This is my second story and I really hope everybody enjoys it as much as I enjoy writing it.

italics-flashback

" Mum?" I called as I crossed the threshold. The apartment was dead silent with only the faint sound of water, rushing. Water , rushing. I immediately ran towards the one and only bathroom in the apartment. " Mum!" I yelled throwing my backpack aside. Bursting into the bathroom I saw a scene that would haunt me later in the night. My mum was lying in the overflowing bathtub, her head below the water while blood mingled with the flooding bathroom. It was covered in blood. So much. Too much.

I immediately hauled my mum out of the tub and laid her gently on the floor. I did CPR while salty tears started slipping out of my eyes swimming away with the blood. " Mum! Mum! Wake up! Mum!" I kept yelling trying to get her back if she hadn't already left. This was not happening. It couldn't. Wouldn't. She won't leave me. I won't let her. Please. I cried and cried deep in my heart. Please, don't do this to me.

Finally, her eyes fluttered opened as she coughed out water. She looked so pale and frail as if just a touch from anyone would break her and she would never be healed. She would be gone. I couldn't do anything but hug her tightly while crying tears of relief. So tightly that she had to remind me to let go so that she could breathe. " Mum…" I whispered hoarsely. " You nearly died. You were nearly gone! Don't… please, don't ever put me through that again."

" I'm sorry, Sakura. I couldn't control myself." I wiped away the tears that were slowly sliding down her cheek and felt my heart ache for this broken woman that was my mother.

" Did you take the pills."

She bit her lips and didn't answer. She looked so guilty that I knew she didn't. Hot anger pooled and spread through my whole body. Pulsing red and scorching hot.

" How could you! Then what are the medicine for?"

" I… I just didn't want to use it up so fast. So that we don't have to pay for them again so soon." She said softly. " You're overworking yourself. Don't think that I didn't notice. I saw your face and the black shadows beneath the eyes."

" Mum, I'll find a way to pull through. There's still the insurance left and I can take another job." I knew the insurance was almost gone and truthfully that worries me. So far the insurance had supported us through everything. Our daily lives, the medical fees, the funeral, school and so on. But the medical bills were increasing and the school was talking about raising the fees so I really don't know how long the insurance would cover us.

My mother smiled. Guess she knows that too. " Don't worry, really. I'll get us through this." I smiled softly.

She looked so pained and guilty as she raised her eyes to mine and said " I'm so sorry Sakura. You have so much to bear and I'm really just adding weight to your burden."

" I don't mind. I honestly don't. Please, listen to me." I stared straight into her. " Keep yourself going. No matter how hard it is. No matter how tempting it is to let go. Do it for me if not for yourself. We'll live through this. When you get better and we have enough money, I'll take you to Italy. Haven't you always wanted to go there?" I pleaded and persuaded just to keep her with me and she replied with a nod.

" Now let's get you dry and in a warm bed."

I helped her change her wet clothes and bandaged her wounds that had stopped bleeding. After giving her the pills and an injection, I went to the bathroom and cleaned it up. Then, I made dinner. Which was omelette and left over rice. I left the food in the microwave and a note sticked to it to inform my mother about them.

Changing into a black turtleneck and a grey baggy pants, I left for the nightclub which I worked in with my backpack, after, once again, checking sure that mum was alright. I looked at the ebony curls that fanned onto the pillow and the long lashes that framed her closed emerald eyes, which was exactly like mine and nearly fell to the ground in tears. What had this dear, sweet woman done to deserve this? She did nothing wrong and yet she was falling.

I closed the door and left for the bus which took me to the nightclub downtown. Peach and Punks. After reaching the locker through the back door, I changed into my uniform which was a white shirt, a back vest and a black tie. I was allowed either dark coloured pants or skirts. Sighing, I closed the locker door and squared my shoulders and walked out. Prepared to face a long and hard night.

I pulled my long sleeves further down , until they covered my palm and only left my fingers. My whole body ached and I was hardly able to climb out of bed this morning because of last night's beating. Nadeshiko had had another one of her fits.

She slammed me into the wall and pain burst over all of my body. I blinked furiously to try to keep my vision clear and was just in time to block the incoming plate with my arm. The plate break upon contact and my arm started to bleed. I bit my lip to keep from crying out with the added wound. Mum stood before me her eyes wild and her expression contorted in fury and grief. " Why!" She screamed with all she had at me, another plate in her hands.

She was preparing to smash me with it again. I made my body stand, ignoring the lava of agony that was coursing through my body and tried to wrestle the plate out of her hand. She was stubborn and wouldn't let go. We fought with each other while tears dripped. " I don't know either!" I screamed back at her. Gazing at her hate filled eyes, I whispered, brokenly," I don't know either…I really wish I do."

At last, all that was left was her grief and the plate dropped and was cracked and chipped. Just like us. Almost broken but still trying to keep it together. Fighting hard to remain sane in the dark.

She fell onto the floor and I slid down using the wall as a support. Nadeshiko was sobbing hysterically as I closed my eyes and let the tears flow.

" I'm so sorry, Sakura." I opened my eyes and gazed at her through the film of my tears.

Nodding, I said, gently " I know." And hugged her. She was my mother. She was everything I had and all that was left.

I was wearing a white turtleneck and jeans to school. They were enough to cover the bruises and cuts and also my arm.

I shuffled along to the gates of the University of Tokyo. There was a commotion near the gates and I looked up to see a pack of hungry fan girls surrounding the school's hottest and of course, most popular guy.

He had warm chocolate brown hair, deep amber eyes and a killer body. Tall, lean, handsome, filthy rich, smart and cool. He was the prince charming of every girl's dreams.

He was Li Syaoran.

Please review if you value my sanity!

I'll upload a.s.a.p but it will be awhile though I have my year end exam in October.