Darkness had descended upon Tomoeda. The birds had long since stopped their merry chirping, and the crickets had already claimed the night with their calls (what kind of noise do crickets make anyway?).
Tomoyo was getting ready for bed. Tomoyo, ever the over-achiever, had just completed her final revision for the major Geography test she would be sitting for the next day. She changed out of her purple turtleneck and indigo bootcut jeans into an old sweatshirt and lightweight cotton pants that she used as pyjamas. She ran a brush through her long, dark curls and fantasized about her friendly "date" with Eriol.
This was her heart speaking. Maybe he'll hold you in his arms, and tell you how beautiful you look, and you'll watch the stars together, each one unique in its own way and shining with hope that he will say those fateful words. And maybe he will. Just three simple words, but felt with tremendous meaning, enough to make her fall deeper and deeper... I love you.
Oh, please. Her mind snapped back. He already made it clear that you are going as friends, not as dates. It's plain for everyone to see that the only thing he feels for you is friendship, if anything at all. Surely you're not desperate enough to read into it and think of it as something more?
Tomoyo bit her lip. "I don't know." She said aloud, to no one in particular.
Suddenly there was a knock. Tomoyo froze, and looked towards the door. There was the knock again. Quick, insistent raps on cool glass. It seemed to be coming from her balcony. Who would visit her at such an insanely late hour? Why didn't he or she just come in through the front door? And who was capable of getting to her balcony without being caught by her security guards? Must be someone dangerous.
Tomoyo grabbed her tennis racket from her closet and approached the balcony with caution. The knocking stopped abruptly. Tomoyo flung open the curtains to reveal... no one. A small wicker basket, filled to the brim with assorted candies and chocolate wrapped in colourful foil, lay on the floor. A pink ribbon was tied to the handle of the basket. Hmm. Seems harmless enough. Tomoyo commented to herself. But even the most harmless the things were often subtly dangerous, and she was not one to easily let her guard down.
Gripping the tennis racket still harder, Tomoyo slowly slid open the sliding doors that led to her balcony and lifted up the basket. Underneath the basket, on the floor, was a heart-shaped piece of paper, pink to match the ribbon. Tomoyo, still looking around to make sure that no one would suddenly attack at any moment, bent down and gingerly picked up the note. Then she slipped back into her own room. Setting the basket at the foot of her bed, she looked at the note. It was a letter-cum-poem.
My dearest Tomoyo,
Your eyes are like the stars,
Twinkling brightly in the darkness.
Your smile is like the sunshine,
Lighting up my life.
Your voice is like an angel,
Pure and gentle and sweet.
Tell me:
Did it hurt
When you fell down from heaven?
Love, your Secret Admirer
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Next day...
When Eriol got to school, there was a commotion at his locker. Subei-san, one of his most avid admirers, was glaring murderously at his locker, wildly grabbing at the air, all the while being held back by a few of her stronger friends. "No!!! Let me get at whoever she is! She cannot steal Eriol away from me! I liked him first!!!!" she screamed, furious that she had another contender for Eriol's affections, even though he was never "hers" in the first place. He was wildly popular with the girls and seemed to be getting confession notes everyday, so commotions like these were common.
Eriol found six pink, heart-shaped helium balloons taped to his locker. He wondered who could have sent it. Curious, he untaped the balloons, ignoring Subei-san's cries of "Bitch!!!". One of the balloons contained a note in pink, loopy handwriting. It said:
Dear Eriol,
You are really wonderful. You are really smart and nice and talented. I love to hear you play the piano because you are really good at it, as you are at everything else. I really, really, really like you.
From your Secret Admirer
Eriol stared at the note. The handwriting seemed familiar, somehow. But the one thing he realised was that his Secret Admirer was definitely not Tomoyo. Firstly, Tomoyo's handwriting was neat and precise, not loopy. And she certainly did not own any pink, sparkly pens. And the note seemed... amatuerish, somehow. Hmm. He would have to check it out.
