Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Black Wings ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

Black Wings

By: Aisaki Sumi

 

Just to recap what happened in the previous chapters…

 

Sakura was a quite, mysterious and aloof artist who just moved back to Tomoeda and was currently living with her father. Her mother committed suicide a few years back when she divorced Sakura's father and moved to Tokyo with Sakura. They had a lot of problems which contributed to the tragic ending. Sakura watched Nadeshiko kill herself and that left her mentally and emotionally unstable for years. She was subjected to treatments at an asylum in Tokyo.

 

After her release, Sakura moved back to her home town and there she meets Syaoran, the ringleader of a school gang at Tomoeda Heights. Their paths crossed unexpected when Eriol and Hiro, Syaoran's two best friends were scouting around the town for `Syaoran's first girlfriend', and found Sakura. Hiro took Sakura to their secret base by force and Syaoran was outraged by their actions. He immediately released her and took her home.

 

They met again at school, and Syaoran came into the rescue when Sakura was caught in an awkward situation in Japanese Literature class where she had to read the poem she wrote. After that, Syaoran have been trying hard to hangout with Sakura at lunch and art classes to get to know her better. He is drawn to her by her personality and at the same time, her strong independency. She is different from the girls he met before and he is determined to break down her cold exteriors.

 

One event leads to another, like a chained reaction. Syaoran was unfortunately attacked by his rival gang, the Bloods, but was fortunately enough to be saved by Sakura. Sakura took him to her house and cleaned up his wound. After moments of silence, Syaoran decided it was time to leave. But on his way out, he bumped right into Sakura's father, Fujitaka. Fujitaka was delighted to see Sakura's guest at their house and insisted that Syaoran stays for dinner.

 

After dinner, Syaoran went home. But just when he was sneaking across the darkened living room, he was stopped by Meiling. Meiling questioned him impatiently about his whereabouts and he told her the truth that he was at Sakura's house. This felt like stab in Meiling's heart. The next day, Syaoran declared that he would protect Sakura no matter what and went to pick up Sakura. They went to school together and their closeness was seen by Meiling.

 

During Japanese literature class, Sakura was pulled out by Fuji-sensei and he recommended her to enter a well-known and respected art contest to win a scholarship to Tokyo University's Faculty of Arts. He also suggested that she could ask Syaoran to be her model. Sakura was unsure about it but was convinced that it might be a good idea. On her way out of Fuji's office, she was stopped by Meiling and her friends.

 

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Chapter Sixteen

 

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Sakura felt two strong hands grasping her fragile arms; their nails digging deep into the thin fabric of her school uniform and flesh. Her arms were probably bruised by now, but she could have not cared less. She had been through treatment worse than this at the asylum anyway.

 

When she tried to look up, all she saw was a blurred image of a dark haired girl, before a piece of black fabric blocked her eyes. Sakura opened her mouth to demand her release, but nothing came out as her lips were covered by something sticky, which she could only conclude as masking tape.

 

“Take her to the sports supplies room.” One of her kidnappers finally spoke out. Her voice was smooth but cold and powerful, leaving no room for discussion or questioning. Sakura gulped a little, feeling the cold sweat forming on her forehead as she was dragged away by the girl's comrades.

 

An unfamiliar darkness surrounded her, a gut feeling told her what was going to happen next could get really ugly. The air in the room was heavy, whispering a nameless fear. It drifted around aimlessly, entangling her.

 

Sakura'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared.

 

What did they want from her? She didn't remember crossing anyone's path in this school yet except the ones of Syaoran, Hiro and Eriol. But if she didn't have any enemies, why would they tie her up?

 

Before Sakura could figure out the reason for her abduction, she was thrown onto the ground.

 

Her back hit the floor hard, and the back of her head smashed against the concrete floor. Moaning in pain, she slowly attempted to move the arm that contacted the ground first but a sharp pain shoot up her body.

 

Tears filled up in her eyes, but it never slid down her cheeks. She wanted to be strong, tough and fearless. She couldn't possibly expose her weaknesses to them. It would only work against her.

 

Gnawing at the corner of her mouth, she blindly surveyed the room, using her other four senses instead of her sight.

