Summary: Friday night is here. Aiden Avalon and Ms. Mackenzie are out on their date, but they have no idea someone's watching over them. Sakura and Madison…and someone else…


Matchmaker Sakura: Part 3


Scene: One Nice Restaurant

Perspective: Sakura Avalon

It couldn't have gone any better. The restaurant Sakura's father had made reservations at was an outdoor restaurant. It was just what Sakura hoped for, because now she could watch from behind a bush…and maybe make a few things happen.

She looked to her right to see her best friend, Madison Taylor, focusing her camera on the incoming couple. It was safe to say that they went all out. Aiden Avalon wore one of his better shirts that he only took to more formal university gatherings and a pair of slacks. Ms. Mackenzie had a stunning red dress with a red scarf wrapped around her shoulders. Sakura was practically in heaven upon seeing this sight. It was two of the people she loved the most…together. She couldn't have asked for anything more.

Sakura made sure Madison zoomed the camera in as the lovely couple approached the register. All that was left was for Aiden to get his table for two.

"Reservations?"

"Yes. Aiden Avalon, table for two."

The waiter checked the list and frowned. "I'm sorry…we don't have anything under that name."

Sakura gasped. Dinner hadn't even started and already there was a major roadblock.

Aiden was flustered. "T-That's impossible. I've had these reservations for three days."

The waiter checked again. "We HAD something…but you cancelled your reservations earlier this afternoon."

"No I didn't," Aiden shot back. He was turning red from embarrassment and he could hardly bring himself to face Ms. Mackenzie. "I-I made the reservations, I really did. I didn't cancel them…"

Ms. Mackenzie calmly put two fingers on his lips to shut him up. "Aiden…relax…I believe you. If they don't have the reservations…then we'll just have to go somewhere else."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. Ms. Mackenzie really was a wonderful person to be taking this so well. But Sakura wasn't. Her father's reservations had been cancelled…by someone else. A sickening thought hit her. Sakura had a gut feeling…a feeling of who would have done such a thing.

"Madison…" she said softly. "Hand me your phone."

Madison complied and gave Sakura her cellular phone. Sakura scowled as she dialed that number. She waited for an answer. One ring…two rings…three…and then four. No answer. Sakura hung up and was ready to scream. If there was no answer, then that probably meant it WAS him.

Madison saw Sakura was ready to explode and quickly tried to calm her friend. "Sakura…I'm sure he didn't do it. He wouldn't."

Sakura wished it was true, but she wasn't convinced. She had wanted this night to be special, but obviously there was someone trying to ruin this date. And that someone had to be…

…Li Shoran.


~--------------------~


Scene: That Nice Restaurant (Behind another bush)

Perspective: Tori Avalon

Tori had a wide grin on his face when he saw that look on his father's face. He was totally shocked to see that his reservations had been cancelled. Of course, he knew that none of this could ever be traced back to him. There was no way. His father would never suspect him. Sakura might, but Tori could always play it off.

"I can't believe you went through with it."

Julian was obviously reluctant. He didn't want to be an accomplice to this, but he felt he had to help Tori. Tori was glad to have a friend like Julian standing by his side through anything.

It was true that Tori felt a little remorse over canceling his father's reservations. His father had to be embarrassed beyond belief, but it was a necessary step. Tori couldn't let this relationship happen. Not only would it be extremely odd to have his ex-girlfriend suddenly become a potential…mother, but Tori also had other reasons. Yes…he had his reasons.

Of course, Tori almost forgot what a nice person Ms. Mackenzie was. She hadn't lost her cool over the botched reservation. In fact, it seemed to be bringing them closer. Tori knew something else had to be done.

"Let's follow them," he said. "We can't let them get away."

Aiden Avalon and Ms. Mackenzie were walking down the street and Tori could see Sakura and Madison following behind them…in disguise. Both Sakura and Madison had trench coats on with two blond wigs. Tori shook his head. Not because of the lengths they had gone to, but because they stole his idea.

"Better put your wig on, Julian," he sighed. "It's going to be a long night."

Julian sighed and put his own blond wig on. Tori also put his blond wig on and started making his way out. Luckily, the two guys were across the street from where Aiden and Ms. Mackenzie (and Sakura and Madison) were walking, so they wouldn't be seen. Unfortunately…when they hit a street corner…Tori bumped hard into someone, knocking him down.

Tori shook his head and looked in front of him to see who he knocked down. He could hardly believe it. He knocked down someone else wearing a trench coat and a blond wig. Tori reached over and took the wig off.

"You!"

It was Li Shoran. Of all the times to bump into the brat, this was one of the odder times for sure.

"What are you doing here in disguise, brat?" Tori demanded.

"What are YOU doing here in disguise?" Li shot back, having seen Tori and Julian in trench coats and blond wigs.

