Author's Notes: Not much to say. Here's chapter four.
*~*
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS.
*~*
*~* Chapter Four *~*
The Twisted Rose
The rest of Christmas break quickly went by and soon, Sakura and Syaoran were forced to return back to prison . . . school. Sakura had moved out of Syaoran's apartment and back into her house. Naturally, Touya had demanded that when he learned where she had stayed when she first arrived.
The morning of the first day of school of the New Year Syaoran had volunteered to take Sakura to school. He pulled his sleek sports car in front of Sakura's house and honked the horn.
Sakura ran out of the house. "See you later!" she shouted to her brother and father.
Touya shook his head as he watched her get in the car.
"I know what you mean," Fujitaka smiled. "He couldn't even come up to the house. You scared him away."
That gaki better keep his filthy hands off of Sakura . . . If I find out that he's hurt her I'll . . .
*~*
"You could've rang the door bell instead of honking the horn, Syaoran," scowled Sakura as they drove towards the school.
"We're going to be late," he told her, glancing at the clock in his car. "And I didn't want to catch a beat down and/or a lecture from your brother."
Sakura frowned. "Well, at least it's not my fault this time. I was waiting for you for twenty minutes! And I thought you were Mr. Punctual. As for my brother, I'm sure he wouldn't beat you up. You didn't do anything."
Syaoran snickered. "Just looking at you is a crime to him. Besides, I came late on purpose." He grinned wickedly. "I wanted an excuse to speed."
Sakura rolled her eyes. You never needed an excuse before . . . "Hey, where's Mei-lin? You told me you were going to pick her up to."
Syaoran shrugged. "She called last night to say that she wouldn't need a ride."
Hmmm . . . that's strange. Well, I guess she's gotten over that clingy stage of hers. Still, it's not like her to pass up a chance to spend time with Syaoran . . .
*~*
Sakura and Syaoran entered their homeroom just before the bell rang. Both of them were gasping for air.
Their new teacher had not yet arrived- the old one had quit-, so they joined their group of friends in the back of the classroom.
Mei-lin was already there. She had a strange smile on her face. She looked Sakura over and noticed her flushed face. "Why are you so red?"
Takashi winked at them. "Yeah . . . why were you two late? Late night, hmm?"
Syaoran glared at him. He didn't like the sly grin on his friend's face and the tone of his voice. Syaoran knew what he was suggesting. "Shut up."
Tomoyo decided to join in Takashi's little game. "And you two came in together. Did you spend the night at Syaoran's, Sakura?"
Sakura sighed. She had been expecting this, but not form Tomoyo. "No. You know that I moved back with Touya and Dad a while time ago. And quit it you guys- we were just running late."
"Yeah, right," they all muttered.
Syaoran whispered a silent 'thank you' as the teacher entered the classroom.
Like their old teacher, Terada-sensei, this man was young and handsome. He had short dirty blond hair and dark blue eyes. However, unlike Terada-sensei, he was well built.
"Class, please take your seats," he said. The girls nearly swooned at the smooth, velvety tone in his voice.
Syaoran took his seat behind Sakura. He liked looking at her slender neck and her silky hair.
"My name is Wolfe-sensei." He wrote his name on the board. "But you can just call me Wolfe if you want."
Once again the girls began to whisper.
"Wolfe . . . that's soooo romantic . . ."
"And dangerous . . ."
"He's so cute . . ."
Syaoran rested his head in his hands and rolled his eyes. He hoped that Sakura wasn't getting any stupid ideas about Wolfe-sensei being 'handsome' or whatever. Personally, he didn't see it.
Wolfe took out some papers from his briefcase. "Since today is our first day together, I just want you to fill out a questionnaire about yourself. Nothing too personal or intimate. Once you're finished, you can have the rest of the bell to yourself."
The students eagerly worked on their papers, wanting to have some free time.
Syaoran quickly answered each question but hesitated when he got to the last one. 'Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend?'
He smiled and wrote 'fiancée'.
*~*
Sakura had done the same thing on her paper. She didn't know why she thought that Wolfe-sensei needed to know that.
He'll probably hear it from somewhere, anyway.
She stood up to take her paper to Wolfe-sensei desk when Syaoran gently took the paper from her hand. "Sit," he ordered as he took it up for her.
A few girls around her cooed, "You're sooo lucky . . ."
Sakura smiled. I know . . .
*~*
My gem . . . Nyoko . . . I knew we would find each other again . . .
*~*
Lunchtime . . .
Sakura groaned as she sat down on the bleachers with Syaoran and Tomoyo. "Oh, no. I left my lunch in Wolfe-sensei's classroom . . ."
"I'll go get it for you," offered Syaoran.
She shook her head. "I'll get it." Sakura quickly raced into the school building, anxious to eat. Her stomach was rumbling very loudly when she finally got up to the forth floor. Panting for breath, Sakura slid the classroom door open. Thank goodness it's not locked . . . She went over to her desk and recovered her lunch bag. She froze, noticing something in her chair.
It was a rose. But it was no ordinary rose. Swirls of red and black covered the soft petals of the flower and its twisted stem was dark black. Attached to the stem was a note.
For my one and only . . .
For my one and only? Could it be form Syaoran?
Why would Syaoran give me a warped flower? I can sense dark power radiating form it . . .
She clutched the flower in her hand and raced back outside.
Syaoran saw the look on Sakura's face and instantly grew concerned. "What's wrong?"
She threw the demented rose on the ground. "Did you give this to me?"
He frowned. Her voice was frantic and high-pitched. She was growing hysterical. "No. Why would I?"
