Happy Birthday to Me?

AN: I do not own Card Captor Sakura

SUMMARY: Sakura has been dreading her twenty first birthday for most of her life and when it finally comes she's not to sure what to make of the person who will change her life forever. (Classic S.K. and S.L. coupling.)

Chapter 1

Sakura's P.O.V.

All fairy tales start with 'once upon a time' staring a beautiful young girl or handsome young man who is stuck in rather unfortunate positions. With Snow White it was her evil stepmother, Cinderella her evil stepmother and stepsisters, Aladdin was poor, The Little Mermaid was in love and half fish and Sleeping Beauty was cursed.

I have none of the problems just mentioned, but I do however feel that I am cursed. Even though I have a loving father, an annoying over protective brother (who loves me) and a rather fat and lazy dog (who loves his food), I feel that I am cursed.

You see, I've been dreading my twenty first birthday since the day I turned sixteen. No, I will not prick my finger and sleep for a hundred years, but I will, however, meet the one person who will change my life forever. The one person I've been dreading to meet my entire life.

So rather than celebrating the twenty first year of my life, I nervously stood in the corner of the room trying to avoid all possible human contact without looking suspicious and fumbled with the hem of my glitzy white halter neck top.

The music was loud and the DJ was playing all my favourite songs, the food table was busy with friends, family and acquaintances filling their plates with snacks, the bar man was doing a neat trick with the vodka bottle trying to impress the ladies and the gift table was over flowing with boxes and cards wrapped in glitzy, shiny paper and colourful ribbons.

Bodies were moving to the rhythm of the beat on the dance floor and all the faces lit up by the stroking lights every now and again were filled with happiness and enjoyment. The music suddenly stopped and the screeching of a microphone sent everyone covering their ears.

"Oops! Sorry everyone." My stomach tumbled at the sound of the cheerful female voice and I looked up to the stage at the girl next to the DJ. A bright face of my best friend was smiling down at the crowd of people who have now gathered around the stage to take a closer look at her.

Her dark hair shimmered in the light from the glitter and her pale skin seemed to radiate under the white spot light. "Hello to friends and family! We have gathered today to celebrate the twenty first birthday of my best friend and everyone's favourite girl, Sakura Kinomoto." There was a loud applause and I started to fidget more. "Where are you?"

Her blue eyes peered into the crowd and I found myself being pushed forward and up the stage. My fingers fell from my shirt and I quickly put them behind my back. I nervously bit the inside of my bottom lip as I looked down at all the expecting eyes watching me.

"She has graced us with her warm smiles and kind words, scared us half to death with her fiery temper and strong will and made me cringe at her fashion sense. Speaking of, where are the shoes I told you to wear?"

I could feel my face flush as I looked down to my feet only to find a pair of black and white sneakers peaking out from under my jeans instead of neat sandals. The light followed my gaze down to my feet and several giggles became audible from the crowd. "I forgot."

"Everything was going to well I just knew that there was going to be a glitch in the system somewhere." Everyone laughed and my faced warmed even more. I was going to kill Tomoyo after this – if I live through this.

"All joking aside. She is one of those few people who will make a difference in your life, even if you only bumped into her in the store once and I am very grateful to be able to say that we have been friends for longer than I can remember. Sakura…" She looked at me and I couldn't help but smile at her. "Happy birthday!"

She hugged me and I found myself being pushed behind the microphone. The crowd applaud and I found myself fumbling with my shirt once more, but this time behind my back. "Hey." I swallowed hard, what do I say? "Thank you for coming. I want to thank my dad for organizing everything with Tomoyo. Thank you daddy. To my brother, thank you for always being there to pick me up when I fell down. Even though I yelled at you most of the time."

"Any time monster!"

"I'll get you for that later." Everyone laughed and I found my face flushing once again. "Enjoy the party!" I sighed in relief and made a wild dash for the stairs without trying to look to eager to get off.

I groaned when my father and brother came up the stairs and turned me around, my father's hands steering me back by my shoulders. "Not so fast monster. Dad and I have something to say first."

