We Belong

Chapter 13 – Terrible Feeling

'Syaoran-kun.'

Sakura banged her head on the table. "Darn, why does it keep ringing on my ears?" She whispered to herself, burying her face on her hands. After they've finished eating lunch, they all returned to the groups they were assigned at. 'It's really weird to hear her call him that."

"Hey Sakura-chan, come over!" Eriol called out from the other corner of the room. He was currently planning with Tomoyo about the music for the homecoming night. Sakura was on the other side, working on the design for the stage.

Sakura walked towards them, "Do you need anything Eriol-kun?" She smiled.

"Nope, not that." He pulled Sakura towards a small window and pointed out on the outside. "Look, we can see Syaoran's room from here."

"Really? Let me see too." Tomoyo said, pushing Eriol a little. "Oh yeah, there's Naoko-chan and there's Syaoran on that side!" Tomoyo pointed on the guy talking to a girl. Sakura hurriedly looked to where Syaoran was. She sighed.

"Looks like Syaoran and Aika are getting along just fine and it seems like he's enjoying his task already. Right Sakura-chan?" Eriol smirked, eyeing at Sakura from the corner of his eyes.

Sakura forced out a smile. "Yeah, good for him." She responded.

"It's really surprising that Syaoran allowed someone he just met today to call him by his first name." Eriol continued. "It makes me wonder, could it be that Syaoran saw something special in her? What do you think--…"

Tomoyo interrupted, "Enough of that already, back to work now!" She tugged on Eriol's arm and signaled him to follow after her. They left Sakura looking at the small window.

'Eriol's right. Syaoran never allowed anyone to call him that except for me, Tomoyo and Meiling.' Sakura thought to herself, watching the two from afar. "He seems to be enjoying her company a lot. She must be really special." She felt a wincing pain on her chest. She turned her back from the small window and walked back to the table where she was previously working. 'I should be happy for him. Right, I should be happy, but why am I feeling this way? I'm scared and I'm je…'

"You!" Tomoyo poked her boyfriend. "Why did you tell her that?" She scolded.

"I'm just helping them. We should make Sakura jealous for her to realize her feelings!" Eriol explained himself.

"You've got a point there. Even so, I don't think we should provoke her or anything like that. Don't you think it would feel much better if she realize it on her own now do you?"

"Okay, okay. I understand. I won't repeat that ever again." Eriol agreed, pondering about what his girlfriend just said. 'She's really smart.'

"You better not! I don't want to see that again, the face Sakura made when you said that to her!" She frowned.

Eriol sweatdropped, "For once I thought you said that out of wisdom but I was wrong. There goes your cousin-complex again!"

--

On the other hand, at the food committee room…

Everyone's busy talking about everything with regards to food; what color of table cloth to use, what appropriate chair, what type of spoons and forks, what type of glass and the sort.

"Excuse me, Li and Matsumaru, Kaho-sensei calls for the two of you." Chiharu informed as she entered the room. Syaoran and Aika went to see the sensei right away.

"You call for us sensei?" Syaoran said politely.

"Yes. Take a sit please." Kaho invited. "I've spoken to the principal about the two of you going out to visit different restaurants. He said that it would be troublesome for the both of you to go home late because of that, so we've come up with a solution. We're allowing you to leave after lunch time so you could go home early." Kaho smiled. "That is all. You can leave now."

"That's better Kaho-sensei. Thank you." Syaoran smiled and bowed. He left the room with Aika behind her. 'Darn, they could've said it earlier today. It's almost dismissal time; I won't be able to bring Sakura home anyhow.' He sighed.

"Is something wrong Syaoran-kun?" Aika asked worriedly.

"No, nothing is." Syaoran responded. "Go fix your things, were leaving. I'll just go tell Sakura. See you at the school gate!" Syaoran ran off, leaving Aika on the corridors.

'Even though I'm the one besides him today, she's still the one he thinks about. Even though were so close, he's still so far from me.'

--

"Tomoyo-chan, can I talk to you?" Sakura whispered to her cousin.

"Sure couz." Tomoyo smiled. "Eriol-dear, Sakura and I will attend a meeting with the sensei now. Please take care of everything for me." Tomoyo said, she gave her boyfriend a peck on the cheek and left the room with Sakura.

"So Sakura-chan, what is it you want to talk about?"

"See, Tomoyo-chan, have you ever felt jealous before? Like when a girl hangouts with Eriol-kun? Something like that…"

"Yeah. I always get jealous, especially when he talks to his ex-girl-classmates in England who were obviously head-over-heels for him. Just thinking about those girls pisses me off." Tomoyo responded.