 

The smell of danger and fear saturated the room. Her heart was pounding frantically, and she could feel her breathing pattern becoming more uneven and heavy. Clenching her small hands into fists, she told herself to stay calm. The pain of her nails digging into her sweaty palms helped to clear off her mind.

 

Time continued to tick by, and the room seemed to have dropped a few degrees when she heard the sound of the door shutting and locking.

 

Lying unmoved, Sakura used the time to recollect herself and put up her usual icy defenses again. It was her only defense against them.

 

For moments, she waited, listened, giving her ears the job of her eyes. Even in this pitch blackness, without sight, she could still hear.

 

One of the girls made a displeased sound and then followed the clicks of heels against the concrete floor.

 

Sakura frowned slightly. Who could be wearing high heels in door when all of them were told to wear white indoor shoes? After all, it was part of the school regulation that wearing white indoor shoes was mandatory for all students.

 

It was then, the person came into a stop. Sakura kept her eyes closed, and waited.

 

“Kinomoto Sakura…desu ka ne?” The person's voice was soft, like silk trailing across a knife's edge. But the underlying sharpness and danger laced within that harmless query weren't hard to miss.

 

The girl chuckled slightly in mockery. “Look at yourself, you're beyond pitiful.” She strolled over to Sakura's side and untied the blindfold that covered her eyes.

 

Sakura turned to her way, glaring into the scarlet red orbs that burned like eternal flames. They were a color of deep redness, like the boundless ruby ocean, dangerous and unpredictable.

 

“I'm surprised that Syaoran would even hang out with a plain girl like you.” She sneered, eyes full of taunt and disdain.

 

“Maybe it's just a change of taste?” The girl with scarlet eyes thought out loud, directing the question at no one in particular while raising one of her pretty eyebrows.

 

“I guess you can't really blame him for getting tired of all those airhead-cheerleaders. If I were him, I would probably have been bored to death.”

 

She cast a brief glance at Sakura's way, but found her as silent and sedate as ever. Meiling couldn't help but feel her temper rising. She just couldn't believe how that girl could still remain so collective and calm after all her provocation. She could sense Sakura's fear, but she wanted to see more.

 

She wanted to see Sakura's tears, hear her cries. It would make her feel more triumphant and satisfied. Her eyes have been wandering across the quiet painter's face quite a while now, and found nothing unique about it that could catch Syaoran's interest.

 

But somehow, Syaoran found her special. And it felt like a stab in her chest.

 

The pain was endless, mixed with helplessness and sorrow. It made her feel pathetic how Syaoran could never return her feelings. All those years she had stood by his side, assisting him silently when he needed help.

 

Syaroan wasn't the type to ask others for help because he was too proud, but she aided him when necessary anyway. Meiling never told him the things she has done for him. She didn't ask him to return any of those favors, nor has she asked him for anything. Staying by his side forever and ever was all she wanted.

 

It was true that Syaoran never liked her the way she liked him, and she knew it for a fact.

 

All his life, he had tried to push her away; because in his eyes, she was nothing but an annoying cousin and an unwanted fiancé. Yelan was the one who arranged this marriage, but since he couldn't blame his mother for it, he blamed her instead.

 

But she never minded his hurtful words, because as long as he was happy, she was too.

 

As his cousin, she knew him better than anyone else, that he hated it when others tried to meddle with his life. He never believed in destiny or fate. He believed he should be able to control his own life and fate. She still remembered what he told her years ago when they were young, “My destiny is in my hand, and I'm responsible for whatever happens in my life.”

 

At that moment, she fell hard for him; at that very instance, she knew he was going to be her one and only love. Her feelings for him have always been complicated. Admiration, idolization, childhood infatuation—all those led to love.

 

She loved him, but he never loved her back.

 

It hurt. It hurt so much. But she didn't mind, because Syaoran never showed any interest in girls. And now, all of a sudden, everything was changed. Syaoran had fallen for this pathetic, plain, silent girl. He might not have realized it yet, but it was evident in his eyes when her name was mentioned and it ripped her heart into half.

