Sakura's Pride
Courage
With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity.
Keshavan Nair
o0o
After my confrontation with Syaoran Li, the very next day was pleasantly different. I didn't care that all the girls remained in their state of idiocy when Syaoran tramped around. I didn't care that the guys seemed even more attached to Syaoran either. As a matter of fact, not caring changed my mood completely. It did not bother me when Tomoyo played back the videos of me goofing in baton twirling practice, steaming in orchestra, or shouting in P.E. It did not occur to me to be angry like I usually was when I had to face humiliation or worse a Syaoran Li fan club. Only when the day came winding down to the end did I feel dread that came from the knowledge that I was going to finally face him.
o0o
Syaoran stood in the court once the school was abandoned when Sakura entered, huffing and puffing. Syaoran looked at her in exasperation, still in her school uniform as he was still in his.
"I was hoping you had forgotten," she said in a distant voice.
"Or maybe you changed your mind about the whole challenge because you're afraid you're unready," Syaoran suggested softly.
Sakura smiled. "Maybe, if that is what you want to think. But I didn't rush over here to give up."
"I'm beginning to grow annoyed with you, Kinomoto-san."
"That doesn't faze me."
"Alright, then." Syaoran tossed the basketball up and let it spin on his finger. "For your tardiness, I propose we play for something rather than for fun."
Sakura's eyes lit up. "That was my idea, too!"
The basketball stopped and Syaoran looked away for a moment. "Tell me, what's your idea?"
"Well," suddenly Sakura seemed excited, "I thought winner could stay in their extracurricular activities, while the loser has to drop out of all their extracurricular activities. In other words, if you lose you have to drop Sports and Orchestra. Vice versa for me."
Inwardly, Syaoran winced at her honeyed toned voice speaking such harsh words. His calm and cool exterior was all she could see, though.
"What's in it for me?"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "If you win you get to go on with life knowing that you're better than me."
Syaoran smiled impishly. "Have you ever thought that maybe that's not what I want if you lose? I mean, I don't want you to drop out of activities that you enjoy participating in."
"Alright," Sakura paused, dreading to finish what she wanted to say, "If I lose, what do you want for a prize?"
"Anything?"
"Yes, anything that isn't materialistic."
"Good, because I don't need anything materialistic."
"Okay, so what do you want?"
"A kiss."
Sakura dropped her bag, having it land hard against the floor. Naturally she blushed, while he gazed at her with a long look of patience.
She could hardly believe her ears. She was trying to figure out what he meant by a kiss and finally said, "That can be arranged. Who will that poor victim be?"
"The poor victim will be you, Kinomoto-san. Will that be a problem?"
Sakura leapt back. "Of course!"
"I knew you'd chicken out. I'm going home, now."
Wait!" Sakura ran ahead and blocked the only way out. "I accept!"
Syaoran nodded. "First to score ten hoops, wins."
o0o
I neglected to balance my chances of losing and my chances of winning. Losing wasn't even an option for me. I was so sure I was going to win because in my mind the scale tipped towards me. Too much was at stake to lose. If I won, I get everything, but if I lost I would lose just as much; my first kiss to him.
o0o
It was Syaoran-9 and Sakura-0, when Sakura had possession of the ball. She dribbled passed him to get a perfect shot, but suffered from tremendous difficulty. When she tried to take aim, her hands were shaking with every ragged breath she took. She hadn't even noticed that Syaoran came up behind her until she felt his hands steady her arms. Abruptly she stopped trembling at the sensitivity of his touch.
"Focus on the goal and forget about everything," he advised gently.
She coached people, not him! Yet, she listened and scored.
9 to 1.
The ball was in Syaoran's possession again, but Sakura didn't even try anymore.
After Syaoran scored his last point for the win, he turned to face Sakura with a wide grin. "It seems you have lost, Kinomoto-san."
Sakura rubbed her arm, trying to suppress all the goose bumps that had risen from her skin. She could only nod dumbly, refusing to look at him.
"Li-sempai, I must confess I have never done this before."
"Neither have I."
"Then, shouldn't you be saving it for someone special?" Sakura said, frowning.
"When did that ever matter to you?" He questioned quietly.
Sakura was speechless, while her heart was about to explode from the excessive work she put on it. It was true, in a sense that she did not think about it before they agreed to gamble. She didn't consider what was really at stake if she lost.
"So, where's my prize?" He demanded of her as he took a step closer to her. All Sakura had to do to touch him was put out one hand.
Sakura felt her knees buckle. Any minute she might fall, but Syaoran's arms shot out to steady her by the shoulders.
"Look at me." Sakura obeyed.
He slowly leaned forward, which was enough time for Sakura to pull her trick. She quickly pecked him on the cheek with such a slight touch of skin that it could barely be felt.
"There is your prize!" Sakura shouted, jumping away from him.
Before she could go too far though, Syaoran reached out and pulled her back.
"Nuh-uh, not what I wanted," he said in his deep, scary voice.
"You never said anything about where you wanted the kiss," Sakura tried to protest.
Syaoran tilted her chin up and drew her face closer. Sakura could see that his face was red, whether from anger or embarrassment, she could not tell. Giving Sakura no time to study his face and put an emotion to it his mouth closed over hers. And with that game, they did share their first kiss.