeping my grades up at A's – woo hoo! – and I will soon have more 'fics out. I've all ready started my second chapter and I've written bits and pieces to later chapters, so maybe the next chapter will come out in a week or two. I might want to find a beta reader…
In general, though, I think you will like this story. It's my first angst/drama, and it deals with a new perspective to all the characters. (Hm, I think I was most definitely thinking of Kouji from Frontier Season when I made Keisuke…^.^;;; Same looks…) But anyways, I think I'll have song lyrics for the next chapters. I'm still translating a bit. Or you could have my Digimon translations… ;P
Kara
(Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. I do own my characters – I think so, at least, and I also own my plot. Please do not plagiarize. Thank you.)