.::Spilling Stars::.
By Fantasiimaker
*A/N- Waaah! I had 10+ new reviews on June 4th, and they were all deleted by ffnet! And I'm sorry this took soo long, but ffnet wouldn't let me upload anything... T_T Thanks very much if you reviewed, and review again so I can see who you are! I didn't get to say thanks!!
I don't put my reviewers here as often as I should, but here's to the reviewers of Chapter Four since I didn't get to thank them personally yet...
Ongaku – Thanks for reading even during that scary lightning! Thanks to Kitty Neko also! Your stories are both sooo good...so many reviews! I'm going to read them as soon as I can.^_^
cherryblossom – I'm hurrying!
sourmuggie – Thanks for your profuse compliments... ::blushes::
StarLite – I'm glad you like the story! Evil finals... _
ChiBImIAKa-Chan – Yes, my math final was horrible too. Thanks for reminding me, I need to give Tomoyo more of her own special qualities. ^_^
Scarlet Rose – Thanks, I'll definitely continue!
CronoCat – Yay, haven't seen you in a while! As for your questions, they'll be answered soon... ^_^
dilly-sammas luver – Er...interesting ideas.
Bunny-chan19 – See, I'm not dead yet! Ch 5 is here!
Sabriel - Thanks^_^
CuziMaGrl - There IS a reason that the title is Spilling Stars. I think it's more fun to discover it yourself, possibly in the next chapter...
keroberos – Thank you! :-D
purplelover* - I'll be updating faster from now on!
sally – Thanks for reading!
Joanna – I'm glad you like the story! I can't wait until S+S are a couple either! :-P
silver_dragon – I'm updating! ^_^
helen – Thanks!!
Whew... Okay then, go read!
~Chapter Five: Mistaken Identity
Tomoyo blinked as Sakura waved her hand in front of her face. "Hello? Have you been listening to a word I said?" said Sakura, staring strangely at her friend. "Are you okay, Tomoyo? You had a kind of faraway look there."
They were sitting on the bed in Sakura's room trying to do homework, watch TV, and talk all at the same time. Then suddenly, for no reason, Tomoyo had stared off into space with a thoughtful look. She blushed lightly when Sakura brought her back to reality. "Aha! I know, you're thinking about a guy, aren't you?" Sakura proclaimed, catching on immediately. "Who is it? Tell me!"
Blushing even harder, Tomoyo murmured, "It's...it's no one... Just..." She ripped absentmindedly at the edge of a piece of binder paper.
"Yes?" Sakura prompted.
"Well, he... He seems so different, but I don't think..." Abruptly, she up and began stuffing her homework papers into her backpack. "I know he doesn't really mean anything! He's just playing around, having fun. He always likes to get attention. Forget it!" She pulled the backpack zipper shut angrily and slung it over her shoulder.
"Oh, Sakura, we should go hang out over the weekend," she said, changing back to her old self again.
"Sure, where?"
"Hmm...how about the mall? We can get you some cute new outfits, and then I get to tape you!"
"Oh...kay..." Sakura wasn't too thrilled about the videotaping stuff again, but at least she'd get to spend time with her friend. "Well, do you want to ask anyone else to come?"
"Ummm..." Tomoyo thought for a moment, and a pink tint appeared on her cheeks which quickly turned into a flush of anger. "No! Why should I ask him to come? He's such a big fat idiot!" Confused, Sakura looked on as she stomped huffily out of the room. A moment later, she popped her head back in. "Sakura? Are you going to enter the talent show at lunch on Friday?"
"What? Why should I? You're the unbelievably talented singer. If I did go up, I'd probably just trip on my face and make a fool of myself in front of half the school," said Sakura, rolling her eyes.
"But you could dance or something! You're the best cheerleader, Sakura!"
"Tomoyo, that was back in elementary school."
"Still! If you were going to perform, I was hoping I could tape you. I haven't added anything new to the Sakura archive for a long time!" She looked a little sad. "But I'm going to sing so I can tone up for choir. Will you be there to watch me, please?"
"Of course!" Sakura replied, giving her friend a smile.
"Thanks," Tomoyo smiled back. "I'm so glad we're friends again."
Friday dawned bright, warm, and sunshiny. But the sun became Sakura's worst enemy as it glared down at her on their weekly mile run in P.E. It was lucky Tomoyo wasn't in this class to tape down her sweaty and disheveled state. She jogged along steadily on the track, huffing and puffing in the smothering heat. "After the run, you can go to the gym and practice badminton with a partner," the P.E. teacher had said. Oh sure, if I don't melt before I get there, thought Sakura. The thought of the cool gym and whacking birdies with a racquet made her put on an extra burst of speed.
She tripped over something in her way and lurched forward, almost losing her balance. A girl jogged past her, grinning smugly. One of Yumiko's friends, no doubt.
