Sugar-coated Lemons

Chapter 2: Right Place, Wrong Time

Disclaimer: Seriously, get over it. I'm not about to own Sakura. Unless of course I become a part of CLAMP. Then maybe I could buy a few shares. ;D

A/N: I've decided to do four sections for this story, and they'll probably just be drabbles of sorts that take place a few months - or even years - apart.. So there will be two more chapters after this. Sorry to disappoint, but I think I'm going to try and work my up to a full length story. I'll have more time in the summer to write, so...it'll hopefully work out better that way. Enjoy!


"You have got to be kidding me."

"Sakura! I thought that you were-"

"In Tomoeda? I was, but I thought I'd come back early to surprise you. Guess I got more than I bargained for."

The young woman glared through slitted emerald eyes at the flushed face of a handsome, dark haired man.

A red haired women sat across from him, successfully avoiding Sakura's gaze. What looked like a diamond necklace was clenched tightly in her fisted hands, as she stared at the table.

"Look, it's not what it looks like. We were just-"

"Exchanging tokens of affection between childhood chums? Not likely. And the last time I checked, guys didn't give their female friends thousand dollar necklaces. Correct me if I'm wrong."

A stony silence was all that met her accusing remark.

"Well then, that clears everything up doesn't it? At least I can get my stuff from your house before I leave. I might as well seeing as how I'm here already. Excuse me."

With that, Sakura strode upstairs leaving two guilt stricken adults behind her.

"Soshi..?"

"What?!"

The woman clutching the necklace gasped, and seemed to shrink away from him a little. "It's just...you told me it would be perfectly fine. She was supposed to drop by here two days from now. If I would've known..."

"Yeah well, there's a lot of if's in life. Let's go and let the bitch collect her stuff. She never let me sleep with her anyways. It's not like I was going to marry her."

Fifteen minutes later, Sakura came back down to an empty kitchen and a forgotten jewellery box. Holding back her tears, she turned away from it and finally allowed the door to slam behind her.

To think that two years of her life had been wasted on that asshole. It looked like her twenty first birthday wasn't going to be all roses after all.

"Another, please."

The barman looked at the petite girl doubtfully, before slowly giving her another martini. She was on her third, and didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.

Sakura glanced half-heartedly around the club. She seemed to be the only person not having fun. Everyone was either dancing, flirting, or...never mind. This is what she got for being so naive all the time. Tomoyo had tried to warn her. She should have listened. Sakura sighed and downed the martini. They didn't seem to last long enough. Though she knew in the back of her head somewhere that tomorrow morning wasn't going to be pretty, the consequences didn't seem to matter right now. She just wanted to forget everything. And with her mind buzzing, she wasn't too picky about how to go about it.

Dancing would be the perfect thing..

Weaving her way through the crowds, Sakura picked up the beat of the song, and began swaying to the music. She slowly let herself relax into the mood of the club as her worries slipped away.

A few minutes later, she felt someone sidle up next to her. They brushed against her lightly; then universal invitation.

Feeling daring, Sakura put a smile on her face and turned around...

...and stopped dead in the middle of the floor.

Two pairs of eyes widened together, as the young adults stared at each other.

"You!" The chestnut haired man exclaimed, raising a finger to point at her.

"I was thinking the same thing," Sakura commented wryly.

He frowned slightly and quickly looked her up and down. "You don't exactly seem dressed for the occasion."

Sakura scoffed. "Hardly. I just came back from my boy- this person's house. I didn't really plan to come to a club tonight, but...you know how it is."

Amber eyes considered her carefully, as if hearing her unspoken words. "Yeah...I know how it is." He smirked then, and grabbed her arm lightly. "So you gonna dance with me or what?"

A chuckle escaped her lips, as she let herself smile again. "Why not...Xiao Lang."

His eyes flickered, and his smirk widened. "You have a good memory, Sakura."

"Right back at you." Following him further into the crowd, Sakura contemplated on her newfound companion. What were the odds of running into him at a place like this? The last time she had seen him was...

A whole different world away.

She didn't have to be Soshi's girlfriend here. She didn't have to be the highschool dropout, or the women struggling to afford groceries for the week. Nobody knew her, and she knew nobody. Tonight, she was just Sakura.

And for Xiao Lang, that was enough.

Two hours and many dances later, Sakura found herself sitting in the park down the street from the club. Faint music could be heard if she listened hard enough.

"So, what happened this time?"

Startled out of her thoughts, Sakura jerked her attention back to the man beside her. "P-puurdon?" The alcohol that still stirred in her blood mad her speech slightly slurred.

"Before you came to the club. What happened that made you want to get drunk? I'm not stupid, you know."

Sakura smiled sadly, and turned to look at the empty street. "Oh...right. I had almost forgotten, you know. Which is what I was trying to do anyways, but..." She sighed, and drew her knees to her chest.

"But?" Xiao Lang prodded gently, and waited for her to continue.

"My boyfriend was cheating on me," she blurted suddenly, before falling silent again.

Xiao Lang eyed her cautiously, before offering a hesitant response. "And?"

"And I just wanted to get away. I've been...I mean I was dating him for two years, so it felt like a waste of time, you know? That's all."

"I see."

The silence seemed to scream at both of them, before Sakura suddenly spoke up again. "What about you?"

The chestnut haired man looked at her in surprise. "What about me?"

"It's just... I always end up talking about myself, and I don't actually know anything about you. It just seems like you have the advantage."

He seemed to smile bitterly before answering. "There's nothing interesting about me that you would want to hear. I'd prefer it if you talked about yourself."

"But I want to hear it. Really." Her bright green eyes gazed at him imploringly, and he found himself wincing.

"Well, if you insist. But it'll put you to sleep, honest."

Sakura smiled. "I doubt it."

So for the rest of the night, Sakura listened to the soothing voice of Xiao Lang as he told her about his family's business, and how they were always expecting more out of him.

And the pair took consolation in the other as they watched the stars glimmer faintly in the polluted air.

Sometimes it wasn't so bad; being at the right place at the wrong time. And that night Sakura went home to once again dream of Amber eyes, martinis, and the grey sky with fading lights.

Happy Birthday, Sakura.


A/N: Well, it didn't end like how I wanted it to. Oh well. If you can't do the math, there's three years between chapter one and two. And so Sakura is now 21, and we have yet to find out Syaoran's exact age. Though we can assume he's not too much older than Sakura. And don't worry: there's a reason why I'm using only his Chinese name. R&R!

Review Responses:

zimian19: Thank you, and I hope I'll improve too. I look forward to your next "formal" review!

cherrysakurawolf: Well I've updated. Hope you liked it

Luvia: Thank you. 3 And a legal adult is 18, but drinking age is 19. Weird. huh? PFFFT. Oh well.

Mrs. Radcliffe 13: I'm glad you think so! I shall try my best.