If You Love Me

'If you love me, then you'd do it!' That was the new phrase for all girlfriends everywhere… except for one. Kinomoto Sakura refused to use that line, but why?

"Takato!" A shrilly girl shrilled as she latched onto her boyfriend as they were both walking home after class, "If you love me, like really, really love me, you'd take me to the mall! I need new shoes!"

The boyfriend, Takato, sighed as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. His expression was futile, because he knew he had no other way of getting out of this trap without actually succumbing to it. "Fine," he muttered, "I'll pick you up tonight around six?"

"Great! I love you Takato!"

"Love you too, Rika." Her boyfriend said, albeit rather tiredly, as they walked off.

Kinomoto Sakura, eighteen years old and first-year in University for a double major in Biology and Chemistry, shook her head in disgust as she watched the young couple walk off, arm in arm. Her two long-time friends, Li Mei Lin and Daidouji Tomoyo stood beside her, staring at what she was staring at. Sakura pushed her auburn tresses off of her face as she turned around and to walk away, her annoyance emitting off of her.

"What's the matter?" Mei Lin asked as the three started to walk to the school cafe. Mei Lin was majoring in Finance and Tomoyo, as she was both vocally and artistically apt, was in fashion designing as well as lead singer in the school extra circular choir.

Sakura shrugged. "That's such a stupid thing to say," she cleared her throat and began to mock the girl from earlier, high pitched and giggly. "Oh Takato!" Sakura mimicked, "prove to me you love me even if you asked me out, made me your girlfriend and fucked my brains out! Take me to the mall because the proves me just how much you love me despite all the other times I asked you to do something for me because you love me!" Sakura growled low, walking even faster.

Tomoyo and Mei Lin exchanged glances. "What's wrong with that?" Tomoyo piped up, "So she made her boyfriend take her to the mall with a small little insignificant line, what's the problem?" Tomoyo asked.

"Because it's so stupid. She knows he loves her, and hell if she wants to go to the mall, she has friends to go with!" Sakura muttered passionatly, "Damn, if he doesn't want to go with her and she's forcing him to, then it proves to me that she doesn't love him."

"It's their relationship; she can say what she wants. Plus, you can't tell me you've never said that to Syaoran." Mei Lin questioned as she linked arms with her friend. Sakura and Syaoran have been dating for a steady two years and a half now and everybody knew that they were going to last. Mei Lin and Tomoyo had boyfriends of their own, but they hadn't been with them for the length of time Sakura was with Syaoran.

"I never have and I never will." Sakura proclaimed definitely as they walked into the cafe and spotted their boyfriends.

"Like I believe that." Tomoyo rolled her eyes. The girls sat down beside their boyfriends and noted that they all looked exhausted beyond belief. Syaoran's head was lying on the table and Sakura sent a questioning look to Eriol, who looked tired, but wasn't falling asleep like Syaoran.

"What's up with you guys?" She whispered as she rubbed Syaoran's back. He relaxed and buried his head further into his hands.

"Up late night to finish our term project." Eriol yawned. "He stayed up longer and I fell asleep on the couch."

Sakura winced. "Ouch… you guys started your project already?"

Syaoran and Eriol were both majoring in Political Science and Human Resources (as per Mother's orders, Syaoran so nicely put it). Both were in third year and have partnered up for any and all projects assigned to them throughout the years in University. This time, however, their state was quite bad- Sakura had never seen her boyfriend practically pass out on a lunch table.

"Two weeks ago. I'm telling you," Eriol yawned before shaking his head, "it's a bitch. We've been working for two weeks straight and we just finished our flash animation last night."

"Wow, you guy's had to do a flash animation?" Sakura raised a brow.

"We had a choice but flash animation, we thought, was the easiest one that wasn't as lame was a PowerPoint." Eriol murmured. Sakura and Tomoyo exchanged glances.

"The easiest?" Tomoyo squeaked. Eriol nodded as he pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down a bunch of numbers onto it.

"What's that?" Ryu asked as he looked over Sakura's shoulder.

"The code to activate the file that has the flash animation in it. I password protected it last night when Syaoran went to take a shower…at 3am." Eriol added wryly.

"Oh," Sakura whispered as she kept on rubbing Syaoran's back. Somebody, however, bumped Syaoran accidentally. Syaoran shot awake and the guy turned around and quickly mumbled an apology.

"S'alright man," Syaoran yawned as he leaned his head on Sakura's shoulder.

