Chapter Ten

~starjade~

Crystal Tears

a/n: I LUV ALL YA REVIEWERS! Thanks so much for the reviews! I love them all! You don't know how happy I get when I read them! Thank you so much! Ooh and its finally getting closer to where they fall in love with each other big time! Hehe...Finally , eh?

Totally Kawaii!

Sakura sat down , tucking her gown under her and smiling up at Syaoran.

" Aren't you gonna sit down?" she asked , sweetly. Syaoran looked around and nodded.

"Yeah , I guess."

He sat down awkwardly , trying to inch away from the beautiful girl sitting next to him. His mind was jumbled with confusing thoughts which he desperately needed to sort out. What was up with his head? This wasn't the way things were supposed to go....He noticed things about Sakura he had ignored before. Her beauty , her cheerfulness , the warm inviting pink aura that wrapped around her , her kindness , that lovable attitude...

Syaoran shook himself out of his reverie and snapped , " Aren't we supposed to be getting to work by now , not staring out at the lake like some deranged idiots?"

Sakura looked at him , angry , but then brushed it off.

" Sure...It says here that the jewels were taken two days ago , at six o'clock in the morning , and it seems the robbers had climbed through.."

~~~~****~~~

While Syaoran and Sakura worked on their sheet , Eriol and Tomoyo crouched behind some bushes. Tomoyo gasped at the beauty of the place where Sakura and Syaoran chose to work. It was absolutely magnificent , she thought.

Eriol on the meantime was concentrating on formulating a plan to bring Syaoran and Sakura closer. He glanced at Tomoyo and suddenly was struck with an idea.

" Hey , Tomoyo , what is Sakura scared of?"

Tomoyo shook herself out of her thoughts and asked , " What?"

Eriol repeated , " What is Sakura scared of?"

Tomoyo was struck with the strangeness of this question but answered to the best of her ability.

" Well , when we were at the Kinomoto Kingdom , she was always screaming whenever I talked about ghosts or something scary like that."

Eriol grinned.

" You know , I have quite a good idea."

He whispered his idea into Tomoyo's ear , who blushed at the closeness , but forgot about it as she listened.

~~~****~~~~

" So , Syaoran why would the robbers want the jewels?" Sakura asked. Syaoran was being quite strange today , always blushing and stumbling. She didn't know what was up with him , but for some reason , Sakura seemed to be noticing a lot about Syaoran that she had never noticed before. The cute way his messy chestnut hair flopped onto his forehead. His deep amber eyes that seemed to hold so much intelligence...he was quite handsome , she had to admit.

" I have no idea." Was the unhelpful idea that came.

" Well , your the only one who would know about it! I don't know that much about the Li Kingdom , so why aren't you helping?"

Syaoran sighed , and replied , " Don't you get what my mother's doing? The jewels aren't even in the Li Kingdom! They were never stolen , 'cause we don't even have it! She's faking the whole thing!"

Sakura gasped.

" Why would your mother do something like that?"

Syaoran blushed. Syaoran was doing that a lot lately.

" Well..."

Suddenly a haunting sound came from the forest behind them.

A low rumble resounded against the trees darkening the bright day , and causing an eerie glow to appear in the trees behind them. Sakura blinked hard. What the hell...

A low growl came from the trees and suddenly it seemed a figure whipped from the bushes to another , going so fast that Sakura could not see what it was. It made an unearthly sound , something that scared Sakura out of her wits.

" S-S-Syaoran what is that?" she asked, trembling.

Syaoran peered into the trees confused. What was that? It sounded like a wolf or a monster of some sort , but then what was the eerie whitish green glow that appeared throughout the trees?

And why did it suddenly grow dark?

In the middle of the day?

Syaoran was confused but was getting an inkling of who was behind this.

Suddenly a loud morbid , macabre screech echoed throughout the forest and Sakura screamed.

She suddenly felt so alone as the wind blew across her face and arms , causing goose bumps to appear. She felt so scared and vulnerable...as the screech was sounded again , Sakura leapt for Syaoran and landed against his chest , putting her arms around his neck , her face buried in his shoulder. She was trembling with fright.

Syaoran blushed heavily.

" I-I-It's a g-g-ghost , isn't i-i-it , S-Syaoran?" She shook and Syaoran , on impulse , put his arms around the shaking girl. This action surprised him ,and he was flabbergasted with himself. What the hell was he doing? Yet Sakura felt so right in his arms...

