----- Sort of a Fairytale
----- Written by Iris (Rainbow) Dreamer
----- DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura solely belongs to Clamp. However, the plot is mine and I would like to remain it that way. Arigato.
----- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! This is my new fic! Bear with me here as I suffer my way through my one last stab at the SATs, through college essays, countless college searching, and college applications of my senior year. Needless to say, I'll be very busy. I'll be trying my best to update this, but I'm going to have one hectic senior year!
----- BACKGROUND: Okay! Some background here. Syaoran and Sakura have not met before. Hm. No magic in here either (as some of you might know, I'm horrible at describing magic.....). What else? Oh, the characters may seem a bit out of character in the beginning (especially Sakura), but you'll see why as the story proceeds. Hm. I think that's about it. The rest you'll have to discover yourself! And if you know me, I love twists and turns, although this chapter should have less than ADOHE if you've read that.
----- SPECIAL THANKS: I want to thank every single reader who has read my past stories. This story is for all of you, especially those who had stuck with me through my ups and downs from my first fic.
Rosalind: Hehe, I thought it would be kawaii for the two to freak out together. :)
Cheler: Thanks! Conflicts as in fights or incidents where sparks are ignited?
Red-Emerald: Thank you!
Ani-chan 1: Arigato for your compliment!
Azi: Thank you. At least I now know I have an interesting beginning.
Cherry Princess Sakura: Thanks for reading all my fics!
Di: I thank you too for being such a faithful reader! Arigato.
Safaia Hiryuu: Yeah, I know that Sakura and Syaoran are a little out of character and later you read this chapter, it might seem that their personalities are a bit of the opposite. Hehe. Anyhow, there are reasons why there is no genki Sakura.
Tiarella Cordifolia: Thank you!
Enchantress Azure: Thank you for your everlasting support. I really loved your review (the last one that will ever appear for ADOHE. * sobs*) and it was really quite comforting. I hope you'll enjoy this as much as my last fic. Thank you.
Angel Sari Neko Jeminie Indigo: Thank you! Finally, a senior who knows the horrors of senior year! Hehe. Most people aren't there yet or have passed it so it doesn't seem THAT bad. Anyhow, thank you a hundred times and more for your wonderful suggestions. I'm considering going for education (I want to become an elementary teacher) or I may go into business (which my dad wants major in and which I know practically nothing about. LoL). Either way, I'm still thinking and my college advisor is like "NINETY days kids! Ninety days!" Argh. Anyhow, perhaps we can email each other concerning college stuff?
Star96: Thank you.
Moon Guardian 41: Thanks!
Avelyn Lauren: Thank you. ADOHE (Angels Dancing on Her Eyelids) is another card captor sakura fic that I have just completed. Feel welcome to read it!
Demi-kaijuu: It means a lot to mean that you're reading my fic at 2:07 in the morning and you didn't fall asleep reading my last chapter! Thank you!
Dancer5: Thank you as well as for your suggestions. Although Wash U is SO hard to get in! It's one of the best colleges in the US, and if I remember correctly, it should be around 12th place or something. But, UVA is one I'm deciding to apply to.
Daz: Hey Daz! Hehe, the "Men: They're Not Worth Crying Over" is partly from the conversation we had once. Remember? Thanks!
----- CHAPTER TWO:
----- Syaoran -----
Of course, she wanted to jump and hell, she probably would. So, my first instinct was to grab on her wrist and pull her back. Perhaps I pulled a bit hard, for we landed inelegantly on the grass with her in my lap.
"What," She hissed, turning around with eyes into dangerous slits, "the hell do you think you're doing?"
I glared right back at her. So much for saving her. "What do you think you're doing?" I retorted.
She gave me a mock look of innocence. "Like, I don't know, like I was going to take off my shoes because heels are god damn annoying?" She asked, pretending to be some dumb blond. "What else would I be doing, smart ass?"
I stared at her, my anger replaced by stupidity. I growled and shoved her off my lap, causing her to send me a dirty look. I sighed mentally. After all, this was my fault. So, I stood up and offered her my hand. She looked at it then at me. Then she stood up by herself.
"I don't need some jerk to push me down then offer to help me stand. I'm perfectly capable of standing on my own." Sakura stated. She turned and walked off.
"Oh, and since we're having such a wonderful conversation," She had stopped and looked at me. "You're only my bodyguard and that's it. I don't care if you're some martial arts champion, because frankly, so am I. Now if we have to play this stupid relationship thing, which will never exist so you can stop your dirty thoughts, then we're going to play it my way."
She gave me a fierce grin and flashed her teeth. "Two words: back off."
I was getting fairly annoyed with her great talk. Who the heck did she think she was? The world didn't revolve around her. She wasn't the only one suffering through this idiotic thing. "Right. You think you're the only one suffering here. Oh, and just to remind you, I would never even think of you, so don't keep your hopes too high, Kinomoto."
"Whatever Li." Sakura replied coolly, as if totally unaffected by my words. "Just stay out of my business. Someone like you with low IQ wouldn't understand anyhow." She grinned evilly at me. "After all, it's not every guy who pushes a girl down when she's fixing the strap of her shoes, thinking she was about to suicide." Her eyes glinted.
I swore under my breath. She was quite smart and made me sound even more retarded than I was. I could not believe a girl was defeating me, Li Syaoran. "Just doing my job, bitch."
"Don't worry, the feeling's mutual," She replied with a fake smile. And with that, Sakura turned on her heels and left.
I stood staring after her. As much as I hate to admit, this girl had guts and was strong. Now I really didn't see why I had to be her bodyguard. We'd probably end up killing ourselves in a matter of seconds. But first, I had to find Eriol and kill him first. After all, it was him who dragged me into this deep shit.
-----
When Eriol saw Syaoran return back to the table, he could practically see his friend fuming with silent anger. Sakura, who had returned a good ten minutes before him was acting like nothing had happened, talking to Tomoyo. He just walked over stiffly and sat down in his chair without a single word.
Eriol shifted uneasily in his seat. Tomoyo caught his eye and she quickly suggested that they return back to the university. Sakura and Tomoyo walked up front while Eriol stayed back to walk next to Syaoran.
"So, how did the talk go?"
Syaoran glared. "You didn't tell me that I would be dealing with a bitch, Eriol. Seems like you always forget the most important thing."
Eriol eyed him critically before seeing Sakura turn around a bit and smile sweetly at Syaoran. Then he saw the middle finger she pointed to him behind her back.
Syaoran was fuming. "Uh, didn't know you guys were on such a bad basis. Whatever happened with you effort on getting on the good side of her?" Eriol asked.
"With a bitch like her?" Syaoran muttered under his breath. "Not a chance."
Eriol sighed out loud this time. Calling over to Tomoyo, he told her that he and Syaoran would be heading back to their apartment to pack the bags. When the girls walked off, Eriol turned to his friend once again. "All right, what happened?"