"You okay?" She murmured as she caressed his cheek.

"Fine, you hungry?" He yawned again, taking out his wallet.

"Yeah but I can wait, you want something." Sakura stood up, taking Syaoran's wallet.

"No man, I'll go." He insisted.

"You sit down and sleep, I'll get you your food and mine." She said as she went to grab her purse. Syaoran grabbed it and smirked before she had a chance to retaliate. He leaned his head on her purse and closed his eyes once again.

"Pillow."

"Baby! My wallet is in there!" She whined.

"Use my money." He replied, cheekily.

Sakura sighed. "Fine, I love you." She kissed his cheek before going to the lunch line.

Tomoyo looked at Eriol and smiled. "Eriol-kun, I'm starving and I have no lunch."

"Have some of mine," Eriol murmured as he shoved his sandwich to her, he was just too tired to eat and wanted to pass out like Syaoran but he was writing up his script on a piece of paper for the presentation next week.

"Oh, but I wanted a salad… can you get it for me? Please?" She begged, puppy dog eyes effect being used too, "If you love meeee…." She trailed out. Eriol sighed as he stood up and took out his wallet.

"Garden or Caesar?"

"Caesar please!" Tomoyo smiled as Eriol walked off to the lunch line.

Syaoran raised his head and shook his head at Tomoyo. "He's dead tired Tomoyo, you're making him go get you lunch?"

Tomoyo frowned. "He can't be that tired if he can get me lunch."

"He didn't have the energy to eat his lunch. He's an endless pit but he still gets up for you… that's saying something." Syaoran shrugged before laying his head back down on Sakura's purse. Five minutes later, Sakura walked back with a tray full of food. Syaoran's nose hit the smell of fried noodles and his head shot up, his stomach giving a loud growl.

"Oh my god, I love you." He said, staring at the food. There were two large cups of coffee for him, a bowl of fried noodles, salad for Sakura, some chicken, shrimp, meatballs and a bit of rice.

"How much was it?" Syaoran said looking at her.

Sakura grinned. "I had a twenty dollar bill in my pocket so you didn't actually pay for lunch, baby."

Syaoran frowned. "Sakura…" he said warningly.

"I wanted to pay for it! Now eat!" Sakura picked up a cup of coffee and pushed it towards him. "Drink, it's black- maybe it'll keep you awake for the rest of the day?"

Syaoran eyed the second cup, "Who's that one for?"

"Eriol." Sakura said, and as if on cue, Eriol walked back with a bowl of salad in his arms.

"Here you go, babe." He said as he sat back down, handing Tomoyo her salad.

Sakura handed him the coffee and smiled. "My treat, you and Syaoran need energy."

"Thanks so much." Eriol sighed thankfully as he took a large gulp of the coffee. Tomoyo smiled at Sakura as she started to eat her salad. Syaoran, in two minutes, finished his noodles, rice, meatballs and half his chicken and shrimp. He finished his coffee and lay his head back down on the purse.

"Need anything else?" She whispered.

"No I'm good. Thanks so much." He murmured kissing her knuckles before snuggling with her hand. She smiled as she leaned on him, slowly eating her salad. Mei Lin pouted and turned to Ryu.

"Ryu… you know Tomoyo has a party next Saturday right?"

Tomoyo squealed. "Oh yeah! You guys have to come!"

"I'm so sorry babe… I'm working." Ryu said, his eyes widening.

Mei Lin frowned. "Ryu, baby if you love me you'd at least drop me off?"

Ryu twitched. "Mei, I'm working…"

"You work at 7! The party starts at 6:30!" Mei Lin whined.

"Fine, I'll try." Ryu sighed as Tomoyo turned to Sakura who was still eating.

"How about you, can you come?"

Sakura shrugged. "Syaoran," she whispered and he made a grunt, signaling he was awake, "are you gonna go?"

"I'm working with Ryu too next Saturday… but I'll drop you off if you want."

"When does shift start?" Sakura whispered.

"Seven, just like Ryu."

"Then it's ok. You go to work, I'll ask Touya to drop me off." Sakura smiled.

"No, no I'll take you. It's okay." Syaoran said sitting up, leaning back in his chair.

Sakura shook her head. "No way, if you even dare come pick me up I'll be really mad. I know it takes you an hour to get to work. How is Ryu gonna manage to drop off Mei and get to work within half an hour is beyond me and the laws of physics," Sakura busted out her cool physics intelligence. "You go to work and I'll ask Onii-chan?"