"That's none of your business!" Tori growled. He knew he didn't have to tell Li anything.

Of course, the same didn't go for Julian. "We're…following Tori's father on his date."

Tori shook his head. "Julian…" He shook it off and glared at Li again. "I know why you're here, brat. You're here to help my sister, aren't you? Well, I can't let that happen. I'm not going to let you three bring them closer."

"Help your sister?" Li asked incredulously. "Bring your father…and Ms. Mackenzie together? You really have no idea, do you? I'm not here to help Sakura, I'm here to stop her."

That caught Tori off-guard. "You…aren't here to help Sakura?" Then he became skeptical. "So you're here to ruin this date, too? Why don't I believe that?"

Li scowled. "You think I want your father going out with HER? Hasn't Sakura ever told you how much I hate Ms. Mackenzie? Just the thought of her as a future mother-in-law makes me shudder."

Something snapped in Tori. "DON'T say that!!" When Li referred to Ms. Mackenzie as a future mother-in-law, it felt wrong on so many levels. Not just because of the prospect of Tori's father and Ms. Mackenzie getting married, but Li also insinuated that he and Sakura would…the thought made Tori want to vomit. The thought of Li Shoran as a brother-in-law sickened him, but hopefully that wouldn't happen for a VERY LONG TIME.

Li shook his head as he saw Tori rambling incoherently. "As much as I'd like to continue with this intelligent conversation, I have something to do, so I'll see you guys later."

Tori was glad to let the brat go. Julian wasn't. "Li, wait!"

Li stopped and looked back, much to Tori's chagrin. The brat was walking away and Tori could have been content. The night would have been so much better without him, but for some reason Julian stopped him.

Julian went on. "You know…you both want the same thing. Why don't you two work together?"

Tori looked at Julian like he was insane. "What? No way!"

"Yeah!" Li added. "I'm not working with HIM!"

Julian sighed. "Well…I'm just saying you'd have a better chance of stopping this relationship if you both work together. Of course…if you want to risk them hitting it off, then I'll understand."

Tori let out a soft groan. As much as he hated to admit it, Julian made a valid point. Tori didn't really have a solid plan to break this relationship up. He thought the canceled reservations would be enough, but it wasn't. He didn't want his father and Ms. Mackenzie to go out…and now it seemed that to ensure they didn't…Tori would have to join forces with his worst enemy. He looked at Li and the look on his face seemed to show that he was thinking the same thing.

So they slowly approached each other and extended their hands…turning their heads as they reluctantly shook hands.

"This is just for tonight, Li," Tori muttered.

"Right," Li concurred. "After tonight, you're just a loser."

"And after tonight, you're just a brat."

Getting all the agreements out of the way, Tori kept on walking right beside Julian, occasionally coming close to leaving Li in the dust. All the while, though, Tori kept on thinking one thing.

~* I'm joining forces with Li Shoran? What am I thinking? *~


~--------------------~


Scene: A Not-So-Nice Restaurant

Perspective: Sakura Avalon

Obviously without reservations, Aiden Avalon and Ms. Mackenzie had to settle for a less than five-star establishment. In fact, they settled on a fast food place. Sakura knew this wasn't the ideal first date, but it seemed that the two were still enjoying themselves, which made her very happy. The lovely couple found a table outside, allowing Sakura and Madison to watch from behind another bush.

"This is so romantic," Madison said softly. "They really ARE hitting it off."

Sakura watched as her father and Ms. Mackenzie laughed together. They enjoyed being around each other and things were going just fine. Of course…Sakura had gone the extra mile on this night. And it was about to show. Someone in a tuxedo walked towards their table…holding a bouquet of roses.

"I have a bouquet of roses for Leila Mackenzie," the man said. "From Aiden Avalon."

Both of them looked shocked. Ms. Mackenzie was surprised…and so was Aiden.

Ms. Mackenzie beamed. "You bought me roses? That is so sweet of you."

Aiden stuttered. "Um…I…oh…yes…roses! I got them…just for you. I hope you like them."

Ms. Mackenzie gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love them. Thank you."

Sakura grinned widely from behind the bush. It was all going perfectly.

Madison shot Sakura a glance. "Your dad didn't get those roses, did he?"

Sakura turned to her friend and smirked. She held up Madison's cell phone. "Maybe I had to make a few phone calls, but it worked. Whatever it takes, right?"

Madison blinked…but then she finally smiled. "You're good. You have anything else planned?"

Sakura looked over towards the distance. "I have one more thing planned. And that should be coming in about ten minutes."


~--------------------~


Scene: Same Scene (Behind another bush)

Perspective: Tori Avalon

Tori shook his head when he saw that sight. It wasn't just watching the tuxedo man come in with the bouquet of roses, but it was the reaction of his father. He wasn't expecting the roses, either. And that made Tori think they must have been sent by someone else.