"Chill out Tomoyo-chan." Sakura chuckled. "Well, see, I've got this friend, who has a friend, a girl, who's been feeling weird lately. The friend of my friend has a guy best friend and they're very close to each other. But her best friend started to hangout with another girl. And the friend of my friend started feeling weird, it's like she's afraid to lose her best friend to the girl he hangs out with. I guess she's also a bit jealous, if that's the word." She blushed and continued, "Why do you think is she jealous? Is it because she's selfish and wants the attention all to herself?" Sakura stated.

"Hmmm.. so whose this friend of yours Sakura-chan, do I know her?" Tomoyo questioned with a I-know-you're-that-friend-of-your-friend-who-has-a-best-friend look.

Sakura blushed and shook her head off. "Tomoyo-chan, if you're thinking that I'm that girl who has a best friend then you are so wrong!" She gulped.

"What? I didn't say anything like that. I was just asking if by chance I know that friend of yours." Tomoyo answered, acting innocent.

"Oh, I see. No, you don't know her at all. I just met her at the… internet! Yeah, at the internet."

"How come you haven't told me about that before?"

"Haven't I? Maybe I just forgot. That's it, yeah, I just forgot to tell you. Gomenasai!" Sakura apologized, "So, what do you think about my friend's friend's problem?" Sakura breathed out, wiping the sweat on her forehead.

"Hmm.. Okay… I don't think that your friend's friend is being selfish. It's simple, maybe she likes her best friend that's why she's jealous. I mean, you won't feel jealous if you're not in like or in love with a person right? Maybe she's been in love with her best friend but is just too dense to realize it." Tomoyo explained, observing her cousin carefully.

Sakura's heartbeat raced when she heard her cousin's statement. 'In like, in love? Me? With Syaoran?' She began pondering. "I see. Thanks for helping me with that Tomoyo-chan! You're the best!" She embraced her cousin snug.

"For helping YOU? I knew it! You are the friend of your friend who has a best friend! Admit it to me!" Tomoyo laughed evilly, her eyes glittering mischievously.

"I said I'm not! I thanked you for my friend's friend!" Sakura shrieked, blushing.

"Then why are you blushing?"

"No I'm not!"

Tomoyo laughed. "Fine, I believe you. I was just kidding." Tomoyo stared at her cousin in the eye. "Well, I just thought that maybe you were talking about yourself because your best friend, Syaoran, is currently hanging out with another girl. I just thought that you realized that you like Syaoran." She laughed. "Maybe I'm just jumping into conclusions! Silly me! Sakura-chan, let'sgo back to our room now!" Tomoyo smiled invitingly.

Sakura was struck with what Tomoyo just said to her. "You go first Tomoyo-chan, I'll just go get something on my locker." She smiled and waved at her cousin.

--

"Hey Syaoran-kun! What are you doing here?" Eriol waved and shouted at his cousin on the door. Syaoran waved back and searched the room.

Eriol patted his shoulder, "Why are you here. Looking for her?"

"Yeah. Aika and I are leaving for the restaurant hopping. Just dropped by to bid goodbye. Where is she?"

"Too bad, she's not here. Tomoyo and Sakura are currently in a meeting with the sensei."

"Darn it." Syaoran sighed. "I'll be going now, Aika's waiting for me. Just tell her that I dropped by and bring her home safely."

"Sure, I will. Enjoy!" Eriol said reassuringly.

--

The sun was shining brightly on her emerald orbs and the breeze was dancing gracefully with her auburn tresses. Sakura climbed up to the rooftop. Everyone's busy right now; surely, no one would bother to climb up to where she is. To ponder, to contemplate, to listen and to feel. That's why she is here.

"There's a lot of things that happened today…" She puffed and sat on one corner. She flexed her knees and buried her face between them. "There is also a lot on my mind now. What Yumiko told me, what Eriol-kun said and what Tomoyo said."

'In like or in love'

"Do I like Syaoran? Of course I do! He's my best friend; he's always been there for me. I like him for that. Also, Syaoran is cool, handsome, responsible, caring and thoughtful. He cares for me a whole lot. I also like him because of that." She giggled. "So I like him in both ways, as my best friend and as a guy. Have it always been like this?"

"Do I love Syaoran? I do love him because he's close to me like a family. He's like my second brother. But, do I love him more than that?" Her heart started pounding hard and emotions are stirring up inside her. "Why is it so hard to tell.. Syaoran cares for me, he always protects me, he makes me happy, he makes me feel secured, he's almost everything to me. I'm sure, I cannot live without him. I am scared to lose him. I want to spend forever with him. I can't even imagine my future with any guy other than Syaoran. So I.."

"So you do love me…"

Sakura gasped. "No way!"