Syaoran rolled his eyes but answered. When he was done talking, he could see a light dancing in Eriol's eyes. "You can stop laughing now, Hiiragizawa."
Eriol grinned broadly. "Well, you have to admit that you had that coming."
"Right. Now that she's perfectly capable of handling the job of protecting herself, may I be excused then? I have much more thing to worry over than some little girl who thinks quite highly of herself."
Immediately the grin was off Eriol's face. "Look, I'll talk to Sakura about this, okay? It's necessary that you watch over her, since the rest of us aren't as capable of doing so." He told him reasonably.
Syaoran just snorted, crossing his arms defiantly.
"Look on the positive side Syaoran, you actually have a partner to train with. Sakura gets up early in the morning and trains as well."
"And make myself more clumsy? Good idea, Eriol! Why didn't I think of that?" Syaoran retorted sarcastically.
"Why do you care so much about what she thinks if you don't care about her?" He pointed out.
Syaoran paused. "It's my pride here that we're talking about here."
"Just be a real bodyguard then." Eriol replied simply. "They don't show any emotions and all that. Bodyguards and their clients technically don't have to talk much. It's not like I'm asking you to fall in love with her!"
Syaoran thought that over. "You owe me one huge favor, Eriol Hiiragizawa. Until this whole thing is over, you're hugely in my debt." Syaoran grinned maliciously. "Or else, this whole thing is over."
Eriol sighed. "What is it this time? Didn't I treat you to lunch already?"
His friend just smiled wolfishly.
-----
Sakura sighed, tossing in her sleep. The whole week had been a total disaster for her. Eriol and Li had transferred to their university and Tomoyo had demanded her to be at least polite to Li, which she did with gritted teeth. She even had to show him around the campus. To put it short, it wasn't pleasant. She didn't say more anything more than necessary and neither did he. Wonderful. And to make matters worse, school was officially starting the next day. Double of the fun.
It was only three o'clock in the morning. It was yet another good hour before I started to practice. I turned over on my right side, hoping to fall asleep. After a few minutes, I growled frustratingly and tossed my covers off, making my way to the bathroom under the dim light from the window.
As I opened the door, I glared, sensing someone there. Great, just great. Who the hell would be using the bathroom in the middle of the night? Tomoyo was still sleeping and the two roommates next to our room slept until lunch. Unless someone else was there. I quickly altered into fighting mode and landed a hard punch to the first shadow I saw.
"What the hell?" A low, masculine voice yelled, pissed off.
I glared, knowing the sound of that voice. "Who the hell do you think you are, Li?" I demanded.
"Kinomoto?" Syaoran hissed, flicking on the light to the dark bathroom. "Was that you who attacked me? You would of hit me on the head if I didn't block with my arm! What the hell were you thinking?"
I shrugged. "Had every right to be suspicious. Why are you using my bathroom?"
"Technically, it's mine as well."
"No. It's mine, Tomoyo's, and Rika and Chiharu's."
Syaoran smirked. "No. In case you forgot, Eriol and me moved into their room yesterday. Your friends are across the hall."
How could I have forgotten? "Damn it." I cursed.
"It isn't lady like to curse. Where are your manners?" Syaoran teased.
"Go fuck yourself." I barked angrily, pushing him out the door that connected to his room and locked it. I could hear him laughing as he walked off. I grumbled to myself and took a quick shower and slid off to practice. I had to take out my anger in some form.
I was deeply concentrated into kicks at a punching bag that hung from the ceiling that I didn't even notice someone watching me. It was when I turned to do a roundabout kick that I noticed him.
"Back off," I told him bluntly.
"You're good." Syaoran replied instead.
"I never asked your opinion, Li."
"But I'm much better." He finished with a cocky grin of those rich kids with huge inheritances who flash their amount of money in your face, taunting.
I glared at him, placing my right leg back down. "You're asking for a fight." Syaoran grinned at me.
"And I accept." He took off his shirt, tossing it on top of my duffle bag. Flexing his muscles a bit, he then stood into a fighting stance. I raised my eyebrow slowly in a mocking manner of my own before I slid into my stance.
We charged to one another at the same moment, with me attacking first with a series of fast hard punches with which he blocked with his arms. I grinned, feeling adrenaline pumping through my veins. It was long since I had a good fight of a worthy opponent. Flipping once backwards, I got into another fighting stance. This time, Syaoran was first to attack.
I don't know how long we fought, both the both of us were still fighting with just as much vigor as the beginning when Tomoyo and Eriol had come in. I glanced at them before returning to Syaoran.
"Time to end the game, Li." I said.
Syaoran just grinned and quickly punched over. I quickly shifted to my right, grabbed his right hand that was extended and folded it painfully behind his back.
"Game over, boy." I hissed, smiling into his ear.
"Not yet," He replied. With that, he pivoted and threw me across his back, catching me off guard, but not completely. I quickly did a flip and slid to the ground on my two feet without wavering the slightest.
He raised his eyebrow and the two of us were going to fight once more when Eriol clapped lightly, coming between us with Tomoyo behind him. "Wonderful! So, Syaoran. I believe you've found someone of your match?"
He looked over at me with his determined amber eyes, his brown hair soaked with perspiration. "We'll continue this later." I told him, glancing at the clock and noticed that it was already seven thirty. With that, I sauntered over to my duffle bag on the ground. Tossing him his shirt, which he caught, I walked towards the showers.
Although I tried to pretend that I was better than he was, I had to admit that he was good at martial arts. Eriol wasn't exaggerating when he said Syaoran could fight.
-----
"Hm, Sakura, you have a seminar today don't you?" Tomoyo asked over her bowl of fruit she ate in the morning.
Sakura nodded, through her cream cheese bagel. "It's starts at ten."
"Syaoran, don't you have a class then?" Eriol asked, suddenly. The young man who was eating away on pancakes shrugged.
"Some history course." He replied.
"By who?" Sakura asked her eyes on her bagel. Syaoran looked over at her, surprised that she was even talking to him. It looked like she was talking to her food and considering how angry she was that morning about the bathroom incident; he would have suspected her to be still angry.
"Professor Jones, why?"
Sakura smirked, and resumed her to breakfast but she had this small smile on her face smugly.
"What now?" He demanded.
Sakura shrugged, as she sipped her orange juice casually. "Oh, nothing." She replied a bit too cheerfully. Meanwhile, Tomoyo was fighting the urge to laugh.
Syaoran growled dangerously.
"It's just that you happened to got one of the most boring teachers on campus. To top it all of, it's a history course," Tomoyo explained quickly. "She's known to send people to sleep then making them stay for detention, and usually those detentions involve cleaning her office or something like that where you have to hear more history."
The girl smiled. "Sakura is Jones's favorite student since Sakura spent detention after every class she had with her. She learnt a lot too."
