Chapter 6: Apprehension
Sakura woke up to a hyper Tomoyo jumping on her bed with her video camera. "Babe, give it a rest will yah?"
"But we need to get ready and head to the camp; our school's this year's sponsor."
"So? Ikki's still here. I'll take his place tomorrow remember? If there's nothing else, could you please leave me here in my soft comfortable bed?" Sakura grabbed her comforter and hide underneath it, trying to get back to her much needed rest.
Tomoyo carefully shuts off her camera and placed it on the side table. She then gently uncovers Sakura's face from the comforter as Sakura fought for it.
Losing the tug-of-war and taking her last ounce of patience she then screamed at her cousin, "Sakura Kinomoto! If you don't get up this instant, I swear I'll make the rest of your life a living hell."
"It's already hell what could you possibly do to make it worse?" Tomoyo scowled at her that sent shivers into her spine, Tomoyo never use her full name unless she's really furious and you don't want to cross a fuming Tomoyo.
Sakura surrendered to Tomoyo's glares and groggily sat, "Okay, fine you win."
Like nothing happened, Tomoyo was back to her old self, "Great! Go get a shower. I already packed your guitar and other stuff…" Tomoyo pulls her to her feet. "And wait till you see the whole wardrobe of Ikki disguises I made for you."
Sakura sighed in hopelessness and went to the bathroom.
A grumpy man in a black and white horizontal stripes shirt and baggy jeans yelled, "Where the hell is she? I can't believe she just disappeared."
Ken their guitarist/vocalist dressed in a white wife beater top and black faded jeans spoke, "You just can't believed, she got away from you. C'mon Touya, give her some space and don't stalked her all the time. You're scaring the shit out of her."
Touya huffed and starts pacing around. "But, still… she's late and we had to go on stage in ten minutes."
A man tapped his shoulder, "Dude, stop whining and chill out, she'll be here and Ken is right." Touya rolled his eyes.
"Hmm… whatever…" Ken and Yuki just smiled at his behavior.
"Hey guys…" a giddy voice greeted. "What?" she yelled stunned from the glares she's receiving. 'What's up with this week, I've been receiving glares the whole week.'
"You're late the orientation started thirty minutes ago. Be thankful there are other bands here to cover for us."
"I'm here aren't I? So pull your panties on and let's go." Mei Lin retorted and grabbed her bass.
Touya just scowled and followed her.
Betray!
The Avalon is always beside me
And I'm following it home
Where is my home?
"I really don't think I can do this Tomo."
"Why what's bothering you?" Tomoyo inquired.
"Do you really think I can pull it off? I'm not talking about the disguises." Sakura paused. "Do you really think I could play that well like Ikki?"
Ren pat her head tenderly, giving her a brotherly advice. "Don't doubt yourself kiddo. You're really talented just don't push yourself too hard."
Sakura stopped walking and bowed to hide her flushed face from the flattery she received from Ren. Ren is a man of few words and never in her life did she expect him, (her guitar icon next to his brother) to say that to her.
"T-thanks." She stammered but when she looks up they were gone.
Orion glows
And his eye open up
I once believed I would set you in line
Lost again in the sea of strangers, Sakura tried to make her way to the opposite side of the field. She was earlier trailing behind her cousins and unfortunately loses sight of them.
"Damn where did they go?" She curse, voice drowned at the noise of the audience.
Sakura squeezed her way through the crowd and finally reach an unexpected clearing. Huffing in exhaustion, she paused and then resumed her brisk walking. Sakura still as clumsy as ever, bump into a few bystanders. She muttered apologies through her walk without sparing a glance at their faces.
An auburn blur ran into him and muttered a quick apology without looking at him. Syaoran glare at it's retreating back and return to his cousins' little squabble. 'That was rude.'
Realization hit him as he remembered where he had seen the girl before. 'Emerald eyes… the kiss.'
Syaoran attempted to follow the auburn girl as he also made his way to what he thought the direction that girl had gone into.
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to please stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to just tell me something
"Finally, why the hell didn't you wait for me?" Sakura scolded at her cousin Tomoyo.
Tomoyo turned around to her panting cousin, "I thought you were just behind us. I never noticed you'd got lost until now."
"Gee, thanks for the concern." Sakura scowled, sulking from the lack of attention.
Ren notice her brooding mood and replied sympathetically, "We're really sorry but we have a huge problem right now."
