Disclaimer:- I don't own CCS. Well...my head's saying I don't, but my heart says I do. Which should I believe?
Previously:-
" I can prove it to you " Sakura whispered, staring up at him. "I can prove I brushed my teeth. Kiss me Syaoran."
Chapter 12:- Horse riding.
She gazed up into his eyes, a smile playing around her lips. He gazed down at her, his hair falling across his forehead, his eyes twinkling with knowing mischievousness.
She was playing hard to get, and he knew it. So what did he do? He stooped down so his lips could better meet hers, his eyes lingering on her uplifted face...
" NOO.. Stop it ! " Kasumi said in outrage, looking at the scene before her.
" Shut up ! " Naoko cried " I'm trying to watch! "
" He's an idiot! " Kasumi hollered. " Why the hell would she let him kiss her! "
" Because he's handsome, fascinating and sexy and she's lonely! " Airo shouted.
Kasumi then chucked a pillow at the screen, momentarily obscuring Hugh Grant's smoldering eyes.
"But what about the tall, stuffy barrister? " Kasumi whined, now glaring at the lip-locked couple in the T.V.
"Kasumi, you said you've seen this movie about five million times. You know she ends up with the stuffy barrister " Airo said through clenched teeth.
"I didn't know that.. " Naoko muttered sulkily. They ignored her.
"Oh no, oh no, the Shagging Scene! " Kasumi screeched, covering her eyes.
" I prefer to call it the Giant Underwear Scene, " Ashley said giggling. "GUS for short "
" Oooh, ooh! " Kourin shrieked suddenly. " Colin Firth! Colin Firth! "
The girls all lunged back to the television, their eyes glued to the screen.
Naoko sighed " Can't believe you're the same people who were drunk to the core yesterday... "
Airo shrugged " We're all used to drinking...can't say the same for Sakura though. Is she even gonna wake up?"
"Yeah, it's afternoon for the love of god ! " Kasumi said shaking her head.
"Maybe she slipped into a coma or something..." Airo stated frowning.
"A poisonous bug may have bitten her and now...she's gone to sleep forever " Ashley exclaimed.
"Or she's having a horny dream and doesn't feel the need to wake up. It happens to me loads of time " Kourin said giggling.
Naoko looked at them in disgust " I highly doubt it ."
Soon the girls were having a heated argument on the various reasons for Sakura's sleep, none of them sounding intelligent or realistic in Naoko's opinion.
Back inside the room...
Sakura woke up to the feeling of an axe protruding from her head, as though someone had tried to kill her in sleep but somehow botched up the job.
Moaning, she tried to open her eyes bit by bit but the light proved painful even in small doses.
'What just happened ?' Sakura thought wincing from the pain that seeped through her head.
She screwed up her face, trying to remember. ' I was playing a drinking game... something about Syaoran...and..'
' Oh my God. '
Sakura let out a loud yelp and sat up suddenly. She placed both hands over her mouth, her heart thundering in her chest.
' What did I do with him? Why was I with him in the first place ? ' Sakura pondered and all these thoughts were making her headache ten times worse.
Naoko and Kasumi came barging inside.
"Sakura, we heard you scream, what happened?" Kasumi screeched.
Sakura winced and covered her ears " Not so loud !" she snapped and then felt guilty as she saw the hurtin Kasumi's eyes.
Sakura sighed "I'm really sorry...I just...um, I had a bad nightmare...that's all "
Kasumi nodded but Naoko wasn't buying it.
"Are you ok though ?" Naoko asked "You look very pale "
"Ignoring the fact that my head feels like it's being stomped, cut, smashed, beaten, drilled and nailed with a hammer, I'd say I'm quite well. " Sakura joked.
Kasumi smiled at her and went over to the curtains, yanking it fully to allow the bright sun-rays to enter.
Sakura screamed and covered her eyes, shouting that she had gone blind.
"Oh, quit being such a drama queen " Kasumi said " That's my job! It's just a little hangover and besides, sitting in the dark sounds so morbid. "
" I'm trying to get in touch with my Inner Self you see.." Sakura said blinking out the spots in front of her eyes.
Kasumi laughed " Now there's the Sakura we know, You're ok ! "
"Yup, just peachy-fine..." Sakura lied, forcing herself to smile.
Naoko winced. "Stop it, that looks really painful."
