A/N – Wowzers~! I updated ^___^. This chappeh is gonna be a good one, I swear~! Full of laughs, pranks, snogging and some other stuff... Maybe even SMUT~! O__O HAHAHA~! Nu _ Not yet. Enjoy~! ^^ Also, read my note at the end of this chapter. I decided to make everyone call everyone by their first name, ok? It's way too much trouble making Tomoyo say "Li-kun" but Sakura saying "Syaoran", so yeah. Hope it doesn't bother anyone much.
Tsuki no le
Chapter 6 - Fun In the Sun, Better At Dawn
~*~
It was yet another 'exciting' day at Tomoeda High School.
Sakura's classmates were now in Spanish class. The class was reading one by one a paragraph of a novel called 'Lautaro'.
Sakura, who had her arms folded on her desk, was allowing her half-shut eyes travel lazily across the room, eyeing everyone out of boredom.
Syaoran was staring straight at the black board, absent-mindedly. He seemed to be deep in thought, for he kept narrowing his eyes and them widening them. It was actually quite amusing.
Meiling was paired up with Kazumi because she claimed she had forgotten her book. Both of them were hiding a magazine in front of the novel, pretending to be reading. It was obvious they weren't, the magazine was at least five times bigger than the novel itself.
Eriol had his head balanced on his hand. It was the only thing that kept him from completely falling asleep because his eyes were almost completely closed and a small trail of drool could be seen at the corner of his mouth.
Tomoyo, on the other hand, was fully awake and paying close attention to what the students were reading. She had become quite interested in learning Spanish and loved all of the novels. Though the poor girl had no knowledge of Spanish as much as she tried to; which was quite sad, for she was the only girl in the class that actually liked Spanish.
The teacher smiled warmly at a student that had finished reading a paragraph. She looked to Tomoyo and spoke in a slightly Latin accent, quite cliché, right? "Daidouji, would you care to read the last paragraph on page forty-six?"
Tomoyo smiled gleefully and nodded. She went to pick up her book, only to find that it wasn't there. She gasped and looked around her desk, and under.
Eriol, who was now awake, grinned awkwardly and handed her the novel, or at least what looked to be the novel. "Here you go, Tomoyo. You can read from mine."
Tomoyo sighed in relief and smiled thankfully to Eriol who just smirked and winked.
She blushed and stood up, beginning to read. "Todos tienen que saber que hay un chico, y mas que un chico que es el mas precioso y bello de este mundo. Yo lo amo con todo my corazon, el es mi alma y haria lo que sea por el. Su nombre es Eriol… Hirragizawa..."
Tomoyo slowed her reading down at the mention of Eriol's name. She blushed furiously as she peeked a glance to Eriol who just looked aside, grinning. She heard giggles and chuckles, most definitely directed towards her. She looked over to the teacher for some kind of information as to what she just read.
The teacher scowled and yelled at everyone to be quiet. "Daidouji, is this some kind of joke? I did not ask you to read some... some love letter! Do you even know what you just read?"
Eriol smiled innocently and raised his hand. "I know, Mrs. DeLeon."
The teacher raised a brow curiously. "Then please, inform it to us all. "
With yet another Cheshire grin, he cleared his throat and began translating. "Everyone must know that there's a guy, and only one guy who is the most precious and handsome guy on the face of the earth. I love him with all my heart and soul and I'd do anything for him. His name is Eriol Hirragizawa."
Once again the classroom was filled with laughter and once again the teacher demanded that they be quiet.
Eriol's face screwed up into one of pure shock, not to mention utterlessly fake. "Why Tomoyo, I swear I had no idea! Now that everyone knows, how about a date ?"
Tomoyo's face was burning hot as she looked down and began stuttering. "I- I'm sorry… I have no idea who might have put that there." She actually knew very well who it was, but for some strange reason she dared no to rat him out.
Everyone tried to stifle their laughter as Eriol smiled knowingly at Tomoyo. 'Oh, how I love torturing you out of all of my other victims, Tomoyo..' He thought to himself.
"Daidouji and Hirragizawa," Both of them looked up alarmingly, "I would like to have a chat with you two after class." With that the teacher send another student to continue reading as Tomoyo and Eriol sighed to themselves.
~*~
"Kyaaaah! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!!" Tomoyo had decided to yell and scream out all of her frustrations once she and Sakura had finished their classes for the day.
Sakura laughed and softly patted her friend's back. "There, there. Just let it all out. What did Mrs. DeLeon say to you both anyways?"
Tomoyo shrugged. "Nothing important; she later found out it was all Eriol's doing, so she gave him detention and told me not to worry because she was going to inform all the other students of the prank, even though they all already knew it was a joke."
