Chapter Five: Suspicions
Syaoran sat on the bleachers with the rest of the guys of his Phys Ed class, waiting for the grade twelve guys to get off the court so they could play some basketball.
"God," Zachary groaned. "They take so freaking long! Guys! Your gym time is up! Get off the court!"
Syaoran smirked and leaned back, resting his arms lazily on the bleachers. "Chill out Zachary, they still have five minuets left." "Yeah," Eriol smirked. "And while we're waiting…" He nodded in the direction of the girls' class. They were already out on the asphalt, doing some gymnastics in the gymnastics area.
"I guess waiting wont be too bad." Zachary grinned. "I love gymnastics."
Syaoran shook his head sadly, Zachary was so easily amused.
But then his eyes caught something…
I guess I'm easily amused too. He thought smugly to himself.
Sakura, Tomoyo and Meilin had just walked onto the asphalt, chatting away about who knows what.
"Hey look," A boy, Hito, said a smile playing across his mousy little face. "Sakura."
Eriol grinned at Syaoran, who had turned and glared at Hito.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Syaoran snapped.
"Hey," Hito said, rather bravely. Hito wasn't the greatest looking guy in all the school, not to mention not the most popular. It was a stretch for him to stand up to Syaoran like this. "Sakura's not dating anyone, she's free rang. Besides, I'm just looking."
Syaoran wanted to rip the little mouse's eyes out! How dare he look at Sakura!
Syaoran turned angrily around, his arms folded stubbornly across his chest.
He shouldn't have anything to worry about anyway, Sakura would never go for a guy like Hito.
"Um…Syaoran, look at this." Eriol said, nudging Syaoran in the ribs.
"Ow!" Syaoran hissed. "What?"
Eriol nodded over to the girls.
Syaoran looked. His jaw dropped.
There was Sakura, standing and talking to…a senior.
"She's talking to a senior!" Syaoran gasped.
"That's not just any senior." Zachary said. "That's Atashi Kanji. The biggest playboy in the entire school."
Syaoran glared, deeply, at Atashi. "Never heard of him."
"Surprising, since he's been out with almost every girl in the school at least once."
"He's never been out with Meilin or Sakura." Syaoran pointed out.
"Or Tomoyo." Eriol said, rather defensively.
Zachary shrugged. "He's still got time. Right now he's interested in Sakura. Actually…he just showed up a year ago, he's had eyes for her ever since."
Eriol shot Syaoran a glance. "A year ago?"
Syaoran's fists clenched together. "Maybe…" He could be the one who put the spell on Sakura.
"Syaoran," Eriol hissed to the boy under his breath. "If you look at Atashi, really, look at him, his aura is…dark. I can tell because I can see everyone's aura…but I've never noticed how dark his is until now."
The seniors had finally left the court, so Syaoran and his class filed onto it, but Syaoran's eyes never left Atashi and Sakura.
Sakura wasn't smiling, she actually looked worried to be standing there with Atashi. When he ran his hand down her arm, she winced slightly.
Syaoran wanted to rip his hand off.
"I'm going to fucking kill him if he touched her again." Syaoran snarled.
Eriol grabbed Syaoran's arm, holding him back. "Don't Syaoran. Sakura would think it rather odd if a guy she barely knows came and punched out the guy she was talking too."
"But she knows me! Deep down she does! And…I love her. Look at the way he's looking at her! I can't just leave him alone with her!" With that said Syaoran pulled out of Eriol's grasp and stomped over to the two teenagers.
"Well…Atashi I really can't." Sakura said just as Syaoran walked up.
"Hey Sakura." Syaoran said cheerfully, as cheerful as he could muster with possible competition so close. "What's up?" Sakura smiled at Syaoran. Was that a grateful smile? "Oh hey Syaoran. Uh, this is Atashi."
Atashi turned to Syaoran, a wicked smirk crossing his lips. "I've heard about you before, your that Chinese kid, Syaoran Li, right?"
Syaoran couldn't help it, he glared at Atashi. "Yeah, that's me."
Atashi nodded. "Nice to meet you." Then he turned back to Sakura, just as if Syaoran hadn't been there at all. "So Sakura, you have to reconsider, it's going to be a blast. Moro always throws the best parties."
Sakura looked nervous, her eyes flashing back to Syaoran and then back to Atashi. "I really can't."
