Agent08 Reporting for Duty!

Disclaimer: Falala, CCS isn't mine.

"..." - talking
italic font - thoughts
(A/N: ...) - my interruptions

Officially Hating Her

Sakura sat quietly on her bed, her hands folded in her lap, and she began to breathe very slowly. It was a brand new day, and Sophie was back again, helping around the house, and following Syaoran like a little puppy dog everywhere. It was working the other way around also.

She leaves the day after tomorrow, Sakura thought, over and over again in her head.

Not only was she thinking that in her head, but she was also re-considering Sophie. Maybe she didn't really hate her...Sakura was not one to judge people so quickly. So, she decided that she didn't actually hate Sophie...maybe her smiles weren't as fake as she thought they were. So...instead she said she "disliked" her for the moment...and if Sophie did anything wrong, or something to upset her, that would be the time that she would decide to officially hate Sophie.

But...hadn't Sophie done something to upset Sakura already? Like the other day, when she had smiled like a mindless idiot, and stole all the attention directed to Sakura from Syaoran, all the way to herself...didn't she upset Sakura then? Sakura thought on this, and decided that it was just that same feeling she always got when Syaoran was with a girl. A feeling of disgust, and anger, because she knew what Syaoran was obviously going to do. Everyone knew that Syaoran was a big time heartbreaker. This girl was no different from the others to him...So Sakura pushed the feeling back far, far into her head, not knowing that it would erupt from her like steaming hot lava from a volcano.

Gaining enough sanity to go back into the yard with Syaoran and Sophie, she picked up some gardening tools to help them with, (even though she obviously didn't need to do any work,) and made her way onto the porch, where she saw Syaoran and Sophie, laughing and smiling.

Sakura smiled also, and began laughing too. She had no idea what they were talking about, but she hated the feeling of being left out. "So...what are we laughing about?" she asked uneasily.

Sophie turned her head. "Oh, well, Syaoran just told me this really funny joke - "

" - He let you call him Syaoran?" Sakura asked, unable to believe what had just reached her ears.

Syaoran stepped into the conversation. "Of course I did. Is there a problem with that?"

Sakura shook her head, and put on a weak smile. "Um...of course not. Not a thing," she answered, and stepped onto the lawn to where the two were standing. Syaoran had never let a girl call him by his first name that quickly. Of course, Sakura called him by his first name once in a while, but they weren't exactly on a first name basis.

"Err...I was just wondering if you two needed any help gardening - " and then she took a look at the grass, and saw that it was very clean cut, and they had already made a perfectly good flower bed. "...I guess not," she finished.

Sophie smiled one of her various smiles. "Well, Syaoran and I are going into town to get some supplies," she said, taking hold of Syaoran's hand, and walking down the path that lend into town. Sakura ran to keep up with them, not letting Sophie get another minute alone with Syaoran.

"Could I come?" Sakura asked eagerly.

Syaoran's face twisted, and he kind of gave off a weird smile...as if trying his hardest not to upset Sakura. "Actually...Err...this is kind of like a two person thing, you know?" he said, tugging on Sophie's hand.

"...Since when did going into town become a two person thing?" she asked, staring at the both of them.

She stared at Syaoran the hardest. She saw that he was trying his best to explain that he wanted to be alone with Sophie...So Sakura made it easy for him. "Err...nevermind. I'll just stay home, and...do some house work,"

Syaoran sighed a sigh of relief, glad that he didn't need to make up any more excuses just to be alone with Sophie. So, they walked along the trail towards town, and began to chatter away. Sakura watched them, and stayed in her spot, long after they had gone out of sight.

Sakura sighed also. "Now what am I going to do?" she said to herself, sitting on the old rocking chair. Her elbows were on her knees, and her hands were cupping her face...No doubt, she was really bored. She had nothing else to do. No chores, no Syaoran to bug...all she could do was think, and that was the last thing she wanted to be doing. She couldn't bare the thought of Syaoran and Sophie together, having a grand time in the village.

"Wait a second!" Sakura said into the thin air, standing up with a marvelous look on her face. An idea had struck her, smack dab in the middle of her forehead. "I know what I'll do!" she continued. "I'll go into the village with them...no...not with them! I'll...I'll...stay hidden! That's it! I'll hide, and try and stop them from having a good time! Aha! Sakura, you genius, you!" she said, scampering along the trail.

Stopping to hide behind a bush every once in a while, Sakura caught up with them, making sure she was within shadow distance.

"So..." she heard Sophie say rather shyly. "A - Are you and Princess Sakura...err..." she did not continue.

Sakura raised an eyebrow at this. What did Sophie possibly mean?

"Are me and Kinomoto…what?" Syaoran asked curiously.

"Well…are you and Kinomoto...together?" she finished.

Syaoran began to laugh. Sakura however, began to fume from where she was. If her anger was actually turned into fire, she'd set the whole forest ablaze. Why was it so funny for Syaoran to think that they could possibly be together? It was an insane idea when she thought about it...but you never know. It could happen. Ha! What could she possibly be thinking? There wasn't a chance in the world that she could ever be the girlfriend...or even the wife of Syaoran Li!

