Title – Head Over Heels

Author – Shinsei Kokoro

Chapter – 17 – Distress Call

Beta Reader – Amai Okashi

Updated – 28th April 2005

Syaoran Li P.O.V

I wasn't having a fantastic day as usual. Not that I wanted anything else tragic to happen, but I guess having Minas underneath my breath every goddamn minute isn't really something a guy like me would go calling fantastic. Baby, hell no.

Yamazaki hadn't spoken a word about whatever he was gonna be doing to those rules hanging down the notice board at school. I think he had something more in mind than just tearing the damn thing off, burning it, and scattering off the ashes in every classroom. Kind of a ritual that he's been doing to some of his incomplete assignment sheets.

He's one of those guy that are way too creative for their own good, but he's the man for every damn screw off. I'd like to say he's kind of sensible. Like the time we were gonna burn down this guy's townhouse. He'd been messing around with Chiharu, and Yamazaki had been a hard guy to control back then. He'd gone nuts, but he had managed to break a few bones without actually getting any of the petrol or the match sticks out.

Yamazaki's a good guy. He used to be hard out into dope, but he somehow got out of it. Chiharu says it's all because of her, but I still catch him smoking on a joint once in a while when she's not looking.

And he's not much of a rich guy really. His parents are these knock-off socks who never did give a damn about what he did. He used to smoke in front of them, and his mom used to just bring in an ashtray. Prissy, I'd told him and he'd laughed it off. But I don't think he's one of us. Not the kind of guy who's trying to get away from his family, or like Shiroi who hogs onto his nurse mother and sister. When he's really wasted, he says stuff like he's gonna jump on a train one day and go check out what his family's up to. But seriously, he hasn't seen them for nearly two years and if they at least gave a fuck about him, they would have put up a missing poster or two. I don't think he's gonna last too long around me or my apartment either. And I guess it would kinda suck with him gone, but I'll give him a couple more years. He's been a good mate.

Actually, if I gotta think about it, I'm probably the one who's the most worst off. Most guys who crash at my apartment usually have their families around somewhere around town. They do a little bit of dealing sometime, but they end up leaving after months. And then coming back sometimes. But me? My mother's off in Hong Kong catering parties and drinking tea with her fingers up in the air. My no-good father's dead. My sisters' are probably married with little brats, and the only time I ever get a call from them is if I've been up to any shit.

Sometimes, it feels as if my mother knows probably about everything. The crack, plus nighting out in jails. And the only reason she's letting me be here is so that I'd be out of her hair. Really, if she's expecting that, then I surely won't fail her.

I don't know too much about Chiharu. I heard something from Meiling that her family moved town again. I don't know, maybe they're sort of like gypsies?

Meiling's the runaway from our gang. She said she couldn't take any more of her Dad and so ended up nicking his credit card and taking a flight right down here. They found her missing before she could knock on my door, but I said she'd be okay with me. And that was just 'cause she's the closest of my cousins. My Uncle screamed through the phone for a couple of days, but that was it after then. He's the kind of guy who wants every damn thing perfect and that's exactly what Meiling ran away from. I don't really blame her. It sort of runs around in our families.

After a little kiss in public with Minas, all knew I was back with her. And shit man, I could've sworn Meiling was gonna bite my head off. She was probably confused on what the heck I was up to, and I let her stay that way. It wasn't her damn business what I got with and what girls I did anyway. And like always, I knew she was gonna go snooping around, but I didn't give.

And as for my girl tide, Sakura was fuckin' history. It was some day yesterday, but it was darn right over. I wasn't gonna be thinking about her and I sure wasn't having her anywhere near me. If she would, then I know I'd explode. I bloody know that.

It was all of Minas I had right at that moment.

When History came, I wasn't gonna bother going. But who the heck was I to let some whore get me feeling uncomfortable? I went right in, maybe just to spite myself, but she wasn't there and that was just way too fuckin' good. Because I'd probably have smacked myself if I had to see her face anytime too soon.

