Chapter Recap-----
Sakura sat, head on her arms, thinking, almost half-asleep while waiting for Tomoyo to come out of who-knows-which store. She thought of how evil and malicious the fake had looked when she showed her true face to Sakura. “I wonder how she really looks like,” she mumbled to herself. Sakura started to take apart her face in her mind, peeling away her features and inserting what she thought the fake would look like. Then she stood up so fast, the table almost turned over. Sakura was shaking, trembling so violently that her teeth made a chattering noise. Behind all her plastic surgery, her façade, and dark look, Sakura recognized the fake.
She knew this girl.
Chapter Six
What’s Her Name?
Sakura ran as fast as she could, grabbing the bags only because she knew Tomoyo would be annoyed at her later. She skidded to a halt when she saw Tomoyo arguing with a clerk in a shoe store.
“Sakura! Don’t you think that these shoes are-” Tomoyo started to say, but all Sakura did was pull her out of the store, and dragged her all the way out to the car. She started the engine, and began driving like the world’s craziest speed junkie.
Eriol stretched, yawning. He had slept in again; it was almost two o'clock. He rubbed his eyes blearily, and he climbed into the shower before realizing he had forgotten to take off his clothes. He leaped out, and then went back in once he was ready.
When Eriol stepped out of the bathroom, he was dressed, but he was contemplating going to sleep again. That was before he realized that he had to get something for Tomoyo. Their anniversary was coming up. And he had approximately 2 hours to find the perfect gift before the shop he usually went to closed.
It usually took him 3 hours.
He hopped into his car and started driving like a maniac.
When he arrived, Eriol hummed while he browsed through the jewelry store, trying to find a gift for Tomoyo. What he didn't expect to find, however, was Syaoran.
"Syaoran?"
When he looked up from the ring display, a smile spread across his face.
"Eriol! I haven't seen you in years! Where have you been all this time?"
Eriol smiled sheepishly. "England. And I'm going there again in three months."
Syaoran shook his head. "How are you and Tomoyo doing? Sakura never talks about Tomoyo anymore. She and I have been together for 5 years, and I'm planning to propose soon." Syaoran smiled, thinking of "Sakura's" reaction.
"Wait, what? Sakura and Tomoyo don't talk anymore? They've been together for five years? That can't be right. Neither of them said a peep of him coming back, and I would know if he did come back." Thought Eriol. "Huh. I'll just play along for now."
"We're getting married after I come back from England." He needed to tell Sakura this now. It wasn't possible that Syaoran had been dating Sakura for five years when Sakura never even mention a boyfriend. Eriol made an excuse, bade Syaoran good luck and good bye, and escaped.
“ I know her, Tomoyo, I know who the fake Sakura is. She was one of our classmates back in fourth grade.”
Tomoyo considered this for a moment before speaking.
“But how would she know about you and Syaoran, the Cards, and why?”
“I don’t know!” Sakura gripped the steering wheel in frustration. “I don’t even remember her name! The only thing I remember is her face. She was one of the quiet ones, and she was always by herself. I don’t think she had any friends or anything.”
“That’s kinda sad…” said Tomoyo, thinking of how she would have never made it through without Sakura and Eriol.
“Don’t sympathize, not right now, Tomoyo! You have to help me remember her name!”
“Fine, tell me what she looks like then.”
Sakura slowed to a halt at a red light, thinking hard.
“I think she had brown hair, like me, but she had hazel eyes instead of green.”
“Well, hazel is pretty close to green, but I need more details!” Tomoyo had her eyes closed, her forehead furrowed in concentration.
“Um, she had pale skin, and she had high cheekbones. Her hair was really long, that’s one of the clearest things I remember about her.”
“Sakura, don’t get mad at me for not focusing, but how did you remember her? She looks like you now, remember?”
Sakura started driving again, more slowly this time. How had she remembered?
“I don’t really know,” she said slowly. “I was just at the food court, thinking, when all of a sudden, this face just popped in my head, and it was almost a dead match for the fake me’s face. After all, when you think about it, we do look kinda alike.”
Tomoyo studied her best friend’s face. Sakura was right, she mused. The facial structuring was alike, and it wasn’t because of plastic surgery, either.
“I remember her face now, but I don’t remember her name either. I’m sorry.”
Sakura’s eyes softened. “It’s alright. I just really wished that we knew who it was. We might have a better clue as to why she is doing this if we did.” Her face brightened. “Maybe Terada-sensei will remember.” But her face fell just as quickly when she remembered that he and Rika were on their honeymoon.
“Maybe Eriol can help,” Tomoyo suggested.
“Maybe,” Sakura said doubtfully as she did a U-turn, heading to where Eriol’s house was.
“I remember her, too.” Eriol tapped his chin thoughtfully. “But like both of you, I don’t remember her name.”
They were sitting at a cafe, Eriol having invited them for coffee.
Hearing this, Sakura straightened up, having thought of something.
“Do you think that this could be more than just coincidence? That she did something to make us all forget her name?” Sakura leaned forward.
Eriol considered this, and said, “It’s possible, but how would she have the magic to do that?”
Sakura sat back as she took in this information.
“We still have to find out who she is though. But we have no way of finding out, since we don’t have a photo or even a name!” Tomoyo said exasperatedly.
"Speaking of which, I bumped into Syaoran today. He was looking for an engagement ring. He's planning to propose to the fake. They've been together for five years now, according to Syaoran."
Sakura sat there, stunned. Propose? She smiled faintly. At this point, she definitely could not keep her promise to be Syaoran's close friend. She probably wouldn't be able to sit next to him without blurting who she really was.
"Sakura? Are you okay?" Tomoyo waved her hand in front of Sakura's face.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm...Fine." She waved her hand. "Don't you guys have a wedding to plan? Go ahead. I'll be fine alone."
Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged a look. Even they both knew that the wedding wasn't for a year, they agreed; they could both see that Sakura needed some alone time. Tomoyo silently gave Sakura a hug, and left with Eriol.
Sakura watched them leave out the window, watching Tomoyo laugh when Eriol said something. "He's obviously trying to take her mind off of me and my situation," thought Sakura bitterly. She knew she shouldn't be jealous, but she couldn't keep a deep longing from invading her heart, a longing that only Syaoran could fill.
Sakura slowly lowered her head into her arms, doing her best not to cry.
"Are you alright, miss?" It was a waitress, having seen her with her head in her arms for a while.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Sakura replied, her voice muffled.
"Okay," the waitress said doubtfully, but left her alone. Alone to try not to cry anymore.
Alone. Like Syaoran left her alone. But the relief was no where near enough to erase even a tiny bit of the hurt that Syaoran had caused.
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