"Of course we're not together! We're the farthest thing from together!" Syaoran answered.

Sophie put on a confused face. "But I thought you two...but...you're living together! I thought that most people who live together - "

"Some people think wrong," Syaoran interrupted. Realizing what he had just said, he corrected himself, "B - But not you! I mean, some people think wrong, but...err -"

Sophie giggled, and took hold of Syaoran's hand. "Don't worry about it," she replied, looking deeply, and longingly into Syaoran's intense amber eyes. Syaoran looked back into her clear blue ones. They were both in a trance.

Oh no, Sakura thought. I have to break this up!

Sakura quickly thought up an idea. She quietly walked over beside a big boulder rock, and hid behind it. She picked up a tiny pebble, and a moment before throwing it, she held it close to her, and whispered, "This one's for you, Sophie!" and chucked it as hard as she could.

"OW!" Sophie cried, grabbing hear arm in pain. "Something hit me!" She said.

Syaoran snapped out of his trance, and said, "Hold on, Sophie. I'll find what did that."

Hearing that, Sakura ran further into the forest, hoping Syaoran wouldn't find her. She could hear his footsteps, stepping on and breaking twigs. This was a big tool for hiding herself. If she knew or heard where Syaoran was, she'd get a better idea on where to hide, which is exactly what she had. Hearing his footsteps, Sakura could tell he was gaining on her. She ran as fast as her legs could take her, and finally she hit a dead end in the forest. "Oh no," Sakura whispered. She needed a hiding place - quick!

Finding one, she hid there, praying that Syaoran wouldn't be able to find her.

"Hello?" She heard Syaoran's voice. "Is anyone here?"

Syaoran stepped into view. He walked towards a certain part of that part of forest, and carefully examined it. It seemed like forever until he left, with narrowed eyes and suspicousness still lingering on him.

"Phew," Sakura said, and came out of hiding. She followed Syaoran as quietly as she could, and they both had reached Sophie once more.

"Did you find who threw that at me?" Sophie asked, pointing at the rock as if it were poison.

"No, I didn't," Syaoran answered. "But it won't happen again. Don't worry,"

Sophie threw her arms around his neck, and cried. "Oh, Syaoran! I was so scared!"

Sakura, carefully hidden in the bushes, had reached boiling point once more. "Drama Queen!" she hissed.

Suddenly, Sophie's face snapped up, and she began to scan the part where Sakura was hiding with her eyes, only to reveal she wasn't even crying at all! From where Sakura was, she couldn't see a single tear! Aha! She knew that girl was fake!

With narrowed eyes, she buried her head into Syaoran's shoulder once more, and began to fake cry again. "Oh, Syaoran! Take care of me," she said, pretending to wipe a tear from her face with the back of her hand.

"Don't worry, Sophie," Syaoran replied, taking hold of her hand and leading her into the village. "You're safe in my hands,"

And so they were off into the village. Sakura would've began to follow the minute they set off, but while holding Syaoran's hand, Sophie had whipped her head around, still with narrowed eyes so that they looked like slits. Once she had turned her head, Sakura followed them again. She could see that they were headed towards the fabric store...but why though? They didn't need any materials to make clothes.

"Come on, Syaoran!" Sophie said happily, dragging him into the fabric store. "Let's get your sizes!"

"My sizes?" Syaoran questioned. "I don't need any fabric for my clothes - "

"Don't be silly! Everyone wants some new clothes once in a while don't they?" Sophie asked, plastering on an irresistable look onto her face. Something that no man could ever turn down.

Syaoran smiled weakly. "Err...yeah," he agreed.

Sakura watched Sophie introduce him to the lady selling the fabric. It seemed like they were friends.

"Let's get your sizes, shall we?" the lady asked, getting out some measuring tape.

"S - Sure," Syaoran stuttered, lifting his arms from his sides so the lady could do her job easier. But instead of her putting the tape around his body, Sophie laughed, and prevented the women from wrapping the measuring tape onto his body.

"Oh, silly! You need to take off your shirt first!" Sophie said.

Hiding behind a rack of different coloured fabrics, Sakura's jaw dropped. "Liar!" she whispered. "You don't need to take your shirt off to get your sizes!" she said seethingly.

But Syaoran shrugged, and took off his shirt, revealing his buff body. Now, it was Sophie's turn for her jaw to drop. She glued her forget-me-not blue eyes onto his body, as if she never wanted to take her eyes off of him for one second

Aha! Sakura thought. You just want to check him out! She continued to watch her marvel at Syaoran's buff body. "Disgusting piece of..." Sakura whispered, not being rude enough to finish her sentence.

Once again, Sophie's head snapped around, and stared hard at the rack of fabrics of which Sakura was hiding behind. Sakura held her breath. It was so weird...it was as if Sophie could see right through the fabrics, and Sakura herself, and see right into her soul...her piercing blue eyes were nothing to forget.