She wasn't there when the teacher took the roll, and for once I actually found some of Hitler's propaganda trash getting into my head. The guy had some sad ass life and that was darn right the only reason he was in our History books.

The guys in front of me decided to be smart again and I cussed a little at them after giving them the fingers. Sods. I was gonna make them half-dead when school was over for me after next year. That way, no principal was gonna give me detention or threaten to call my folks.

Sakura wasn't there even when bell rang. Probably hiding away from me? Ha! Or maybe she was visiting that guy I'd smashed at a hospital. God, that was funny. She would probably be too chicken to even come to school. Her family would most likely move back to wherever the hell she came from just 'cause the big bad boyfriend came to beat her up. I bet she'd be having some good stuff for the bastard she'd been doing behind my back. Fuck her man. That's what she got for messing with me. Fucking tramp.

That was shitty. Embarrassing, really. Yamazaki and the others probably knew. Maybe that's why they'd been so damn tight with me about her. But then again, it was like bullshit to have something with girls like her. I'd only wanted some fun first, but she'd been a little too good in her game. Shit, no girl had made me not sleep. Not some goody two shoes with an attitude.

I wasn't supposed to be thinking about her again. I wasn't supposed to be fuckin' thinking about her! She was supposed to be shoved up somewhere up her own ass. And I didn't wanna get a darn headache again. It seemed like that was all she ever did. Piss me off with a headache even when I was with her. Not that we did anything much. Fuck, maybe that was why she went dancing around with Hiiragizawa and his serves. 'Cause she didn't get what she wanted from me.

Sakura Kinomoto P.O.V

I've always wanted to miss out on classes. Just for the sake of it. Just so I could tell the cool and wannabe so-and-so people that I've wagged without getting snapped. That was something that no one had managed to do in Tokyo. Wagged without getting collared with an entire week of detention and getting your parents called. Then after that came getting grounded and not getting pocket money. With that came working extra hours just so you could get everything you needed for the school's camp trip and of course, the official school prom on every fall. Wearing the same dress every year was unbearable, and everyone knew that accessories were necessary. So wagging had its ups and downs.

But spending it in the nurse's ward? That's like the oldest thing honey.

There I was, huddled in a thin blanket next to another snoring cot. The wetness on my pillowcase had dried off and I had actually managed to doze off for a few minutes in the past couple of hours. The poor nurse kept checking up on me after bandaging my scraped knee, always with a tray of painkillers and mineral water. And when she asked for a legitimate response all she got was my blank look and a groan. Yup, I lacked communicating skills.

But then that set her off on trying to call one of my family members, and I just muttered out that Dad was out of town and Touya was working and I didn't know his work number. I was such a good liar in bed. Seriously. And to top it off, my acting was even better. The slow croaky coughing and drooping my eyelids once in a while made it all worth it. That nurse was such a sucker!

With the blanket up to my nose, I looked like any severely sick person who couldn't get up or make an effort to talk without moaning out three-forth of the sentence. It was hard at first, but I grew better at it as the first half-hour passed. Then I was competing with the guy sleeping on the cot against the wall. God, he could snore. Not the kind of clichéd loud ones, but the squeaky and chirpy one. The really annoying one.

So it isn't as entertaining to stay nearly two hours in the sick bay, the squeaky snorer included. I started out with fumbling with my toes and biting the insides of my cheeks, and now I was chewing on the ends of my blanket. Frustration was definitely on top of my list. No, scratch that. Anger was my utmost priority to handle at that moment.

People say that it's hard to see the man in a guy when you see one. But I say it's harder to see the bastard in a guy when you keep seeing him. Off course, that guy has to be someone you like. Or maybe even love for a few particular cases. Not that I'm in love with Syaoran or anything of course.

I guess I'm one of those stupid idiotic girls who're so damn easy to be fooled. And it's not even an intelligent guess. I'm speaking from personal experience as always.

I'm probably the lowest class of dolts where the brains -and not the eyes- need glasses. Thus that makes me a fool. A perfect A-list fool who trots around with her tongue hanging out around the man she worships. I don't know why I hadn't seen it coming. Syaoran was an asshole. A sodding hypocrite.

