Chapter Five: School Dance (Part Two)

"Come on, Syaoran! I don't wanna be late!"

Eriol tugged on Syaoran's black coat sleeve. He had finally coaxed poor Syaoran, again, to attend a 'formal party' at a neighbourhood community hall, ordering him to put on his best clothes and shiny shoes. Syaoran, as usual, was confused.

"Where in the world are we going, Eriol?"

He just grinned. "You'll see."

"I hate you,"

"Me too," Eriol laughed, tugged him harder and led him towards the entrance adorned with streamers, balloons and paper flowers. To Eriol, it was an opportunity; to Syaoran, it was a man's worst nightmare. From far away Syaoran could tell that this wasn't just a formal party, it was more like a school dance as he stepped further inside with Eriol grinning to himself. There were youngsters everywhere, wearing all sorts of colours, in all sorts of dresses. He growled, grabbed Eriol by the arm and pulled him close.

"You lied to me, again!"

Eriol just shrugged. "You hate me now, but I bet you'll thank me later." His gaze fell onto something over his shoulder and his navy-blue eyes twinkled. "Tomoyo!"

Syaoran blinked at him, turned himself around and stared at Tomoyo flushed in her lavender dress and smiling nervously back at Eriol.

"E-Eriol-kun…"

Wait, if she is here then that means…

His eyes suddenly roamed above the several bobbing heads, to the stage where a band was preparing their instruments, and then to the refreshment table where several boys surrounded a girl wearing a silky green sleeveless dress. He blinked again and stared. Auburn hair, gorgeous smile, green eyes… It's her!

"Excuse me," he mumbled and walked towards the refreshment table.

Eriol eyed him in his wake and smiled. Tomoyo came up to him, looked towards Syaoran's back and giggled. Eriol looked down and kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful tonight,"

Tomoyo peered up to him timidly and coughed. "T-Thank you," she stared at his collar, adjusted it and brushed invisible dust. "Y-You too,"

"May I have this dance?"

"Why have I not seen you before, huh? I didn't know we had a gorgeous student in our school!"

"H-Ha… Ha, ha," Sakura nervously laughed.

When she had arrived, unwillingly, with Tomoyo and had climbed out of the black car her mother had sent over, including a driver, a group of seniors crowded around her and had asked to dance with her. Sakura politely said no but they aggressively insisted. Tomoyo tried to help but they had shoved her away so she was forced to leave Sakura helpless. She hadn't realised her dress could attract such attention. Even when she stepped into the community hall every single student complimented on her dress and smiled into her face as if she was someone special. She hadn't felt special at all, actually. Just a normal girl, forced out of her will, to come to a dance she refused to come to in the first place.

"Come on, Kinomoto, one dance won't hurt, right?"

The seniors were known to be notorious and she doesn't intend to let her guard down just because they look gorgeous in their expensive tuxedoes and adorned a flower on their breast pocket as a formal necessity. But the one she's most afraid of was—

"Ehem…" someone coughed behind her and she immediately froze.

The seniors who stood in front of her, glared at someone behind her and she gulped, slowly turning around to stare wide-eyed into a pair of glistening amber eyes. She almost dropped her cup of fruit punch.

"Sakura,"

She blinked. "L-L-Li,"

"Who the hell is that?" one of the seniors behind her growled to another.

"How should I know? I've never seen this dimwit before!"

"If you don't know this twit that he isn't from our school," one cracked his knuckles. "Why don't we give him a welcoming hug before he steals my girl away, huh boys?"

Sakura couldn't hear anything those seniors were saying because her heart had thumped and echoed in her ears. She was afraid of this, this feeling inside her but she couldn't help it. She hadn't seen him since the beach house incident and she intend to keep it that way. But Tomoyo, unfortunately, was too itchy and had invited Eriol who invited Syaoran. How convenient.

She tried to stay far away from the entrance and stand further into the shadows of the community hall, hoping that if Syaoran did come, he wouldn't see a hint of her. But now he has, and he's standing in front of her with those amber eyes, staring deeply into her as if trying to grasp onto her soul and embrace it with all his might. But even though she felt this, she still had the urge to resist, and so with a polite bow to her head she placed her cup to the table beside her and walked away, leaving Syaoran and the seniors staring at her.