My heart stopped in my chest. Is the curse really going to become a full swinged nightmare now? Is it even going to be that bad? I don't know, I haven't met the person yet and I'm already drawing conclusions that are uncalled for – like I always do.

Maybe, just maybe that person won't be so bad. Maybe we will like each other and we can surely at least try to be friends. Can't we?

Syaoran's P.O.V.

I was getting rather annoyed with the entire situation. I've come here for one reason and one reason only and I haven't seen that reason the entire evening. Then again, I do not even know what the reason looks like.

The music suddenly stopped and I glanced up to the stage. A young woman with long black hair was standing behind the microphone smiling sweetly down at everyone. I found myself cringe in a slight disgust. She was beautiful, sure enough, but I sure as hell hope that she was not the one.

I've been waiting nine years for this day. Everyday I would wish for this day to disappear and to never poke its head out from the ground. But every day this damned day drew closer and closer until I found myself in the company of people I do not know and could care less to learn to know.

The girl greeted everyone and I found myself cursing the greeting towards the family. Family: what a rich little embodiment of misery. She said something about a twenty first birthday and how wonderful the birthday girl is.

With a name like that I better hope she's wonderful. It will be a bit of a disappointment to see your favourite flower embodied in a snotty little girl.

The crowd pushed someone up to the stage and the spot light fell on a small young woman fumbling with her shirt. Her fingers quickly dropped from the front and she hastily pushed her hands behind her back.

The white spotlight highlighted the golden strands in her honey brown hair which were tied back in a sloppy pony and her white halter neck glittered under the light. My eyes narrowed as I moved down the blue jeans only to find a pair of black and white sneakers making fun of the rest of the neat outfit.

"She looks just like her mother." I frowned at my own mother who stood next to me. She had a dreamy look on her aging face as she stared up at the girl on stage. "So beautiful."

"You know her?" My question was drowned by the laughter and I looked up once more to find the girl's face flushed and half hidden as she peered down at her own shoes.

So the shoes were unintentional.

"All joking aside. She is one of those few people who will make a difference in your life, even if you only bumped into her in the store once and I am very grateful to be able to say that we have been friends for longer than I can remember. Sakura…" The two girls on stage smiled at each other. "Happy birthday!"

My attention went down to my own feet after that. Why was I here? The true reason? Because my mother said that I have an obligation towards the family and that I have to keep it no matter what? Because once again my future was chosen for me and once again I had no say in it what so ever? Why didn't I just walk away from the start?

Two men were on the stage now, along with the Sakura girl. The one I guessed about my mother's age and he had his hands on the girl's shoulders. Their hair had the same gold in it under the spot light and I guess him to be her father. The other man was now behind the microphone and he looked two to three years older than I do. His hair was dark and he had the same dark eyes as the older man.

"Before the monster goes running off again we would like to give her a gift." The girl looked nervous and I could see her fumbling with her shirt behind her back. What got her on the edge?

I swallowed.

It couldn't be…

Sakura's P.O.V.

I watched my father pull a small box wrapped in bright blue paper from his pocket and hand it to me. I smiled at the two sharing the spotlight with me and started to unwrap the box. When I lift the lid I felt my breath being caught in my throat. "It's mom's…"

My dad took the necklace from the box and fastened it around my neck. "It was your mother's and she wanted you to have it when you became a woman."

"Daddy, I…" I flung my arms around my dad's neck and he hugged me back.

"Happy birthday, dear."

"Happy birthday sis." I hugged my brother. He spun me around in response and I couldn't help but laugh when my feet touched the ground again. "My monster is all grown up."

Syoaran's P.O.V.

If someone killed me right there and then I really would not have minded. How was it possible? How could that… that child be my responsibility towards the family?

The girl who stood by herself in the darkest corner for more than half the evening fumbling with her shirt and who forgot to put on proper shoes was my responsibility! The girl who looked like she should rather be attending high school than one who just finished her degree at university was my responsibility!

