Summary: Preppy Sakura and rocker Syaoran had been together since the seventh grade. But now, in senior year, Sakura has finally had enough, and ends their almost six year relationship. But Syaoran? No, he just won't give up that easily.

Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or anything like it. I just own this plot line.

© April 6, 2007

Harder To Breathe
Chapter 6: Harm
Written By: SweetBabyGurl

They'd entered the club with music blaring, causing adrenaline to rush through her veins and pump Sakura's blood faster. Recognizing that one of her favourite songs had just begun, she grabbed Syaoran's hand and led him onto the dance floor, their bodies moving in complete harmony. She remembered the last time they came to a club and how the reluctant her was to dance and felt guilt hit her full force. What if he didn't feel like dancing with her and he rather be sitting down somewhere drinking? True, he said to stick by him tonight, but that could easily mean just to be somewhere where he could have access to her easily in case the need arise. With the feeling of guilt increasing, she began to pull away from him, only to have him wrap his arms more tightly around her, pulling her body closer to his.

"And just where do you think you're going?" He asked her simply, kissing her neck, causing her urn around and wrap her arms around his neck.

"Anywhere you want me to be," she simply replied, pecking him slightly on the lips. She had tried to resist him, she really did. But let's be realistic. There was only so much a girl could take.

"Maybe we should go somewhere where we can be alone," he murmured in her ear. Nodding, she held onto his hand tightly while he led her through the crowd to a reserved booth. Ordering a couple drinks, they set down and continued their previous activities.

"Well those two are getting comfortable again," Tomoyo whispered to her boyfriend from his lap. Tearing his stare from his long term girlfriend's lips he followed her gaze to their two best friends currently in intensive lip lock.

"Oh, shit!" Eriol suddenly exclaimed, seeing a certain drink heading to the couple. Tomoyo's eyes widened before she scampered off her boyfriends lap, the two doing their best to get out of the booth they were in and make it through the crowd to their friends.

"Hey guys! Oops, sorry!" Tomoyo told her best friend while she sat beside her and accidentally caused her to spill the contents of her glass on the floor.

"It's okay, I'll just order another one," Sakura sighed with slight annoyance, raising a hand to the bartender and signalling she needed another round of drinks.

"You know what, the drinks they have here are watered down and the music pretty much sucks anyway. Plus, I'm really hungry. You guys want to go hit up some burgers or something?" Eriol told her quickly before she was able to catch the bartender's eye.

Putting her hand down, Sakura shrugged and nodded, grabbing her jacket and Syaoran's hand. Sending both Eriol and Tomoyo suspicious looks through a hardened gaze, Syaoran helped Sakura with her jacket before sliding out of the booth.

"I really don't think we should be trying to help them out anymore, love," Eriol whispered into his girlfriend's ear. "We're doing them more harm than good. I mean, can you imagine what could have happened if those drinks got to them before we stopped it?"

"I know. Alright, we'll stop for now and see what happens. Hopefully things will improve." She replied, following in pursuit of her best friend and the girl's ex-boyfriend.

By the time the four got the burger joint and ate the food, they realized how tired they all were and decided to call it a night. Deciding they would check with each other's weekend plans since the following day was the Friday, they parted ways.

The morning sun shone on her face, as she opened her emerald green eyes groggily, a slow smile gracing her features when the realization that she had woken up on time dawned on her. Stretching like she did every morning when she had the chance, she rolled out of bed and grabbed her uniform and undergarments before trudging into the empty bathroom. Her smile widened. She made it to the bathroom before Touya! This meant hot water this morning! Doing a little victory dance she smirked when she heard Touya's door open.

"What the hell?! She's up?!" She heard her older brother gasp in shock and nearly fall down. Laughing gleefully she shut the door and began to get ready for the day.

Smiling, she walked down the hall to her locker, laughing at all of the teachers who looked like the day of reckoning had arrived. Frowning to herself for a moment, she thought to herself.

'I'm not always that late am I?'

Then she laughed to herself once more. Well that answer was pretty obvious, wasn't it? Arriving at her locker, she dragged the garbage can that was close by to it, deciding since she had the time, she would clean out her locker. Spinning the little lock and pulling on it, the locker snapped open and she began to clean.

"What's this?" She murmured to herself. She had already thrown out some love letters some secret admirer or another had sent her, scrap pieces of paper that were lying around, old math test Kami knew she never wanted to see again. But here, was a small green envelope with a Chinese symbol on it. Opening it, she almost felt her heart break.

It was a picture Syaoran's mother had convinced the two to take with a professional photographer last year. They were sitting on a swing attached to a cherry blossom tree, the petals swirling all around them as they held on another. They both looked so carefree; so happy. In the envelope was also a small chain. A pink amethyst cherry blossom shaped petal, with a real petal embedded inside. It was slung across a silver chain, with her name incrusted in Chinese on the back of the pendant. Syaoran gave it to her last year, and she thought she lost it. But it was here, all along. On the back of the photo there was a small inscription.

Sometimes, you want something so badly; you search all your life to find it. And sometimes, you realize it was right in front of you all along.

Putting on the chain and putting the picture up in her locker door where it was already littered with pictures of her and her friends, she closed the door after putting the envelope in her purse. Walking rather slowly to class since it was going to begin in 15 minutes, her thoughts began to wander.

Am I doing the right thing by pushing him away? Or am I doing more harm to myself?

The entire morning at school she went to great lengths to avoid everyone. Namely Syaoran and Tomoyo. Syaoran… she had to figure out what she was doing and fast. And if she got alone with Tomoyo, her best friend would make sure she spilled every word. That was not something she wanted to do. This was something she needed to figure out on her own. So when Eriol cam and sat beside her on the bench at lunch, she didn't see any harm in it.

"Tomoyo and Syaoran want to know why you've been avoiding them all morning. Since you haven't made any move to run away from me, they're probably thinking they did something wrong," Eriol spoke casually, leaning back on the bench.

"I'm not…" she began to deny, but by the look on Eriol's face, she knew she couldn't. "There are just some things I have to figure out," she replied.

"Concerning Syaoran," Eriol supplied.

"Right. And if I talk to Tomoyo about it then…" she trailed off, playing with the hem of her skirt whilst looking down.

"Then she'll give you a whole great scheme of how you should handle it, when it would really be Tomoyo handling it. Not you at all. This isn't what you want," Eriol filled in once more, causing Sakura to jerk her head up and look at him in confusion.

"How did you…" she began, but couldn't complete her question.

"Sakura, we've been friends for such a long time. And we were friends before Tomoyo and I got together. You should give me some more credit than that."

"I see," she replied meekly.

"You know Sakura; there are good things and bad things in life. We all know that, right?" Eriol asked. She looked at him once more, only to note he wasn't looking at her at all. Mumbling a coherent yes, he continued. "I know that you have a pretty good perception of what's good and what isn't. You've always had a pretty level head about you. The only problem you might have had is believing there is good in everyone, and going to great lengths to find it. I think you need to ask yourself what's really good for you. Are you more miserable now that you don't have him? Or were you more miserable when he did things you didn't like? He really has changed, Sakura. You're just choosing not to see it," with those last words he stood up, and gazed down upon her. "I'll be picking you up at seven for battle of the bands tonight. Tomoyo's MCing and has to get there early while Syaoran's in it. I'll see you tonight Sakura-chan."

Departing with a smile that usually would have brightened her day, she only felt more melancholy as he left her with a confused mind, and a heavy heart.

TBC

Notes: It's been a while, but I'm back!