Chap. 2: "Introducing Brea,"
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Looking in the mirror, Sakura frowned at her reflection as she brushed her hair into a ponytail. Placing her brush down, she turned walking out of the bathroom dressed in her uniform. It was another day of hell, another day of useless existence. Picking up her bag, she walked through the door. "Mistress Sakura," one of the butlers bowed taking her bag. "You're car is parked outside."
"Good." She walked off heading towards the dining area. Walking through the door, she looked at her mother who was sitting at the other end, her face hidden by the newspaper. Taking her seat, she looked at her eggs, bacon, toast and glass of orange juice that was placed in front of her. She smiled at Rose knowing it was exactly how she loved it. "Thank you," she whispered, to her helper so that her mother didn't hear her.
"Don't you dare touch that." Kinomoto Celina moved the paper from her eyes and placed it on her right. "Have you forgotten about your diet?" she inquired, in a grave voice. "You need to lose weight for Gwen's engagement party." She made it clear that Sakura was not to eat anything on that plate.
"I have not forgotten mother. I wasn't going to touch it," Sakura lied, knowing she would love to eat something other than toast. Looking at the toast resting in front of her, she tore it in half placing the other piece down. She would do anything to please her mother, and if it was starving herself to be beautiful in her eyes then so be it. She looked nothing like her mother, who had sun kissed locks like her sister, and gorgeous cerulean orbs while she was stuck with ugly green ones. And they were standing at least five eight while she barely made it to five four.
"Very good, can't have you looking like a pig. The gown I'm having made is for someone of perfect physique, do you wish for me to give it to Gwen?" Sakura hid the frown that threatened knowing her mother would only find another fault with her. She hated it when her mother used her perfect Gwen against her; nothing she did ever lived up to Gwen's legacy. "Understand? You need to cut your intake into half, have you started to work out."
"Yes mother, I have weight training today." She took a sip from the orange juice and only a bite from her half torn toast. "I must be going, good day mother," she said, getting out of her chair. Celina didn't say anything in response. Walking out of the room, she stepped out the open door and walked to her car feeling sick in her stomach.
Getting into her car, she rested her head on the steering wheel starting her car up. Pressing on the gas, she drove off lifting her head up, her day was already fucked up.
Syaoran.
"How is school?"
Syaoran looked at his face in the mirror, wincing in pain when he touched the bruise on his cheek that was almost gone. It had been a week since he started St. Mary and his life hadn't been any better, it was slowly going down hill.
"Good, I like the city a lot."
Clare and Dan made it clear to him that he'd done a stupid thing to piss off Sakura because she was never going to forget it. And she might leave him alone for a while but her grievance would never be forgotten. When she had bad days, he had better prepare himself for a horrible day because she was going to seek him out and make him feel the same way she did.
"That's wonderful! We're already looking forward to you coming home for Christmas. Everyone misses you very much."
Getting his bag, he walked to the door, grabbed his bike and headed out of the door of the apartment he shared with a college guy named Alex. He was very nice, and his girlfriend Rika was as well, it was people like them who made his life in the city a bit bearable. Exiting the apartment complex, he got on his bike for the ten-minute ride to school.
"I am ashamed to say I'm a bit homesick."
A smile touched his lips remembering his mother's laugh. He missed her very much as well as his father. He was the third of five children; he had two older sisters Mei Lin and Xiefia, then two younger sisters Tomoyo and Fiemie. The two older ones were already married, Tomoyo was sixteen and Fiemie was just ten years old. Being the only boy was very hard, but all his sisters taught him something valuable. Since as he was the boy, his parents didn't object to sending him to the city for schooling, but when his sisters were offered the same opportunity they declined.
"Oh certainly not, your father and I miss you dearly. Please take it easy, don't overwork yourself."
Coming to a stoplight he waited in the crowd of people. He enjoyed his rides to school because it allowed him to relax himself before he entered school and went on high alert for any attacks.
"I won't, I love you."
Riding off, he headed down the hill making sure to look where he was going. Coming to the corner, he slowed looking down when Sakura's car drove right passed him. Frowning he watched his tormenter disappear before he turned unto the road that led to school. He hoped she was having a good day. He wasn't afraid of her but he didn't like being a punching bag.
"I love you."
School.
