Chapter Two:
The next day at Tomoeda School...
It was a cloudy day and the their homeroom teacher was on leave (Rica wasn't glad about it, though). An old one substituted him for the meantime. Tomoyo's anger returned so she hasn't spoken to Sakura all morning. She just drew crazy pictures on her paper. Sakura seemed to notice it since she couldn't keep any conversation with her. She tapped her shoulder, "Tomoyo, I..." she started.
"Hmm.." Tomoyo mumbled eyes still glued to her paper. Sakura looked ahead, her eyes darting sideways every now and then, just to conceal their conversation.
"I'm sorry because we left without telling you. I know you're mad. We were searching for you but we can't find you. We thought you have gone home already although it's so unlikely of you. I'm sorry, Tomoyo. Please don't get mad at me anymore. You're my best friend." Sakura gushed out. She stopped drawing and looked at Sakura. She searched her eyes for sincerity and found it.
Then, she smiled, "Okay, I forgive you." Sakura's face brightened and hugged her. Then the old teacher called their attention. Inwardly Tomoyo sighed. It's been always like this.
"Excuse me Ms. Kinomoto and Ms. Daidoji but I was just telling your class about your new classmate." He eyed them so suspiciously they shrank at his gaze. They just winked at each other, again lost and oblivious of the teacher's introduction to the new classmate. They wouldn't have noticed Eriol walking towards them if he hadn't greeted Sakura 'konnichiwa'. At the back, Syaoran was fuming again, one bushy eyebrow twitching up and down.
"Eriol, you're back!" Sakura cried happily. Although Syaoran is known for his jealousy against Eriol, he couldn't hide his surprise and amusement either. Tomoyo gaped at Eriol in her chair. She was shocked seeing Eriol sitting behind her. Eriol noticed her expression and appeared to be amused.
Then he gave her his boyish smile, eyes disappearing behind his glasses and said, "Oh, thank you for those letters and pictures. I have a feeling I didn't miss much since you have kept me updated. They were all kept well and treasured. Thank you so much, Tomoyo."
Sakura and Syaoran eyed Tomoyo wickedly. She just gave them an I-didn't-do- anything-wrong-did-I look. She was sure that her cheeks were glowing stupidly bright red. "Uh huh." she replied and she went back to her drawings. Later, she tried so hard to focus on what the teacher was saying but found it really hard. However, Sakura and Syaoran were quite preoccupied by the Math problems they didn't notice Tomoyo's agitation.
'At least.' Tomoyo blew at her bangs. Then the teacher called up Eriol to solve the problems on the board. Eriol solved it so quickly and easily it gained praises from Sakura. (Nerves stood out again). Then, Eriol smiled at Tomoyo again and Tomoyo grew bright red enough to light up a Christmas tree. For Tomoyo it seemed so fast, it was suddenly time to go home. She was picking up her books when Sakura suddenly came up with something.
"Eriol, c'mon, let's go to the newest resort in town. The Waterhole Resort to celebrate your comeback. In fact I've got a lot of questions to ask you! So many I might burst! Syaoran, Tomoyo come along too!" she happily told them as she drags them along. Stars seemed to fill her eyes at the thought of the activity.
"But Sakura I don't like." Syaoran started but Sakura playfully cut him off. "Aww. c'mon Syaoran. Be a sport. I know you will like it too." She tried cooing Syaoran. Syaoran blushed and stammered. He couldn't resist Sakura's sweetness. He couldn't do anything else but give in.
At the Waterhole Resort.
They were sipping lemon soda and Tomoyo was busy taping them. Sakura wore the pink one-piece suit Tomoyo made for her. When Syaoran looked at her, he nearly started his antics again. As for Tomoyo she wore a flowered violet swimsuit and braided her hair around her head and a pair of sunglasses. Eriol thought she was very pretty at her outfit. 'She has changed a lot since 5th grade,' he amusedly thought. He was about to tell her that when Tomoyo started taping Sakura again while saying starry-eyed, "This is just like when we were in 5th grade!" Sweat drops on Eriol and Syaoran. Sakura fell over and began eating dirt.
"Uh Tomoyo we all are already 13 yrs old." Sakura started to say. Syaoran muttered something like, "except for one I know here." She poked his ribs. "Aw."
"Okay okay. sorry guys. This is different. I'm taping all of you this time. Don't worry, Sakura." She smiled at them.
"Um, Eriol, why did you come back?" Sakura wanted to know. Eriol told them everything about the dream. Then he asked them, "Have you dreamed of it too?"
