HUGE DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT mine. It belongs to Anne Schraff. The characters belong to CLOW. This is based of a book I read called "Please Don't Ask Me to Love You" and since I LOVED it so much I decided to write everything word for word and change the characters to the CCS group…THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME CHARACTER CHANGES…especially OOC and Fujitaka not being Sakura's dad, Sakura won't have a brother in this story AND Sakura's mom is ALIVE…again NOT my story. This will also be only 10 chapters long…I might add an epilogue…depends on the reviews.
Summary: Love. Where do you find it when you're alone, broke, and homeless?
Sakura rubbed the tears from her cheeks. It was stupid to cry. What good would crying do? If crying helped anything, then her mother might love her a little or at least drink less.Sakura saw the headlights of a car coming down the high way. She jerked out her thumb…
All she wanted was a ride to L.A.- a place to lode herself and forget.
Escape
Sakura Kinomoto always told the boys she dated that she had to be home early because her mother was very strict. That wasn't the case at all. Her mother wasn't strict.
Tonight Sakura gave the same excuse. Eriol didn't seem to be too happy about it, but he agreed to take her home.
Going home and getting in the door was another problem. Sakura never let any of her dates near her house. She never knew what would be happening inside. But whatever it was, it would probably be something that would embarrass her.
As usual, when the car stopped in front of her house, Sakura got out as quickly as possible.
"I had a lot of fun, Eriol," she said.
"The movie was great, wasn't it?" Eriol said.
"Great," Sakura said, trying to close the door before he offered to go in with her.
"Thanks. See you huh?"
She made it. She ran halfway up the walk before turning and waving goodbye.
She felt greatly relieved when Eriol waved back and drove off. Already she could hear voices coming from inside her house. The voiced were loud. Sakura could tell that her mother was arguing with a man. Sakura hoped it wasn't Fujitaka.
"Let it be anyone, but Fujitaka," she whispered. Her hands shook as she opened the door.
"What's she doing home?" Fuji yelled as soon as he saw her. "You said the kid wouldn't be home tonight."
Sakura looked quickly to her mother for help. But she could see that her mother wasn't going to stick up for her. Her mother was only thirty-three years old, and she used to be beautiful. But tonight she looked old. Sakura could tell that her mother was too tired to protect her from Fuji.
"What happened, sweetie?" Sakura's mother asked, ignoring Fuji's question and Sakura's silent plea for help. "Why are you home so early? Was your date a dud?"
"It's almost midnight, Mom," Sakura explained.
"So what?" Fuji grumbled. "You turn into as pumpkin or something at midnight?"
Sakura didn't feel like fighting with Fuji, so she kept her mouth shut. It was never a smart idea to fight with Fuji anyway. He was a tall, heavy-set man. He looked mean.
Fuji seemed to like Sakura's mother-they'd been dating off and on for a couple of months. But he'd always hated Sakura. (A/n: you guys know how they ALL look like so do I really have to describe them?)
"Mom, you said I should be home by midnight, remember?" Sakura said.
"Did I?" her mother said. "I forgot." She turned to Fuji and Smiled.
"You quit picking on her. Okay, honey?"
"I want her out of here!" Fuji hollered.
Sakura looked at her mother, but her mother was pouring herself a drink.
"It's too late to go out again," Sakura stammered. If she could just get to her bedroom and lock herself in. Then maybe Fuji would leave her alone.
Sakura turned to run for it, but Fuji was quick. He stopped her with his fist, hitting her hard in the face.
(A/n: I'm going to stop it here. Tell me what you think.)
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(A/n: ok I think that'll be TOO cruel so let me continue)
She fell back, knocking over the coffee table and breaking a vase.
Sakura lay stunned on the floor, she felt as if her head were exploding. Her face was on fire with pain and shame. She could feel her left eye swelling up quickly.
"Mom!" she cried weakly.
Sakura's mother had not even seen what happened. Her back had been turned as she put fresh ice in her drink. Now when Sakura called out, she turned slowly. She looked with surprise at Sakura, her pretty eyes widened. She stared down at Sakura with the empty gaze of a doll.
Sakura struggled to her feet. Then, grabbing her big straw bag, she ran to the front door and let herself out. The cold night air of Albuquerque slapped at her face as she fled down the sidewalk. Her mind was spinning and her head throbbed.
Most houses on the street were dark. Then Sakura spotted a light at the Terada house further down the block. She baby-sat for the two little Terada girls sometimes. Maybe the Terada would help her.
Sakura hurried to the Terada house. She started to knock, but couldn't do it. If she told the Teradas what really happened, then her mother would get in trouble. The Teradas would call the police, and the police would find Sakura's mom drinking with Fuji. Fuji would be arrested fir hitting Sakura. Sakura's mother might be arrested, too. And Sakura would end up in juvenile hall with a bunch of tough kids.
