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Chapter 2: I Swear
¡§Hello?¡¨
¡§Hello? Li?¡¨
¡§Mom?¡¨
¡¥Mom? His mother is calling? I hope it¡¦s not bad news¡¦ Sakura thought to herself, trying to listen to the conversation.
¡§Li! Oh it¡¦s so good to hear your voice! How are you doing my son?¡¨
¡§I¡¦m fine mother.¡¨ He didn¡¦t mean to say it like that.
¡§Well I have very good news for you, I got you tickets to come home!¡¨
¡§Home?¡¨
Oh no! They¡¦re making him go back! They can¡¦t do that! They can¡¦t take him from her, not now!
The word ¡¥home¡¦ hit him hard. It¡¦s not like he didn¡¦t miss home or his mother or sisters, it¡¦s just that he had lived here for so long. He had made friends here, and he had fallen in love here. Fallen in love with Sakura. Sakura! He couldn¡¦t leave her. Not now! Not after they finally admit their feeling towards each other.
¡§I can¡¦t.¡¨ Li had blurted out.
¡§What? What do you mean you can¡¦t?¡¨ His mother asked.
¡§I mean I can¡¦t leave Japan, I won¡¦t leave!¡¨
¡§Li I don¡¦t mean to be so forceful but you are coming home or I will come down there and drag you home! Your ticket will be sent in the mail, you are leaving in a week!¡¨
Before he could protest, his mother hung up
Sakura was afraid to ask. Li stared at the phone in his hand with wide eyes.
¡§Who was that?¡¨ Sakura finally choked out. She knew who it was, but she still had to ask.
¡§My mother.¡¨
¡§What did she say?¡¨ Afraid of the answer, Sakura regretted asking.
¡§I have to go home.¡¨ Li said without any expression. He had a blank face.
¡§WHAT? WHEN?!¡¨
¡§Next week.¡¨
¡§No! You can¡¦t!¡¨ Sakura cried.
Tears were already flowing down her cheek. She didn¡¦t bother wiping them away. Li walked over to her and hugged her. He tilted her face up to his, he bent down and kissed a tear away. She kissed him back on the lips, tasting the salt from her tears.
¡§I have no choice.¡¨
¡§You can¡¦t leave me! They can¡¦t do this, please don¡¦t leave me!¡¨ she cried, hugging him tightly.
Tears were now threatening to flow form Li. He held her tightly. They sat there for hours, holding each other, crying, not wanting to let go.
*************
They stood apart from each other. Li reached out and held her close. Smelling her hair. It smelt like the cherry blossoms from which she was named after. He kissed her deeply, and whispered in her ear,
¡§I love you¡KI won¡¦t forget you, and I will come back for you, all the forces in the world couldn¡¦t keep me from you.¡¨
He kissed her again.
Sakura had tears sliding down her cheek. She was watching her love leave. Maybe for good. How her heart ached. Li reached out and brushed a tear away. He couldn¡¦t bare watching her cry.
¡§Goodbye, Sakura, I love you.¡¨ Li whispered, waiting for her goodbye.
Sakura didn¡¦t want to say goodbye. She was afraid that if she said goodbye, it would mean goodbye forever. Instead she held out her pinky.
¡§Promise me you¡¦ll come back.¡¨
Li hooked his pinky around hers and said,
¡§I SWEAR.¡¨
He pulled her in again, giving her one final kiss. Then boarded the plane.
Sakura watched the plane back out, take the runway and fly off. She broke down crying, not caring that people were staring. ¡¥I love you Li¡¦ she whispered to herself and turned around to head home.
*****************
Chapter 3: Surprise!
(2 year later)
Li still hadn¡¦t come back, they had been writing and calling each other, but it ended. Sakura had to many things to do. She was to busy. She figured the same with Li, but still he was always on her mind.
In class she tried hard to listen to the lecture, but her mind kept drifting to Li. She sighed.
¡§You¡¦re thinking about him again, aren¡¦t you?¡¨ Madison asked.
¡§I¡¦m always thinking about him.¡¨ Sakura replied. She looked at her best friend. Madison could read her like an open book.
He promised he would come back. He swore. Sakura had always had hope, but now¡Kshe wasn¡¦t so sure. A whole two years had gone by and still Li was not back.
The class ended. Madison walked with Sakura back to her apartment.
¡§Hey I¡¦ve got an idea!¡¨ Madison suddenly bursted out. The outburst startled Sakura.
¡§What?¡¨ Sakura finally said.
¡§Let¡¦s visit Li!¡¨
¡§Go to Hong Kong?¡¨
¡§Yea¡Kwe¡¦ll surprise him, and we can do it next week when we have spring break.¡¨
Sakura suddenly felt so thrilled she dropped her things and hugged her friend.
