Middle of Nowhere

by

Sakura-chan Master of the Clow

Chapter 1: Bet On It

Summary: Sakura is the loner, the nerd, the freak of her school. Syaoran, the popular heartthrob. She's been picked on ever since she could remember which has made her close off to everyone around her except those she feels truly comfortable and close with. One day, Syaoran's "buddies" make a bet: go out with Sakura for two months and have her fall in love with him before dumping her. But, he cannot fall in love with her. Can he get her to tell him she loves him? Or will he fall hard?

Disclaimer: I do not own any original characters from CardCaptor Sakura. All belongs to the wonderful members of CLAMP. I also don't own any songs or inspired quotes or excerpts that may appear in this fanfiction. All belongs to its corresponding owner. The story line for this fanfiction, however, is all mine so please no copyright.

Announcement: Every chapter will contain a song which inspired this story. Either it will include excerpts of the song or the whole thing; you never know. You'll see how childish my music really is. ^^'

Sakura walked up the steps of her school, dreading what the day had in store for her. She couldn't believe she had overslept that morning—she would be lucky to even get to class on time.

"Good morning, Kinomoto. How are you today?" asked one boy Sakura knew was in the popular circle.

She stayed silent and kept walking. She knew all the guys in that group were jerks who had nothing better to do than pick on her; the popular girls weren't any better. Why? She didn't know—though she had her suspicions. For the past two years she had been their main target. She was just glad this was her last year of high school so she'd finally be free from them in just a few months.

"I said, good morning. It's impolite to just ignore someone. What's wrong? Can't you speak now?" He was getting aggravated; she heard it in his voice.

Sakura clutched her textbooks closer to her chest and continued walking, her eyes on her shoes.

Suddenly, he thumped her books causing them to fall on the floor. In one swift movement, he pushed her up against the wall; one hand on her shoulder the other grabbing her chin, squishing her cheeks together.

"When I speak to you I expect you to respond. Understand? Now, what do you say?"

Sakura's jade green eyes were full of terror as she was forced to star into his malicious red-brown ones through her black framed square glasses. "G-good m-morning," she managed to say.

His hands tightened. "Good morning, what . . . ?"

Sakura whimpered at the constriction of his hands. "Akihito."

"Good. You best remember your place, bitch." He gave her a devilish smirk and released his hold on her. "Oh, and call me Kou."

As soon as he turned the corner, she slumped down to her knees, her bag strap fell over her shoulder causing her bag to tip over and spill a few of its contents on the floor around her. A few passing students looked down at her and snickered. She wanted to cry; every day she felt like crying. But she knew that would accomplish nothing. No one would help her; no one ever did. Biting her lip to keep the tears from falling, she started gathering her things when she spotted her compass for math. Her fingers quivered around the metallic measuring tool. No. Not now.

The warning bell rang and she stuffed the remaining items in her bag, readjusted her strap so it would comfortably sit on her shoulder, gathered the two textbooks Akihito Kou had made her drop, and continued making her way to homeroom. She knew it'd be another long, lonely day for her.

x~X~x

Li Syaoran walked into his homeroom and immediately girls flocked around him. He hated the attention he always got but it didn't do any good to be mean to them. All he could do was grin (or scowl) and bear it.

"Good morning, Li-kun! How are you today?" a random—and desperate—girl asked.

"I'm fine," he answered. "How are you?"

The girl giggled and mumbled a small "good".

"May I get you anything?" another girl asked.

"I'm fine for now, thank you. Though I would appreciate some space to get to my seat," he said as politely as possible. The growing irritated scowl on his face, however, said another story.

Almost oblivious to his growing irritation, the girls giggled and stepped aside to let him pass, all mutually agreeing to leave him alone for the time being. Syaoran casually walked to his desk, his buddies already occupied the seats around his. He slumped his bag on the chair and sat on the desk itself. He proceeded to do their secret handshake with the rest of the guys (A/N: You know, the lame ones with the fist bump and other stuff? Yeah, that).

"Honestly, Syaoran, I don't know what they see in you,"Jun said, motioning his head towards the girls who were watching them not-so-discreetly. "You barely show them any sort of emotion and they're still all over you." Syaoran only shrugged.

"So, I guess we owe you one," one of the guys, Ryouga, said.

Syaoran allowed himself to smirk. "You owe me more than one. I won fair and square. Cough it up, boys."