Sakura nodded, relieved. "Well that's good. It wasn't all that embarrassing though… I wasn't even laughing, I swear."
Tomoyo glared daggers at Sakura. "Yeah, right! I saw you, I heard you!"
Sakura flinched and sighed. "I'm sorry, Tomoyo. I shouldn't have, really."
Tomoyo's glare faded away after a while, she couldn't stay mad at her best friend forever. She smiled assuringly. "It's ok; I knew you didn't really mean it. How about we go over to your house and hang out?"
Tomoyo had already grabbed Sakura's hand and sped off to the direction of her house. It was weird, how they both had a car but only used it when going to parties or anything else that wasn't school.
Sakura frowned playfully as she was being dragged by Tomoyo. "How come you invite me to your house and also invite yourself over to my house, huh?"
Tomoyo grinned. "One of life's greatest mysteries."
~*~
Once they got to Sakura's house, they could only hear a shower running. They guessed it was just Touya, so they climbed up the stairs and shut themselves in Sakura's room.
Tomoyo was hopping around placing her hand over her stomach, and Sakura settled herself onto her computer chair.
Sakura laughed at Tomoyo. "My bathroom is off limits, so go use the one in the hallway." She pointed to the door leading out her room.
Tomoyo laughed nervously and sped right out of Sakura's room. She seemed to have really wanted to use the bathroom for she hadn't noticed that there was someone taking a shower.
Tomoyo was half-way in pulling down her skirt when she saw a head poke out from behind the shower curtains.
Her eyes widened in seeing that it was Touya and she began screaming, struggling to pull up her skirt. "Kinomoto, why didn't you say that you were in here!?"
Touya had shut his eyes and it was pretty obvious that he was blushing, though barely visible in the steam of the room. "Well, excuse me for not making it obvious that I was showering. I was sure that the sound was a pretty good sign!"
Tomoyo just shook her head and glared at Touya. "Just get out of here!"
Touya's eyes then widened and he laughed sarcastically. "Oh yeah, I'm sure that you would love to see me naked ! How about you get out for just a moment!"
Tomoyo huffed, stomping out of the bathroom and then began running to Sakura's room.
"Sakura, I forgot that your brother was in there!"
Sakura's face scrunched up into one of disgust. "So, you saw him naked?! How... nice for you." She laughed to herself.
Tomoyo sighed and shook her head. "I just knew that you set this up. Is this 'Embarrass Tomoyo' day? Because it sure looks like it."
Sakura shook her head, grinning. "Nope, that's in May."
Tomoyo stuck her tongue out at Sakura who just laughed. Tomoyo plopped herself onto Sakura's bed.
"So, Sakura… the party's nearing," Tomoyo saw Sakura nod, without any feeling at that,"What do you plan on doing?"
Sakura, startled with the strange question, gave Tomoyo a certain look. "What... do you mean what I plan on doing?"
Shrugging, Tomoyo stood up from the bed and loitered around the room, picking at certain things. "… Syaoran is going to be there," Sakura just nodded and Tomoyo then continued, "and... so is Karasu."
Sakura sighed and raised a brow at Tomoyo. "What are you getting at?"
Tomoyo growled under her breath and turned around to face Sakura sharply. "Are you really that naïve?! You either pick Syaoran or Karasu, you can't have them both!"
Sakura glared at Tomoyo. "I'm aware of that, Tomoyo. I just need sometime to think."
"Well, time is just one thing we haven't got, Sakura! You're screwing up, fooling around with Syaoran's feelings, which isn't right. If you keep this up, you're going to fuck everything up." Tomoyo bellowed.
"You really think this is my fault? That I can't make up my mind and that I'm playing with Syaoran's feelings? I'm only human, Tomoyo! I haven't done a thing."
Tomoyo kept her peeved glare steadily on Sakura still.
Pretty angry, Sakura stomped over to the door and swung it open. "Here's the exit, Tomoyo. I don't need this right now...Good bye."
A look of hurt flashed across Tomoyo's face suddenly, but she wasn't the damsel in distress right now and she knew that. Almost relentlessly, she walked out of the room.
But, not before whispering to Sakura as she passed her by. "He might even love you..."
This time, a look of surprise flickered on Sakura's face. Shaking the irrational thoughts off her mind, she quickly slammed the door shut.
She was being a bit too harsh on Tomoyo, she knew. But, so was Tomoyo.
~*~
The days just passed by like the wind and the closing event was nearing all the better. Tomoyo and Sakura hadn't spoken much at all during the remaining days. Both had tried working up the courage to stop acting like little children and apologize, but then again, both were just too stubborn. The party hadn't even seemed as much as exciting as before when they both had each other as friends.