"Loads of fun. I can't think of a better way than to spend my afternoon." Sakura drawled. "I now know all the points of Martin Luther's Ninety Five Thesis by heart."
-----
Half an hour later, Syaoran dropped Sakura off in front of the huge seminar classroom where she would be having a lecture on current events in science. She wished him a bit too cheerful goodbye and told him that she would meet him at his classroom. As Syaoran trudged off, he knew better than to think she was being nice; Sakura just wanted to see him suffer through his history course.
-----
She was leaning against the wall with a smug face on her face, like that of a cat's after having some cream. Syaoran yawned loudly and Sakura opened one of her eyes lazily.
"Had fun?" She asked sarcastically, nudging her head towards the classroom where an old lady had her tight hair into a bun scolding a student.
Syaoran growled. "Best thing I ever had. Remind me to talk to her if I have any problems with insomnia in the future."
"I'll be happy to beat the crap out of you so you'll fall just about into unconsciousness." Sakura replied with a daring smile for sauntering off with her backpack slung casually over her left shoulder.
Syaoran cursed under his breath. He really, really didn't get this girl. More than ever, he actually wanted to know about her past. It seemed that she was quite capable to be quite okay to be with. And Eriol had told her that her past was pretty much messed up, which probably was even worse than it was since Eriol had the tendency to make things a bit more cheerful. Besides, Eriol was away when all that crap happened to Sakura. The most correct way would be to probably find Tomoyo.
Yet as Syaoran walked behind Sakura, he remembered that he was only a bodyguard. Heck, as long as he protected her, nothing else really mattered, right?
----- Syaoran -----
Right.
Yet I found myself sitting in Sakura's chair backwards in her room that she shared with Tomoyo when Sakura was out shopping for some supplies with Eriol.
The kind girl's eyes questioned me when I asked about Sakura's past, but being the polite girl that she was, Tomoyo did not ask any questions, which I was really thankful for. Heck, I didn't even know why he was asking.
"You want to know about Sakura?" Tomoyo repeated.
I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally.
She gave him a small smile. "There's not much to say really, just those letters the guy has been sending Sakura. After all, it seems like the guy knows her right?"
I nodded. "Yeah, though we can't be certain. So what about Kinomoto's past?"
Tomoyo gave me a pained look. Clearly she did not want to say. "Look, Li. Sakura will tell you when she feels the need to. Right now, just be her bodyguard okay? I know Sakura can be harsh to be around with, but just cope with her okay?"
She looked so sad and pleading that I nodded in reluctance. Yet before I could think the reason as to why I was thinking all this, Sakura came back from buying her textbooks that she needed for the next school year. Holding two bags of books heavily, she gave me a harsh glare.
"Li was just asking me about Professor Kay since he has him tomorrow morning." Tomoyo quickly said before any sparks could be ignited.
Sakura gave me a skeptical look before plopping her books with a slam on her table. "Then by all means, keep on talking. I'm going for a swim." Without another word, she stormed off with her swimming bag and left, slamming the door.
"Perhaps I should go talk to her," Tomoyo said almost apologetically. "Please lock the door for me after you leave."
With that she quickly exited the room herself. I sighed and wandered around the room the two girls shared. Tomoyo's side was much happier with lots of pictures stuck on the wall into a collage in front of her desk. Yet Sakura's was plain, only a schedule, calendar and a few pictures of her family and close friends that I recognized were on the wall. My eyes traveled to the wall next to her bed. There, in different colored paints, she had written some words on it, most likely her thoughts. Thinking that they were private, I backed out the room, but not before noticing a line that stated, "The more we love the damn more vulnerable we are."
Now I couldn't help but wonder even more what had happened.
-----
Tomoyo rushed down the stairs, hoping to catch up to Sakura when she bumped awkwardly into someone when she tugged the heavy metal door open.
"Ah, gomen Tomoyo." Eriol apologized with a small smile.
"My fault Eriol." Tomoyo replied. "Did you see Sakura pass?"
A flicker quickly swept over Eriol's face. "She did. I believe she mentioned she would be at the pool."
Tomoyo looked questionably into his eyes. "Did something happen while you were out? Sakura seemed pretty off center, more than she usually is, when she walked into our room."
Eriol sighed as he pushed his glasses higher upon his nose. "A small accident happened at the bookshop. Although I wasn't there to see it, but her yells could be heard in the whole shop." He winced slightly.
"Apparently a group of guys, probably freshmen, were catcalling to her and some guy reached up and touched her, um," He paused, shifting uncomfortably, "while making some, uh, sexual noises."
Tomoyo's eyes hardened. "They had that coming."
The young man nodded. "I agree that they did. The group of guys had a slap each and the guy who touched her is beaten horribly in the bookshop. From what I heard, he's unconscious at the nurse's clinic. Of course the workers there aren't too happy, but the lady working there, who saw everything, told me that the guys started the fight first."
"Poor Saku. She has enough coming at her and it just seems that things are just piling on her. Perhaps it was a good thing, asking Li to be her bodyguard." The girl said softly, looking at the direction where the swimming pool was.
"Should I ask Syaoran to be with her?" Eriol questioned. "In case some other trouble might happen?"
Tomoyo's worried eyes looked into Eriol's and she nodded. Syaoran gave in to go to the pool after he heard what had happened to Sakura. He brought along his swimming gear, just so that he would have some excuse.
When he entered the building, a strong sense of chlorine rushed into his nose and Syaoran frowned in disgust. The indoor swimming pool was quite empty and he could see Sakura swimming butterfly with a strong stroke. He watched her for a while, making sure everything was okay before going off to change into his suit.
She was still swimming butterfly without any signs of tiring when he returned a while later. When she got to the deep end of the pool, she stood up and glared at Syaoran who was sitting there with his feet in the water.
"Fuck off, Li." She spat.
"It's a free country Kinomoto." He replied easily, as he stood up and did a perfect dive into the water. Sakura waited until he surfaced with her arms crossed.
"I didn't ask you to come here to pity me." She told him furiously. "Eriol must have told you what happened at the bookstore and now you've come here to watch over me. If you didn't notice, I can protect myself."
"Didn't doubt the bit least that you couldn't." Syaoran answered. "I just came up here to challenge you swimming. It seems like you're quite capable of most sports."
Sakura raised her eyebrow. "Why make a fool out of yourself?" She responded as she got out of the water and positioned at lane two.
Syaoran grinned and lined up beside her. "So, what will it be?" he asked.
She didn't respond but just got into position and Syaoran did as well. In a flash, the two dived into the water at the same instant, the two of them diving deep and far. As the surfaced quickly, the two automatically switched into butterfly. The other swimmers in the pool stopped to watch the two swim at an incredible speed, both majestic in their strong and powerful strokes. When they neared the end, both automatically flipped and continued to swim.
