Chapter 4: Cooking Queen, meetHaunted Blanket
(wow how retarded is that title...well don't hate me for my lack of creativity with titles, I think I fried my brains just finishing this chapter. Enjoy)
"No I'm telling you we are not watching that."
Yamazaki looked up from his place on the couch as Sakura, Rika, Chiharu, and Syaoran came back from the movie rental carrying two bags. One which looked to be filled with 5 or so movies and the other with popcorn and other snacks. Sakura was still half glaring at Syaoran for whatever reason it was she was glaring at him this time. Syaoran just seemed to smile smugly as the set the bag of movies down next to the TV.
"I don't see what you're so scared about. It's just a movie."
Sakura scoffed, "I'm not scared. It just seems like a stupid movie that's all."
Tomoyo walked in smiling, Eriol following close behind her as they came from the kitchen holding drinks. "So how long into your search for movies did you figure out Sakura wont go near the horror section?"
"He's pretty quick. Took him about 5 or 10 minutes. You should have seen them go at it."
"RIKA!"
"What, it was pretty funny." Rika smiled innocently and a slightly embarrassed Sakura.
"So what did you guys get?" Eriol asked as he sat down on the couch.
"Yeah you were out for quite some time."
Meilin just rolled her eyes, falling tiredly onto the couch next to Tomoyo. "Well you see we just had to go with the two people who must disagree with everything. We spent almost two hours in the video store walking around deciding on action, romance, comedy, and then Syaoran brought up horror. And you know how well that sits with Sakura." Tomoyo just laughed remembering her last years Halloween party when Sakura had spent a majority of the night making unnecessary trips to the kitchen while they watched various scary movies.
"So what scary movie will be sending our Sakura on trips to the kitchen this time?"
"TOMOYO!"
Syaoran just laughed enjoying seeing Sakura's embarrassment in front of everyone. "Juan (The Japanese version of the grudge)."
"Oh I've wanted to see that. You know the story comes from a true story."
"Shut up Yamazaki! I don't need your stories to try and scare me even more." Sakura said with an annoyed drawl. Although the expression on her face hardly hid her anxiety.
"No but it's-"
"Ssshhhh! Nope! I'm not listening! LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!" Sakura covered her ears childishly walking into the kitchen yelling something back about making dinner. The others just laughed at her antics.
"So what else were you guys doing? It doesn't take another hour to walk back from the movie store." Tomoyo said with a curious glance at the remaining three.
"Well after we finally decided on the movies we went to the supermarket to get snacks and we didn't really consider how big it was. And then once we got to the snack isle those two had to start debating snacks and prices and how much you get for some price and it was quite mind boggling that Meilin and I just decided to let them battle it out."
"We were not that bad."
"Yes you were. The only thing you agreed on was the cheddar and sour cream chips." Meilin sighed heavily upon remembering the incident.
They had been standing in the isle for the past 15 minutes and they were still walking back and forth saying things like "This ones on sale and look at all the flavors they have!" and then the other would shoot back, "But this brand is also on sale and you get more for your money." "But you get more flavors over here!" And so it continued.
"Really it was kind of ridiculous. In the end I got kind of bored of watching them fight and I sent Rika to get the salsa and I just walked past them and picked 3 random bags and we went to the check out without them. They only noticed we were gone once I was right at the check out and they were carrying a bag of cheddar and sour cream, the product of 15 minutes debating. You know I honestly hope they never get married. I can't even begin to imagine what that would be like."
The others laughed at Meilin's comments as Syaoran blushed lightly muttering something about going to help make dinner.
Syaoran walked into the kitchen, Tomoyo, Eriol, Yamazaki, Meilin and Rika still laughing and talking behind him and saw Sakura in a large dark blue apron on and chopping onions with expert ease wiping her eyes once or twice before rushing back to the stove and checking the heat on the stove before walking back to the refrigerator taking out a package of chicken legs along with a few carrots and mushrooms.
"What are you making?"
Sakura looked up surprised, not noticing he was there and smiled deviously. "It's a surprise." She winked at him her smile growing before putting the things on the counter and pushed him out of the kitchen. "Go wait out there with the others."
