Title : Long Lost Drifter

Author : Lain in the Wired

Chapter Five : I'd Rather be in Love

Already, school was beginning to piss me off. It was only Thursday and I was very bored, and dreading the detention with Li-sensei after school because of what happened the day before. It was going to be a very awkward detention.

"Sakura, please pay attention," my teacher said as she smiled at me. I smiled back sheepishly and sunk further into my seat. Oh yes, it would be very interesting.

The bell rang, releasing us from our last class. I got my backpack from my locker and started the death march to Li-sensei's room. "Sakura!" someone called and I turned automatically. Tomoyo was waving her arm at me with her other arm attached to Meiling, dragging her along.

"Hey Tomoyo, Meiling," I greeted.

"Amamiya," Meiling nodded in response.

"Where are you going?" Tomoyo asked. "We want you to come hang out with us."

"Oh, I have an hour long detention with Li-sensei," I said. Tomoyo cocked her head to the side. "I was assigned a month's worth," I explained. She nodded in understanding. "What about after the monster lets me out?"

"Yah! Meet you out front!" Tomoyo said enthusiastically. I smiled at her. I waved my goodbye as they turned and went the other way. I continued my death march to Li-sensei's classroom. I opened the door slowly; cautiously. All the students would be gone; just us.

But he wasn't there. I took my normal seat at the front of the room and put my head down on my folded arms.

Suddenly, two arms encircled my head; the hands were covering my eyes. I could feel the person's smooth breath tickling my ear as he spoke. "Guess who."

"Li-sensei?" I asked as I turned to face him. His face was merely inches from mine. I turned forward again quickly and saw a beautiful bouquet of pink cherry blossoms on my desk. "For me?" I squeaked.

"Of course. I wanted to apologize for running out on you like that yesterday," he said as he smiled. Oh my god, his smile was dazzling! I felt the heat rise to my cheeks and I looked down at my fidgeting hands.

"Li-sensei…" I started to say.

"Syaoran," he corrected. I shook my head with closed eyes.

"Li-sensei, I need to just tell you," I said. My eyes were watering up. Already he had an effect on me? I thought I wasn't in… No, I wasn't. I paused and looked at him.

"What, Sakura? You can tell me," he said as he reached up and stroked a tear from my cheek. Damn, I hadn't meant to let that fall. I took a deep breath. Here goes the plunge.

"I made a promise. To my grandfather. He made me promise that I would never fall in love. It's the rule for the leader of the Drifters now," I said and more tears fell down my cheeks. He looked unfazed but his eyes held pain. The same eyes from the night before.

"Oh, you're the new leader," he said in a monotone voice. I looked at him quizzically. "Meiling is my cousin," he explained. I nodded in understanding. She must have told him about what Eriol told me, then.

"I'm so sorry, Li-sensei," I whispered and buried my head in my hands again. I felt him lay his arms across my shaking shoulders. His other arm locked around me as well and he held me in a tight hug. I just sobbed into his shirt as I clung helplessly to his back.

"Sakura," he whispered in my ear. I turned my bloodshot eyes to his own and gazed into them. "Your detention is over for today," he said quietly. Then he pulled away quickly and walked to his desk. I looked at the clock. I was supposed to meet Tomoyo and Meiling in five minutes.

I ducked into a bathroom quickly on my way out. I cleaned up my face as much as I could and covered all evidence of my catharsis with Li-sensei. No… Syaoran.

I ran outside and spotted the girls immediately. Tomoyo was leaning against Eriol and Meiling was standing next to another boy they had introduced me to. I searched my brain for his name. Koji!

"Hey guys," I said with a smile. They all grinned back except Meiling, but she even managed a small smirk. "Um, what's going on?" I asked cautiously. They were too happy.

"Oh, nothing…" Tomoyo said.

"Oh god damn! Tell her already!" Meiling said, frustrated.

"Tell me what?" I questioned.

"You're getting your Drifter tattoo today!" Tomoyo said excitedly. My eyes widened in shock.

"A… what?" I squeaked.

"Your tattoo," Meiling said. I bit my lip. "It's not a big deal," she added at my nervous face. "It doesn't hurt as bad as everyone says," she assured me.

"Let's go!" Tomoyo cried out. We all piled into her car and she drove quickly to our destination. A small shop stood in front of us. To me it seemed like the biggest thing on the planet. The large red doors loomed in front of me. I gulped. Meiling gave me a nudge and I stumbled inside. Tomoyo whispered to a big guy, named Moe, at least that's what it said on his name plate. He chuckled.

"Alright, little missy," he said, still laughing. "Lay down and we'll get started." I did as he instructed and Meiling took hold of my hand. I looked at her questioningly.

"Just squeeze when it hurts," she instructed. I nodded grimly at her.

I felt every little needle point clawing into my lower back when he started. I squeezed Meiling's hand tightly but she didn't as much as cry out. I looked at her gratefully before I closed my eyes again in pain.

Suddenly I realized this pain was nothing to what I'd just gone through with Syaoran. Each needle stab held nothing to the pain deep in his eyes. His loving words had cut me open, leaving me bare to him. The cuts would heal over time but the scars would definitely remain. This tattoo would only be my reminder of my pain with Syaoran; not the reminder of the person I was trying to be.

My grip loosened on Meiling's hand and I could feel her tension. She was worried what had happened to me. Maybe she thought I had passed out. But I hadn't. The pain wasn't anything anymore.

When he was done I stood up slowly and I felt all their eyes on me as I walked over to the mirror. I glared at the image on my back. My reminder of him. My reminder of his painfully loving words. My reminder of his soft touch. My reminder that I'd rather be in love.