Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP, not me.
Sensei, I Love You
Chapter 7
Sakura could not afford to fall asleep in class. If only she could slap herself awake without attracting the attention of her curious classmates. Words had gone round saying that she has attended classes like a good little girl. Obviously, they had expected her to skip school again since that was the normal thing for her to do. However, she would have to disappoint them this time round.
The mathematical formula on the blackboard did not make any sense to her and the way her teacher was teaching wasn't helping either. She felt as if she was lectured by a stiff robot which only knew how to repeat its words again and again. She was beginning to regret agreeing to the arrangement with Syaoran that morning—she wasn't feeling very confident of aceing all her subjects in one month. That was crazy!
This was definitely going to be a long day.
Sakura was thankful for the lunch break bell that rang loudly throughout the school. She slumped against her table tiredly, not caring about the disapproving looks the teacher was giving her. Her energy level was dropping since she didn't have enough rest the day before. Should she thank Syaoran for that? Perhaps she should since it was his fault after all.
Even though she was hungry, she made no move to head towards the convenient store in the school to grab some food. She would rather spend the time to catch some much needed sleep. A full hour's rest should be enough to last her through the rest of the classes.
A tap sounded on her table and she felt the vibrations on her cheek. Stifling a groan, Sakura looked up and found a female student standing by her table with a piece of folded paper in her hand. "I was told to pass this to you," she said and gently placed the paper on her table. Sakura idly wondered who the girl was as she made her exit. No names came into her mind. She probably didn't know who she was. Shrugging, she pulled her heavy hands from her side and caught the piece of paper before it flew away from her table from the breeze coming in front the window on her left.
Sakura frowned at the words on the note. She stood up and paused when all the eyes of her classmates swirled to her. She gave them a shrug before she walked towards the exit, conscious of the eyes that were on her. What was with all these classmates?
She glared at the teachers' office sign above the door. What on Earth could he possibly want from her that it was so urgent he had to send a student after her. Wasn't he afraid that they would be found out and he would lose his job? That teacher was really crazy!
"Sorry to disturb," Sakura said as she slid the door open. Her eyes automatically scanned the room for Syaoran as she wasn't sure where his table was. That idiot teacher was so happy to see her that he literally jumped up from his seat and waved to her excitedly. Sakura's frown intensified as she walked to him.
"There you are, Kinomoto-san," Syaoran chirped. "I was thinking that you must have missed the note or something since you are running late."
"What do you want?" Sakura whispered, eyeing the teachers around them nervously.
"What do you mean by that?" Syaoran asked, blinking at her innocently.
"Why did you call me to the teachers' office?"
He placed a small package wrapped in a piece of cloth on his table and he slid it nearer to Sakura. "I believe you dropped this earlier."
"I dropped that?" Sakura asked, surprised. When did she drop that? Wait… She didn't even know what that was! "There must have been a mistake, Li-sensei."
"No! I'm really sure it's yours," he countered. When Sakura made no move to pick it up, Syaoran took the package from his table and placed it in her hands. It was a little warm to touch and Sakura arched a brow at him curiously. "You can return to your class now."
Sakura didn't move an inch and just continued staring at the box in her hands. "Li-sensei?" He was acting kind of weird.
He made a clucking sound with his tongue and ushered Sakura out of the office. "Finish everything," he said and slid the door shut at her face.
"Why won't he listen to me?" Sakura wondered aloud, frowning at the closed door. "This doesn't even belong to me. Finish what?" She was not about to go knocking on the door again. Figuring that she would return whatever it was to him when they went back home, Sakura returned to her class. She stared at the package on her table, wondering what was in it. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to take a look."
She unwound the knot on top of the parcel and unfurled the cloth to reveal a small lunch box. She realized that he had actually meant to pass the lunch box to her, knowing that she wouldn't have anything to eat for lunch. A confused frown marred her forehead as she tried to think of how he managed to make lunch for her. She didn't remember seeing him preparing it in the kitchen when she was having a breakfast. Moreover, both of them woke up at about the same time and there wasn't that much time for him to cook. How did he manage to prepare lunch for her then? Ah heck, he probably bought it from the convenient store and packed it into the lunch box so that he could pass it to her without suspicion. Whatever it was, she was ever grateful.
Her grumbling stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything since her breakfast. The aroma of eggs wafted into her nose and her mouth watered instantly. She devoured her lunch within minutes and was feeling extremely satisfied with her heavy lunch.
She was equipped with the necessary energy to last her throughout the afternoon class! Hurray for that!
Sakura dashed across the corridor leading to the lockers at the school entrance, hoping to catch up with her one and only close friend, who also happened to have news about job openings almost everywhere. Till now, Sakura didn't know how her friend managed to know so much even though there was no need for her friend to work.
Her target was standing alone by the gates looking ahead at the busy road. She couldn't believe that luck was on her side. Sakura hurried over and was almost running in her haste to get to her. "Tomoyo-chan!" she called out, dismayed to see an elegant looking car stopping right in front of her friend and that she was about to hop into it.
Wavy black hair cascaded down Tomoyo's shoulders and back as she whirled around upon hearing her name. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of Sakura. Beaming happily, she stepped back onto the curb and waited for her friend to catch up.
"It's been so long! I thought you don't want to come to school anymore." Tomoyo pouted, her full lips glistened with lip gloss. Sakura wondered why she didn't ever get caught in school. Why did she put on make-up in the first place? She asked the question once a long time ago. Tomoyo had replied saying that it was required as part of her image. Sakura couldn't understand then and still couldn't get it now.
"I was busy with work," Sakura explained before crushing her friend in a tight hug. "Lots of things happened since then."
