"Neighborhood Pals"

Chapter three-Cooking class

Sakura walked around for 3 hours. No one had found her. Sakura felt weak and scared and sat under a tree. She decided to take a quick nap. She was glad it wasn't cold. It was really hot. She used her jacket as a pillow and fell asleep. Sakura dreamed of her just walking around trying to find her way home. It seemed so real that she didn't realize she was dreaming. "Is somebody there?" Sakura said in her sleep. "Help... I'm lost..." Sakura continued.

Early in the morning a boy that was about her age noticed her. He had chestnut colored hair and chocolate brown eyes. He went to her under the tree and bent down to her. "I wonder why she's sleeping here..." He wondered. He poked her and she moved. He continued to exam her. He poked her again. "Um... wake up?" He said poking her even more. "Not yet daddy... I just got home..." Sakura said. The boy sweatdropped. "Hello? Wake up... Hey...!" Sakura was sleeping like a baby. The boy got tired of poking her and thought of a better idea. He grabbed the girl's stuff. He put on her bag and carried her. He noticed that there was another bag and got that too.

The boy was quite nervous in being this close to some girl especially a girl like her. He couldn't help but blush once she grabbed on his shirt. He never really was interested in women since it was always them who were after him. He started to look at her and not even noticing he was. When he reached his house he found his cousin Meilin sleeping on the couch next to the phone. The boy placed her on his bed and went to the kitchen to cook breakfast.

Meilin could smell the food in about 10 minutes. "Food..." She said running to the kitchen. "Syaoran!!! MMMM!!! Food!" She said. Syaoran gave her some food and got another plate for his guest. "Hey what's with the extra plate?" Meilin asked. "I'm just really hungry... I think I'll eat in my room..." He said not even showing any hesitation in his lie. "Oh... If you keep doing that Syaoran you'll get out of shape and you know that your mom and all the girls like you in shape..." Meilin said smirking. She knew he was lying. She could smell the faint scent of perfume in the house.

Syaoran went upstairs and saw that she was still asleep. He tried to wake her up before the food got cold. "Wake up!!" He said shaking her softly. Syaoran gave up and sat down on his chair in front of her. "Man, it's going to be too late--" Sakura woke up. "I'm late?! Oh my gosh I'm so late for school!!! I gotta get ready!!" Sakura said getting off the bed. She stopped dead once she noticed that this wasn't her room. "Good-morning?" Syaoran said. Sakura turned around. "Who are you?! Let me out of here!!! I'm going to call the cops... Eh... I forgot I don't got a phone..." Sakura said sadly. "Please don't hurt me..." Sakura said.

Syaoran smiled. "No worries. I saw you sleeping under this tree and I thought I should bring you to my home. You know it's not safe." Syaoran said. "Oh... But my stuff..." She said. "I got them too. They're right there..." He said. Sakura smiled. "Thanks... Erm... what's your name?" She asked. "Syaoran Li. But please call me Li. I only have family members and close friends calling me Li." He said. "Well... Thanks Li. My name's Sakura Kinomoto." She said. Syaoran looked at her quietly.

"What is it?" Sakura asked. "Sakura Kinomoto? That sounds so familiar..." Syaoran said. "But I don't remember you at all. I don't even know anyone by the name Syaoran Li. Well just now..." She said. Syaoran snapped his fingers. "I got it! Your that girl missing! Meilin!!! Come up here!!!" He said opening the door. "Meilin?" Sakura asked. "Yeah, she's my cousin" Sakura saw Meilin and ran to her. "Meily!!" Sakura said. Meilin hugged her close. "Oh my gosh!! Sakura I'm so glad you're safe!! I'm so glad. Next time someone is going to walk with you unless you know the way really well!!!" Meilin said hugging her friend even harder.

"See Meilin now do you regret in agreeing for my help? Am I just in the way or a hero?" Syaoran said. "I don't know bout hero, but you sure brought this lost angel back on track." Meilin said. "I gatta call my dad!! And my cellie!!" Sakura said. "Sakkie don't worry. We'll get that phone." Meilin said. "Okay, can I use your phone?" "Sure go ahead it's down here I'll show you!" Meilin said. Syaoran was left behind. He took his and Sakura's breakfast and brought it down stairs.