"And if Touya won't take you?" Tomoyo asked.

"Then I won't go. It's just a party Tomoyo-chan, I'm not risking Syaoran's job. I can come over another time." Sakura smiled.

"Sakura! Just use the damn line and you can get here!" Mei Lin whined.

"No." Sakura growled as she stood up and threw her salad out. "I'm going to go study for the my organic chem test tomorrow. Bye guys." She kissed Syaoran lightly on the lips before waking off.

Syaoran turned to Mei Lin. "What line?" He asked.

"The if you love me then you'd do it line." Mei Lin sighed, "That girl never uses it and she said she never will! She was so psyched about the party but now it's the, if Syaoran is busy then it doesn't matter excuse. I'm telling you Syaoran, you're killing her here! She went to get her own food when you could've gotten it for her." His cousin accused.

"I was tired!" He rebutted.

"Yeah, so was I." Eriol smirked.

Syaoran growled. "I'm gonna go sleep in the library where it's quiet..."

"Or is it because Sakura's there?" Ryu teased and Syaoran flipped him the bird.

"Awwww," The group teased as he walked off.

Ryu turned to the remaining three and raised a brow. "You guy's are right, Sakura's the only girl who hasn't used the prove me you love me trick yet."

"She's too pure. She'll give in." Mei Lin shrugged as Eriol fell asleep and Ryu continued listening to his MP3 player.

Sakura was sitting in the library and was making notes from her textbook into her notebook. Her headphones were plugged into her ear and she was picking up and dropping pens, colour coordinating her notebook for easier studying... She hardly wrote down the next letter when she felt air whiz by her. She looked up and saw Syaoran sitting opposite of her, his head on the desk.

"Hey sweetheart," She greeted, "why you here?"

"They were being bastards back in the cafeteria. I'm gonna get some sleep in here while you study, okay?" He looked at her, fatigue washing over his eyes. Sakura smiled as she threw a water bottle at him.

"Enjoy your nap." She laughed as he drank some water and went to sleep, again on Sakura's purse. Sakura giggled softly as she continued with her note taking, quite glad with herself that she mastered the art of chemistry, even though she wasn't as inclined to study chemistry as she was biology.

She hummed a soft tune and a smile curved on Syaoran's mouth as he actually did fall into a light slumber. Sakura groaned as she stretched back. She reached for her water bottle and eased it out of Syaoran's hand before drinking down three quarters of the liquid. She wiped her mouth dry before resting her head on the desk, feeling a headache coming on because of all the letters and... words.

Stupid chemistry, she thought restlessly as she sat up and looked around the library. She saw Sara and Jason, a freshman couple sitting a few desks away from her. She smiled, remembering her and Syaoran being just friends back in their freshman year.

"Jason, help me study! Please?" Sara asked, begging softly. Sakura frowned, knowing what was coming next. She groaned inwardly as Jason sent an apologetic look to Sara.

"I have to study for my geography midterm… I'll help you as soon as I'm done… promise?"

Sara sniffled. "If you love me, Jason, you'd help me."

Jason frowned as he closed his books. "What do you need help with?"

Sara squealed softly as she hugged him. "Japanese grammar," she finally replied as they got to work.

"Idiots," Sakura murmured as she glanced at her boyfriend. She smiled softly as she went to move some hair off his forehead.

"You're so cute," She giggled softly as she when went to withdraw her hand, but Syaoran reached up and caught it.

"You're cuter." He smiled as he sat up, yawning.

Sakura blushed heavily as his thumb rubbed circles on her palm. "You not asleep?" She asked softly.

"Slept for a few minutes before waking up thanks to loud couple over yonder." Syaoran yawned loudly as he sat up, releasing Sakura's hand.

"Oh you mean missy who won't let her boyfriend study?"

Syaoran chuckled. "Yeah, them."

Sakura shook her head. "I hate it, when girls go if you love me. Seems so shallow."

Syaoran raised a brow. "So are you saying you'd never ask me that?"

"Why should I?" Sakura shot back at him, leaning in on her seat.

"So you're saying," Syaoran was getting interested because he too cannot recall a time his girlfriend asked him to prove his love for her, "that even if you wanted something badly, and I do mean badly, you wouldn't say, Syaoran if you love me…?"

Sakura snorted. "Yeah right, if I want something that badly I'd just bug the hell out of Onii-chan if you say no."

"But what if it's something your brother can't get you… like a necklace that's meant for a couple?"