Tomoyo turned solemn. "It must be hard on you. You know, you could always stay at my place. You'll not have to worry about paying expensive rental for a miserable small room."
"I can't possibly stay at your house!" Sakura exclaimed, recalling how extravagant Tomoyo's house was. The Daidouji was super rich and her parents weren't too happy when Sakura dropped by to have fun with Tomoyo. It was as if they disapproved of Tomoyo's choice of friend. Sakura stopped going over since there so as not to put her friend in a difficult position. "And it is really a good practice for me to live by myself. I need to get used to taking care of myself after all."
"But you are pushing yourself too hard, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo grumbled and glared at a bodyguard who was standing far too close for her comfort. Sakura knew her friend hated having bodyguards following her everywhere because they sort of invaded her privacy and causing many people to look at her with strange expressions. No one dared to venture close to Tomoyo for fear of her bodyguards but Sakura knew better. "And you have gotten a little thinner."
Sakura laughed as she looked down at her body. "Thin? I thought I could use a little help to get rid of this excess stuff here," she said as she pinched her side.
Tomoyo frowned and shook her head. "You are not even fat, Sakura-chan. You are already very slim. Are you trying to become those undernourished models on the magazines? That isn't healthy, you know."
"I'll be all right. A job keeps me occupied instead of thinking non-stop. By the way, Tomoyo-chan, I need your help again."
"Another job?" Tomoyo screeched and Sakura had to wince at the unladylike sound coming out from the prim and proper girl. "Not again!"
"No! I'm not getting an additional job," Sakura clarified immediately. "I lost all my current jobs so now I need to get a new one. I need to fill my stomach, right?"
"You lost all your jobs?" Tomoyo asked and sounded as if she didn't believe Sakura. "How?"
Letting out an irritated sigh at the thought of the source of all her problems, Sakura replied, "It's a long story and I'm not able to tell you about it right now. However, I will definitely tell you the moment I can."
Tomoyo frowned, stepping forward to touch Sakura's forearm gently. "Are you in some sort of trouble?"
"Trouble?" Sakura laughed but it was humorless. "I'm always in trouble, Tomoyo-chan but I'll live with it. I'm a survivor and this is nothing to me. I'll survive through everything that are thrown at me."
"If you really need any help, don't be afraid to ask," Tomoyo said. "I'll always be more than happy to help you."
Sakura smiled at her friend gratefully. "So... any job openings anywhere?"
"I'm sure my mother will have a few job openings in some of her boutique stores or restaurants. I'll ask around for you," Tomoyo promised, looking a little cheerful since Sakura had requested for her help. Well, it was good to have Tomoyo as a friend since her family owned a super big business corporation and that meant lots of job openings everywhere. That was not the reason for befriending her-Tomoyo truly cared about her and she wanted to reciprocate the feeling. She was her only friend left after her accident and she didn't want to lose her.
"And... I actually made a deal with someone..." Sakura hesitated when she saw Tomoyo's confused frown. "I promised that I can only work on weekends."
"That shouldn't be a problem since there's a bigger crowd over the weekends for both the boutiques and restaurants."
"Daidouji-sama," a female bodyguard interrupted them. Tomoyo rolled her eyes in irritation and gave Sakura a look that told her what she felt about having a horde of bodyguards following her everywhere. "It's getting late."
"But I'm talking with my friend," Tomoyo protested as she pressed closer to Sakura. "Can't I hang out with her in private?"
"You are putting me in a difficult position, Daidouji-sama," the bodyguard said apologetically. "Your mother gave us specific instructions to bring you home straight after school."
"My mother doesn't have a life," Tomoyo muttered under her breath, causing Sakura to giggle at her friend's antics. She knew how close her friend was to her mother and despite that close relationship, Sakura was inwardly happy that she put her above her mother.
"You probably should go before your mother goes all ballistic on me for detaining you." Sakura grinned at the image that she had created. Daidouji Sonomi could totally do that if needed. "Besides, she's doing it for your own good. After all, you are the heir to the humongous Daidouji Corporation. Who knows what kind of bad guys are out here waiting to snare you in hopes of making big money."
Tomoyo made a disgusted face at her. "And to think I wanted to spend more time with you."
"There's always another place and time for this," Sakura soothed. "But this is definitely not the time."
"I guess you're right..." Tomoyo said. She sighed before pulling Sakura for a hug. "I'll let you know once I get a job for you. I'll find an easy and less stressful one."
Sakura hugged her friend back, patting Tomoyo on the back. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan. You're a saint!"
Tomoyo chuckled. "Sweet talker."
Grinning, Sakura gave Tomoyo a gentle shove towards her car to get her moving. Who knew what Sonomi would do when she found that her daughter was talking to someone who was unworthy to be their friend.
She waved goodbye to her friend and stood by the curb for a few more moments to watch the car disappear down the busy road. She couldn't help but feel a little lonely. An unexpected tap on the shoulder startled her and she whirled around to find a face grinning at her.
"What are you doing by the school gates? Aren't you supposed to go home?" Syaoran asked. He carried a briefcase in his hand and looked ready to call it a day at work. Sakura opened a mouth to reply but Syaoran crooked a finger at her, silently telling her to follow him. She frowned at his retreating back. What is he up to?
To be continued
Sorry for the delay in posting! Was busy with work the entire week and I spent the whole of Saturday dozing off and just snuggling in my bed. (Yes, I'm that lazy). Thanks for reading!
By the way, I'm actually making plans for a new fic! But I'll finish off with Sensei, I Love You first so that I have some time to concentrate on the new one. I'm hoping to finish the whole fic before started to upload each chapters 'coz I have the tendency to miss out crucial linkages. *sigh* In case any one is curious, I'm currently writing Sensei, I Love You chapter 24! *grins*