I mean, who the hell was the player now huh?

Who was the betrayer and who was the whore?

I hadn't done anything. In all honesty, there had been no one other than him on my mind since day 1 of school. I didn't have a secret boyfriend in Tokyo. I wasn't the least bit attracted to Eriol. I thought Van was a scum and who else? There had been no other guy I'd even dared to ogle on. I used to be so rackety over him, that I'd gone thinking every brown-head guy I saw was him, every black car that went by me was his and any face I'd dream of was his.

But him? He'd beaten up Touya yesterday. My own brother. He'd given him a black eye, made his jaw bleed and nearly broken one of his ribs. And I'd just seen him laughing the very damn next day! And making out with some girl right in the open! Oh fucking hell, I couldn't believe it! I couldn't believe he'd actually do something like that. Like…like it had been nothing. Like all he needed was one night to get over all of it. All of what had happened yesterday. All of what had happened between us! He made it seem like I never even existed. As if I was just a random thought he'd chosen to forget and piss on.

I can't believe I'd actually fallen for a guy like him. It was just so unbelievable that Syaoran was like this. It was a bloody fine opportunity to see the guy I adorned in his true appearance. Like one day was all he needed to be jealous, and the next day he'd pick the girl second in line the moment I was behind him.

It wasn't something I'd even let myself imagine him to do. That he would just dismiss it like as if he never gave a heck. Or maybe it was just because of who he was. A filthy outcast who played girls like monopoly. But the worst part of it was that he really did make me feel like trash. Doesn't that make me even more pathetic?

Syaoran Li P.O.V

Man, I swear, today had to probably be the day when everyone was supposed to point a freakin' gun at me and shoot my face blind-folded.

Minas's brother checked up at school at the end of lunch. He wanted to give me a run over 'cause he seemed to have found out about me getting back with his sister. For a fucking shit-face, I found him to be quite the family guy. But I just gave him the finger and he happily trotted back to his car after one of Meiling's friends gave him the heads up. If she hadn't had her skanky friend with her right then, he would have probably sent me to the nearest hospital by pounding me up to a bloody pulp and cutting off my arms so that they would never be a meter near his sister.

Meiling had been asking around. About Sakura and me, and it was lots of good that hardly anyone knew we'd even been around. But I was still gonna send her packing if I were to hear her fuckin' name again.

Next came Yamazaki's all-rounder stunt. It was probably the cheapest thing he'd ever come up with this entire year. I don't know whom he'd used to get it done, but fire had its involvement. Instead of putting the decaying paper of the rules on fire, he'd blazed down the entire notice board.

It rocked for a while. Y'know, just coming back in when the bell rang and seeing the entire wall stripping with red and yellow flames while the entire school packed around to watch it like it was some sort of a bonfire and we were supposed to do one of those catchy tribal dances. Fuck yeah, it rocked.

But not for too long.

The fire alarm was pulled a few minutes late and that had brought on another problem. A girl's jacket had somehow caught on fire and by the time she had wormed out of it, all there could be seen was a strappy singlet that showed off her bright blue bra. Then came the fire department with their sound effects, and instead of hosing down the notice board, it felt like the entire hallway had been drowned like the stunts in Titanic.

It was fun while it lasted. I met Yamazaki in the backfield and we cracked it off there. He'd somehow managed to do it without getting seen, and he didn't miss out a detail while he filled the rest of the gang in about how he and his mates created the bitch-fight distraction and how they got the kerosene around in water bottles.

After half an hour of smoking, we were called back in. My Electronics professor didn't bother with any of his circuits mumbo jumbo. He just went on and on about how he'd once been stuck in a burning building with his three-legged cat. Not very entertaining, but that would explain that burn mark smack on his face. Poor guy, he didn't seem like the kind of guy who could turn on any woman even without that mark.

But that was when Mr. Vice Principal trotted in asking to see me. My Electronics teacher wasn't too happy to be interrupted, but since it was me he wanted, he wasn't too mad.