I should have known from the moment I laid eyes on her… She was afraid. She was afraid that they, her father and brother, were going to announce it to everyone tonight and leave her standing to greet… me. Instead they gave her the one thing I knew sealed my fate.

It was plain, it was white gold, it was worth thousands, it was hanging around her neck and it sealed my fate for all eternity.

I still remember the day I gave it to her mother. The woman was sickly then and I was eight. I had to give it to her and she in turn will give it to her daughter when she comes of age to seal the deal. But the woman died soon after I gave it to her and now her father and brother has brought it upon themselves to give it to her.

It was Li tradition and it has once again played itself out before me. In two months my life will change forever and now there was really nothing I could do to stop it.

I am bound by the clan law.

Unfortunately…

Sakura's P.O.V.

So far so great. No people I absolutely dreaded to meet and great with a fake warm smile on my face. Except for Julie… I wonder who invited her… I watched the brunette peering over the crowd. She was basically craning her neck to seek someone.

I had half a mind to ask her who she was looking for, but my lazy body filled with tension kept me from moving a muscle if it didn't involve lifting a glass to quench my thirst and hopefully drown my sorrows for the night.

This was pathetic to say the least.

I was suppose to be happy and partying with my friends until my feet could take no more and I fall down flat on my butt laughing about the headache I'm going to wake up with the following morning. Instead I was once again hiding in the dark corner away from all the attention praying that no one will miss me and that the person was not going to show up any time soon – ever!

I pushed myself more into the corner and tried to keep my drink out of the way as a snogging couple basically rolled their way down the wall in search for the back door, but unable to separate for a few moments. Sighing I opened the door for them and let them stumble out before I closed it again. At least some one was happy tonight.

I glanced at the people chatting, drinking, eating, some kissing and others having friendly arguments… It seems that everyone was happy tonight, everyone except me.

"Why aren't you dancing? You are the birthday girl after all." I glanced up at the owner of the strong male voice. Who the heck was he? Probably one of Toya's friends, if I have to judge him by age.

"I'm not in the mood." I mumbled into my wine glass and swallowed the contents before pouring myself some more form the bottle standing at my feet. I glanced at the almost empty bottle. One more glass to go then I'll have to find myself another one.

"Come on. It's not everyday a girl turns twenty one." He grinned at me and I somehow found that attractive grin playing on his handsome face very annoying to say the least. His messy hair looked earthy, but in the bad light it was difficult to tell and his eyes were also dark with this strange gold glow in them.

"Do I know you?"

"No."

"Good." I emptied my entire glass before turning to the bottle. The hell with formality. My life was about to end after this party and I might as well waist myself. I swallowed the cold contents from the bottle. Not even a glass. Disgusted I plopped it on a table and grabbed another already open bottle.

"You shouldn't be drinking so much."

"I know."

"Then why are you?"

"Because I hate my life and this is the one time I will not feel bad or will not be scolded in the morning for having a total hangover and feeling down right miserable." I sank down to the floor with my back sliding against the cold wall and he followed me down. "You want some?" I handed him the bottle and he took it from me and dark from it. He drank a lot.

"Oh good! I'm not the only one." He laughed at me and took another swing before handing it back. "Do you think a person can learn to love another person over time, even if they are forced to spend time together and do not particularly want to be together?"

"I suppose."

"You have to convince me here! I'm doing a down right miserable job trying to convince myself." I drank from the bottle and glared at it. What a nasty sweet taste. I glanced at the label and pulled a disgusted face. Oh god! I hate sweet wine.

I got to my knees and switched the bottle with a bottle soda, figuring that it would be safer than risk another bad encounter with a bottle of sweet drunkenness. The man pulled me back down by my jeans and I fell back against the wall next to him.

"I figure that if the two people forced to spend their time together will some how become attached to each other and in turn that will from some kind of love."

"Yeah, but what about the romantic kind?"

"What about it?"