"S-Sakura…?" Syaoran was about to come after her when a firm grip to his wrist held him back.

"Where do you think you're going, huh? You're not thinking of stealing her away from me, do you?"

"Hey man, don't forget us, alright!"

The tall, beady-eyed senior growled at his mates.

Syaoran frowned and wrenched his arm away. "She's not yours."

"Oh, so she's yours then?"

Syaoran eyed him. She isn't. "No."

"Then why are you fighting me for her? Clearly she doesn't care about you, why should you? Besides, she's with me, haven't you heard? Or are you blind?" The senior poked Syaoran's forehead. "Yes, I think so."

Relax, Syaoran, this man isn't worth your fists and kicks so be cool. Besides, this man is the real blind here. He hadn't realised who he's messing with.

Syaoran grinned. "If she's really with you, why isn't she?" He chuckled lightly, shook his head and walked away.

"What the…?"

"Leave it, man. You don't wanna get kicked out, do you?"

A huge crowd had formed on the dance floor and had started side-stepping to the bouncy music, giving him the hardest time trying to find her. All he knows was that she had upswept her hair, clipped it with several crystals and flowers and sprayed the most heavenly scent: peonies and cherry-blossoms. His eyes drifted closed as he inhaled and immersed himself in the memory of her scent.

"Hey, aren't you Syaoran Li?"

His eyes flipped open and he stared at several wide-eyed girls staring back at him. Oh, oh.

"Uh…"

"He is!" They squealed suddenly and grabbed onto his black coat, dragging him to one side before another pulled him on his left.

"Hey, let go! I saw him first!"

"No, I saw him first! Besides, he insists on dancing with me!"

"W-What?" Syaoran stuttered, frightened of the girls that were starting to cat-fight amongst themselves. He hadn't seen girls fight but it wasn't a sight he dreamed of seeing. "H-Hey, get off me! Hey, that's my coat!"

They inhaled on his coat and ahh-ed in content. "He smells nice,"

He flushed and coughed, grabbing it from them and shrugging back inside his coat. He was about to speak when a flash of green met his eyes and he looked over their heads to a girl standing by some windows and a door.

"Excuse me, ladies," he grumbled and shoved his way through.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

"What? It's me he wants!"

"No, he doesn't!"

"Hey, you're pulling my hair! Why you…!"

He shook his head and shut his mind from the girls that had probably started clawing into each others' hair and clothes. He shoved past a couple, exhaled and adjusted his coat again. He looked up, smiled at her and approached slowly, watching her look away from him in a nervous fit.

"Why aren't you dancing?"

She glanced at him for a brief moment. "I don't intend to,"

"Oh, come on now, this is a dance for goodness sakes and you're dressed to kill," he chirped and pulled her face in to properly look at him. "Don't make me force you."

Sakura knew he would be looking for her and thought it would be best that she left. But knowing Tomoyo would be crushed if she did attempt to, she stayed and hoped he'd leave her alone. She never wanted to be anywhere near him, but she also wished he'd stay somewhere where she could see him. She never wanted to smell him, but she also wished she had. And she did, now, as he held her chin and smiled into her eyes, inviting her into his open arms.

But no, she had to resist. She'd suffered enough pain and if she risked her severed heart for a man like him, she'd rather die than go through it all over again. She tossed her head away and glared over her shoulder.

Syaoran dropped his hand and furrowed his brows. "Sakura—"

"Ah, Sakura, there you are!"

Both of them looked over. Sakura sighed with relief and Syaoran glanced at her. "Tomoyo," She smiled at her.

Tomoyo smiled back, grabbed her arm and walked in between them. "Come on, we're up next!" She glanced at Syaoran, nodded, and hurried off into the darkness.

Syaoran just stared at the flash of green silk and twinkle of green eyes. Why was she refusing him? Had he done something she couldn't forgive? He sighed heavily, turned to face the crowd, and leant back to the wall with crossed arms. He was surprised and hopeful for nothing, but he didn't want to give up. He hadn't wanted to.