The Vice didn't waste any time once we were in the corridor. His voice was so quiet, I could hardly hear him, "Mr Syaoran Li." He was speaking through a tight jaw, "This is the last of your pathetic performances we're taking from you. Your stunt with the fire today has been the worst and I swear, will remain the last. You're to come with me and discuss this with the Principal without getting yourself into any other mess." He was meant to be continuing on, but I was too shocked to let him.

"Hold up buddy, you don't really think I put up the fire, do you?" I spluttered out shamelessly.

"Precisely." His eyes were snapped into slits, and I could see the tightness in the curves of his expression.

"Oh shit, you must be kidding me."

He didn't move a muscle; "I can tell you right now, that I'm very much serious." Then he added as an afterthought, "As serious as the fact of your expulsion actually."

I couldn't hold it back in anymore, "What the fuck!" I was roaring, and if I'd put some attention in it, I would have noticed the two police officers standing behind me.

"We're going to discuss this matter like gentlemen," the Vice went on while I was something more along the lines of, "The only thing we're gonna be discussing is how fucking wrong your sorry asses are."

I don't know what else happened, but before I knew it, the two officers had grabbed my arms and I'd even managed to lay a punch across one of them. That was when I heard the handcuffs around my wrists clasp, and I stayed silent nearly all of the way. Sneaky bastards.

Sakura Kinomoto P.O.V

Another squeaky wheeze from the next cot and I would honest to God murder him.

It was all good until one point, but then I couldn't take anymore of the snoring, the coarse blanket or the annoying nurse who would be better of working as a kindergarten substitute teacher. So I pleaded her for a note to let me go home and she generously wrote one out for me. I offered her my best miserable smile, gave the snoring figure a quick kick when she wasn't looking and I fled out of there.

I felt a like a criminal escapee when the sun outside hit me with full force and I matted down my hair just for God's sake before I headed off to my locker. I bet I looked like a typical runaway, but that was preferable since I was supposed to make myself presentable as a sick student who'd love to go home and rest with an ice pack on her head.

Ambling down the corridor I didn't fail to notice a group of teachers whispering amongst each other, then eyeing me warily as I walked past them. Clearing my throat, I restlessly patted my wrinkled skirt down properly and straightened my Limp Bizkit shirt, unconsciously rubbing off the dirt in my eyes and hitching my skirt down to my hips. At that moment, I wasn't in the right mood to feel embarrassed, but I decided I couldn't go overboard with the homeless look. I might just get kicked out unintentionally.

In the hurry I was in to get away from inquisitive eyes of teachers, I failed to notice the hovering smell of smoke around me. My eyes were stinging, and I could swear they were already looking puffy and filled with tiny red veins. I made a turn to look at the teachers and that was when I did a double take towards the notice board I was ignorantly walking by. Maybe I really needed glasses.

The wooden plank that I'm sure used to be a notice board was chipped black and sprawled across the corridor with little wooden flakes scattered around. There were little black ash particles hanging onto the air. The paint on the walls had been stripped down, and with a few more dainty steps, I found myself in the center of a wreckage. The scent was obtrusive and as I stood there for quite a few seconds, I was unable to move my feet.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

And if it wasn't for someone grabbing my arms and hauling me over the lumber and all, I would have probably stayed there and choked and collapsed.

"What may I ask are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" It was a teacher, but my eyes were still on the blackened wall.

"Yes." I replied, then thought back, "Well kinda. But no." I was stuttering so clearly, that I swear I was going red, "I need to go to the Admin office, because I'm taking the day off."

The lady didn't take her eyes off me for a second, "But the office is on the other side. What are you doing here then?" she asked again.

I backed off a little, "I needed to get some books out of my locker." Was I supposed to sound guilty of something?

"Really?"

I gulped at her razor-sharp gaze, and nodded quickly, "Yes. Really." What else was she expecting from me with that look?

"Then run along, and go through A block when you to go to the office. Don't come this way."

I didn't stop nodding, but I asked her, "What happened though?"

