Disclaimer: I don't own these people

No Escape

Trying to get over the shock, Syaoran tried again. "Your delivery." he lofted the plastic bag he was holding.

Sakura was trying to come to terms with her situation. Would she ever escape him? She said the first thing that came to her mind. "You're a delivery boy?! For Antonello?!"

"No, Antonello asked me to-" Now he knew who to blame. Honestly, he loved the old man, but now he had to die. "Um, to deliver your food."

Unexpectedly, Sakura gave him a bright grin. "So it's Antonello, eh? Nevermind. Come on in. Let me get my wallet. How much is it?"

"I'll take care of it."

"Hmm. Okay then, but the least I owe you is some of this chicken." she nipped the bag out of his hand and spread out it's contents on her small dining table, leaving Syaoran to close the door behind him and look around.

Her apartment was on the large side, with three rooms, a living room and a kitchen. Her stuff was cluttered everywhere, and he guessed that it wouldn't change even if she'd gotten a bigger space. On the narrow island separating her kitchen from her dining area, there stood a collection of Disney porcelain dolls. Bending down to study them, he asked, "So you like porcelain dolls? You don't seem the type."

She was busy wrestling with the wrapping of the chicken. "What type? And not really. It's just that I lost the porcelain doll of Simba from The Lion King my mother had given me when I moved here, and my friends just kept trying to replace it with- Oh look! Antonello packed two portions! Hmm... How if I just took the chicken and left you outside? This Antonello is sneaky." She lifted her head and caught him staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing. Let's eat." Syaoran sat down opposite her at the table, his knees slightly brushing hers. He didn't bother to move away, and neither did she.

He caught the enticing smell of the chicken even before the final layer of plastic was removed, and he suddenly realised that he was in for a torturous meal. Sakura, oblivious to his pain and anticipation, speared a piece of chicken and put it in her mouth. The wonderful taste spread all over and she moaned.

Syaoran found himself leaning closer and closer to her as she chewed. When she finally opened her eyes, he was there. She closed her eyes again as his lips touched hers, and she poured herself into the kiss.

Sakura felt the heat warm up her entire body, and when he sat back, she suddenly felt cold. "I - I think, ever since I met you on Friday, I've been eating some really delicious food. This does have it's good points." she smiled and continued eating, careful to downplay her instinctive reaction to good food.

Syaoran caught the pink tint that she couldn't hide, and grinned at her. He felt like Antonello deserved more thanks and praise than blame at this point. They finished their meal without more events, and before too long Syaoran was once again standing at her door.

"Let's put some effort into it this time, alright? It won't have anymore meaning if I keep saying 'Have a nice life' and I'm here to see it happen. Let's try this time, to keep out of each others' way, how 'bout that?" Syaoran leaned agained the door frame and smiled down at Sakura.

"I'm trying, I'm trying, but it's not working!" Sakura said with a hint of desperation as she worked to keep her own smile off her face. "Just go already." she laid both hands on his chest and pushed him bodily out the door, chuckling at his back as he raised a hand in a wave before turning the corner and walking out of sight.

Backing back into her apartment, she closed the door and leaned against it. She wondered if she would ever see him again. Five days and she'd already seen him four times. She shook her head and told herself to stop dreaming. Fate was for the fairytales.

In his own apartment at last, Mortimer opened the door wearily to an enraged Meilin. She greeted him with, "What do you mean, she didn't take you back?! You were supposed to get her back and not take 'No' for an answer!"

He leaned back against the nearest wall. Only five minutes ago did he fully realise how big a mistake he had made, dumping Sakura, the best thing that had ever happened to him. "She said the two months we had was a mistake. She said I was a pig." He picked a spot on the opposite wall and stared at it. He needed a drink.

Meilin's hand itched to slap him, the loser. "No, no this is unacceptable! I love Syaoran! I'm going to marry him, and no one's going to say different except me! We have to think, that's all. What would break them apart, permanently? Sakura seems like a very headstrong, secure woman to me. What would compromise that?"

Mortimer sighed. He didn't want to compromise Sakura. He wanted a drink with a passion. But he put in an effort. "I don't know. That someone didn't want her for herself?" Like him, he reminded himself painfully. He'd wanted sex. Now he'd lost Sakura.

Meilin looked at him like he was a usually disappointing student who'd had a breakthrough. She smiled, and her rigid posture became fluid again. He looked at her in all her perky glory, and Sakura flew right out of his head.

Sakura glanced at the calender. It was Thursday. It was - almost - two more weeks till the wedding, and still no date. Maybe she could hire a male companion... Sakura shook her head and laughed weakly. Tomoyo would flip. Then again, between an accompanied Sakura and a dateless Sakura... well maybe Tomoyo would pick the obvious choice, and give her best friend a break.

Tomoyo walked into the office just as Sakura was packing up to leave. "Tomoyo, why is it that I absolutely need a date to your wedding?" she asked as casually as she knew how.

"Because," Tomoyo started with long-suffering patience, "Your invitation says to include a friend, and you've been alone far too long!"

"Mortimer just broke up with me! Maybe I need time to recover! Maybe I don't want to rebound onto the very next creep who comes along. Maybe I-"

"Maybe you need Syaoran Li." Tomoyo finished for her, with the irritating certainty of a best friend. Sakura gave her a bland look. "Look, I'll make it easier for you. I'll invite him to the wedding, and all you have to do is offer him a ride or something."

"There's no need, and I don't have a car anyway. He does." Sakura was feeling grimmer and glummer by the minute.

"Or something it is then! Ask him for a ride." Without giving Sakura time for the witty response she so wanted to throw back and her, Tomoyo scooped up the fabric book she had gone in to take and walked back out the door in a flurry of skirts.

At seven on the dot, Sakura left the store and took a taxi to Antonello's. She was in need of some cheering up.

Antonello heartily welcomed her and sat her down, "At my best table, my dear."

After a few minutes of such warm attention, Sakura began to feel much better. She had a corner booth, the most private Antonello could offer, and sat with her back facing the door.

"Suggest something, Antonello, and I'll take your word for it." she smiled at him, and he was nearly beside himself with excitement as he went off to "Cook you the best pasta in the world!"

Somehow, she was no longer surprised when Syaoran walked through the door.

And that's chapter 6. Thanks for reading.