¡§Your welcome ¡K¡¨, Madison said to her friend.
****************
Sakura couldn¡¦t believe it. Here they were in Hong Kong. Her and Madison sat in the taxi looking around. Sakura was gripping one of Li¡¦s envelope (to give directions) and a sword. She had bought it as a present for Li.
Sakura and Madison suddenly found themselves in front of a big apartment complex.
¡§Here goes.¡¨ Madison said.
They walked up to the right apartment door and knocked. The door swung open.
¡§Hi Li we came to vi--¡§ Sakura¡¦s eyes widened as she saw who she was talking too.
¡§Mei Lin???¡¨ Sakura asked wide eyed.
¡§Sakura? Madison? What are you two doing here? You¡¦re a long way from Japan.¡¨
¡§Yea we figured when we bought tickets to Hong Kong!¡¨ Madison told her with an annoyed tone. After the seven years they were in the same school, and still they couldn¡¦t get along.
¡§Anyways, is Li around?¡¨ Madison asked giving her evil looks still.
¡§What¡¦s it to you?¡¨ Madison said challenging her.
¡§What did you think we came here to do? Look at you? Ha!¡¨ Madison was really getting evil. I¡¦ve never seen this side of Madison before! She¡¦s so mean to Mei Lin! I like it! Sakura thought evilly
¡§No, he¡¦s not here. He left for work already. That¡¦s where people go when they have to support a family.¡¨ Mei Lin told them with a snotty tone.
¡§Wow he has to take care of all his sisters and his mom?¡¨ Sakura said, finally entering the conversation.
¡§You really are dense Sakura. I¡¦m talking about ME!¡¨ Mei Lin shouted.
¡§Huh?¡¨ Sakura asked still clueless as to what Mei Lin was telling her.
¡§ LI AND I ARE MARRIED!!!¡¨ Mei Lin told her in plain english.
¡§What?!?!?!¡¨ Sakura¡¦s face dropped.
¡§That¡¦s not possible. Li wouldn¡¦t marry a hag like you!¡¨ Madison yelled back at her.
¡§ You¡¦d better believe it.¡¨ Mei Lin told her.
¡¥I don¡¦t believe it. He married Mei Lin? But he told me he loved me, he told me there was no force on earth that could keep him from me. He told me so many things, was it all a lie? Oh Li how could you do this to me?¡¦ Sakura thought to herself. Rivers of tears already flowing down her face. She turned around and ran off. Her heart was breaking into thousands of tiny pieces, and with every step she took, she died.
¡§Great now look at what you did! Witch!¡¨ Madison yelled at her, and took off running. She didn¡¦t even notice Li when she ran by him.
¡§Madison? Mei Lin, was that Madison?¡¨ Li asked her confused.
¡§Madison? Boy are you trippin¡¦? Madison¡¦s in Japan! What would she be doing here in Hong Kong?¡¨ Mei Lin said in an innocent voice.
¡§I guess I¡¦ve been in the sun too long.¡¨ Li said shaking his head.
¡§Maybe¡K¡¨ Mei Lin said looking sympathetic.
¡§Hey, what are you doing here? I thought we had an agreement. You would leave me alone! And how did you get into my apartment?¡¨ Li asked her, giving her 50 questions in 1 minute.
¡§I¡¦m here to visit you, we do have an agreement, I never said I would leave you alone, you said that yourself, and I got the keys from your mom.¡¨ Mei lin answered all of Li¡¦s answers.
¡§Really Li, you should forget about that Avalon girl. I heard she has a boyfriend.¡¨ Mei Lin said matter-of-factly.
¡§She what??¡¨
¡§Yep. She¡¦s got a boyfriend.¡¨ Mei Lin said shaking her head.
¡§How do you know?¡¨
¡§Uhh¡K,¡¨ a sweat drop appears on Mei Lin¡¦s head, ¡§ I called a friend, and they told me.¡¨
¡§Friend? What friend? You had no friends when we were in Japan!¡¨ Li eyed her suspiciously. ¡§Really Mei Lin. I thought you would know better, than to try and lie to me.¡¨ Li shook his head at her and closed the door in her face.
¡¥You will be mine Li. I¡¦ll make sure of it!¡¦
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Chapter 4: Loving to death
(Back at the hotel room)
Sakura burried her face in her pillow.
¡¥Why Li? Why? How could you marry her and not tell me? How could you marry her in the first place? I thought you loved me.¡¦ Sakura pressed her face harder into her pillow.
¡§Sakura, honey, are you all right?¡¨ Madison asked her. She truly was concerned for her friend.
Damn that Mei Lin! Madison thought wickedly.
¡§No! I¡¦m not all right! How could he Madison? How could he? He said he loved me! It hurts so much, and to hear it from Mei Lin and not him kills me.¡¨ Sakura was crying even harder than ever.
