Chapter 5: Raging Silence
Eriol took note of the strange behavior some particular people were having for the last few weeks. First, she comes to watch their soccer practice when she doesn't have club practice. Then whenever they'd walk home, she acted as if he wasn't there. Second, Captain Maxwell extended their practices then disappears after. Fred had answered that an inter-school competition was coming up and they needed to train more. But when Eriol reasoned that Maxwell wasn't staying for the extended time, Fred used that excuse on "thesis" again. Something wasn't right.
"He's getting suspicious." Robin nodded. "I've decided to move a step ahead of him." Fred gaped at him. "You're going to keep him quiet?" He didn't answer. But Fred knew he's cooked up something. "Nothing's going to stop me now. I care for her and am willing to defend my love." Fred shook his head in silent laughter. How sappy can this guy get? But instead, he just nodded. "I'm going to support you pal."
"Eriol?" He looked up to see Tomoyo standing in front of him. "Yes?" "Could I ask for your help?" He saw her blush. He took it as a hint of what she was going to ask. And he wasn't going to help her. Let Tomoyo see his selfish side for once, for all he cared! He wasn't going to bridge those two together. She took a deep breath. "Can you tutor me after class?" His face nearly fell. "That. that's it?" "Well yeah, what did you think I was going to ask you?" He breathed out in relief as he sank in his seat. "Nothing. I thought it was so serious. You really had me worried, you know."
Eriol picked up the phone. "Good evening. Hiiragizawa Manor." He was surprised when a short laugh was heard on the other end. "Is that really you Eriol?" "To-Tomoyo?" It took a while for Tomoyo to collect herself. "It's me. And my god! You should be in the music club! Your voice is so beautiful." He blushed at her compliment. "Thanks, but I'm sticking to soccer. Anyway, what did you call for?" "It's about the tutorial schedule. Could you come over every 8 o'clock?" He frowned. "Why so late? Why not after we come home from school?" Tomoyo's answer was straight. "I have some engagements after school." "You mean you have extra training to attend?" Her next response was paralyzing. "No. I'm going out with Robin Maxwell."
'So you've decided to call him Robbie huh?' Eriol walked quietly as Tomoyo waved good morning to the soccer team captain from afar. 'And you're suddenly going out with guys without telling me?' He watched as Tomoyo reached her locker and took out her books. She was very happy today. 'And now you're falling for him while you continue to hide it from me?' They went to his locker in another corridor. He took out his books stiffly and guarded himself from throwing it at the guys who were whispering talking about the news that Tomoyo and Robin were going out. After he assured Tomoyo that he was fine, they walked to class while he continued to rage in silent fury.
The bell rang and the students immediately filed out of the classroom. Eriol took up his bag and muttered all the way to his locker. He didn't bother waiting for Tomoyo; Maxwell immediately showed up and swept her away. 'And I thought I was going to enjoy being in your class,' he thought quietly. 'But it seems that my jealousy is going to be more fueled now that I see you light up whenever Maxwell's around.' 'But not to worry, everything's going to be normal once I've told you about that bastard's reputation. You'll be sorry you ever fell for him, Tomoyo. You'll be running into my arms and beg for forgiveness. Then I'll finally have you my love.' He laughed silently as he threw his books in and felt that devilish excitement to imagine Maxwell defending himself while Tomoyo gapes when she finds out. 'We'll see who wins in the end.'
"Tomoyo?" She saw Robin looking at her concernedly. "I was just thinking." "Is it something you can tell me? We're friends anyway." Tomoyo smiled inwardly. She couldn't believe how this guy understands that she's not ready for the next step yet. He's like Eriol. Understands everything that is her, says what she has to hear, and being the next best thing that ever happened to her. "It's my best friend," she answered. "He's quite peculiar these days." "Maybe because you're with me," he suggested. "He probably thinks we're a couple." She laughed. Another thing to add in her list of things that she likes about Robin. Frank and direct to the point. Like her. "Don't tell me he's jealous!" Then she paused for a moment. "I think I should clear things for him. After he's my best friend and he has a right to know." Robin nodded while making adjustments of his own. I must tell her sooner.
