A Season for Ogling

By Shajira

"If he caught you staring at him, always remember that he wouldn't catch you if he's not staring at you too."

Disclaimers: As usual, Cupid isn't nice to me. He would never give me the rights to own CCS. Clamp is soooooo lucky….but at least, I still have my quotes, ne?

To all those sweethearts out there, Happy Hearts' Day!!!

To all those cuties like me, Happy Single Awareness Day!!!

--

'Oh em gee. Oh em gee. OH MY GOD.'

At that very moment, all Kinomoto Sakura wanted is to be swallowed by the ground or be kidnapped by a Pterosaur. And that's not a hyperbole. For her crush, THE Li Syaoran, soccer hottie, math whiz, just caught her staring at him.

'No, you idiot. You weren't just staring at him. You were ogling him, like he's this yummy dish---.' To make those thoughts go away, Sakura mentally shook her head. Of all the things to befall her on Valentine's Eve! Cupid must be punishing her for always staring --- ogling --- at Syaoran in every freaking millisecond SINCE they entered high school. Sure, they've known each other since elementary days and a little staring didn't do any harm. BUT high school is waaaaaay different. She now knew what C-R-U-S-H is…and, besides, there's this nagging feeling inside which refused to acknowledge…

"Hey, Syaoran is coming," Daidouji Tomoyo whispered to her a little too loudly. Sakura could swear the entire cafeteria heard her best friend.

"Tomoyo!" she scolded under her breath, "He caught me staring at him----!"

"Well, I think staring is an understatement----."

"And now he'll assume I'm one of those…those…those…type of girls…."

"Fan girls."

"Yeah, them," she acknowledged then continued on her jabbering, "…who has a crush on him!"

"Well, duh," the teen rolled her amethyst eyes, "that's very obvious."

Sakura chose to ignore that. Her heart is fluttering. He's only a few feet away now. What should she say? 'Hello, Syaoran-kun. Lovely day, isn't it?'

She mentally smacked herself for that.

"Know what, Sakura-chan? The fact that he caught you staring at him only means one thing."

She still ignored her best friend. What's taking Syaoran so long?! Ahem, she meant, why do things seem like in slow motion?

Tomoyo let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I'll just go to Eriol and tell him Syaoran is also staring at you!"

Judging by the way she looked at Tomyo, Sakura looked like she had a broken neck. "Nani?" But Tomoyo already left. And it's now Li Syaoran standing in her place.

"Sakura."

She gulped then let out a shaky giggle. "H-hi, Syaoran…"

Standing mightily in front of her, Syaoran crossed his arms. "Be my date."

"What?" Did she hear him right?

But he just looked bored. "It's prom. And I know you still don't have a date----."

"Excuse me----."

"…then I saw you looking at me, like…uhm, never mind... I'll just pick you up tomorrow night. Do look good. See ya."

And just like that. He scored a date with her.

'What just happened?'

--

Sakura wished she never agreed on becoming his date. Well, yeah, technically there's no agreement BUT still!

She sighed. This is pointless. She has waited for him but he didn't show up.

"Hey, Sakura? Where are you and Syaoran? Don't tell me he took you somewhere else?" Tomoyo asked in a teasing voice.

"T-tomoyo…he's still not yet there?"

"What are you talking about? Sakura….?"

But she didn't have the strength to answer her confused best friend on the other line. It hurt. She may not be bleeding outside, but somehow, she felt like a flying elephant just crash-landed on her.

That happened earlier before Tomoyo dragged her from her house all the way to the hotel where their prom is taking place. She said that with or without Syaoran, she should enjoy her Prom Night.

In spite of all the appreciative looks she got from the guys here, the nasty glares shot by the girls at her are on a higher level. They are all envious that it came to the point of gladness that she arrived without Li Syaoran.

She again let out another sigh. She refused to dance.

Although Syaoran didn't show up, she's still hoping he would come…

I can't find the reason to let go,

Even though you found a new love

And she's what you're dreams are made of…

Sakura smiled bitterly to herself. What a song! It made her remember her days with Syaoran…when they were still young, so carefree. They didn't have a care to the world. What only mattered was her, him and their happy times together…

But as they grew older, their own little world expanded until one day she woke up alone. He wasn't there anymore. He's with them. With her. With all his new friends, new love…

What right does she have to take you away

When for so long you were mine…

'No, please…I don't wanna cry…' Thanks to her stupid hoping, that nagging feeling inside erupted and banged her into reality.

Loving someone who can't love you back is like being 50-50, comatose in a hospital.

Comfortably lying, but unconsciously bleeding.

Softly sleeping, but silently hurting…

Sakura suddenly stood up. She couldn't take this anymore.

"Sakura…"

It was Tomoyo.

But she couldn't let her best friend be dragged into her misery. She walked faster…the exit is just yards away now…

"Sakura!"