"Tie." A voice announced. Sakura glared at the person who had told it was a tie before giving Syaoran a challenging glare. He wasn't even panting, and neither was she. The two continued to challenge each other in freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke and in different lengths as well. She won some and he won some. And after a while, they were the only two there.
Sakura floated on her back as she panted after swimming eight hundred meter backstroke; backstroke had always been her weakness. Syaoran floated beside her.
"I'm surprised you didn't kill all four guys." He said suddenly.
"Wasn't worth it." She answered shortly.
"Yeah." He paused.
"There should be a hearing tomorrow. Administrators, parents, witnesses and all that will be there, but the whole thing will be kept small." Sakura continued as if she heard Syaoran's question of what was going to happen next. "They'll come up with punishments and all that."
Syaoran nodded and the two stayed in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the quite rippling of the water and the steady tick of the clock. They didn't come out from the water until an hour later.
When the two arrived back at the dorms, Tomoyo and Eriol were waiting patiently for them.
"Saku, Ms. Ivy came by and told me that your hearing will be held tomorrow morning at ten." Tomoyo said softly, her purple eyes sad.
"I'll be attending as well as Tomoyo." Eriol continued.
Sakura just shrugged.
Tomoyo and Eriol shared a glance. "And if you don't mind, we hope that you're willing to let Li-kun go." Her best friend said, waiting for her reaction. But there was none. Sakura just shrugged again and went to hang up her wet suit in the bathroom. The two looked at each other again worriedly, totally ignoring Syaoran who stood at the doorway. Sighing, he went to his room.
There was much about Sakura that he did not know.
-----
To Syaoran's surprise, Sakura was dressed formally in a white blouse with black dress pants. She was the last person who he would picture to dress up. She saw him looking and her and she gave a rueful smile.
"Unwritten dress code." Sakura replied simply, sliding a demin side bag onto her shoulders.
Tomoyo came out from their room, locking it behind her. "So," She gave a bright smile to the three, "ready?"
The meeting room in the administrative office was plain and simple with a long U shaped table and sturdy brown chairs to match. It certainly seemed that Sakura was used to the whole process that she knew exactly where to sit. Eriol, sitting next to Tomoyo who was on Sakura's left side, motioned Syaoran to sit next to him.
Administrators filed in and a lady of older age who walked behind everyone else at a slower pace caught Sakura's eye and gave a twinkling grin. Sakura just half smiled and nodded her head back.
Finally, the group of boys entered and their parents, mostly mothers who bothered to come while fathers didn't care more or less. Syaoran had to hide his smirk behind his hand. Sakura had done well; each had a sweltering red mark on their cheek.
"Thank you for moving out the time to come to this meeting," The old lady who had smiled at Sakura spoke authoritatively. She nodded to everyone in turn. "I'm Ms. Ivy and I will be handling this case proposed in front of me."
"It has presented to me that yesterday around three o'clock in the afternoon, there was a fight in the college bookstore. The fight involved Sakura Kinomoto here and Phillip Egdon who is presently not available at the moment. Minors were Egdon's associates. From the witness of the worker, Myra Burke here, it is said that these young man provoked Kinomoto to attack. Apparently Egdon had touched Kinomoto in some vulgar manner and made some sexual references."
"Those are the facts. Is there anything to be added to what is stated before us?" She asked, eyeing both parties.
Sakura, sitting perfectly with her back straight, shook her head.
"And the other party?"
A mother spoke. "My son meant no harm. Kinomoto did not have to the right to attack any of these young men, especially my son whose unconscious at the moment. How do I pay for the bills?"
"Kinomoto, perhaps you want to clarify your reason of attack?"
Sakura nodded, locking eyes on the mother who had spoken. "Your son, and his group of friends apparently were making sick jokes at me which I do not tolerate. However, I kept my anger in and did not say anything. I did not attack until your son, Egdon groped me and made sexual sounds, implicating something I do not wish to state here. I had every right to protect myself in need."
The mother flinched, but would still not back down. "And the others?"
Sakura faced her coldly. "They didn't prevent anything from happening, did they? They found just as much amusement in watching did the guy who acted."
When the mother silenced, Ms. Ivy spoke. "Clearly what Sakura Kinomoto has done was in pure defense. Is there anything else needed to be added? If not, punishments are to be given to prevent such disgraceful acts from happening again."
She cleared her throat and read form a paper handed from an administration beside her. Briefly scanning the paper, Ms. Ivy read it out loud. "Sakura Kinomoto, since the one being assaulted will be given no punishment. However, since her usage of violence may have been too harsh as to the degree of unconsciousness, she will be on probation for two weeks where she will be monitored. Also, her martial arts practice in the mornings will need an overseer for a month."
Sakura nodded.
"As for the attacking side, Phillip Egdon will be given his punishment after he has recovered. He will receive a major demerit, which will be present in his record, and will perform community service that will be handed out later for two months. Other assailants will be given a minor demerit each and one month of community service. All will be on probation afterwards."
"Do both sides agree to punishment given?" It was more of a dare than a question. This was a woman who knew her authority and used it.
They all nodded.
"I'm sorry and disappointed that this has happened in our university. As teachers ourselves, we should have raised our students better. As parents, we should have taught our children better. And as students, you should be able to discipline yourself and be able to know the difference of right and wrong. I hope that none of this will happen in the future." She said assertively. "The meeting is adjourned; you are all welcomed to leave."
The boys and their parents immediately left with the administrators who clearly had much more work in their hands. Ms. Ivy came along a bit slower and as she walked pass Sakura she clamped a hand down on her shoulder.
"Child, I'm sorry that it had to happen to you again." She spoke gravely.
"We can't stop things for happening." Sakura response was brief and conveyed only bitterness.
"No, but know this Sakura: you can ask for help. You don't have to act to get your point across."
Sakura smiled, but it was a sad one, one that contained no happiness. "Sometimes acting is the only way to stop things."
As the administrator left, and Sakura and the others followed her footsteps, Syaoran walked behind, letting everything sink in. The world Sakura lived in was vastly different from his. He never saw her laugh and tease with her friends. He never saw her smiling and lying in the grass and watching the clouds. He never saw her do any of the "normal things" girls her age did. Instead, she practiced and did her work.
He knew that she had been hurt, more than once to cause such a great scar as the one she carried on her back.
-----
How was it? As a second chapter? I know, I shouldn't have made it so sad! I can't believe I let that happen to kawaii Sakura! However, those jerks deserved everything that was coming. Syaoran's going to be much nicer to Sakura and what will Sakura make out of it? He's beginning to know a little bit as to why she's acting the way she is. Hm. Don't know when I'll be updating, but I know that the next chapter will have much more moments of Sakura and Syaoran. Wasn't that scene with Sakura and Syaoran at the pool kawaii? The way he comforts her just by being with her? Hehe. Anyhow, please review and I'll try my best to update as soon as possible!