Pulling into her parking space, she opened the door and got out feeling extremely pissed off. "Not having a good day?" Sakura looked up when Ming walked over to her. She got off her door, slowly shaking her head, "What happened now?"
"Just my mother," Sakura replied not in the mood to fill her friend with her problems because she knew Ming had her own to deal with. "Tina, Sara?"
"Not here yet." Pushing up her sunglasses, she took a seat on the bench in front of her car. "What happened?" she asked, Ming when the girl sighed deeply taking a seat beside her.
"My mother," Ming answered softly, closing her eyes. Sakura frowned hearing about Ming's mother, the woman couldn't keep one lover. She was all over the place with different men, always richer than the first. In their society she was labeled a harlot, and she was dubbed as being a bad example for her two daughters. "She has a new boyfriend. He's a fucking jerk and only two years older than me," she whispered, distastefully. Ever since Ming's father died her mother hadn't been the same, people said the loss made her insane.
"I'm sure she'll get rid of him soon," Sakura whispered, reassuringly taking her friend's hand in hers comfortingly.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Ming replied, in anger turning to look at Sakura. "This one will cast an even darker cloud over our family. She has no fucking idea how much she's ruining our lives," by the minute her mood was dropping. People would look at them and see rich carefree teens, but inside they all had their own problems, some more serious than others. They looked up when Sara and Tina appeared, "Let's just forget about it," she sighed, running her hand through her hair.
"We'll talk about it later. We'll think of someway to get rid of him," Sakura assured gently, standing up. She silently prayed her friends were having a better day than she and Ming. "Fucking late as usual," she told the girls when they walked up to them.
"Hah, we should be saying that you," Tina replied, Sakura smiled with Ming before they walked off. Her friend's sad expression disappeared when they reached the crowd standing in front of the school. It was replaced by one of superiority, they were perfect at hiding their emotions, no one could look at them and tell how they were feeling.
Walking through the door, they looked through everything in the building for these people were below them. Standing off to the side, a girl with another posse stared at the group with rage seeping into their eyes. "I hate those fucking royalties," Morimoto Brea, Sakura's number one enemy whispered distastefully, her silver eyes boring into Sakura's back.
"I wish they would die," the other continued matching Brea's tone, reaching up she brushed her soft brown locks over her shoulder. "They think they are so fucking high and mighty," she scowled, watching them act like their lives were just perfect. It should be them wearing the red coats not those fucking bitches; thinking about it now made anger fill her. Their attention was drawn to another who walked up to them to open her locker. Brea looked at the girl who was constantly picked on by Sara; she had no idea why they singled her out.
"Morning Brea-san, Kiki-san," Nagase Akiko greeted both girls her light blue eyes filled with pain and sorrow.
"Akiko," Kiki replied, Brea just walked off knowing she wouldn't stoop as low as to talk to someone like her. Kiki followed her friend leaving Akiko by her lonesome. Walking through the hall they headed to their usual spot where no one would find them, not even the Royalties who took pleasure out of fucking up their days…
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Syaoran.
He walked down the hall leisurely heading towards his classroom. Glancing at the clock in the hall, he saw that he had to hurry if he wanted to make it there on time. "Hey nobody," he turned his head towards the voice only to find Jack and his friends leaning against the wall. "Aw look he knows his name," Jack taunted, making the guys laugh. "Are you ready for another beating?" Syaoran turned his head from them knowing if they offered outside of school he would gladly take up the offer.
Staring at his schedule change, he looked at the room number to his math class. Looking up, he spotted the room across the hall. Opening the door to advanced placement calculus, he looked at the class that was half full. He figured not a lot of people wanted such a challenging course. Sighing, he walked to the teacher's desk to show him his schedule when the bell went off. "A new student," the man sighed, looking at the schedule. "Find your self a seat," he told Syaoran, when the door opened.
Turning Syaoran frowned staring at Sakura, absently he wondered how many A.P courses she took, she looked like a total dolt. "Ah Miss Kinomoto, glad to see you. I hope you prepared for the pop quiz we're about to take," he announced, making Sakura pause knowing she was not expecting a quiz today. "Please seat yourself." Sakura stared at Syaoran, who turned his face from her.
She took a step and instantly collapsed making people gasp getting out of their chairs. They started to whisper amongst themselves wondering what was wrong with her. The teacher rushed to her side. Bending down, he frowned looking up, glancing around the room the first person his eyes landed on was Syaoran. "Li, please take Miss Kinomoto to the nurse."