"How many 'reallys' did you count?" A voice said from behind Eriol. He would recognise that voice anywhere.
"Hey, Tomoyo. By the way, I think I counted five." Eriol smiled at her.
"Well, there are exactly six 'reallys'." Tomoyo pointed out. "And this is strange. Look at what I received yesterday." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the note from her Secret Admirer.
Eriol scanned its contents. Immediately his face scrunched up into a frown. Tomoyo had tons of admirers, he took that as a fact, but an extra admirer meant that he had another contender for Tomoyo's precious heart.
"What is it?" Tomoyo asked, concerned.
Eriol gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, nothing much. I just think it's really... stupid of the guy to send you this note."
Tomoyo quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Why? I think it's kind of sweet. And whoever he is sent a whole basket of candy, too. He must have put in a lot of effort." My Secret Admirer definitely isn't Eriol, then. He's seems against the idea of a Secret Admirer, anyway. Another guy go down the drain...
Eriol forced a smile. "Really. But he must know that you don't really go out with your admirers, right?"
Tomoyo thought for a while. "That's true, but if I find out that he's someone I like I'll go out with him." Like if I find out that that someone is you, but that is nearly impossible, since it's obvious you don't like me that way. Tomoyo thought.
Eriol nearly choked. "You like someone?"
Tomoyo grinned at him. "Of course. We're in high school, dear. It's permitted." If only you know that it's you.
Eriol felt his insides shrivel up. Tomoyo liked someone. Of course. How could he stupidly rule out that possibility? He gulped. "Is it anyone I know?" Whether he knew the person or not, that person was going to hell.
Tomoyo shrugged. "You could say that."
"Who is it?" Eriol pressed.
"I'm not telling you anything." Tomoyo said. "I'll let you guess, but I've got to go now. Got a Geography test to prepare for. Toodles!"
"Good luck with the guy!" Eriol called after her. His throat felt dry. Gosh, Tomoyo, how could I have lost you to someone else?
"Thanks," Tomoyo replied over her shoulder. He said good luck. He wants me to get together with the other guy. In other words, he totally does not like me that way. Oh, Eriol...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tomoyo was getting ready for bed. Tomoyo, ever the over-achiever, had just completed her final revision for the major Geography test she would be sitting for the next day. She changed out of her purple turtleneck and indigo bootcut jeans into an old sweatshirt and lightweight cotton pants that she used as pyjamas. She ran a brush through her long, dark curls and fantasized about her friendly "date" with Eriol.
This was her heart speaking. Maybe he'll hold you in his arms, and tell you how beautiful you look, and you'll watch the stars together, each one unique in its own way and shining with hope that he will say those fateful words. And maybe he will. Just three simple words, but felt with tremendous meaning, enough to make her fall deeper and deeper... I love you.
Oh, please. Her mind snapped back. He already made it clear that you are going as friends, not as dates. It's plain for everyone to see that the only thing he feels for you is friendship, if anything at all. Surely you're not desperate enough to read into it and think of it as something more?
Tomoyo bit her lip. "I don't know." She said aloud, to no one in particular.
Suddenly there was a knock. Tomoyo froze, and looked towards the door. There was the knock again. Quick, insistent raps on cool glass. It seemed to be coming from her balcony. Who would visit her at such an insanely late hour? Why didn't he or she just come in through the front door? And who was capable of getting to her balcony without being caught by her security guards? Must be someone dangerous.
Tomoyo grabbed her tennis racket from her closet and approached the balcony with caution. The knocking stopped abruptly. Tomoyo flung open the curtains to reveal... no one. A small wicker basket, filled to the brim with assorted candies and chocolate wrapped in colourful foil, lay on the floor. A pink ribbon was tied to the handle of the basket. Hmm. Seems harmless enough. Tomoyo commented to herself. But even the most harmless the things were often subtly dangerous, and she was not one to easily let her guard down.