Eriol was nearing Tomoyo's house when he stopped and hid behind a tree. He peered through the leaves and saw Maxwell escorting Tomoyo to her house. 'Now he thinks he can get past her gate, eh? I'll put a stop to this.' "Hey Tomoyo!" The two turned in his direction. Eriol could swear Maxwell glared at him in the dark. Tomoyo was clueless. "Oh you're here Eriol!" Then she turned to Robin. "It's seems that my tutor is here Robbie. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" He grinned shortly. "I will." Then he left. Eriol turned to Tomoyo. "Let's go in and begin class?"
He sat on the couch while he waited for Tomoyo to get her things. He was so happy at a while ago that he momentarily forgot his anger as he waited. Tomoyo came in after a few minutes. "You seem to be in a good mood this evening, Eriol." "As a matter of fact, I am positively happy," he beamed as he took out his notes and some books. "Now please turn to page 51."
After thirty minutes, Eriol accepted Tomoyo's offer of a short snack. Now, she was in the kitchen, using her excuse to fix the food herself, to ponder on her friend's change of behavior. 'I was sure he wasn't exactly happy about tutoring me this late. But now, he's even happy to stay until 10?' Then she went back to the living room with a tray of snacks. She set it down the coffee table. "Are you sure you don't want to accept payment?" Tomoyo asked as he handed him a cup of sweet tea. "No. I'm going to receive one anyway," he added vaguely. She raised and eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" "I get to tutor my best friend and become proud that I'm the cause of her academic success," he proclaimed smugly. Half-truth, he thought, because what I'm going to be proud of is the impending day that you would be in my arms crying because that Maxwell jerk broke your heart and you'll be thanking me for telling you that. She laughed. "You can really be egotistical at times." He sighed. "Just for the sake of fun."
Eriol took note of the strange behavior some particular people were having for the last few weeks. First, she comes to watch their soccer practice when she doesn't have club practice. Then whenever they'd walk home, she acted as if he wasn't there. Second, Captain Maxwell extended their practices then disappears after. Fred had answered that an inter-school competition was coming up and they needed to train more. But when Eriol reasoned that Maxwell wasn't staying for the extended time, Fred used that excuse on "thesis" again. Something wasn't right.
"He's getting suspicious." Robin nodded. "I've decided to move a step ahead of him." Fred gaped at him. "You're going to keep him quiet?" He didn't answer. But Fred knew he's cooked up something. "Nothing's going to stop me now. I care for her and am willing to defend my love." Fred shook his head in silent laughter. How sappy can this guy get? But instead, he just nodded. "I'm going to support you pal."
"Eriol?" He looked up to see Tomoyo standing in front of him. "Yes?" "Could I ask for your help?" He saw her blush. He took it as a hint of what she was going to ask. And he wasn't going to help her. Let Tomoyo see his selfish side for once, for all he cared! He wasn't going to bridge those two together. She took a deep breath. "Can you tutor me after class?" His face nearly fell. "That. that's it?" "Well yeah, what did you think I was going to ask you?" He breathed out in relief as he sank in his seat. "Nothing. I thought it was so serious. You really had me worried, you know."
Eriol picked up the phone. "Good evening. Hiiragizawa Manor." He was surprised when a short laugh was heard on the other end. "Is that really you Eriol?" "To-Tomoyo?" It took a while for Tomoyo to collect herself. "It's me. And my god! You should be in the music club! Your voice is so beautiful." He blushed at her compliment. "Thanks, but I'm sticking to soccer. Anyway, what did you call for?" "It's about the tutorial schedule. Could you come over every 8 o'clock?" He frowned. "Why so late? Why not after we come home from school?" Tomoyo's answer was straight. "I have some engagements after school." "You mean you have extra training to attend?" Her next response was paralyzing. "No. I'm going out with Robin Maxwell."