They all nodded their heads. "We thought it was just a dream, nothing more. Besides, I always tend to forget it when I wake up. You just reminded me of it." Sakura told Eriol. Tomoyo knew that in her case it was different. She remembered it in frightening clarity but she kept her mouth shut.
Eriol continued, "I'm warning you guys. The Clow is up to something we don't know. If not the Clow, something's bound to show up. Something terrible. I can feel it. It's all about an eclipse. Did Yukito I mean, Yue and Kero- chan told you anything, Sakura?"
"No, they haven't told me but I will ask them this evening. Yukito will dine with us tonight." Eriol nodded.
Later, Sakura and Syaoran were busy swimming, laughing and joking with each other in the pool. Tomoyo was just sitting in the shade and taping everything out. Suddenly, she put down the video cam and stared at it then sighed. She didn't notice that Eriol sat beside her.
"You happy in what you're doing?"
"Huh? Oh Eriol. I didn't see you."
"Yeah. you were quite absorbed in your thoughts," he smiled and looked at Syaoran and Sakura. "You know you can always talk to me whenever you feel like it."
Tomoyo nodded and looked at Sakura and Syaoran. They look so happy and perfect together. She felt a pang of loneliness, jealousy and annoyance. Eriol seemed to know her thoughts. She caught him staring at her. She reddened slightly. "What are you thinking, Eriol?"
"Honestly? You might not like what I will say. But I think it will help you a lot."
"I appreciate frankness, you know. What is it about anyway? About my me, Sakura and Syaoran?" she swung her legs as she spoke. She has a feeling this wouldn't go well. She felt nervous all of a sudden.
Eriol looked hard on her eyes. "You really are good in perceiving things. I would believe you can read my mind." He sipped at his lemon soda.
"You know Tomoyo, you know you aren't happy in taping other people's happiness when all you know is the opposite, loneliness. But you insist that you are happy just because Sakura is. Don't kid yourself. Let your emotions flow, don't suppress it. Sakura is happy with another person now and she deserves to be happy. But above all, you deserve to be happy too. Not because Sakura is happy, nor be happy and act like you're that person but find the person that will make you happy. Everybody is in the quest of finding happiness Tomoyo. Think about it. You can't spend the rest of your life like that, Tomoyo. You have your own soul, own heart, own mind. You have yourself." He placed his hands gently on her shoulder, "I really believe there is a bubbly, happy girl just waiting to go out in you. Give yourself a chance to be happy. It's not selfishness. Tomoyo, love yourself once in a while." He finished. He was about to tell her many more things he observed from the back of her seat but cut himself off. He expected to see hurt on Tomoyo's face. And there it was. He half hated himself in telling her this but he knew she needed this.
Tomoyo was shocked by what he told her. He knew it all along. Her mind whirled. She felt anger building up inside her because somehow, Eriol knew and stated it like he's just talking about the weather. 'How can he be so insensitive? No matter how all knowing he is, he couldn't understand it. He couldn't understand the feeling of this loneliness and having unrequited love,' she thought. She stood up glaring hotly at him. Tears are building on her eyes.
"What do you know about the feeling then, huh? You never experienced loneliness, Eriol. You are Clow Reed and that makes you unable to feel human emotions, unlike me. So don't talk to me like you know everything. Yes, you might have know but you can't feel it, Eriol. You just can't" she coldly told him and she felt tears stinging her eyes. She walked away before she heard Eriol whisper, "I do, Tomoyo."
Syaoran and Sakura stopped arguing. Their eyes followed Tomoyo and walked hurried towards Eriol. "What happened?" they asked in unison. Eriol shook his head as he grabbed his towel and went to the locker room. Syaoran raised his hands up in confusion, "I guess it's time to go home." Sakura nodded and followed Tomoyo.
Later, at Daidoji's household.
"Phone for you, Ms. Tomoyo," a maid knocked at Tomoyo's bedroom. She threw a comforter pillow aside and jumped to her slippers. She headed downstairs.
"Hello?"
"Tomoyo, this is Sakura. What happened, Tomoyo? Are you alright? What did Eriol do to you?" Sakura sounded really worried. Tomoyo smiled at her best friend's concern.
"No, Sakura. It's nothing. I just overreacted at what Eriol told me. But now, I can see his point. He's right. Though I don't want to talk about it anymore. But I'm okay now."
"Oh thank god you're okay now! Ohmigod, I was really worried about you."