After Sakura called her family she ate breakfast with Syaoran since Meilin had finished eating and had to go to her summertime job at the mall. "Wow this breakfast is great... I wish I could cook like this!" Sakura said in delight. "Really?" Sakura nodded as she stuffed her mouth. "I could teach you..." Syaoran said blushing lightly. Sakura smiled. "That would be great!" She said. "When do we start?" She asked. "Um... how bout after breakfast. You did say you might stay..." He said. Sakura nodded and continued to eat.

Syaoran never noticed it again but he ended up looking at her through the whole cooking class. "Li?" Sakura said. She started to wave her hand in front of him. Sakura looked at him weirdly. She felt like she was invisible. Sakura looked at him not noticing that her chicken was in fire. "Li? What's that smell and sound?" Sakura asked. A loud beeping sound made Syaoran realize he was looking at Sakura again and now his home was about to get on fire if he didn't do anything.

Sakura screamed when she noticed the fire and turned on the sink to water the fire. "Wait!" Syaoran said trying to stop her but it was too late. She continued to splash water as the fire continued to grow. Syaoran immediately took the fire extinguisher and sprayed it on the fire. He ended up losing control and spraying at almost everything even Sakura and him. When the fire was out so was the fire extinguisher. Syaoran looked at himself and got angry on how he looked. Sakura started to laugh. Syaoran turned to her. "Look at you!" Sakura said laughing as hard as she could. Syaoran frowned. "Well you don't look that great yourself." Syaoran said laughing a little bit. Sakura laughed and then just smiled.

She got closer to Syaoran and wiped some of the foam off him so she could see his face better. Then she wiped hers. "See a little better ne?" Sakura said with a smile. And right there when they were that close time stopped. Everything was steady. No one moved or said a thing. Syaoran looked at the girl in front of him. He just kept looking. Syaoran couldn't even help but think they were about to kiss. But Sakura didn't move an inch. Syaoran shook his head and turned away. Sakura smiled and looked at her over fried chicken. "My poor chicken. I'm so glad I wasn't being cooked by me." Sakura said.

Syaoran looked for two mops and cleaned up the mess he and Sakura had caused. By the time they were done fixing it up they sat down on the couch and watched some cartoons. "Ouuu!!! It's Tom and Jerry!" Sakura said. Syaoran sweatdropped. "That's boring why not... something else?" Syaoran asked. "No it's not! I like Tom and Jerry! Please let's watch it!" Sakura begged. "Fine, fine." Syaoran said putting it back. Sakura laughed as the cat got hit from the dish or got chopped into pieces. Syaoran looked at her and noticed how childish she was acting and yet could be so beautiful and mysterious to him at the same time.

Sakura continued to laugh. The doorbell rang. Syaoran stood up and opened the door. Touya was at the door. "Who are you?" Touya asked rudely. "I'm Syaoran. Who are you?" He asked glaring at him. Touya glared back. "You're that brat who saved my sis but at the same time just brought her to your room!" He said. The two of them continued to glared. Both of them were equally match. "TOUYA!" Sakura said stomping on his foot. "OWW!" Touya yelled. "That hurts Sakura!!" He said. "You could at least be nice to the guy who helped me. And even if he didn't know about me or was Meilin's cousin I bet he wouldn't do anything terrible to me." Sakura said. "Coz' he's ganna die if he does!" Touya said slamming his fist and hand together. "Wow scary." Sakura and Syaoran said.

"Come on Touya I'm going home now. You stay out there." Sakura said pointing outside. "HMP! Next time you're walking by yourself... AGAIN!" Touya said getting out. Sakura turned to Syaoran. "Sorry about my older brother. He could be such a jerk at times with guys. You know he's very overprotected. And he even gets me mad. Well thanks for everything, Li. Maybe we could still have a cooking lesson. And I'll even bring an extra fire extinguisher just in case." Sakura said bowing. "We'll I got to go. Bye." Sakura said. "Bye..." Syaoran said looking at her as they both left his home. "Beautiful and mysterious. But childish and rough..." Syaoran said. He shook his head. "I hope next time there won't be fire..." Syaoran said shutting the door.