'So you've decided to call him Robbie huh?' Eriol walked quietly as Tomoyo waved good morning to the soccer team captain from afar. 'And you're suddenly going out with guys without telling me?' He watched as Tomoyo reached her locker and took out her books. She was very happy today. 'And now you're falling for him while you continue to hide it from me?' They went to his locker in another corridor. He took out his books stiffly and guarded himself from throwing it at the guys who were whispering talking about the news that Tomoyo and Robin were going out. After he assured Tomoyo that he was fine, they walked to class while he continued to rage in silent fury.
The bell rang and the students immediately filed out of the classroom. Eriol took up his bag and muttered all the way to his locker. He didn't bother waiting for Tomoyo; Maxwell immediately showed up and swept her away. 'And I thought I was going to enjoy being in your class,' he thought quietly. 'But it seems that my jealousy is going to be more fueled now that I see you light up whenever Maxwell's around.' 'But not to worry, everything's going to be normal once I've told you about that bastard's reputation. You'll be sorry you ever fell for him, Tomoyo. You'll be running into my arms and beg for forgiveness. Then I'll finally have you my love.' He laughed silently as he threw his books in and felt that devilish excitement to imagine Maxwell defending himself while Tomoyo gapes when she finds out. 'We'll see who wins in the end.'
"Tomoyo?" She saw Robin looking at her concernedly. "I was just thinking." "Is it something you can tell me? We're friends anyway." Tomoyo smiled inwardly. She couldn't believe how this guy understands that she's not ready for the next step yet. He's like Eriol. Understands everything that is her, says what she has to hear, and being the next best thing that ever happened to her. "It's my best friend," she answered. "He's quite peculiar these days." "Maybe because you're with me," he suggested. "He probably thinks we're a couple." She laughed. Another thing to add in her list of things that she likes about Robin. Frank and direct to the point. Like her. "Don't tell me he's jealous!" Then she paused for a moment. "I think I should clear things for him. After he's my best friend and he has a right to know." Robin nodded while making adjustments of his own. I must tell her sooner.
Eriol was nearing Tomoyo's house when he stopped and hid behind a tree. He peered through the leaves and saw Maxwell escorting Tomoyo to her house. 'Now he thinks he can get past her gate, eh? I'll put a stop to this.' "Hey Tomoyo!" The two turned in his direction. Eriol could swear Maxwell glared at him in the dark. Tomoyo was clueless. "Oh you're here Eriol!" Then she turned to Robin. "It's seems that my tutor is here Robbie. I'll see you tomorrow okay?" He grinned shortly. "I will." Then he left. Eriol turned to Tomoyo. "Let's go in and begin class?"
He sat on the couch while he waited for Tomoyo to get her things. He was so happy at a while ago that he momentarily forgot his anger as he waited. Tomoyo came in after a few minutes. "You seem to be in a good mood this evening, Eriol." "As a matter of fact, I am positively happy," he beamed as he took out his notes and some books. "Now please turn to page 51."
After thirty minutes, Eriol accepted Tomoyo's offer of a short snack. Now, she was in the kitchen, using her excuse to fix the food herself, to ponder on her friend's change of behavior. 'I was sure he wasn't exactly happy about tutoring me this late. But now, he's even happy to stay until 10?' Then she went back to the living room with a tray of snacks. She set it down the coffee table. "Are you sure you don't want to accept payment?" Tomoyo asked as he handed him a cup of sweet tea. "No. I'm going to receive one anyway," he added vaguely. She raised and eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" "I get to tutor my best friend and become proud that I'm the cause of her academic success," he proclaimed smugly. Half-truth, he thought, because what I'm going to be proud of is the impending day that you would be in my arms crying because that Maxwell jerk broke your heart and you'll be thanking me for telling you that. She laughed. "You can really be egotistical at times." He sighed. "Just for the sake of fun."