"Awe come on Saku." Atashi said, running his hand down her arm again. "It'll be fun, I want you to come."
Yeah, just so you can suck face with her. Syaoran thought acidly.
Sakura, once again, flinched at his touch. "I really can't Atashi, sorry."
"Why not?"
"B-Because." Sakura said shortly, really looking nervous now. Her emerald gaze caught Syaoran's. She looked desperate for help.
"We have a date." Syaoran said quickly.
Sakura looked about as shocked as Syaoran felt.
"You what?" Atashi said, turning his full attention back to Syaoran.
"You heard me." Syaoran said defiantly, looking up at the seventeen-year-old. "We have a date, right Sakura?"
Sakura nodded. "Y-Yeah! He just asked me this morning and I said yes. Sorry Atashi, but I can't break a promise now can I?"
Atashi sighed. "No, I guess not." He checked his watch. "Well, I'd better be getting to class now. See you later Saku. You too Syaoran."
That sounded like a threat. Was that a threat?
With that Atashi turned and rushed back into the school. Not, of course, without tossing a glare at Syaoran first.
As soon as he was gone Sakura sprung into action.
Syaoran didn't have time to react as the girl threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you Syaoran!" "Uh…thanks." Syaoran said, his cheeks flaring. She smelt good, really good, like honey and cherry blossoms. "N-No problem."
Sakura let go of his neck, to Syaoran's disappointment, and smiled up at him. "I really appreciate what you did, you don't know how much he was bothering me."
Syaoran grinned. "I don't mind, really."
She grinned. "Well…you know…we have to go now."
Syaoran choked. "W-What?"
"Well," Sakura said, a blush creeping upon her cheeks. Was she embarrassed? "You know, on the date. If Atashi finds out it was all a joke he'd freak. I mean…if you want to, that is."
Syaoran nodded, almost a little too quickly. "Yeah, of course."
"Really?" Sakura grinned, her voice coming out a little squeaky. "So you'll pick me up at seven?"
"Seven tonight?"
Sakura nodded. "Sure. Where do you want to go?"
"Um…how about a movie?"
Sakura nodded. "That'd be great! I'll buy popcorn."
Syaoran nodded. "Sure. We can decide which movie when we get there."
"Great!" Sakura grinned.
Then there was silence.
"Um…well I'd better get to class now." Sakura said, her cheeks still pink. "See you later then, Syaoran."
With that she turned and ran away.
Syaoran saw, just as she turned to ran, a gold chain around her neck. On the chain was her star key.
She still wears it?
Syaoran didn't have time to think on it though, he ran, a grin breaking out across his handsome face, back to Eriol to tell him the good news.
"So Atashi…he really wanted her to go huh?" Tomoyo asked later that day after school.
She, Eriol and Syaoran were standing outside the school, waiting for Meilin.
"Yeah." Syaoran nodded. "And when he talked to me, it sounded almost like…a threat. Just the way he said he'd see me around."
"You know…maybe he's the one who put the spell on Sakura." Eriol said, resting his chin in his hand. "I wouldn't be surprised really, his aura is so dark, menacing. And when he was standing with Sakura and you, I couldn't help but see the way he looked at you two."
"What do you mean, looked at us?" Syaoran asked, confused. He hadn't noticed anything unusual.
"It's just that," Eriol sighed. "He looked like he was happy at what he saw, you going against him almost for Sakura. Like he knew your past together and was happy she didn't remember any of it."
Syaoran glared at Eriol. "Thanks for reminding me."
Eriol shrugged and smiled. "Hey, don't worry about it! Tomoyo, Meilin and I will do some research tonight while you and Sakura are on your date."
Syaoran sighed. "Oh yeah, the date. God, I never thought I'd be nervous to go on a date with the girl I was already in love with."
Tomoyo giggled and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it Syaoran, just be yourself. I wont tell Yue and Kero. Especially Kero."
Syaoran rolled his eyes, he'd almost forgotten that Yue and Kero were staying with Eriol. Since they couldn't really stay with Sakura they had stayed with Eriol and his two guardians. But they had to stay in their true forms so not to draw power from Sakura. So they were stuck as an angel and a lion with wings.
For a year.
And who knew how much longer.
"I'd appreciate you not telling Kero." Syaoran smiled gratefully.
"That was an awesome movie." Sakura smiled at Syaoran, the two teens stepping out of the movie.