Soon, the band ended their jamming, bowed to the applauding crowd and exited from the stage. Several people had scurried onto stage and started carrying the instruments away, while some placed two wooden stools, two guitars and two microphone stands in the middle. The crowd began to mutter amongst themselves. And as the curtains pulled closed and the lights dimmed, Eriol came up to him and nudged him with his shoulder.

"How'd it go?"

Syaoran kept silent, his eyes on the stage.

"You should be thanking Tomoyo for bringing her here," he said. Crossing his arms, he grinned. "And don't hate me, alright,"

The curtains were soon pulled open and everybody on the dance floor hushed into silence, their eyes fixated on the two shadows, both sitting on their stools. A flash of green and lavender met his eyes and Syaoran straightened.

"Ah," Eriol quipped. "It's them,"

The lights went on and his eyes rounded upon Sakura and Tomoyo, with guitars held by a strap over their shoulders and microphones to their lips. Nervous expressions were plastered on their faces and the girls looked at each other. With a nod from Tomoyo, Sakura inhaled, faced the crowd and strum her guitar, giving her first tune followed by Tomoyo's gentle hum.

"That's Kinomoto and Daidouji! I didn't know they could sing!"

"I couldn't believe it either but I heard they're good. That's why I booked them!"

Syaoran looked over to the two girls standing a few metres from him, clipboard in hand and earpieces to their ears: event coordinators, he presumed. When Syaoran tore his gaze away from them and back to the girls on stage, a nerve struck him and he stared at Sakura. She hummed to Tomoyo's singing, while elegantly propped on top of her stool and bent over slightly to strum her guitar. Then, her voice filled the hall and everybody stilled with silence, watching her with smiles on their faces. She had a beautiful voice, one that he could possibly compare to an angel. Of course, he hadn't a clue what an angel sounds like but he didn't care, her voice appealed to him and he was immediately entranced. And as the song filled his soul, he finally realised what it was all about, what the girls were actually singing their hearts out for. It was all about broken hearts, and lost love. As sad as it was, the crowd seemed to like it and they were soon found dancing, slowly, with their partners and affectionately looking at each other with smiles on their faces.

Eriol suddenly sobbed and Syaoran snapped back into reality, looking over his shoulder to see his buddy wiping a tear from his eye.

"What the hell are you crying about?"

"You clearly have no heart, Syaoran," he sobbed again.

He growled. "Oh sure, I have no heart but what about you, playing around with other girls despite the fact that you like Daidouji—"

Eriol stopped and stared at him. "Now that my friend, is what I call a total misunderstanding," he paused to rub his nose. "The girls called me because they wanted to share their secrets with me and ask me about guys—"

"Man, you're such a liar."

"I am not a liar, Syaoran, you know that," Eriol glared at him. "I'm your buddy, partner in crime, and one half of the Gorgeous Men Club-" he coughed through a grin and adjusted his tie while Syaoran rolled his eyes, "-and I assure you, I am not lying to you. I may be somewhat your manager concerning the Li Corporation, but I have another job outside politics and that is to speak with ladies about their problems and help them understand things with a guy's point of view." He finally smiled with satisfaction and pride.

"Gee, how wonderful,"

"Speaking of wonderful," he motioned his head to the stage. "They're just about done. I'm going to ask Tomoyo to dance with me again. Why don't you try asking Sakura, too?"

"She hates me, Eriol, what's the point anyway?" Syaoran looked away.

"Aww, the wittle boy is crying… Boo-hoo-hoo," Eriol roared with laughter and patted Syaoran's shoulder. "Dude, she doesn't hate you. Trust me!"

"Trust you…?"

Eriol sighed. "Syaoran, man, she's acting that way with you because she's shy and afraid. All you have to do is sweep her, gently, off her feet!"

"How am I supposed to gently sweep her off her feet? Carry her with my finger?" Syaoran retorted.