It was now the day of the all awaited beach party and Sakura hadn't a thing to do.
"Why bother going to a party when my best friend isn't even… my best friend."
Sakura had been pacing around for hours since morning in her bedroom, pondering whether it was important for her to go.
"I don't want to go anymore... Jesus, I better just start on that project due in two weeks! Oh, but I can't. Mr. Smith has to assign partners..."
Sakura groaned and laid down on her bed, stuffing her face onto a pillow.
Just then she heard the doorbell ring out its annoying tune. She just decided to let Touya answer it, as if she would even walk out of her room.
"Sakura!"
Groaning, Sakura lifted up her head and yelled back. "What is it?!"
"Tomoyo's here, idiot!"
Sakura gasped and quickly stood up from her bed. She spoke quietly to herself, "Oh, God… What do I do...?"
She sighed, finally just deciding to send her up to her room.
"Um, just... just send her up to my room, Touya!"
A few minutes later Sakura heard slow footsteps coming near her door. Then she heard a soft knock on the door.
"Come in..."
The door opened with a quiet creak, showing the full form of Tomoyo. She looked quite nervous actually to be exact, along with the nervous crooked smile, the works.
"Hello, Sakura."
Sakura was happy to hear her talking to her again, which formed a small smile on her part. "Hello, Tomoyo.
Tomoyo walked in fully, shutting the door behind her.
"I ...I just came here to give you this, in case you were going to the beach party today." Tomoyo, who was carrying a small plastic bag, pulled something out from inside it.
"Here you go." She handed over the bathing suit she had made for Sakura.
"But, Tomoyo, I-" Sakura was interrupted by Tomoyo suddenly.
"I also wanted to let you know that... that I'm not going, all right?" Tomoyo swallowed the lump in her throat. She couldn't stand not being her friend for so long.
"But why? You've been looking up to this since day one. Why the sudden change of plans?" Sakura was beginning to really wonder the sudden change in Tomoyo. It couldn't be because of their little quarrel a few days earlier, right?
"Can I be honest with you, Sakura?"
She nodded. Sakura wanted Tomoyo to say something meaningful. "Yes, of course."
Tomoyo sighed, she was looking pretty doubtful as of what she would say next. ".. I can't stand not being friends with you, Sakura. You and I really understand each other, and I miss that. I miss talking to you, being with you. We were always together, through thick and thin, which was what sustained our friendship… the fact that we could withstand anything and anyone. I miss our strong friendship. Most of all, we must learn to apologize... no matter how many times, for friendship is one of the most important things in life."
Sakura couldn't have been in more shock. Tomoyo had hit every single note that she had wanted to since their quarrel. Tomoyo was strong, and she admired that.
"You're right, Tomoyo. I couldn't have said it better myself. You always have a way to make everything better. I'm sorry..."
Right then, Sakura enveloped Tomoyo in a tight hug, which Tomoyo had gladly returned in the same manner.
"So, Tomoyo, It's nearly 4:00 P.M, are you still not going?"
Tomoyo smiled gleefully. "Are you kidding? This girl is ready to have some fun in the sun, and might I add, let it go on 'till dawn!"
"Um... Tomoyo, it's almost already dawn." Sakura laughed at Tomoyo's confused expression.
"Well... 'Till dusk I guess. Anyways, let's get you all ready to make...Whichever guy you want drool!"
Sakura whined playfully. "But, Tomoyo, I don't want guys to drool on me."
Tomoyo shoved Sakura into her bathroom along with the bathing suit. "Just an expression, Sakura. Don't hurt yourself trying to think what it means."
Tomoyo laughed as Sakura threw her a menacing, yet with a touch of amusing, glare. "Hey, I resent that!"
A few minutes later, Sakura came out. But, this time she didn't try and hide herself, actually she came out modeling in an amusing way. She still looked as stunning as ever in the Tomoyo-made creation.
Laughing, Tomoyo began clapping and making cat-calls. "Thank you very much, Kinomoto Sakura, for that wonderful show!"
Sakura bowed gracefully. "Yes, thank you, thank you very much." said Sakura as an imitation of Elvis Presley.
Tomoyo smiled and eyed Sakura in a peculiar way.
"Tomoyo, are you checking me out again?!"
Sakura fumed as she hid under her bed covers. Tomoyo just laughed at the fact that Sakura had gotten the wrong idea.
"Here, put this on over the bikini." Tomoyo handed Sakura a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark, long jeans.
Raising a brow, Sakura stared awkwardly at Tomoyo. "What is all this? I'm not going to the North Pole or anything, you know? It's actually quite the opposite."