"But how will I face Eriol tomorrow? I'm embarrassed at what I did to him at the resort!"
"Simple." Sakura gave her an idea. When she returned the phone in its cradle, she smiled warily. She loved this matchmaker idea. It's time turning the tables. She remembered the way Tomoyo and Eriol played Cupid before. It's her turn this time.
At her room, Tomoyo examined herself in front of a mirror. Okay, she's not bad looking. Her long violet hair tumbles softly down in silken waves. She has a clear ivory complexion. Her eyes are of solemn purple framed in black long lashes. She has soft red lips.
"But I really love Sakura. Do I have any chance loving another person?" Eriol's words rang in her mind over and over again. I really believe there is a bubbly, happy girl just waiting to go out in you. Give yourself a chance to be happy. It's not selfishness. Tomoyo, love yourself once in a while. She nodded. Yes, I will. She smiled at her image in the mirror and went to sleep. At the thought of Eriol, she suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. For the first time, the first things she packed in her bag are pair of barrettes, brush and mirror.
The next day after school.
Tomoyo hurriedly picked up her books and dashed out of the classroom after saying a quick good bye at Sakura. Sakura gave her an I-know-you-can-do-it look plus two thumbs up and walked home with Syaoran instead. Eriol wondered about this but dismissed it as mere pleasantries. He still felt sick at what he did at Tomoyo yesterday. For the first time, he felt like he did something he was so unsure of. He wanted to say sorry to Tomoyo but she dashed out of the class faster than four o'clock. He waited everybody to leave before he did. As he stepped out of the classroom and turned to the hallway, he saw Tomoyo leaning at the wall and reading a book. He quietly approached him and tapped her shoulders.
"Hello? You're waiting for somebody?" he asked her.
She suddenly stood up."Oh Eriol. I, um ah, waiting for you. I, ah, wanted to give this to you," she tentatively spoke and handed a small package wrapped in pretty kerchief. He opened it and saw freshly baked cookies. Tomoyo kicked a small stray stone and told him, "Sorry for acting like such a jerk yesterday. Friends?" she uneasily offered a hand to him.
Eriol took and squeezed it saying, "But first, you must accept my invitation to my house to gain my pardon." Tomoyo gaped at him unbelieving at what he said then caught the punch line.
"Sure, why not?"
The next day at Tomoeda School...
It was a cloudy day and the their homeroom teacher was on leave (Rica wasn't glad about it, though). An old one substituted him for the meantime. Tomoyo's anger returned so she hasn't spoken to Sakura all morning. She just drew crazy pictures on her paper. Sakura seemed to notice it since she couldn't keep any conversation with her. She tapped her shoulder, "Tomoyo, I..." she started.
"Hmm.." Tomoyo mumbled eyes still glued to her paper. Sakura looked ahead, her eyes darting sideways every now and then, just to conceal their conversation.
"I'm sorry because we left without telling you. I know you're mad. We were searching for you but we can't find you. We thought you have gone home already although it's so unlikely of you. I'm sorry, Tomoyo. Please don't get mad at me anymore. You're my best friend." Sakura gushed out. She stopped drawing and looked at Sakura. She searched her eyes for sincerity and found it.
Then, she smiled, "Okay, I forgive you." Sakura's face brightened and hugged her. Then the old teacher called their attention. Inwardly Tomoyo sighed. It's been always like this.
"Excuse me Ms. Kinomoto and Ms. Daidoji but I was just telling your class about your new classmate." He eyed them so suspiciously they shrank at his gaze. They just winked at each other, again lost and oblivious of the teacher's introduction to the new classmate. They wouldn't have noticed Eriol walking towards them if he hadn't greeted Sakura 'konnichiwa'. At the back, Syaoran was fuming again, one bushy eyebrow twitching up and down.
"Eriol, you're back!" Sakura cried happily. Although Syaoran is known for his jealousy against Eriol, he couldn't hide his surprise and amusement either. Tomoyo gaped at Eriol in her chair. She was shocked seeing Eriol sitting behind her. Eriol noticed her expression and appeared to be amused.
Then he gave her his boyish smile, eyes disappearing behind his glasses and said, "Oh, thank you for those letters and pictures. I have a feeling I didn't miss much since you have kept me updated. They were all kept well and treasured. Thank you so much, Tomoyo."
Sakura and Syaoran eyed Tomoyo wickedly. She just gave them an I-didn't-do- anything-wrong-did-I look. She was sure that her cheeks were glowing stupidly bright red. "Uh huh." she replied and she went back to her drawings. Later, she tried so hard to focus on what the teacher was saying but found it really hard. However, Sakura and Syaoran were quite preoccupied by the Math problems they didn't notice Tomoyo's agitation.