She sat next to him and buried her face in her hand. "Do you think it could be Alan?"
Tomoyo was confused. "Alan? Who's that?"
Syaoran told her about what had happened in Hong Kong. "But that's impossible. I destroyed him, Sakura. He can't come back."
"Are you sure? Can you ever really be sure when it comes to magic?" she moaned.
"Maybe you're just being paranoid, Sakura," Tomoyo gently said.
"Then who the HELL sent me that rose? Someone with magic had to have done it!" she cried, her voice raising. "For once, I'd like to have a peaceful, NORMAL life!"
Syaoran raised his eyebrows. Sakura was having a nervous breakdown. He pulled her into his arms and began to rock her back and forth.
"Go get a nurse," Syaoran told Tomoyo. "She needs to get some rest."
*~*
About an hour later, Sakura lay in the guest bed in Syaoran's apartment curled up into a tiny ball. "I'm sorry, Syaoran. I'll try to be stronger . . ."
He stroked her hair. "Stronger? You've been through a lot. I think you're pretty strong."
She smiled. "Really?"
"Really." Syaoran placed a tray of food in front of Sakura. "You missed lunch. Eat up."
She nibbled on the food, too busy thinking to concentrate on eating. Who had sent her that rose? If it wasn't Alan, then that meant that someone else was after her. But why?
She finished off the food and Syaoran took away the tray. He left her to get some rest.
Sakura snuggled into the warm thick sheets and let her drowsiness overtake her. She drifted off into a deep sleep.
*~*
Finally . . .Nyoko . . . you've returned to me . . .
N- Nyoko? Who?
Don't play games with me, darling. I told you I would be back, although it took a while. How could you? How could you DO WHAT YOU DID TO ME?!! You loved me, Nyoko. ME, not HIM.
I-I don't understand. Who's N-
Not ANOTHER word! I've heard enough lies form you! I will have you, Li Nyoko. But don't think that you'll go unpunished. No, no, my gem. I will also have revenge on you.
Please, I don't-
Save your excuses, Nyoko. When the time comes, everything will be the way it should have been years ago . . . Can you feel it? The destruction, the pain, the suffering? All of it is soon to come . . .Nyoko.
Sakura could indeed feel all of the pain, destruction and suffering. It was overwhelming.
Nooooooooo!!!!!!!
*~*
Syaoran jumped up from the couch as Sakura's shrill screaming rose from the guestroom. He ran into her room and shook her shivering body.
Her eyes snapped open, as wide as saucers. She was gasping for breath.
"Sakura, what happened?" Syaoran asked.
She took a deep breath. "A d-dream. Like the one I had in Hong Kong . . ."
He frowned. "The one you had in Hong Kong?"
"Yes." He told her about the dream she'd had in the tub at the Li mansion. (A/N: Refer to chapter 13 of Against All Odds if u don't remember.) "But it was weird . . ."
"Weird how?"
"This man . . . he called me . . . Nyoko," she whispered.
Syaoran froze. That name was familiar. He searched his mind for anyone named that.
"And . . . and her last name was Li. I know that there are a lot of Li's in China, but I just got the feeling that the man was talking about the Li Clan. Your family."
He began to stroke her hair. "Hey, it's okay. Tomorrow I'll talk to Sunni, Klein and my Mother and asked them about this Li Nyoko. Just get some rest, okay?"
Sakura snuggled down into the soft mattress on the bed. "I don't want to go back to sleep. I-I'm scared."
Syaoran took her hand and climbed into the bed with her. "I'll stay with you," he whispered.
She smiled and sighed, burying her head in his chest. Syaoran watched her until he was sure that she was sleeping.
Nyoko . . . Nyoko . . . WHY is that name so familiar . . . I can't think of it . . .
Syaoran was pulled out of his thoughts when the doorbell rang. He carefully slipped out of the bed and went into the living room. Syaoran looked through the peephole and groaned. It was Sakura's brother.
He reluctantly opened the door. "Yes?"
Touya glared at him. "I got a call from the school saying that Sakura went home sick. Now imagine how I felt when I came home and she WASN'T THERE! I bet she's here!"
"She is."
They stood in silence for a while.
"WELL? Aren't you going to let me in?"
Syaoran stepped back and closed the door behind Touya.
"So what happened?" he demanded.
Syaoran knew that he couldn't tell him why Sakura had left school without telling him about what had happened in Hong Kong. "Sit down, please. It's a long story."
*~*
"And so Sakura thinks that you didn't actually KILL this Alan guy, that you just . . . I don't know, ran him away or something?"
Syaoran nodded. "That's why she was freaked out so much."
"Hmm."
"Hmm."
"Well, it's so nice seeing you two getting along."
They turned around to face Sakura. There was a smile on her pale face.
They both stood up.
"Are you alright?" the two concerned boys chorused.
She laughed weakly. "Yes, I'm fine. Just tiered. Other than that, I'm okay."
Touya picked up Sakura's things. "Well, kid, thanks for taking care of her. Here and in Hong Kong. I owe you a lot."
Syaoran smiled. Touya wasn't that bad- just overprotective. "It was my pleasure."
*~*
Kinomoto residence . . .
Sakura climbed up the stairs warily. She let out a huge yawn and opened her door.
She stared in disbelief when she saw the flowers. There were dozens and dozens of roses just like the one she'd found at school scattered all around her room.
As she sank to her knees, she covered her ears. "Shut up! SHUT UP!!"
But the whispering continued.
You are mine, Nyoko . . . now and forever . . .
Author's Note: WELL! What do u think? Don't kill me for making Sakura have a near break down. Please R+R.