Tomoyo couldn't help but laugh at her statement. "I only want you to wear this so that when you take it off in front of everyone, Syaoran and Karasu in specific, your beauty will hit them all at once!" Tomoyo giggled gleefully and hopped around the room.
Sighing, Sakura pushed her friend so that she fell, but safely on the bed. "Tomoyo, you are one crazy girl..."
Tomoyo huffed and stood up, tapping her foot quite impatiently. "Well? I'm waiting. "
"What are you waiting for?" asked Sakura.
"For you to finish your outfit!" Tomoyo shuffled the clothes on Sakura's head out of annoyance.
Sakura laughed and swiftly slipped on the remains of clothes to complete her outfit. She definitely looked as if she was going to someplace ...'breezy'.
Tomoyo had that strange, yet amusing, sparkle in her eyes as she took in Sakura completely. "Yes, this is perfect! Sakura, twirl around a couple of times, please."
Sighing, Sakura gave a few un-graceful twirls to the pleasure of Tomoyo. "Tomoyo, what about you, Where's your bathing suit? You said you were going."
"Yes, I am. I have it underneath my clothes, see?" Tomoyo raised her dark colored tank-top so that Sakura could see the top part of the bathing suit. It was very pretty. With the color of dark violet and a few pink cherry blossoms could be seen imprinted upon the material. It was designed as a form-fitting tube-top, along with the thin straps circling around her neck and tied at the end in a tight knot.
Sakura smiled warmly. "It's very lovely, Tomoyo, much nicer than mine."
"Well, I also made this one. Though, I most definitely think the one I made for you is my greatest creation... because you are able to wear it and that makes me happy."
With a blush spreading nicely across Sakura's cheeks, a thought suddenly struck her. "Tomoyo, what are you going to do about Eriol?"
Tomoyo tilted her head slightly in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Well, he did embarrass you quite good a few days ago, remember?" Sakura could see a glaze wash over her eyes as she brought back the memories.
Turning red in the face, Tomoyo clenched her fists. "Argh... you're right, I should definitely get him back for humiliating me, and he did it with a lie no less."
Sakura grinned and placed a hand over Tomoyo's shoulder. "I think I have an idea, but only if you're up with the fact that you're going to have to get real... close to him at some part."
Tomoyo nodded confidently. "Yes, I'm ok with that, as long as it's well worth it."
"Well, it's like this..."
~*~
As soon as Sakura and Tomoyo had added the final touches to their outfits, they had dashed straight out of her room and out of the house.
"Sooo, we're taking your car?" asked Sakura, eyeing a different car than last time.
Tomoyo's face glowed happily. "Yes! My mother just bought it a few days ago." She smiled at Sakura, who was running the palm of her hand gently across the side of the new red Mercedes convertible.
"Where does your mother find all of the money to buy so many cars? They aren't so cheap these days, you know." Sakura stated, opening the passenger door to the car and sliding in to the seat. She threw her bag full of extra clothes and towel in the back seat.
Tomoyo also opened the door to the driver's seat and carefully slid in, placing her bag full of clothing in the back seat. "Well, you know my mother owns a toy company, right? She's getting quite popular these days. She even told me that she invited your father over to the company to give him a tour, since he said he was interested in learning more about what she does."
Sakura smiled mischievously. "Oh, is that so, a tour, huh? All right, if that's what they call it these days."
Tomoyo's eyes widened as she began to start up the engine. "Sakura, how can you think that of my mother and your father? I'm quite surprised at you... well, not really! I've been thinking the same thing."
They both laughed merrily as Tomoyo backed up the car and sped off onto the road.
After several minutes of a silence, Sakura cleared her throat uncomfortably.
"Something on your mind, Sakura?" asked Tomoyo in a voice full of concern.
Sakura was glancing side-ways out of the window and sighed. "Is it true, Tomoyo? ...Am I really playing with Syaoran's feelings? Am I being untrue by also liking Karasu?"
Tomoyo felt a twinge of guilt in the pit of her heart as the things she had yelled at Sakura came back flooding to her.
"... Sakura-"
"It is true, isn't it..? It's all right; I understand completely why you said... what you said. You had all the right to. I'm just not sure what I'm feeling right now. Ever since that accidental...kiss with Syaoran, I-" Sakura stopped in mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that Tomoyo had no idea that had happened.
Tomoyo smiled knowingly. "It's all right, I know all about it. I saw you two together. I guess you could say I was...spying."
Huffing, Sakura pouted. "Well, that wasn't very nice!"
Tomoyo laughed and said in a reassuring voice, "It'll be all right. For now let's just have some fun, ok? I really want to see the look on Eriol's face when I perform the little 'harmless' prank on him."
