Today is for you

Summary: After experiencing a traumatic past related to men, Tomoyo believes that the only person she can love and trust is Sakura. But then why is it that she can tolerate one guy...Sakura's brother? TxT


Chapter Two: Moonlit Thorns

"Morning everybody!" The teacher called out.

"Morning Terada-sensei!" We echoed.

"Welcome back to school. You all are now juniors! Well this year, I'm pleased to present to you my teacher-assistant for this homeroom class. Kinomoto Touya."

The door opened and Touya stepped in, followed by a couple of girl squeals and gasps.

Sakura only rolled her eyes and scoffed. Touya and Syaoran were locked in a battling gaze. Then he half-smiled and introduced himself, mostly fixating his mocking gaze on Sakura and me. I only chuckled with amusement.

A group of girls immediately flocked around him but he answered their questions with indifference. Sakura turned to me and laughed.

"Teacher? Is he kidding me? He's only a puny assistant-teacher. Heh. So this is why he was laughing so strangely these days. I still think he should be put in a mental institute."

"What should we say his condition is?"

"Hm… maybe self-delusional?"

"Is that even a condition?" Touya smirked.

"Of course it is. Even if it wasn't, you have tons of other issues we could indict you with!"

"Of course. Although I'm sure more of it runs in your blood." Touya laughed and made his way back to his desk.

"Your brother's a weirdo," I admitted.

"More like a hottie!" Rita sighed, "I'm lovestruck!"

Sakura buried her face in her hands, "Please Rita-chan…don't tell anyone we're siblings. And don't talk about him that way in front of me. It sickens me!"

I laughed and changed the subject, asking Sakura whether she would come over sometime soon to try on several costumes I'd designed.


When was it? The day I met Sakura?

The elementary school had a gravel path that meandered past a garden. Someone was trimming leaves and flowers. There was a pile of dead roses to the side. I smelled the stink and hated the place immediately. I hated having to transfer so many times and I knew this time was going to be no different.

So many times, so many times…they had gathered around me in a circle and called me names. They pulled my hair and took out scissors and scratched my face. They asked me where my father went, where my money was, what I was doing at such an elite school…was it because my mother donated all the money? Names, names. They called me names. They cut my hair.

And now I smelled dead flowers that no bees or butterflies wanted to go near. I was placed before a bunch of empty faces wearing piercing, curious eyes. They felt like nails on my skin.

"Your seat is there, by Kinomoto Sakura." The girl immediately raised her hand and a bright smile spread across her face.

"My name is Sakura," she said sweetly. I nodded and sat in silence.

We were having a quick quiz on some of the words we learned when I opened my pencil case and realized I had forgotten to bring an eraser. I looked down at my paper worriedly.

Sakura peered over at me and then touched my hand.

"Do you want half of my eraser? Here," she split her bunny eraser in two and handed me the other half, "It's my favorite eraser because my brother bought it for me when school started. I'm happy that I can share it with you, because I can tell you love bunnies too!"

She laughed and pointed at my bunny pencil case. I took the eraser and began to see a person for the first time. Before they'd been blurs and dark faces with frightening voices. Now…I saw a face with beautifully sincere eyes, bright smiles and soft sweetness. My face cracked and I smiled for the first time in a long time.

"Thank you…"

"No problem!" She smiled back and began her quiz.

I stared at the eraser for a long time. It smelled sweet, of cherry blossoms. I felt something wet on the corner of my eye. I wiped it away and smiled. The dark voices in the back of my head faded away. I could only see her face, shining like the sun. There had been so much darkness in my life, but she, with one small gesture, had blown it all away. Sakura Kinomoto. She would become my life's shining ray of love and hope.


I felt my blood boil and curdle.

"Tomoyo…" Sakura turned over and looked at me. The moonlight that slid between the blinds onto her face made her look heavenly. Like an angel with a sweet voice and sad news.

"Yes?" I knew I couldn't avoid hearing what she would say next.

"I think I really like him."

Silence.

"Tomoyo?"

"Who?"

"Syaoran-kun…I think I love him."

"Why?" I didn't know if my voice was cracking. I hoped not, I hope not…

"He's so gentle. At first, when I saw him during the opening assembly sophomore year, I thought he was just a handsome jerk. But do you know? When we were on duty together, he never complained whenever I was late or forgot or messed everything up like I always do."

But Sakura, do you know? He's a monstrous being. He's a male. He won't keep his promises. But Sakura, do you know? I love you so much, my heart hurts every time you smile at me. Because I have to smile back without giving myself away. Do you know...I thought you would be like everybody else. Reject, ostracize, or be fake with me. But you saved me, Sakura. You saved me with your smile. A real smile too...

"He told me that I was doing my best so there was nothing wrong with what I did. When it was raining…he gave me his umbrella. And he insisted on walking me…even though I found out later that he lived in the opposite direction."

But Sakura, do you know? How much I've given up for you. How I've endured brushing against guys while walking in corridors just so I can stay near you. How many times I've weeded horrible guys who would betray you easily for a girl with bigger boobs. How I've wanted to puke every single time I had to touch a guy, but put up with it so I could show you…show you that I'm the only one you can rely on.

"Then it was his eyes. They're so beautiful and alluring. I used to be scared of them, and then mystified. But then I grew to love them. Because they're so gentle actually. They watch me carefully and see everything. They're quiet but loud because I can never tear my gaze away from them. They make me blush and laugh and feel pain."

I love everything about you. I love your eyes because they see good in everything. Because they brought me out of the darkness. I love your voice. Because you were the one who told me that I was a nice person, a lovable person. That my mother was lovely too. I love your hair. I love your teeth and nose and chin and dimples and smile and ears and…

"I really like him, I really do…what should I do?"

I love you so much, Sakura. I can't stop it. What can I do for you?

"Tomoyo…you're the only one I can talk to like this. What should I do?"

Sakura…you're the only person I can love in my whole life. I don't want to lose you. But I don't want you to hate me; I'd rather die than have you come to hate me. But I definitely don't want to hand you over to the claws of a man… a man…

"Sakura, does he love you?"

"I don't know…but I think I should confess to him. Even if I'm rejected and heartbroken, I think I still want to get these feelings across. I want him to know."

"You're so brave, Sakura." And then I pretended to fall asleep. But really, I wanted to cry my insides out. I wanted to rip him to shreds…


My thoughts: People told me it was silly that Tomoyo would keep a little eraser as her greatest treasure...(in anime) but I didn't think so. It's a memento of when they first met. I want to recognize that.

Facts: Touya is actually a chemistry teacher assistant, but he also works for Terada sensei's homeroom class. (Terada=literature teacher I think) Probably to watch over Sakura and Tomoyo.

So now that I've shared mine, it'd be nice if you could share your thoughts.