"Huh?"
"We've lost Andy and Ikki too, and we're about to perform next to Touya's." Ren informed her.
"What?"
The fluid through the alpha waves and power cables everywhere
Exercising self-control
The child calls
And she lies open
I once believed "if only I'd been thinking at all"
"Where is she?" Syaoran spun around. "Where did she go?"
"Oh sorry."
Baffled, Syaoran glance at his left as another one rudely bumped into him. This time his quick reflexes helped him to stop the person from free-falling. He grabbed its elbow and spun it. Realizing, it wasn't a guy, he immediately let go of her to avoid further inappropriate accusation on his part.
"Syaoran? I'm really sorry."
Syaoran squinted trying to decipher the girl in the hood. When the girl released her hood familiar auburn locks flowed.
"Andy c'mon lets go." A medium built guy grabbed her hand and led her away from him. Syaoran just gawked at them too stunned to move. 'Her boyfriend?'
'What the hell? Am I being played at?' Frustrated, Syaoran scratch his nape in irritation. 'First, the Emerald eyed girl and then Andy, his current crush?' Syaoran shook his head. 'Damn, I'm losing it.'
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to please stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
"Where the hell have you guys been?" Tomoyo scowled at them.
Ren being he's usual observant self notice Andy's arm. "What's that?"
Andy reddened and bowed her head in shame. Ikki answered for her, "Andy's arm is sore, someone accidentally bumped into her and another had stepped on it."
Tomoyo blanched.
Ikki continued, "She can't play. If she stubbornly attempted to play today it might get worse. The paramedics back there said that she should rest it for the day."
"I'm really sorry guys." Andy sheepishly apologized, embarrassed from her carelessness.
Tomoyo, Ren and Sakura approached her sympathetically and try to soothe her growing frustration.
Tomoyo rubbed her back trying her best to comfort her. "It's okay, it's an accident."
"Try to rest, don't worry we'll find a way." Ren reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder affectionately.
Having no idea how to console her, Sakura just hugged her.
"Sakura!" Andy yelled as realization hit her.
"Ye-yes…" Sakura stuttered. 'I'm sensing something bad is gonna happen.'
Andy cheerfully stated. "You can replace me."
"What?"
If only I had the strength you'd be completely accepting something else
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you to please stop it now
If you keep asking me I'll melt away in the summer air
It won't hurt half as much and I'll beg for you just tell me something
"No way!"
"Please Kura, just for a few minutes on stage." Andy pleaded; grab hold of Ikki's hand for support as she tried to kneel in front of Sakura.
Ikki pulled her up instead and help her persuade his cousin. "You could really pull it off, same hair color, almost same height and built. No one will notice."
"Yeah, just wear a cap and you'll get away with it." Ren added to their defense.
"You can wear this." Andy pathetically tried to remove her hooded sweatshirt but failed miserably. Tomoyo assist her gently as to not add further damage the bandaged arm.
Sakura faced Ikki and reminded her cousin. "You've got to be kidding me? I'm posing as you remember?"
"No, that'll start tomorrow." Tomoyo countered cheekily.
"Hey, this is not fair, four against one." Sakura pouted, feeling somewhat cheated and defeated again. 'Is this what déjà vu felt like?'
You swore
Out like my life
You cried
So I'm engaged to smile
"Please, please Kura. I'll do anything." Andy desperately bargained.
Sakura tried to reason her way out. "But I don't know the drummer's part."
"Then I'll take the drums, you play my chords." Ren suggested, turning down her only valid reason.
Trying to come up with another excuse, Sakura attempted to play dumb to buy out some time from the inevitable, "What?! B-but that part… I can't—"
"Yes, you can. You've played that song on one of your gigs, please Kura for us." Tomoyo then begged something Sakura never dreamed of seeing. 'That desperate.'
"You're the best guitarist I know. And you can pull it off as Andy could." Ikki encouraged more as he could see his cousin's defense crumbling.
'This… this isn't normal…' Looking around at their pitiful faces she finally crumbled. 'I can't take it anymore…'
Sakura sighed, nodded and grunted. "Oh, crap."
- to be continued -
A/N: Words that are bold and italicized are lyrics to the song, "I Can Tell" by the band SAOSIN. Thanks please review.
Feb 8, 2009 bangag_pa
June 21, 2013 revised
September 23, 2015 updated