Both sighed in amusement at the thought.
~*~
Once they had arrived at the beach, it could be clearly seen that it was packed full. A volleyball game was currently in play by several teenagers, mostly from Tomoeda High School. Some were having swimming races in the clear, calm waters, and some were just loitering around, chattering endlessly with their friends.
Having gotten out of the car, along with all their stuff, Tomoyo and Sakura walked along the white sands of the beach, wearing smiles they encountered their friends such as Chiharu, Naoko, Rika, and others and began talking with them.
"Sakura, what's with the clothes?" Chiharu grinned as she tugged at the white shirt.
Staring at Tomoyo, Sakura laughed. "Oh, this, to tell you the truth, I had nothing else to wear! Yes, funny, isn't it? But, it's true."
They all shared a laugh before Naoko spoke up. "Well, I don't see the point of keeping the clothes on if you guys are going to get in the water, right? So, off with them!"
Tomoyo panicked slightly and turned her head at all directions to see if she could spot any sign of the guys.
"No! Not yet, Sakura. Just-" Tomoyo sighed. Sakura had already taken off both her pants and shirt.
"Whoops! Sorry, Tomoyo. I forgot." Sakura tried to conceal a grin from coming on. She wasn't going to look like a slut in front of Syaoran and Karasu.
Tomoyo and Sakura walked over to a wooden table near a beach house, which they assumed belonged to Meling's parents or someone. Just as they were dropping off their stuff, they could hear male voices directed to them.
"Tomoyo, Sakura, how ya doin'?"
They both spun around in surprise, but their faces quickly changed into one of relief when they saw it was just Syaoran.
Tomoyo waved cheerfully. "Hey there, Syaoran!" Tomoyo was pleased to see that Syaoran's cheeks were a little flushed, and she was sure it was because of Sakura's outfit.
Sakura smiled. For some reason she felt a wave of relief wash through her the second she laid her eyes on him and she felt like hugging him.
Syaoran's eyes widened a cinch as Sakura stepped forward and planted a small kiss on his cheek, which he was sure it was only as a greeting.
"Hey, Syaoran..."
"Ahem, Hello, guys!"
They all turned around to see none other than Karasu. He coughed slightly and slipped an arm around Sakura's shoulders as some sort of warning to Syaoran, for Karasu also managed to pass a glare along his way.
They all exchanged greetings to him, wearing fake grins.
To add more to the fire, Karasu leaned down to casually kiss Sakura, but she turned her head and gave him her cheek instead.
To say the truth, Sakura didn't really appreciate public displays of affection, she had to do something.
Sensing the tense in the air, Syaoran broke the silence. "Hey, how about we all play a game of Chicken?"
"What's Chicken?" Sakura actually looked a bit ashamed about not knowing what it was.
Syaoran smiled in spite of Sakura being so naïve. "Well, you play it like this. You have to sit on somebody's shoulders and your opponent also has to sit on somebody's shoulders, and then to win, you have to try and push your opponent of the person's shoulders."
"Uh, wouldn't that hurt?"
Tomoyo laughed. "It's played in the water, Sakura."
"Oh, I knew that!" Sakura blushed a little.
"The first one to get into the water gets to sit on my perfectly nice shoulders!" Syaoran bellowed as he ran off in the direction of the shore, laughing all the way.
Tomoyo's eyes widened and she quickly ran off behind him, looking back mischievously at Sakura.
Sakura, knowing that Tomoyo was doing this on purpose, also began to run behind him, laughing, but with a hint of amusement that Tomoyo would actually dare to lay a finger on Syaoran.
"Hey, where am I in all of this?" Karasu smirked and ran a hand through the waves of his fiery red hair before dashing after Sakura. "Why don't you sit on my shoulders, Sakura?"
Turns out after Syaoran went into the water, Tomoyo had gotten there next, so she was to be his companion. The only others left were Sakura and Karasu, so they both formed a team.
"All right, let's start the game!" Tomoyo exclaimed before Syaoran lowered himself down a bit. Tomoyo carefully slid herself onto his shoulders, and Syaoran did not struggle with her weight as he leveled himself up completely in the water.
Truth be told, Syaoran was secretly wishing to have a chance of Sakura being able to touch any part of his skin, so he made up with it by bringing up Chicken. He didn't want to think himself as a perverted freak, he was just simply in need of her touch ever since that faithful day under the cherry blossom tree at the park.
Syaoran shook away his thoughts as he took notice that Sakura had already mounted on Karasu's broad shoulders and was waiting for him to signal the start of the game.
"All right then, ready... set... go!"
