first of all, i'd like to apologize for keepin all those who are readin this fic! my schedule has been real tight so it's hard to keep up with other things, including this.. i will also have to say sorry that i can't inform you anymore when a new chap is up and ready. for some reason i'd rather not disclose, i just can't. i hope you guys understand! ü

oh aren't you happy syaoran is dating sakura now? if you read the subtitle, you'll see that it's TORN. PLZ don't get mad at me if wut happens won't be THAT good. hehe! i like putting some suspense in mah storiez but i don't like reading cliffies. that's all i'm gonna say right now. oh and btw, i HATE the number 17 (no offense to all those who like it). i was even thinking of skippin this chap but a friend told me not to coz that would confuse the readers. anywayz, here it is.. CHAP 17 AT LAST!!!

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Torn

Syaoran picked Sakura up that Saturday afternoon. She was wearing a pretty pink shirt and slimming white pants. For her feet, she had white platform sandals on. Syaoran was wearing dark blue long sleeves and loose black pants. He drove by in his Diablo [the car I miss all so much!] and helped Sakura be comfortable on her seat.

"So, where are we off to?" Sakura asked, curious where Syaoran was taking her that evening.

"I thought you'd like to have dinner with me at Ritz," Syaoran took a glance at the beauty settled on the passenger seat. "It's a good restaurant near the cinemas," he added and assumed that Sakura was alright with that.

The car sped through the road and as they were about to make a turn to get to the Ritz, Syaoran turned the wheel the other way. "Syaoran? I thought the movies were that way," Sakura pointed out.

"Yeah, I know. I just want to show you something first," Syaoran replied to her relief. His eyes were fixed on the road as they made their way to the park. Syaoran got off the car and opened Sakura's door for her. She stepped out and marveled at the first sight she caught. "Cherry blossoms are your favorite, right?" Syaoran uttered as he led her to the bench by the tree. "Do you like it?" Syaoran asked just to be sure. The glimmer in Sakura's emerald eyes told Syaoran she was happy about what he did for her. The two sat down for a moment.

"Syaoran, how... how did you know I like cherry blossoms?" Sakura finally spoke up.

"Wild guess," Syaoran grinned.

"Yeah right," Sakura retorted in sarcasm. "That's a good one." She couldn't help but get the feeling of déja vu. It was as if the exact same thing already happened before. She just couldn't remember when it did. Sakura attempted to push these disturbances out of the way. She just wanted to enjoy her time now.

For a little while longer, they just sat there and Syaoran couldn't help but stare at Sakura for the whole while. "You wanna go and eat now?" Syaoran asked her.

"Give me a second," Sakura took in the scent of the cherry blossoms one last time before finally being ready to leave. The two got back in the car and headed to the Ritz to have dinner. Afterwards, when the night was over, Syaoran brought Sakura home. It had been a long evening for both of them and they had taken pleasure from it. Syaoran parked the car in front of Sakura's "house". "I really had a great time. Thanks, Li," Sakura gave him a smile of content.

"I'm glad you did. Before you go..." Syaoran said as he pulled something out from his pocket and put it in front of Sakura. "I want you to have this." He opened the velvet covered box and inside was a silver necklace with a silver rounded rectangle pendant set vertically from the necklace itself. It had Sakura's named engraved on it. At both ends were small pink gems arranged in such a way that they looked like an array of cherry blossoms.

"Syaoran, I... it's beautiful..." was all Sakura managed to say in surprise. Syaoran unhooked it and put it around Sakura's neck.

"Don't lose this, okay? So I'll always be with you no matter where you are," Syaoran told her. "I love you, Sakura..."

With that, Sakura backed off. "Syaoran... it's too soon for you to say that to me," she replied. "I don't think you even know me that much."

"Sakura, you have no idea how wrong you are," Syaoran uttered to her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Believe me when I say I love you," he told Sakura, the glint in his eyes hinting how serious he was. Sakura looked at Syaoran straight in the eye, feeling her heart beating faster by each passing minute. Just by staring at him, she felt so open and vulnerable. Syaoran realized he had never been that much in love with any girl who walked on Earth and the feeling was so unexplainable. 'I can't believe I just said that... to her,' he thought.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this..." Sakura stammered. That night, as Sakura lay asleep, a really unusual dream came to her.

~*~

"Syaoran? I thought the movies were that way," Sakura asked, seeing that they were going on the wrong direction.

"Yeah, I know. I just want to show you something first," came Syaoran's answer. The road they took was familiar to Sakura and in an instant, she knew they were headed for the park. Sakura's guess was right and soon enough, they arrived there. They got off the car and Syaoran led the way to the cherry blossom tree. "Cherry blossoms are your favorite, right?" Syaoran spoke up as Sakura gazed at beautiful pink flowers above her head. "Do you like it?" Syaoran asked. Sakura didn't need to say anything. She knew Syaoran was already certain of her response.

The two sat there on the bench side by side and Sakura didn't mind it at all. Everything was just so peaceful and Sakura felt so pleased with how she felt at that very moment. She turned to Syaoran and asked him, "How... how did you know I like cherry blossoms?"

