Love to Go

* ~ Chapter 1 ~ *

"Mr. Li, can you please read the next paragraph for us, please?" Terada-sensei asked, not looking up from the page. He was obviously expecting his student to be paying attention. How wrong. The entire class sat in silence for a few seconds, awaiting the voice of Syaoran Li to continue reading from their history textbook. A few more seconds ticked by, and a few heads started to turn back, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

Syaoran's head of soft chocolate brown hair was rested upon his two strong arms, his face completely hidden. His gentle snoring, which was audibly covered by the last student reading aloud, could now be heard. A few students giggled to themselves, yet, was tactful enough not to burst out laughing.

"Syaoran Li!" Terada-sensei's voice boomed, ceasing all the giggles and smirks. Everyone abruptly turned back around in their seats to face the front of the class. Everyone except Syaoran, that is. But he did hear his name being called, and not in a friendly tone of voice. His sleepy eyes opened and his head lifted up from his arms.

Oh, shit, he thought, looking at the history book that he had been napping on a few seconds ago. The page was creased where his arms had been compressing. Sitting up straighter in his seat, Syaoran surreptitiously unfolded the crease and tried his best to smooth it out, all the while glancing at the page widely with his bright hazel eyes to locate where the last student had left off. I have got to stop staying up late at night.

"Page one sixty four, paragraph seven," the voice of Eriol Hiirazigawa whispered beside him, a smirk evidently plastered on his face. Syaoran glared at his friend, but was grateful for his help. Clearing his throat, he got ready to read, but a knock on the classroom door interrupted.

"Excuse me," a young man from another class said politely, yet coolly, "I'm Kai Motamiya from the First Tier class. My classmate, Sakura Kinomoto, and I are here to make an announcement about the upcoming school dance." He gestured to a pretty young woman with long auburn-red hair and forest green eyes, standing in their school's uniform.

"Ah, yes, Kai, come on in," Terada-sensei greeted with warmth. But then again, everyone was nice to First Tier students and their teacher. First Tier class consisted of the most brilliant in the school – the geniuses that were said to have the brightest of all futures ahead of them in life. Turning back to Syaoran, Terada-sensei's expression darkened. "We'll talk about your sleeping in class behaviour later, Mr. Li."

Syaoran sunk slightly in his seat. Gee, embarrass me in front of these two people, why don't you, sensei?

Kai and the girl strolled into the classroom and faced the students confidently, as if they do this all the time.

"As you all should probably know by now, the annual Winter Festival Dance is coming up. As usual, tickets will be on sale during lunch outside the cafeteria. Students from First Tier will be running the booth, and all proceeds go towards the school." Kai said smoothly, his grey-blue eyes scanned the faces of the students.

"The dance will be on the last day before winter vacation, at six thirty at night, in the school gym. As per usual, the First Tier class and the Dance Committee will collaborate to run this dance, but of course, all students are entitled to giving their opinions and feedbacks if they have any," Sakura carried on from where Kai left off without missing a beat, and Syaoran wondered if their coordination was practiced.

"Are there any questions?" Kai asked. Nobody raised a hand. All the girls were too busy blushing and ogling over Kai, and why shouldn't they? Being in First Tier, he was definitely a genius, and his ebony hair and grey-blue eyes only added to his attractiveness to the female population of Tomoeda Secondary. It was the most obvious fact that Kai Motamiya was the most respected male student in this entire school, and that Sakura Kinomoto was his counterpart.

Syaoran could see Eriol's gaze from the corner of his hazel eyes, as if challenging him to raise his and ask a question.

Come on. This is your chance. Show her that you're not apathetic. That you care about the important stuff around this school! Impress her! Let her know that just because you're not in First Tier, you're not stupid.

And before he could control it, Syaoran raised his hand. Kai pretended not to notice. As usual, he doesn't care about anything Syaoran, or anyone else from the Third Tier class for that matter, had to say. Sakura was different though.

"Yes?" she acknowledged Syaoran's hand.

"I want to ask," Syaoran spoke, and paused to make sure that his voice wasn't shaking as he continued, "how come the money made from the dances always go towards stuff the First Tier class wants? What about the needs of the rest of the student population?"

Silence.

A few students turned back around in their seat to stare at him like they did when he didn't reply to Terada-sensei's request of him to read the next paragraph earlier. Except this time, their mouths were hung open in shock that Syaoran Li, practically a nobody from Third Tier, had the nerve to question the authority of the two most intelligent students in the history of the school.

"What's your name?" Kai narrowed his eyes at Syaoran.

"He's Syaoran Li," Sakura informed her partner.

She knows my name! Syaoran thought as his heart flipped over in joy. Well, duh, a voice in his chimed, you two have been living across the street from each other for the past seven years.

