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Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.

For the One You Love

Chapter One: Tell Him

~*~Kirei Blossom

"I win again!" Sakura jumped up with excitement.  "Now we're even – you win two and I win two!" She picked up the basketball from the ground, bouncing it a few times.  "Another game? A tiebreaker."

"I can't." Syaoran said, checking his watch. 

"Why not? We still have an hour till next class." She looked up with a teasing look.  "Or has Li Syaoran left his homework for the last minute?"

"It's not that." Syaoran wiped the sweat from his brow.  "I promised Suzuno I'd tutor her for the Calculus test."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me.  I wanted to ask you a few things about that too."

"Come along then." Syaoran suggested, walking with Sakura out of the basketball court.  "I'll tutor both of you."

"But I don't feel like studying right now on such a perfect sunny day.  You go on ahead." 

"Are you sure? You're such a weakling in maths." Syaoran said, though with a teasing implication. 

"Baka Syaoran!" Sakura hit him on the arm.  Syaoran just smiled at the phrase; it was something Sakura always called him to warn him that he was saying or doing something he wasn't supposed to.  Sakura continued, "I've been improving quite a lot lately.  I've had a B all semester and I'm more than happy with that; I'll ask you my problems later, okay?"  

"Suit yourself." Syaoran waved to her heading for the library. 

"Say hi to Suzuno-chan for me though." Sakura called after him.  She turned the opposite direction, humming a small tune, deciding to head back to her dorm for a while. 

After a few minutes, Sakura unlocked her door and pushed it open. 

"So, did you tell him?!?!" an excited voice greeted her.

"Hoeeeeee!" Sakura jumped back in surprise.  She looked at her roommate in pure horror.  "Tomoyo-chan, don't scare me like that."

"Sorry." Tomoyo laughed and sat down on her bed.  "I was just curious; but by the looks of things, I'm presuming you didn't."

"No." Sakura walked to her desk and started looking for her books.  "Why do you ask me that every single day?  I told you, I can't tell him right now.  I need to find the right time."

"You've been saying that since high school." Tomoyo politely informed.

Sakura looked down quietly.  "I know.  But…" she searched around for an answer.  "Tomoyo-chan, it's not all that simple." She sat down on her own bed, hugging a cushion to her chest.  "I'm… well… too scared to tell him."

"Sakura-chan, you two have been best friends since elementary!"

"And that's just it.  We've always been friends, and I'm afraid that that's only what he sees me as.  A friend.  If he had special feelings for me, he would have told me by now."

"You can't be sure.  He could be waiting for the right time too, just like you."

Sakura gave a slow nod, and then smiled.  "I hope you're right.  I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't love me as much as I love him.  But anyway!" Sakura leapt up and crammed her books in her bag.  "I need to stop by the office for something, then get to class."

~*~*~*~

Sakura tapped her pen on her desk, waiting for the teacher.  A little bored, she glanced up at the door watching the activity going outside in the hallways.  Just then Syaoran and Suzuno entered the class, talking and laughing about something.  Seeing her, Suzuno came and sat down beside her, while Syaoran took the seat on the other side of Sakura. 

"Sa-ku-ra-chan!" Suzuno smiled at her. 

"Su-zu-no-chan!" Sakura replied in the same way.  Though childish, it was Sakura's and Suzuno's own friendly way of greeting each other. 

"I think you're ready for the Calculus test now?" Sakura asked. 

"Not yet!" Suzuno panicked, pushing her dark brown hair out of her face.  "I keep making all these stupid mistakes.  What about you?"

Sakura frowned.  "Hoee.. Don't ask.  But I'm sure you'll do good in the test!" Sakura beamed at her.  "You're on the A/B borderline after all.  I still need to study quite a lot."

"And you'll start when, Sakura?" Syaoran asked looking for something in his book. 

Sakura laughed nervously.  "Um.. I will, don't worry." She looked down at her desk.  "I just don't like Maths all that much.  It's so boring and difficult and there's no point to it at all."

"Silly.." Syaoran shook his head, slightly smiling at her.  "Here, Suzuno." He leaned over and showed her something in the book.  "I found it; this is the formula I was talking about."

"Oh, okay."

Sakura listened to the two for a while, deciding to start studying too that night.  Secretly she glanced at Syaoran, leaning on her desk to talk to Suzuno.  "And I'll tell him that thing too… soon." Tomoyo had been right.  She would never know until she told him.  Sakura smiled a bit when Suzuno laughed at something.  She genuinely liked Suzuno – she was always so nice and friendly, even though Sakura had only known her for a year and a half.  Looking at her as she talked, Sakura blinked.  Suzuno was blushing slightly; her cheeks flushed a rose pink as she talked to Syaoran.  Sakura stared – maybe it was just because of the warm classroom.  But before she could dwell on the subject, the teacher came in and all the chatter filling the room came to a stop.

~*~*~*~

"Where is she? She's late." Yamazaki asked, sitting on the library steps, a clear view of the campus lying in front of him.

"Um.. Yamazaki-san, Sakura is always late." Suzuno said sweatdropping.

