Sakura spent the next couple of days practicing, and she did the trick two more times. The third time, they used a curtain, and Sakura got loose in no less than thirty seconds. She was really getting good at it, and was starting to really look forward to the big night. But there was one thing that bothered her. She had to tell Shaoran about the ghost. She was so afraid of what he would say, but she knew she had to do it.
"A ghost?" Shaoran said when she finally told him, "you saw a ghost?"
"No," Sakura said, "Kero said it was ghost. I don't know what it was." Shaoran turned away from her, thinking to himself. There weren't many things in the world that even resemble the strange thing Sakura was talking about.
"And, you say it ran away when you chased after it?"
Sakura nodded. She didn't even want to bring it up, considering nothing else had happened in two days, but she didn't feel right not at least telling Shaoran about it. She felt that if he didn't think anything of it, then it must be OK.
"I don't like it," he said, finally. Sakura stared at him for a second, holder her hands together just in front of her chin. She just knew it. He was going to say he didn't want her to be in the magic show.
"Wh," she stuttered, "what do you mean?"
"I mean, it's at least a bad omen. You should think about not doing the magic show."
Sakura began breathing harder. This is not what she wanted to hear. For the first time since she had decided to do the trick, she realized how important it had become to her. Although she didn't understand why, she knew she had to do it.
"Shaoran-kun," she cried, "I have to do the show… I need to do the show. I've worked so hard, and learned so much. I'll be careful, I know…" She almost let out her secret. She remembered that she hadn't told Shaoran about doing the water escape.
"Hey," he said, "I didn't say you couldn't do it. I just said think about it. I still want to see you on the stage. I just want you to be safe." Sakura blushed when she heard him say that.
"I will be, as long as your there."
But it bothered her, keeping the secret from him. As the big day came, she knew everything would be all right, but she didn't like not telling him the whole truth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
When the big day came, Sakura got up at six in the morning. It was Saturday, and she still had to go to school. (In Japan, school children attend school 6 days a week) She cooked breakfast for her father and Touya, cleaned up the dishes and ran upstairs to tell Kero about the day.
"After school, Tomoyo and I will stop by here to pick you up, then head back to the theatre. There's a lot of things we have to do before the show, and I have to help out."
"Sakura," Kero said, "are you maybe going to leave your cards here?"
Sakura had to think about that for second. Would she need her cards for the magic show? She didn't always take them to school with her, so she didn't always have them at practice.
"I don't know," she said. "What do you think?"
"Well," Kero said, "I think you could leave them here. Shaoran will be there, and so will your father and Tomoyo, not to mention, yours truly!"
"Yukito-san will be there too," Sakura exclaimed, "And Naoko-chan and Rika-chan and Chiharu-chan. Oh," she started to become excited, "it will be so wonderful."
"I hope there's lots of food there," Kero said, "I don't want to get sleepy during the performance."
"Kero-chan!" Sakura flashed with anger. "You've never even seen the show. How could you?"
"I was just kidding!" He cried back. "I'm sure that it will be the performance of a life time for Card Captor Sakura."
Sakura got over being angry with Kero very quickly, because the day seemed to fly by. All day long, different people, teachers and students all came and asked her questions, all wanting to know how to do this magic trick and that magic trick. Sakura told them all the same thing: A good magician never tells. She felt like such a star, some older kids from the high school next door even asked her for her autograph! But along with the excitement came some nerves, and a little bit of regret. She still didn't feel right about not telling Shaoran the whole story.
After school, as Sakura and Tomoyo walked to the Kinomoto home, Sakura thought hard about everything. She wasn't feeling like backing out of the Escape. She wanted to do it so much.
"Tomoyo-chan," she said, "do you think that I should have told Shaoran about the water Escape?"
"Why to you ask?" Tomoyo was sensing that her friend had something important on her mind.
"I," Sakura stopped, "I told him about the ghost, but I didn't tell him about the Escape. I still want it to be a surprise, but I feel like… Like…"
"Like what? Sakura-chan." Sakura stopped walking and sat down on a short stone fence, staring at the ground.
"I know that if he knew about the Escape, he would tell me he didn't want me to do it. But, I want to do it so bad. I don't want to lie to him, but…" She started to cry. Tomoyo sat down next to her friend and put her arm around her.
"What he thinks matters to you, doesn't it?" Tomoyo said. She knew that Sakura loved Shaoran. "And you'd do anything to make him happy, and not worry him. It's only natural that you'd want to do that." But Sakura was beginning to breath faster, and her eyes began to sparkle.
"What is it, Sakura-chan?" Sakura began to weep. She was struggling with what to say, and it was now coming out quickly and frantically.
"I have this magic, Tomoyo-chan. Magic I can't really share with anyone. You and Shaoran are the only ones who really know about it. But I always worry that someone would find out, but at the same time I wish that I could tell the whole world about the things I can do. I sit sometimes and wonder, 'what would it be like to just call the 'Flower' and send pretty roses or nadesicos all around, or make rainbows for the whole world to see'. But…" She stopped and sobbed some more.
Tomoyo held her friend, and wondered what it would be like herself. Normal people had hunted and burned witches in the past. But that was the past. Could the world understand how an eleven year old girl had incredible magic? Would the world accept her, or would they fear her? All Tomoyo knew for sure was that Sakura was in a difficult position. To have so much and have to hide it had to be the most horrible life to lead.
"Sakura-chan," Tomoyo started, "You shouldn't cry. I know it's hard to keep things secret. We all have secrets we have to keep. Yours is just a little harder. That's all." Tomoyo knew all to well about secrets that had to be kept.
"I think you should use your magic," Tomoyo continued. "Try to find good ways to use it. I think that you always have to find ways to make your magic known, even if it's just like in this magic show. Even if it's not your magic. Whether it's something big or small doesn't matter. You'll find a way. You always do."
Sakura started to calm down. Although it wasn't perfect, what Tomoyo said did make sense. She may have to hide herself, her true self, for now, but there would be a time when she could shine. And tonight, she could shine.
"Thank you, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said as she brightened up, "your right. It's just hard sometimes. When it comes time for me to do the Escape, would you make sure you're near Shaoran. Tell him I wanted to surprise him, and that I worked really hard to learn it. That I hope he's proud, and not angry with me."
"I will, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo Replied, "I promise."