 

It wasn't fair. All those years—those feelings she had for him, all those things she had done for him… earned her nothing but a disdainful look from him.

 

Meiling bit her lower lip, tasting her own blood.

 

Life wasn't fair. The girl before her did nothing for him, yet she gained Syaoran's full attention.

 

Kinomoto Sakura had everything she wanted, dreamed of having. Everything that she couldn't have.

 

It wasn't fair. And Sakura wasn't even special.

 

Meiling pressed her lips tightly together angrily, looking irascible. “If you think staying mute is going to get you out of this; you're dead wrong.” Meiling threatened harshly, gritting her teeth before standing up again.

 

“Aiko and Yume, pin her down and make sure she can't move.” Meiling looked over her shoulder, casting a glance at the two girls standing by the closed door. They muttered a quite hai and inclined their heads in acknowledgement.

 

Sakura tightened her fists at the command until her knuckles turned white.

 

“I'm going to teach her a lesson and let her know silent-treatment doesn't work on me.” The corners of her lips lifted upward into an evil grin as she approached a horrified Sakura slowly. She took out a lighter from her pocket and Aiko instantly understood what to do.

 

Aiko tightened her grip around Sakura's thin wrist and forced it out. Sakura's face writhed in pain but she managed fight off the temptation to yelp in pain.

 

“Aw, look at that hand, so delicate. And those fingers, slender and long. You have really dexterous hands Kinomoto. No wonder your artworks are so beautiful,” she complimented Sakura mildly, voice lifting and amused, “but too bad there'll be a few ugly burns on your pretty hands.”

 

Sakura opened her mouth in shock, and Meiling looked more than just pleased at her reaction as she saw Sakura's eyes training on the lighter. “If you have to blame someone for your ugly burns, then blame yourself for bothering my Syaoran.” Meiling's expression darkened instantly at the mentioning of Syaoran, her fiancé.

 

No one could steal Syaoran away from her. No one.

 

“Just because he paid a little more attention to you doesn't mean you are special! Nor does it mean he likes you. I know Syaoran better than you, because we grew up together; because he's my cousin and fiancé. But you, on the other hand, are just a classmate to him.” Meiling declared, pointing a finger brusquely at Sakura.

 

It was a lie however. Syaoran didn't just pay a little more attention to Sakura; he gave her his undivided attention. He was attracted to her, liked her, and treated her more than just a friend or a classmate. But Meiling would never tell her that. Never.

 

“Don't overestimate yourself Kinomoto. You're only a toy to him. After he's done playing with you, he'll come back to my side again.” Meiling snapped in an infuriated tone, still scowling at her. “I know him better than anyone else. He gains interest in things fast and loses that interest fast as well.” She let out an apathetic laugh.

 

Sakura bit her lower lip, reminding herself that she shouldn't cry in front of people like Meiling. It would only make things worse and encourage the endless bullying. Tolerate it, pretend they're stupid. She repeated in her heart.

 

Meiling was trying to provoke her and make her loose her cool. But too bad it wasn't going to work, because she was smarter than that.

 

All the things she said about Syaoran… she couldn't say she didn't have her doubts. She wasn't stupid enough to flatter herself by thinking that he had romantic interests in her. Besides, she didn't believe in love. She saw the tragic ending of her parents' marriage and that had taught her a lesson.

 

Nadeshiko and Fujitaka were high school sweethearts. Their story was a modern fairytale. The beautiful princess fell in love with the handsome prince. They married and had two beautiful children. Everything seemed to perfect, so right, so in place. But nothing was like what it seemed.

 

Beneath the cover of perfection laid layers of flaws.

 

Fairytale ends. Passions grows fainter as the day passes by. That is life, constantly changing and ending. Nothing can stay the same for a very long time because of the way people are.

 

Their broken marriage was the perfect example of what happened when love was challenged by the battering time. It further proved the theory that nothing lasts forever in this world, and that there is no such thing as an eternal love.

 

Love is delicate and shatters easily. It cannot withstand the battle of time.

 

Sakura didn't want to get hurt. The only way to protect herself from that was to stay away from such feelings. She didn't want to fall in love, didn't want to experience love, didn't want to find her supposed Prince Charming.