"Well, Li," Kai said, his eyes still narrowed. "Contrary to your belief, the money made from school events and functions do not go towards the needs of First Tier. We know what the student population requires, and we have every intent to satisfy those requirements." Kai obviously expected Syaoran to shut up after that explanation. No such luck.

"Um, yeah, that's great and everything, but how come we don't get a say in what we think we require?" Syaoran prompted on.

Kai had a reply for this too. "We find that students tend to look at the short term goals, whereas First Tier students can look at the bigger picture and have a better idea of what is needed around the school. Furthermore – "

"Are you calling the rest of us stupid and would spend the money on crap?" Syaoran interrupted. Everyone in the room flinched except for Kai, Sakura, and Syaoran.

"You said it," Kai smiled arrogantly. "I didn't."

"Your opinions are of great value, of course," Sakura hastily ensured, offering a small smile at Syaoran's direction. "If there are any issues you feel strongly about, you can drop it off at the suggestion box outside the office. We must be going now, we still have to make the announcement in the Fourth and Fifth Tier classes."

She grabbed Kai by the arm, and pulled him out of the classroom, as if she sensed that a full-blown argument would take place if she didn't.

"Nice going, Li," a few students smirked in a taunting manner.

Syaoran groaned silently to himself. What a way to make a fool out of myself in front of the girl I've been in love with for the past three years.

.o.

.o.

.o.

"I didn't think it was that bad," Eriol laughed, referring to the incident in the classroom earlier.

"I should have just kept my mouth shut." Syaoran grumbled. The fried chicken on his lunch tray suddenly didn't look so appetizing anymore. He flicked a glance over at the booth outside the doorway of the school cafeteria. Sakura Kinomoto, Kai Motamiya, and Naoko Yanagisawa were selling tickets to the upcoming Winter Festival Dance.

"Well, at least now you know that Sakura Kinomoto knows your name!" Takashi Yamazaki grinned. "It's not a total lost. Heck, it's probably the best that you can do!"

Syaoran glared at his friend. "What is that supposed to mean?!"

"Well," Takashi pondered, "think about it, Syaoran buddy. She's Sakura Kinomoto. From First Tier. Where all the intelligent people are. She's top of the year, every year. She gets better grades than Kai. She's pretty. Why would she notice you? This silly crush of yours, just give it up."

"It's not just a silly crush!" Syaoran said, banging the lunch table and gaining the attention of a few nearby students. "And what's wrong with me?!"

"Nothing," Eriol chimed in, "but if you're a girl, whom would you pick? Kai Motamiya, one of the biggest heartthrob in the school with a straight A average, or…you?"

"He's right you know. Kai and Sakura have a lot in common. The two of them are a match made in heaven. Two intelligent and good-looking people together… Wow." Takashi gave Syaoran a you-can't-deny-that look.

"Hey, I'm good looking too!" Yes, it was an egotistical thing to say. But Syaoran knew it was the truth. He was neither obese nor scrawny. His years of Chinese martial arts and soccer training had given him a well toned and defined body with at a height of 5"11. With his amber eyes and acne-free skin, and a heart-melting smile (or so he'd been told by some girls) he knew that he was just as good-looking as Kai Motomiya, if not, more so. He had turned down his fair share of girls on Valentine's Days because his heart belonged to Sakura Kinomoto and Sakura Kinomoto only.

"Yes, but you're in Third Tier class." Takashi happily pointed out. "You stutter during public speaking. You've never even been to a school function or event. You don't have the slightest idea of what goes on around here, and you're not popular."

"That's it!" Syaoran stood up, startling both his friends. "I'm going to ask her out."

"Oh good," Eriol grinned. "Have you finally come to your senses and realize that Meiling Rae is a much better choice for you, school social status-wise?"

"NO!" Syaoran shouted, and got quite annoyed at Eriol's mention of the clingy girl who had made her crush on him quite clear to anyone who would listen. "I meant I'm going to ask Sakura Kinomoto out. To the Winter Festival Dance. Right now."

And before his friends could snap out of their state of intense shock to stop him, Syaoran had already stormed out of the cafeteria.

.o.

.o.

.o.

"Do you not have any manners?" Kai glared when Syaoran budged in line of the ticket booth. "Get in line!"

"Hi, Sakura," Syaoran ignored him. He did not stutter. He did not blush. He was not nervous. His confidence high was still on full blast. Sakura blinked, somewhat taken aback that her neighbour of seven years, whom she hardly ever talked to, had come up to initiate the first conversation.