And right on cue, a figure came running across the campus.  "Sorry I'm late!"

"Its alright." Yamazaki called to her.  To himself, he smiled, amused.  "I have the perfect story ready to tell her."

A few feet from the library, Sakura stumbled and fell down.  "Ow.."

"Silly.." Syaoran got up and walked down the steps to her, helping her up.  "How can you trip when there's nothing to trip on?"

"I don't understand either.." Sakura looked at her hand.  A few pebbles had scraped her soft palm quite roughly, which she hastily brushed away. 

"You're just clumsy.  It's amazing that you're not one big bruise by now."

"Hoe!  Syaoran, you're so mean." Sakura gasped.

"Mean, me?" Syaoran chuckled.  "You won't find a better friend than me anywhere."

Yamazaki sighed, watching the two.  "They're always the same."

"Yamazaki-san, you've known those two for quite a while now, haven't you?" Suzuno asked thoughtfully, watching Sakura who was now chasing after Syaoran, screaming, "I'll get you for that Li Syaoran!"

"I've known them only since high school.  But Syaoran and Sakura have been friends since elementary, at least that's what I've heard." Yamazaki replied.  "Why?"

"Oh.. nothing important.. I just.." Suzuno paused for a while.  "Ne, do you think those two like each other?" She looked down.

"You mean 'like' as in, that kind of 'like'?  Not a chance!" Yamazaki laughed at the thought.  "They're the best of friends, but they don't like each other in that way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup.  Haha, first time I met them, I thought they were a couple, and I even asked Syaoran 'is she your girlfriend?'"

"What did he say?"

Yamazaki did an imitation of Syaoran.  "No, she's not.. we're best friends."

"Oh.." Suzuno replied, her hair being whipped behind her in the breeze.

~*~*~*~

Sakura looked outside a small window in the hallway as she made her way to class. 

"I wish the weather would clear up." Tomoyo commented, staring at the gray clouds swirling around in the sky.  "If it wants to rain, it should just rain then."

"I know what you mean." Sakura giggled.  "Not a single raindrop.  But I'm not complaining, I'm not all that fond of rain anyway.  Still, two days with no sun is just too much for me." Together, the two girls climbed a staircase and in the stairwell, spotted a familiar figure gazing outside the large glass window.

"Syaoran!  What are you doing just standing there?" Sakura asked, walking up to him.  "I thought you had a class right now."

As if suddenly waking up from his thoughts, Syaoran started, checked his watch, and cursed under his breath.  "You're right, I have to go."

"Don't forget you promised to play basketball with me -- 5 o'clock this evening!!"

"I'll be there." He called over his shoulder. 

Sakura giggled, shaking her head.  "He's so hopeless sometimes.  I wonder what he was doing just looking at the clouds like that."

However, clearly visible through the window, Sakura didn't notice a group of chattering girls standing outside the building, a certain dark-brown haired person among them.  Behind her, Tomoyo frowned as she looked outside.  She was visibly worried.

~*~*~*~

Tap.  Tap.  Tap.

Sakura impatiently looked at her watch, tapping her foot.  Where was he? It was half past five already.  Standing all alone in the basketball court, Sakura threw the ball into the basket for the twentieth time.  Maybe he was just running a little late.  Sighing, she decided to wait for him some more.  After all, she wasn't entirely punctual most of the time either. 

Half an hour later….

Sitting on a bench in the corner, Sakura stood up, worried.  It wasn't like Syaoran to not come when he had said he would.  She looked around.  Where would he be at this time?

Walking across the campus, Sakura sighed.  She couldn't find him anywhere.  She had been to his dorm, and five other buildings looking for him.  Passing in front of the coffeehouse, Sakura stopped, staring at the pair sitting on the steps.  

Suzuno looked up and waved at her.  "Sakura!  Over here!"

Slightly smiling at the girl, Sakura walked closer.  "Syaoran… what time is it?"

Syaoran looked confused for a moment as he checked his watch.  "It's 6:15.  Wh—" And then, suddenly remembering, he slapped his forehead.  "Oh!  Sakura, I'm very sorry.  I completely forgot." He stood up immediately. 

"Baka Syaoran.." Sakura said, though without any sign of bitterness or resentment in her voice.  It was quite funny to see Syaoran so apologetic and confused – a very rare sight.  Laughing a little, she continued.  "I stood there waiting for an hour for you!" 

"You stood her up for an hour, Syaoran?" Suzuno commented.  "That wasn't very nice."

"I know.  Here, Sakura, I'll take you out to the city this very minute, all right? My treat." 

Sakura, however, shook her head.  "No, its all right.  I have to go start on the art project with Tomoyo now.  Some other time, ne?"

"Sure.  No hard feelings, okay?" Syaoran called after her.

Sakura turned around, her face radiant.  "Of course not, Syaoran."

~*~*~*~

"Syaoran!  Where are you going?" Sakura hurried to catch up with him, but it seemed the farther she ran, the farther he got away from her.  "Syaoran, please, wait!" Running with all her might, she stumbled.  The air around her suddenly become colder, with a thick dense fog swirling around her, threatening to engulf her within itself.  Looking around, she searched for any sign of him; but he wasn't there.  "Syaoraaaaan!!!"