Sakura turned and walked down the dark street. She couldn't go back home. Fuji would just beat her up. And she didn't have any close friends who would help her.
No close relatives, either. Sakura had an aunt who lived two thousand miles away and hardly knew her. That wasn't of any help. She had nowhere to go.
Then she remembered a girl from school talking about an empty building behind a motorcycle shop. The girl had said kids hang out there. Nobody bothered them. Sometimes there would be free food, too. Sakura knew where the place was.
Sakura stopped under a streetlight and looked in her bag. She had twenty dollars. She always kept her baby-sitting money in her bag. It wasn't safe to leave it in the house with people like Fuji around.
She closed her bag and headed for the bike shop. Her left eye was almost swollen shut now and her whole head ached. She just wanted to lie down someplace where it was quiet.
Sakura wondered what she would do on Monday. She had a biology test to take. She was bad enough in biology with two eyes.
Then she wondered what the other kids would say about her black eye. And the teachers-what would they think? Maybe they'd get suspicious. Especially Ms. Bronson. She was always suspicious anyway. She might call the authorities to investigate. Sakura shuddered at the thought.
For the first time in her life, Sakura thought about quitting school. She'd always planned to graduate and get a decent job. But suddenly going back to school seemed impossible. How could she cope with all the questions and those silent suspicions?
The image of her locker drifted into her mind. She wondered just what happened to the lockers of the students who never returned. Would her old number 718 just sit there gathering dust? What would they do with her pictures and notebooks?
As Sakura turned over these questions, she reached the bike shop and saw an empty building next to it. The building looked tightly locked. But she could see some people moving around in the field beyond the building. They were talking in soft, muffled voices.
Scrawny trees and bushes stood around the field, the trees looked as weak and lonely as the people she saw standing near them.
Making her way toward the group, Sakura almost stumbled over a boy. He was lying in a sleeping bag right in the middle of the field.
Then another voice called, "Hi,"
Sakura turned to stare at the young man who had greeted her. She hoped it was somebody from school, but it wasn't.
"Hi," she said. "Say, is that empty building over there the one people can, uh-stay?"
"They boarded it up. There's just the field now. You looking for somebody special?"
Sakura shook her head.
"I don't know anybody here either," he said. "My name is Yukito."
"I'm Sakura."
"I got a little fire over there. I'm heating up some bean soup. Come on over," (A/N: Readers don't be fooled by "Yukito's" kindness…trust me)
Sakura went to the fire and sat down across from Yukito.
"You're here for the first time, Sakura?"
"Yeah."
"You running away from somebody?"
"I guess so," Sakura admitted.
"That's okay. We're all running away form somebody." He studied her for a moment. Then he said. "That's a nasty bruise. Did your boyfriend hit you?"
"No. My mom's boyfriend did," Sakura said.
Jack smiled. "Your boyfriend should have beaten him up."
"I don't have a boyfriend."
Yukito smiled more. "Well, well. I don't have a girlfriend. Maybe we met at the right time." He laughed.
"Look, I just want to lie down and sleep. My head hurts something awful," Sakura said.
"Listen, Sakura. I've got a motorcycle. I won't be sticking around here long. I wouldn't mind taking you with me when I go. I do construction work-make pretty good money at it. You could do worse, Sakura." Yukito leaned forward and took Sakura's hand.
Sakura felt very uncomfortable. "Thanks, but I don't want to go anyplace. I mean, I'm only sixteen and I'm in high school and maybe-well, maybe things will be okay at home in the morning."
Yukito didn't let go of Sakura's hand, "Aw come on. You won't go home again. I can see it in your face."
Now Sakura felt frightened. Yukito was holding her hand too tightly.
"Please, Yukito. I just want to rest now. Okay?"
"Sakura, stick with me. You won't be sorry. Come on. Look, Sakura, the world is a rough place. Lot of crummy people around. You see the rotten people right around here-man, they'll tear you to pieces. Ypu need somebody to protect you. If you think you're hurting now, just think what'll happen if you stick around here with no one to look out for you."
Sakura pulled on her hand, but Yukito's grip was too tight. The top of hr head began to burn. "Please let go of me. I feel awful. My head hurts bad."
He got angry, "Don't pull that 'innocent little girl' bit on me. I can tell that you're one tough kid. I'll bet it was your boyfriend who did beat you up. And you probably dropped out of high school a long time ago. I know your type. You can't fool me. You and me belong together."
Sakura jerked her arm away and jumped up. But Yukito did the same. He glared at her, his eyes burning like hot coals.
"Oh you want to fight, huh?" He laughed savagely. "That's okay with me!"
Yukito started towards her. Sakura stumbled backward, numb with fear.
MWHAHAHA CLIFF HANGER! What happens to Sakura hmmm…if you read this book you'll know, but if you didn't you have to review or I won't tell you what happened XD