A Romeo and Juliet Redo
The Aftermath
By kimmikat
Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she watched Syaoran onstage reading through with Romeo's potential parents. She couldn't believe her luck, or apparent lack of it that is. Why me? She cried out for the millionth time. What did I do to piss off the theater gods so much that they would be so cruel as to make me interact with that…that…that… She couldn't even think of an insulting word to sum up the enigma that is Syaoran Li. Jerk's a good place to start. Followed by cold. Unfeeling. Callous. Annoying. Arrogant. Attractive… Wait hold up! I did not just think that! Stupid Sakura, stupid Sakura, stu.. She scolded herself, whapping herself on the head repeatedly that is until she saw the people around her watching, looking quite perplexed.
"Hehe…uh, just trying to jog my memory?" she excused, grinning sheepishly. Many students gave her a look of confusion as they turned back in their seats, while her friends struggled to withhold laughter as they shook their heads.
Sakura turned her attention back to the auditions. What was Trinke thinking? The guy's got a face of stone, his emotions are masked. So how the hell is the audience gonna figure out how he as Romeo feels?!? That's the actor's job! Sakura groaned with the thought of the months ahead of rehearsing with Syaoran the sarcastic glacier. And to have to play his lover on stage, How in the world anyone could fall in love with someone like him is beyond me. This is gonna be a challenge to say the least.
"Sakura."
Sakura realized she was being called up to read with her fellow students for the role of the Nurse. To think I was planning on being the one cracking the sex jokes in the play not being the one having sex. Funny how things turn out differently than you expect she thought as she rose from her seat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sakura placed her tray in between Meiling and Tomoyo as she slid into her seat at their usual table, greeting her friends as more began to arrive. The cafeteria was filled with the noise of students and the smell of imitation meatloaf mixed with salsa flavored Mac-and-Cheese, a deadly combination. The food here was known to be lethal. Once was found a corn dog where the insides were purple and green, a Lego block was found in the soup, and no one ever dared to eat the mystery meat surprise after one of the old cafeteria ladies was arrested last year for trying to poison it. But what was high school without terrible cafeteria memories?
The place buzzed with the energy of the first day of school as students gossiped about the newest scandals and dramas that had happened over summer. She couldn't believe how people were so interested with the affairs of other students that they rarely even knew. Who cared who was sleeping with who? Or who had been hitting the bottle a bit too much? Or what latest cat fight had broken out? It just seemed so petty and cheap, there was no point to it. Sakura let out a little sigh of relief, glad to have escaped most of that world.
She looked to her friends who chattered away like chipmunks, but Sakura found herself unable to join the debate over who would land what roles. She lacked the enthusiasm, but still was curious to see what tomorrow's cast list would hold.
Sakura let her gaze wander around the room taking in the usual sights. The cliques were rampant; each table could be labeled as a stereotypical group from the nerds busy searching for the meaning of life in Star Trek and Dungeons and Dragons, to the jocks having a coleslaw eating contest at that moment to her own eccentric artists to the elite who put on the air of mystery and superiority. To think, I once sat at that table. Sakura then noticed a certain brown haired guy sitting at that table with his cold eyes upon her.
As if guilty, Sakura quickly averted her gaze thinking, He still hasn't changed. Same attitude. So sure that he owns the world. I can't believe it's been so long.
"So long since what?" Tomoyo questioned.
Sakura was brought out of her thoughts; she had not realized she had spoken the last part aloud. "Since Syaoran and I went to school together."
Meiling leaned in, along with many other curious faces. Most at the table were in Acting and were quite interested in how the new leads knew one another. Having spent years traveling back and forth to Hong Kong, Meiling had missed much of the childhood interactions so her memory was a little fuzzy. She asked, "What happened between you two again?"
"We used to go to the same elementary school. He was such an ass even back then, always picking on me. He would push me and pull on my pigtails and call me names like Saku Shorty, the works….
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~(Flashback)
A child of eight or so sat in the sandbox, shovel in hand, engraving the final touches to a building slightly resembling a sand castle. She sat back with an innocent smile admiring her creation when in a spray of sand it was gone.
And in its place stood a young boy with a mischievous twinkle in his honey eyes, smirking at his victim. "Hey Saku Shorty."
"Stupid Syaoran!" Little Sakura shouted jumping up, her fists clenched in frustration. "You ruined my castle. Why are you so mean to me?" She asked trying to fight the tears that were forming in her emerald eyes.
"Cause your short; all shorties get picked on," Little Syaoran stated with authority. "And you are the shortest of us all."
"Syaoran I hate you!" She burst out, tears streaming down her cheeks as she charged forward giving a sudden shove to his chest with her trembling hands. And Syaoran was so shocked by this physical and emotional outburst he actually stumbled back. "Why can't you leave me alone?"
