Standard disclaimer still applies.

2 Remember When

Eli stood at the balcony of his room, looking up at the moon without seeing it. Instead, he was seeing a face of an angel, the one with long dark hair and purple eyes.

He took a drink from the wine glass he was holding.

Madison was right. He did send his assistant on that trip across the globe, only because he made it a point to celebrate on that date.

Every year for the last fifteen years.

Not even a billion-dollar deal could make him change that.

It was the time when he first set eyes on Madison.

"Hi, my name is Madison," she said introducing herself. She was looking back at him from her seat.

Eli was preoccupied at that time with the mistress of the clow cards that he was not aware of the girl in front of him. He was taken aback with her remarkable quality and with the sincerity of her smile. "I'm Eli. Nice to meet you," he said, smiling in return.

Madison was Sakura's shadow. She was always with her especially during the card-capturing days. She was friendly with other girls but she seemed to gravitate to her side.

He came back the year after, for his parents had decided to give him the education his mother had grown up with. With him are Rubymoon and Spinel. He had become friends with Sakura, Madison and Li, although the latter would not admit. But since Sakura and Li became a couple, it was he and Madison that ended up being together all the time in the background.

He could tell that Madison was affected with the growing familiarity between the two. Who wouldn't be? Before they were inseparable, but all of a sudden it had become all about Li and Sakura.

"You consider me your friend, right?" Eli asked all of a sudden. He caught Madison looking from the classroom at Sakura and Li at the school garden holding hands.

Eli was looking for her. He had gone at the music room and the choir practice, which she frequented all the time, but to no luck. Good thing he went back to the classroom to check one more time before giving up.

Madison looked back suddenly at him, surprised at the intrusion. She quickly masked the hurt and sadness mirroring in her eyes. She stared at him for quite sometime before mentally shaking herself and gave him a smile that did not reached her eyes.

"Of course, Eli. Why do you ask?" Madison inquired while going back to her desk to gather her things.

Eli beat her to it and gathered her books for him to bring. He lifted his shoulders nonchalantly. "I just want you to tell me honestly what's bothering you."

Madison was ready to deny when Eli raised his other hand in a stopping gesture. "And don't bother denying it, it won't work. I have observed you for five years and it was enough time I have given you to say anything to me. Since you won't, I am confronting you now."

Madison took a deep breath and gave out a loud sigh. She then sat down on her desk as Eli stood leaning back on the chair opposite hers. She looked up at him and angled her head sideways. "I guess you are also having a hard time with our subjects, right? The pressure, I guess, of getting good grades and going to a respectable university."

Eli combed his hand through his hair. "Madison, I am not talking about our subjects. Since when did you let those bother you, anyway? I am talking about personal things."

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a one- lopsided smile. "I never knew you were interested about my personal life."

He turned into a light shade of pink. "Madison," he said exasperatedly.

Madison leaned back on her seat. "Ok, what do you want me to disclose?"

"Is the relationship of Sakura and Li bothering you?" he asked straight to the point.

Madison's face fell and she looked sideways. She hesitated a moment but answered a soft yes afterwards.

"Why?"

"I am jealous, all right!" she looked at him again.

"Of Sakura?" Eli asked, astonished.

"Yes," Madison confirmed, but when she saw the look in his eyes, she amended her answer. "But not in the way you're thinking. For crying out loud, I don't love her like that."

Madison took another deep breath and closed her eyes. A tear fell from her eyes. She had not told a single soul about what she was feeling, but somehow telling Eli seemed a great relief.

"I feel like I am losing my best friend every passing year. Sakura and I are not as close as we were before. There were things that she shares with Li and not with me. And with that I am jealous.

We practically grew up together, of course, because we were cousins. But we shared more than that.

Eli, Sakura was the sister I never had."

Eli was speechless. He knew she was hurt, but he never knew the gravity of it. He was glad, nonetheless, for it was a start she was opening up with him.

He reached out and wiped the tear the fell from her eyes. He felt her stiffened at the contact for a second, but relaxed as he continued to cup her face.

"I know that there are things that you want to share with a girl friend. I am not a girl and I don't plan to be one, but…" he paused, "you can tell me anything, you know. I really wanted to be your best friend now, in real sense.

 "Would it be too much to ask if you consider me a brother you never had?"

They looked at each other for pregnant moments, assessing. Then Madison smiled sweetly, one that reached not only her eyes, but her soul.  She held his hands that was cupping her face and shook her head. "No, Eli, it's not too much," she answered.

Eli smiled in return.

"Just promise me you will always be true to me and you will always be there."

"I promise."

Always be true.

Always be there.

Promises that he had kept throughout the years.

But why, ten years later, it had become more and more difficult for him to honor his promises?

__

notes:

1 I do not know the standard schooling system they have in Japan so I patterned my fic in US

2 I have watched only about 10 episodes of CCS so I do not know the whole scenario. I only invented how they met.

3 KyteAura – thanks for the review. You commented something about Li and Eli sounding alike if I am not mistaken. Eli was pronounced as (i-lay) in the US version of CCS

4 to the rest of the reviewers: sweet-innocence, tomo-chan, Flowing River, not applicable, Dana Daidouji – thank you so much for the review. I hope this second chapter meets your approval

5 hope you all stay tuned for the next chapter which will be up soon

6 Eli and Madison are cool!!!! Yeah, baby =)