The lady grimaced as she turned around to the fallen debris and the strewn ashes, "Oh this? Some student decided to pull a prank. Maybe they thought it was funny, but they didn't really know that they could be killing someone this way."

One look at my alarmed expression, and she continued on, "The entire notice board was put on fire. It's those same kids again, trying to take down those idiotic rules. I don't why it was put up in the first place, but a girl today nearly got caught on fire, and it's something that has never happened in the twelve years I've been teaching."

"Oh." I really didn't know what to say. To think that I'd missed this all out by hiding away three periods at the sick bay meant I'd missed on some serious stuff. I mean, it wasn't everyday that your school caught on fire because someone had decided it was time to get rid of gumby made-up rules that didn't even make sense for Christ. I don't know why, but there was this quite happy feeling inside of me bubbling and not stopping to froth. Trying my hardest on not letting a smile appear, I appeared as melancholic as ever, "I hope that girl's alright. She wasn't burnt or anything was she?" Okay, I wasn't faking my worry.

"Not really. She had to be taken to the hospital because she fainted right then and there. I won't be surprised if her parents put a word against us. And it just happens that most of the juvenile criminals of Tomoeda come and go from this school, so they'll have the full support from the police if they're going to file a report."

I hardened my jaw without a moment's thought, "Oh yeah. Those outcasts, right?"

The teacher rolled her eyes, and I could see mirth in them, "That's a social term, but I'd rather regard them as attention seekers. They would go to any extent to just catch a bit of attention."

Attention seekers? No. I think I'd rather call them freaks. Or maybe even bastards for one in particular, but of course, I couldn't tell her that, could I?

Syaoran Li P.O.V

Life is a big bad boring bitch.

Sometimes, the things I get in drive me crazy to a point where I just sit the hell down, and talk when I'm asked to. Like this one for example.

I had been dragged off by my handcuffs to the Admin, and I was standing in the side in between the two police officers. I was sick of even saying anything right now, because at whatever I said or expressed, I was jabbed in the back or just ignored. For fuck's sake, I wasn't even heard out.

The entire gang was there like I'd expected. Anything suspicious happens at this school, and all fingers point at the outcasts. Me in most cases, since I've been a much frequent visitor to the police station than the rest. I'm so fucking bad that the Vice doesn't even suspect nobody else. And Yamazaki? He's sitting on one of the couches in the corner of the room looking as innocent as ever. Asshole.

But some of these guys were giving me an alibi. Shiroi was face to face with the principal having some sort of a debate that I'd long tuned out. It was something about prejudice against eccentric kids like us.

But now that I think about it, getting expelled didn't sound too bad at all as long as I was out of this dump of a school. But the nasty thing would be that they'd be calling mother and then she would be finding out about everything I'd been up to, and I didn't want that to happen. Heck, I can just imagine her dragging me back to Hong Kong by my ear, locking me inside a cardboard box and committing her biggest dream by having me home-schooled.

Damn, there was no way I was gonna to that flipping crap. Heart to heart, there was no way I would be even going to Hong Kong. That was history man. Something that could have happened a long, long time ago.

After another fifteen minutes of talking and yelling, there seemed to be some sort of agreeing on the Vice's behalf. The principal was just sitting at his desk, looking at each one of us, and occasionally questioning someone before setting his porcupine eyes back on me. Porcupine meaning round and gleaming eyes.

Then for sometime everyone was looking at me, and the Vice was asking me that same question again, "Syaoran, let me ask you for the last time, did you set the notice board on fire or not?" If someone was as close to him as I was, you could actually see the gray in his moustache and how they puckered up every time he spoke. But he was looking serious. Yup, as serious as officially announcing my expulsion.

I was silent for a moment, and I could feel the tense air striking up and down amongst us. Then one of his eyebrows twitched and I rolled my eyes, "No sir."

There was some sort of sighing all around me, and I could even hear Shiroi's constant mumbling, "Took the man long enough to deny that."

