Disclaimer: Wah.... Ne... do u think CLAMP would give me CCS as a present?

Hehehe. Gomen gomen. I REALLY updated late this time... I've been kind of... stressed. You know, with family issues and stuff... o well. My apologies. On with the story!

Ice Queen

Chapter Twenty-Four

Icy green eyes narrowed. Hushed whispers filled the hall and all the students were in small, chatty groups gossiping all about the same thing.

It didn't take a genius to guess what it was after all, the Ice Queen had preformed in a romance act and with none other than the boy who was rumored to be living in the same building as her.

Granted, in the play she had played the Ice Queen of the time, but still. That Ice Queen had fallen in love, was there to be some sort of connection between reality and the stage?

Her hands clutched into fists Sakura Kinomoto walked dangerously down the hall, the very air around her chilling everyone away. She was in an exceptionally bad mood as her infinitely annoying peers could not seem to take their eyes off of her no matter how threatening she appeared to be.

That pissed her off.

Slamming down her backpack on her desk, she dropped into her seat, pulled on her headphones and stared out the window coldly. There was no one to talk to anyway, Syaoran had to tutor some rich freak at work to promote the institute that day so she wouldn't see him until dinner.

Noticing that even when her music was on full blast she could still hear the exciting whispers and could feel the gazes of people on her, Sakura shut the earphones off.

One word entered her head: Ditch.

She got up, grabbed her stuff, and left the class; her footsteps could be heard clicking down the hallway. Immediately after her departure, the hushed gossip seemed to explode and Eriol had to slam his fist down onto his table, nearly breaking it, before the students quieted down enough for him to teach the day's lesson.

--

"Move it punk," her eerie voice hissed at the third year who had dared defied her. (Sakura and Syaoran are both seniors, that is third years. In Japan it goes 7th, 8th, 9th, for Jr. High and 10th, 11th, 12th for High School)

It was lunch and there was a wannabe-bad body sitting on the Sakura tree she normally ate lunch at.

Cocking an eyebrow, he managed to keep his voice calm as he arrogantly shouted, calling everyone's attention towards him. This was his chance to prove that he was as cold, if not colder than the Ice Queen herself, "Why? Where's your husband, Heero? Don't tell me he's dumped you already, my beautiful Ice Maiden."

The courtyard was deadly silent. He immediately regretted his words as the air of the entire school dropped to below zero degrees.

A loud crack whipped through the air.

The Ice Queen had jumped up ten feet and swung her leg around in a lightening quick kick, sending the pompous senior onto the ground.

Raising her head and smirking, Sakura let her voice become icy and sharp, like a frozen dagger, "Hm... let's see... I guess you didn't hear what I did to that gang that was bugging at the show during intermission."

She walked over to the frightened boy still sprawled on the ground, unable to move from her painful kick, "Let me tell you what happened." Mercilessly, she stepped on the back of his head, "It all started with... a kick."

"Sakura!"

Her leg stopped in mid swing. Turning to glare at the person who had interrupted her, she let her voice drop into an angry hiss, "What do you want, Syaoran? Aren't you supposed to be at the institute?"

Realizing it was his only chance to escape, the boy darted from the ground and headed in Syaoran's direction...

... but fell to the ground unconscious as the one who had just arrived knotted his fist into the third year's stomach. All those outside either ran away, or were paralyzed in fear. An Ice Queen plus Li Syaoran meant danger.

Ignoring the gaping onlookers, Syaoran walked over to his housemate shrugging, "The rich dude paid and left. Apparently, stories of a frightening female teacher who was strict in a... violent way had reached his ears. He paid though, so it's ok."

"Oh... how interesting..." Sakura had a smirk on her face. "What did the others say?"

"They said they didn't want to teach a fat rich guy anyway."

Sakura brushed past him, walking towards the school building, "I see... Hurry up, or you'll be late."

"And you care, why?"

"Shut up."

----

"Get me a mint chip then," Sakura called over to Syaoran who was currently buying the two of them ice cream.

Within a few seconds, he had returned, "So... why the sudden urge for something sweet?"

"Don't ever ask me that again."

"Yes ma'am."

Raising a bemused eyebrow, Sakura stared him in the eye, "You really could be the 'Prince Charming' of the school."

"Why do you say that?" he was surprised. Twirling a strand of hair in her fingers, Sakura spoke, "Well, it was just something I was thinking about. You're pretty popular with girls, even if you do hang out with the ice block of Tomoeda High. Just imagine how they'd be all over you if you didn't walk around with me all the time."

"Don't think like that!" Syaoran looked alarmed... which in turn alarmed Sakura. "I don't care about things like that!"

She stared at him for a few seconds before letting her bangs shadow her eyes, "Calm down. I didn't mean anything by it. It was just a thought."

Syaoran's POV

It was odd. They had gotten so comfortable around each other, they were no longer used to uneasy silences, like the one that hung between them now.

They walked home, still neither of them speaking. Shooting a glance at Sakura when he was sure she wasn't looking Syaoran's face turned a little sad.

She has spent a lot of her life as the Ice Queen... I shouldn't think that she'd thaw out so soon just because I'm here...

But... what did she mean by I would be popular? Does she want me to... leave...? Does she think that I'd be better off if I wasn't with her?

Giving her another long look before returning his gaze to the ground, Syaoran shut his eyes.

She'd be so wrong if she thought that.

Syaoran kept walking towards the door to their home as Sakura stopped to pick up the mail, but he froze as he felt Sakura freeze.

Turning around, his eyes widened as he saw a look of shock and... fear register on her face, before a shadow hid her eyes.

"Sakura... what's wrong?" he walked over to her, but was pushed away. She stalked into the house shouting, "Nothing! I'm not eating dinner tonight!"

To be continued...

Hehehehehe. I'm staring another part of the story now... - Guess what's wrong with Sakura?

I am pure evil, aren't I?

Quote:

A consultant is someone who takes a subject you understand and makes it confusing.

(Sorry if I offended any consultants out there.)