 

Unlike the other girls around her age, she wasn't interested in romance. A simple, quiet life was all she wanted.

 

Was it too much to ask for?

 

Why did Syaoran have to step into her world? Why did their paths have to cross? Why did she see the black wings on his back? Why did a part of her want to believe in him?

 

Rather, when did she start caring about what he did and the type of person he was?

 

If she was given another chance, she would probably have chosen the other road—the path of solitude. Being a loner was her destiny. Painting and sketching were the two things she ever liked, and they kept her in company for all those years when she was abandoned by the world.

 

All she ever wanted to do was to stay invisible and draw, paint the pictures in her mind and stay away from the tainted, sinful world. But he just had to come along and mess up her simple life.

 

“Are you scared Kinomoto? That your pretty hands are going to have some ugly, disgusting burns?” Meiling's taunt pulled Sakura out of her thoughts. Emerald green eyes widening with horror as she saw the lighter approaching the tips of her fingers.

 

She could feel its warmth and danger.

 

Closing her eyes and lowering her head, she still refused to make a sound.

 

So this was fate.

 

She didn't really mind ugly burns or wounds on her hand. As long as her hands could still have their usual functions, she really didn't mind. After all, the appearance of her hands didn't affect the quality of her artwork.

 

“Meiling, just by burning her hands isn't going to teach her a lesson.” Aiko, whom has been quiet for the beginning suddenly pointed out, “I say we should just smash her hand so she can never hold another pencil again.”

 

Sakura drew a sharp breath, tilting her head at Aiko's direction and staring at her in disbelief, but only to receive a cold glare from Aiko. They knew being able to draw and paint was important to her; they knew that she needed her hands to accomplish that simple task. That was why they wanted to smash her hands…

 

How could they do that? Despair and impotence surfaced in Sakura's emerald green orbs. The slightest changes in her facial expression were caught by Meiling's sharp eyes, causing her smirl to widen.

 

“Let me ask you this again. Are you scared yet?” Meiling leaned forward until her face was only inches away from Sakura's. She wanted to see fear flashing in those limpid green crystals, and to see the quite girl loose her collectiveness, admitting in defeat.

 

The feeling of satisfaction slowly aroused in Meiling's perturbed heart.

 

Sakura avoided her scarlet eyes and kept her gaze on the floor. Her vision was slowly becoming unclear. Crystal tears were pilling up in her eyelid, threatening to spill out. But she fought it back, held back the sob that was caught in her throat forcefully by biting her lower lip.

 

“Hmm, so you're still not willing to give in eh?” Sakura could hear the implicit danger and harshness in Meiling's query, but didn't reply. She won't give Meiling the satisfaction she wanted.

 

“Fine, be as stubborn as you want.” Meiling grounded out through gritted teeth. “Aiko, get me those dumbbells. I'll see how long she can stay silent.” She pointed a hand at the dumbbells on the floor of the sports supplies room, and gestured Aiko to pick one up. Don't test my patience Kinomoto, or all you'll get is pain. She thought bitterly.

 

Aiko passed a dumbbell to Meiling and a cruel smile bloomed on Meiling's glossed lips as she played with the dumbbell in her hand. “Saa… let's hear some screams.”

 

Sakura watched Aiko holding out her hand against the floor and Meiling raising the dumbbell into the air.

 

Smashing her hand was only a matter of time.

 

……

 

The sunlight which filtered through Syaoran's spread fingers looked spotted and yet glaringly bright at instances, it wasn't often that the sun was this bright and its light this intensive. After all, it was already late autumn. He kept his hand lifted against the canopy, until his arm began to tire, before lowering it and turning to gaze lazily at the person next to him.

 

Tugging at the wet shirt that was sticking to his skin, Syaoran brushed aside the messy bangs that fell into his eyes. It felt good to relax and lean against a cherry blossom tree after an intensive game of basketball, and Eriol seemed pretty exhausted too.

 

“How come you're not hanging out with Sakura today? Don't you always hang out with her at lunch in these days?” Eriol drawled lazily, his voice sounded slightly husky as he carefully studied Syaoran's expression from the corner of his eyes while trying to slow down his uneven breathing and body's metabolism.