Eriol snorted with laughter. "Syaoran, Syaoran. You are so naïve," he stopped and looked over. At the sight of Tomoyo coming up to him, he smiled brightly, came up to her and kissed the top of her hand. "Shall we dance, Mon Cherrie?"

Tomoyo flushed, giggled and nodded, linking arms with him and slipped into the dancing crowd. Syaoran's eyes followed them and he sighed. He can never understand Eriol's ways and mannerisms towards girls, but he understood one thing: Eriol is a charming man, a quality Syaoran can never have.

"… Li,"

He swung his head to his left and stared at Sakura, standing in the mild darkness with her hands behind her back, her face ducked low in embarrassment. Then, his eyes roamed over the smooth lines and shine on her silky green dress, how its curves kissed her curves, and how it flowed from her waist down to her feet in gentle waves. It not only accentuated her slim form, it made her the woman she was meant to be.

"Sakur—"

"Li!!"

He swung his head back and stared at the girls surrounding him, squealing into his face and tugging onto his black coat again. He yelped and struggled to break free, but they kept tugging and tugging until he was trapped. Their hands were all over him; his face, his body, and his…

He shut his eyes and gritted his teeth, growling under his breath. "Shit," he cussed. Flipping his eyes open, he pushed the girls away, glared at every single one of them and frowned. "Get the hell away from me!"

He hadn't meant to yell at them but to openly grope… it was uncalled for and something he can never contain his anger into fists. He never regretted it, even upon at the sights of their shocked faces and crumbling expressions he just brushed them away and turned back, only to find Sakura gone from his sight.

He blinked. "S-Sakura…?"

"I knew it, that insolent womaniser!"

She growled, as she pushed open the back door and felt the cool air slapped on her face. Sakura had only sung the first song and she felt like breaking apart. The song was nothing short of a corny, girl angst, emotional break-down kind of thing, but Tomoyo insists on singing it for it 'brings people together'. Sure enough, she almost cried. But when she saw Syaoran, staring at her and looking at her as if he pitied her being, she had grown furious. She hadn't wanted pity from anybody, not even Tomoyo, or Syaoran – especially Syaoran. Then, the crowd were slow-dancing and they chose another ballad to hold the rhythm. At the time, Syaoran was busy talking to Eriol who seemed to be crying but then had a mood change and looked as if he was pissed at him. Sakura didn't want to bother about their conversation but as she watched him, while busily strumming her guitar and singing her verses, she realised something about him, something she never quite accepted yet.

It was his stature, how he brought himself up and suited for such a small event like the school dance. He actually slipped on a tuxedo for heaven's sakes – along with shiny shoes! What kind of a perverted, insolent womaniser be doing in a school dance, and be dressed up like he was attending a celebrity's wedding? Sheesh, she hadn't realised he was so full of himself.

She shook her head, hugged her arms and walked down the steps. She heard a faint slam to the door behind her but she didn't want to know who it was. She was tired and in dire need of her bed.

When she descended from the stage and followed behind a grinning Tomoyo, she thought of the last time she saw him. Even if it was only a week back, she hardly remembered anything else but the kiss to her cheek. It was ridiculous of her to mope around over a kiss like that, but to think she had let her guard down and allowed him to act that way towards her, it was way over her limits and she refused to let him in, or anywhere near her, ever again—

"Sakura,"

She froze. The sounds of crushed leaves and twigs ticked her every nerve, told her to move, but she froze.

She heard a heavy, tired sigh. "Did I do something wrong? Maybe I said something offensive or…" he sighed again. "I know it's weird for me to say this after knowing you for a short while but… I hate the way you're treating me like this, this silent treatment,"

She relaxed a little. He hated her cold shoulder?

"If you want me to apologise, let me know what I'm apologising for. You know, to make sure I have my pride in check."

She couldn't help but crack an amused smile. Slowly, she turned to him, looked into his bright amber eyes and shook her head. She might regret saying this, but it was the truth. Technically, he hadn't done anything wrong… sorta?

His solemn expression switched into what seemed like relief and he smiled back. "So, you're leaving?"

"I-I'm not so sure. I can't leave Tomoyo behind…" her voice trailed off and she lowered her eyes.