Rainbow Dreamer/ Iris Dreamer
----- Written by Iris (Rainbow) Dreamer
----- DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura solely belongs to Clamp. However, the plot is mine and I would like to remain it that way. Arigato.
----- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey! This is my new fic! Bear with me here as I suffer my way through my one last stab at the SATs, through college essays, countless college searching, and college applications of my senior year. Needless to say, I'll be very busy. I'll be trying my best to update this, but I'm going to have one hectic senior year!
----- BACKGROUND: Okay! Some background here. Syaoran and Sakura have not met before. Hm. No magic in here either (as some of you might know, I'm horrible at describing magic.....). What else? Oh, the characters may seem a bit out of character in the beginning (especially Sakura), but you'll see why as the story proceeds. Hm. I think that's about it. The rest you'll have to discover yourself! And if you know me, I love twists and turns, although this chapter should have less than ADOHE if you've read that.
----- SPECIAL THANKS: I want to thank every single reader who has read my past stories. This story is for all of you, especially those who had stuck with me through my ups and downs from my first fic.
Rosalind: Hehe, I thought it would be kawaii for the two to freak out together. :)
Cheler: Thanks! Conflicts as in fights or incidents where sparks are ignited?
Red-Emerald: Thank you!
Ani-chan 1: Arigato for your compliment!
Azi: Thank you. At least I now know I have an interesting beginning.
Cherry Princess Sakura: Thanks for reading all my fics!
Di: I thank you too for being such a faithful reader! Arigato.
Safaia Hiryuu: Yeah, I know that Sakura and Syaoran are a little out of character and later you read this chapter, it might seem that their personalities are a bit of the opposite. Hehe. Anyhow, there are reasons why there is no genki Sakura.
Tiarella Cordifolia: Thank you!
Enchantress Azure: Thank you for your everlasting support. I really loved your review (the last one that will ever appear for ADOHE. * sobs*) and it was really quite comforting. I hope you'll enjoy this as much as my last fic. Thank you.
Angel Sari Neko Jeminie Indigo: Thank you! Finally, a senior who knows the horrors of senior year! Hehe. Most people aren't there yet or have passed it so it doesn't seem THAT bad. Anyhow, thank you a hundred times and more for your wonderful suggestions. I'm considering going for education (I want to become an elementary teacher) or I may go into business (which my dad wants major in and which I know practically nothing about. LoL). Either way, I'm still thinking and my college advisor is like "NINETY days kids! Ninety days!" Argh. Anyhow, perhaps we can email each other concerning college stuff?
Star96: Thank you.
Moon Guardian 41: Thanks!
Avelyn Lauren: Thank you. ADOHE (Angels Dancing on Her Eyelids) is another card captor sakura fic that I have just completed. Feel welcome to read it!
Demi-kaijuu: It means a lot to mean that you're reading my fic at 2:07 in the morning and you didn't fall asleep reading my last chapter! Thank you!
Dancer5: Thank you as well as for your suggestions. Although Wash U is SO hard to get in! It's one of the best colleges in the US, and if I remember correctly, it should be around 12th place or something. But, UVA is one I'm deciding to apply to.
Daz: Hey Daz! Hehe, the "Men: They're Not Worth Crying Over" is partly from the conversation we had once. Remember? Thanks!
----- CHAPTER TWO:
----- Syaoran -----
Of course, she wanted to jump and hell, she probably would. So, my first instinct was to grab on her wrist and pull her back. Perhaps I pulled a bit hard, for we landed inelegantly on the grass with her in my lap.
"What," She hissed, turning around with eyes into dangerous slits, "the hell do you think you're doing?"
I glared right back at her. So much for saving her. "What do you think you're doing?" I retorted.
She gave me a mock look of innocence. "Like, I don't know, like I was going to take off my shoes because heels are god damn annoying?" She asked, pretending to be some dumb blond. "What else would I be doing, smart ass?"
I stared at her, my anger replaced by stupidity. I growled and shoved her off my lap, causing her to send me a dirty look. I sighed mentally. After all, this was my fault. So, I stood up and offered her my hand. She looked at it then at me. Then she stood up by herself.
"I don't need some jerk to push me down then offer to help me stand. I'm perfectly capable of standing on my own." Sakura stated. She turned and walked off.
"Oh, and since we're having such a wonderful conversation," She had stopped and looked at me. "You're only my bodyguard and that's it. I don't care if you're some martial arts champion, because frankly, so am I. Now if we have to play this stupid relationship thing, which will never exist so you can stop your dirty thoughts, then we're going to play it my way."
She gave me a fierce grin and flashed her teeth. "Two words: back off."
I was getting fairly annoyed with her great talk. Who the heck did she think she was? The world didn't revolve around her. She wasn't the only one suffering through this idiotic thing. "Right. You think you're the only one suffering here. Oh, and just to remind you, I would never even think of you, so don't keep your hopes too high, Kinomoto."
"Whatever Li." Sakura replied coolly, as if totally unaffected by my words. "Just stay out of my business. Someone like you with low IQ wouldn't understand anyhow." She grinned evilly at me. "After all, it's not every guy who pushes a girl down when she's fixing the strap of her shoes, thinking she was about to suicide." Her eyes glinted.
I swore under my breath. She was quite smart and made me sound even more retarded than I was. I could not believe a girl was defeating me, Li Syaoran. "Just doing my job, bitch."
"Don't worry, the feeling's mutual," She replied with a fake smile. And with that, Sakura turned on her heels and left.
I stood staring after her. As much as I hate to admit, this girl had guts and was strong. Now I really didn't see why I had to be her bodyguard. We'd probably end up killing ourselves in a matter of seconds. But first, I had to find Eriol and kill him first. After all, it was him who dragged me into this deep shit.
-----
When Eriol saw Syaoran return back to the table, he could practically see his friend fuming with silent anger. Sakura, who had returned a good ten minutes before him was acting like nothing had happened, talking to Tomoyo. He just walked over stiffly and sat down in his chair without a single word.
Eriol shifted uneasily in his seat. Tomoyo caught his eye and she quickly suggested that they return back to the university. Sakura and Tomoyo walked up front while Eriol stayed back to walk next to Syaoran.
"So, how did the talk go?"
Syaoran glared. "You didn't tell me that I would be dealing with a bitch, Eriol. Seems like you always forget the most important thing."
Eriol eyed him critically before seeing Sakura turn around a bit and smile sweetly at Syaoran. Then he saw the middle finger she pointed to him behind her back.
Syaoran was fuming. "Uh, didn't know you guys were on such a bad basis. Whatever happened with you effort on getting on the good side of her?" Eriol asked.
"With a bitch like her?" Syaoran muttered under his breath. "Not a chance."
Eriol sighed out loud this time. Calling over to Tomoyo, he told her that he and Syaoran would be heading back to their apartment to pack the bags. When the girls walked off, Eriol turned to his friend once again. "All right, what happened?"