Syaoran looked at her skeptically. "How do we know that you're not going to kill yourself in here?"
Sakura laughed "don't worry. The kitchen is the one place my klutziness seems to leave and I can actually handle myself. Besides, it's been a long time since I've been able to cook for a crowd. Since my brother is at university and my dad travels a lot its not everyday now that I get to cook for more people them myself. So out. It's a surprise."
Syaoran couldn't help but smile at her childish excitement and let himself be pushed out of the kitchen and re-joined the others in the living room.
Sakura stood surprised for a moment. Syaoran had actually let himself be pushed out. She shrugged it off ignoring a small tug of regret that he couldn't watch her making her special dinner and walked to the cutting board where she finished chopping the carrots and mushrooms, taking care at taking the ends off all the string beans. She flew left and right across the kitchen, preparing the meal with ease and it wasn't long before the smell of home cooking wafted through the house and Sakura had to constantly push her hungry friends out who were eager for a sneak peak and a quick taste.
She smiled happily as she took out eight plates and gave everyone and even portion laying it out professionally onto each plate setting it down on the table with a satisfied smile.
She walked into the living room where the others were busy playing LIFE. They hadn't noticed her watching yet and she could just imagine the starry look in Tomoyo's eyes when she said "Oh I can't wait till Sakura's done. Last time she cooked for her family and mine in a welcome back for our parents and her brother it was so good. I can't wait."
At this she cleared her throat and with a small bow, her arms leading into the dining room and in a dignified bow she said, traces of a smile on her face, "Dinner, is served."
Needless to say Tomoyo was the first up and hugged Sakura tightly before taking her seat at the table. There was an impressed whistle from Yamazaki at the sight and impressed nods all around. Sakura stood behind her seat waiting for everyone to take a seat before she sat down. "Seasoned chicken in a light wine sauce and marinated vegetables cooked together in the same sauce for flavor and cooked to perfection" (I don't know if that sounds good or if I explained it right but trust me its good.)
Everyone smiled, thanking Sakura for making the meal and dug in.
"Wow, This is good!" Sakura looked over at Syaoran who had just spoken the look of surprise still on his face as he took his first bite, and smiled.
"Well I don't know what you were expecting but thanks." She smiled gratefully and watched everyone eat for a while before starting herself.
Dinner passed with the frequent compliment towards Sakura and Syaoran bashfully asking for seconds. An example a majority of the others followed. Sakura smiled, glad to be with her friends and not at home where she would probably still be reading her book in the large chair of hers. And besides, it wasn't everyday she got to cook for more then her self. She collected the dishes once everyone was done and placed them in the sink where Yamazaki quickly took her place. "Don't forget the pan on the stove Yamazaki. And don't worry we wont start the movies without you." Yamazaki smiled sarcastically and began doing the dishes.
The rest of them settled comfortably in the living room. Tomoyo, Eriol, and Chiharu, who saved a seat for Yamazaki, sat on the sofa while Rika happily claimed the single seat couch while Sakura Meilin and Syaoran sat on pillows on the floor, their backs resting on the couch and they voted for which movie to watch first.
"I think we should watch Hitch. I think it's a movie we can all enjoy." Rika said over everyone else's voice and they all quieted down, Syaoran letting out a disgruntled sigh.
Sakura smirked; "maybe you can pick up a tip or two from this movie. Should I get you a pencil and pen Syaoran?"
Syaoran glared at her. "Haha very funny. But I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. You know what movie we're watching next." He smiled inwardly as her face paled.
"Can you two take your lovers spat somewhere else? The movies starting" Meilin smiled as her comment was heard and made both friends blush slightly and the shut up, and watched the movie.
Syaoran scoffed as they reached the end of the wedding. "That is so corny, if I were a girl I would think that was the dumbest thing I've ever heard"
Sakura glared, "That's why you're not a girl. And what do you know about confessions of love. I'd like to see you try at making a better confession."
Syaoran returned her sarcastic look with one of his own. "Tell you what I'll run it by you before I say it all right. Get it the 'Sakura seal of approval'"
Sakura smiled and nodded making a stamping motion, stamping his forehead before turning back to the movie.
