CHAPTER 1
Sakura Kinomoto was born and raised in Tomoeda, Japan. Her father was a doctor just as her mother was before her mother's death. Her mother was the beautiful Nadeshiko Kinomoto, a beautiful supermodel that gave everything up after marrying her father, Fujitaka Kinomoto. Her parents were married in Tomoeda, Japan when they were just 20 years old. Her mother was pregnant with her older brother Touya Kinomoto and her parents' went against their parents' wishes and ran away together. Her mother's family was ridiculously wealthy and after hearing that her mother had married a nobody, someone that didn't come from a respectable family, her mother was disinherited. She was born five years later when her parents were 25 years old. There were some complications during the caesarian that her mother was having and her father was given a choice to save her mother or her. Knowing that her mother would have wanted her to be saved, her father chose to save her. She knew that it was a very difficult decision to make. Her father had lived with that decision for the rest of his life, but her father never once blamed her for her mother's death – never.
She had an extremely close relationship with her favourite godmother Sonomi Daidouji. Her mother and Sonomi were extremely close and grew up together. It was Sonomi that introduced her parents to each other. Sonomi went to university with her father and insisted for the two of them to meet up with each other. Sonomi didn't realize that her parents would fall madly in love with each other and marry each other so young, but Sonomi was just happy that her parents were able to find happiness with each other. Her godmother Sonomi was once married to Takako Daidouji who was a doctor like her own father. Takako often traveled to developing countries to treat infectious disease. One unfortunate day, Takako caught a local infectious disease and there weren't enough treatments at the local hospital to save him. It was a great loss to her godmother who had just recently given birth to Tomoyo who was about the same age as her. As a result, her godmother was often protective of Tomoyo and in compensation for Tomoyo not to have a father, her godmother gave Tomoyo anything that Tomoyo desired. Sonomi was also the mother figure in her life and nearly adored her as much as Tomoyo.
Now she was sixteen years old and she was growing up to look more like her mother. She had light auburn hair with bright green eyes. She inherited her eyes from her father, but the rest of her physical features came from her mother. She knew that it must have been difficult for her father to see her every day. She must have reminded her father of her now deceased mother. She wondered if her father would ever marry again, it wasn't too late. Her father was only 41 years old and there was a still chance for him to get married. Instead of living a life, her father often buried himself with work. If her father wasn't home, he was often found at the hospital helping sick and the weak. Her father was so busy at work that he wouldn't have noticed if she had decided to sleep over at Tomoyo's house or even if the house was on fire – but that was an extreme way of thinking about it.
Since her brother left for Tokyo for university three years ago, the house felt even more emptier. She didn't like being at home because it felt so cold, so lonely. She hadn't gotten a chance to see him as often as she would have liked to, but even if she did pay him a visit, she would only be in his way because he was busy. This year was his second last year in university. Her brother was going to be a surgeon following their father. She hoped that his life wouldn't turn out like her father.
She often took comfort on Tomoyo. They practically grew up together so there wouldn't be anyone else that would know her better than her own best friend. Her godmother, Tomoyo's mother was an affluent fashion designer – perhaps the richest in Japan so the Daidouji family lived in a very big house and Tomoyo could possibly be the most spoilt girl in Japan. Tomoyo didn't grow up being a snob because of the wealth that her family had – instead Tomoyo was the warmest and bubbly person that she knew. Perhaps Tomoyo acted like a princess sometimes but she usually pointed out to Tomoyo that it wasn't a great personal trait to be acting like that. Tomoyo was dating Eriol Hiiragizawa, the only son of the town Mayor. Eriol and Tomoyo have been dating for almost a year and from what she noticed there couldn't be any better match than Eriol and Tomoyo. The two were clearly in love with each other and that made her wonder if she was ever going to be as lucky as them.
On her first day of Year 10, she received news that would forever change her life. She was at her English literature class when her teacher asked for her to see the principal. She left class and wondered what could have possibly gone wrong. She knew that she hadn't done anything that would get her in trouble so she couldn't her but wonder if she was there to receive good news – but she doubted that. She opened the door and Principal Kimura her godmother Sonomi looked at her sadly. She closed the door behind her and she sat beside Sonomi. 'What's going on? Have I done something wrong?' she asked.
Principal Kimura shook his head and replied 'You haven't done anything wrong Miss Kinomoto'.
'Then why am I in here?' she asked.
'I'm afraid that we've received bad news about your father', Sonomi told her and she frowned. 'Last night on his way back from his visit from the other hospital, he had gotten into a car accident. He died early this morning. After you left my house this morning, I got a phone call from his co-worker'.
She frowned deeply and she shook her head 'No, you're wrong. He's alive. He's coming back'.
'I think it's best if you take the rest of the night off. It's only wise. I am sure that you would like that as well', Principal Kimura suggested and she nodded.
'Could you give us a moment?' Sonomi asked Principal Kimura who nodded and left the room shortly afterwards. 'I came here today because there's something that I need you to know', Sonomi told her. 'I don't know if you knew that I was particularly close to your father, especially after your mother's death. I kept a close eyes on him and comforted him on his most darkest days. He confided in me about all sorts of things and that includes your guardian, the person that will responsible for taking care of you. Your father felt enormously guilty for cutting your maternal grandparents off you. They had tried so hard to be a part of you and your brother's life but your father didn't let them. He had changed his will last year placing you in the care of your grandparents. They've heard about your father's death and they should be on their way here as we speak'.
'You say that you were the closest person to my father. Why didn't he place you responsible for taking care of me?' she asked.
'It's not that simple. Since your grandparents are still alive, they still have more power over me', Sonomi explained to her. 'I know that you see your grandparents as the most horrible people in the world but they aren't. I grew up knowing them and they loved your mother very much. They wanted the best for her and wanted her to marry well. They didn't realize their initial reaction to your parents' wedding would cost their relationship with their only daughter and grandchildren. They live in New York. They've been living there since your mother was born. You would have to leave everything you have here and start a new life there. I was hoping that by saying this to you now that you wouldn't act so negatively towards them'.
She frowned and she asked, 'I don't want them to take care of me. Isn't there any way that you could?'
Sonomi touched her hand and replied 'This was what your father wanted'.
The next couple of days were the longest day of her life. Her grandparents had arrived and she saw some resemblance of her in her grandmother. They smiled at each other but she didn't know if she should hug them or not. Her brother who was preparing her some lunch came in the living room and stopped after seeing their grandparents. He put the plate down and he asked, 'When did you arrive?'
