A/N 2007: It's weird, the two jobs I threw together for Sakura. I made some minor adjustments in this chapter for it. And I did a name change again ; but yet again, it's nothing crucial.

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update this story for a while but I have a good reason for that and no it's not school! Well, it has a little to do with school. It was actually my mum. My mum officially banished me from the computer at my home for 2 whole months! (So technically I'm still not allowed on the computer, but if no one notices...) She said it was because I wasn't doing well at school (I am! Just not as well as my sister, but she is inhuman! I mean who gets an A+ on their report card for Math AND Latin?!) and spending too much time behind the computer. Anyway, my story was stored away on the computer and since I couldn't reach it. Well you know where I'm going to right?

" " talking

' ' thinking

Chapter 5

"It's going excellent with Sakura," Mei Lin said when Sakura joined them outside on the veranda. "She's even on the front cover of Vogue! I don't know why she even keeps her job as a teacher."

"Mei Lin you know I like to be around people! Besides I wouldn't be in the Vogue if it weren't for Tomoyo's success with her clothing line." Sakura said.

"Vogue," Syaoran said, "Wow, that's not bad. So your dream changed over the years?"

"It didn't," Sakura corrected him calmly; her gaze fell on her cup of coffee. " I only model for Tomoyo. And it was my goal to become successful so Tomoyo's clothing would gain fame." And she silently added: 'Dreams only come true by a miracle. To achieve a goal it takes devotion, ambition, talent and a lot of hard work.'

How many times did she and Syaoran sit here? With a fiery enthusiasm they talked about their future. She wanted to become a teacher and he wanted to be the next leader of the Li-clan. But she never talked about her dream with him. Syaoran was the last person to whom she could tell her dreamto. He WAS her dream. He too never talked about his dreams. At least, not until he fell in love with Misha. Afterwards he could only talk about Misha this and Misha that.

"Alright your goal." Syaoran leaned back lazily. "If I remember correctly you achieved your goal sooner than you thought."

"What does he mean Sakura?" Mei Lin asked curiously.

"Well ever since I was a little girl I already knew that I would become a model. Even then I was walking around in the clothes that Tomoyo designed for me, remember? He's right though... I never thought that I would achieve my goal so quickly."

"That's not so surprising." Mei Lin noticed a bit disapprovingly. "If you fell in love on a nice young man of your age and lived a little, then you wouldn't have spend every single hour you had on that modelling career of yours."

"I did have boyfriends. You know that very well. Take Jefrrey Walkings and Kazuya Kyushu for example. You liked them too, or so you said. How come you've forgotten them already?"

"Oh that's such a long time ago. Now it's like you have a new boyfriend every weekend." Sakura gave Mei Lin the evil eye, but Mei Lin remained calm and stared back, defiantly. Sakura stood up.

"I think I'm going to take a stroll over the beach." She announced.

Syaoran and Mei Lin stood up as well. Mei Lin turned towards Hao.

"Hao, I need to plant some few vegetables in the garden. I could use some help, especially with the watering pot. That thing is so heavy. Well what do you say? You'll have to pull of your shoes, because it's probably going to be messy."

"I'm not allowed to get dirty. Mommy doesn't like..." He shut up immediately and he could feel the heat rushing towards his cheeks.

Mei Lin was staring at the boy, shocked, Syaoran stared at his son as if he was an alien. Sakura realized that somebody had to help him out.

"Hao?"

He looked up at her and she smiled reassuringly. "Sweetie, nobody cares if you get a little dirty. That's the fun part of it all. I can understand that your mommy didn't want to get your school uniform dirty or any of your good clothes, but-"

"I wasn't allowed to get dirty. Ever." Stubborn he stared at her. "I don't want to get dirty. You can't make me!"

'What the hell was wrong with Misha?' Sakura thought. 'Telling her son not to get dirty. Outrageous!'

"Then you'll come and watch me doing it." Mei Lin decided. "I don't mind to get a bit dirty. You know what? When I'm finished you can clean my dirty legs and feet by using the hose, alright?"

Hao's glasses slipped a bit and he pushed them back up his nose. Sakura thought she saw a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Okay," he mumbled, "I would like to do that."

"Good." Mei Lin opened the door for him and together they disappeared into the house, leaving an uncomfortable Sakura and a cold Syaoran alone.

"Well," she said stiffly, taking a step back, "I'll be on my way then."

"Wait a minute." Syaoran said and in one quick move he was standing right next to her on the stairs. He grabbed her arm. "Where are you going?"

His touch made her skin all tingly in a pleasant way. Resentful she shook his arm off.

"Are you deaf?" She looked up at him and immediately wished that she didn't. His amber eyes were blinding and his arrogant gaze frightful. "I'm going to take a little stroll." She said.

"I'm coming with you."

"I don't want you to come with me. I'd rather go alone. I want to be able to think clearly."

"About what you want to do with the cottage?"

"Yes. About the cottage."