Syaoran rolled his eyes but answered. When he was done talking, he could see a light dancing in Eriol's eyes. "You can stop laughing now, Hiiragizawa."
Eriol grinned broadly. "Well, you have to admit that you had that coming."
"Right. Now that she's perfectly capable of handling the job of protecting herself, may I be excused then? I have much more thing to worry over than some little girl who thinks quite highly of herself."
Immediately the grin was off Eriol's face. "Look, I'll talk to Sakura about this, okay? It's necessary that you watch over her, since the rest of us aren't as capable of doing so." He told him reasonably.
Syaoran just snorted, crossing his arms defiantly.
"Look on the positive side Syaoran, you actually have a partner to train with. Sakura gets up early in the morning and trains as well."
"And make myself more clumsy? Good idea, Eriol! Why didn't I think of that?" Syaoran retorted sarcastically.
"Why do you care so much about what she thinks if you don't care about her?" He pointed out.
Syaoran paused. "It's my pride here that we're talking about here."
"Just be a real bodyguard then." Eriol replied simply. "They don't show any emotions and all that. Bodyguards and their clients technically don't have to talk much. It's not like I'm asking you to fall in love with her!"
Syaoran thought that over. "You owe me one huge favor, Eriol Hiiragizawa. Until this whole thing is over, you're hugely in my debt." Syaoran grinned maliciously. "Or else, this whole thing is over."
Eriol sighed. "What is it this time? Didn't I treat you to lunch already?"
His friend just smiled wolfishly.
-----
Sakura sighed, tossing in her sleep. The whole week had been a total disaster for her. Eriol and Li had transferred to their university and Tomoyo had demanded her to be at least polite to Li, which she did with gritted teeth. She even had to show him around the campus. To put it short, it wasn't pleasant. She didn't say more anything more than necessary and neither did he. Wonderful. And to make matters worse, school was officially starting the next day. Double of the fun.
It was only three o'clock in the morning. It was yet another good hour before I started to practice. I turned over on my right side, hoping to fall asleep. After a few minutes, I growled frustratingly and tossed my covers off, making my way to the bathroom under the dim light from the window.
As I opened the door, I glared, sensing someone there. Great, just great. Who the hell would be using the bathroom in the middle of the night? Tomoyo was still sleeping and the two roommates next to our room slept until lunch. Unless someone else was there. I quickly altered into fighting mode and landed a hard punch to the first shadow I saw.
"What the hell?" A low, masculine voice yelled, pissed off.
I glared, knowing the sound of that voice. "Who the hell do you think you are, Li?" I demanded.
"Kinomoto?" Syaoran hissed, flicking on the light to the dark bathroom. "Was that you who attacked me? You would of hit me on the head if I didn't block with my arm! What the hell were you thinking?"
I shrugged. "Had every right to be suspicious. Why are you using my bathroom?"
"Technically, it's mine as well."
"No. It's mine, Tomoyo's, and Rika and Chiharu's."
Syaoran smirked. "No. In case you forgot, Eriol and me moved into their room yesterday. Your friends are across the hall."
How could I have forgotten? "Damn it." I cursed.
"It isn't lady like to curse. Where are your manners?" Syaoran teased.
"Go fuck yourself." I barked angrily, pushing him out the door that connected to his room and locked it. I could hear him laughing as he walked off. I grumbled to myself and took a quick shower and slid off to practice. I had to take out my anger in some form.
I was deeply concentrated into kicks at a punching bag that hung from the ceiling that I didn't even notice someone watching me. It was when I turned to do a roundabout kick that I noticed him.
"Back off," I told him bluntly.
"You're good." Syaoran replied instead.
"I never asked your opinion, Li."
"But I'm much better." He finished with a cocky grin of those rich kids with huge inheritances who flash their amount of money in your face, taunting.
I glared at him, placing my right leg back down. "You're asking for a fight." Syaoran grinned at me.
"And I accept." He took off his shirt, tossing it on top of my duffle bag. Flexing his muscles a bit, he then stood into a fighting stance. I raised my eyebrow slowly in a mocking manner of my own before I slid into my stance.
We charged to one another at the same moment, with me attacking first with a series of fast hard punches with which he blocked with his arms. I grinned, feeling adrenaline pumping through my veins. It was long since I had a good fight of a worthy opponent. Flipping once backwards, I got into another fighting stance. This time, Syaoran was first to attack.
I don't know how long we fought, both the both of us were still fighting with just as much vigor as the beginning when Tomoyo and Eriol had come in. I glanced at them before returning to Syaoran.
"Time to end the game, Li." I said.
Syaoran just grinned and quickly punched over. I quickly shifted to my right, grabbed his right hand that was extended and folded it painfully behind his back.
"Game over, boy." I hissed, smiling into his ear.
"Not yet," He replied. With that, he pivoted and threw me across his back, catching me off guard, but not completely. I quickly did a flip and slid to the ground on my two feet without wavering the slightest.
He raised his eyebrow and the two of us were going to fight once more when Eriol clapped lightly, coming between us with Tomoyo behind him. "Wonderful! So, Syaoran. I believe you've found someone of your match?"
He looked over at me with his determined amber eyes, his brown hair soaked with perspiration. "We'll continue this later." I told him, glancing at the clock and noticed that it was already seven thirty. With that, I sauntered over to my duffle bag on the ground. Tossing him his shirt, which he caught, I walked towards the showers.
Although I tried to pretend that I was better than he was, I had to admit that he was good at martial arts. Eriol wasn't exaggerating when he said Syaoran could fight.
-----
"Hm, Sakura, you have a seminar today don't you?" Tomoyo asked over her bowl of fruit she ate in the morning.
Sakura nodded, through her cream cheese bagel. "It's starts at ten."
"Syaoran, don't you have a class then?" Eriol asked, suddenly. The young man who was eating away on pancakes shrugged.
"Some history course." He replied.
"By who?" Sakura asked her eyes on her bagel. Syaoran looked over at her, surprised that she was even talking to him. It looked like she was talking to her food and considering how angry she was that morning about the bathroom incident; he would have suspected her to be still angry.
"Professor Jones, why?"
Sakura smirked, and resumed her to breakfast but she had this small smile on her face smugly.
"What now?" He demanded.
Sakura shrugged, as she sipped her orange juice casually. "Oh, nothing." She replied a bit too cheerfully. Meanwhile, Tomoyo was fighting the urge to laugh.
Syaoran growled dangerously.
"It's just that you happened to got one of the most boring teachers on campus. To top it all of, it's a history course," Tomoyo explained quickly. "She's known to send people to sleep then making them stay for detention, and usually those detentions involve cleaning her office or something like that where you have to hear more history."
The girl smiled. "Sakura is Jones's favorite student since Sakura spent detention after every class she had with her. She learnt a lot too."