"If it's something like that I can easily afford it." Sakura shot back.

"What if you forgot your credit card?"

"I'd ask for them to put it on hold so I can go get my card and pay for it." Sakura smirked at Syaoran. "Face it love, I'm never gonna ask you to prove your love for me because it's a shallow way to prove to yourself that your man loves you."

"You don't want that satisfaction? To know that I love you enough to sacrifice… let's say my geography midterm?"

"I know you love me enough to sacrifice a geography midterm," Sakura rolled her eyes, "all I have to do is say, Syaoran I don't get this, and you'd probably give up a million dollars to help me."

Syaoran snorted. "A million dollars to help you?"

Sakura slapped him on the arm. "You know you would."

"Yeah," Syaoran grinned, showing his fangs, "I probably would."

Sakura giggled. "Point proven. My view is, why would you ask me out if you didn't have some sort of feelings for me? If it wasn't meant to be it won't happen and I won't force it to happen because that's playing with the path of life and all those other philosophical things I believe in."

"Deep," Syaoran laughed before yawning again, "shit I'm so tired! Can't even get some sleep."

"Sleep in your next class," Sakura said, "it's only an elective."

"Can't," Syaoran yawned loudly, "I have to stay up during that class to memorize my script for the presentation next week."

Sakura looked at him with sympathy. "You need to start your work faster."

"What do you mean?" Syaoran raised a brow. "Eriol made the script late because Tomoyo pulled an if you love me trick."

"See how dangerous they are," Sakura rolled her eyes. She glanced at the clock over the door and sighed. "Five minutes before class starts, wanna go?"

"Too tired." Syaoran moaned.

Sakura packed all her things and slung her backpack over her shoulder before helping Syaoran up. "You're soo tired you can't even walk." She commented.

"So?" he whined and Sakura giggled.

"Let's go."

Classes ended as normal that day and Syaoran and Eriol slugged out of their class, sighing with relief.

"Memorized it?" Sakura asked, hugging him.

"I wish I could even start reading it." Syaoran said sarcastically. "I fell asleep in the beginning of the lecture."

"Aww, you'll do well, you have all week to memorize it." Sakura said hugging him. Sakura and Syaoran bade the others farewell as they walked to Syaoran's car.

"Let me drive," She persisted as she got the keys from his hands. "You're too tired. You sleep, I'll take you home, okay?"

"What about you?" He asked.

"Don't worry about me." She said as he nodded, getting into the car. As soon as his seatbelt was buckled, he fell asleep. Sakura smiled softly at him, finding his sleeping figure quite cute. Instead of driving him home, she drove to the local park and parked the car. She saw a few kids playing on the swings and smiled, wanting to have a family one day. She glanced at Syaoran who slept soundly and she got her homework out.

She started to do her homework… she had enough to keep her company.

At exactly 8:37pm, Syaoran woke up with a start and saw Sakura packing some things into her bag, then noticed they were in his car still.

"Hey," he said, a fresh look in his eyes, "why are we here?"

"Thought I'd let you sleep," Sakura smiled, "finished all my homework though. If I took you home, you would've done something that didn't allow you to sleep."

"What about my homework?" Syaoran groaned. "I have enough to pull another all nighter."

"No," Sakura laughed, "I did yours too because I was bored after finishing mine. Our homework is done. Political science is a breeze you know that?" Sakura teased, "It's all analysis questions and it's common sense to be honest. You can look over my work when you get home though, I'm only a measly first year." She winked at him but Syaoran's eyes were still widened in shock.

"WHAT?" Syaoran said, quite surprised.

"Yeah, you wanna go home now?" Sakura asked cheekily. Syaoran cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers. She gave herself into him and they continued to kiss, a heat of passion until they needed air. Syaoran pulled back as Sakura panted.

"You're the best girl a guy can ask for," he murmured. Sakura smiled as she leaned forward to kiss him again. They kissed for a few seconds before Syaoran pulled back.

"I wanna hear you say it," He murmured.

"Ehh? Say what?" She questioned.

"That thing you hate so much… just say it."

"Why?" Sakura raised a brow.

"Just say it with anything," Syaoran smirked, "I wanna hear you say it. I know I never will so just this once... please?" His voice was husky.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Fine," she leaned extremely close to Syaoran's lips, "if you love me," she started, "you'll never ask me to ask you to prove your love to me."

Syaoran grinned. "That can be arranged."

And their lips locked again.

Edited: September 24, 2011