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With You
Chapter Fourteen: Getting the Gift

"What?" I gaped at Tomoyo, who was sitting across from me in the cafeteria, a can of soda in her hand as she nodded.

"Yeah, it's his birthday today." Tomoyo said. "I thought you, of all people other than Meilin, would know when Syaoran's birthday was."

"Well…he didn't exactly tell me." I groaned.

Wait. Why did I care? We hated each other now…didn't we?

Damn. Didn't we?

It had been yet another week since Tomoyo and Meilin first began snickering to each other, bugging the hell out of Syaoran and me. I still didn't know what they were up to and neither did Syaoran.

Not that, of course, I asked him. We were strictly on an only talk-if-mandatory basis.

So it was his birthday…the big seventeen…should I say happy birthday? Or give him a swift kick in the ass?

Though the kick was tempting, I guess saying happy birthday would be better.

Or hell, I could just wrap my arms around him and plant a big one on his lips.

But then again…there was that whole no talking thing. But over these past few weeks, or was it months, that he's been in Tamoeda...I've found it hard not to just go up to him and tell him I was sorry for everything and anything…

I just wanted to be with him again.

Sad, I know.

I sighed and rested my head on my arms, staring blankly at my plate of noodles in front of me. Normally I liked noodles, but not at the moment.

"What's wrong Sakura?" Tomoyo asked.

"Nothing." I said flatly.

"We're all going over to Syaoran and Meilin's house for his birthday." Tomoyo said. "And you are coming."

I smirked. I had refused to go anywhere with them the past few days, all because I was terrified of what Meilin and Tomoyo, and I guess Eriol, were up to.

"You have no choice Kinomoto." Eriol said, taking a seat beside me, nudging me with his elbow. "You're coming."

"And if I refuse?"

"We kidnap you." Eriol smirked. "I've got some rope in the trunk of my car, and you'd fit rather nicely in the back."

"You wouldn't dare." I snapped.

"Oh, I would, you know it." he said.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Should I bring a gift or something?"

"If you want." Tomoyo shrugged. "Eriol and I both got him gift certificates for one place or another."

"What?" I gaped at her. "You got gifts without me?"

"Hey, that's what we did yesterday, but you refused to come, remember?" Eriol smirked.

I groaned. "You are all against me! I just know it!"

"Kill the drama Sakura." Meilin smirked, sitting beside Tomoyo. "You don't have to get anything huge."

I looked up, making sure the infamous Syaoran was nowhere to be found, then turned back to Meilin. "Any suggestions?"

"Yes, but none that you would agree to." Meilin smirked wickedly.

She had been teasing me about this for a while now. I'll clue you in; me. She was all "Tell him your sorry! It'll be the best birthday gift ever! Then, you can kiss and make up!".

To this, I would always shriek "Go to hell! There's no way I'm doing that!"

Even though I wanted to.

I'd get halfway through my speech and, with my luck, pass out from nervousness.

Maybe a scarf…after all it was getting rather cold and close to the Christmas season.

I grinned. "I have a gift in mind!"

"Did I win?" Meilin asked, looking hopeful.

"Not even close." I smirked, getting up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Eriol asked. "Syaoran's bound to show up sooner or later, aren't you going to say happy birthday?"

"I will tonight." I said. "What time?"

"Nine." Meilin said. "You know where we live."

I nodded. "Okay. I have a spare during fourth, so I'm going out."

"Syaoran's in your class right?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yes. What about it?" I said tonelessly.

"He could go with you."

"Ha, I think not." I rolled my eyes. "I finally got my roller blades from the bottom of the shed and I'm not going to give them up to go with him."

With that I turned and walked away, leaving them to snicker after me.

God they were getting annoying.

I walked to my locker and pulled out my roller blades. It was so pathetic; I was sixteen and still didn't have a car.

What a sad life.

I quickly strapped on my skates, knowing no one would se me skate a bit through the school, and darted down the hallway.

Did I ever say how much I loved to roller blade? I'd been doing it since I could barely walk, it was so much fun. I slipped on my headphones as I exited the school, skating along the sidewalk, the warm sun shining down on me, Fall Out Boy blaring into my ears.

Maybe I should tell Syaoran that I was sorry. I mean, I didn't want to leave him in Hong Kong, and the only reason I had "ended it" was because I didn't think I'd ever see him again.

Well, him showing up here pretty much screwed that over.

But…what if he hated me still? Or, after I told him, he just laughed? That would crush me because…really, I had been in love with him.

If I still was…I wasn't quite sure.

I sighed, grabbing onto a streetlamp, swinging myself around and turning a corner that head to a small market that I had never gone to with Tomoyo or anyone before. I don't know why, but I liked to go there alone, it was so calming.

I skated into the small market. It was just down one street, hundreds of booths with different things lines on tables, birds and other small animals in cages, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air.

"Hey Sakura!" Mr. Tolle smiled, waving to me from his booth. He sold different pastries like dumplings and cinnamon rolls. "What can I get for you today?"

"Um…I'm not sure." I smiled, stopping in front of his booth. "I'm kind of looking for a gift."

"Oh for who?"

"Uh…a friend, sort of." I shrugged. "But can I have four dumplings to take home?"

