Orphaned Heart- Chapter Four

Orphaned Heart

Chapter Four

Written by - CetaBabe

Disclaimer: I do not own Card captor Sakura, Clamp does. The poem, however, is mine, I wrote it.

Rating: M for language, minor themes and possibly violence in further chapters

Summary: Sakura was an orphan, no-one knew of where she lived, bar her best friend Tomoyo. The populars isolate her because it's rare for her to have a genuine smile, who could blame her; after all, her whole family was dead, plus she was always late. But, when a new boy comes to school and finds out Sakura's secret, what will he do? Mock her? Help her? Reject her? Teach her there's more to life? Make her life hell? or Love her?

Last time: He walked away, but the painful cracks and cries echoed in his mind. He mused to himself as he walked home. What an 'interesting' place to live!

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When Sakura arrived home, she knew what was coming. Miss Kagu screamed at her and Sakura was convinced she went deaf at one point. Then, the inevitable happened, like every other time, she was hit, three times. Like the other orphans, she was expected to continue her work even if she was in excruciating pain.

When her work was over, it was half 10 at night. Great! Sakura thought sarcastically, Lights out is in 15 minutes and I have home work. She walked over to her desk and pulled a book out of her bag. Might as well do what I can. She completed three pieces of work before she had to go to bed and decided to finish the rest during break tomorrow.

She laid on her side in bed, her left arm over her body. Waves of pain moved up her back as she wriggled. Two strokes of her beating were across her back and the other on her left arm, hence it was on top of her body. I can't sleep on my right side! Sakura screamed to herself, But I can't lay on my left. A tear trickled down her face as she looked at the photo frame beside her bed, the same picture that she kept in her bag: her, her mother, her father and her brother, before anyone was hurt or killed. She eventually cried herself to sleep.

Sakura arrived at school the next morning with moments to spare. Once again, the comments began and Sakura ignored them until...

"I got told she was with Ronin last night." Naoko growled. Sakura felt herself go pale. Crap! She thought, I'm in for it now.

"What the fuck do you think you were doing with MY boyfriend!?" Chiharu squealed as she slammed her hands on Sakura's desk. Tomoyo jumped up and stood beside Sakura. Little did they know, Syaoran had flinched and was poised to standing up. Sakura felt her last nerve snap.

"For your information, I wasn't doing anything with your boyfriend, he assaulted me!" Sakura screamed as she stood up.

"A likely story." Rika roared as she and Naoko came to stand beside their friend. "Ronin would never go off with a slut like you."

"Rika's right!" Chiharu shrieked, "Ronin is athletic and sexy and smart and totally devoted to me so why would he want you? Why would he take a scruffy, sex-obsessed whore over a beautiful, modest cheerleader?"

"If you were modest, you wouldn't be wearing a skirt short enough to be a belt or leaving you blouse unbuttoned to your bra" Sakura replied smugly, gesturing to Chiharu's uniform. This comment pushed Chiharu over the edge and Sakura knew it. Chiharu took a step towards Sakura, lifted her arm and swung it towards Sakura. A painful thwack echoed round the classroom as a red hand-print appeared on Sakura's cheek. Sakura just stood there, not at all phased. Tomoyo looked towards Sakura with a slight smirk, she wasn't surprised that Sakura just stood there, after the pain she endured at the orphanage, that slap was just like a flick. Syaoran fell back into his chair, confused.

"W-What?" Naoko stuttered.

"She's reduced people to tears like that." Rika muttered.

"How?" Chiharu whispered.

"When you've dealt with what I have, you have a high pain threshold," Sakura smirked as she picked up her bag. She gave Tomoyo a friendly look and walked out of the classroom.

She didn't pass their teacher as she went, luckily for her. She walked to the side of the field and into a large group of trees. Very few people knew of the clearing in the middle and it was hard to get past the first few trees let alone into the centre. Because Sakura and Tomoyo were thin, they always found it easy to get in and remain hidden. So that's where Sakura hid. She sighed as she sat beneath the cherry blossom tree that lined the clearing with many other trees. She pulled her books out of her bag and finished the homework that she couldn't the night before.

From the classroom, Syaoran stared out of the window and saw where Sakura went. Tomoyo noticed his focused stare and immediately got her suspicions. Uh oh! She mused, When the bell goes, I'm going to see Sakura!

Back in the clearing, Sakura felt her eyelids go heavy as she watched the odd blossom petal fall from the tree. Maybe a little nap will do me good. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. Leaning back against the tree, she closed her eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

The bell for break rang, the class went to leave and Sakura woke up. As Tomoyo went to leave, she was called back by the teacher and asked about the AV club presentation in the next performance evening and if she would be able to get Sakura to be part of it. Sakura, I hope you'll be ok, Tomoyo thought as she was made to stay and talk.

Groggily Sakura rummaged through her bag to see if she had a snack, with little success. She did, however, find the box Tomoyo gave her the night before.

"Forgot she gave me this," Sakura muttered to herself. She carefully opened the package and found something that made her smile, a genuine smile. Atop some padding, sat a silver oval locket. She took it out of the box and examined it. On the front was a simple cherry blossom design, inside were two pictures – one on either side – one of her mother and one of her as a child. She closed the locket with a tear trickling down her face and turned it to look at the back. She read the inscription poem with a smile on her face.

'All the stars in the sky,
Shine down for you when you cry.
So remember that the ones above,
Will always be giving you eternal love.'

Sakura blinked back the wall of tears that formed in her eyes.

"Mama..." She whispered, "I miss you." She looked back to the box and saw a note poking out from under the padding. She picked it up and read it allowed:

"Your mother gave this to me before she died. She asked me to give it to you when I felt the time was right. Even if we were just cousins, we were the best of friends, like you and my daughter, Tomoyo. I wish you all the best. Remember, Sakura, 'Stay Strong', it can only get better. Sonomi Diadouji."

Sakura smiled as she put the locket on and held it to her heart.

"Thank you mama, thank you Mrs Diadouji." She mumbled. She put the box back into her bag and sighed as she watched the petals fall.

"Hey," A voice broke her from her thoughts. She whirled round and saw Syaoran standing in front of an oak tree.

"S-Syaoran," Sakura stuttered.

"How you feeling? That slap was pretty nasty." He said as he noticed the red mark that remained on Sakura's cheek.

"I've been through worse, hence what I said in class." Sakura replied.

"I know," Syaoran stated, making Sakura jump and widen her eyes.

"You know what?" She questioned nervously, Do I even want to know?

"About you," He muttered, walking towards her, he stopped within inches of her face, "And about Tomoeda..." Sakura was sure her heart stopped beating as Syaoran leant his head forward and whispered in her ear, "Orphanage"

Sakura fainted.