This Time Imperfect

Chapter Two: Monday

I sat on the edge ofmy bed in my room quietly. My room is dark thoughI know that it's early morning, and quiet though outside is already alive and buzzing.

I hold a pink card in my hand, and I watch as my bony and delicate fingers ran up and down the card, framing the picture. My name, along with Syaoran's, were messily scribbled under the words, "Hope."

I had noticed that the card was a little darker pink than the rest of my deck long ago, but now that seemed to be more the truth than ever.

Looking around, I shiver.

My naked body have goosebumps all over and my feet and hands feel numb. This room that had cradled me and comforted me for so many years now felt cold, and barren.

The usual snores of Kero and the familiar ticking of her clock were absent as well for Kero was asleep in the book and whoever had done this tome had brokenmy alarm clock on the wall.

I could still see the clocks bright numbers… : 2:17 :

For a while I just sat there in a stupor. I was so used to having someone save me; someone always come to my rescue, but the night it mattered the most, no one had came.

That was partially my fault though.

I knew that Yukito would be really drunk so that would affect Yue as well, plus I knew what I was doing when I told Kero to go into the book. I knew the risks but they hadn't mattered. The world had been perfectly fine to me at that point, just the day before.

"Sakura-chan!" My brothers voice calls up to me. He was standing at the bottom of the stairs. I didn't respond. I couldn't find my voice. It was as if the silence had consumed me after all of the screaming.

"Your stupid boyfriend is here to take you to school!" He shouted when I didn't reply.

I looked down. I wasn't even dressed. My nakedness showed bruises, and I felt soar between my legs.

:His breath tickled on my neck and his deep moan made me sick. I felt his hands run over my bare chest and down my stomach. I tried to press my legs shut but he forcefully opened them and I felt his cold fingers enter me.

Shaking violently I told him to stop but the smell of alcohol in the air told me that that wasn't going to happen.:

Standing up, I walked over to my door. Opening it just a tad, my eyes stung from the sudden light. I had not realized my room was so dark.

"I-I'm not feeling very well! I just vomited so I don't think I will go to school today."

Touya stared at me for a moment, than I saw him look over at Syaoran.I closed the door butI could still the confused looks they were giving one another. I rarely ever missed school because of sick days. I knew that Syaoran thought I might truly be sick, and was already considered stopping over later that night with some flowers to cheer me up, but I didn't know what Touya was thinking. Probably that I had taken some alcohol from the teenagers.

The small party he had planned to have had gone was out of proportion when people even he didn't know started to show up. I think he was really guilty because I had been in my room all night, so that is proably why he would let me stay home.

Later, he would proably berate me softly for taking the alcohol.

Istared atmy door for a momentand walked to my bed, curling into a little ball like an animal.

My whole body was shaking again, so violently that my lower back was beginning to ache. After a few moments of just laying there, I decided that I wouldn't be able to sleep any time soon so I stood up and trudged to the bathroom.

"I can't see him today." I told myself softly as I ran the water for the bath. Stepping in I felt the hot water prick my skin painfully but I didn't care. It was warm and I was not.

I let my body soak in the tub for a good half hour, then sat and scrubbed my skin.

:His fingers touched my arms, my legs, my whole body… I had never felt so dirty in my entire life.:

Tears also pricked my eyes and I scrubbed harder. Soon my skin was an unhealthy red and my body felt raw. I finally broke down and cried again.

"I can't face him today…" I whimpered, sinking into the water. I couldn't. He would ask too many questions, act like everything was how it was just yesterday morning at school. I looked into the mirror and almost flinched.

My green eyes looked so dark, so...hopeless. I didn't really know what to do except to cry and wish the pain would go away.

"Syaoran! Please make it stop!"