'I'm sorry about the death of your father', their grandmother told them both but it didn't mean a thing to her. The couple of in front of her were practically strangers to her and she didn't feel like dealing with it
'You look tried Sakura. Why don't you rest upstairs? I'll talk to them', his brother told her and she nodded. She headed upstairs to rest.
Her brother and their grandparents settled her living arrangements. Her brother insisted that she could live in Tokyo with him but she knew that wasn't going to be possible. Her maternal grandparents were responsible for her and just as her godmother Sonomi suggested, she would have to leave everything behind in Tomoeda to start a new life in New York. It was particular difficult to say goodbye to Tomoyo. Although it wouldn't mean the end of their friendship, it would mean that they wouldn't be seeing each other in a daily basis and that was difficult even more now because she didn't have anyone else to go to that she was familiar with. Her grandparents gave her two weeks to allow her to pack the belongins that she wanted to take with her and that included various tangible things that meant a lot to her. she couldn't take much because she didn't know how much she was allowed to take. Well it all got really complicated.
The following two weeks passed by so quickly. Each day felt like a minute and before she knew it she needed to head to New York. Sonomi and Tomoyo saw her off at the airport. Her brother already said goodbye to her just days after she was due to depart. He needed to get back to Tokyo because he could no longer miss out on any more of his internship. Sonomi already said goodbye to her and left her and Tomoyo by themselves. Tomoyo started to cry and she told Tomoyo 'I thought that we agreed not to cry'.
Tomoyo hugged her tightly and told her 'You have to visit here every month. You have to promise me'.
'You have to visit me as well. I don't want to be the one that has to make all the trips', she replied and she wiped away Tomoyo's tears. 'Don't worry too much about me. I'm tough, besides you should be concentrating on your boyfriend who is worried about you and not about me. Tell Eriol that I'll miss him', she added before she moved away. She needed to leave if she didn't want to miss her flight.
'Call me when you get there!' Tomoyo told her as she began to walk away. She nodded and she looked at Tomoyo one last time before walking away.
She arrived at New York and there was a car waiting for her. The car drove her to a luxurious apartment/hotel and she couldn't believe how big the building was. She didn't know much about New York City let alone the Upper East Side of New York. She knew that her parents were wealthy, but she didn't realize that they were that wealthy to be living in a hotel every day. Her grandparents lived in one of the many penthouses in the complex. There were 10 in total and she was to occupy the last one. The penthouse was decorated according to what a teenager girl would like. She could tell that this was her grandparents' way of trying to get her approval of them. She wasn't that kind of person. She felt like she needed to know them in a personal level before giving them a judgment. She entered the elevator with the bellboy who was helping her with her luggage and she felt her heart skip a bit when she saw a handsome young man standing in front of him. The handsome young man was joined by a beautiful woman whom she guessed was his girlfriend. She was so intimated to even look at him in the eye let along smile at him so she quickly just stepped aside to the other side of him. She took a glimpse of him and she noticed his light brown hair and his auburn eyes. She didn't realize that she was looking at him a little too long that he caught her looking at him. 'This is your level Miss Kinomoto', the bellboy told her and she nodded. The bellboy stepped out with her to help her with her luggage. Before the elevator doors closed, she quickly turned around and caught him looking at her. He gave her a quick smile before the door closed. 'That was Mr. Syaoran Li', the bellboy told her and she smiled. 'He lives in one of the penthouses as well. He lives with his cousin Mei Lin, the girl that you say with him in the elevator', the bellboy added putting her bags down in the living room. 'Will that be all Miss Kinomoto?'
She nodded and replied 'Thank you'.
'Don't worry about tipping me. your grandparents have taken care of everything', the bellboy told her and she nodded.
She had dinner with her grandparents later on that night at the restaurant below. It was a good chance for her to see the other residents living in the complex. She was hoping to see Mr. Li and the cousin but unfortunately she didn't see him that night. She was disappointed but she didn't know why – it wasn't like they knew each other. They were practically strangers to each other. Her grandparents told her that she had been enrolled in a private elite high school and she was to start in a week. Her grandmother had already got her uniforms and her books so it was just a matter of settling in that she needed to do for herself. Her grandparents were going to give her $1000 allowance each week which was ridiculous because when her father was alive, the most that her father would give her was $50 a week but here while living with her grandparents, she would get a real feeling of what a luxurious life feels like – the type of life that Tomoyo lived (sometimes).
She started school and she knew that it would be completely different to the school structure back home. The uniform was completely different. The environment was completely different. most of the students that attended to the school were rich snobs (to put it simply). They were all children of the privileged not only in New York but in the US in general. She doubted that she was going to get along with them because she had different values plus she didn't see what she could have in common with them. She walked in homeroom and she stopped when she saw Mei Lin. Mei Lin looked at her noticing who she was and recognizing her after a couple of minutes. The teacher asked her to sit near the front before introducing her to everyone. 'Hi everyone, my name is Sakura Kinomoto. I've recently moved in New York to live with my grandparents – well technically not live together, I have my own place. I hope that you'll guide me and help me get around the school'.
She heard some whispers about how she looked but she tried not to let it bother her. She sat back down and concentrated on trying to learn some names as the teacher called out the roll.
She walked out of the homeroom and she heard someone call out of her 'Sakura!'
She turned around and she saw Mei Lin's friends walking away leaving Mei Lin alone with her 'You know, you're quite pretty. No wonder why my cousin has been trying to figure out your name these past couple of days', Mei Lin told her and she stopped. Mei Lin smiled at her and said 'My cousin has a little crush on you, but I guess you do too. Just to let you know, my cousin is out of range for you. You should try to find someone that isn't attached. You see he has someone already'.
She frowned and she said 'I didn't realize'.
'You'll meet her soon enough', Mei Lin told her before walking away.
She walked to her first class and she saw Syaoran sitting with a beautiful girl by the back. It must have been his girlfriend, the one that Mei Lin was talking about earlier. She sat near the window in te middle of the room and no one dared to sit beside her as everyone else started to walk in, no one except for Takashi Yamazaki, an American-Japanese student. He smiled at her not realizing that she was a new student at first. When it time to do some pair work he looked at her and he told her 'I don't think I've met you before now that I think about it'.
She smiled and she replied 'That would make sense because I'm a new student'.
'Takashi Yamazaki', he introduced himself.
'Sakura Kinomoto', she replied.
'You're new here in New York, aren't you?' he asked after giving her a quick inspection.
'How can you tell?' she asked.
