Sakura in Paris 2
Part Nine: First Dates

(Max is on a pay-phone at a grungy gas station in Kansas.)
Max (Yelling over the static): No, Mom! No! Gimpy did not get run over! No, Mom, n-, Mom, stop crying! Our dog didn't die! Forest Gimp did not die! No! I'm going on a trip to Mexico!!! MEXICO!
(Hangs up the phone angrily)
Max: RAYE! MS. SINIC! C'MON!!
Raye & Ms. Sinic: Coming!
(The two rush out of the gas-station with five milk jugs, three butter-tubs, bag after bag of ice-packs, candy, and paper plates, and a small stove. Ameoba Boy stumbles out minutes later with a gigantic case of water tied to his back, making his legs shake under the weight.)
Max (calmly as they load the stuff up): And what'n the Hell is all of this crap?
Raye: Well, if you want mac 'n cheeze, ya gotta have water to make it with. And milk and butter.
Ms. Sinic: And plates to eat off of.
Raye: And candy for dessert!
Max: And just how much did this all cost?
Raye: Oh, I'm not sure. We just used your Mom's credit card for everything and the gas.
Max: WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Raye: Well, we're all set! Everybody get in!
Ms. Sinic (as she helps a stunned Max in): Where's Christopher and Psycho?
Raye: Chris had to go use the little boy's room, and Psycho ran off into that field over there.
Ms. Sinic: C'MON GUYS!! WE'RE LEAVING!!
(Christopher and Psycho come running.)
Ms. Sinic: Now where's Sakura and Li?
Max: They're in the back making out.
(Li and Sakura poke heads out of the truck. Their hair's everywhere.)
Li & Sakura: WE ARE NOT MAKING OUT!
Max (sarcastically): Oh? Then what DO you call it? Eating each other's faces?
(Li and Sakura turn tomato red.)
Li: We'll just get back in now.
Sakura: And keep our mouths shut.
Raye (In the driver's seat): We're off then!
(Two giant doors slam shut and the back of the truck slides down.)
Everyone: WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO MEXICO!!!
Max: And freedom hopefully. Do you think the Mexican government still uses the death penalty for stealing?

{Disclaimer}
Friends. Cardcaptors. Anime. The Mummy. Brendon Fraser. Zorro. Dark Angel. Logan. Hugh Jackman.
This is just a small list of the things I love most in life, and the things I can't live without.
And yet, of all of these things, I don't own a one of them.
Nope.
I can't survive without any of them, but I can't claim ownership.
Life sux, don't it?


"Madison, I hope you don't get mad at me for asking, but is Shawn all right?" Sakura asked that night.
Madison was drying her hair with a large fluffy white towel, so her reply was quite muffled. "Yeah, Sakura. It was only a thunderstorm."
"No, Madison. I mean all right in the head."
Madison dropped her towel and glared at her friend. "And just what gives you the idea that he isn't?!"
Sakura raised her hands in appeasement. "Calm down, Madison! It's just that back in the Maze.....He wasn't acting normal."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you said that he knew what you were thinking, and he had all of those mood swings. And then there was that shadow he kept yelling about."
"Shawn is a perfectly normal boy! I don't question if Li's all there in the head! Shawn's just had a rough past. Maybe that kind of stuff's haunting him so he acts strange sometimes. At least he's always sweet and shy!"
"Calm down, Madison! I'm sorry I ever brought it up!

"Shawn? Are you in there?" Li called through the bedroom door.
"What is it?" Shawn asked grumpily.
"Can I come in? It's Li."
There was a lengthy pause before Li could hear the faint "Come in."
Li opened the door and stepped into the brightly-lit room. Shawn was busy shoving a tattered book into his ragged bookbag. "What do you want?"
"I wanted to ask you something for Madison."
Shawn looked up, suddenly interested. "What?"
"She wants to know if you'd like to go out to lunch tomorrow, at a little cafe` called Gennetel. Would you like to go?"
Shawn debated for a moment in silence, then nodded. "I'd like that."

"WHAT?!?!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M GOING TO LUNCH WITH SHAWN?!?!" Madison screamed at Sakura the next morning before breakfast.
Sakura blinked to focus her eyes. "I mean just what I said! Li asked Shawn if he'd like to go out with you for lunch today and he said yes."
"AND JUST WHY DIDN'T YOU INFORM ME ABOUT THIS EARLIER?!?!"
Sakura blinked again. "I wanted it to be a surprise?"
"Well congratulations. I'm surprised." Madison huffed angrily as she stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door in Sakura's face.
"Are you going to be stubborn and refuse to go?!?!" Sakura shouted through the door.
Opening the door the smallest crack, Madison glared out at her flustered friend. "Of course not! Do you think I'm Meilin or something? Of course I'll go out to lunch with Shawn."
And with that, Madison slammed the door shut again.
"THEN WHY DID YOU HAVE TO YELL AT ME IF YOU WANTED TO GO IN THE FIRST PLACE?!?!?!?!?"

Shawn squirmed nervously in his seat. This place was too fancy for him. Madison sat across from him, wearing a simple white dress and bow. Her gloved hands folded primly in her lap, she looked the perfect picture of an elegant lady. Shawn on the other hand, was very uncomfortable in his black suit, which Jacque and Ranea had picked out just hours earlier for him.
"What's taking the waiter so long?" Shawn asked as he continued to fidget nervously. Madison smiled.
"He just left, Shawn. They have to cook the food before they bring it to us."
Shawn grinned embarrassedly, his sweat dropping quite low. "Oh, yeah. Right."

Sakura giggled behind her menu. "Just look at them! Aren't they such a cute couple!"
Li nodded and turned back around to face his girlfriend. "You know, Sakura, this is our first official date in France; we didn't just come here to watch Madison and Shawn."
Sakura nodded absently, waving at Li as she glued her eyes to Madison's blushing face. "Sure, dear."
Li sighed and looked back down at his menu.


Max: RAYE! WAKE UP! YOU'RE ABOUT TO RUN OVER THAT POOR DOG!!
(The brakes of the giant semi screech to a stop as Raye startles awake.)
Raye: Huh? Whattzat?
Max: Just look at the poor thing! All alone out here. He looks so lonely. And look! He's limping.
Raye: The pooch looks fine to me.
Max: He doesn't to me. I'm gonna go out and see if I can help him.
Ms. Sinic: Uh, Max?
Max: Yeah?
Ms. Sinic: I don't think that's a good idea.....
Max: And why ever not?
Ms. Sinic: Well, most dogs don't have fangs that sharp......Or eyes that red.......Or look like wolves....OR START TURNING INTO HUMANS!!!
Everyone: AHHHHH!!!!! WEREWOLF!!!!!!!!
(Tires squeal in the Nevada night, and one lone wolf howls mournfully as its prey escapes in a large cloud of menthol dust.....)