Gripping the tennis racket still harder, Tomoyo slowly slid open the sliding doors that led to her balcony and lifted up the basket. Underneath the basket, on the floor, was a heart-shaped piece of paper, pink to match the ribbon. Tomoyo, still looking around to make sure that no one would suddenly attack at any moment, bent down and gingerly picked up the note. Then she slipped back into her own room. Setting the basket at the foot of her bed, she looked at the note. It was a letter-cum-poem.
My dearest Tomoyo,
Your eyes are like the stars,
Twinkling brightly in the darkness.
Your smile is like the sunshine,
Lighting up my life.
Your voice is like an angel,
Pure and gentle and sweet.
Tell me:
Did it hurt
When you fell down from heaven?
Love, your Secret Admirer
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Next day...
When Eriol got to school, there was a commotion at his locker. Subei-san, one of his most avid admirers, was glaring murderously at his locker, wildly grabbing at the air, all the while being held back by a few of her stronger friends. "No!!! Let me get at whoever she is! She cannot steal Eriol away from me! I liked him first!!!!" she screamed, furious that she had another contender for Eriol's affections, even though he was never "hers" in the first place. He was wildly popular with the girls and seemed to be getting confession notes everyday, so commotions like these were common.
Eriol found six pink, heart-shaped helium balloons taped to his locker. He wondered who could have sent it. Curious, he untaped the balloons, ignoring Subei-san's cries of "Bitch!!!". One of the balloons contained a note in pink, loopy handwriting. It said:
Dear Eriol,
You are really wonderful. You are really smart and nice and talented. I love to hear you play the piano because you are really good at it, as you are at everything else. I really, really, really like you.
From your Secret Admirer
Eriol stared at the note. The handwriting seemed familiar, somehow. But the one thing he realised was that his Secret Admirer was definitely not Tomoyo. Firstly, Tomoyo's handwriting was neat and precise, not loopy. And she certainly did not own any pink, sparkly pens. And the note seemed... amatuerish, somehow. Hmm. He would have to check it out.
"How many 'reallys' did you count?" A voice said from behind Eriol. He would recognise that voice anywhere.
"Hey, Tomoyo. By the way, I think I counted five." Eriol smiled at her.
"Well, there are exactly six 'reallys'." Tomoyo pointed out. "And this is strange. Look at what I received yesterday." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the note from her Secret Admirer.
Eriol scanned its contents. Immediately his face scrunched up into a frown. Tomoyo had tons of admirers, he took that as a fact, but an extra admirer meant that he had another contender for Tomoyo's precious heart.
"What is it?" Tomoyo asked, concerned.
Eriol gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, nothing much. I just think it's really... stupid of the guy to send you this note."
Tomoyo quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Why? I think it's kind of sweet. And whoever he is sent a whole basket of candy, too. He must have put in a lot of effort." My Secret Admirer definitely isn't Eriol, then. He's seems against the idea of a Secret Admirer, anyway. Another guy go down the drain...
Eriol forced a smile. "Really. But he must know that you don't really go out with your admirers, right?"
Tomoyo thought for a while. "That's true, but if I find out that he's someone I like I'll go out with him." Like if I find out that that someone is you, but that is nearly impossible, since it's obvious you don't like me that way. Tomoyo thought.
Eriol nearly choked. "You like someone?"
Tomoyo grinned at him. "Of course. We're in high school, dear. It's permitted." If only you know that it's you.
Eriol felt his insides shrivel up. Tomoyo liked someone. Of course. How could he stupidly rule out that possibility? He gulped. "Is it anyone I know?" Whether he knew the person or not, that person was going to hell.
Tomoyo shrugged. "You could say that."
"Who is it?" Eriol pressed.
"I'm not telling you anything." Tomoyo said. "I'll let you guess, but I've got to go now. Got a Geography test to prepare for. Toodles!"
"Good luck with the guy!" Eriol called after her. His throat felt dry. Gosh, Tomoyo, how could I have lost you to someone else?
"Thanks," Tomoyo replied over her shoulder. He said good luck. He wants me to get together with the other guy. In other words, he totally does not like me that way. Oh, Eriol...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*