Little Sakura then collapsed onto the waves of sand, hugging her legs to her chest, hiding her head in her knees.
Little Syaoran stood there stunned by the crying figure at his feet. Slowly he knelt down, till he was eye level with her.
"Sakura," he whispered.
Her head shot up. He had said her real name; a first.
"I'm…I'm sor… I'm.." But instead of finishing the what he had to say, Syaoran quickly brushed his lips against her cheek and dashed away leaving a dumbfounded Sakura with a hand placed on her cheek.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sakura smiled at the memory, chuckling a little as she remembered the hope her young self had felt at that moment. The hope that Syaoran would treat her nicely. But the next day at school he continued to tease and torment her like nothing had happened or changed.
"Sa-ku-ra?"
A hand waved in front of her face.
"Ahhhhhhh!" She squawked as she jerked away to avoid the gigantic hand causing her chair to tilt, spilling it's occupant onto the floor.
Sakura landed with a thud. Peals of laughter erupted in the cafeteria as Sakura struggled to right herself. She was as brightly colored as the red plastic chair she sat down in, while she silently wished to somehow acquire the ability to become invisible.
Tomoyo said through a fit of laughter, "So *giggle* you were *giggle giggle* saying?"
"Oh about me and Syaoran?" The whole table nodded. Their keen interest tempted Sakura to pull out her improvisation skills and weave a crazy story of lies and adventures to see how far she could push it. But in the end she decided against it since Tomoyo already knew most of the details and would know she was lying instantly.
"Well we then went to separate middle schools, and he showed up here somewhere in our sophomore year. We've never really had any classes together, but it's not like it would have made any difference if we had. I'm surprised he remembers me at all. It's not like we were friends back then."
Meiling was watching Sakura carefully, as if trying to recall something but just could not place her finger on it.
"What is it?" Sakura asked warily.
Meiling snapped out of it, "Oh nothing. Just lost in thought."
She wasn't the only one. On the other side of the Cafe, her very own cousin was watching as she spoke to the new Juliet. Well until a simpering cheerleader positioned herself in his way that is, blocking his view.
"Syaoran?" Ashley Malzer pouted, "Are you listening to me?"
Syaoran's eyes flicked in the direction of her face irritation clearly radiating from him. This was not his day and he did not need other problems. Getting cast as the lead in the school play had never been a dream of his, more like a nightmare. And he wasn't sure how to deal with the whole Sakura thing. It was just so unsettling to see her again, like the past being unearthed. Syaoran preferred it to stay buried.
"My man," Darron joked, slapping Syaoran on the back, "Were you just giving your girl the cold shoulder cause you were too busy watching Sakura?"
Syaoran's look clearly said, "You dare even speak to me?" He was in a bad mood, and their idiocy only flared his temper. He wasn't even sure why he put up with these people in the first place, but he guessed it was something close to laziness or lack of care.
Syaoran wasn't one to socialize, but people just flocked to him. He would sit down at an empty table and within seconds the table would be crammed full with people. And he knew their interest was superficial, only trying to boost ranking by being around him. To them he was Syaoran Li, rich, sexy, the elite of elites and above all the unobtainable. He was some trophy or prize to be won. Girls had tried to sink their claws into him but to no avail. He had had a new girlfriend at least every month, nothing serious and definitely not personal. But they had tried to change that, like Ashley who kept insisting they were in love or some such nonsense.
Ashley sat down beside him sure to press her body against his while purring in his ear, "Oh Syaoran baby, have you had a bad day?"
No response.
"I wouldn't blame your anger. I wouldn't wanna be stuck kissing that freak and pretending to be in love with her." Syaoran's jaw twitched watching as Darron joined in and the two began to insult just about everyone in theater they deemed worthless. Let's just say it was a long list.
Syaoran tried to tune them out thinking, So the talking has already begun and its only been an hour or so. I better get used to this, for the play is all year. He mentally groaned at the prospect. He did not want to do this, maybe he could come up with a way out of it. Maybe I could act atrociously and the teacher will have to switch me out. But he then realized how useless that was. I spent the entire class dead pan and that didn't seem to bother her a bit. Well except for that one moment with Sakura when I picked on her but other than that moment I was as dry as the Nevada desert. Syaoran found his thoughts fixated on a certain childhood acquaintance for the rest of lunch, and for the rest of the day as well.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Well here's another chapter, not much theater though. Figure some background might be just slightly important in a story. Plus I have no clue where I'll take this story. So I need your inspiration! And how would that happen you ask? By pushing the little button down there and writing a review.
Thank you to:
Frosted BlossomZ
Lil Cherry Blossom Angel: do u mean shakespeare's version?
Watery_13
Kimmie-chan: hey that's my name!
N Ashton
Dragonstar03