I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was sitting in French class with my boyfriend of three years, Syaoran. For the past couple days we had been watching Beauty and the Beast so we were sitting in the back of our class. It was a pretty small class though because it was French IV.

We were supposed to be sitting in separate desks, but he had me in his lap and was whispering about the plans we had made for after school. He was taking me out to dinner somewhere, but he hadn't told me where or why.

I whispered at him to be quiet as I resettled into a more comfortable position on his lap. He chuckled and fell silent.

As I watched the scenes go by on the screen I thought about how far our relationship had come from three years ago. Back then we had hated each other. He had asked me out because his mother said that as the future leader of the Li clan, he needed to be able to show he could handle a serious relationship. Syaoran had told me that he only asked me because he didn't feel like putting up with any of the other single girls in the school. He had told me last year that he would have asked Tomoyo, my cousin, if she hadn't been dating his best friend and part-time enemy, Eriol Hirigizawa. Don't ask about Eriol, it's complicated.

I was the least clingy according to him. The description fit, seeing as I hated him, at the time at least. Tomoyo was ecstatic of course. She made, actually made, my outfits for our dates, claiming that she wanted to make sure that her kawaii cousin looked her best. It also had something to do with her obsessive videotaping of me. She denied it, but I knew better.

At first all we did was go to movies or hang out at the park. Gradually we started talking about ourselves and grew closer.

When we had been dating for about a year we started meeting each other outside the set times his mother had arranged. As we grew to be friends we went out to get ice cream and karaoke with Tomoyo and Eriol.

Somewhere along the way I fell in love. Maybe it was when Syaoran brought a dozen roses to school claiming I deserved them because it was Monday. It might have been the time he smeared chocolate syrup on my cheek and licked it off. It could have been the time I spent crying in his arms when my aunt, Tomoyo's mother, died. Regardless, we had come so far and I wouldn't have changed a thing.

I broke out of my thoughts when I felt Syaoran's thumb wiping something from beneath my eyes. It hit me that I had been crying. I sniffled and rubbed at my eyes with the heels of my hands. He was chuckling as he told me that it was Belle's job to cry to get the prince. In a watery voice I said that when I cried my prince came too.

The teacher stood to turn off the television after the movie ended as we all rearranged our seats so they were in straight rows like they had been at the beginning of the class. Syaoran walked up and spoke briefly to the teacher. Her face lit up. I sat at my desk wondering what he had done. She was telling him how to pronounce something, but the other students were talking loudly and I couldn't read lips so I turned and tried to pay attention to what Tomoyo was saying about how kawaii Belle's yellow dress would look on me. I sent a pleading look to Eriol and he shut her up for a moment by kissing her because the teacher and Syaoran were still talking. Tomoyo giggled, but continued telling me about new outfits she had designed for me. She was interrupted again when Syaoran returned and gently took my hand. He pulled me to my feet.

I'll admit that I was confused when he got down on one knee. He looked up at me and in the most gentle voice I had ever heard he said, "Je t'aime Sakura. Est-ce que tu m'épouse?"

The meaning of what he said only really sunk in when he pulled a velvet box out of his pocket and opened it. Inside was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. There were two pale pink diamonds shaped like cherry blossom petals. Where the ends met there was an emerald that looked like a leaf.

For the second time in the fifty minute long class period I started crying. His hopeful face suddenly turned to sadness. He turned away as he stood. Before he could even take one step I grabbed his arm and turned him to face me. I leaned in so that I could whisper in his ear.

"Of course I'll marry you."

Everybody clapped and cheered as we kissed.

"We were married that June after graduation. Tomoyo had videotaped his proposal and played it at our reception. She and your Uncle Eriol got married the year after, but that's another story for another night, my dear."

"Will you tell me that one tomorrow night Mommy? Please?"

"Maybe the night after my darling. Tomorrow your cousin is coming to visit with Uncle Toya and Aunt Kaho. Little Fuji is going to be so excited to see his only cousin again. Now, it's time to sleep. Goodnight Nadeshiko. Sweet dreams baby girl."

"Goodnight Mommy. Tell Daddy 'night too!"

"I will. I love you Nades."

There was no answer. The little girl had fallen asleep clutching a worn yellow bear with wings.

Fin

Here's a little one-shot that popped into my head and wouldn't go away until I wrote it down. Hope you liked it.