Chapter Nine

Card Captor Sakura

Jagged Amber

*starjade*

Changing

Sakura glared at the earrings on her table. To wear earrings, or not to wear earrings.

Such a hard decision.

Even if she did, what earrings would she wear? The silver hoops or the dangling gypsy ones? Or the studs? She rubbed her forehead. How could people do such things in the morning? It wasn't fair!! Not only was she being abused at school, at her job, being hated everywhere and on the point of insanity, she had to choose what sort of earrings to wear!!

Sakura blinked. What the hell was she worrying about?? She rolled her eyes and grabbed the studs. She really was going insane.


Suddenly there was a bang outside her room and a muffled yelp. Sakura got up, curiously and opened the door. Her eyes widened.

Syaoran had fallen to his knees, probably after smacking into wall, and was rubbing his forehead hard. " Oww...owwww.." He groaned.

Sakura stared at him, wondering if she should talk to him. The way he treated her yesterday...the wounds were still fresh.

Syaoran seemed to notice her presence and growled, " What are you staring at, bitch?"

Sakura took a step back. She really needed to find out how he knew she was there!! She didn't say a word though and just turned back to her room. Just as she was about to close the door, Syaoran's hand came out and stopped her.

" Wait."

Sakura looked up, surprised.

Syaoran looked down, his bangs hiding his expression. " Look, bitch, I'm saying it once and don't you ever dare repeat it to anyone or make me repeat it again! Agreed?"

Sakura didn't say anything, but it was needless to say, she was absolutely shocked.

Syaoran expelled his breath and said, rather fast, " I formally apologize for my rude behaviour yesterday and I sincerely hope on behalf of the Li family that you will forgive my behaviour."

Sakura blinked at him. He....Syaoran Li....was apologizing.

No. Way.

After a couple of minutes of awkward silence, Syaoran turned and began to walk away.

" Wait!" Sakura said, quickly. Syaoran paused. " I'm-I'm sorry too. Thanks for apologizing."

Again, that silence. Then Syaoran said, in a rather strange tone, " My mother forced me to. Say thanks to her."

Sakura watched after him as he walked away. This was truly a historical day. The day Syaoran apologized. Sakura shook her head in amazement. Who knew Syaoran was capable of it?? Now Sakura believed miracles existed!

Sakura shook her head. It made her rather happy that Syaoran apologized. Her heart felt lighter and she smiled, then frowned. How did Yelan know that Syaoran and Sakura had a fight? Sakura sure didn't tell her. So why would Syaoran? Maybe he did...who knows?

****************

Sakura winced as she opened her locker. Everyone was snickering at her behind their hands and some were openly pointing at her. She could tell the janitor had tried to scrub the black letters off her locker, but the writing was still clear and prominent.
Slamming her locker as she grabbed her books, she raced to her class. Finally. She didn't have to mess with Yen or any of her crew-

" Oh, look who it is," A girl sneered.

Sakura froze. Great. Just great.

Sakura kept on walking. The class was only a few steps away. Just a few steps more and then...But before she could step into the class, Yen grabbed her and whirled her around forcefully.

" I was talking to you!" Yen snarled. " When I talk, you listen, you got that?"

Sakura growled, " Shut up and leave me alone, Yen. I don't listen to whining dogs, got that?"

Yen paled. " Excuse me, bitch? You want to say that again?"

" Excuse me, Yen, I have a class to go to," Sakura said coolly. " Now run off and bark at someone else. I'm not going to take you're shit today."

Yen growled, " Slut, you listen to me-"

" Yen."

Yen stopped, her cheeks paling and then turning bright red. " Oh, Syaoran, I was just-"

Syaoran was standing at the door, his brown hair hiding the cold expression in his eyes. Yen was bursting into tiny giggles as Syaoran walked up to her.

" I don't want to ever hear you say that again," Syaoran said calmly, emotionless. " If anyone's the slut, you are. So shut up and get to your class. I don't want to hear you're pathetic voice one minute longer."

The class behind them, who were watching this scene, were silent. Someone oohed in the back as Yen's lips tightened and her eyes turned fiery.