The second Syaoran mentioned 'go' Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's shoulders and attempted to hurl her off Syaoran's shoulders.
Tomoyo let out an amusing shriek and tried a fatal attempt to grab Sakura's wrists, but before she could, Sakura moved her hands out of the way and pushed Tomoyo hard enough to make her stumble slightly on Syaoran's shoulders.
Syaoran laughed at their feeble attempts of knocking each other off shoulders. Syaoran's eyes suddenly drifted up to meet Sakura's current condition. He wondered why he never noticed the way her eyes sparkled with life when her laughter filled the air and, Syaoran noticed, it made everything seem so much better; like there wasn't a single care in the world.
Syaoran didn't notice that in his dazed condition, Karasu had managed to near himself to him and suspiciously (not to mention obviously) attempted to fake a slip and bumped into Syaoran with out falling himself.
With just a sharp gasp, Syaoran tumbled backwards and into the water with a great splash, along with Tomoyo.
Sakura, still not understanding the game well, laughed in spite of them all. "Woo-hoo! Karasu, we beat them, I knew we would!"
Karasu grinned up at Sakura and flinged himself backwards, eliciting a surprised yelp from Sakura as they both fell into the water.
Tomoyo came back up to the surface, looking amused. "Nice way to beat us, eh, Syaoran?"
Syaoran, who was also just coming back up to the surface, was looking quite grim. Lips set in a thin line, he scowled. "Yes, nice way to cheat..."
"Oh, come on, Syaoran! It was just a game, and you know you're only mad because poor Sakura didn't have an opportunity to ride on your 'perfectly nice' shoulders." Syaoran detected a hint of sarcasm in her voice, but said nothing.
His eyes, instead, were focused on Sakura. She and Karasu were having a swimming race in the process, with Karasu in the lead by an inch. But, Syaoran didn't care about who was winning; he was just wishing he were the one with her. As he was watching them, he couldn't help but feel a stab in his heart. 'So... this is what it feels like to want someone you can't have.'
"Syaoran, Tomoyo!"
Both of them tore their eyes away from the swimming couple and onto the figures nearing them rapidly. It was Meiling, Kazumi and Eriol.
Tomoyo smiled at them all. "Hey, you guys!" but her eyes drifted almost against her own will toward the azure pools that claimed to be Eriol's eyes, and then her cheeks burned.
"Having a little bit of fun, eh?" Eriol wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at the two.
"Actually, we're sort of waiting for Sakura and... Karasu to finish with their little un-informed race of theirs." Said Syaoran as he pointed toward the retreating swimming figures of Sakura and Karasu.
Meiling glared at Sakura scathingly. "Oh, so I see she's enjoying herself pretty well with her carrot-head."
"Meiling, don't call him that! It's more appropriate to name him tomato-head." Eriol sniggered as the figures came even closer, Sakura now in the lead.
"Oh, really? Because I thought Syaoran was the only one who's tomato-head around here, especially when he's around Sakura." Tomoyo nudged Syaoran's side teasingly.
"All right, that's enough!" Syaoran was beginning to get a little ticked off.
"Oh, no, my dear Tomoyo," Eriol smirked upon seeing a blush spread along her cheeks, "I'm afraid our Syaoran here isn't a tomato-head at all! Being a little more specific, he's tomato-cheeks."
"I said that's enough!"
"What's enough, Syaoran?"
Syaoran swiveled around to face Sakura. She was red in the face, probably from swimming too much, and was panting slightly.
Eriol opened his mouth to say something, but was quickly interrupted by Syaoran.
"Oh, um... nothing, we were just talking about my Mom's new... recipe! Tomato-cheeks, right, guys?"
They all stared at him blankly, except Sakura, before bursting into fits of laughter.
"Well, gee, thanks for covering me up..." Syaoran muttered under his breath.
"Oook, then. Hey, Meiling, could you come with me for a second? I want to show you something. Tomoyo, come with me, too." Sakura began walking to the wooden table near the beach house and motioned for them to follow her.
"Well, err... all right. You guys stay here, we'll be right back." Both of the girls followed Sakura to the wooden table.
Sakura picked something out from her bag and turned around to Meiling, handing it over to her. "Happy Birthday, Meiling!"
Meiling took the gift carefully from Sakura's hands as if thinking it was a bomb or something else explosive.
Tomoyo smiled reluctantly. "It's both from me and Sakura. We hope you like it."
Meiling looked at them both, first in doubt but then it faded away into reassurance. She ripped off the shiny gold wrapping paper, not being one of those persons who liked to carefully open it and then save it for some other special occasion.
She opened the box and gasped the second she saw what was held inside. She raised the radiant silvery necklace up in front of the blazing sun, so she could see it really sheen.
