Author's Notes: Before we begin here are the replies to reviews in the order that I recieved them in:

crazee-animefwreak: Thank you! I try my very very very best to bring up moderate quality work... Sometimes...

Sagistar: I never really think about the words I chose. Most of the time that's why I chose the wrong words :P But yeah, I work to make my stories "exquisite" with the language and all. Thanks!

Pinaygrrl: Continue... I will, I have

AnonymousT: First off, you're a tough reviewer (always picking up the small grit and grime of everything) and I appreciate it. Always have. Cliche... Definitely heard that before. I'm really bad at discriptions. Maybe that's why originality runs thin in my writing. And about the the lack of lengthyness... This is a really short story with really short chapters. I've tried and tried to make it longer. This time I'm closer to your range of preference yep, excluding author's notes and review replies I've reached a wopping 1074 words... Lame still, I know, but I tried. Thanks for the review!

kawaii lil cherrypink245: Update... I will, I have...

Lyra Sakura: Since I've never heard of Kare Kano I used my handy computer with my handy internet and looked it up with my handy eyes:P. Yep, I see what you mean, I just hope "Sakura's Pride" is majorly different. Hey, since you already know Kare Kano, how about telling me how different this chapter is from Kare Kano's plot? Just a suggestion !

lIlSAKlI: Phew Good, it's good

Yukimi the Ice Goddess: I guess you're right about Sakura being out of character... But I kept her cute innocence... In some sort of passive way :P You have to agree with me on that or i'm going to stop writing! HAHA, just kidding.

sweetloneliness: Okay, here you go!

Now, on with Chapter 2!

Sakura's Pride

Habit

The only reason they persist is that they are offering some satisfaction. You allow them to persist by not seeking any other, better form of satisfying the same needs. Every habit, good or bad, is acquired and learned in the same way-by finding that it is a means of satisfaction.

Juliene Berk

o0o

I was not sure what to call someone who was like Syaoran Li. He was like overcast on a supposedly sunny day; a thorn in someone's side; a tick in a dog's coat; a sight for sore eyes. He carried his head too high and you would see him strutting the halls in a too languid manner for my taste. So why were all of them rolling out the red carpet for him; showering peony petals over his head, dusting his desk off of imaginary dust; paying him with concerned attention? What irked me most was that I could not see him through their eyes. I could not figure him out. For that, I thanked the back of his head because that was all I could see.

o0o

Sakura sat at her desk, nearest to the window in the far back side of the room. She smiled as she watched a bird twittering on its perch by the window. She paid no attention to the boisterous students of the Honors Chinese Language Study class as usual. It was so easy to turn a deaf ear to the incompetent conversations of her rowdy peers.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

The voice broke the tranquil thoughts flowing through her mind.

Her answer was light and soft, voicing the opposite feelings of her mind. "No," she said. Her voice rattled the intruder a bit, but he recovered and with ease slid into the seat in front of her. Just then, the teacher came in with his briefcase.

Immediately, Sakura faced forward and found her self staring at the brown head of her worst enemy. Why was his head so big? Sakura had to tilt her head to the side to see the black board and the teacher for the entire lesson.

Throughout the lesson Syaoran contributed his knowledge to the class. No wonder his head seemed the size of a watermelon! When a question was being asked by the teacher, Syaoran's hand was up before Sakura's. Then, with the teacher's acknowledgement, he would enlighten everyone with his extensive knowledge of the ancient Chinese language and its origin.

o0o

Again and again I heard the teacher call out his name. I could have gone to bed every night with that stupid name invading my dreams. To make things worse, I had to see him everyday in two of my classes. Apparently, not only was he an expert in the ancient Chinese language, but he was also a gifted violinist. As great as he seemed, he would act so snobbish I thought I could just whack him over the head with my cello. Then again, I could never sacrifice my love for him!

o0o

"Kinomoto, you're up."

Sakura stood and steadily made her way to the front, holding her cello in front of her. The orchestra was running the program for its next concert. Sakura was to perform a solo. When Sakura took her seat behind her music stand, she was poised with the cello carefully placed in her arms. It would be a lie if one said Sakura did not treat her instrument as a mother would treat her child, cradled in her protective warmth.

As everyone in the room predicted, Sakura carried a melody into the room with grace and fluidity. No one in the room seemed at all awed by her talent, since they were all familiar with her in tuned playing, except for one new student. Out of the blue, just as everyone was beginning to nod their heads off from boredom, a violin started playing with her, adding spice into the melody with a livelier beat. Sakura looked up from her music, her fingers still moving fast against the strings of her cello, to see who had the nerve to take away the spotlight that was on her.

Behold, it was him again! It was Syaoran Li fiddling away. Everyone turned their attention toward Syaoran with a look of awe sparkling in their eyes. Sakura ended the piece abruptly, skipping the repeat, to stop the insanity. Moving her head slowly, she looked at the teacher, waiting for him to tell Syaoran how rude it was of him to intrude. After seeing the doting countenance the teacher gave Syaoran, Sakura gnawed her teeth at the show-off, who seemed to ignore her outraged look.

"Well done! Well done!" The teacher exclaimed, while he applauded. "Li, you will be playing a duet with Kinomoto in replacement of her solo."

Li bowed his head and in a modest tone said, "Thank you, Sensei, but I really don't want to."

"Nonsense! I've been waiting for this day—someone as good as Kinomoto."

"Excuse me, may I have a word?" Sakura asked quietly, in her usual upright poise and shy demeanor hiding her irritation.

"Certainly, Kinomoto. What is it?"

Without looking at Syaoran she said, "You deserve it. You even played the piece without the score, which proves your skill as a musician."

She wanted to say more, no matter how much she wanted to slap herself for admitting that he was at an advanced level of musicianship, but the ringing bell signaled the end of the period. Everyone rushed to put their instruments away. Some of the guys, Sakura noticed, even took the trouble to go back and pat Syaoran on the back for a job well done. Sakura packed up slowly, so she could stay behind to watch all this.

"Kinomoto-san…" Sakura looked up and gazed into amber eyes.

Syaoran's breath caught when he found himself gazing into the depths of her intense emerald eyes, wide with an innocent look.

"That was great playing, but I was wondering who composed it? I have never heard this piece before?"

"You shouldn't have." Now a broad grin was on her face when she spoke. "I composed it."

"Really? That takes talent."

Sakura shrugged. "You played well too, Li-sempai."

He shrugged.

"Well, I'll see you around," Sakura said quietly, heaving her cello over her shoulder with potency. Behind her calm demeanor was a livid girl restraining the violent self that was evolving inside her.