"Well," Syaoran said in a coolly. "We can stay here, while you're being stubborn telling me not to come along with you, when you perfectly know that you can't stop me anyway. Or we can walk awhile. I'm staying here the whole summer and according to Mei Lin you are going to come here as often as you can. You seem to be single and so am I. We know each other since we were like what? Seven years old so lets make it a summer to remember okay?" He laughed harshly. "Just a summer fling. Well, what do you think?"

Sakura stood there, perplexed. No that wasn't the right word. She was insulted! Though... it was understandable. From his point of view on the whole Eriol and Misha matter. And Mei Lin also said that she had loads of boyfriends. She couldn't know that they were only friends and not more than that.

"You mean an affaire?" Sakura raised one of her eyebrows mockingly. "Is that wise with all the sexual relationships that I've had?"

"Oh, that's not a problem." A soft breeze coming from the direction of the water blew in her face. With an irritated gesture he pushed his unruly hair back, out of his eyes.

"You've changed." She shivered, as she looked at him "You're not the same guy from the past."

"You're talking about the past. The past isn't the present."

He blocked her way when she wanted to walk further. He was standing a step lower, so their eyes were on the same height. She was staring straight into his amber gazers.

"I never understood," he said roughly, "why a beautiful woman like you had to go and do it with a married man. You could've had any man you wanted with your looks. Why did you have to have Eriol Hiiragizawa? I've known him since I was a little child and I could've sworn that he was the last person on earth to cheat on his wife."

"Well, that shows how good you know Eriol. Or me for that matter."

The memory of that summer, long ago, made Sakura's voice sound bitter. She tensed up, when Syaoran suddenly grabbed her and pulled her towards him. Before she could do anything he kissed her hard and intense.

It didn't even last 15 seconds.

Syaoran was panting heavily and her lips were tingling. Never before had he treated her like this. It was like he'd given her a blow in the face.

"Don't do that again..." she whispered hoarsely and looked at her face, his dark hair, tanned skin and amber eyes.

His mouth was drawn in a cynical smirk.

He kissed her. There was a time when she would have sold her soul for a kiss from him, Syaoran Li. She never thought that she would react like this. A sob welled up in her throat.

"This is gonna be one hell of a summer, Sakura. I bet that I'll have you in my bed by the end of it. Then I'll find out how you seduced a man like Eriol while his wife was lying in the hospital." He snorted. "It's a challenge, shall we say?" After that he turned around and walked away. A few seconds later she heard a door being opened and closed.

Confused, Sakura went to the beach. What had possessed her to come to the cottage? Could she be even more stupid?

Then the image of Hao appeared in her mind. She pitied the child. Maybe this summer would end nicely. Maybe Mei Lin could help Hao open up and teach him how to handle his sorrow.

If it weren't for Hao she would've gone home immediately. She had to keep herself away from Syaoran and most of all away from his bed.

Tomoyo and her child arrived that day at Cherry's Lake.

Sakura hadn't noticed it. She was busy with cleaning out the shed.

'Just in case Mei Lin wants to sell the cottage.' She told herself. Deep in her heart she knew that the real reason that she was doing this was to avoid Syaoran.

It was half past 4 when she stopped cleaning. She was resting against a tree when she heard someone walking towards her.

'Probably Mei Lin.' She thought and opened her eyes to see... Tomoyo.

"Tomoyo?" Sakura said smiling

Tomoyo beamed. "Sakura! How is my favourite model doing?" And they both hugged each other.

"Pretty good. How about you?" Sakura asked breaking the hug.

"It' couldn't be better! But I've got to go now. My children are unpacking and I need to get the rest of the stuff out of the car. But I'll see you tonight at the barbeque, right? I've got enough steaks to feed an orphanage."

Sakura knew that Tomoyo and Eriol were still married. Happily married. Though Tomoyo came alone with the kids. Maybe Eriol was busy and couldn't come. Sakura hoped so. The situation was hard enough without Eriol. Even if Eriol was here, she wouldn't have had a good excuse to decline the invitation. Tomoyo knew nothing about the incident and Sakura would never tell her.

"Yeah, sounds like fun." She said

"Good! I'll see you at seven then." And Tomoyo walked off with Sakura looking sadly at her retreating back.

She went back to the shed, but she had lost her drive to clean it further. Tomoyo's appearance here raked up the painful memories... Memories she tried to forget... Memories of that night... The night of treason.

"Sakura! I've made tea! Want some?"

Sakura heard Mei Lin's voice and decided not to clean anymore. She got up and went back into the cottage.

"Did Tomoyo tell you about the barbeque? It's gonna be fun. She invited Syaoran too. It's gonna be just like old times."

"Yeah," Sakura agreed. She felt her heart pound heavily. "Except that Eriol won't be there."

"Oh didn't Tomoyo tell you? Eriol is going to arrive here at 8 o'clock."

TBC
So what do you think? Ducks from all the S+S lovers Please don't flame me! Well flame me if you must, but I promise it's all going to turn out well! After all it IS a S+S fic! Grins Well till next time! And since it's x-mas break I think I can post the next chapters up sooner, IF my parents aren't hanging around the computer. JA NE! And don't forget to review!!