" Oh, sugar, fine. I will! But it's not my fault!" Yen pouted, crawling up to Syaoran and stroking his arm flirtatiously. " Kinomoto has been fighting with me since the beginning of the year-"

" Get away from me!" Syaoran said, a bit louder. That was all that was needed and Yen scurried off with her friends, pausing to give one last dirty look at Sakura. As soon as Yen left, Sakura's shoulders relaxed.

Then she looked up at Syaoran.

He was looking anywhere but her and with his face turned toward the ground, he walked away without a word. Sakura stared after him, a funny feeling in her chest.

Yelan was right. Syaoran was changing.

*****************

Sakura walked carefully to Syaoran wincing as a small boy nervously walked up to her.

" Syaoran!" She shouted desperately as the boy came closer. At the sound of Syaoran's name, the boy paled and ran fast away from her. She sighed, relieved.

It was a dance. A dance in their school. A really stupid dance that everyone was going crazy over. Only two had approached her so far but she didn't want to hurt their feelings, so she did everything in her power to get away from them.

From what she saw, a hundred different girls had asked Syaoran so far. Like the one that was approaching him now.

It was a pretty nice girl, long brown hair and expressive hazel eyes. She was wringing her hands out nervously as Sakura got nearer to Syaoran.

" I-I was just wondering if you-you w-would li-like to-" The girl was stuttering.

Syaoran didn't even look at her. " No." He said coldly. " I don't have time to waste for you or that pathetic dance."

The girl's eyes filled with tears and she turned and ran quickly to her friends, who gave Syaoran death glares as they comforted her.

Sakura rose her eyebrows. " That was harsh."

Syaoran glared at her. " What the hell are you doing here?"

Sakura looked at him innocently. " Nothing. I just overheard your conversation, if you could call it that, with that nice girl. Why did you turn her down so harshly? The least you could do was be polite!"

Syaoran stared at her and then sneered, " Polite? Why should I be polite when it's clear what they're trying to do? Getting close to me for my money and my status. They're all just pathetic money grabbing hoes."

Sakura thought, that's not all their after. She then blushed. What kind of a thought was that?

The limo had driven up to them and Sakura helped Syaoran climb in and she followed in after.

" So what kind of girl are you looking for?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran pretended not to hear.

" Syaoran! You know I'm asking you a question!" Sakura said, impatiently. She really wanted to know the answer....why, she didn't know.

Syaoran growled. " Why should I answer stupid questions like that? I'm not planning on 'looking' for a girl."

Sakura pretended to be shocked. " What? You're planning to spend your life an old unmarried crow? Really, I heard you had to get married if you're going to be head of the Li clan."

Syaoran scowled. " Who told you that? Can't you keep your nose out of our business?"

Sakura giggled. " No can do. I'm already in your business. Now tell me!"

" Whoever the elders choose for me will be fine." Syaoran said with a menace to his tone. " Now shut your annoying mouth and stay quiet. It's hell being in the same car as you, much less being in the same house as you. These last two weeks are not going by fast."

Sakura scowled. " Thanks for the compliments. So you're going to marry whoever the elders tell you to. So if they tell you to marry Yen, would you?"

Sakura stared at Syaoran's face, her heartbeat seeming to stop as he thought. " No. I wouldn't marry her. The elders wouldn't choose her anyways."

Sakura felt her breath come out. Why was she so relieved? " So what kind of girl do you like? What are you looking for in a girl?"

Syaoran groaned. " You're like a parrot. An annoying parrot. A cursed parrot."

Sakura smiled. " Thanks."

Syaoran smirked. " If I tell you, would you shut up?"

" Absolutely."

" I want a girl who stays at home, quiet, dutiful, dependant, cooks, cleans, does whatever I want, picks out my clothes and raises the kids and stays out of my way as much as possible."

Sakura stared at him and then started to laugh. " The way girls are these days, I don't think you'll ever marry!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes. " You promised you'd shut up."

" Sorry."

" SHUT UP!"

" Mmf."

****************

" Pick up the phone, Meiling!"

" I'm busy! Kinomoto, pick it up!"

" I'm busy too! Syaoran, pick up the phone."

" What am I, you're servant, wench?"

" Just answer the phone, will you?"

" Mother, Kinomoto's bossing me around!"

" Alright, alright!" Sakura huffed and walked to the phone, glaring at Syaoran. He just smirked as he went back to his homework. Spoiled little brat, she thought angrily. Just because of that accident, people are treating him like glass.