"Loads of fun. I can't think of a better way than to spend my afternoon." Sakura drawled. "I now know all the points of Martin Luther's Ninety Five Thesis by heart."
-----
Half an hour later, Syaoran dropped Sakura off in front of the huge seminar classroom where she would be having a lecture on current events in science. She wished him a bit too cheerful goodbye and told him that she would meet him at his classroom. As Syaoran trudged off, he knew better than to think she was being nice; Sakura just wanted to see him suffer through his history course.
-----
She was leaning against the wall with a smug face on her face, like that of a cat's after having some cream. Syaoran yawned loudly and Sakura opened one of her eyes lazily.
"Had fun?" She asked sarcastically, nudging her head towards the classroom where an old lady had her tight hair into a bun scolding a student.
Syaoran growled. "Best thing I ever had. Remind me to talk to her if I have any problems with insomnia in the future."
"I'll be happy to beat the crap out of you so you'll fall just about into unconsciousness." Sakura replied with a daring smile for sauntering off with her backpack slung casually over her left shoulder.
Syaoran cursed under his breath. He really, really didn't get this girl. More than ever, he actually wanted to know about her past. It seemed that she was quite capable to be quite okay to be with. And Eriol had told her that her past was pretty much messed up, which probably was even worse than it was since Eriol had the tendency to make things a bit more cheerful. Besides, Eriol was away when all that crap happened to Sakura. The most correct way would be to probably find Tomoyo.
Yet as Syaoran walked behind Sakura, he remembered that he was only a bodyguard. Heck, as long as he protected her, nothing else really mattered, right?
----- Syaoran -----
Right.
Yet I found myself sitting in Sakura's chair backwards in her room that she shared with Tomoyo when Sakura was out shopping for some supplies with Eriol.
The kind girl's eyes questioned me when I asked about Sakura's past, but being the polite girl that she was, Tomoyo did not ask any questions, which I was really thankful for. Heck, I didn't even know why he was asking.
"You want to know about Sakura?" Tomoyo repeated.
I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally.
She gave him a small smile. "There's not much to say really, just those letters the guy has been sending Sakura. After all, it seems like the guy knows her right?"
I nodded. "Yeah, though we can't be certain. So what about Kinomoto's past?"
Tomoyo gave me a pained look. Clearly she did not want to say. "Look, Li. Sakura will tell you when she feels the need to. Right now, just be her bodyguard okay? I know Sakura can be harsh to be around with, but just cope with her okay?"
She looked so sad and pleading that I nodded in reluctance. Yet before I could think the reason as to why I was thinking all this, Sakura came back from buying her textbooks that she needed for the next school year. Holding two bags of books heavily, she gave me a harsh glare.
"Li was just asking me about Professor Kay since he has him tomorrow morning." Tomoyo quickly said before any sparks could be ignited.
Sakura gave me a skeptical look before plopping her books with a slam on her table. "Then by all means, keep on talking. I'm going for a swim." Without another word, she stormed off with her swimming bag and left, slamming the door.
"Perhaps I should go talk to her," Tomoyo said almost apologetically. "Please lock the door for me after you leave."
With that she quickly exited the room herself. I sighed and wandered around the room the two girls shared. Tomoyo's side was much happier with lots of pictures stuck on the wall into a collage in front of her desk. Yet Sakura's was plain, only a schedule, calendar and a few pictures of her family and close friends that I recognized were on the wall. My eyes traveled to the wall next to her bed. There, in different colored paints, she had written some words on it, most likely her thoughts. Thinking that they were private, I backed out the room, but not before noticing a line that stated, "The more we love the damn more vulnerable we are."
Now I couldn't help but wonder even more what had happened.
-----
Tomoyo rushed down the stairs, hoping to catch up to Sakura when she bumped awkwardly into someone when she tugged the heavy metal door open.
"Ah, gomen Tomoyo." Eriol apologized with a small smile.
"My fault Eriol." Tomoyo replied. "Did you see Sakura pass?"
A flicker quickly swept over Eriol's face. "She did. I believe she mentioned she would be at the pool."
Tomoyo looked questionably into his eyes. "Did something happen while you were out? Sakura seemed pretty off center, more than she usually is, when she walked into our room."
Eriol sighed as he pushed his glasses higher upon his nose. "A small accident happened at the bookshop. Although I wasn't there to see it, but her yells could be heard in the whole shop." He winced slightly.
"Apparently a group of guys, probably freshmen, were catcalling to her and some guy reached up and touched her, um," He paused, shifting uncomfortably, "while making some, uh, sexual noises."
Tomoyo's eyes hardened. "They had that coming."
The young man nodded. "I agree that they did. The group of guys had a slap each and the guy who touched her is beaten horribly in the bookshop. From what I heard, he's unconscious at the nurse's clinic. Of course the workers there aren't too happy, but the lady working there, who saw everything, told me that the guys started the fight first."
"Poor Saku. She has enough coming at her and it just seems that things are just piling on her. Perhaps it was a good thing, asking Li to be her bodyguard." The girl said softly, looking at the direction where the swimming pool was.
"Should I ask Syaoran to be with her?" Eriol questioned. "In case some other trouble might happen?"
Tomoyo's worried eyes looked into Eriol's and she nodded. Syaoran gave in to go to the pool after he heard what had happened to Sakura. He brought along his swimming gear, just so that he would have some excuse.
When he entered the building, a strong sense of chlorine rushed into his nose and Syaoran frowned in disgust. The indoor swimming pool was quite empty and he could see Sakura swimming butterfly with a strong stroke. He watched her for a while, making sure everything was okay before going off to change into his suit.
She was still swimming butterfly without any signs of tiring when he returned a while later. When she got to the deep end of the pool, she stood up and glared at Syaoran who was sitting there with his feet in the water.
"Fuck off, Li." She spat.
"It's a free country Kinomoto." He replied easily, as he stood up and did a perfect dive into the water. Sakura waited until he surfaced with her arms crossed.
"I didn't ask you to come here to pity me." She told him furiously. "Eriol must have told you what happened at the bookstore and now you've come here to watch over me. If you didn't notice, I can protect myself."
"Didn't doubt the bit least that you couldn't." Syaoran answered. "I just came up here to challenge you swimming. It seems like you're quite capable of most sports."
Sakura raised her eyebrow. "Why make a fool out of yourself?" She responded as she got out of the water and positioned at lane two.
Syaoran grinned and lined up beside her. "So, what will it be?" he asked.
She didn't respond but just got into position and Syaoran did as well. In a flash, the two dived into the water at the same instant, the two of them diving deep and far. As the surfaced quickly, the two automatically switched into butterfly. The other swimmers in the pool stopped to watch the two swim at an incredible speed, both majestic in their strong and powerful strokes. When they neared the end, both automatically flipped and continued to swim.