'Let's just say there's just an innocence about you that girls in Upper East Side no longer have', he replied. He looked over to his shoulder to look at the back of the room and he pointed out 'Like Rika Sasaki over there. My once first love – tainted by the influence of her friends. She dumped me to be with Syaoran. I don't blame her – I mean there are lots of amiable qualities about Syaoran and he seems to think so about you. He hasn't stopped staring at you since I began to sit beside you', he added. 'Why wouldn't he? You're stunning'.
She smiled and she said 'Why thank you'.
'Look at me telling you about my life and we don't even know each other well enough', he told her and she couldn't help but feel awkward. 'You speak fluent English for one that was born in Japan'.
She smiled and replied 'Yes. My father often talked with me in English. He taught me well', she quickly looked over her shoulder to see that he was right, Syaoran was staring at her and intently. She quickly looked away before Rika had a chance to realize that Syaoran was looking at her.
Their teacher requested for the class' attention before adding 'As you know I will probably be the most difficult biology teacher in this school. I have very high standards and I think that you will only get to learn something from each other if you were paired up. I always hated the idea of being paired up for assignments but this is no exception. Your partners will be called out alphabetically'. She didn't pay attention to the rest of the class but when it was her turn, the teacher called out 'Miss Kinomoto you're working with Mister Li. Either or both of you can pick the subjects that you can choose to work on'. After the teacher called out her name, Rika looked at her as if she was a infectious disease or something – something to avoid and maybe there was a good reason for that but she didn't plan to do anything to ruin a relationship and that included stealing Syaoran who is already attached.
After class ended and everyone else started to head out of the room including the teacher, Syaoran slowly started to walk towards her and alone. She looked at the door and saw Rika walking out with some friends. He smiled at her and he replied 'Finally I get to know the beautiful stranger who is living in one of the penthouses at the complex'.
She looked at him and she replied 'I guess arranging a time to meet with each other shouldn't be a problem'.
He chuckled and he told her 'You're funny'.
'Well I try', she said sarcastically making him lose his smile. 'I think that you are getting the wrong impression from me Li. You obviously have a boyfriend so I don't think it's wise for you to be behaving like this around me, teasing me'.
'Wow, already you hate me', he told her.
She shook her head and replied 'No, I do not hate you. I just think that – Mei Lin told me to stay away from you. She obviously favors Rika's side so don't expect her to befriending me '.
He looked at her and told her 'Rika and I are dating. She likes to believe that we are'.
She frowned and she said 'Everyone in this school seems to think so'.
'We broke up a couple of days ago. I just don't want to ruin her reputation since it was me that wanted a break', he told her and she looked into his brown eyes and wondered if she was the reason for their break. She knew that she was only fooling herself; he probably had his own reasons. He smirked and he asked, 'You think I asked for a break because of you?'
She shook her head and she replied 'Of course not'.
'You're blushing', he pointed out. 'Maybe you already have a crush on me…' he teased her and she quickly picked up her books and headed out of the classroom. 'I'm not such a bad catch Sakura', he told her and she stopped. She turned around wondering what he was suggesting before walking away not saying a word back at him.
Syaoran couldn't help but smile at her as she walked away from him. He knew that he had to find his cousin Mei Lin wondering why Mei Lin would ask Sakura to stay away from him. it wasn't like he had bad record of his relationships. He actually remained good friends with his exes. He found Mei Lin sitting with Rika by a table under a tree and he slowly walked towards the group of girls. 'Mei Lin, can I have a word with you?' he asked and Rika smiled at him but he didn't smile back in return.
Mei Lin stood up and told the girls 'I will be right back'.
They walked away far enough so that they wouldn't be heard talking together. 'What did you say to Sakura this morning? It's only her first day and you're already giving her a hard time?' he asked his cousin who looked at him not feeling any guilt at all. 'Give her some slack. She just lost her father and you giving her such a hard time isn't good', he added.
'She lost her father recently?' she asked.
He nodded and replied 'I heard it from the workers. That's the reason that she moved in New York in the first place. Her grandparents are her only living relatives except for her brother. You know how it felt for me to lose my whole family in that car crash, my sisters, my parents … I just don't understand why you would be so cold towards her'.
'I had no idea', she replied now feeling guilty after getting the whole picture. 'I still don't like her despite what you say about her father. She obviously likes you and is probably going to go after you and as Rika's best friend, I should only be her enemy', she added.
'Rika and I aren't dating any longer. I don't see why everyone in this school doesn't realize that', he told her.
She sighed and she replied 'She's not good for you. you might like her because she's so innocent but in the end it's Rika that you should be with'.
'I don't want to be having this conversation now and again. I've heard you say this to me so many times and I'm just getting sick of it Mei Lin', he added.
She looked at her pissed off and replied 'You were the one that wanted to talk to me in the first place'.
'Let's talk about it later, alright?' he asked.
She nodded and replied 'I need to get back'.
He nodded and just after she left, he stopped when he saw his once best friend and Rika's first love Takashi Yamazaki. They stopped talking to each other not long after Rika started to develop a crush on him while the young lovers were still together. It happened over two years ago and it felt like forever but te consequences of his decision to pursue Rika was still taking effect. He hoped that it would change soon.
A week later
Sakura was in her penthouse reading a book that Saturday afternoon instead of going out shopping with her grandmother who had planned the day. She pretended to be sick because she was the shopping type. She just didn't see the point in spending thousands while there were kids out there dying. She heard a knock on the door and she stood up heading to the door hoping that it wasn't either of her grandparents. They were really starting to bother her – wanting to "care" for her but they had different definition of what caring consisted of. She opened the door and she felt her heart skip a beat when she saw Syaoran standing in front of her and with books. 'I knew that you are serious about studying … sorry, am I disturbing something?' he asked and she shook her head. 'Can I come in?' he asked.
She nodded and she stepped aside to let him in. 'I thought that you'd have better things to do on a Saturday'.
He smiled and replied 'I did but it all involved partying. I didn't feel like doing that today'.
She smiled and she said 'I guess I had some wrong impressions about you'.
'What kind of impressions?' he asked curious about what she was thinking about. He smiled at her and he asked, 'Come on, won't you tell me?'
She smiled and she said 'I just thought lowly of you. I guess I know now that it's not right to always form a first impression of people and stick by it. You're different'.
He looked into her eyes and he asked 'Will I get a reward after working hard this afternoon?'
'Well … it depends on how you perform', she replied teasing him and he smiled at her. 'Sorry, I shouldn't have talked to you that way', she added.