Sakura just rolled her eyes " I'm going to take a bath.. I'll see you guys soon"
OoOoOoOoOoO
Sakura refreshed herself and had her lunch an hour ago. She still wasn't feeling very well.
Yes, the hangover had lessened somewhat, but she was still far from her usual physical best. The idea of going outside (especially with that blasted sun insisting on shining everywhere) was, frankly, nauseating...
But she desperately needed some fresh air, and she didn't have the strength to be cooped up with these mad girls any longer. Sure Naoko was there, but it's a four giggling-loony-girls against one sane person...
Everyone should know the odds of this. So now here she was lying spread-eagle fashion on the back lawn, her eyes firmly shut to the sun's rays.
Sakura let her mind ponder about last night's ' incident ' or was it lack of incident?
Naoko seemed particularly jittery and switched topics whenever Sakura enquired on the details after the drinking game.
If that stroke her as odd, then it was nothing compared to the smiles Shiefa kept shooting her when she had gone to take lunch.
And to top it off, Syaoran seemed to have disappeared. The girls had informed Sakura that he wasn't even seen during breakfast.
Normally Sakura would've did a happy dance with confetti's flying, on hearing the news of him gone missing, but today was an exception.
Her mind was a total blur and only bits and vague memories were there from last night...none of which made sense to her.
' I hope I didn't say something very stupid ' she thought sulkily.
Well, whatever the case was, Sakura felt that something had happened between herself and Syaoran...or had it?
' Oh, screw it ' Sakura clutched two handfuls of grass and gritted her teeth.
' Note to self :- Don't forget about possible kisses.'
"Are you doing some lawn-work? Then you might want to start off with your head, I can see more weeds and grasses sprouting from your brain than on the ground." a teasing voice said .
Sakura let loose a scream that made a few of the evening birds scatter away in fright. Heart hammering like you wouldn't believe, she looked up into the startlingly amused eyes of Syaoran.
" High-strung, aren't we? " Syaoran said dryly.
"You...You...You..." Sakura's mouth seemed unable to move properly. ' Had she possibly lost control of her body? Was she paralyzed? '
"Always having problem with the 'you' word... Is this some kind of a weird neurotic disease? " Syaoran looked even more amused now.
Sakura gulped, and managed to regain marginal control of her tongue. "You scared me. "
" Obviously. " Syaoran grinned, looking very proud of himself. That aggravated Sakura, enough so that she regained full control.
" Don't sneak up on people like that! " she snapped.
" I didn't sneak." Syaoran stated indignantly " I approached you in a very unsneaky way. "
Sakura pursed her lips and satisfied herself by glaring up at Syaoran.
Syaoran staggered theatrically backwards, his hand over his heart as though he'd been shot.
"Why must you torture me so? " he asked in an appropriately husky voice that, for some reason, caused her to shiver. " Do you not know the power your eyes have over my soul? "
" Jerk " Sakura accused, her mouth twitching. Syaoran flashed her a grin.
" And proud of it. "
" Syaoran ? "
" Yeah? "
"Nothing...happened...last night, did it? "
Syaoran looked very uncomfortable " Why do you ask? ".
"Oh...no reason. " Sakura was treading softly, anxious not to embarrass herself. " Just wondering. That's all "
" Well, you came to give my coat and passed away stumbling on a rock..." Syaoran lied.
Sakura frowned "You mean I didn't do anything stupid?"
"You got drunk, and fainted by tripping, that's sounds stupid doesn't it ? "
Sakura gave out a nervous laugh " I suppose...but how did I get back in ? You said I passed out.."
" I carried you in " Syaoran told her.
" Oh, um...thanks " Sakura said awkwardly.
"No problem, but maybe you should lay off the food...you were a bit too heavy " Syaoran teased and Sakura rolled her eyes at him.
" So nothing happened that I might regret ? " Sakura asked still a bit apprehensive.
Syaoran looked away his cheeks coloring "Yeah, nothing you might...regret " he said.
" Oh, I see. " Something heavy settled in Sakura's stomach. It couldn't be disappointment, could it ?
Syaoran sat down beside her " What were you doing out here, all by yourself? "
" Breathing," Sakura told him with an impish grin.
Syaoran rolled his eyes " Very funny," he retorted. " Now tell me the truth, what were you really doing?"
Sakura scowled " I was breathing. "
Syaoran merely raised an eyebrow " I suppose the air here is much lighter and pleasant..."