"Tie." A voice announced. Sakura glared at the person who had told it was a tie before giving Syaoran a challenging glare. He wasn't even panting, and neither was she. The two continued to challenge each other in freestyle, breaststroke, and backstroke and in different lengths as well. She won some and he won some. And after a while, they were the only two there.
Sakura floated on her back as she panted after swimming eight hundred meter backstroke; backstroke had always been her weakness. Syaoran floated beside her.
"I'm surprised you didn't kill all four guys." He said suddenly.
"Wasn't worth it." She answered shortly.
"Yeah." He paused.
"There should be a hearing tomorrow. Administrators, parents, witnesses and all that will be there, but the whole thing will be kept small." Sakura continued as if she heard Syaoran's question of what was going to happen next. "They'll come up with punishments and all that."
Syaoran nodded and the two stayed in silence. The only sound that could be heard was the quite rippling of the water and the steady tick of the clock. They didn't come out from the water until an hour later.
When the two arrived back at the dorms, Tomoyo and Eriol were waiting patiently for them.
"Saku, Ms. Ivy came by and told me that your hearing will be held tomorrow morning at ten." Tomoyo said softly, her purple eyes sad.
"I'll be attending as well as Tomoyo." Eriol continued.
Sakura just shrugged.
Tomoyo and Eriol shared a glance. "And if you don't mind, we hope that you're willing to let Li-kun go." Her best friend said, waiting for her reaction. But there was none. Sakura just shrugged again and went to hang up her wet suit in the bathroom. The two looked at each other again worriedly, totally ignoring Syaoran who stood at the doorway. Sighing, he went to his room.
There was much about Sakura that he did not know.
-----
To Syaoran's surprise, Sakura was dressed formally in a white blouse with black dress pants. She was the last person who he would picture to dress up. She saw him looking and her and she gave a rueful smile.
"Unwritten dress code." Sakura replied simply, sliding a demin side bag onto her shoulders.
Tomoyo came out from their room, locking it behind her. "So," She gave a bright smile to the three, "ready?"
The meeting room in the administrative office was plain and simple with a long U shaped table and sturdy brown chairs to match. It certainly seemed that Sakura was used to the whole process that she knew exactly where to sit. Eriol, sitting next to Tomoyo who was on Sakura's left side, motioned Syaoran to sit next to him.
Administrators filed in and a lady of older age who walked behind everyone else at a slower pace caught Sakura's eye and gave a twinkling grin. Sakura just half smiled and nodded her head back.
Finally, the group of boys entered and their parents, mostly mothers who bothered to come while fathers didn't care more or less. Syaoran had to hide his smirk behind his hand. Sakura had done well; each had a sweltering red mark on their cheek.
"Thank you for moving out the time to come to this meeting," The old lady who had smiled at Sakura spoke authoritatively. She nodded to everyone in turn. "I'm Ms. Ivy and I will be handling this case proposed in front of me."
"It has presented to me that yesterday around three o'clock in the afternoon, there was a fight in the college bookstore. The fight involved Sakura Kinomoto here and Phillip Egdon who is presently not available at the moment. Minors were Egdon's associates. From the witness of the worker, Myra Burke here, it is said that these young man provoked Kinomoto to attack. Apparently Egdon had touched Kinomoto in some vulgar manner and made some sexual references."
"Those are the facts. Is there anything to be added to what is stated before us?" She asked, eyeing both parties.
Sakura, sitting perfectly with her back straight, shook her head.
"And the other party?"
A mother spoke. "My son meant no harm. Kinomoto did not have to the right to attack any of these young men, especially my son whose unconscious at the moment. How do I pay for the bills?"
"Kinomoto, perhaps you want to clarify your reason of attack?"
Sakura nodded, locking eyes on the mother who had spoken. "Your son, and his group of friends apparently were making sick jokes at me which I do not tolerate. However, I kept my anger in and did not say anything. I did not attack until your son, Egdon groped me and made sexual sounds, implicating something I do not wish to state here. I had every right to protect myself in need."
The mother flinched, but would still not back down. "And the others?"
Sakura faced her coldly. "They didn't prevent anything from happening, did they? They found just as much amusement in watching did the guy who acted."
When the mother silenced, Ms. Ivy spoke. "Clearly what Sakura Kinomoto has done was in pure defense. Is there anything else needed to be added? If not, punishments are to be given to prevent such disgraceful acts from happening again."
She cleared her throat and read form a paper handed from an administration beside her. Briefly scanning the paper, Ms. Ivy read it out loud. "Sakura Kinomoto, since the one being assaulted will be given no punishment. However, since her usage of violence may have been too harsh as to the degree of unconsciousness, she will be on probation for two weeks where she will be monitored. Also, her martial arts practice in the mornings will need an overseer for a month."
Sakura nodded.
"As for the attacking side, Phillip Egdon will be given his punishment after he has recovered. He will receive a major demerit, which will be present in his record, and will perform community service that will be handed out later for two months. Other assailants will be given a minor demerit each and one month of community service. All will be on probation afterwards."
"Do both sides agree to punishment given?" It was more of a dare than a question. This was a woman who knew her authority and used it.
They all nodded.
"I'm sorry and disappointed that this has happened in our university. As teachers ourselves, we should have raised our students better. As parents, we should have taught our children better. And as students, you should be able to discipline yourself and be able to know the difference of right and wrong. I hope that none of this will happen in the future." She said assertively. "The meeting is adjourned; you are all welcomed to leave."
The boys and their parents immediately left with the administrators who clearly had much more work in their hands. Ms. Ivy came along a bit slower and as she walked pass Sakura she clamped a hand down on her shoulder.
"Child, I'm sorry that it had to happen to you again." She spoke gravely.
"We can't stop things for happening." Sakura response was brief and conveyed only bitterness.
"No, but know this Sakura: you can ask for help. You don't have to act to get your point across."
Sakura smiled, but it was a sad one, one that contained no happiness. "Sometimes acting is the only way to stop things."
As the administrator left, and Sakura and the others followed her footsteps, Syaoran walked behind, letting everything sink in. The world Sakura lived in was vastly different from his. He never saw her laugh and tease with her friends. He never saw her smiling and lying in the grass and watching the clouds. He never saw her do any of the "normal things" girls her age did. Instead, she practiced and did her work.
He knew that she had been hurt, more than once to cause such a great scar as the one she carried on her back.
-----
How was it? As a second chapter? I know, I shouldn't have made it so sad! I can't believe I let that happen to kawaii Sakura! However, those jerks deserved everything that was coming. Syaoran's going to be much nicer to Sakura and what will Sakura make out of it? He's beginning to know a little bit as to why she's acting the way she is. Hm. Don't know when I'll be updating, but I know that the next chapter will have much more moments of Sakura and Syaoran. Wasn't that scene with Sakura and Syaoran at the pool kawaii? The way he comforts her just by being with her? Hehe. Anyhow, please review and I'll try my best to update as soon as possible!
Rainbow Dreamer/ Iris Dreamer