The three boys mutually groaned as they took out their wallets out and gave Syaoran ¥5000 each. He gladly took the money.

"Man, I don't know why we keep making bets with you. And it's not as if you even need the money. You're pretty much going to inherit the Li Corporation before any of your other sisters. You're richer than any one of us and you still take our money?"

Syaoran shrugged. "It's not my fault you give out such easy bets. The last one came onto me not even thirty minutes into our 'date'."

"Seriously? Dude, that must be a new record. Her boyfriend will hear about this."

"You can clearly win any girl over," Jun exclaimed. The other guy hooted in agreement.

"Oh, I doubt that," Kou said, smirking. His feet were on the seat and his right elbow rested on his knees. His palm cupped his cheek and let it rest there.

"Are you kidding? Syaoran just has to look at a girl and they'll be all over him," Jun said, obviously confident in his friend—who didn't seem to care otherwise. "I don't think there's a girl in this school who he can't get."

"Kinomoto Sakura?"

Syaoran frowned. "Pardon?"

"Kinomoto Sakura," Kou repeated. "I bet you can't get her."

"You mean that loner girl who always keeps to herself and does nothing but study or read?" Ryouga asked.

"Bet he can," Jun defended.

Kou and Ryouga looked at each other and chuckled. "Really, Syaoran, " Kou said, "you're going to let Jun make all your bets now?"

Syaoran shrugged. "Why not? What he's saying isn't wrong."

Kou snorted. "I highly doubt that. She's not the type to go out with guys much."

"So . . . she's a lesbian? Pfft, has that ever stopped him?" Jun said, confident in his friend's ability.

"No, she's not," Kou retorted. "But she seems the type to not get involved with anyone. It'd be some miracle if even you got her, Li."

Fire lit up in Syaoran eyes. Friend or not, one does not try to break Li Syaoran's ego like that. "Miracle nothing. I bet I can do it."

"Very well," Kou said, raising his hands in defeat. "You have a minimum of two months starting today. If you can get her to tell you she loves you by then, you win."

"I bet I can do it in one."

Kou smirked. "I'm being gracious here, Syaoran. You'd be wise to accept it as is."

"Fine." Syaoran nodded. "And what do I get when I win?"

"Don't you mean if you win?"

Syaoran smirked. "I know what I said."

"How about the usual?" Ryouga suggested.

"Don't you think I've emptied your wallets enough?" Syaoran laughed.

"How about the usual and you can get each of us to do one thing for you," Kou said.

"Only one?"

"Well, there are three of us. It seems fair to me, don't you think?"

"Fine," Syaoran agreed.

"But if you should loose—"

"Which I won't," Syaoran interrupted.

Kou smirked. "But if you should, you pay us each double of everything we ever gave you."

Syaoran shrugged. "Fair enough."

"Oh and there's one condition," Kou continued.

Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "And that would be . . . ?"

"You can't fall in love with her. Otherwise you pay us triple."

Syaoran snorted. "Please, it's like you don't know me at all."

Sakura entered the classroom then, just as the tardy bell rang, sighing in relief that she was able to make it on time. She readjusted her glasses before making her way to her seat; which was ironically in front of Syaoran's next to the window in the back.

"Well, speak of the devil," Kou said as he stretched before getting up to go to his own class, the other two followed suit. "Remember, Li: you start today," he whispered.

Syaoran took one good look at Sakura before a broad grin spread across is facial features. Oh please, this is going to be a piece of cake.

x~X~x

Sakura smiled in satisfaction as she looked over her answers one last time. She was confident her answers were correct and proceeded to get up and hand over the test to the teacher in the front. She was actually the first to finish, but felt embarrassed about being the first to turn it in so she went back to check her answers. Twice. The teacher smiled at her as she took the paper. Just she handed it in, the bell rang.

Half the class was already out the door by the time she reached her seat. As she was putting her pencil away, she noticed a lingering figure behind her through her peripheral vision. She shrugged and slung the bag over her shoulder before making her way to her next class; physical education. The figure followed her which was causing her suspicion. Then again, everyone else in her class were going the same way, they could be too . . .

"Hey!" the figure called out to her.

Sakura froze. She turned around to find burning amber eyes surprisingly close to her. A little too close. She backed away a bit and looked around, wondering if he hadn't meant to call her but someone else instead. Seeing as there was no one remotely close to them, she tilted her head and pointed at herself in confusion.