"I'm glad you liked it." Syaoran nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets nervously, staring at the floor as they walked down the street towards the small coffee shop they'd have a bite to eat.
"Well…I did." Sakura said, falling in step with him.
She had to admit, Syaoran was a really nice guy. He was charming and very thoughtful. He even seemed a little…protective, of her.
He hadn't even tried anything on her in the theatre, that Sakura appreciated.
Not that she would have minded if he did, of course.
She shivered, the cool night wind rushing over her. She'd worn a light pink skirt and a white zip-up hoodie on their date. It wasn't the warmest outfit ever.
"Are you cold?" Syaoran asked.
Sakura shook her head. "No." Lie.
She caught Syaoran's smirk as he slipped his jacket off his shoulders and set it on hers.
"Oh…uh…thanks." Sakura said, hugging the jacket around her shoulders tightly. It provided a little more warmth.
"No problem." Syaoran said warmly. "We're almost there."
They walked into the coffee shop, the smell of chocolate and caffeine greeting them.
"I love it here." Sakura smiled, sitting down at a table by the window with Syaoran. The tables were small, a little bigger than the desks at school. "How'd you know?"
Syaoran smirked. "I just did."
Sakura shot him a look. "Are you stalking me?"
"Maybe." Syaoran said playfully.
Sakura giggled as a waitress walked up to their table.
"Um…a hot chocolate." Syaoran said. "Sakura?"
"Me too." She smiled. "With marshmallows."
"Okay." The waitress smiled, taking down the order and walking away.
"Not hungry?" Syaoran asked.
Sakura shook her head. "No, the popcorn filled me up."
Syaoran nodded, and they fell into silence.
Sakura sat there nervously, fiddling with her fingers underneath the table. "Um…Syaoran?"
"Yeah?" he asked.
Sakura looked up at him. He was so cute. The lights of the café hit the tones in his hair perfectly, the dimness of the room casting his eyes in slight shadows. "Thanks."
"No problem." Syaoran smiled faintly. "I enjoy being with you."
Sakura sighed. "Not that. Though I enjoy it too, don't get me wrong. I wanted to say thanks again, for helping me with Atashi."
"Oh, him." Syaoran said, a slight chill in his tone. "What's with that guy anyway?"
Sakura shrugged. "I don't know. I don't remember him being at the school, but he's just around me a lot. I don't like him that much, he gives me a bad feeling."
"Oh really?" Syaoran asked, looking curious. "Like what?"
"I don't know." Sakura said, a slight pink running across her cheeks. "Just like…he's bad, in some way. I don't feel right around him."
"I got that feeling too." Syaoran said.
Sakura smiled. "You know who you remind me of?"
"Who?"
"That little boy." Sakura saw Syaoran's eyes flash with something, she couldn't tell what.
"What little boy?"
"You know," Sakura shrugged, resting her elbows on the table and looking across at him, her head in her hands. "From my dream, the one in the picture you saw." Why does he look so nervous?
"M-Me?" Syaoran said, looking down at his hands. "Why do you think that?"
Sakura eyed him. "I don't know, you just look like him I guess. What's wrong?"
His gaze floated up to her. "Oh, nothing."
His eyes…Sakura thought. It seems as if they're trying to tell me something. But what?
She ignored her thoughts.
"But I guess that's impossible." Sakura sighed. "Since I didn't know you until a year ago."
Syaoran smiled, but he looked pained. Horribly so.
"Syaoran is something wrong?" Sakura asked, worried. "You look upset."
"No, I'm fine." Syaoran said.
Sakura was about to say something when she stopped, a wave of dread rushing over her.
Something's wrong.
Syaoran seemed to notice it too.
"Something's wrong." Sakura breathed.
Suddenly, the lights began to flicker.
"What's going on?" A woman at the table next to them gasped.
"Come on Sakura." Syaoran said, getting up from the table.
Sakura nodded and stood, too, grabbing his hand. She didn't know why, but she felt as if she needed to.
Why did their hands fit so perfectly together?
"What was that?" Sakura gasped suddenly as a shadow rushed across the window.
"I don't know." Syaoran said. "But something's not right. Come on, I'll take you home."
Sakura nodded, gripping his hand tightly.
They walked out of the café.
OOoOo what's going to happen? Who knows? ME! Review and you will too!