The Principal was still watching me as the Vice muttered something to the two officers about my handcuffs, and off they came. The guys starting muttering away while I spent a good few seconds rubbing my wrists. The blasted cuffs had even casted a design onto one side, so in gratitude I gave the officer on my right my nastiest look.

Now I could see the Principal and Vice whispering something between themselves, each time motioning and glancing at me. Then all at once, the Vice ushered the gang away, and the Principal was up on his feet, walking towards me. But he wasn't looking at me. His eyes were on the officers and I wouldn't have been happier. This senior citizen was a walking zombie.

"I'm sorry, but we seem to have a bit of a confusion here." He was steadying himself, I could see that, "This…young man here seems to be innocent, as many of…" he pointed at the guys who were leaving, "… these students have given him a decent alibi. And…" he sighed deeply as if regretting the things he was saying, "…he also was not seen anywhere in the vicinity by the students as he has…quite a reputation around here," He gave me a tight smirk, "To be a troublemaker."

"So?" the officer rounded me a quizzical look, before rebounding to the Principal.

"He's not the kid."

Yea-yah. Damn, that took a while eh?

For a second there, I thought it was really happening. Me getting expelled and facing it off with mother. Oh man, that would probably be where I'd be screwed for good, 'cause there's one person you don't wanna mess with, and that's my mom. It's always been her.

The two police officers walked out after sharing some more lethal advice with me and unlocking my cuffs. And then, after long last, I was left standing alone with the elderly citizen, the Vice long gone to probably nanny the guys back to class.

He was still watching me, and he was still puckering up his nose to kind of keep his glasses from sliding down his nose. He was a funny kind of a guy. The typical grandpa look, but one who'd been to hell and back. Maybe he should have a chat with mother. I don't have a doubt that they'd get along well. But I don't suppose he'd be the sort of guy letting himself to tea parties, where every inch of the town's gossip starts.

Fortunately for me, he was the first one to speak while walking back to that seat behind his desk, "I guess I should apologize."

I didn't catch myself grinning, "Yeah, I guess you should."

He shifted away a couple of papers, closing files after files, and opening drawers. He only spoke after a couple of minutes; "I apologize for blaming you Syaoran."

I couldn't help but snort at his attempt; "It's all good. Not like it's the first time or something."

"Don't take this too lightly Syaoran." I stopped to stare at him.

"What makes you think I am?"

"Oh please, I've been finding out that for a couple of years now. With all the things you've been getting yourself into, I don't know if you ever take time to be serious."

"You don't know nothing 'bout me."

"Maybe I don't, but you don't either."

I scowled at his riddle, "What the heck's that supposed to mean?"

The man was up on his feet like a bullet, "You might not have put up this fire, but I know one thing. You know who did it. Don't you?"

I croaked a laugh, and busily pocketed my hands. I needed time off, so I was gonna stall all the time I could to stay away from Electronics. "Gee. You just read my mind."

"This is not the time to be funny. A girl could have just died, and all because some of you wanted to play a game. She could have lost her life."

"But she didn't. The only thing she lost was a bra strap." I countered back.

"That's just not it. If the girl's parents file a report in, it is definitely getting to the Ministry of Education. And if it really was you who did this, then not only will you be expelled from this school, but all chances of you getting into any other or even any universities will be a dead end." His teeth were clenched as though he were getting all his frustration out before he added in, "Syaoran, it will be the end of whatever career you might want to have. As a matter of fact, with your report on hand, I'm positive you've already spoiled your life."

"It wasn't me allright."

"Then who was it?"

I glowered at his eager face, "I don't know." Man if he thought I was gonna give any names away, then he had another thing coming. The frustration was clear on his face, and I bet he just couldn't wait to use a truth syringe on me, "But yo, tell me one thing. Why is it just us you suspect? What if it's someone else? Are you just gonna chuck us away to juvi 'cause you don't want your prissy school to be stained?"

He was quiet. Man, he was quiet for a very long time, and I smirked at his face, "You've got nothing to say now, have you?" It was fun torturing this man. Seriously.

"Maybe it's not one of your friends." He sat back down, "But whoever it is, I'm going to find them."