¡§I don¡¦t know Sakura, I really don¡¦t know.¡¨ Madison tried to comfort her friend, but it seemed at the moment, that it would be better to leave her alone for a while.
¡§You know what I¡¦m just gonna go explore in the lobby and leave you alone for a while, ¡¥k¡¦.¡¨ She didn¡¦t wait for an answer. She left Sakura, and made her way towards the elevator.
¡§I loved you Li, I really did.¡¨ Sakura mumbled to herself.
She drew her knees toward her and pulled them tightly against her chest. It seemed to make her feel safe. That it would protect her from all the evil.
Sakura looked around. Something in the corner shined. The sun bounced off the sword. She looked at it. It seem to call to her. She went to the corner, bent down and put it in her lap. She took of the case, stood up and looked at it. It glimmered. She sat down and began to write. Thoughts just poured out. Even if they didn¡¦t make sense, she wrote it.
Li. Don¡¦t forget me. I¡¦ll never forget you. I¡¦ll watch over you always. I would do anything for you. Now that you have someone, I don¡¦t see what you need me around for. Madison, my dear friend, I love you. I¡¦m grateful for having a great friend like you. Tell Tory I love him dearly, even if he gets on my nerves every now and then, oh and dad. I love you dad! I¡¦m sorry to just give up like this. I¡¦m sorry. Everyone, be happy, don¡¦t be sad for me. I¡¦ll be watching you.
Love always, Sakura.
Sakura folded the letter and placed it on the bed. She sat down on the floor, and held the sword in both hands. She wasn¡¦t even afraid. It almost seem natural to her. She pointed the point towards her stomach and thrust it in hard. It went cleanly in to her side. The pain didn¡¦t compare to what she felt. Blood poured out, and began to soak her clothes. Her eyes rolled back, and she laid down. Her thoughts on Li.
***************** (Down in the lobby)
Madison walked around.
¡¥Poor Sakura.¡¦ Madison shook her head. ¡¥What the hell is wrong with Li? He doesn¡¦t even care the least bit about Sakura! He deserves to die!¡¦ Madison cursed him in her head, and started back up to their room. She had gotten bad feelings that something was wrong, but ignored them thinking that it came from knowing the Li was now married to Mei Lin. She knocked lightly and walked in.
¡§Hey Sakura hon¡¦ let¡¦s walk around out-¡§ Madison stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw. She ran to Sakura.
¡§SAKURA! SAKURA! God please wake up! Please! Oh god!¡¨ She ran to a phone.
She didn¡¦t know how to call the ambulance in China, so she called service from the hotel and told them. They called for her, and within minutes sirens were wailing towards the hotel.
¡¥Oh god, Sakura, don¡¦t die, don¡¦t die!¡¦ Madison watched them take her away. She had to find a way to get to the hospital. She took off running, and knocked on the door.
¡§Madison??¡¨ Li said, looking confused.
Madison slapped him.
¡§Hey what was that for?¡¨ Li yelled at her.
¡§Take me to the hospital.¡¨ She said with an angry tone.
¡§The Mental hospital?¡¨ Li said now very annoyed that he just got slapped.
¡§No! To the Hospital. I need to see Sakura, hurry!¡¨ Madison didn¡¦t wait she pulled him out of his apartment.
They walked to Li¡¦s car and he drove there silent. Afraid she would slap him again if he said something, but he had to know.
¡§Sakura¡¦s here? What¡¦s she doing in the hospital? What¡¦s wrong with her?¡¨ Li asked now very worried.
Madison burst into tears. Li pulled the car over.
¡§Madison, where is Sakura?¡¨ He said the words slow, as if he were talking to a little kid.
¡§You don¡¦t even know, you don¡¦t even know.¡¨ Madison said between tears.
¡§I don¡¦t understand. Why is Sakura in the hospital?¡¨ Li asked again.
At that she slapped him¡Kagain.
¡§Could we please stop with the slapping already?¡¨ Li was very annoyed.
¡§YOU KILLED HER!!!! YOU KILLED HER!!! YOU KILLED SAKURA!!!¡¨ Madison got the energy to shout that out and immediately fell into a shock of tears.
¡§What are you talking about? I¡XI¡XI don¡¦t understand! What--- I didn¡¦t kill Sakura¡KOh my god! Is¡Kis Sakura dead?¡¨ He managed to utter the last few words, fearing the answer, his heart stopped, waiting to hear the hews.
¡§I don¡¦t know! Now if you would hurry your ass up and get to the hospital, I could find out!¡¨ Madison said.
She leaned against the windshield. She wanted to be as far away from him as she could. He who killed her best friend. Li drove in silence. He was doing about 80 mph. He had to get to Sakura.
(To be continued) |