Sakura's face paled visibly as Rika took the rewound movie out and put in the next one, pausing in her action and asked if anyone needed to use the bathroom. Sakura's hand shot straight up. Rika rolled her eyes. "Should we start the movie without you?" Sakura nodded wildly and got up ran off to the bathroom.
"Is she really that scared of horror movies?" Syaoran asked quite innocently
"Yes" came the overwhelming response of everyone else in the room.
Sakura sighed deeply safely in the bathroom trying to calm herself. The movie hadn't even started yet and she was already getting scared. Lingering shadows of all the scary stories she had ever heard slowly coming back to her and she could have sworn she felt something grab her ankle and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She looked into the mirror to scared to turn around when she suddenly heard the old Bloody Mary in the Mirror story and let out a terrified yelp and dashed back to the others in the living room wiggling in between Syaoran and Meilin with the thought that if anything crawled out of the TV she could grab at either side and use one of them as a shield.
Syaoran watched her shrink in her seat and almost felt bad for her. Almost, he still found it quite amusing. He smiled as several ideas hit him at once and he slowly reached around behind her tapping her opposite shoulder and quickly pulled his arm back acting as if nothing had happened. The resulting effect was Sakura yelping slightly looking wildly around on both sides and cowering further into the blanket.
He watched with the others waiting to try his next trick on her for the right moment. Sakura watched as the woman in the movie hid under her covers and Sakura mimicked the action of drawing the blanket higher up. She watched in horror as the blanket in the movie began to grow a large lump in it and in the same instant as the face appeared under the covers in the movie she felt something on her leg and she let out a loud scream flinging the blanket away and kicked it furiously away in fear.
This earned a great laugh from everyone around her, loudest of all Syaoran who she now knew was behind the antic. But she was, at this point, to scared to do much about it and drew her legs up and hugged them close to her. She was sure that face would plague her every time she now went to go to bed and she dreaded the thought of going to sleep tonight. There was a loud scream in the movie and she couldn't help her sudden reflex to cover her ears and turn her tightly shut eyes away and buried her face between Syaorans shoulder and the couch behind him. "Tell me when it's over." Syaoran smiled only blushing for a second before he smiled at how childish she was being and turned his attention back to the movie every now and then holding back laughter as Sakura attempted watching again before something happened or the little boy meowed and she dove her head back into the space between his shoulder and the couch.
He nudged her quivering form after a while and this time he really did almost feel bad for her at how scared she was. "It's over" At this she attempted a relieved smile and sighed deeply in relief, relaxing back into her proper place a hand on her chest in an attempt to slow her breathing. "I think that's the most of a scary movie I've ever tried to watch and I'm never doing it again. And I swear if I ever see a little boy meow like that..."She shivered and Tomoyo laughed,
"It's just a movie Sakura. I think you'll survive. Or is this going to be like the time we saw the ring where you didn't watch TV for weeks and you swore you were going to die in a week."
Syaoran laughed and Sakura's embarrassed blush, only Tomoyo and Meilin knew about that and she shrunk into her seat once again in her seat as everyone laughed. "WELL!" she said loudly trying to recover. "I propose another movie." And with out really looking at what she had put in pressed play as the next movie began. She smiled, surely Zoolander would make her forget the other movie. And for a while she did, un-till she saw a blanket or something that resembled a cat and the first time she saw someone step into a building she couldn't stop herself from yelling "DON'T GO IN! SHE'LL KILL YOU!" earning her another round of laughter. But other then that she kept her sudden 'moments' to herself and enjoyed a majority of the movie laughing at the movie, even though she had seen it numerous times and had memorized half the lines, it was still one of her favorite movies and she didn't think she would ever tire of it. As specially after seeing another horror film this was a welcome change.
Sakura got up once the movie was over approaching the TV a little cautious (some part of her mind still told her something was going to come out of it and grab her and pull her in) and changed the movie hearing Syaoran scoff behind her. "Freak gasoline fight accident?" he was arguing the stupidity of the movie with Yamazaki who was saying how all the 'stupid moments' were what made it funny. She couldn't help but smile as she returned to her place and pinched Syaorans arm, "come on loosen up it's just a movie"
He stared at her incredulously. "You should take your own advice with those horror movies."