Syaoran was going to decline, but didn't want to be rude on his first day. Sighing regrettably, he placed his bag on his desk before walking over to her body. Bending down he lifted her light frame into his arms. He had a feeling she was just playing faint because she didn't want to take the quiz. "I'll see you after school for the quiz Miss Kinomoto or you'll fail," the teacher called, before Syaoran disappeared out the door.
Walking down the hall with the strange girl in his arms, he held down the urge to drop her on the floor. He hadn't gotten two classes down when Sakura's eyes opened and she glared coldly at him. "Put me down," she ordered icily, making him comply.
"Ever heard of thank you?" he bit out in response, making her scowl spinning around to look at him.
"To someone like you?" she raised her brows mockingly. "We live in two different worlds, look at your self then me, surely you see the difference between us," she drawled scornfully, looking him in the eyes. Syaoran removed his glasses and lowered his head to her; she in turned glanced over his face finding him to be quite satisfying without his glasses.
"All I see right now is a fucking bitch, who is nothing without her little toys hanging around," he replied tightly, before turning around. She stood in shock watching him walk off leaving her standing alone in the hall. "Oh," he paused a few feet away from her. "I'm on the only person in this fucking school who you'll never have bending over backwards for you," he called loudly. She heard every word clearly. When he entered the classroom, she clenched her fists hurrying down the hall towards the stairs that led to the roof.
"What does he know?" she whispered to herself, pushing him and his stupid words from her mind. She was everything, and in this school everyone knew she was the almighty no one dared to fuck with her. "I'll show him," she whispered evilly, coming to the door. Opening it, she walked up the stairs knowing she would spend the better half of the class up there.
Inside the school, Brea was leaving the bathroom when she overheard the exchange between the two. She stopped; resting against the door she smiled having gotten a good look at the guy. "So, you're the only one Sakura can't control," she whispered, smiling softly. She would have to meet this new comer; maybe she could use him against her enemy, that Kinomoto bitch.
Lunch. Time.
Syaoran sat with Dan who was waiting for Clare's entrance, "How do you think the debate team will do?" he asked his friend, breaking the silence.
"I think we'll do fairly well. I'm a little sad that you refused to join," Dan spoke in a sad tone, but Syaoran knew he was only kidding. "Seriously, it's a shame that you have to work."
"I know, but I need to have pocket money," Syaoran replied, staring at the clear blue sky. He enjoyed looking up rather than straight forward because he hated having his sight tainted by the red coats.
"Hey here's Clare now, and she seems to have a friend with her," Dan said, getting Syaoran's attention. He stared at the girl who was walking towards them, finding her to be quiet attractive. She had curly black chopped locks that framed her round face matching perfectly with her sparkling silver orbs. "Hey Brea, haven't seen you in a while," he greeted, the young girl who Syaoran couldn't keep his eyes off.
"Yeah," Brea laughed, happily. "So who's your new friend?" she asked, looking at Syaoran, who caught himself and stopped staring at her. Up close he was quite good-looking, she noted this would make her little scheme more bearable on her part.
"Oh, Syaoran I would like you to meet Morimoto Brea, one of the few nice rich people on campus," Dan introduced, noticing the way his friend was looking at Brea with something resembling interest. "Brea, Li Syaoran."
"Hey," Syaoran greeted, holding out his hand, smiling winsomely Brea shook it.
"Hey to you too," she replied teasingly, making him smile. "So how do you like our humble establishment?" she joked, he laughed liking her humor it was good to find such refreshing people at this dreadful school.
"Oh it's nothing less than interesting," he told her truthfully, moving over so she could sit at the lunch table.
"I agree with that." Hearing laughter, they looked a ways down from them at Sakura and her friends who were openly having a good time. Syaoran noticed they were passing a bottle around, and he had a pretty good idea that it wasn't water.
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Sakura.
"You know, I think I might drop out," Tina told everyone, smoking a cigarette that contained other substances. "I mean, school is such a fucking waste of my time," she noted, passing the bud to Sakura who put it took her lips and drew from it two times.
"Why? It'd be stupid to stop now, besides it'd be boring without your sorry ass here for a little entertainment," Ming told her friend, before taking a long drink of the substance they were currently passing around. "What do you think Sakura?"