"...Is there something wrong?" Syaoran asked, snapping his fingers infront of Sophie's face.

"Oh. No," Sophie answered, realizing that the lady had already finished taking Syaoran's sizes, and he had already put his clothes back on. "I thought I just saw...something," she finished.

"Well, whatever you thought you saw, I'm sure it was just your imagination," Syaoran said, getting the bag of fabrics he had just bought from the lady, and dragged Sophie out of the store, even though her eyes were still transfixed upon Sakura's hiding spot.

After making sure that the coast was clear, Sakura got up, and dusted herself off. Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind her. "May I help you?" the voice said.

Sakura whipped around, and saw the lady that took Syaoran's sizes standing before her. "O - Oh, no!" Sakura answered, and began to make her way out of the shop. But then an idea had struck her. "Actually..." she said. "I was wondering if you could tell me anything about that girl that was with that man," Sakura finished, pointing to the back of Sophie and Syaoran's heads, of whom were now far away from her.

"You mean the lady that was with Prince Syaoran?" the lady asked.

Sakura nodded. Wow, she thought. I didn't know Syaoran and I were so well known around here!

"Well, that's Sophie Lane," the lady said. "She's the daughter of one of the richest men in town - not including King Kinomoto of course," Sakura's head snapped up, hearing her last name. "Everyone knows her around here. Not that I don't respect her...but many of us think she's a...well, a gold digger. I didn't like her with Prince Syaoran...everyone in town knows that she can make any man fall for her, and we all respect Prince Syaoran, also. We don't want him getting hurt by her,"

Sakura's eyes widened. So she was what she thought she was! A fake gold digger! She was only after Syaoran's money after all!

"Err...do I know you?" the woman asked. "Because you look like you're related to King Kinomoto..."

Sakura scurried out of the shop, and yelled behind her. "No! I'm nobody!"

So Sakura ran back to the cottage as fast as she could, hoping that she'd get there before Syaoran and Sophie arrived. Thinking that she was far ahead of them, she slowed her pace down. But she was wrong. She heard their voices not far behind from her, and so she quickened her pace, and began to run down the trail and onto the lawn of their cottage.

Not being able to stop herself, Sakura ran onto the porch, and fell onto the rocking chair, and a milli-second after she sat down, Sophie and Syaoran arrived.

"Hey, Kinomoto!" Syaoran said. "Were you sitting there the whole time we were gone?" he asked.

Sakura smiled. "Uh...yeah. I was," she replied.

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm going in the cottage to prepare us some supper," he said, leaving the two of them alone.

Sophie walked up to Sakura very slowly...the way she was walking seemed very cold...

"Listen here, Kinomoto," she began. Sakura stood up, about to begin lecturing Sophie on how she should be treated - after all, she was royalty, but Sophie beat her to it.

"I don't care if you're the Princess of Japan, or Mother Nature. I saw you. I saw you following us. So I'm here to warn you. Stay away from my Syaoran. I've already got him wrapped around my finely polished fingers. Besides, he doesn't deserve someone like you, so I'll say it one more time. Stay away," she warned.

Sakura, her mouth slightly open during her entire insult, did not hesitate to shoot back. "You know what, Sophie? You're right. Syaoran really doesn't deserve me, does he? Someone kind, respectful, polite...but then again, he doesn't deserve a lying gold digger either, does he?"

Sophie laughed. "Is that what they're all saying about me? God, the towns people are as stupid as I think. Poor, and stupid," she said.

At this, Sakura felt that feeling of anger and disgust once more, except even greater than before. How dare Sophie insult the towns people! After all they've been doing for the kingdom, paying taxes to her Father! If it weren't for them, she'd be living in a dump right now!

Sakura walked up to Sophie, her anger over the top. What gave her the right to say such a thing? "How dare you insult the people of this kingdom? How dare you?" She hissed. "You know, your father may be one of the richest men in town, but let me remind you just in case your pretty little blonde head forgot - I'm the Princess, got that? The Princess. And I can put your precious dad out of business. And trust me when I say that if I ever, ever hear you mutter a single word about the towns people again, I won't hesitate to do so."

Sakura could now sense a feeling of fear and anger coming from Sophie. Her face turned a bright red colour, and she was fuming almost as hard as Sakura.

"You wouldn't," she hissed back

Sakura smirked. "Do you really want to take that chance?"

Her jaw moved up and down, as if to retort, but she said nothing. "Hmph!" Was all Sophie could say, and stomp back inside the cottage to join Syaoran.

Sakura smiled, but her smile soon faded, realizing what Sophie had just done. She had upset Sakura so badly! And not only had she insulted the faithful towns people that have always been so respectful and polite to her and her father, she had also found out that Sophie was a hardcore gold digger! That was the final straw, now.

Sakura officially hated Sophie.

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Signing Off,
Agent08 - My life as a secret agent xD