He smiled at her and he told her 'No, it's alright. Come on? Won't we start working already?'
For two hours straight they worked hard on their biology assignment. They even had a chance to finish it. He was pretty smart for someone that was popular which wasn't a big shock. She looked at him and she asked, 'Shall I make us something?'
He shook his head and replied 'How about we go out instead?'
'On a date?' she asked.
He smiled and he replied 'Well if you call that, but I was suggesting more of a friend outing'.
She blushed deep red feeling embarrassed about what just happened, 'Uh yeah sure. I just have to get changed'.
'What you're wearing is fine', he replied. 'I'll leave my books here and I'll come back for it later when we get back, alright?' he asked and she nodded. 'Don't worry about bringing anything, it'll be my treat'.
While they were in the elevator together, she looked at him through the mirrored reflection and she sighed. She didn't know if she should believe Mei Lin that there was still something going on between Rika and him or believe his words that Rika and himself were on a break. She decided to ask him but the elevator doors opened up to another level and someone walked in. She made a self mental note that she would just ask him later on when she had a chance.
They had tea at a local Japanese restaurant. He practically ordered a meal while she just decided to have tea. While he ate, he looked at her and he asked, 'Won't you eat?'
'I thought that we were just going to have a drink or something like that. I didn't realize that you wanted to have a meal', she replied. 'I don't feel right asking people to pay for me', she added.
He smiled and he said 'I said don't worry. It's my treat. Consider it as a welcome to New York meal for you'.
'Do you always do this to the girls that you like?' she asked outright and he stopped chewing and stared at her. 'Or do you just steal girls from their boyfriends like you did Rika?' she added.
'I don't think you should be asking me questions that you know very little about', he replied coldly putting down his chopsticks and she knew that she had ruined the mood. 'What happened between Rika, Takashi and I are our own problems and you shouldn't involve yourself in it', he added.
She frowned at him and she asked, 'Well let me ask you again, are you and Rika still dating?'
'Like I said before, we're on a break. This is ridiculous. I don't know why I have to explain myself to you like this. We barely know each other and here you are asking me about my personal problems. We should probably get back', he added raising his hand asking for the bill.
'I didn't even want to come here in the first place', she added before storming out of the restaurant. She walked towards the complex and he must have ran after her because he caught up with her. He took her arm and she said 'Let go'.
He stood in front of her and told her 'You need to realize that if you want to get involved, it'll be hard for you to not pretend to know'.
'Then I don't want to know. I just want you to stay away from me. Stop teasing me, stop flirting with me. We've done this assignment already, so there's no need for us to be seeing or talking to each other anymore', she told him before he let go of her arm allowing her to walk away.
Syaoran decided to stay away from her due to her request and she grew closer to Takashi since he was the only one that would actually approach her and befriend her. Soon enough they became really close to the point that they considered each other best friends or at least close friends. They often went to movies together, went out to have meals together and kept her company at her penthouse some nights when he wasn't busy. She wanted to know more about him, so she usually asked him about his life. She found out that just like herself, he lost his parents when he was very young. He was raised by his grandparents but they died of natural causes before he was 16. Since his parents were the only child from their families, he didn't have any relatives that could take care of him. He was now in the care of his godmother, his mother's best friend and lived with his godmother's family in Upper East New York. He never mentioned anything about Rika or Syaoran so she guessed that he didn't want to talk about it either. She wasn't quite sure how long it had been since he had been in a relationship and his guess was that he was still very much in love with Rika. Rika was a beautiful girl so she knew that Takashi wouldn't get over Rika so quickly.
Just as she expected, her grandparents didn't play a large role in her life. They were there as a financial provider for her needs, and she was given money that she didn't need. It was ridiculous how much they gave her but she just gave most of it away to a charity. She didn't need the money and even if she did want anything she could always just ask them to buy it for her.
With her birthday just a month away, she knew that Tomoyo was planning to visit her some time and that something that she was looking forward to.
As for Syaoran and his issues, she was glad that Rika or Mei Lin never found out about her little outing with Syaoran or it might have turned out to be a disaster and she surely didn't want that. She hasn't even bumped into him at least once in the complex which was odd because they were bound to but they didn't. She knew that he was serious about giving her what she wanted and she didn't realize that at first – but now she missed his presence.
The cheerleading squad was practicing in the hall that lunch and the guys in the football team would be training. She decided to go to the fields just after the practice and she waited by the benches for him. He walked out looking exhausted and she smiled at him. She slowly stood up and he walked towards her. 'I thought that we were avoiding each other', he told her and she looked at him who barley looked at him in the eye, it was almost like he had done something that he felt guilty of. 'I don't know if you're heard but I've gotten back with Rika', he added and she looked at him immediately and he quickly looked away. 'We've worked out our problems and we've decided to give it another try', he added.
She smiled at him softly and replied 'I guess that's great news'.
He looked at her and he told her 'I don't think that we should be talking as much as we used to, even though that was only a couple of days. I don't want to give people the wrong impression about us and I don't want to hurt Rika like that. She doesn't deserve that'.
'I wanted to talk to you because I just wanted to apologize about the way that I had behaved last time that we talked. I had no right to judge talk to you that way. I'm sorry', she apologized. 'I didn't mean what I said about staying away from each other. It's just that I was angry at that moment and those words just escaped my mouth'.
He shook his head and replied 'You're right then and you're right now. Rika doesn't want me anywhere near you and to make her happy; I have to stay away from you'.
'Takashi asked me out on a date', she lied. 'It seems like he adores me and wants to know me better. What should I say to him?' she asked.
'Tell him what you want to tell him', he replied before walking away.
She visited the Yamazaki residence later on that afternoon feeling like a complete idiot for the way that she had just behaved. She now had to live with the consequences of a little lie. The maid allowed her in the house and lead her towards where he was, the swimming pool. He got out of the water after seeing her and he told her 'This is a surprise visit. What's up?'
She looked at him and replied 'Well, I sort of need a favor from you'.
'Oh?' he asked. 'That doesn't sound like the good type of help', he added.
She nodded and replied 'It depends how you look at it'.
'Well go right at head, tell me what I've gotten myself in', he replied while drying himself.
'I sort of lied to Syaoran that you and I are dating', she replied and he looked at her immediately and tried to stop himself from laughing. 'It just sort of come out, I didn't know why I lied to him. I just didn't want him to see me like that. '
'Okay', he told her and she looked at him straight away.
'Really?' she asked.
He smiled and replied 'Yes'.