"Hi, Syaoran," Sakura said, quickly masking her slight surprise. "If you want a ticket, you do have to line up and wait your –"

"I'm not here to buy tickets," Syaoran said, his eyes never left contact with hers. "Well, not yet anyways."

"Oh, then…?"

"I want to ask you to go to the dance with me."

Silence roared through the hallway. Did Syaoran Li, from Third Tier, just dared to ask Sakura Kinomoto out? The pretty and intelligent Sakura Kinomoto, who everyone assumed would pick Kai Motomiya over Syaoran Li any day of the year?!

"Are you insane?" Kai's sharp voice cut through the silence like a knife. "Now if you're done being a freak, can you please leave?" he rolled his eyes, showing his intolerance.

Syaoran could hear people talking, but he tried his best to block them out. Sakura's answer was all that mattered. His eyes never left hers, and she seemed to understand that he wasn't going to back down until he got a clear answer from her. So she gave him one.

"Syaoran," Sakura said, a light and amused, but not necessarily mean or cruel, smile on her pretty face, "sorry, but I'm not interested."

.o.

.o.

.o.

"Were you there?"

"No, but I heard all about it! Sakura Kinomoto right?"

"Yes! I don't know whether to call him brave, or idiotic!"

"Poor guy! What's his name again?"

"Li. Li…something. That guy! Over there! That's him!"

"Oh – hey, wow, he's cute!"

"I know, right?! I would so love to go to the dance with him! Why didn't he ask me?!"

"You're not exactly Sakura Kinomoto."

"Well! He's not exactly Kai Motamiya either! He's in Third Tier!"

Syaoran kept his on the floor as he shuffled from class to class for the rest of the day, trying his best to ignore conversations like the one above. God, how humiliating.

"Syaoran, sorry, but I'm not interested."

Those words stung. They really, really did. But now that his confidence high had passed and reality had sunk in, what other answer could he have expected from her, surely?

Oh no, Syaoran froze as he realized that he had to walk pass Sakura's locker everyday in order to get to his. And there she was, properly placing her Biology textbook into her clean and crisp backpack, getting ready to go home.

And we live in the same direction too! This is going to be one long walk home.

.o.

.o.

.o.

As usual, he was walking behind her by a good few feet on the way home. They had never talked or walked home together in the past. It was less awkward to walk behind her and pretend that she was walking too fast for him to keep up (even though he can outrun her any day given his athletic abilities) than to walk to beside her and not have any conversation going.

But today, things were going to be different.

"Hi."

Sakura blinked up at him with her forest green eyes. "Oh. It's you again."

"Yes, it's me," Syaoran spoke impatiently. "I want to know…why?"

"Why what?"

"Why aren't you interested?"

"I think you should know the answer to that one," Sakura smiled lightly and continued to walk, leaving him behind again. But Syaoran wouldn't have any of it. He quickly caught up to her again.

"No, I don't know. Even though the First Tier class is full of snobs, I don't believe you're one of them. You're not shallow. There's no way you're not interested just because I'm below you on the school social ladder." He stepped in front of her, silently letting her know that he wanted a proper answer before any of them gets to go home.

"Of course I'm not shallow," Sakura said, her amused smile never leaving her face. "Because if I am, I would have said yes to you today."

"Huh?"

She held his gaze strongly and leaned in closer. So close that she could smell the light scent of his cologne mixed with the clothes softener that Mrs. Li used for her family laundry. Sakura let her eyes closed briefly as she inhaled. Syaoran could feel his cheeks heat up in their proximity.

"If I'm shallow, I would have said yes to you today simply because you're more attractive than Kai on the outside," she said in a soft voice.

He swore his heart stopped beating at that moment. Did she just…praise him?!

"But because I'm not shallow, I look at what's on the inside. And seriously? I'm not interested in a guy who apparently doesn't care enough about his education and future and barely passes all his courses every semester because he's not making the effort to do better." Sakura's tone was light and friendly, with just the smallest hint of arrogance. She backed away from Syaoran, her complexion still its usual healthy peach colour, while his was a brighter red. She can see the question in his eyes and answered it before he could ask, "Our mothers talk behind our backs. I'll see you around, Syaoran."

"Waaaait! Wait, wait, wait!" Syaoran called, his voice finally coming back. "Kai is an arrogant jerk who shows no compassion. How is he better than me on the inside?"

"Let's put it this way. Kai is intelligent, full of wits and diligence, and knows where he's going. If it's the end of the world," Sakura spoke, her voice soft but steady, "and there's only you and Kai left, I think I'll have a better chance of survival if I pick Kai to be my partner."

And with that, she left Syaoran standing there to digest her words.

.o.

.o.

.o.

: Hey guys! What did you think of the story? Please leave a review! Much appreciated!