The Next Day

Disclaimer: I do not own CCS, only my characters and plot.

Chapter 8

"Wake up Sakura!" Meiling and Tomoyo exasperately stood at the foot of Sakura's new bed in their dorm.

"Wake her up," Meiling threw her hands up in surrender and left the dorm room so her starving stomach could be satisfied.

Tomoyo glared at Meiling for leaving her with such a daunting task. "That's it," Tomoyo marched for the bathroom with a bucket. Yep, you know what's coming next:

"TOMOYO!!" The scream was echoed through the entire empty corridor since everyone was already gone . . . somewhere.

"Get up, Meiling and I are going to breakfast, we'll see you in a few."

Sakura yawned, as she got up drenched, and headed for her closet. Since it wasn't exactly an official school day yet—she could wear regular clothes today. She selected an outfit she knew Meiling would die over and Tomoyo would think she'd gone crazy. Yep, she was wearing a skirt. Sakura was an a shock-people mood today.

Sakura opened the door to her dorm and walked down the hallway to the cafeteria.

Ryu, Syaoran, Eriol, Meiling and Tomoyo were waiting for her at their usual table next to windows but in the shadows.

Sakura sat in the vacant seat next to Syaoran. Syaoran gave her a rare secret smile and slid her customary bottle of water to her.

"Thanks, but you didn't have to do this," Sakura wrinkled her nose.

"That's why you're paying me back," Syaoran laughed.

Sakura slowly smiled. Someone finally understood her need for independence that she had gained from betrayal.

Tomoyo shooked her head and said to Meiling. "Look at them, they act like a married couple."

Sakura and Syaoran turned their death-glares at Tomoyo and said simaltaneously: "We do not!"

Meiling smirked. "Nah, they argue more like an ancient couple, right?" She stared long and hard at the S couple. Reluctantly the two nodded slowly. They were going to wait until they were sure they wouldn't break up two weeks after getting together . . . but, oh well. This announcement prompted bulged eyes from Eriol and Tomoyo.

Since the cat's out of the bag, Sakura thought 'ah, screw it' while unscrewing the cap and turned to kiss Syaoran long and hard. Syaoran obviously enjoyed it as he gripped the tops of her arms and reveled in the sweet taste of her mouth.

Yeah, that did it. Eriol and Tomoyo spat out their drinks at Ryu and Meiling who didn't look surprised at all.

"Gross Tomoyo," Meiling looked disgusted as Ryu gently wiped off the liquid off her face.

"Well, excuse me for being shocked, why aren't you that these two got together?" Tomoyo dramatically flung her hand towards an amused Sakura and Syaoran.

"Actually, no," Ryu said. "They were making out when we met up with them in the library."

"At least I didn't fuck her the minute we were a couple like you and Meiling," Syaoran growled protectively as he slung an arm around Sakura. Sakura didn't shrug him off surprisingly, apparently understanding that he was just defending her honor . . . and virtue.

Meiling and Ryu blushed severely, but their embarassment lasted a milisecond when Tomoyo started wailing, "How could I miss filming that?" She put her head into her folded arms on the cafeteria table.

Then suddenly jumped right back up into her typical hyperness and squealed with joy and launched herself at Sakura, nearly strangling her: "About time! At least you guys aren't the couple who are naïve to what's in front of them and don't realize until something big happens and then finally get together after five years!" She rambled. "You guys are such a kawaii couple!!" She squealed a couple more times then let go.

"Hypocrite," Ryu whispered to Meiling. Meiling nodded, and said "You watch waaaaaaaaaay too many chick flicks," Meiling murmured as Ryu continued massaging her shoulders. She had a dance exam in two hours, and damn was she stressed.

Eriol recovered from his shock, blinked once, and leaned torwards Syaoran, "About time." He grinned a Cheshire cat smile. Syaoran chose to ignore him and stabbed viciously at his plate of rabbit lettuce and carrots.

Eriol was spared from an early death when a pigtailed-girl walked up to the table with a white-faced boyfriend on her arm. "Thank you Kinomoto-sama, now I can finally beat up my boyfriend for not telling the truth!"

"Oh, please, don't call me sama, I really didn't do anything special—besides breaking the rules," Sakura said dryly. "What's your name?"

"This is Chiharu and that's Yamazaki," Syaoran cut in.

"Excuse me, I can introduce myself," Chiharu said, scandalized.

"Sorry, I had to cut in before Yamazaki here started blabbing about the—no doubt false—origins of his name."