Sakura blinked.
" Try it," he urged.
Sakura hesitated, looking up at him with suspicious eyes. Syaoran smiled at her encouragingly.
She turned away from him, and rather awkwardly drew in a deep breath.
" There now," Syaoran said, laughing. "Don't you feel much better?"
"Are you teasing me?" she snapped, trying to cover up her embarrassment.
Syaoran raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. " I would never do that " he replied, trying to look serious.
Sakura rolled her eyes." Liar," she accused with a small half-smile, slapping him lightly on the arm.
"You wound me, " he said dramatically, clutching his arm. "I would've never thought a lady would do such a thing!"
" I'm no lady," Sakura retorted, her eyes shimmering with held-back laughter.
"Yeah, you're right. You're too coarse and rude to be one " he teased, dancing out of arm's reach.
Sakura was just about to reply when two figures strode across the lawn towards them, calling loudly: "Sakura! Syaoran! "
Akira and Naoko reached them looking thoroughly tired.
"What are you doing out here ?" Naoko asked, her eyes flickering curiously to Syaoran.
" She's breathing." Syaoran answered for her with a grin .
" That's no surprise," Akira remarked dryly "Well, Shiefa is calling, she wants to tell all the girls about the next date "
Sakura face paled "Another date? Oh come on, isn't there anything else to do in this show other than going on dates ? "
Naoko nodded " It is pretty pathetic isn't it ? But there's no way around this i guess " she said.
Syaoran gave them an annoyed look "I have to go with every one of those girls in there, how do you think I feel about all this? "
Sakura gave him a smirk " Yeah, sucks to be you " she said and walked off with Naoko leaving Syaoran to seethe.
" She has a point you know " Akira said smiling down at Syaoran's expression.
Syaoran frowned and let out a sigh of defeat " I know ".
OoOoOoOoO
"I still can't remember a thing from yesterday..." Sakura complained to Naoko as they sat together on the couch.
"Maybe you should try hitting your head... " Kasumi suggested.
" How will that help?" Naoko asked in confusion.
"Well, it works in the movies! The girl gets amnesia, blah blah, then hits her head and gains her memory back.. you know the drill " Kasumi said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Naoko sweatdropped " I'd hate to imagine what you'll do if a person drowns.."
Ashley grinned " It won't be a problem for me, I'm trained to perform C.P.R. " she said proudly.
Kasumi raised an eyebrow " Really ?"
Ashley nodded " My C.P.R. teacher was so impressed that she said it would be a miracle if I ever became a doctor. "
" I think that might be considered a bad thing..." Naoko muttered. Ashley ignored her.
Frowning, Naoko looked at Sakura who seemed to be in a world of her own. Kasumi noticed it too.
" Hopeless, " Naoko muttered to herself.
Kasumi nodded and reaching over yanked at Sakura's ear.
" Ow! " Her head shot up, one hand cradling the insulted lobe. " What was that for? ".
" When people are hysterical, you slap them " Kasumi replied cheerfully. " When people are lovesick, you tug on their ears. "
"I've never heard that before " Sakura said, rubbing at her reddened ear.
Kasumi beamed. " Of course not. I just made it up. "
Sakura groaned ' What did do to deserve this.. ' she thought and then scowled " I'm not lovesick !" she snapped.
Kasumi giggled "You were daydreaming ! Obviously you were thinking about Syaoran."
"I was not-" Sakura never got to finish her sentence for the girls had all let loose excited and high pitched squeals.
Yup, another steaming hot date box has arrived.
Shiefa had informed them that three lucky girls would get one-on-one dates this time, and the first date box would inform exactly who got it.
"Open it! Open it!" Ashley squealed.
Kasumi opened the box and grinned as she read the name " The date goes to Sakura and they'll visit the Shikkan town by... Horses riding "
Sakura stiffened " Horse riding ?" she asked in eerie calm voice.
Kasumi nodded hesitantly "Yeah... that's what it says here " she said pointing at the paper.
Sakura gritted her teeth and went to her room to get dressed for the date.
Perhaps, if she had stayed behind she would've witnessed the many death glares that were being shot at her by the girls.
OoOoOoOoO
" Whose lame-brain idea was it to go horse ride, in the middle of the friggin winter ? " Sakura growled as she came towards the limo adjusting her black coat.
