C A U G H T S T A R I N G
Shii-Chan©

AN: Hi, thanks to my fourteen reviews!

Summary: Kinomoto Sakura never expected to have to play prey when her new house catches on fire and kills her father and brother. Previously in her life, while she lived in America suspicious footprints and a pool of blood had left obvious evidence for the killing of her mother and twin sister, but no DNA was ever found on the scene, nor on her family members. Her new neighbor, Hiiragizawa Eriol, gives her a box that was accidentally mailed to him, and because of strange circumstances she finds strange pictures of innocent children who had died. Then she ends up living with Li Syaoran, the owner of the business that creates devices that can harm paranormal life and protect innocent people from the evil beyond the grave. What will happen in the adventures she has with him, and meanwhile where has Hiiragizawa taken her (other/adopted) sister, Tomoyo? Was it just a date after all? Aside from that, it seems like Syaoran knows too well about this 'Certain Eye Color can mean you are a ghost.' But then he reveals he, himself is have entity, half person. And can Sakura have secrets of her own?
Genre: Romance/Horror/Hurt-Comfort/Mystery/Adventure/Suspense

***C A U G H T S T A R I N G***
***Chapter 8: Hypnotism***

"You never know what you had until you lost it."

Place: T.P.H.S Halloween Masquerade Ball
Time: 7:12 PM
Date: 10/31
Year: 2011

Sakura had been at the punch bowl for a while. She couldn't believe she had just danced with Syaoran! It was only for a little, but she felt so safe and secure and so...well, happy being with him. Her heart was racing and her cheeks were flushed.

Then she took off her mask to let her face cool down. That's when the Syaoran fan girls instantly rushed up to her.

"How was dancing with Syaoran?" The nicer ones asked, and that's the best Sakura could ever categorize them, even though she only had known them for a week.

"You slut, get away from Syaoran!" The medium-mean ones said. But for some reason, Dokubutso gang kept reiterating one single comment to Sakura:

"We know you're Syaoran's date! HE TOLD US! FESS UP! QUIT STEALING OUR MAN, BAKA!~" They yelled very loud but because of the music you couldn't hear them.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I've been getting punch for like half an hour! I ditched him, and he said I was his date?" A smile crept to Sakura's lips at the last part.

"Yes, are you saying you two aren't a couple for the dance?"

"No, not at all..." Sakura reasoned with herself. Syaoran was so nice to say she was his date rather than have it be some other girl. She felt so flattered.

"Excuse me, I'm going to find him now." Sakura said as she walked back to the place in the dance floor where Syaoran had been. She saw him dancing- no, staring into the eyes of some random girl who was wearing the same dress as her. The girl had silver eyes and Sakuya's hair. Sakura, not remembering what had happened in the past two weeks, went straight up to Syaoran and the girl.

"Umm...Syaoran-Kun, do you wanna dance with me?" Sakura asked sweetly, giving the girl a bitter grin until she realized who that girl was.

"Syaoran-Kun, that's Sakuya-Chan!" Sakura said. Syaoran's eyes just turned red and then he spoke these words to Sakura:

"I would prefer to dance with Sakuya-Chan." Syaoran spoke solemnly and then turned back to Sakuya.

"B-but Syaoran-Kun, you were calling me your date back there..." Sakura pointed back to the crowd of people with tears welling up in her eyes. "And that's not a human, that's Sakuya—"Then Syaoran burst, "I SAID ENOUGH!" Syaoran yelled at the top of his lungs, making everyone pause, but resume their activities.

Sakura whimpered and walked away. Then Sakuya was left to speak with Syaoran alone. She popped him out of his hypnotism, and his eyes turned to their golden state, while he resumed back to the scene he had truly left off on: He opened his mouth to scream for Sakura, but then Sakuya hushed him once again.

"Kinomoto Sakuya, why did you make me say all those mean things to Sakura-Chan back there?" Syaoran said, releasing his hands from Sakuya's and not dancing any longer, but standing in some sort of accusatory stance.

"Watch what you say, Syao-Chan, you've seen me do my magic. And based on my plans for tonight's events I don't know if you even want to question me. See, I love my sister, but when it comes to relationships, she needs a little push, if you know what I'm talking about." Sakuya seemed to just be beginning a large speech.

"And what is it you're talking about?" Syaoran asked with a glaring, yet questioning look on his face.

"You see, based on what you just said to Sakura, and how she reacted and what she said about the school girls saying she was your date, it obviously meant something to her. I think she might like you!" Sakuya giggled and winked one of her scary silver eyes. Syaoran thought about that statement for a moment. Sakura...liking him? It was impossible, yet perfectly imaginable.

"See, you get it now. Well I'm going to go comfort her for a moment. I won't be back long!" Sakuya said cheerfully.

"How do you even know where she is?" Syaoran said.

"I have my ways..." Sakuya said as she turned and left the most popular boy in school in the middle of the dance floor with a mouth the shape of an 'O.'

Sakuya walked down the hallway very slowly. No one was here at the school this time of night, just at the dance. She went back to her stereotypical ghostly faze- Her hair changed from a dingier-than-Sakura's honey color, to a honey color with black and gray streaks that looked somewhat artificial; her silver eyes turned black; her skin went bright white, a little on the translucent side; this was truly the real Sakuya.

Sakuya found Sakura in the bathroom, and returned to her more well-known state. Sakura was crying due to Syaoran's rejection. It wasn't like she was asking him out...it was 1 dance!

"Snap out of it." Sakuya said coldly, leaving Sakura looking up at her from her crumpled state on the floor. Sakura stood up and then yelled a bit.

"YOU! It's your fault! You put him in some trans! Do you know how humiliated I was? Or how stupid I looked? Or how stupid his golden eyes looked as that blood-red color?" Sakura said, about to slap Sakuya, but then Sakuya slapped her.

"Ow..." Sakura said as she felt her cheek. She thought ghosts were supposed to be translucent. But then again, she wasn't just a ghost; She was a demon.

"Go back to the dance." Sakuya said, staring into Sakura's eyes. Sakura's eyes went translucent, as Syaoran had seen them before, and then there was a ripping noise. Sakura's back had grown two feathery angel wings. Her dress turned white and her hair grew down to the floor, as a tiny halo touched the top of her head lightly.

Sakura's eyes were white now. The emerald orbs everyone admired were gone.

"You're an angel. You should have confidence. I should be the one depressed, yet I actually am the one working towards your goals...It's like I am you."

Sakuya kissed Sakura's cheek while Sakura's bangs covered her eyes.

"You definitely ARE NOT me. If we were each other I would have rather be dead than have a ghost within me. Especially a demonic one." Sakura said sharply.

"Oh, but Sakura, how do you explain yourself—being half angel and half human, I mean. C'mon, even your love interest, Li Syaoran, is on the dark side. I plan on getting Eriol over here too, and then Tomoyo will of course run after him. But Eriol-Kun has always been an annoying, clingy lover. Have you noticed he's in love with me!" Sakuya said with a snap of her fingers which turned Sakura back into her usual self. Sakura ran back to the dance.

"You know what they say, Sakura-Chan...you never know what you have until it's gone."

***Chapter 8: Hypnotism-End***

***C A U G H T S T A R I N G***

A/N: Wow, thanks for seventeen reviews already! I won't let you brilliant fans down! *grins*

To be continued: Chapter 9: Night Terrors