"No problem Sakura." he smiled, taking a box from under the table, putting some fresh beef dumplings in them. "On the house."

I grinned. Being friends with shop keepers rocked. "Thanks Mr. Tolle."

I took the dumplings and placed them carefully in my backpack, turning with a wave and skating into the bustling streets.

I stopped along a booth filled with multicolored birds in cages, singing beautifully.

"Would the pretty girl like a pretty bird?" the woman at the booth smile, holding up a blue bird in it's cage.

"Oh, no thanks." I smiled, skating past her, towards the further end of the market.

I continued to skate slowly along, looking through the tables filled with different colored jewelry and clothes.

Until I saw what I had, originally, come for.

Scarves. I grinned, looking over the tons of scarves, black, blues, pink, reds and greens.

I think that green would suit him best.

I picked one out, staring blankly at it for a second. Would he like it? Or should I just get him a gift certificate like everyone else did? Or should I got with Meilin's plan?

Ha, yeah right.

I quickly paid for the scarf and put it in my backpack, next to the dumplings. I was about to turn to leave, when I saw a familiar, and terrifying, figure, walking through the market, his hands shoved casually in his pockets.

How the hell did Syaoran find this place? It took me forever to find it!

I frantically looked around me for a place to hide. Damn. Damn. Damn. I did so not want him to see me.

Hell, I didn't want him to know I'd gotten him something.

So I quickly turned and skated away, down the rows of booths and stuff.

I smiled once I got back onto the open street. Safe.

Then, I checked my watch. Only ten minuets left until fourth was over and I had to be in fifth.

Damn it!

I slipped my headphones over my ears, skating was better with background music, and booked it down the street, dodging oncoming pedestrians and the like.

I was doing just fine, too, dodging anyone and everyone in sight, and was only a few blocks from the school…when I tripped over a rise in the sidewalk.

Now that, was a lame way to go down.

I hit the sidewalk, hard, my backpack sprawling out in front of me, all it's contents spreading across the sidewalk.

No! My dumplings! Okay, Syaoran's gift, too. But still. Those dumplings were good.

I groaned and got my knees, quickly gathering everything into the bag.

Now where was that stupid scarf?

I looked around, only to see a hand in front of me, holding the bag that the scarf was in.

"Oh, thanks." I said, taking the bag from the person.

"What are you doing out here?" the person said.

I froze. How the hell did he catch up to me?

I looked up at Syaoran, clearly aware of the pink spreading across my cheeks. "Oh, uh, hi Syaoran!"

He smirked and me, grabbing my arm as he stood, pulling me with him. "What are you doing out here?" he asked again.

"Thanks." I said. "I, uh, had a spare and I decided to go for a skate."

"Oh." he nodded, holding up my backpack. "Shopping?"

My eyes widened. He had better not look in that freaking bag.

I reached out from my backpack, but he held it out of my reach.

"Don't be an ass Syaoran." I growled. "Give it here."

"What's in it?" he asked. "I smell food."

I smirked and snatched the bag from him, pulling the box of dumplings out. "Dumplings. Want one?"

"I've never had a dumpling before." he said. "Are they any good?"

I gaped at him. "You've been in Japan for, what, two months, and you haven't had dumplings?"

He shrugged.

I rolled my eyes and opened the box, holding it out to him. "Here. Happy birthday."

He smirked and told a dumpling. "Thanks. I didn't think you knew."

"I was told." I smiled.

Hey. What happened to our no talking policy?

I looked at my watch. "Awe hell. We're screwed, fifth started already."

Syaoran shrugged and took a seat on the curb. "I don't care." and bit into his dumpling. "Hey, these are good!"

"The best in the city." I smiled, giving in and sitting beside him. Better to not show up in fifth at all then get embarrassed by showing up late. "Mr. Tolle is a great cook."

"Sucking up to store keepers Sakura?" Syaoran smirked.

I glared at him. "Don't think that, just because its your birthday, you can get away with that."

"I wasn't thinking anything." he said, not bothering to look at me.

I rolled my eyes and took a bite of my dumpling. Yum. Fresh and warm, the best.

"Here." I said, handing him the box. "Have another if you want."

"Sure?"

"Knock yourself out, I can get these anytime."

Syaoran smiled and took a another dumpling.

Wow, if I knew dumplings could shut him up, I'd have given him some a long time ago.

"So, feel any different? Being seventeen, I mean." I asked. Hey, may as well make conversation.

He shook his head. "No, not really."

"What were you doing off school property, anyway?" I asked.

"I went to this market place." he said. "I thought I saw you there, but you skated away."

I felt my cheeks flare. "I was there, I guess I didn't see you."

Ha ha, that was such a lie.

"Are you actually going to show up tonight?" he asked.

I smirked at him. "And I didn't think you cared."

"I don't." he said tonelessly. "It's just that you've been avoiding us for the past while."

I frowned. Fine, be that way. "Yeah, I'm coming. After all, it is a special occasion."

His mouth opened to say something, and I saw his amber eyes flash over to me, but I stood. "You can keep the dumplings if you want. I'm going home. See you later."

Then I turned and skated away, leaving him to stare after me.

In your face.

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