 

“She got called out during Japanese Literature class earlier.” Replied Syaoran mildly, eyes gazing into the distant sky. It was unnaturally blue; faint and crystal clear, with a few fleeting clouds on adrift. Endless. Boundless. Like a pale blue silk stretched across the horizon. So blue, so pure—and such purity was ephemeral.

 

Just like her.

 

He didn't understand why, but everywhere he looked reminded him of her. It was just one lunch time without her, yet he already felt like it was an eternity. Why did he care so much about her anyway?

 

She never replied to the questions he asked her, or commented on any of his jokes. She was always silent, distant and mysterious, delicate yet unbreakable.

 

There was just something serene about her that made her stood out and attracted him, pulling him toward her. Was it really “like”, as Meiling had so nicely put it? Did he really fall for a girl like her? For all he knew, they were two different people, occupying the opposite ends of the spectrum of life.

 

But their worlds collided, so suddenly, so ambiguously.

 

Fate was it? Or destiny?

 

He didn't know.

 

He didn't believe in either one of them.

 

Shaking his head slightly to clear off his mind, Syaoran blamed it on the adrenalin rush.

 

“Yah I know, but I saw her walking back from the teacher's lounge after the bell rang. And Meiling, Aiko and some other girl were talking to her.” Eriol ran a hand through his wet blue hair, retelling what he saw before he left for lunch.

 

Syaoran's half-closed eyes suddenly snapped open. He sat up abruptly and whipped his head around to face Eriol, gawking at his friend in horror as if he had just seen a ghost passing by. “What do you mean you saw Meiling talking to Sakura?!”

 

Eriol shifted away from Syaoran slightly, covering his left ear. “Don't yell so loud Syaoran, I'm not deaf you know.” He replied half-jokingly. Eriol couldn't help but turn a lingering gaze to the boy next to him, and saw that Syaoran was staring at him with darkened amber eyes.

 

Eriol realized that he was serious about the question.

 

Closing his eyes and leaning back, Eriol sighed in defeat, “I just saw them talking to her that's all. And then they walked off to the sports supplies room I think…but I'm not sure. Since when did they become friends anyway?...” Eriol paused after hearing no responses or retorts from Syaoran, he reopened his eyes and flickered up a glance at Syaoran's way, but only found his spot empty.

 

Chuckling lightly in faint amusement, Eriol continued to relax under the tree.

 

Syaoran'll find her alright, and maybe realize that it is more than just attraction that ties them together. Eriol thought to himself. And now, I shall think about my Tomoyo-Chan.

 

Under the cherry blossom tree, Eriol hummed an artless tune, relaxing as if it was just any ordinary day.

 

……

 

“You know Kinomoto, it's gonna hurt a bit, so if you want to cry, feel free to do so. I don't mind.” Meiling jeered, keeping her hand where it was.

 

Glaring down at Sakura, she waited for the typical reaction of a scared girl. Of course, she didn't really plan on smashing her fingers. It was just an act to scare Sakura and warn her that it wasn't a smart move to mess with Li Meiling.

 

But surprisingly enough, even under such threats, Sakura still remained silent.

 

Reaching the limit of her tolerant capacity, Meiling became infuriated. Sakura's silence was more than just offensive to her now. It was mocking her, irking her endlessly. Exasperated, Meiling raised her hand higher up into the air and then suddenly dropped it, aiming at the delicate, tapered fingers on the dirty ground.

 

Sakura suddenly tilted her head upward, emerald green eyes aligning with fierce rubies fearlessly even though eye-stinging dusts were sparkling in the corners of her eyes. “Even if you smash my hands, I can still draw if I want to. As long as I have the determination to paint.”

 

She was challenging Meiling.

 

“I know someone who lost their limps in a car accident, yet that girl still managed to play hockey even without her arms. I know I can do it too. If you smash my right hand, I can still draw with my left hand, and if you smash both of my hands. I can still hold a pencil with my mouth.”

