DARE ME TO CHANGE

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS

Sakura sighed. "Another day in school" She thought. She was walking slowly as if she carried the world on her back. "Does he even remember me?" she wondered.

"But he only left for when you were 12 years" her mind fought.

5 years ago:

"Hi Syao-chan!"

"Hey Sakura" Syaoran greeted blushing. Like the girl, he was 12 years old and they were going to school together like everyday since they were in kindergarten. He took Sakura's things like the gentleman he is and led her across the street to catch the bus.

"You seem to have something on your mind Syaoran" Sakura stated. "Care to share?" she grinned. She knew that from their childhood days, he would always willingly tell her about his problems and there was no need for persuasion. He trusted her with his life and had no problem sharing his thoughts with her unlike most guys. At school, they were always teased as a couple as they were always together but the two would just shrug it off unaffected and continue talking about their personal lives, or some other things.

"Nah" he shook his head and grinned. "So is Touya alright? We gave him such a scare yesterday. I hope he didn't take his anger out on you". They went to play a prank on Sakura's brother for calling them names. "He was such a jerk" Syaoran announced making Sakura giggle. He loved it. He loved seeing her smile and making her laugh, but he didn't want to see her cry. Touya always teases her and he really hated that. He promised himself that he would do everything to prevent her from crying and that means protecting her from her brother's wicked name-calling stints.

"Syao-chan, what's wrong? You seem to staring of at space all the time lately"

"I was just nervous for the upcoming finals, you know me I'm having a hard time studying" he lied.

"Oh! Well I'll help you then, you know the way to my house right?"

"I think so" he answered, eyes twinkling. "But crossing seven hills and rivers would leave me hungry, you know?"

Sakura laughed. "We just live across each other! And don't worry, I'll cook dinner for us"

He cringed. After years of always being together, he learned that Sakura wasn't exactly a good cook like her father. "No" he thought "she's a terrible cook!" Sakura looked at him and by the way his face looked, he was thinking about how she could whip up a deadly meal.

"I'm just heating leftovers later, don't worry" she looked at him viciously and punched him on the arm.

"Amen" he thanked the God above silently.

"I have something to tell you"

"Um-hmm, spill it Syao-chan" Sakura replied.

"I'm leaving tomorrow" he confessed.

"Oh, have fun on your vacation then" she said grinning at him.

He looked down. He was deciding if he would tell her or not that's why he was always preoccupied. He didn't want to hurt her, but he had to tell her otherwise she would never speak to him again. "Sakura… I'm… we're… our family's leaving for good" He looked at her and winced, she was crying.

"Sakura, I…"

"I hate you Li!" she shouted pounding his chest. "I hate you…" He enveloped her in his arms and her cries subsided. "You better have an explanation for this" she mumbled on his chest.

He sighed. "I don't want to hurt you Sakura, I can't do anything about our family leaving. I…"

"You could have told me earlier, I would have understood!"

"I'm sor…"

"Goodbye Li Syaoran" she stood up and left.

"Let's go Syaoran, we need to check in now" his mother said. "Goodbye Fujitaka-kun! Take care, and thanks for seeing us off"

"Just a neighborly gratitude Yelen. You know me" he smiled.

"Well then, we're off. Until we meet again" they exchanged hugs and Li's family boarded the plane.

"Tomoyo, run to the midfield. Chiharu, follow me. Guys, get ready for the offense" Sakura shouted to her teammates. Yet again, they were having their soccer practice, but this time after school.

"Rika, here!" she dribbled the ball and passed it. She ran up to Tomoyo who now has the ball and running near the sidelines.

"Sakura, score a goal!" Tomoyo shouted passing her the ball. Sakura stopped it and skillfully maneuvered it near the goal, she almost lost control as the defense of the other team was tight but she saw an opening and kicked the ball hard.

"Goal!" her teammates screamed. They ran and enfolded her in a hug.

"Nice shot captain!"

"That was one hell-of-a goal!"

Sakura beamed at them and spoke "You were great guys! Without you I couldn't have done it. Tomoyo, nice assist"

-Pfffrrrttt-

A pair of eyes watched as the captain of the girls' soccer varsity team was engulfed in a bear hug "You're great Sakura, better than I thought"

The person smiled.