Yamazaki, Chiharu, Sakura frowned as she lost herself in thought. Why do those names sound so familiar? Oh, wait, Yamazaki was the guy that Eriol and Syaoran were talking to during the tournament, and Eriol mentioned Chiharu when he was trying to freak Yamazaki out.

"You're a good liar Yamazaki, but I think you should stick to truths because I have a feeling that this girl can kick ass," Sakura nodded at the brunette.

Chiharu smirked, "Hell yeah." She glared at her boyfriend, and skipped happily off, dragging him behind her to their table.

Not long after Chiharu congratulated Sakura, hordes of pro-feminist girls surrounded their mainly obscure table to gush Sakura's achievement in silver tongues. When they finally left, Sakura sighed in relief.

"You're famous now, girl," Tomoyo said, laughing.

"Oh, shut up," Sakura rolled her eyes.

"No, seriously," Tomoyo said. "Almost all the ass-kicking girls here are, now, like worshipping you. You changed a rule they all absolutely loathed!"

"Yeah. Okay. Whatever. Can we change the subject now?" Sakura honestly didn't think it was so much of a deal that girls here were woshipping her now. She just did something that she felt was right and naturally rebellled against a rule she hated.

"Here's a good question, what are you wearing Sakura?" Tomoyo looked at Sakura's outfit.

"You don't like?" Sakura pretended to sound hurt.

"Of course I like!" Tomoyo said. "But it's not your typical outfit, is it?"

"Nope, but I like freaking people out! What do you guys want to do today?" Sakura asked.

"No training, please! I'm still bruised from yesterday." Eriol said.

Sakura looked at Syaoran. They both rolled their eyes. "Hiirigizawa—you get bruised easier than a girl." Syaoran said.

Sakura picked up one of Tomoyo's bread rolls and threw it at Syaoran.

"OI! What was that for!?" Syaoran yelped.

"For saying girls get bruised easily!" Sakura glared at Syaoran. Syaoran brushed the crumbs off his jacket.

"Fine, if it helps, I like your outfit," Syaoran whispered so lowly that only she could hear. Sakura smiled slightly and shivered when she felt his fingertips trail up her back through the thin material of her top.

Eriol stared at the couples surrounding him, jealous that he could never work up enough courage to ask Tomoyo out.

Miss Isaki ruined the mood when she stopped by their table, handed an envelope to Sakura, and swept out of the room. All while looking like the bitch she was with a mighty high wrinkled nose, cold hawk-like eyes, and a twisted snarl of a smile.

"What is it?" Syaoran leaned over to look at it. Sakura slapped his hand away from the envelope. "Hey!" He pouted. Sakura smiled and tried to open it.

"It's sealed shut." She wrestled with it, but all of her struggles fell flat, even attempting to rip it in halves didn't work.

"Here, let me," Eriol offered. His finger glowed blue and he traced his finger on the edge of the envelope and it magically opened.

"Show off," Tomoyo said.

"Oh, please," Meiling muttered. "You love it whenever your love puppy shows off."

"What?" Eriol asked.

"Oh, nothing," Meiling plastered on a fake smile coincidentally enough at the same time Tomoyo sharply elbowed her in the ribs. Eriol looked suspiciously at her and gave up not wanting another spoon incident to happen.

Sakura withdrew a thick, creamy, textured sheet of parchment and scanned it. Her jaw dropped. "No," She exhaled. "No, no, it's already time?" She struggled to breathe.

Syaoran grapsed her by the shoulders. "Breathe Sakura, breathe," His amber eyes searched her bright emerald ones.

"What's wrong?" Eriol asked concerned. .

"My coronation . . . is on," Sakura struggled to breathe. ". . .the third of May."

"So soon? You aren't even 18 yet!" Syaoran stared at her in confusion.

"I don't know," Sakura rubbed her forehead as her head swirled in confusion and worry. How could she become Queen to a whole kingdom? Would she be good enough? Millions of questions plagued her. Syaoran, seeing this, tried to comfort her.

"Maybe it's because—" Eriol got cut off as the lights suddenly went out.

"What's going on?!" Tomoyo asked—her voice quivered.

"It's probably nothing, maybe it's a black out." Eriol thought out loud.

Meiling looked at Eriol. "What?"

"You idiot! The power in this academy is completely runned on magic—and that source is always protected!"

Everybody in the cafeteria screamed as the chandeliers erupted into fire. Sakura raised her arms to try to protect herself from the sparks flying from the chandeliers.

'What the hell is going on!?' She thought as bedlam let loose in the academy.