 

Sakura's soft words resonated in the heavy air causing something to flash through the depth of Meiling's eyes. Shock and disbelief were written all over her face. The scornful look, despises and aggravations all vanished without a trace. The hand that was holding onto the dumbbell froze just inches away from Sakura's hand.

 

“If I'm determined to do something, no one can stop me.” Sakura declared, even though her tone was mild and smooth, Meiling could still hear the underlying adamancy vibrating hauntingly in the heavy air. The words were easily whisked away to the corners of the room, and left a stunned Meiling behind, looking petrified and appalled.

 

She thought Sakura was weak, frail, and delicate like a glass. Easily broken. But she was wrong.

 

Sakura was the second person who had displayed such courage in front of her, such admirable determination. Meiling recalled on seeing the same kind of determination and strong will in a familiar pair of amber eyes too.

 

Overwhelmed, and bewildered by the strong similarities she saw between the painter in front of her and the young man she had come to love over the years.

 

No wonder they were fatally attracted to each other.

 

They had their similarities after all.

 

The dumbbell slipped from Meiling's hand and dropped to the ground, rolling away from them until it bumped into something and stopped. Meiling continued to gape at Sakura, looking dazed and ignoring the concerned looks from Aiko and Yume.

 

“Meiling…” Aiko asked in a subtle voice, but Meiling didn't seem to have heard her. Reaching out a hand, Aiko tugged at Meiling's sleeve lightly. The force applied was just enough to catch her attention.

 

Blinking a few times, Meiling regained her collectiveness. She stood up, dusting off the dirt on her skirt and gestured Aiko and Yume to let go of Sakura. “Let this time be a warning to you. I won't be as nice the next time.” Meiling admonished. She gave Sakura one long meaningful look before strutting off with Aiko and Yume by her side.

 

Sakura let out a sigh of relief and felt herself falling toward the floor. The strength she had gathered from her body a moment ago to give that declaration was all used up now. Her body didn't even have enough strength to support her. Hugging her right hand, she caressed it with her other hand and closed her eyes again, letting the tears to roll down her cheeks.

 

She had held them long enough.

 

For a moment there, she almost thought she would lose her hand forever. It was true that she could train herself to draw with the help of her mouth if she had lost her hands, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't scared at the thought of losing them.

 

The door swung open abruptly with a loud bang and Sakura intuitively directed her gaze at the source of all the commotion. There, she saw a chestnut haired young man standing at the door, panting hard; his chest rising and falling unrhythmically.

 

He then dashed toward her, arms wrapped around her shivering body; his face buried in the curve of her neck, inhaling in the sweet and faint scent that belonged to her only. Sakura literally froze on the spot. Her eyes widened with shock. She could feel the warmth of his body seeping through the thick material of his uniform.

 

The smell of sweat and masculinity filled her nostrils. The feeling was so comforting and she almost felt she could trust him with her life. “Meiling…didn't do anything to you, did she?” His muffled voice suddenly brought her back to reality, his breath tickling the sensitive skin of her neck.

 

“Let me protect you, Sakura.” It was a quite request, but it sounded like he was begging her. His embrace was so tight and offered her so much protection, warmth, indulgence, unsaid promises…and something more. Sakura closed her eyes and relaxed her tense body, letting him hold her protectively as if she was a delicate porcelain doll.

 

Just for this moment, all she wanted to do was to let him protect her, be her shelter in the storm. She rested her head against his sturdy, well-built shoulder and used her heart to feel his strong heartbeats. Baa-bum, baa-bum—so even and steady.

 

This was the embrace of her dark angel. All her worries, fears, were taken away by his mere presence, because she knew he would watch over her and keep her save in his arms.

 

Time had stopped in that single frame. The world faded away—became unimportant.

 

Nothing else mattered at this moment, because he was with her.

 

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A/N: Ahem, long chappie for my long disappearance. -Cough- I'm back on track again and my old policy of weekly update resumes again. The next few chapters will be errm…purely SxS…and um, fluff. I think I'm gonna need my Tylenol when I write those chappies. -Sweatdrop-

 

Now this is the part when I ask shamelessly for reader's forgiveness and reviews. -Gleeful smile-

 

Excuse the obvious mistakes will ya? I'm as blind as a bird.