Sakura could feel someone watching her as she opened the door of her convertible. She turned around and gasped as her eyes focused on a certain person.

"Syaoran"

He raised an eyebrow and continued walking. She sighed "What's with him? He acts like we don't have a past at all" she spoke to herself.

"By the way, you kick good. You should've told me so that we could've played together when we were younger" he smirked and left off in his SUV. He almost smiled when he saw Sakura's mouth hanging open as he threw a look at the rearview mirror.

"How's school son?" Syaoran's mother asked him. She was a tall woman of 40 and had his brown eyes. She was a businesswoman, she owned the DAI-CHI Corporation along with some friends.

"Fine…"

"You're cousin's here. She's in the game room. Oh, and don't forget that Fujitaka-kun invited us over for dinner. I missed his culinary works!"

"Yes mom" he mumbled, he went over to where his cousin was and found her watching TV.

"Hey… it's been a while" he looked at his cousin and grinned. She still looked the same with her long black hair but she grew taller over the years.

"Hey to you too Syaoran" she stuck her tongue out and laughed. "You've grown taller, haven't seen you in school this morning though… oh, and the other morning too"

Silence. Meiling spoke up after minutes of hearing nothing but the sound of the characters shouting at each other on-screen.

She started to playsoccer when you went away, just to fill in for your absence. It was so hard for her" then her face grew serious. "She would always come up to me and cry her heart out. You could've told her earlier"

He smiled slightly, remembering how Sakura scored a goal a while ago. "Yeah I saw her play, she was fantastic."

"This is no smiling matter Li Syaoran" said Meiling throwing him a dagger look. "You made her life a living hell"

"How so? She made mine's life hell as well" Syaoran shouted. He was instantly losing patience. He was ready for a reality match with his cousin when she is, but he knows…

"Well you can take care of yourself well, just look at her!" she pointed to the figure outside who was downing a bottle of beer and smoking as well.

… he'll just lose. His cousin is as wise as any elder, though he doesn't want to accept the fact that she really is. Her words made sense everytime he did something wrong, it hit him like a gunshot.

"Does her father now?" he inquired studying the view outside. "She's strong, why can't she just stand up on her own?" he mused.

"No" Meiling answered shaking her head sadly. "Tomoyo and I can't stop her. She doesn't want to stop her vices, we can't do anything, she does not cooperate. She chugs down beer as if it's water but she only smokes when she's got a problem"

He sighed. "Someone here needs a personality change" he mused inwardly walking out the door.

"Smoking is bad for athletes, specially for soccer players…" a voice said. Sakura turned around to face a grim-looking Syaoran with arms folded on his chest. "and beer makes your belly grow big" he continued.

"What do you want?" Sakura spat out angrily.

"I want you to stop smoking and making yourself drunk"

"What do you care Li?" she turned again to continue what she's doing.

"You're wasting your life Sakura" he muttered.

"The hell I am!" she replied. "I felt dead ever since you left. I just look like I'm happy, I hid my feelings Syaoran! You can never feel the pain I felt" she was getting red from the outburst and she breathed heavily. "You could have written or sent an e-mail, you left Japan like you have no friend at all!"

"Well if it wasn't for you avoiding me like I'm a disease or something, I could've left in good terms with you!" he roared.

Flashback

"Sakura, wait! Talk to me" Syaoran shouted at the top of his lungs. He ran to catch up with her but failed. He was leaving Japan tomorrow and his friend won't even talk to him.

"Hey Fujitaka-san! Is Sakura there?" he asked the tall man on the door.

Fujitaka sighed. "She's here, careful though, you know how she is when she's angry" he said.

He nodded his thanks and went up to her room. "Sakura-chan! I'm sorry for not telli…"

"Get out!" she shouted. "Leave me alone!" she threw her pillow at Syaoran.

"Fine!" Syaoran growled loosing patience. He went down and said good night to Fujitaka.

"I'm sorry Syaoran, give her time. Tell your parents we'll be seeing you off tomorrow" Syaoran nodded and went to cross the street unaware of the pair of tear-soaked eyes watching him.

Stay tuned for the next updates, i had to edit the story, the line breaksdidn't work the first time i posted