Li knew it, too. "Sakura."

The thought of his little sister going to such lengths to make this a magical night made Tori sick. He knew he had to counter with something vicious.

Julian just watched in amazement. "She must really want this to happen if she sent someone in a tuxedo to a fast food restaurant."

Li looked towards the distance. "Make it two people in tuxedoes."

Tori looked over to see another tuxedoed man walking towards the restaurant. He knew he had to nip this in the bud, so Tori called out to the man.

"Psst! Over here!"

The man walked over towards Tori, Julian, and Li. Tori had an idea of what the tuxedoed man was there for, because he was holding up a violin.

"You were sent to serenade that couple over there, right?" Tori asked. He pointed towards his father and Ms. Mackenzie in the distant table.

"That's right," the man said.

"And if I'm not mistaking, the arrangements were made by a girl under the name 'Avalon', right?"

"That's right. She said her name was Sakura Avalon. She wanted me to serenade that lady over there and say it was from an Aiden Avalon."

Tori reached for his wallet. "I'll pay you double…no, triple what she's paying you. Just let me borrow your tuxedo and violin."

The man hesitated. "I don't know…"

"I'll pay you, too!" Li jumped in. "Please! Just lend them to us. We'll give them right back."

It was an offer the man couldn't refuse. "It's a deal. But don't damage the tux. It's a rental."

Tori grinned. Now was the time to make sure this night became a disaster.


~--------------------~


Scene: Same Scene (Five minutes later)

Perspective: Sakura Avalon

The wait felt like an eternity. Sakura's father and Ms. Mackenzie were still hitting it off and it seemed that no more help was needed. But Sakura felt that this date needed one more thing to make it perfect. She needed her violin guy to show up. Then she saw him coming. But when she saw that blond hair and blue eyes, Sakura gasped.

"Madison…let me see your camera."

Madison handed Sakura her camera. Sakura zoomed in on that face. The hair was blond and the eyes were blue, but Sakura remembered pulling a similar rouse back in England a few months ago. The hair was a wig and the eyes had to be blue contact lenses, because the face was unmistakable.

"Tori!"

Unfortunately, the disguise was enough to fool her father and Ms. Mackenzie, because they didn't notice. They just looked up at this man wearing a tuxedo and holding up a violin.

"Leila Mackenzie?" Tori said with a fake accent. "I'm here to serenade you. A gift from an Aiden Avalon."

Sakura had a sinking feeling. Madison, bless her heart, couldn't see the dire situation.

She just kept the camera rolling. "Pretty nice of Tori to help, isn't it, Sakura?" Then Madison finally saw the mortified expression on Sakura's face. "You…didn't ask Tori to help, did you?"

Sakura shook her head. "No. W-W-What's he doing?"

Tori got ready to play his violin. Of course, Sakura kept in mind that Tori had never played violin in his life. So she should have seen it for the farce that it was. As soon as Tori seemed ready to play, he 'accidentally' reared back with the violin's bow and nailed Ms. Mackenzie right in the eye.

Aiden was panicked and reached over the table. "Leila! Are you all right?"

That's where Sakura could see Tori taking action. As her father reached over the table, Tori subtly knocked the container of barbecue sauce over, spilling it all over Ms. Mackenzie's dress.

"Oh, you should be more careful with that, sir," Tori said insincerely. With Aiden reaching over the table…it had looked like HE spilled the barbecue sauce.

Aiden was becoming impatient. "Do you MIND?!" Unfortunately, in his brief display of anger, Aiden swung his arm back…and knocked over a soda…spilling it on Ms. Mackenzie's dress. Aiden gasped upon seeing what he had done. "Leila, I'm so sorry!"

Ms. Mackenzie wasn't happy. She just held her hand out to keep Aiden from coming any closer. She seemed to be breathing heavily, trying to keep any anger in. "…Excuse me…I better clean myself up." Aiden tried coming closer, but Ms. Mackenzie stopped him. "DON'T come any closer…just stand still…before you spill something else on me. I'll be right back."

Having barbecue sauce and soda spilled on your dress in public had to be embarrassing. That had to be what was running through Ms. Mackenzie's mind as she struggled to find the nearest restroom. But as mortified as she was, Sakura was even more so.

So was Aiden. He angrily turned to the 'violinist', but found emptiness. Tori had scattered, but Sakura knew he couldn't have gone too far.

Madison noticed her seething best friend and got nervous. "Sakura…are you all right?"

Sakura was breathing heavily. "I'll…KILL HIM!!"


Next Time: It comes to a head a lot sooner than I thought it would. What'll happen if Sakura finds Tori? Or even worse…what'll happen if she finds LI?!


Any comments? I personally think I've rushed this, but that's why I need you to tell me what you think. Go ahead and mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below.