--

At home…

Sakura glanced at the wall clock for the 5th time. She plopped on the sofa and turned on the television, switching the channels repeatedly. "It's past 8 already and he's not home yet. He must have enjoyed himself so much that he forgot about the time, foolish!" She mumbled, realizing that she had been waiting for him for the third hour now as she glanced on the watch again. 'Maybe I'm the foolish one. He didn't even tell me to wait for him and yet here I am waiting for him to come. Stupid Syaoran, because of you I felt really terrible today. I also humiliated myself in front of Tomoyo. I hate it, how come I never noticed that she was listening to me all along! But she promised not to tell anyone, I trust her. Syaoran you baka! Since when did I start falling in love with you!! ' She banged her head.

"What are you doing? Fool!" Syaoran rushed to her and rubbed her forehead. "Are you nuts? Why'd you do that?"

Sakura blushed in embarrassment, "I'm fine!" She brushed his hand away. "I was just pissed off because of that show!" She pointed at the television. 'Uh-oh. What a dumb excuse I made!'

"So you're annoyed because of this cartoon episode we've already watched for the hundredth time?" Syaoran burst into laughing. "Maybe you're really tired."

"Shut up! I'm not!" She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever you say! So, what are you doing down here? Are you waiting for me?" He questioned. He sat besides Sakura. "You must've been worried. Sorry, I dropped Aika at their house first and her mom insisted for me to come in for a cup of coffee. After then was I only able to come home." He explained.

'She introduced him to her mom.' She sighed. "You don't really have to explain it to me you know." She gave out a fake chortle. "I wasn't waiting for you anyway. I'm going upstairs now. Good night." She smiled. She stood from the sofa, "What the!" but before she could take a step, she was pulled back to her seat.

"Just stay with me first! Don't you want to hear about how the restaurant hopping went?" Syaoran smiled, he threw a pillow on Sakura's lap and laid his head there.

'I don't want to hear it.' She looked away. "Okay, tell me about it."

Syaoran smiled at her. "First we went on this restaurant named "Cherry Blossoms" and they had the sweetest cakes there! The designs were fantastic too. It reminds me so much of you. Aika told me that the restaurant was built on fall and the cherry blossoms were beautifully blooming that season that's why the restaurant was named after the tree. Aika also told me that…. And the second restaurant, was named… Aika told me about… You know, Aika… and Aika… Aika… Aika… Aika… ….."

Sakura winced. Her name was all she can hear. 'Why is it that she's all he talks about? Is she that special to him?''

"So that's it. We have gone to 4 restaurants today. Let's visit the Cherry Blossom when we get the time, I'm sure you'll enjoy it there. Hey are you even listening to me?" Syaoran asked, eyeing upwards to Sakura who seems a little spaced out. "Hey Saks, hey!"

"Yes? Of course I'm listening. I just remembered something, that's all." She rubbed the back of her head. "Sure let's go there someday!"

'What's her problem?' Syaoran wondered. "Are you okay?"

"Sure am! Don't worry about me!" Sakura winked at him.

"Okay." He smiled. He took her hand and placed it on his cheek. He shut his eyes close and yawned.

"What are you doing?" Sakura tried pulling her hand but his grasp was tight. She blushed, 'Stop being like this, you're just making things difficult for me. How can I forget these feelings when you're this close?'

"I'm going to take a short nap. Just stay with me for a while." He muttered.

She smiled. "You've got confetti on your hair." She brushed his hair with her other hand and without noticing it, she just started running her fingers on his chocolate brown mane.

"It seems like you've really had fun today. Syaoran…..-kun." She stuttered. She felt weird calling him that name.

"Yep, really enjoyed it."

"Good for you." She sighed, staring at his sleeping face. 'Syaoran's really handsome, no wonder a lot of girls like him, no wonder I like him. He's smart too, especially in mathematics. He's also good in sports and he's really cool. He's responsible, nice and trustworthy. He's the perfect guy they say. No doubt, the girl he'll love would be very lucky. How I wish I could be that girl...' She pondered, tears welling up on her eyes. Her hands stopped brushing his hair, 'You know Syaoran, for this once, I wish I hadn't been your best friend, for if I wasn't, things would've been much easier. If I wasn't, I will be able to tell you my feelings without worrying about putting our friendship at risk.'

--

Author's Notes: There it goes Chapter 13! I'm sorry for the delay of this chapter. I wasn't able to post it before my vacation ended. I am so sorry. I had been busy with other things. Really sorry! I hope you liked this chapter. Review please! Thanks for the support everyone! God bless you!

Coming up: More on the preparation. The misunderstanding between Syaoran and Sakura continues… I'm not yet sure if the homecoming night would be included on the next chapter, it depends. But if it will be, I'm sure you'll like it so much.

By: Lady Raiah

Come and visit my website when you get the time! www.blitheness.