She hugged him tightly and she told him 'Thanks. I owe you big time'.
News about their relationship went out faster than she imagined. People talked behind her back that she was desperate to be with Rika's ex, but they didn't know the whole story so she found it utterly funny when she heard girls talking that she was a whore or a slut which was absolutely ridiculous because she hadn't even had her first kiss just yet. Not much changed between the two of them. Of course they held hands in front of everyone but when they were alone together, they were just two friends together having a laugh of what people thought that they were doing. It obviously made both Rika and Syaoran jealous. Rika was getting irritable and Syaoran paid more attention to her every time she was around Syaoran. It was what she wanted – but she didn't want him to cheat on Rika with her because that meant that she would be the other girl and she didn't want people thinking that.
A month had passed and it was just two days before her birthday. Tomoyo decided to surprise her by arriving early. Tomoyo was waiting for her by the waiting area of the complex. They saw each other and she quickly ran to her best friend whom she hugged tightly. Tomoyo was joined by Eriol who looked ever so handsome, as usual. Eriol kissed her on the cheek and told her 'I couldn't let Tomoyo come by herself – who knows all those New Yorker boys will take her away from me and there was a friend that I wanted to visit'.
She smiled and she said 'It's nice to see you Eriol. I'm glad that you're both well and that you're here'.
They headed towards the elevator together and she asked him 'Who were planning to visit?'
'Just a childhood friend, Syaoran Li. I think he lives in this apartment complex', he replied and she looked at him immediately. 'My family used to spend a lot of time in Shanghai for business and we used to hang out a lot. We kind of lost contact when his whole family died in a car accident a couple of years ago. I think he's living with his cousin right now, Mei Lin or something like that', he added and she nodded. She had no idea that Syaoran had lost his whole family in a car accident just like she had lost her father. She realized that Syaoran was just trying to help her because Syaoran knew what she was going through and she pushed Syaoran away.
'Yeah I've met him a couple of times. He's a nice guy', she replied and Tomoyo looked at her noticing that her expression had changed.
'Why don't you invite him over for dinner tonight? You can invite Syaoran and his cousin for dinner tonight. I'm sure that they wouldn't mind the company for the night', Tomoyo suggested.
She shook her head quickly and replied 'They probably have something planned already. It's a Friday night and they're probably out already'.
'Tell me where he lives and I could just invite them', he told her and she sighed.
'He lives in Level 45', she replied. They were currently in level 40. She lived in level 49, the second highest penthouse in the complex.
'I'll be on my way up', he told them both when the doors opened up for level 45.
Tomoyo and herself went up to her penthouse and she got out of her uniform and Tomoyo was helping her pick out a dress for dinner that night. 'You like him, don't you? The Syaoran guy that Eriol was talking about', Tomoyo asked her and she stopped.
'I already have a boyfriend … well a fake boyfriend anyway and it's a yes for your question', she replied looking at herself in the mirror. 'Well it's sort of complicated. He has a girlfriend and he's not willing to leave her and I'm doing this to try and make him jealous … jealous enough for him to leave his girlfriend', she added.
'You like him that much?' Tomoyo asked.
She nodded and she said 'At first I hated his cockiness but that slowly changed. I told him to stay way from me and he did. Only when he wasn't in my life did I realize that I did actually like him'.
'So who is this guy that you are in a fake relationship with?' Tomoyo asked.
'Takashi Yamazaki. He has a couple of classes with me. We're pretty close', she replied. 'I already filled him in and he was willing to do this for me. He's pretty cute. If we weren't such close friends, I wouldn't mind dating him but that's if I didn't like Syaoran. Syaoran's girlfriend is Takashi's first love. From what I heard from people, Syaoran and Takashi used to be best friends before the whole ordeal happened', she added while she tried on another dress that Tomoyo handed over to her.
'Wow … that's quite something. She must be really pretty then', Tomoyo added.
She nodded and she replied 'Very beautiful'.
'You're beautiful too as well, Sakura. Maybe even more beautiful than me', Tomoyo joked making her smile softly. 'So is Syaoran handsome?' Tomoyo asked.
She nodded and she replied 'He is and I guess you'll see for yourself'.
Both of them heard noises coming from the living room so both of them headed there. She stopped when she saw Syaoran who looked even more handsome than she last remembered. She couldn't remember the last time that they had seen each other out of their school uniform. Eriol smiled at her and replied 'Well at least I had a chance to bring along Syaoran. His cousin was already out for the night'.
They smiled at each other and he replied 'I had no idea that it'd be your birthday soon'.
'Yeah, in two days', Tomoyo replied when the two of them continued to stare at each other. 'I don't think we've met. I'm Tomoyo Daidouji, Eriol's girlfriend', Tomoyo introduced herself to him and he smiled at her.
'I'm Syaoran Li', he replied.
'Great, we've all been introduced to each other. So why don't we all head out for dinner before we end up not getting a table?' Eriol suggested and they all nodded. Eriol helped Tomoyo with her coats and she managed to put on hers by herself.
They were at walking distance to any of the restaurants in the city so they decided that it'd be best to walk instead of taking a cab. The boys walked together behind her and Tomoyo. 'He is handsome. Why didn't you tell me that he that handsome?' Tomoyo asked her quickly looking over the shoulder to take a quick look at him again.
She smiled and she replied 'He's taken'.
'He seems to like a lot. I can tell by the way that he looks at you. Should I give the two of you a chance to talk to each other?' Tomoyo asked. She looked at Tomoyo and before she could say anything, Tomoyo stopped walking and told Eriol, 'Come walk with me. Keep me warm, I'm cold'.
Eriol smiled at him and replied 'I have to keep my girl warm'.
She looked at him and he slowly walked towards her. He took off his scarf and wrapped it around her neck and he told her 'Looks like you need it more than me', then he quickly looked away and they continued walking. 'I didn't realize that you were serious about dating Takashi. It's been nearly a month, hasn't it?' he added and she smiled realizing that he had been keeping track of her life. 'Are you happy with him? I mean does he make you happy?'
She nodded and replied 'Yes, he makes me very happy'.
He nodded and replied 'I'm glad'.
She looked at him hoping that he'd look at her and she asked, 'Are you angry with me?'
He shook his head and replied 'I have no reason to be angry at you. you should have the right to date whomever you want. It's not like there was something going on between the two of us while Rika and I were on a break'.
She looked away and replied 'I guess you are right'.
He nodded and replied 'I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to get you a present yet. I'm not sure what of what you like'.