"Oh Syaoran, you're so fast," came a giggly voice from behind her. She listened closely for an answer, but there was none. A good sign. Hopefully, Syaoran had enough sense to stay away from those girls.
A heavy push pitched her forward. It was almost like the encounter on the first day of school, except this time she was in her P.E. clothes, shorts and a T-shirt. And she was already running fast, so this push would knock her to the ground at a force that would almost certainly give her injuries. All this flashed hazily through her mind as she felt the hands push her, always those same people harassing her like this, it was unbearable-
Sakura landed on something soft.
A person. Great, even more embarrassment. She prepared to apologize profusely.
"Are you hurt?" She opened her eyes in surprise. Looking at her with concern, Syaoran was lying on his back, his arms curved around her as though he had been trying to catch her. To protect her.
"I-I'm fine," she stammered, reddening.
He smiled. "I'm glad you're okay. Well, you'd better go. You have a lap to finish."
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Sure. Don't worry about me," he replied, pushing himself up.
"All right then. Um...thanks," she said, and continued her run, trying not to think too much about knocking Syaoran over.
Yes... She was almost done now... Half a lap to go... She heard feet pounding softly behind her, and now they were right next to her. Could it be Syaoran again? She jogged faster, calling back, "You can't beat me!" Suddenly, someone poked her gently in her side, and she stopped in surprise at the feel of it. So it wasn't Syaoran after all. The person surged past her, finishing the lap, and flashed her an innocent grin.
"I beat you," he said, running a hand through his sweat-dampened but still standing spikes.
"Stupid Keichii," she gasped and leaned down to catch her breath, auburn strands falling across her face. Keichii reached down slowly and pulled them aside so he could see her green eyes. She caught her breath, her heartbeat thundering rapidly.
"You don't really mean that, do you?" he said, half-teasing, half-serious. She looked at him for a second and pulled away without realizing it. What was wrong with him touching her hair? They were friends, right? But it just didn't feel comfortable, her mind protested. It wasn't right.
"C'mon Sakura, let's go play badminton," said Keichii.
"Coming," she replied, giving him a weak smile. He was pretty good at racquet sports, after all. They always used to pair up for sports partners. They used to be such good friends, before Meilin, before she told him how she felt. She was just thankful that things were back to normal now.
Following him to the gym, Sakura grabbed a racquet and readied herself for a good game. "Who're we playing today?" she said.
"Yamazaki and his new partner," said Keichii, leading the way to an empty court. "He wanted a rematch, but he's just gonna lose again..." He smiled at her. The two of them were great together since they had played side by side so many times. They could beat almost anyone.
"You're goin' down!" Yamazaki trotted up to the other side of the court and waved his racquet at them to show he was ready. Sakura gasped when she saw who his partner was.
Syaoran.
He looked at her expressionlessly, not seeming very surprised. When she didn't stop gaping at him, he winked quickly and tossed the birdie into the air. He smacked it powerfully, and it flew straight for her.
With a fierce joy, Sakura smashed it back across the court. "Get ready to die!" she called out, grinning.
"I can't believe it. They killed us!" said Keichii, shaking his head. He was walking with Sakura as they headed to lunch.
"It was all Syaoran," she said, smiling to herself. "He's so good! He definitely needs to join the team."
"Oh. Um," he began uncomfortably. "Where are you going for lunch?"
"I've gotta go see Tomoyo perform. Wanna come?" she asked. She didn't really have to say that, since they were already at the stage outside the auditorium. The sound system was set up, and the first person up for the show was practicing piano nervously. Sakura spotted Tomoyo in the back looking very upset, and she struggled through the gathering crowd to her friend.
"You idiot! I let you hold it for two seconds, and you-!" She was positively fuming; the smoke was practically visible pouring from her ears.
Eriol was facing her words and wincing. "I told you, Tomoyo, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lose it on purpose! Please don't kill me!"
"What's going on?" asked Sakura.
"That...that idiot can't find the CD I'm supposed to sing to!" Tomoyo told her, pointing a trembling finger at Eriol. "I swear, I'm going to kill him as soon as I get a chance!"
"Aaaand next up, with her amazing vocal ability, it's Miss Tomoyo Daidouji!"
"Oh my god! Sakura, what am I gonna do?? I really don't want to sing without music!" she whispered.
Eriol went up to her, and she opened her mouth to yell at him. "Calm down, Tomoyo," he said. "I've got it covered. You just get out there and belt your heart out." Clasping her hands in his briefly, he crossed to the piano and sat down with his fingers poised above the keys.
"What in the world is he doing-?" she breathed, going to the microphone stand in the middle of the stage. As soon as she appeared, the crowd erupted into wild cheers. Tomoyo was well known for singing, and even separating from the popular girls' group hadn't fazed her popularity with the fans. Smiling calmly but still quivering with uncertainty on the inside, she tentatively hummed a few notes from the opening.