Covered in sweat, Sakura woke up with a start.  She was lying in her bed, sunlight filtering in through the curtains.  Sitting up, Sakura noticed Tomoyo's empty bed, neatly made.  At that moment, Sakura wished Tomoyo didn't have a class at eight that morning.  She would have liked some company right now.  Taking a deep shaky breath, she wiped the sweat off her face.  What a ridiculous dream.  Wait… that wasn't a dream, it was a nightmare.  Trying to calm her thundering heart, Sakura lay back down on the bed.  So what if she skipped her morning classes – she didn't feel all that good.

~*~*~*~

Sakura pushed the doors open as she welcomed the cool, refreshing evening air on her face.  She'd just finished attending a sorority meeting – and she had no clue what they had just discussed.  "What is wrong with me?" She wondered out loud, walking silently down a path.  Soon she found herself behind the Art building, with no one else around.  Leaning against the wall, she shuddered as another cold feeling washed over her. 

"Silly, what am I getting so worried over? Nothing has happened to upset me so much, has there?" She whispered; yet she couldn't help it.  Something was building up inside her, bothering her and she wasn't able to pinpoint exactly what it was.  Ever since this morning… ever since she'd woken up from that dream.  That dream.  Sakura shook her head.  What was she worrying over a dream for?  It wasn't like her at all.  After all, she usually had all sorts of strange and weird dreams, ranging from far-fetched to practically irrational.  But still, she had always carried the silly notion that dreams try and tell you something you might've missed to understand while you were awake.  All right.  Stop feeling so depressed.  She forced a smile onto her face, trying to be cheerful, yet the harder she tried to smile, the more she felt a strange sensation in her heart. 

Reaching a hand up to touch her cheek, Sakura found it wet with tears.  She didn't understand..

"There you are, Sakura." A voice greeted her.  Sakura hastily wiped her tears away and looked up.

"Suzuno.  What are you doing here?" she asked softly.

"Syaoran's been looking everywhere for you."

Sakura was confused.  Syaoran was looking for her? "Why?"

"Because I haven't seen you anywhere all day." Syaoran stated, walking over to her from the other side of the building.  "You weren't in class, or in lab.  I was worried about you." He stopped, and then placed his hands on her shoulders, looking closely at her face.  "Sakura, you've been crying." His amber eyes reflected concern as he gazed at her searchingly.  "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know."

"Did someone say anything mean to you?"

Sakura shook her head.  "No.  I don't understand why, but I feel very depressed right now." A tear trickled down her face.  "I can't help it."

Syaoran put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him, hugging her gently.  "Something's bothering you." He said simply.  

"Syaoran, I don't understand.  I feel so scared about something.  But I can't even figure out what it is.  Nothing has happened to upset me, but I still.."

Sakura felt a cool hand on her arm.  She looked up into Suzuno's gentle face.  "It's all right, Sakura-chan.  I feel like that too, sometimes, when I feel helpless and things don't go the way I want them to.  But your heart will feel a lot lighter after you cry." She offered her handkerchief to her.

Sakura gratefully received it.  "Thank you." 

"If you feel like crying, cry as much as you want." Syaoran whispered.  Sakura closed her eyes, leaning against his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat.  But after that one bold tear, no more came.  Still, she gradually calmed down and after a few moments straightened up.

"I feel a little better now.  I think I'll just go and rest."

"I'll walk you to your dorm." Syaoran offered.  Silently, the three made their way across the dark campus.  Just before entering the door, Sakura turned around.  "Syaoran.."

"You're welcome." He interrupted, a small smile on his face.

Sakura smiled back.  She was wrong.  She didn't feel a little better.  She felt a lot better.   

~*~*~*~

"Hoeee.. All right, all right!" Sakura waved her hands in defeat.  She was sitting in her room, talking to Tomoyo.  Sakura had told her everything that had happened, including the dream, and Tomoyo had practically ordered her that first thing next morning, as it was a Sunday, Sakura should go tell Syaoran how she truly felt about him.   

Next morning, Sakura woke up to thunder rumbling in the sky overhead.  Getting ready, she looked hesitantly outside her window.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Tomoyo asked.  She grabbed Sakura's arm and led her to the door, pushing her out.  "It's about time you told him; you've put this off long enough.  Right now, I want you to go and tell him everything.  And remember, I'm not going to let you back in this room until you've confessed, understand?"

"Hoe!" Sakura cried as Tomoyo pushed her outside.  She turned around, a little nervous, but smiling nonetheless.  "Okay.  Wish me luck Tomoyo-chan."

As Sakura hurried off, Tomoyo closed the door and instantaneously dropped her encouraging smile replacing it with a worried expression.  "Let's just hope that right now is not too late.."

~*~-----To Be Continued-----~*~

Well.. this chapter was only a mood setter.  But I guarantee that things will become more interesting as we go on.  REVIEW and tell me what you think!  I'll just not continue if I don't get any feedback ^_~

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