'My favourite flower is cherry blossom', she told him, 'But you can't get that here so anything else is fine', she added.
He looked at her and he told her 'I don't like you dating Takashi'. She had no idea how to react to that because she wasn't expecting that 'If you're just doing this to make me jealous, stop. What I hate most of all is plots against me to make me jealous. It won't do me any good. I'll just hate you for what you are doing'.
'You think that I'm not in a real relationship with Takashi?' she asked.
'I've never seen you do anything but hold hands. But that's just from what I've noticed', he told her and she looked at him frowning. 'Now you know how it feels to have someone but in your life. It doesn't feel good, does it?' he asked.
She stopped walking and she slapped him hard across the face. 'Was this some sort of revenge?' she asked. 'You're not really dating Rika then?' she added.
'I never got back with her', he told her.
She hit him in his chest and she yelled at him 'I hate you so smug bastard'.
'So you're not really dating Takashi. I knew it', he told her.
'I hate you', she told him before walking away from him. He took her arm and he stopped her from leaving. He pulled her towards him and he kissed her passionately. She wanted to push him away but her body said differently. Her instinct just kicked in and she slowly kissed him back.
'Come on you two love birds. We have a restaurant to get to', Eriol interrupted and she quickly moved away and they quickly smiled at each other before continuing to walk behind Tomoyo and Eriol.
Later on that night after dinner, Tomoyo and Eriol decided to stay at the New York Palace while she headed back to the complex with him. They hadn't said a word to each other since they left the restaurant and she asked, 'So … I guess I should break up with my boyfriend, don't you think so?'
He looked at her and he told her 'I'm sorry that I had to deceive you like that. I just wanted to test you to see how far you would go for me'.
She looked at him and replied 'You shouldn't have done that'.
'Takashi likes you. He does. I just thought that you might like to know before you two got in too deep in your relationship. I guess he didn't tell you just yet. He wouldn't have gone through the fake relationship that long if he didn't at least like you that way. You know you and Rika resemble each other a lot. You're both very beautiful, you're both smart and you have similar taste in men', he told her.
She shook her head and she told him 'Don't compare me to Rika'.
He frowned and he apologized 'I'm sorry'.
'And Takashi doesn't like me. we're just friends', she explained to him.
He looked at her and he told her 'Why don't you ask him for yourself. If he says no, then he means yes. It'll be obvious to you when he stutters trying to tell you the reason. If he doesn't like you, he shouldn't be stuttering and that tell you that its what he should have done since you're only both friends'.
She sighed and she said 'Fine, I will ask him tomorrow'.
The next day, she visited the Yamazaki residence and she got there and heard arguing coming from the living room. She looked through the window and saw Rika and him arguing. She wondered if she should just knock or ring ht doorbell because she was already there anyway. She rang the doorbell and the door opened up a moment later and Rika stopped after seeing her. 'What are you doing here?' Rika asked. Those were the first words that Rika has said to her ever since she arrived in town.
'I'm here to see Takashi', she replied.
Rika looked at him and he smiled at her softly 'This is just ridiculous. It's unbelievable to think that both Syaoran and Takashi want you', Rika told her before leaving.
She looked at him as she stepped in and she asked, 'What's going on?'
He looked at her and asked, 'What are you doing here?'
'I wanted to see you, I wanted to see my boyfriend', she replied and she looked at him trying to figure out his reaction but he hid it pretty well. 'There was something that I wanted to talk to you about', she added and he nodded as they walked in the living room together.
'I heard that you and him shared a kiss. You don't have to say anything to me, I understand. Your planned work and you should be happy', he told her. he didn't even attempt to sit anywhere near her and he asked, 'Is that all that you wanted to talka bout wti me?'
She shook her head and replied 'No, that's not all'.
'Then what?' he asked.
She looked at him and she told him 'I wanted to talk about you. Syaoran suggested something that I thought was just absolutely ridiculous. I wanted to ask you myself because I wouldn't have believed it any other way'.
'Yes?' he asked.
'Do you have any feelings for me?' she asked and he looked at her before looking away. He sat in front of her and she asked, 'Then it's true?' she added. She knew him well enough that when he couldn't give her an answer, it was usually a yes. 'Is that why you agreed to be in this fake relationship with me?' she asked.
He shook his head and he told her 'I didn't have any of these feelings towards you before we started this fake relationship. It was something recent'.
She nodded and she told him 'I like your honesty. I do'.
He looked at her and he asked, 'Is this going to get in the way of our friendship?'
She looked at him and she asked, 'Will it bother you that I'm dating Syaoran?'
He nodded 'Yes', he replied.
'Then yes, it will get in the way of our friendship', she told him. She stood up and she added 'I have to go'.
He nodded and he said 'Before you go, there was something that I wanted to give to you. I heard that it is your birthday tomorrow and since you will probably be busy all day, I wanted to give you your present now. Can I just go up my room and get it for you?'
She nodded and replied 'I'll wait here'.
While she was waiting in the living room, she looked around and she smiled when she saw younger photos of the Yamazaki family. He really was adorable and handsome as a young kid. She stopped when she saw photos of Rika and him as young kids – they really had history together. He came down about two minutes later with a box and he told her 'I remember that you liked this. Don't open it now. Open it tomorrow on your actually birthday'.
She noded and replied 'Thanks Takashi'.
He gave her a tight hug and told her 'I'm going to be away for a couple of weeks. My grandfather back in Japan is sick and my whole family is visiting. I'll try and call you as much as I can'.
'When will you be leaving?' she asked softly.
'Tonight actually. So I'm glad that you came her eto see me because that saves me a visit later on', eh replied and she nodded. he kissed her forehead and he told her 'Syaoran will take car eof you. I know that he will'.
She frowned wondering what that meant but she didn't say anything because she just wanted to leave.
She headed in the complex and she slowed down when she saw her boyfriend with Eriol and Tomoyo at the restaurant on the ground floor. She slowly walked towards them and she asked, 'Where was my invite?'
He kissed her softly on the lips and he replied 'It was sort of a last minute thing. They were wondering where you were so I just filled them in. how did it go?'
'He does like me', she replied and Tomoyo smiled at her. 'Don't lecture me Tomoyo. I hate it when you're right and as for you mister, don't even dare', she added and he smiled at her.
'What's the plan for tomorrow? I know that Tomoyo has something planned, will either of you handsome gentleman like to fill me in?' she asked.
Tomoyo looked at her and told her 'It wouldn't be a surprise if they told you'.