Halt. The music. The crowd. Her steps.

What? Who's that?

'No, don't look,' Brainy ordered her. 'Are you performing euthanasia on yourself?'

"Sakura, PLEASE!"

And that's all she needed. She doesn't care if she'll find her own funeral the next day. She turned around, and up on the make-shift stage is Li Syaoran with his ever messy hair and equally crumpled suit. What happened to him? His face is all red, like he just ran, or maybe something else….

"Attention everyone. Please do listen, especially you, Kinomoto Sakura," he started. He seemed frustrated over something and at the same time breathing heavily.

And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

"I'll only say this once. Just listen carefully cause I'm just about to throw away my pride."

"Just say it, man!" a voice shouted. And she knew it was Eriol, he's the only who could do that to a Li. "No need to be a chicken. You have waited for so many years---."

"Eriol, darling, SHUT UP! Let him continue so I can record in peace," a sweet yet dangerous voice was then heard, then in a meeker tone said, "Oh, don't mind us. Go on, Syaoran."

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

"I'm sorry, okay?" Syaoran growled, then sighed. He finally realized that tone wouldn't work. "Okay, forgive me…please? I know I made you wait for more than three hours, but it just can't be helped…

"I just got back from Tokyo…then I had a flat tire…I know it's a stupid excuse but I didn't have a spare and my cell phone's battery dead. I had to wait for some help," he knew he's blabbering now but standing in front of the crowd can make you disorganized your usually organized thoughts…Just hope Sakura can get what he's saying.

And boy was he lucky. It looked like she can understand fully.

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

"…so, yeah…I went to my apartment and changed…ran all the way to your place then got yelled at by your brother, said Tomoyo just picked you up…when I was about to go here, I realized I forgot the whole reason for the trouble…so I went back again to my place, didn't have time to trust my car and hurried here…"

"I'm sorry, okay? Please…say something."

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything seems like the movies
Yeah you bleed just to know your alive

The crowd is still silent. Then the spotlight was on her. The next thing she knew, she's holding a microphone.

"S-syaoran, why did do you all that? What's the whole point?"

And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

"Sakura, I…have you ever wondered why most people seem to fall for their friend at one point or another? It's because we see a great person in them…someone who knows us inside and out, someone who's been there when we're down, someone who cares. We see the perfect someone in our friend but what we didn't see is that as soon as we take that next step, they will turn into someone we never knew at all…"

"Li Syaoran, you, of all people, should know I am NOT that type of person!"

"I know!" He, too, yelled. "But you can't blame me. I was afraid that situation might happen…but now…"

"Now?"

I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

He took a deep breath, then at the top of his lungs shouted, "I LOVE YOU, KINOMOTO SAKURA!" He then jumped down from the stage and ran to her. "Will you take me?"

I just want you to know who I am

She refused to cry. But a lone tear still escaped. "You baka…"

"Oh shit," he cursed. "What did I do now? The last time I made you cry, you didn't talk to me for a day just because I didn't feed your dog Kero and after that we started drifting apart…Come on, Sakura."

I just want you to know who I am

And that speech just made things worse…

"Women," he said under his breath then grabbed her shoulders. He hugged her like there's no tomorrow, "Hush now, my Cherry Blossom…"

I just want you to know who I am

"Baka…baka…baka…why did it have to take years before you can say that?! Do you even know how much I wanted to say I love you too but just too afraid you're still mad because I didn't talk to you for a day?! Baka Syaoran!"

And maybe you can now say they did have a Happy Valentine…before Syaoran fainted.

I just want you to know who I am

Nah, just joking. That would make him a sissy. But he did ALMOST faint.

"Syaoran…"

"Hmmm?" he murmured as he drew her closer to him. Ah, this is life, dancing with his now official girlfriend.

"Why did you go to Tokyo?"

"I bought you a puppy. Thought you'd forgive me since you love dogs. I left it outside with the guard-----Hey, where are you going?"

"I wanna see him!!!" she answered as she hurriedly go. "I love you to the highest level, Syaoran!!!!"

And there she goes…with a flying kiss.

Syaoran just smiled. That's his girl. That's his Sakura.

Now, why did it took him so long?

Let's just say Eriol is right. The fact that she caught him staring at her only means she's staring at him too. Maybe she's thinking about him too? So, he pushed his luck and asked her out…

"Man, I still haven't kiss her yet! Sakura!!!!!!!"

I just want you to know who I am

FIN

Uh, stupid ending? Yeah, I know, but I'm dead tired and I still have to review for my Physics test tomorrow…Ja ne

Btw, I just love You Were Mine and Iris which I don't own…

Don't forget to click that little button…ne?

Huggzzzzy,

Shaji ---- I can't wait for Prom NEXT WEEK!