Syaoran raised an eye brow at her " Don't look at me, I'm not running this show "
Sakura gave him a scowl that could've melted rocks "Why the heck did you choose me! Can't you take the other girls, they'd be more than happy to go with you !"
Syaoran smirked " I could've. But if I have to suffer, then you will too. Misery deserves company. "
" That was very Zen of you,Li " Sakura said scathingly as she got inside the car.
" Damn right I'm Zen " Syaoran retorted sitting opposite to her " I am completely one with myself, and all that. "
Sakura laughed. It surprised her how Syaoran could drive her up the wall one second and manage to make her laugh in the next one.
"Are you always so full of yourself ?"
Syaoran shot her a grin " For the most part, Yes ."
They both lapsed into silence, a very comfortable one though, only broken by Sakura's sigh every ten seconds.
" Sakura, can you stop sighing, It's annoying " Syaoran said " If there's something bothering you, then just say it "
"You'll think it's silly. " Sakura said timidly.
"Since when have I thought anything you said resembled intelligence? " Syaoran said, giving his usual smirk.
Sakura scowled "Well, this is even sillier. But you must promise not to laugh. " she said sternly.
"What? I'm not allowed to mock you? " Syaoran paused, he pretended to be in deep thought. "I'm not sure I'm physically able to do that. "
Sakura gave him a poisonous look.
"Ok, I won't laugh. Now then, what is this secret that is causing you such deep pain and agony ? Just let it out, you will feel much better... " Syaoran said faking concern.
"Quit imitating Operah ! " Sakura snapped " I'm trying to tell you that I can't ri-"
She would have continued but the car came to a halt "We are here, already ?" she said in a astonished voice.
" It's not like they'd set up a date in the other side of the country, you know. " Syaoran said rolling his eyes.
Sakura hesitantly followed Syaoran out of the car and saw two people waiting for them. A lady and a man.
The woman looked old enough to be King Tut's grand mummy and the man was middle aged.
"I'm Jin Hou and this is my son Liu, we're care takers of this stable " the woman said in a kind voice.
The man went inside the stable and came back with two saddled horses.
Sakura eyed their arrival with acute mistrust and a feeling of dread rising in the pit of her stomach.
" Uh, I suppose these guys are for us to ride, huh? " she said weakly, gesturing to the fidgeting horses.
"No of-course not. They're just here to welcome us. Say hello... " Syaoran stated sarcastically.
The woman seeing Sakura's uneasy expression asked " Is something wrong ? "
"No, I'm fine really. It's just, see, the thing is, I can't ride a horse " Sakura admitted nervously, eyeing the fidgeting animal warily.
Syaoran blinked at her. "What do you mean, you can't ride a horse? "
Sakura shrugged. " Just what it sounds like. I can't ride a horse " she repeated.
Syaoran and the woman looked at each other. " Have you ever tried?" the woman asked curiously.
" I did once " Sakura replied grudgingly. " When I was five years old, my dad and brother took me to visit a horse farm, and my dad thought it would be lots of fun to stick me on top of one to take pictures. "
"The horse was at least eighteen feet high, and had teeth the size of my hand. And apparently, it can smell fear. Soon as my dad stuck me on it's back, it turned around and tried to take my head off ! Would havegot it too, if I hadn't fallen off the other side. "
" I swear it must've taken me two minutes just to hit the ground. Broke my left arm and bruised my tailbone so badly I couldn't sit right for a week, and I haven't been near a horse since... "
Syaoran snorted " You're exaggerating. There's no such thing as an eighteen foot high horse " he scoffed.
" There is to a five year old " Sakura retorted.
"We can teach her a few basics in riding ..." the woman suggested.
" No way! " Sakura yelped." No. Nada. Nein! No, no, no! "
" No? " Syaoran grinned and raised an eyebrow.
" I'm sorry, should I rephrase? Okay. ' Not a snowball's chance in hell! ' There, do you understand that? " Sakura taunted. " Besides, it'll take too much time. "
The woman sighed " She's right ."
"At any rate, I can't ride a horse. So I'll just have to go in the Limo then. " Sakura said happily.
"No cars can go inside, you see there isn't a proper path to enter the village. " the middle aged man told her.
The woman nodded " I suppose there's no help for it " she said, looking suspiciously cheerful.
" If you can't ride a horse on your own, and we have no time to teach her, I suppose it's only logical that you have to share the horse with the young man " the woman pointed to Syaoran.