'At least.' Tomoyo blew at her bangs. Then the teacher called up Eriol to solve the problems on the board. Eriol solved it so quickly and easily it gained praises from Sakura. (Nerves stood out again). Then, Eriol smiled at Tomoyo again and Tomoyo grew bright red enough to light up a Christmas tree. For Tomoyo it seemed so fast, it was suddenly time to go home. She was picking up her books when Sakura suddenly came up with something.
"Eriol, c'mon, let's go to the newest resort in town. The Waterhole Resort to celebrate your comeback. In fact I've got a lot of questions to ask you! So many I might burst! Syaoran, Tomoyo come along too!" she happily told them as she drags them along. Stars seemed to fill her eyes at the thought of the activity.
"But Sakura I don't like." Syaoran started but Sakura playfully cut him off. "Aww. c'mon Syaoran. Be a sport. I know you will like it too." She tried cooing Syaoran. Syaoran blushed and stammered. He couldn't resist Sakura's sweetness. He couldn't do anything else but give in.
At the Waterhole Resort.
They were sipping lemon soda and Tomoyo was busy taping them. Sakura wore the pink one-piece suit Tomoyo made for her. When Syaoran looked at her, he nearly started his antics again. As for Tomoyo she wore a flowered violet swimsuit and braided her hair around her head and a pair of sunglasses. Eriol thought she was very pretty at her outfit. 'She has changed a lot since 5th grade,' he amusedly thought. He was about to tell her that when Tomoyo started taping Sakura again while saying starry-eyed, "This is just like when we were in 5th grade!" Sweat drops on Eriol and Syaoran. Sakura fell over and began eating dirt.
"Uh Tomoyo we all are already 13 yrs old." Sakura started to say. Syaoran muttered something like, "except for one I know here." She poked his ribs. "Aw."
"Okay okay. sorry guys. This is different. I'm taping all of you this time. Don't worry, Sakura." She smiled at them.
"Um, Eriol, why did you come back?" Sakura wanted to know. Eriol told them everything about the dream. Then he asked them, "Have you dreamed of it too?"
They all nodded their heads. "We thought it was just a dream, nothing more. Besides, I always tend to forget it when I wake up. You just reminded me of it." Sakura told Eriol. Tomoyo knew that in her case it was different. She remembered it in frightening clarity but she kept her mouth shut.
Eriol continued, "I'm warning you guys. The Clow is up to something we don't know. If not the Clow, something's bound to show up. Something terrible. I can feel it. It's all about an eclipse. Did Yukito I mean, Yue and Kero- chan told you anything, Sakura?"
"No, they haven't told me but I will ask them this evening. Yukito will dine with us tonight." Eriol nodded.
Later, Sakura and Syaoran were busy swimming, laughing and joking with each other in the pool. Tomoyo was just sitting in the shade and taping everything out. Suddenly, she put down the video cam and stared at it then sighed. She didn't notice that Eriol sat beside her.
"You happy in what you're doing?"
"Huh? Oh Eriol. I didn't see you."
"Yeah. you were quite absorbed in your thoughts," he smiled and looked at Syaoran and Sakura. "You know you can always talk to me whenever you feel like it."
Tomoyo nodded and looked at Sakura and Syaoran. They look so happy and perfect together. She felt a pang of loneliness, jealousy and annoyance. Eriol seemed to know her thoughts. She caught him staring at her. She reddened slightly. "What are you thinking, Eriol?"
"Honestly? You might not like what I will say. But I think it will help you a lot."
"I appreciate frankness, you know. What is it about anyway? About my me, Sakura and Syaoran?" she swung her legs as she spoke. She has a feeling this wouldn't go well. She felt nervous all of a sudden.
Eriol looked hard on her eyes. "You really are good in perceiving things. I would believe you can read my mind." He sipped at his lemon soda.