"Oh, Sakura, Tomoyo, it's...-" Meiling caught herself before she said anything else as she was cradling the small diamond lotus at the end of the necklace.
She looked at Sakura and Tomoyo grinning sheepishly. "U-uh... um, what I mean is that... it's nice, it really is. Thank you."
Sakura and Tomoyo smiled at her being vulnerable, but they let it pass.
Just then the three of them saw the guys coming over. "Just couldn't wait for us, huh?" Tomoyo pressed on.
"Well, actually we just came here to –" Eriol was interrupted short on his retort once Tomoyo had stepped up to him, rather close at that.
Sakura knew at once that Tomoyo was about to perform the little act on him, she laughed inanely as she leaned back against the table to watch the show.
"You just came here to... what, Eriol...?" Tomoyo already had the palms of her hands pressed against his damp chest. She smiled surreptitiously to herself as she felt him shiver and then stiffen under her simple touch.
"I... I just..." Eriol's eyes were madly darting about, looking for some sort of help. Never in his life has he ever acted vulnerable in front of a woman, and to Tomoyo no less! He wouldn't, he couldn't.
"Tomoyo, are you attempting to seduce little ol' me?" Eriol smirked, but in a erratic way that almost gave away the fact that he was seriously impacted in a way by Tomoyo.
"Why, whatever could have given you that idea, Eriol? I'm just... simply admiring you." Tomoyo looked up at him, innocently, giving him a pouty smile that he clearly appreciated. Tomoyo's hands then traveled up and around his neck as she neared her face to his.
Eriol's eyes widened slightly; he was under her spell yet again and he staggered, his breath becoming more and more ragged by each little touch that Tomoyo inflicted upon him. This time he did not know what to do, and he did not notice the maddening grins everyone surrounding them was giving him, he just allowed whatever Tomoyo was to do to him. He clearly suspected that she was going to kiss him, and he secretly hoped so with hidden anticipation, waiting for it to come.
And it did... Oh, did it ever. He could almost feel the hunger pass through the plentiful kiss. He heard the gasps and unsuspected murmurs of the people, but he paid absolutely no heed to it, as all his attention was focused on the kiss taking place in the present, in their own little world.
Just then, something else came, and never in a million years would he have expected it to be coming. In the midst of their intense kiss, Tomoyo had somehow managed to slither both her hands from his neck, hazardously down to his trunks. She slipped in a few fingers over the elastic band of the trunks, and piercingly pulled them down entirely.
It all then came back to him, all which he dreaded right now, which was reality. Tomoyo had already pulled and stood back enough to see him and his naked glory. Not a minute too soon everyone had began laughing incessantly. Some were on their backs, and some were on their hands and knees, banging their fists hard onto the sand, a feeble attempt to slower down their laughter.
"Well, gee, Eriol, I now see what you're made of, and to say the truth, I like what I see." It was Tomoyo that had made that remark, while the others were practically in tears from the laughter.
Eriol did not go into tomato status; instead, he just stood there with a grim look on his face. He wasn't going to run away... no, not yet. He was going to make sure she knew what he was feeling inside at that moment, and how she made him feel just a couple of minutes ago.
"Well, Tomoyo, I have something to say to you. You may think I'm immature and only think of jokes and pranks, but... believe it or not, I do have a heart, and you have just sunken down to my level; and... And I trust you'll take this seriously, Tomoyo. I have actually been developing feelings for you. I'm tired of the game, tired of the same old games I play on girls. I used to catch their eye and then I take them for it, for every penny that I could. But, I'm serious about you. You've gotten under my skin, Tomoyo, and it is such a remarkable feeling that I just can't help but love every single moment of it."
Eriol looked as if he had more on his mind, but in taking notice that he was still naked, his cheeks reddened just the slightest bit and he pulled up his trunks along with what was left of his pride and walked away. He would have taken it as a joke if only she hadn't made him feel all of those things; it had confused him to no end.
Staring absent-mindedly at the recoiling form of Eriol, Tomoyo had nothing to say; but, inside she was feeling so many things only one could ponder. She felt as if she was in a daze, she felt mad, she felt sad, she felt disappointed, she felt surprised, but most of all, she felt guilt tugging at her heart, dead-center.
"Sakura... I'm going to go after him, please stay here and enjoy the party." With out another word, Tomoyo had dashed behind Eriol.
Sakura and everyone else's laughter had long since died away, and the only thing that was audible was Tomoyo's voice calling after Eriol.
Meiling looked around at everyone and glared. "All right, people, show is over! Go back to having fun or whatever you call it, this party is not over!"
Everyone looked at each other and murmured some things before walking off to their activities.