" I don't think its a ghost , Sakura. There's no such thing."

Sakura was still shaking but her shivering toned down as she processed what he said. He called her Sakura...

Suddenly the day brightened again , and the glow disappeared. The low haunting sounds diminished and the growling faded away.

Sakura suddenly was aware of how close she was to Syaoran , how she could hear his heart beating , how his strong arms were around her. It felt like she had come home...

Yet , Sakura was scared of these feelings and quickly jerked out of Syaoran's arms. She couldn't see how she had come to these feelings and her face flushed. Heat traveled throughout her body , warming her heart , and she had to fight to breath normally.

What was going on with her?

~~~~****~~~~~

Eriol and Tomoyo slapped a high five , grinning like Cheshire cats. Triumphant looks were mirrored on both of their faces , and they giggled as they leaned back to watch the rest of the show.

" Eriol , you never told me you had magic!" Tomoyo exclaimed giggling as she watched Sakura blush heavily. This was the best! Oh it was so kawaii , Sakura finding her prince charming....yes!

" Yeah , well it does come in handy ," Eriol replied , chuckling. He looked at the girl who was sighing at the scene in front of her , and had her hands clasped together with hearts in her eyes. Eriol could not help but smile at the this girl. She was so beautiful , not to mention sweet...and those amethyst eyes , it drew him in..

Eriol snapped out of the his reverie and grinned at Tomoyo.

" Lets help them along , just a bit more , eh Tomoyo?"

Tomoyo grinned as well.

" Oh , I was thinking of the same thing!"

~~~***~~~~****

Syaoran felt Sakura jump out of his arms quickly and felt disappointment overcome him. Well , at least he knew that Sakura wasn't having the feelings he was having..

Wait a minute.

He wasn't having any feelings at all! Yeah , that's right! It was just getting a bit hot in here , and the only reason he put his arms around her was because....he felt pity for her! Yeah...

" How about we finish...um....the clues , now?" Syaoran mumbled , while Sakura stood awkwardly wringing her hands. Sakura jumped at his voice , but relaxed.

" What's the point. You said that your mother faked the whole thing!"

Syaoran remembered , and was at a loss. He hated this feeling of discomfort! He wished that Sakura and him could just feel comfortable around each other....but with what just happened , he knew there was no chance of that happening!

Syaoran remembered the first day they met with some amusement. He thought she was just one of those off-the-rack , clumsy , snotty princesses , who were obsessed about their looks and their status. Sakura sure proved him wrong..

Sakura sighed. She also hated feeling awkward. She felt a current run between the two of them , like some magnet pulling them together. Every time she tried to pull away , she was drawn back again. But Syaoran sure didn't feel that way. He hated her guts..

" Syaoran , I was thinking.." Sakura mumbled. Syaoran looked up at her with a questioning look. Why was it that whenever Syaoran looked at her , it tugged at her heart? This wasn't supposed to happen...

" Why don't we be friends?" she asked , quietly.

Syaoran looked at her in surprise.

Sakura rushed on , " Well , the last time you kind of rejected me , and I'm sorry for being all mean to you , but its not my fault , 'cause your mean to me too , and I was kind of angry that you made such hasty judgments of me , and I really want to be your friend , because I know you a bit better, and I know your nice deep down , and if you don't want to be my friend , that's okay , because well , I know that you are like cold to everyone and maybe being my friend scares you-"

Syaoran laughed , cutting Sakura off on her ramblings.

" I thought we were already friends!" (a/n: hehe , friendship is the first stage to love!^^)

Sakura gasped in shock at what he said. Did he just say what I think he said , Sakura thought.

Sakura peered at him , and asked , " What have you done with the real Syaoran Li?"

Syaoran smiled at her , causing a warm feeling to spread throughout her veins.

" Hey , I know I've been kind of cold. It was just that I really didn't want to marry at all , and my mother was pressuring me into doing it , so I had to agree."

Sakura smiled at him. Now this was a side to Syaoran she had never seen before! Syaoran acting...nice? That was sooo weird...

Syaoran suddenly felt a whoosh of magic flow through him , and travel throughout the air. Something was happening ...Syaoran stood up and looked around him , curiously. The magic was quite strong ,and was quite familiar...

All of a sudden a scream shook the air and Syaoran felt a fear he never felt before rush through him. He whipped his head around and found Sakura being blown back by some unnatural force . She was being carried high above him and was floating out across the lake.