"No that's different. See this," she said picking up the cover to the Zoolander movie, "is funny. This," she said picking up the Juan cover with the other hand, "is scary."
"So?"
"SO! So who would be afraid of Zoolander if he was ever in your house? He wouldn't know a chainsaw from a chopstick!" At this everyone laughed, it was kind of true. Syaoran made a wave with his hand brushing her off.
"Whatever, I'm going to bed. I think I've watched enough TV for today."
"Me too, I think I'll go to bed too." Tomoyo kissed Eriol goodnight and followed Meilin and Rika down the hall to the bedrooms. Syaoran had already left dragging a half-sleeping Yamazaki after him.
"You going to be ok?" Sakura looked up from where she was staring at her feet and up at Eriol who had spoken.
"Yeah I'm fine. I think I'll just stay here and watch another. I'm not quite tired yet."
"Still scared?"
"Ger. That stupid Syaoran. Just HAD to get that movie. Ger..."
Eriol smiled the knowing smile that Sakura recognized. "What?"
"You must like him if you're pushing so hard"
Sakura looked at him confused. "What are you talking about? Like who?"
Eriol smiled, "Never mind. So, are you nervous? It's supposed to be the end of this summer right?"
Sakura sighed shrugging, she knew what this last part was about. "Yeah, Dad sent me a letter a week ago. He said that the son of his good friend from college who I'm supposed to marry is 'of age' and they're planning the marriage for the end of the summer before the new school year starts. It doesn't really bother me much, but I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing. I don't even know his name, what he looks like, or if he's nice or what. I mean I always knew, but now it's like 'wow, this is real' you know?"
Eriol nodded "Well you never know it probably won't be so bad."
Sakura looked at him suspiciously. "You're up to something. And if you join Tomoyo in some scheming plan or you pull her into one of your absurd plans you wont live to regret it."
Eriol laughed, a little to guiltily in Sakura's opinion, "don't worry. I've given up in that area after last time."
Sakura smiled at Eriols last attempt during high school when he had tried to set her up with Tomoyo's help (of course that was before either of them knew) and she had ended up breaking the guys nose when he tried to make a move on her and then had a good mind to put her two friends in the same condition but decided against it and told them about her being already promised to someone and had no interest in dating anyone.
"Do you think I over reacted in breaking that guys nose?"
"Hum...maybe, but it's in your nature to over react and defend yourself."
"What's that supposed to mean!"
Eriol just laughed and Sakura soon joined in the light chuckle and hugged him goodnight and turned on the TV flipping through Jerry Springer re-runs, a court show, numerous info-mercial channels finally settling on the one thing that she thought could take her mind off the movie as she resisted the urge to grab the blanket she had kicked away earlier and settled in to watch early morning PBS. She supposed the kids shows were only on for those little kids who woke up in the middle of the night and like her couldn't sleep. She laughed wistfully as an old re-run of Mr. Rogers neighborhood came on and she found herself falling asleep. It was some episode where they were having a sleep over in the make-believe world and as they settled in for sleep she did too.
Syaoran walked in a few hours later going to the kitchen for a glass of water and found Sakura asleep on the couch her hand loosely holding the remote and an episode of Sesame street began with a dancing Big Bird. He smiled and turned off the TV and picked up the blanket wondering if he should just fold it and put it aside or put it on her. She might wake up and have a heart attack if he put it on her. The thought brought a smile to his face and he covered her with the blanket, got his drink and went back to bed pledging to wake up early to see how she would react.
Here you are, your next chapter presented humbly by yours truely. I'm so glad that so many of you like this story so much. It really makes me happy that so many of you like it so much. Ok I'm trying slowly to mush in some S+S hints in there but don't worry I have it all planned out in my head and I don't wanna rush anything...well whatever
May I now direct you to the little review button below. - I'd love to hear from you.
And Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and all of you who read and don't review, I appreciate you reading anyways.
Till next time Cursedmind -