I couldn't stop though, "Nah. You would never put one of those guys behind bars. I'm telling you, in the end, it's always gonna be one of the outcasts, and I know you can't wait to have each one of us out of this school. One by one."

"Syaoran. This conversation is over."

"You bet it is."

"Get to your class, right now."

I swept a grin by him, and walked out, "Gladly. And good luck to you. Hope you find those guys that get your pressure this high."

But he's never gonna. He can try all he want, but I know he'll be getting nowhere. Yamazaki's been doing things like these since years, and he has never once been caught.

Sakura Kinomoto P.O.V

I was just sitting there. Honestly. The attendance officer I was supposed to give my note to was a little busy doing her stuff in the tearoom and so I was just waiting till I could get to call Touya and ask him to pick me up from wherever he was. I was just minding my own business, trying to look like the school kid I was, sitting all alone in the waiting area, but no. For some guys, I might as well be a half-naked girl hanging by the highway, dancing my ass off.

Like these guys. They just came out of nowhere. One look at them, and I knew they were all 'outcasts'. It seemed weird on actually using that term, but it's something I should have used a long time ago. They just walked by like a pack of dogs in heavy clothing, hair of sorts and things gleaming off them while they shamelessly clucked by. One of them even managed to call out my name, and I flipped him the birdie.

"Sod off will you?" No, I wasn't in the mood to make acquaintances. Another look at them, and I knew who else I was gonna be seeing. But he wasn't there. Till the moment they passed through the automatic glass door, my heart didn't stop beating. My plan was supposed to just walk off when I'd seen them, but hey. I wasn't the guilty one here. I wasn't the one who'd actually cheated on anyone. I wasn't the one who'd beaten up my brother. And I wasn't the one who was a whore. Oh no, not me. So I had sat there, on my plastic seat, trying to feign a calmness with my insides still in knots.

"Good one."

I whipped my head to see who had remarked on my extremely courageous act with the corniest of all comments.

It was a guy. And I had to pull back in surprise, because this kid was standing right in front of me, "For what?" I blinked him at him cautiously, while sizing him up. He looked like any puny wannabe kid, with Harry Potter glasses.

"For standing up to losers like them," he made a hand movement towards the doors, and that was when I noticed the book he was carrying. He was a junior. Great. Now I have juniors trying to flirt with me. What was wrong with me?

"Uh thanks, I guess." I tried to smile, but I think it came out looking wacky. Who the hell was this guy and what was he doing creeping up on me like that?

"You're Sakura, right?" Okay, that had been the most forward comment I'd gotten all day. Not the kind of ones I like because of the loads I'd gotten in buckets from Syaoran. So I was about to comply with a sarcastic remark like an 'are you?' but I thought against it. I wasn't in the mood to be rude on purpose.

"Um, yes." I mumbled shifting my shoe bag in between my feet, "Sorry but I don't really know you. You're not one of those brainy people in one of my classes are you?"

He laughed to show off her retainers, "No, don't worry. Even though a few of my friends are, I'm not ready to be loaded down with the stuff I read in my sister's books. Though I think one of my friends' in your Chemistry class. Or maybe that was Maths. I'm not too sure."

"That's all right." I tried my best to be looking interested, but that was when I stopped short for a little more than a second. The door to the Principal's office had just swung open and out walked Syaoran. Hands in his pockets and a smile riding his face.

It was him, I just knew it. He was yelling out something, but all I could see was him and feel that similar rage burning inside of me. I was shaking. Oh God, the sight of him was making me shake and I didn't know what to do. I wasn't ready for a confrontation yet. My mind was feeling all smoggy, and right at that moment all I wanted to do was swipe a gun out and shoot him on target. I wanted to kill him.

The kid in front of me kept on talking, but he was all I was seeing. And just with him in my mind again, he brought out everything he'd done to me. Since yesterday to this very morning. From beating up Touya to when I had seen him kissing some girl. And it brought back just about everything else. All the tears. All the pain. And all the anger.