"You know Tomoyo, you know you aren't happy in taping other people's happiness when all you know is the opposite, loneliness. But you insist that you are happy just because Sakura is. Don't kid yourself. Let your emotions flow, don't suppress it. Sakura is happy with another person now and she deserves to be happy. But above all, you deserve to be happy too. Not because Sakura is happy, nor be happy and act like you're that person but find the person that will make you happy. Everybody is in the quest of finding happiness Tomoyo. Think about it. You can't spend the rest of your life like that, Tomoyo. You have your own soul, own heart, own mind. You have yourself." He placed his hands gently on her shoulder, "I really believe there is a bubbly, happy girl just waiting to go out in you. Give yourself a chance to be happy. It's not selfishness. Tomoyo, love yourself once in a while." He finished. He was about to tell her many more things he observed from the back of her seat but cut himself off. He expected to see hurt on Tomoyo's face. And there it was. He half hated himself in telling her this but he knew she needed this.
Tomoyo was shocked by what he told her. He knew it all along. Her mind whirled. She felt anger building up inside her because somehow, Eriol knew and stated it like he's just talking about the weather. 'How can he be so insensitive? No matter how all knowing he is, he couldn't understand it. He couldn't understand the feeling of this loneliness and having unrequited love,' she thought. She stood up glaring hotly at him. Tears are building on her eyes.
"What do you know about the feeling then, huh? You never experienced loneliness, Eriol. You are Clow Reed and that makes you unable to feel human emotions, unlike me. So don't talk to me like you know everything. Yes, you might have know but you can't feel it, Eriol. You just can't" she coldly told him and she felt tears stinging her eyes. She walked away before she heard Eriol whisper, "I do, Tomoyo."
Syaoran and Sakura stopped arguing. Their eyes followed Tomoyo and walked hurried towards Eriol. "What happened?" they asked in unison. Eriol shook his head as he grabbed his towel and went to the locker room. Syaoran raised his hands up in confusion, "I guess it's time to go home." Sakura nodded and followed Tomoyo.
Later, at Daidoji's household.
"Phone for you, Ms. Tomoyo," a maid knocked at Tomoyo's bedroom. She threw a comforter pillow aside and jumped to her slippers. She headed downstairs.
"Hello?"
"Tomoyo, this is Sakura. What happened, Tomoyo? Are you alright? What did Eriol do to you?" Sakura sounded really worried. Tomoyo smiled at her best friend's concern.
"No, Sakura. It's nothing. I just overreacted at what Eriol told me. But now, I can see his point. He's right. Though I don't want to talk about it anymore. But I'm okay now."
"Oh thank god you're okay now! Ohmigod, I was really worried about you."
"But how will I face Eriol tomorrow? I'm embarrassed at what I did to him at the resort!"
"Simple." Sakura gave her an idea. When she returned the phone in its cradle, she smiled warily. She loved this matchmaker idea. It's time turning the tables. She remembered the way Tomoyo and Eriol played Cupid before. It's her turn this time.
At her room, Tomoyo examined herself in front of a mirror. Okay, she's not bad looking. Her long violet hair tumbles softly down in silken waves. She has a clear ivory complexion. Her eyes are of solemn purple framed in black long lashes. She has soft red lips.
"But I really love Sakura. Do I have any chance loving another person?" Eriol's words rang in her mind over and over again. I really believe there is a bubbly, happy girl just waiting to go out in you. Give yourself a chance to be happy. It's not selfishness. Tomoyo, love yourself once in a while. She nodded. Yes, I will. She smiled at her image in the mirror and went to sleep. At the thought of Eriol, she suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. For the first time, the first things she packed in her bag are pair of barrettes, brush and mirror.
The next day after school.
Tomoyo hurriedly picked up her books and dashed out of the classroom after saying a quick good bye at Sakura. Sakura gave her an I-know-you-can-do-it look plus two thumbs up and walked home with Syaoran instead. Eriol wondered about this but dismissed it as mere pleasantries. He still felt sick at what he did at Tomoyo yesterday. For the first time, he felt like he did something he was so unsure of. He wanted to say sorry to Tomoyo but she dashed out of the class faster than four o'clock. He waited everybody to leave before he did. As he stepped out of the classroom and turned to the hallway, he saw Tomoyo leaning at the wall and reading a book. He quietly approached him and tapped her shoulders.
"Hello? You're waiting for somebody?" he asked her.
She suddenly stood up."Oh Eriol. I, um ah, waiting for you. I, ah, wanted to give this to you," she tentatively spoke and handed a small package wrapped in pretty kerchief. He opened it and saw freshly baked cookies. Tomoyo kicked a small stray stone and told him, "Sorry for acting like such a jerk yesterday. Friends?" she uneasily offered a hand to him.
Eriol took and squeezed it saying, "But first, you must accept my invitation to my house to gain my pardon." Tomoyo gaped at him unbelieving at what he said then caught the punch line.
"Sure, why not?"