Syaoran chuckled. "Yes, you," he said softly, taking a daring step toward her and her a step back. "If you're free this afternoon, would you like to go somewhere with me." Sakura's eyebrows rose. Her eyes shifted left and right before going back to Syaoran, her eyes full of confusion. "I'm asking you out on a date," he said bluntly.

Sakura's eyes widened. Her eyes shifted to the floor, Syaoran, and back down. A tint of pink was forming on her cheeks. "Oh, um, no thank you," she said in a quiet voice.

If she had looked up, she would have seen Syaoran's shocked expression. No one has ever turned him down before. Ever. "No . . . ?"

Sakura nodded. "Thank you for the offer though." She bowed politely and turned around to continue walking to her next class.

Having recovered, Syaoran ran up and stood in front of her, blocking her path. "Don't you know who I am?"

"You're Li Syaoran," she answered. "Popular, rich, heir to the Li Corp, and ultimately the biggest heartthrob of the school with looks no girl can resist."

Syaoran smirked, giving her his famous smile he knew no girl could resist. "Then why are you resisting?"

"Because . . . because I don't care much for being your next victim," she said timidly.

"Victim?" He sounded slightly amused. "I'm not going to drink your blood. I just want to take you out and get to know you better." He paused before adding, "You've been on my mind since the first day we met."

Sakura gave him an incredulous look. "If I may be so frank, I highly doubt that."

Syaoran raised his eyebrow. "Oh?"

"We've been in almost every class together since you transferred here from China during our first year and this is the first time you've ever spoken to me."

Syaoran's face fell. "Oh."

Sakura clutched her textbooks tighter to her chest, feeling uncomfortable to be talking to him. "I'm sorry, Li-san, but I best be going now. I can't be late for class."

"Well, wait," he said, side stepping her to block her once more. "Why don't I walk you to class? We 're both heading the same way, right?"

"Yes, but I'm really fine. I can make my way there on my own," she said as she tried walking again but Syaoran blocked her once more.

"It's no trouble."

"It's really okay."

"I insist."

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline."

"Come on, we can get to know each other better this way."

Sakura looked down at her shoes, wanting to avoid eye contact. "I'm sorry, Li-san, but it's better for you if you don't get involved with me." With that, she finally was able to pass him and quickly made her way to her next class. Syaoran was left standing there watching her retreating figure.

"Well, well, well," said a voice behind Syaoran. He turned to find Kou leaning against the wall, smirking. "Not so easy, huh?"

Syaoran smirked. "This only just beginning. Don't worry; I'll make her fall in love with me."

Kou shrugged and turned to go to his own class. "If you say so."

Syaoran frowned. I'm not giving up. She'll fall for me, you'll see. I'll definitely win, no matter what. Syaoran turned back just in time to see Sakura turn the corner. Syaoran smirked. "This will be interesting."

Bet On It

by

Troy Bolton (Zac Efron)

from

High School Musical 2

Well there's chapter one. I hoped you liked it. This chapter was just screaming at me to post it so I thought, why not? This is story is going to be different than anything I've ever written before which will challenge me in new ways. I know I always say that but it's true. I love exploring my writing abilities with every new story, and chapter, I make. Some of the events that happen (especially to Sakura) have happened to me but I will not reveal which ones. I hope you stick by me till the end. Thank you for taking the time to read it and I would appreciate some reviews. Also, this whole fanfiction, like I said, will contain one song per chapter. If you would like a song to be included, you can suggest one in a review or PM me and I'll listen to it and consider. If it doesn't fit the story well, sorry to say but it will be cut. Though I'd love to hear what you have to say. You guys help write my stories after all.

I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my dear friend, and someone I truly admire and hope to be just as amazing as, Wolf Blossom. She's an AMAZING writer and I still can't believe I'm her Beta Reader. ^-^ Today, November 28, is her birthday so please go to her profile and send her a PM wishing her a happy birthday. I realize I'm posting this late so come November 29th, it'll be a bit late, but oh well. I still wanted to give her something extra special and I already had this written sooooo . . . there you have it! I hope you have a good one!

I have a good chunk of the next few chapters written but I most likely won't post more on this story until I finish Crazy Mixed Up Love Square. Thanks once again. I love you all!

Sakura-chan Master of the Clow

Updated November 28, 2011