Glass my ass! (a/n: lol)

Sakura picked up the phone, which was still ringing, god knows why. " Hello?"

" Hey, is Kinomoto, Sakura there?"

" Uh...speaking," Sakura said cautiously. It was a boy's voice. If it was that boy who was following her around..

" Hey, Sakura. It's me, Hiirigizawa, Eriol. Remember?"

Sakura racked her brain. Eriol, Eriol...

" Uh, yahhh, I remember.." Sakura said, fakely. " You're that guy.."

The boy laughed. " You have no idea who I am, do you?"

" No idea whatsoever," Sakura said, relieved. The boy laughed and Sakura took an instant liking to him. This guy was nice, and he didn't' make her all awkward.

" Remember? The guy you met on the first day? The guy in your first period class?"

Now she remembered! " Oh yah! I remember you!"

Eriol laughed. " Took you long enough!"

Sakura giggled. " So what are you calling me about?"

" Nothing, really. Just the fact that I'm going alone to the dance and there is only one person out there who can change that."

Sakura's eyes widened. " Who?"

She heard a sigh on the other end. " You!"

" Me?" Sakura said squeakily. Then it dawned on her. " Oh! You want to take me to the dance!"

" Yeah. How about it?"

Sakura fumbled with the cord. Did she want to go the dance? She hadn't wanted to at first, with Yen and all...But why should she deprive herself of some fun? Yen didn't control her life! Besides, there was a short time left before she went back to Japan and she was going to make her last weeks enjoyable!

" Sure!" Sakura said, grinning.

" Really?" Eriol asked happily. " You're absolutely sure?"

" Absolutely." Sakura said, smiling.

" Okay then! I'll pick you up at seven."

" Sure. See you later!"

Smiling, she turned around. Eriol was such a nice guy. Maybe it was some sort of a blessing after all the crap she had had to go through.

Then she bumped into someone hard.

" Oww..." Sakura moaned.

Syaoran didn't even say anything. Sakura hit him on the shoulder. " Can you at least say sorry??" Sakura asked, rubbing her forehead.

" Who was that?" Syaoran asked, coldly.

" Nice apology there," Sakura said sarcastically, and tried to move around him, but he once again, stepped in her way.

" Who was it?" Syaoran asked again.

" A. Boy. From. Our. School. He asked me to the dance. Why are you so interested, anyways?" Sakura said, angrily.

" I'M NOT!" Syaoran yelled. " I just freaking want to know who the hell that guy was!!"

Sakura rose her eyebrows, and sighed. " Fine. You are so pushy. Some guy named Hiirigizawa, Eriol."

Syaoran's face paled. " WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS HE TRYING TO DO?"

Sakura leaned back. " Whoa. You know him?"

Syaoran was too angry to hear her. He hissed, " Don't go with him."

Sakura stared at Syaoran in shock. " Excuse me?"

" You heard me!" Syaoran said, furiously. " Don't go with him to that dance thing."

Sakura felt anger explode in her chest. " Who do you think you are, telling me who to go out with and who not to? I like this guy, alright?? And I am going out with him, no matter what you say. So keep your nose out of our business."

" Our?" Syaoran huffed. " Eriol doesn't mean to ask you out, he's just getting back at me-"

Sakura's eyes widened. No, he did not just say that! " The whole fucking world does not revolve around you!" Sakura yelled. " When a guy asks me out, you're telling me he doesn't like me? That it's about you? That he's using me? Look here, Syaoran, I came here to do my job, not have you try and take over my personal life. So get out of my life, bastard."

Syaoran's expression was of pure shock as Sakura stormed away. Who did that wench thing she was? Syaoran thought furiously. What the hell does Eriol think he's doing? One time Syaoran tries to be nice and that Kinomoto girl blows him off completely!

Eriol didn't like her!! He was just using her!!

Are you so sure about that, a voice in his mind whispered. Or are you just jealous?

Syaoran growled. He was not jealous!!

He was SO not jealous!!

a/n: Hey everyone! Wats up? This is the next chapter of my beloved story. What ya think of it? Pllleease tell me, aight? Please??? ( That was another way of asking you all to review...)

lol, aight, see ya latez,

*starjade*