" Sakura!" Syaoran shouted , confused. What the hell was this? Magic...but who was doing it?

Sakura in the meanwhile , was damn straight perplexed and scared. She had also felt the magic and felt herself being blown up. Bewilderment struck her and she could not believe what was happening. Suddenly that little plane of air she had been floating on , was whisked away , and Sakura felt her body drop. She let out a scream as she felt the water meet up to her , as the icy cold waves touched her body , drawing her in.

Syaoran rushed to the water side , and yelled out , " Sakura! Where the hell are you?"

Sakura knew how to swim , and she could swim quite well. But every time she tried to swim , something held her back , causing her to swallow in quantities of water. Fear overcame her , as she thought , I'm gonna drown!

She gurgled out , desperately , " Help!" She floundered , trying hard to stay surfaced , but her arms were growing unnaturally weak. She needed help!

Syaoran..

Knowing her first cry was weak , she yelled out with the last of her strength , " HELP!"

Syaoran heard the cry , and it called upon a feeling to surface from deep within his heart. Without another thought , Syaoran pulled off his shoes , and plunged into the icy waters. He took a deep breath and dived into the waters , looking around for Sakura. Strangely , nothing was holding him back , like it held Sakura. It seemed that this person controlling the magic wanted Syaoran to be able to swim , and not Sakura...

Syaoran swam on and was about to go up for air , when he saw a figure floating downwards , her auburn hair creating a halo around her head. Sakura! Syaoran swam as fast as he could and wrapped his arms around the girls motionless body and brought her up to the surface.

He gasped as he came up for air , and keeping his arm around her body , he brought Sakura to the shore. He dragged himself up and picked up Sakura.

Sakura seemed to be awakening and Syaoran sat down with Sakura's head in his lap. As she aroused herself slowly , Syaoran unconsciously brushed wet strands of hair that were plastered against her forehead , and he smiled , relieved that she was okay. Sakura began to choke out the water that she had swallowed.

When she was done , she lay back tired. Syaoran was breathing heavily as well, his clothes soaked ,his chestnut hair plastered to his forehead . The same was with Sakura. Sakura brought herself up , weakly to her elbows.

" Syaoran , I-I tried to swim , but something was holding me down! I felt some magic.."

Syaoran nodded , his face growing dark.

" Yup , and I know exactly who it was!"

Sakura glanced at him , surprised.

" Who?" she asked , curiously.

" ERIOL HIIRAGIZAWA! COME OUT NOW!" Syaoran shouted angrily. Giggling erupted from a couple of bushes near them , and Tomoyo and Eriol stepped out , falling all over each other.

" We-We're sorry!" choked out Tomoyo , her hands on her stomach , giggles bubbling out from her.

" Yeah , b-but we just had to do it!" Eriol said , bursting out into hearty laughter.

Syaoran and Sakura stood there dumbfounded.

" Wait a minute... are you telling me that you guys set us up? You made the ghost thingy , and made me drown?" Sakura asked , densely.

" Yeah , Sakura , but it was for a good cause!" Tomoyo chuckled.

" And that cause would be.." Syaoran asked , his face angry. They almost caused Sakura to drown...

" To bring you two closer together!" Tomoyo blurted out and Eriol shushed her. A bit too late , that was.

" WHAT!" Sakura and Syaoran shouted together. They looked at each other , dumbfounded. What the hell...

" Yup! And I think it worked too!" Tomoyo giggled. This was so much fun!

" TOMOYO!" Sakura screeched , and with one last look at Syaoran , ran after Tomoyo , her face red. Tomoyo squealed and began to run as well , back to the castle.

" Well , Well , Eriol. I guess that leaves me and you!" Syaoran growled , his face red as well. Eriol smiled , a bit hesitantly.

" Hey , Syaoran , my good man. It was just a friendly joke....aahhh!"

a/n: HEHE! Maybe it was a bit quick , and sort of ooc from the way I portrayed my characters , pweeze dont flame me on that! I knoe , but it was getting quite long , and they still haven't fallen in love yet! There had to be some mention of it!!! Ooh ,and if your wondering why Syaoran knew it was eriol , you know , he could sense his magic , cos he was using alot of it. Hehe...

Okay! REVIEW! And i promise I'll get the next chapter out fasta if , of course , you guys review fasta! PLEEZ! Come on...for me????

Ooh and the reason why I couln't update , was because of that ff thing? i couln't upload , for some reason...

Grr....