30

At Chemistry class, Syaoran passes me a note.

Can I go tonight to your place to study?

So now I'm at home, with all the chemistry books on the table, along with pens, pencils, highlighters, my periodic table and even a calculator, as a bowl of chocolate chips cookies (which I'm protecting from Misaki) makes me company for when Syaoran arrives.

However, he's running late. He said he'll be here around eight, but it's already eight twenty and he hasn't even text me. I feel like crying. I feel angry. I feel hurt. Is as if he just stood me up. But I'm not hurt due the fact he hasn't come. What hurts me is the reason behind it. This thought has been bothering me since I went to Syaoran's house and had dinner with his family.

I'm supposed to be a fake girlfriend. My whole purpose is to break Daidouji's spell, the one that makes Syaoran always come back to her. But, what if Tomoyo's spell is unbreakable? What if it's Syaoran's destiny is to always go back to her? To always belong to her?

I know that's where he is tonight. I know since I saw them talking when the bell rang and I was heading towards my locker, to pick up my lunch, so I could give it to Syaoran. I saw them, talking at the end of the corridor. She was holding his arm; he didn't look at her, was actually looking at the floor, but he was answering to her chit chat. I pretended I was late when I arrived at the cafeteria, but even there, as we were sitting side by side, I could feel something wasn't right. He wasn't giving me his whole attention, just as he used to do before. He was busier looking at his phone, rather than me, or my lunch. He also didn't compliment my sweet and sour chicken.

I know something happened. Maybe this is the way Daidouji claims back what's hers. Maybe this is the way it all ends. So I try not to cry. I take my chemistry books, and just get to study by my own. When Misaki walks downstairs once again, trying to snatch some cookies, I let her take the whole bowl. But when she asks me where Syaoran is, I don't answer, and pretend I'm too busy with my homework.

Next morning, I head out of the house, quite early. I lie to dad and Misaki, saying I'm in charge of the classroom cleaning this morning, when I actually just texted Eriol and asked him to walk with me to school. Eriol also heads out of his house early, and smiles at me. It feels good to know I still got him. That, despite everything that has happened, he's still a friend I can trust. Until he asks me:

"Did you and Li had a fight?"

"No." I hurry to say, although it's easy to see I'm lying, since my voice is shaky.

Eriol sighs.

"Please be careful, Sakura." His words remind me of Yukito's, and once again I feel like crying. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"He's not gonna hurt me!" I cry, frustrated.

This is nothing but a fake relationship, I say to myself. My heart's not gonna break since all of this is just a fake scenario we both created to protect each other. Well, seems like things between Eriol and I are now good, and since it seems Daidouji's spell can't be broken, there's nothing more I can do for Li.

Eriol opens his mouth to say something else, but my piercing gaze stops him, and so we arrive at school in utter silence. Eriol says goodbye when we arrive at my locker, and leaves towards his. When the bell rings and we have to head to class, I walk alone towards History classroom, when I feel someone pulls me by the arm, and after being pushed inside a cleaning closet, I'm now looking at an angry Syaoran.

I try to act as innocent as I can.

"Why is your phone off? I texted you, I tried to call you!" He yells in a whisper.

"Think I forgot to charge it last night." I reply, as I check on it and see it is actually turned off.

"Where were you?" He pushes another question. "I went to your house and your father told me you had already left."

"I can ask you the same thing." I reply, visibly angry. Who does he think he is to ask me where I was? "Why didn't you come last night? You couldn't even text me to explain me…"

Syaoran ignores my question.

"Have you come to school with Hiragizawa?"

"Were you with Daidouji?" There's no way he's gonna push the whole blame into me. After all, this problem was caused by him, when he didn't show up yesterday, not me this morning, when I left home. "Are you guys back together?"

Syaoran frowns.

"She needed me."

"I thought you needed me." He looks at me, visibly surprised, so I hurry to explain. "You needed me to help you study for the Chemistry exam."

He frowns again, but he somehow feels guilty, and since he's now looking at the floor instead of looking at me, I hurry and get out of the closet.

"I'll see you at lunch." I say with a shaky voice, but Li doesn't say a word, so I decide this is no use, and walk away.

I'm not crying. Even when now I know my job wasn't to break any stupid spell. My job was to be an excuse. A substitute. I was just holding Daidouji's place until she was ready to get back with Li. Well, it seems the time has already come.

My poor Sakura-chan~~

Ribo~