'I just don't want something too extravagant. You know me, I like to live a simple life', she told them making him smile at her. he noticed that she brought along a box with her and she caught him staring at it.
'What is it?' he asked.
Tomoyo snatched it off her and took it from her. Tomoyo opened it and saw a beautiful necklace, 'Whoever this belongs to, he has exquisite taste', Tomoyo told her and she sighed. 'Who is it from?' Tomoyo asked.
'Takashi gave it to me as a birthday present', she replied and he looked at her immediately. She's never had a boyfriend before but she didn't need to have one to realize that he was jealous. 'Don't worry, he just considered it as a birthday present to a friend and nothing more', she added.
'I don't think so Sakura', Eriol told her after taking a good look at the necklace. 'A guy doesn't spend nearly $75 000 on a friend', Eriol added.
She took it from Eriol and she closed the box, 'It's not like I'm going to wear it. It's far too expensive for my taste', she added trying to find the right thing to say to make him feel better.
After lunch, she headed up to her level with him who hadn't said much since after finding out that Takashi had given her such an expensive present. 'Are you angry that I received it?' she asked.
He looked at her and he told her 'I want to be but it's not your fault so I have no reason to get angry at you'.
'It's just a necklace. That's all', she added.
'A necklace like that isn't just a necklace', he told her. 'He once gave Rika a necklace like that while they were going out. Perhaps yours is even more expensive than hers', he added.
The doors opened up and they walked out together and she told him 'You have no reason to get angry or suspicious. He's not even going to be in town for a couple of weeks. His grandfather is ill and so he's going to be in Japan for a couple of weeks'.
He looked at her and he asked, 'What exactly happened? is it definitely over?'
She smiled at him and replied 'Nothing even happened in the first place so I don't know why you are so worried. You're getting all worked up for no reason'. She smiled softly before adding, 'Rika must be pretty angry with you and Takashi. Both of you want me'.
He took her cheeks in his hands and replied 'Well you are one of a kind. There's no one like you Sakura'.
'I saw her earlier this morning. She visited Takashi. They seemed to be having a heated argument about something', she told him.
'Could you tell what about?' he asked following her in the kitchen while she got herself a glass of water.
She shook her head and replied 'No because that would be called eavesdropping and I don't do that'.
He smiled and he said 'I guess you don't'. he looked at her and she smiled at him, 'What shall we do tonight? Tomoyo and Eriol are out spending the night together, Mei Lin is out with Rika and … I guess we're all alone'.
She looked at him and she replied 'I have to have dinner with my grandparents, unfortunately. My brother is coming to town and I want to have a nice dinner with him. do you want to join me?'
He raised an eyebrow and he asked, 'You think I want to go?'
She shrugged her shoulders and replied 'Who knows? It could be fun'.
'I seriously doubt that', he replied.
He left her penthouse about two hours later after they watched a movie together which turned into a make out session. He really was a good kisser.
She went to her grandparents' house where her brother was already waiting for her. He looked different to her, maybe it was a new haircut or something like that but she just couldn't put a finger to it. They gave each other a tight hug and she replied 'I missed you Touya'.
He hugged her back and asked, 'How have you been?'
'All as well can be', she replied.
He smiled and he told her 'You look well … a little different but hey you're still my annoying little sister. How have you been?'
She smiled and she sat down around the dining table and replied 'I've been well. Grandfather and grandmother has been taking care of me financially'.
Their grandmother looked at her a little hurt that she only thought of them as financial providers, but that was reality.
'Tomoyo is in town', he added and she nodded. She was already aware of that. 'Has she decided to tell you what she has planned for you?' he asked.
She shook her head and replied 'She won't tell me a word'.
'Would you like to know?' he asked.
She nodded and replied 'Yes'.
He smiled and replied 'She's throwing you a cruise. She's inviting some of your closest school friends and some of your friends from Japan are coming over'.
She frowned and she asked, 'She knows I hate parties with people I don't know, why is she doing that?'
He shrugged his shoulders and replied 'Because I suggested it'.
She looked at her brother immediately and she asked, 'When?'
'At night tomorrow. I just thought that I might give you the option of not going. I know how much you despise those parties', he added and he sighed softly. 'I knew that the moment I told Tomoyo my suggested, I couldn't convince her not to do it but you know Tomoyo'.
'I'm not going', she told them. 'I just want to spend a quiet birthday this year. It's not fair for me to be celebrating something like this so soon after dad's death', she added. She stood up and she added 'Excuse me. I just lost my appetite'. She headed out of the dining room and headed to the patio to get some fresh air. The dining room felt a little too stuffy and this way she could clear her head. She knew that her brother would be following her right afterwards, she was just waiting for him. 'You shouldn't have suggested that to Tomoyo', she told him as he stood beside her. 'Tomoyo is a very determined person and sometimes she doesn't know what's best for me. she may think that she is doing the right thing for me by trying to make me feel better but this is different. it's dad that we were talking about. I can't just forget him that easily. I can't just not deal with the fact that he's not going to be there for my birthday this year'.
He looked at her and he told her 'You know that dad wouldn't like you to suffer like this. He loved us both and I know that you might think that he didn't show that but he did. He gave up his dreams to travel around the world to help others but he raised you instead. He was there as a father and a mother after mom died. He adored you. I've never seen him love anyone else more than you'.
She looked at him teary eyed and she replied 'I'm still not going tomorrow. I know that Tomoyo will hate me for it but I just can't. I don't want you to tell Tomoyo that I'm not coming … she should just realize that for herself. I just thought that you might just like to know because I don't want you to waste your night hoping that I will come because I changed my mind. It's not going to happen'.
'What will you do for your birthday then?' he asked.
She looked at the garden and replied 'I'll have someone to spend it with'.
Early next morning, it was her birthday and she was 17 years old – well technically not yet because she would turn at 3pm later on that afternoon. It was six in the morning and she was already changed in some clothes. Although it was Monday, a school day, she wasn't going to be going to school, instead she would be on the road away from New York for the day. She heard a knock on the door and she stood up from the living room and she answered it. It was Syaoran, her boyfriend. He would be joining her today instead of having to deal with the party that Tomoyo had prepared for her. She didn't want to go to the party later on this afternoon because she wouldn't have known anyone at her own party. She rarely got along with the other students and she didn't want to spend the rest of the day pretending that she got along with them. He stepped in after she opened the door and kissed her softly on the lips. 'Good morning and happy birthday beautiful'.
'What are you hiding behind your back?' she asked.