"What if the one person desires the romantic kind? I am a girl after all, we all have these silly notions that prince charming will one day come and sweep us of our feet." I glanced down at my shoes. "Although mine is not particularly fancy dressed."

Syaoran's P.O.V.

"What about it?"

The romantic kind… Yes what about the romantic kind? Do I want some of the romantic kind? I imagine so.

"What if the one person desires the romantic kind? I am a girl after all, we all have these silly notions that prince charming will one day come and sweep us of our feet." She glanced down at her sneakers and I grinned. "Although mine is not particularly fancy dressed."

"Not every princess wore Cinderella's glass slipper."

"True. But sneakers with this top is a bit odd. Do you know what shoes I wore with my prom dress?"

I grinned. This was turning into quite the amusing conversation. This girl was strange and fresh and I wondered how she managed to stay away from the crowd the entire evening. "No. What shoes did you wear with your prom dress?"

She lifted her foot and pointed with her finger to her shoe. "These! But no one saw them. Well until Tomoyo slipped and fell right on top of me and I went flying head over heals off my chair." She jumped up to her knees once more and the soda sloshed around in the bottle. "'Not those sneakers again!' The teacher cried. 'Not those sneakers again!'"

Shaking my head I let my fingers slip down the top of her jeans and I pulled her back down. "I imagine that you are going to wear them to your wedding as well."

"Maybe." She laughed. "If my dress is long enough." Her eyes widened and she leaned closer to me. "If you ever are at my wedding and you see me wearing a long dress, do not tell Tomoyo about my shoes."

"Who's Tomoyo?"

"My best friend and a royal pain in the ass when it comes to fashion." She drank from the soda bottle and handed it to me. I let the cool sweetness flood down my throat. I licked my lips. Sweet. I glanced at the girl who now had the bottle pressed against her lips. They looked full, moist and sweet… Nice to kiss.

I groaned slightly. The alcohol must be getting to me. "Who did you come with?" I glanced at her and she stared questioningly at me. A stroke light brushed over us lighting her eyes and I found myself lost in two dark green pools for a split second. I grinned.

"My mother. She knows your father."

"You're mother?" I watched her frown at my statement. It was clear that the wine was taking its effect on her and the sugar from the soda she just drank was battling it out in her body. Drowsiness vs. hyperness. Her body was up and ready to go, but her mind was slow and taking a while to process the information given to her.

"Who's she?"

I looked around and found my mother sitting at a table with her father deep in discussion and I could only imagine that it would be us they were discussing. "Over there." I pointed to my mother and the girl leaned against me to look over the table we sat behind. "Talking to your father."

"Oh! The pretty lady with the wolf eyes?"

"Yeah." She dropped back down, nearly sitting on top of me. She nodded approvingly at me and drank some more soda. I frowned when she propped herself up on her knees again and pulled a large bowl filled with candy down and placed it before us. She handed me one and sat back down next to me.

"Do you like these? I love the toffee kind. It sticks between your teeth and the taste stays with you forever."

"Or up to the point you have to brush your teeth." She laughed at me and plopped a chocolate covered toffee piece in her mouth.

"True, true. Okay, so we've shared wine, soda and toffees. What is your name?"

"Xiao-lang Li."

"Chinese. Wow! My fianc…" Her eyes widened as she looked up at me with an accusing finger pointing my way. "You!"

I grinned at her.

"Hello Sakura."

AN: Hey! This is something totally different form what I've done previously and I hope you guys like it. I suspect that this one will have greater appeal than Bleeding Angel or Snow White, but any how!

It's a bit of a cliché, but we all so love to read it over and over again. Yes, so what about the romantic kind? Ha-ha!

I apologise in advance for any typing or grammatical mistakes. (Once again, English is not my first language.)

Thank you guys for your support!

Tella

Ps. I suspect that this is going to be a rather long fic and since varsity is starting on the 2 Feb again I won't have too much time to work on stories. Shall we say an update at least once a month? (Snow White will be updated more regularly, since I already finished writing it.) Thank you guys!