(Disclaimer: I don't own CCS.)
Voice of the Stars
By tikki de lune
"Hey Eriol-kun! Chotto matte kudasai!"
At the sound of her words, petrifaction was the only locomotion my body allowed. I hardly believed what I heard. Probably wishful thinking. But then again, quick, light footsteps rejected that idea. After sending signals to my feet to turn, I rotated just in time to see a girl stop in front of me. The usual uniform that I see on other girls looked so different on her. Like it was tailored to fit her exquisite figure. The crisp, newly laundered white inner shirt seemed to make her creamy complexion glow. Moreover, her neatly ironed blazer with the pleated skirt that reached just above her knees enhanced her shapely frame. No wonder Tomoyo-chan gets all those dreamy stares while I get that dagger looks from the male student population.
"Whew! It's so… hard to run… you know… carrying all these books," she panted, her right hand on my left shoulder. I let her recover for a few minutes before I bluntly replied, "You should have told me that you were going with me so that I could have picked you up."
"Gomen nasai. I was talking to the girls that I forgot all about it."
"Girls, always prioritizing talk above anything else, no wonder guys can't understand you."
"Hey, I said I was sorry. And I promise that-,"
"You will be forgetting another important fact that would lead to another broken promise," I curtly interrupted.
"Oh Kami-sama, we're going to another impasse when this keeps up, can't you just forget about it?" She was getting annoyed, not because of my abrupt snapping, but because of my insensitivity.
"Forget about it? How could I forget something that has repeatedly been happening? How many times have forgotten something and asked for my pardon and made a new resolution that was meant not to be kept?" I uttered in my authoritarian voice.
"And what gives you the right to reprimand me that harshly?" she countered.
"Friendship gives me the right to do this. What kind of best friend am I if I didn't care about your well being? What kind of companion would I be if I didn't help you grow up? If I wasn't there to remind you to…" words poured out of my mouth continuously, but it was quite surprising that I was able to keep a stoic expression; save for the fact that my eyes were narrowed as I carefully chose my words. It looks like this verbal war is going to be the first of the worst arguments we'll ever have. For a few minutes, I was rendered speechless as thoughts entered my mind. Questions started to rush into my brain. What would the consequences of this dispute bring? Would it help if we continued? I started to worry about our friendship and my blossoming emotion towards her. If this was going to continue, it could end up ruining my mutual regard with her.
"Nani? Care? Responsibility? I didn't know you knew such words. I thought that stoicism and insensitivity were your trademarks?" she sarcastically said, "is this the Hiiragizawa Eriol I know? Or a new Eriol has overcome your mind, making your old self crumble," she observed. Perplexity continued to eat me as I realized in horror that I have been hurting her feelings for the last five years of the fourteen-year social intimacy that we had. I have to say it. Before anything else happens and would forbid me to say it.
Apologize. Was the only way out? The only word I was able to think of so that I could be left alone to sort out my thoughts. But that would include swallowing my pride, for I never apologized. However, I had to, so that I could get away from this mess and find a way to solve it without the help of anybody else.
"Gomen nasai." I muttered to a startled Tomoyo. I walked away as fast as I could before she could say anything else to stop me.
I didn't realize how far I had walked when I saw that I was in the center of an unfamiliar open field. Strong winds blew my way, almost dragging me to the foot of a hill. I climbed up and sat under a large cherry tree. The view was peaceful. Tall trees surrounded the field, creating a large wall, causing fierce winds to be brewed. It was almost six in the evening but I didn't worry about dinner. Nakuru would probably think that I was at a friend's house, tutoring. I had important things to ponder on.
As I stared at the evening sky, familiar events replayed in my mental sight. From the petty fights we had to the recent combat we just experienced a while ago. I never realized how time had flown by until,
"It's nine o'clock, didn't you know?"
I snapped back to my senses, jerking me forcefully, I felt that I was slammed headfirst into a tree.
"What…are you…doing here?" I asked, incredulous of her presence.
"I followed you. Right after the word sank into me," she said her stare boring into me.
"Oh."
"Are you sure you're all right? Because you've been acting quite unusual for the last few years," she said, playfully placing her hand on my forehead.
"Hai, hai, I'm fine, I'm not sick, ok?" I brushed her hand off, then turned my back, attempting to hide the furious blush that covered my face, but it was kind of a foolish action because it was dark. Thank Kami for that.
"Are you still mad? Because, I would leave at once if-"
"Iie! Don't leave! Please, keep me company," I said regaining my composure after that sudden voice projection.
"I think it would be better if we would forget about that," she said. I nodded in agreement. She lay down on a curved root of the tree and stared at the sky. Seeing her so peaceful and innocent made me melt again. I rested my head on another root that was near hers and stared at the sky. Silence followed, and when I thought I would be drifting of to dreamland, she broke the silence.
"You know, there is this ancient belief that you could find your soul mate by looking at the stars," she said still looking up.
"Really and how's that?" I queried, my curiosity sparked again.
"It should be done by two people. The guy looks for a blue star while the girl looks for a red one. Then, if the two stars would meet and turn into a purple star, it means that they are meant to be together. But if they miss or just be close to each other, it means that they are only meant to be friends.
I looked at her. She glanced at me, gesturing that we try it, for curiosity's sake.
Finding our stars, we waited intently. I was silently hoping that it was true, and I wished that she were thinking the same too.
The two of us were silently staring at the heavens, thinking of the possibilities, contemplative of the situation, never realizing that the two stars have clashed and became an ethereal purple star.
***Please review! E-mail if you can, to witchcraft13@edsamail.com.ph