"The same goes to you guys. I think it's best if we don't talk about this, it'll just get weirder." Meiling had directed that to Sakura, Syaoran, and Karasu, before she walked away to join her other friends.
Karasu turned to Sakura, smiling sincerely. "Sakura, would you care to take a walk with me?"
Sakura smiled back at him and nodded, looping her arm through his. They waved back at Syaoran and began to walk around the beach.
Syaoran waved back with out much enthusiasm. How could he when he saw them both together, and in that way? He sighed and rammed his hands into his trunk pockets, walking off the opposite trail the couple had taken.
~*~
The hours seem to have flown by with out a care, and the people at the party were having more fun than ever. Not forgotten was incident with Eriol and Tomoyo, but it was not spoken of. The beach was emptying now; many had already left; only some were still there, mostly couples. The sun was setting and it was the ideal time of the day for couples to come out, so naturally they did. Some were sitting on broken logs, staring out onto the sea; and some were even dancing slowly to romantic tunes from the DJ, which was at the moment with a lady friend also.
Syaoran was still there, sitting at one of the benches, looking jaded at the dancing couples. He sighed. He wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for Meiling. He had to stay here until she was tired, and boy, she was just getting geared up. He was sure Karasu and Sakura had already left, he hadn't seen them since they had walked off, arm-in-arm. Just thinking about them together, made him sick to his stomach.
"Syaoran, I didn't know you were still here!" a surprised voice made him turn to its source and found none other than Sakura, smiling brilliantly.
"Sakura..." He had no idea why he hadn't said anything else, his breath got caught in his throat, so his voice came out in just a whisper. But, a whisper that made Sakura's face flush.
"Karasu left already; actually quite sometime ago, so I've been looking for you ever since. Now that I've found you..."
"Yes...?" Syaoran was expecting something that he had been observing for quite sometime now.
"W... would you like to dance, Syaoran?" The blush on her face was clear enough to see that she was nervous. 'But, why?' he wondered that much.
He smiled in that way that made Sakura's heart jump in a frantic. "Of course I would, Sakura, only with you."
Syaoran stood up and slowly guided her to where everyone was dancing. Just as they were going to begin to dance, Sakura lifted up a hand in indication to stop. "Syaoran, how about we dance farther away from all of these people? Somewhere nearer to the shore."
Syaoran was a little surprised but agreed anyways. They walked away from the entranced people, a little bit farther away just so they could only hear the music.
They stopped walking and turned to face each other. Sakura smiled and timorously slid her arms around his neck, surprised at how warm he was, but not noticing that his face was red, neck and up. Syaoran cleared his throat and just as bashfully slid his arms around her waist. Just as they were beginning to dance, and unfamiliar song reached their ears, but they just kept on dancing; not hiding the fact that they really liked it.
The room is empty,
the lights are dim;
and my heart wonders
if I'll ever see you again.
They both somehow liked how the song matched how they feel. Syaoran couldn't help but bring Sakura closer to himself, not that she minded neither.
My tears are hungry,
for an open door.
When your arms held me,
I never felt that way before.
Sakura shifted her gaze from the sand onto his brown eyes. It was astonishing to Sakura how much his eyes resembled the sunset itself as the rays of the glowing ginger sun set off his face. She had always loved his face and how it went with that unruly mop of chestnut hair on his head that just made him more striking to look at.
I'll be waiting,
I'll be watching,
under a blue moon.
The taste of heaven
only happens...
once in a blue moon...
Once in a blue moon.
Syaoran felt comfortable under her gaze, it was as if she was softly caressing his face, and he loved every single moment of it. He couldn't help but notice how her serene green eyes flickered every so slightly once a blinding ray of the sun ran across her face. She was remarkable the way she was, her hair a mess of damp tangles that flew slowly in rhythm with the unruffled breeze.
Do you remember
when the wind blew free?
And we fit together,
so naturally.
Sakura had pressed her cheek against his chest, and at that moment they came to an un-spoken agreement. They cared about each other... deeply. No words were needed at that time, no words at all, because with just the simple presence of the other, they knew it. No denying it this time.
If the wind closes a door,
it will open another.
~*~
There we go ^^ That wraps up this chapter. I put in a little clue about the next chapter in the first few pages of this chapter. Has to do with a school project! Well, anyways, I'm terribly sorry about lazing away, but I haven't really been lazing away. School sucks major ass and it only gets worse, so I'm pretty much tied up here. I have absolutely no idea when the next chapter will come, so just check once a week to see, ok?
Please review because I really love you all for not flaming me yet! Reviews make me more confident and sure of my work ^^~!
Love you all, bye~!