"I think that this is weed," her friends started to laugh at her stupid answer.
"No duh!" Tina teased, making Sakura frowned looking at her with a pout forming on her lips. "Oh I'm sorry baby, did mommy hurt your feelings?" she spoke, tenderly caressing Sakura's hair. Tina was Sakura's absolute best friend; she was the first one she met in middle school. Instantly they became attached to each other, but it was only after meeting Sara and Ming that they planned on making Sakura gain control of the Royalties the moment she entered high school.
It was a risky plan, but they wanted to take the risk because the former rulers had made their lives a living hell. The rest is merely history because it was clear they had succeeded in their task. "No, bitch." They looked at Sara when she hauled herself up, she yelped in surprise falling over on her butt. Instantly they burst into peels of laughter hearing their friend's cry of pain.
"Oh that was so not funny," Sara hissed, before bursting into laughter as well. "That was funny, wasn't it?" her eyes winkled when they shook their heads. "Ming, can you kiss it and make it better?" she asked her friend cutely, Ming laughed.
"Only if you give me a lap dance," Ming replied, innocently Sara winked at her. Sakura hauled herself up; she wobbled a bit but caught her footing turning abruptly to look at everyone.
"Not dance but a kiss," Sakura watched her friend share a brief kiss shaking her head at them. Looking at the sky, she twirled around watching it go around and around her hands outstretched. Moving to her own music, she ignored the world outside her own, her hips swayed gently, enticingly making her friends watch her in silence.
Tina knew that when Sakura drank it was to forget about her problems and right now it was clear her friend was having a lot of them. Leaning against the tree she took another draw from what was left of their smoke before putting it out against the tree. She looked at Ming when Sara rested her head on her lap, if she didn't know better she would say that the two were lovers but it was impossible. If they were Sakura and she would know about it, besides Sara had a secret love and Ming had a boyfriend.
Sakura twirled around one last time; before she fell against the grass feeling her head spin. They knew not to talk to her until she spoke to them, "What are we doing tonight?" Sara whispered softly to Tina, her hand reached over and took her friend's in her own.
"We're going clubbing," Sakura answered slowly opening her eyes; she ignored the tears that slid down the sides of her face. Turning her head to the side, she watched Syaoran and his friends laugh and have a good time. They seemed so carefree, unlike her…
Later.
Walking through her front door, Sakura carried her ballet bag at her side with her school bag on the other. Handing both to the butler, she looked at her mother when she walked into the room dressed in a very elegant suit. Feeling her mother's eyes traveling over her body, she felt a little nervous wondering if she would find some flaw in her presentation. "Did you bother to shower after working out?" she asked Sakura in a firm tone stopping in front of her.
"No mother, I was running late so I just came home," she replied, only to find disapprove in her mother's eyes. "This is the first time I didn't take a shower, I usually do."
"Make it be the last, if I had guests over what would they think?" she asked, in a horrified manner. Standing there she watched her mother's eyes scrutinize her form trying to find some fault with her. "How many sits up do you do?" she inquired finding fault with her stomach that was flat.
"Three sets of sixty,"
"Make it five, your tummy must be completely flat for the dress, can't have anything sticking out. Do you know how embarrassing that would be?" Celina stated pointedly, making Sakura nod her head. "Barbara was speaking about Brea, and how many suitors are after her hand. Do you know what I had to tell her in return about you?"
"No mother,"
"Nothing, I had nothing," Celina snapped, not caring that she was standing in the middle of the hall scolding her in front of the servants. "I find that quite horrifying, when Gwen was your age I had to turn men away because I had so many to choose from. You on the other hand are my black duckling." Sakura winced at the wicked comparison feeling greatly humiliated. "Go on up and shower, you look absolutely dreadful." She inclined her head to her mother. "Oh I shan't be home tonight for dinner, I have a dinner party to attend."
"Hai mother," Sakura called, hurrying up the steps. She felt so disgusted by herself, that when she came to her room she stood in front of the mirror and pulled at imaginary fat, seeing nothing but an disoriented image of herself. "God, you're so fucking disgusting," she cried to herself, feeling incredibly ashamed of her self. Turning away, she fell to the floor in tears knowing she had to do something to make herself look perfect for her mother…
It never occurred that if she hadn't pleased her mother now that it would never happen…