And oh God. He was coming this way. He was walking right towards me without a glance lifted. He was so near. Nearer than I've been for the past day or two. I think I could have burst with all the emotions burning around me. I wish I could have. But that didn't happen, and in the last moment where I had finally made up my mind to look up at him, he had just walked by me.

He hadn't stopped for a second to look down at me. He hadn't turned his head over. There had been nothing. He just walked on like I'd been…invisible. Like I hadn't even been sitting there. The son of a bitch had the nerve to ignore me after all the things he was making me go through!

That didn't set well with me. I attempted sitting still with every possible nerve quivering. My lungs were on the verge of exploding. My stomach remained in my mouth. I stayed restless. And so when I knew I couldn't take it anymore, I leaped up on my heels and ran out the same doors he had left by.

I knew I wasn't gonna let him get by me this easily. I couldn't let a loser like him get any sort of an advantage over me, and when I finally caught sight of him, I thought I was gonna loose it. And so I did the first thing that came to my mind without a moment's hesitation.

I screamed at him.

"You were fucking wrong!" When he didn't turn around, all it did was usher more anger. "STOP AND LISTEN TO ME!" I was torn down and I knew in the stiffening of his shoulders that he'd heard me loud and clear this time.

He knew it was me.

"YOU ARE THE GODDAMN WHORE." I screeched with everything in me, "YOU ARE THE LIAR. YOU ARE THE PIECE OF SHIT AND DON'T YOU DARE FORGET THAT YOU FUCKING WANKER!" I didn't know what else came out of my mouth, but that was it. I had finally let him know what I thought of him, let every damn emotion pour out in every obscenity I shrieked. And even after that, he never did stop walking.

He just never turned around.

I'm at home now, and I haven't stopped crying. Touya questioned me a couple of times, but all he got was my locked door. I couldn't help it. I felt like someone had whacked me across my head hard and the tears didn't stop coming. I tried, but all it resulted in were my roars smothered against the pillow and just burying my breath in. It hadn't worked and I didn't know what would. I only wanted to forget him. I only wanted him out of my head, at least for a few seconds because he was making me go crazy. He was making every part of me burn with woe. He was making every bit of fury in me energize my sobs and turn them hoarse.

And in a twisted way, I don't know why, but all I wanted to remember was the first time he had touched me.

Crying in bed, all I felt were his fingers in my hair, his body over mine and his hot breath darting across my face. Once in a while, I could picture him smiling through the tears in my eyes. He looked distorted, but that smile was still there. It was a trance, I knew that. However never in my life had I so badly needed him to hold my face and kiss me. Just keep kissing me.

I know I wasn't supposed to feel that, but I required it so badly. It was supposed to be wrong, but I couldn't help it. And it wasn't just some ordinary attraction. I swear it wasn't. It wasn't the hatred, even though strong. It was something else. Some sort of a desperation. It felt as if just one second ago he was kissing me and then the next he was calling me names with Touya bleeding on the floor. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't! How could someone be so blind! So stupid? How could he ever even think that I would cheat on him when I'd been so open with him? It was impossible for me to understand.

He had ruined my home. He had torn up everything inside me. And I was pathetic enough to want him more than ever.

But I had decided something. I was gonna give up on him. If possible, make him pay. And if not, I'll show him just how much I'm exactly worth.

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A/N: Whoa, I hope that last bit was as tense reading as it was tense writing for me. I'm definitely trying not to drag this story on, as some of you said. But I need to put some words in, in order to show the change in their relationship. They were just attracted to each other before any attachment came in. Something came along their way, Syaoran's pride stuck out and now Sakura's anger.

Anyways, finally a chapter with more of Syaoran's thoughts on the table. I love what I made him into. A typical bad boy who has been manipulated by his own twisted way of taking things under control. He's not really a trashy playboy or a hard-core gangster but still inexperienced when it comes to playing soft and tender with a girl like Sakura. He likes girls, but only as a side dish. I wanted to keep him as original as possible, because there's always more than two or three attitudes around.

The hatred between them is now official. Can thou perchance express what is to befall next on this insufferable pair?