"We have to share a horse?" Sakura inquired in shock. "Sorry, I'll walk, thanks " she said coolly.
"Well, aren't we Miss High and Mighty!" Syaoran snapped.
" This is the only other option. So you'll have to accustom your tender sensibilities to being close to me or I'll throw you across the saddle. "
" I'll come walking !" Sakura yelled at him.
" It's a long way child " the woman told her in a pacifying voice.
" So? Didn't you hear me? " Sakura cried. " I said I'm not gonna riiieeeyyy " Her complaint ended on a squeal as the middle aged man grabbed her waist and lifted her onto the back of the horse.
" Hey! " Sakura yelped indignantly as the man stepped back with a laugh. Her shout startled the stallion, who jumped a bit and shifted uneasily.
Sakura yelped again and struggled to maintain her balance by gripping the horse's white mane, before Syaoran swung into the saddle smoothly behind her.
He calmed the nervous horse with practiced ease, then gave Sakura an arrogant grin when she turned to glare at him.
" It's no so bad now is it? " he asked her.
" Oh, you're just loving this, aren't you? Just, don't make me fall ok. " Sakura grumbled.
" I'll think about it.." Syaoran replied laughing at her panicked face
" Enjoy the ride !" the old woman and the man said happily waving at them.
Syaoran's arms came around Sakura to grip the reigns, he flicked it to urge the horse forward. Then in no time at all the image of the two waving people became distant.
And they were making their way through the snowy lanes toward the Shikkan town.
OoOoOoOoO
Sakura felt Syaoran staring at her head again. It made her feel very...vulnerable somehow.
An uncomfortable heat creep up Sakura's neck.
Syaoran caught sight of her glowing neck, and grinned. Slowly, he leaned forward, and blew softly on the back of her neck.
Sakura felt it, of course and shivered involuntarily. Becoming even redder than before, she turned her head and glared at him.
Syaoran looked innocently at her.
"Stop it !" she snapped.
"Stop what?"
"Blowing on my neck!"
"I wasn't blowing on your neck. Why would you think I'd do something like that?"
Thoroughly exasperated, Sakura turned away. Syaoran leaned forward, fully intent on blowing again. That was when Sakura decided to turn her head around, smacking his eye with her hair.
" Stop it ! "
Syaoran massaged his wounded eye. But he didn't mind. All heroes wear their battle scars proudly.
" I wasn't doing anything," he protested.
" I caught you !"
"You caught me doing what? "
" Blowing on my neck !"
" I wasn't blowing on your neck. I was leaning forward. You never caught me blowing on your neck."
"Ah - ha!" Sakura jabbed a triumphant finger into his chest. "So you admit it! You were blowing on my neck!"
" I never said that," Syaoran replied calmly, lowering his hand and revealing a slightly red eye.
"I just explained that even though you believe I was blowing on your neck, you don't actually have any valid reason to think so, since all you caught me doing was leaning forward. I'm afraid, Sakura, that yours is a hopeless case."
Sakura stared at him helplessly, then exploded: "You're impossible!"
" Yes, I am," Syaoran admitted with a sudden boyish grin. "But that's just part of my irresistible charm."
Sakura blinked in surprise. Then she quite abruptly burst out laughing.
"You're such an idiot " Sakura said her shoulders shaking with merriment.
"How could you be so cruel?" Syaoran said in mock offense "After everything I've done for you!"
"And what, exactly, have you done for me?" Sakura asked in amusement.
Syaoran stared at her with wide-eyed innocence." Why, I was born, of course! Isn't that enough?"
Sakura laughed again " I suppose it is " she said still giggling, unaware of the soft smile playing around Syaoran's lips.
A/n:- Thanks to :-candy-chan-chan, pinaygrrl, a little someone, midnite-goddess, Break away, IS2Cookies, Kamosudicles, Rebeca ,MoodiBunni, Inkirietta ,kriztalstar91, Daisuke-fan-gurl, AfGhAnCuTiE, sakK, Pinaygrrl, woLfiie-chan, Kimura, neutralgal , SakuraKino, ChryBlsms, youkaigirl64, Kitty Meow-Mix23, Cheerful-Cherry, Serenity Melody, VampireJazzy, PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2, Kawaii-Fairy-Emma, Kayapride, mystiekaye, Realist, Hope's Light, hopeluv-chan and mokano for their wonderful reviews.