Syaoran eyed her and approached her slowly. "Why don't you go back?"

"N-No, I'd rather stay outside and wait for her here," she mumbled.

"But it's cold."

"I don't mind the cold."

Syaoran furrowed his brows. She sure can be stubborn. "Sakura,"

She raised her head and looked at him. "What?"

The sight of her face, her bright green eyes, the stray locks of hair framing her face, and that heavenly scent… he just couldn't stay angry for long. With a smile to his face, he timidly placed his right hand on the curve of her waist, raised her hand with his and held it gently, stepped close to her and started to dance.

"Li—"

"Dance with me, Sakura."

"Li,"

"Come on, please?"

Sakura stared at him and sighed heavily. The faint music from the community hall filled her ears and she eventually danced with him, her heels tapping against the gravel path beneath her. She inhaled slowly, exhaled, and breathed in again, along with the masculine scent of the man dancing with her. She gave a brief glance to his face, to his pursed lips, down his neck and to his broad shoulders. She wasn't a big of a man but he wasn't a teeny one either… Wait, why is she thinking like this now?!

She furrowed her brows and coughed.

"What's wrong?" His mellow voice came to her ear and she looked back to him. "I stepped on your toe?"

"No," she whispered. "I-It's nothing."

He smiled into her face, wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her closer. Wrapping his other arm around her and lowering his face next to hers, he whispered.

"You look beautiful tonight, Sakura."

Her nerves ticked her and she tensed, but as he trailed his fingers from the zipper of her dress, up her bare shoulders and to her neck, he pulled away and deeply locked his eyes with hers. He pulled his hand from her neck, traced her jaw and held her chin. Timidly, he touched his lips to her forehead and inhaled her scent. Then, he kissed the tip of her nose. A second passed and his lips hovered above hers and she shuddered.

"Sakura…" he whispered again and he closed his eyes.

She didn't want this, but in the deepest depths of her heart, she wanted it as badly as she thought. And now he's doing it, giving her what she wanted despite what she warned herself before… Oh, what the heck!

She drifted her eyes closed and just as their lips were about to touch, the slam of a door knocked them awake and they quickly pulled back to look at each other. Syaoran stared at her then looked over her shoulder. She furrowed her brows, lowered her gaze and sighed heavily. She was about to speak when Syaoran dropped his hands from her body and stepped back. She stared harder at him.

"Syaoran…?"

"Syaoran?"

She blinked. Why was there an echo? She slowly turned around and stared. What in the world…?

"M-M-M-Meiling,"

She swung her head back to stare at Syaoran. "Y-You…" she looked back to the girl with red eyes and a scowl to her face. She had tied her hair back in a high upsweep and had dangling rubies as her earrings. She wore a red blouse, a black pleated skirt, knee-high black boots, and a silver necklace around her neck. In one word: beautiful.

The girl looked at her, furrowed her brows and stormed up to her. "What the hell do you think you are, brainwashing him and making him yours? You lowly, scrawny, cleaner! Don't you know I'm his wife?!"

"Stop it, Meiling! You're not my wife!" Syaoran called out to her from behind but Sakura shut him off. How dare he? He used her to satisfy himself yet knowing all along he already has a beautiful woman by his side. How could he manipulate her like this and still go on telling her she's beautiful and had actually wanted to…

She shut her eyes and ran off, ignoring Syaoran's call for her to come back. She'd done it again; she dropped her guard and let him in once more and not only was she slapped with the reality that he's married, she had actually realised what her heart has been trying to tell her, what it was trying to say.

She had actually liked him.

No, it wasn't like anymore.

It was…

It was…

"Syaoran…!" she sobbed.

End of Chapter Five

Author's Note: In this chapter, i intend to answer all of your questions and i apologise on how confusing the plot seemed to be to you. I didn't mean to confuse any of you so please, forgive me. LOL. I hope this chapter was good enough to have more reviews and more of your suggestions i could use into the next upcoming chapters. So to all your reviewers, i thank you for your attention. Hehe. Do review ok?

Love,

Yoshimi-chan