"Wild guess," Syaoran replied with a smirk. Things were going exactly as they happened earlier... well, almost. Sakura closed her eyes and suddenly saw the image of some other guy with her as they ran through the park. They eventually got to the place he was leading her to. The same cherry blossom tree Syaoran brought Sakura to that evening.

"I wanted to show you this. I figured you'd like it," the guy told her as she immediately recognized who he was.

"Eriol, it's so beautiful," she uttered. "I like it. I like it a whole lot," Sakura turned to him and gave him a smile. He wrapped his arms around her and she whispered her thanks to him.

"I know," he said. Both of them decided to walk around the park before returning to the spot of the cherry blossom tree. Eriol voluntarily lent his jacket to Sakura soon after. The look on Sakura's face was nearly the same as how she looked like when she was with Syaoran in the beginning of her dream. She turned to Eriol who suddenly began to turn pink. Sakura couldn't help but smile.

"Sakura," he started.

Sakura looked a bit anxious. "Y-yes?" came her voice.

"I have to say something to you," Eriol told her. Whatever he said affected Sakura in a sense that she turned a bit pale. It was almost as though she couldn't believe what Eriol had to say. "Never mind. I know it's stupid. It just sort of slipped off," Eriol attempted to change the subject. Eriol was stalling.

"Uh... um..." Sakura didn't know what to say. Eriol looked away for some reason. "Eriol," she started as unexpectedly, she smiled. She said, "I think I love you too." And before they knew it, they were already in a kiss.

Sakura's dream shifted back to her time with Syaoran. She looked at him and admired his loving amber eyes. Suddenly, he turned to her and blushed. And then, his face turned into that of Eriol's. Sakura couldn't believe what was happening. Why was she witnessing things regarding Eriol and her TOGETHER?

~*~

With that, Sakura woke up and the first thing that escaped her mouth was, "Oh my god." She quickly searched for her wallet and once she found it, she took out the picture she found in there before. Her picture with Eriol. Sakura shook her head in disbelief. Strange things were happening and Sakura couldn't find anything in her mind to explain them all. Her head was getting congested with questions that definitely needed some answers as soon as possible. Just when Sakura couldn't take it anymore, her head started to hurt like hell. "Why the heck is this happening?!" she yelled as she fell on the floor and tried to keep herself under control. She put her hands on her head. "It hurts! I can't take this anymore!" Sakura screamed out in pain before finally falling unconscious.

The next day, Sakura woke up and the throbbing pain in her head was there no more. She was lying on her bed when she heard her father's voice from right outside her room. He was talking to some other person when Sakura decided to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"There's absolutely nothing to worry about, Mr. Kinomoto. Luckily, what happened to Sakura isn't that severe at all. She was just under some stress. But by chance, is Ms. Kinomoto being troubled by something these days? It's also a possible reason for her sudden breakdown," the other man asked.

"I'm not so sure. I'll check into it once she wakes up," Sakura's father replied.

"Very well, I'll be on my way. You may call me anytime if there's any problem with your daughter," the man said as Sakura heard him walk away.

Fujitaka entered her room and found her awake. "How are you feeling?" he said.

"Better than I expected," she answered as she recalled what had occurred.

"Can you tell me what happened before you fainted? Were you tired or anything like that?" Fujitaka asked.

"No, not really. I just woke up after having a bad dream, I think. Something's really bothering me and I guess I couldn't handle the pressure then..." Sakura was frantic.

"Slow down, honey. It's okay. Whatever it was, it didn't do you any good and I don't want you to get hurt, understand?" Fujitaka told her. "Don't forget that you're still recovering from the accident."

"Yes, dad. I'll try to keep that in mind next time," Sakura tried to assure him.

Fujitaka embraced Sakura before heading out the door. "You take care, alright?" he said and Sakura just nodded in reply.

Sakura heaved a sigh as she remembered everything. She recalled her dream and what she saw in it. You know, the Syaoran changing into Eriol thing was just so crazy. It's almost as though she actually had something for the guy. Eriol, that is. 'No! Sakura, what are you thinking?!' Sakura scolded herself. 'I can't have feelings for him... can I?'

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blue-angel45: wahahahaha!!! sakura is having second thoughts bout her feelings!!!

s+s fans: *points* there she is!!! she's the one who's making the fic e+s!!! CHARGE!!!!!!!

blue-angel45: wut the?! *puts hands up in defense* i never said it was e+s!

s+s fan #1: but you never said it was s+s either!

blue-angel45: *sweatdrops* uhh... good point. well... *slowly backs away*

s+s fans: GET HER!!!! then tie her up and don't release her until she says she'll make it s+s!!!

blue-angel45: *shaky voice* maybe we can work something out here, eh? *receives glares from the s+s fans* perhaps not. okaaaay... BYEEE!!!! *runs off as the s+s fans run after her in a frenzy* HEEEEELLLPPPP!!!!!!!!! *hides* could-you-giv-me-a-review-b4-they-find-me??? *looks behind her and finds "them" there* uh-oh... WAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!