He took out a bouquet of flowers and a box 'Well I couldn't come empty handed, could I?'
She shook her head and replied 'No, you couldn't or else I would not forgive you'.
'Open it later when we get back. I don't want to find out that you are disappointed with it and we'll end up having a lousy day. Come on, we should get going before anyone else is up', he added and she nodded. 'I'll be driving for the day. I'm at your service today Sakura', he told her before kissing her passionately.
They got in his car and entered the highway to head towards Everett, Massachusetts towards his old house. No one else but Mei Lin, Rika and Takashi knew the location but both of them doubted that she'd be found there for her birthday instead of being at the cruise. It was a beautiful town, beautiful scenery and nice people. She could tell why his parents would have liked to raise him at a place like this. It was much more peaceful compared to New York City which was always busy. He parked the car by the driveway and he unlocked the door with his key and he opened the door for her. She stepped in and she walked into a very homey place. She smiled at him and she admitted 'It kind of reminds me of my own house'.
He put his bag down near the door and he told her 'It's been a while since I've been here – but I guess this was the only place that we could really hide out for the day'.
She smiled at him and she looked around in the living room letting herself recognize his childhood photos with his parents and his four sisters who were so beautiful. 'Eriol told me about your family. I'm sorry', she told him looking at him sincerely.
'It's been a long time, you don't need to feel sorry for me or anything', he told her.
'No, just a couple of years ago, it hasn't been that long', she said softly and he touched her cheek and kissed her forehead before heading towards the kitchen to put the groceries that they bought on the way to his house.
'Your family seems really close with Takashi's family', she added and he stopped for a moment before continuing to pack away the food. 'Will you ever talk to me about Takashi and Rika?' she asked softly and he didn't turn around to even look at her. 'What is so wrong about what happened in the past that you won't even breathe a word about it', she added. 'Every time I bring up Takashi and Rika in the same sentence you tense up or worse you get angry at me', she added.
He looked at her and he told her 'There's no need to talk about the past'.
'I want to know why you and Takashi aren't friends anymore. I'm sure that it's more than Rika', she added. 'Consider it as one of my birthday presents', she told him.
'I doubt that you'll see me the same way after you find out', he told her.
She shook her head and told him 'I promise that I won't change'.
'Rika, Takashi and I go way back. The three of us practically grew up together, the same way that you and Tomoyo grew up together. We've always been there for each other. It was always Rika and Takashi. Takashi loved Rika but she loved me. Takashi and Rika were dating when she told me that she was in love with me. The three of us were probably 13 when it began. I didn't want to do anything to ruin my friendship with Takashi. He was practically a brother to me, but shortly after my family died, it was Rika that comforted me in any way that helped me get through the pain. We slept with each other while she was still with Takashi. She went to him and told him the truth and no doubt he was very angry at me. The two of us had a fall out and I did everything I can to get on his good side but it was over. I ruined that friendship that there was nothing I can do to get back to the way things were. I soon realized that I actually had some feelings for Rika but it wasn't enough – I knew that she wasn't the one for me so we broke up and got back together. It was probably our third break when you first came to town'.
She looked at him and asked, 'You and Takashi never said a word to each other again?'
He shook his head and replied 'No. I gave him what he wanted the same way that I gave you what you wanted and that was space. He obviously wanted nothing to do with me', he replied. He looked at her and he asked, 'You will see Takashi different now?'
She shook her head and replied 'No'.
He looked at her and again and asked, 'What about me?'
She shook her head and she walked to the other side of the counter and hugged him tightly, 'You must have been going through a lot. I can't imagine what you were going through losing everyone in your family'.
He smiled softly and he told her 'I only wished that it had been you instead of Rika'.
She looked at him and she asked, 'Can I look around the house?'
He nodded and he told her 'Go right ahead. I'll fix us breakfast'.
She smiled and she told him 'Alright'.
While he headed out to get breakfast, she went up to his room and he smiled when she saw ribbons and trophies in practically every corner of his room. She knew that he was athletic but not like that. He really was handsome as a young kid. He smiled at her whilst leaning against the doorframe and he asked, 'You like me that much?'
She smiled at him and she asked, 'You were obsessed with sports as a young kid, weren't you?'
He smiled at her and replied 'I guess you could say so. What about you? What were you in to?'
'It's embarrassing, I don't want to tell you', she said feeling shy.
He chuckled and he asked, 'What is it? I want to know'.
'Well I love books. I used to collect books but I couldn't bring that with me', she replied.
'Oh … that's a shame. What's your favourite?' he asked.
She smiled softly and replied 'Jane Eyre. That was my mom's favourite. She used to read it to me when she was pregnant, my dad says'.
He smiled and he told her 'Jane Eyre. I'll remember that'. He handed her the bag that had all of the food and replied 'Come on, let's eat'.
While they were having lunch together, she looked at him and they smiled at each other. 'You are so handsome', she said softly and he smiled at her.
'Why did you not want to go to the party?' he asked softly. 'I know that it's more than because you don't want to spend the day with complete strangers. There must be something else. I don't see you as the type that run away from things'.
She looked at him and she told him 'I just don't feel like celebrating this year'.
'Tomoyo will be very angry at you', he told her the obvious fact. '… don't you think that you should tell her that you're not coming so she doesn't make a fool of herself?'
She looked at him and she asked, 'Why? She should realize that for herself'.
He looked at her and he took her hand and kissed it softly 'I don't want you to change Sakura. I know that it's hard to promise to this demand but I like you just the way that you are. I don't want you changing into a person that I won't be able to recognize. I don't'.
She nodded and she said 'I promise I won't change. Not even for you. Are you happy?'
He nodded and he replied 'Yes'.
'Anyway … what did you get me?' she asked.
He smiled and replied 'You just have to find out for yourself'. He kissed her passionately and he told her 'But I hope you like it'.
She smiled and she looked at him in the eye and she told him 'I'm sorry if things between the two of us are moving slowly. It's just that this is all new to me. I've never had a boyfriend before and I don't know exactly how things should go. I know that sex isn't a big deal to you, but it is to me and I'm not going to give up my first time that easily. I've been a virgin since I have been a little girl and there's no point in giving it up so easily with you, not that I'm suggesting that I never want to sleep with you. it's just that if ever it happens for me, I want it to be meaningful and I want it on my own terms and not because you forced me into it'.
He looked at her tenderly and told her 'I promise I will never pressure you'.
She smiled and she said 'I hope that you can keep to that promise'.
He smiled softly and he told her 'I'll try my hardest'.