At once, Eriol began to play. It was the exact same background music for the song, except sweeter somehow all in piano. And the realization that someone was actually up there with her holding the same notes inside his mind drove all her fear away. She didn't even have time to wonder why or how he knew that song, only that it was time for her to sing.
Haruka na hoshizora ni
yume wa mada miemasu ka?
Osanai ano hi yori
azayaka desu ka?
Can you still see your dreams
in the distant, starry sky?
Are they more vivid
than they were when you were little?
Mune ni afurete
tsunoru omoi
nemuri wasurete
jounetsu no iro...
When one forgets to put
the emotions that overflow in her heart
to rest, they burn the color of passion.
Tatoe tookute mo
kitto tadoritsukeru
tsuyoku shinjite'ta
ano hi no watashi ga
ima mo kokoro de nemutte-iru
I used to believe without a doubt
that I could reach my dreams,
no matter how far off they were.
But that me from long ago
now sleeps inside my heart.
She finished the first chorus and glanced at Eriol. Nodding as he played, he gave her a smile. Yes. They could do it. Letting the clear piano music wash over her, she brought up the words that went with it.
GARASU no bara yori mo
hakanakute moroi no ni
yume miru koto wa naze
sadame na no deshou
Dreams are more fragile and fleeting
than a glass rose,
so then why
are we destined to dream?
Futatsu no yume ga
ai ni natte
ai ni narenai koto mo atte
Sometimes two dreams
can turn into love,
but there are also times when they can't.
Hito wa hitori da to
wakariaitai no ni
nante muzukashii
kotoba wa muryoku de
toki ni wa gin no NAIFU ni naru
Even when they're alone,
people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard.
Words are powerless
to express one's feelings,
and sometimes they become a silver knife.
Tatoe tookute mo
kitto tadoritsukeru
tsuyoku shinjite'ta
ano hi no watashi ga
ima mo kokoro de nemutte-iru
Tomoyo let the last word hang in the air for a moment, blending perfectly with the piano's last notes. And then they were finished. It was over.
The applause was deafening, and it didn't show any signs of letting up anytime soon. "Thank you," she said into the microphone, and she looked around for Sakura. There she was, scrambling toward her, arms open for a hug of congratulations. Tomoyo grinned and opened her arms wide.
"Sakura! I did it!" she cried, laughing with relief. It was then that she noticed that the shoulder her head was leaning against was way too broad to be Sakura's.
"Yup, you did it," said Eriol's voice. "And you were absolutely beautiful."
Nope. Definitely not Sakura.
"Eriol, why do you have a hand mark on your face?" Sakura asked after school as the four of them walked home.
Groaning, he touched his cheek gingerly. "Don't even ask," he mumbled injuredly. "I helped her, and she wouldn't even give me some thanks in return..." He stuck out his tongue at Tomoyo, who glared at him in return.
"H-hey, what exactly did you try to do to her?" said Sakura, rushing quickly to defend her friend.
"Nothing! I didn't do anything! And what are you laughing about? Some friend you are!"
Syaoran was grinning widely. "He tried to hug her. You should have seen his face when she hit him," he said to Sakura.
"Oh, is that all?" Trying hard not to laugh at the image Syaoran had conjured up in her mind, she turned to Tomoyo. "Maybe you shouldn't have been so...so..."
"Violent," Eriol offered.
"-er...yea, that," she said. "I mean, he was nice enough to play that song for you."
"No, it was probably all rigged! I'll bet you anything he somehow found out what song I was going to sing ahead of time and got the sheet music, memorized it, and lost my CD on purpose just so he could go up there and play!"
"Ouch...she's on to me!" Eriol winced, unzipping his backpack and pulling out the CD. Glaring, Tomoyo snatched it from his hand and stalked away.
"Tomoyo, where are you going?" Sakura called after her.
"I'm calling to have someone pick me up so I can go home!"
"Tomoyo, go out with me tomorrow!" Eriol shouted.
"I'm busy tomorrow! And even if I did have free time, I'd never go out with a perverted idiot like you!"
"Well, it was worth a try," he sighed. Turning around, he saw Syaoran and Sakura clutching their sides with laughter. "Hey! Shut up already! What's so funny??"
*A/N- The song Tomoyo was singing is called "Scarlet" (or "Suka-retto" in Japanese) the opening song from Ayashi no Ceres. Listen to it if you haven't before!
Again, thanks for all the reviews! While you're waiting for the next chapter to come out, go take a look at my other CCS story, "Dance With Me"! It's not as long and detailed as this one, but I think it's sweet. ^_^
Review, and the next chapter shall magically appear –POOF!- before your eyes!