All in the Game of Love
Oh yeah! Finally got this chapter over and done with! 16th to the collection and hope all of ya enjoy! My end-of-year holidays are here so I'm enjoying like crazy. Today is only the first day so I found the time to update! Yeay!
Anyway, in response to some of the reviews:
To Cony-C.L.O, that was a beautiful song you made up and I know that song! I love it because it sounds so nice and I thank you for brightening up my spirits!
To B0nzb0nzCatz *wink wink*, Ronnie is Veronica Hidesys who sent those men after Tomoyo in the chapter where she got almost taken advantage of. *gaspx* Until Eriol came, that is. =)
To Hyacinth Champagne, Nah, I don't think Eriol has magic in here…Maybe he just carry strong instincts for Tomoyo, eh?
Oh btw, about this issue on Tamara and Sonomi Daidouji, I do know that Tomoyo's mother in the canon series is Sonomi. But I just decided that perhaps Tamara would suit the role of Tomoyo's mother more in here. I hope all of you will not get offended in any ways!
Well, to ALL who reviewed, DOMO ARIGATOU!!! You guys made my day like anything and I hope all of you will continue to stick around and enjoy my ficcie!
As always
Mysterio000
p.s. the almighty one!
*
Tomoyo frowned as she stared at the numerous Math sums that laid before her. Thumbing a pen idly, she leant forward once more to attempt one of the questions. Yet when she thought she had grasped the answer, formulas began whirling in her head and numbers began spinning in her mind.
Nope, she shook her head, there was no way she could finish her homework in an hour's time. She glanced wearily at the stack of worksheets piled up on her desk and let out a sigh. If she knew she had this much homework to come, she would not have absented herself yesterday.
Thank God I'm here today, she said a silent prayer as she returned her attention back to her Math problems. She wouldn't know what would happened if she skipped another day of school. Surely she would not be able to finish her homework even after a month or so.
Tomoyo halted in her work before she broke into a round of sneezes. Several classmates turned her way and she could only managed a forceful smile before continuing her work. Perhaps it was a good thing that she had been isolated at the back of the classroom. She could easily watch everything from that distance and her sharp instincts never failed her observation of what she saw. She knew everything about her classmates and what was going on around the classroom more than anybody else. She knew when somebody cheated in a test, when somebody wanted to skip school the next day, who was going out with whom…
Concentrate! She lectured herself as her brain finally registered on an answer and she quickly scribbled it down. Staring down at the endless Math sums to go, she let out a soft exasperated sigh. There was no way the Math teacher would be compassionate enough to allow her to skip detention class.
She heard the classroom door open and she glanced up immediately, realizing the sound of footsteps were of those she had remembered fondly. Her features lit up instantly as she watched the familiar tall figure entered the room. Biting down a giggle despite the giddiness that still lingered in her head, she noticed that several girls had already began looking his way. It was strange, to say the least, that the presence of one Eriol Hiiragizawa was enough to spell coolness throughout the room.
Sighing for the umpteenth time, she could not help but feel the longing that churned through her heart. She had appreciated the kindness Eriol had shown yesterday but…
Sometimes I wish he would care just a little bit more… Tomoyo thought as she watched Eriol smile in the direction of certain girls. She knew he had no meaning in that gesture and he meant no interest in them but sometimes she really wished that he would smile at her like now.
He hates you, remember? She gazed back down at her homework with lost focus. That conversation back at the fences when they had spoken at night together had made her confused. What was it that he didn't like about her?
She pressed her lips together. Is it because I try to be nice to people? Or is it because I try to be too optimistic sometimes? Once again, she felt the breeze outside the window drifting in and singing through her fingers. Leaning back on her chair, she recalled the promise she had made to herself back in the garden and that she would not fail.
It's alright then…She allowed a small smile to touch her lips. A promise is a promise, isn't it, Cookie boy?
Almost as soon as she had said that, her head pounded again and she grimaced involuntarily. She was still burning up and her cheeks were still flushed from her fever and she hadn't felt any better that her cough was still going on strong. All this, with the amount of homework she still had left, was taking a toll on her.
Unable to keep the poundings under control, she lowered her head onto the desk before encompassing her arms around herself, as if wanting to shield from the world outside. The chatters bubbling around were too much for her to take in this state and just for once, she wished she could shut herself from everything.
Oh please let them go away… Giddiness swept her mind once more, turning her world upside down in its reeling darkness. "Oh please go away, too…" She pleaded softly.
"Tomoyo?"
The deep voice reached her ears as she looked up slowly, forcing a bright smile at the blue-eyed boy who was looking at her with a strange look in his eyes. Was it worry she thought she saw?
"Hello." Amidst the struggle, she managed to keep her tone light and warm although doing so was draining out the every bit of her energy. The tall boy creased his forehead as he took his place at the seat before her. He eyed her carefully before realizing she was still feeling feverish.
"Tomoyo, why are you at school?" He scolded her softly, "You know you're not feeling well. I told you already, if you are feeling unwell, don't come today. Why didn't you listen to me, huh?" With that, he leant forward to place a gentle hand on her forehead, only to recoil with both shock and utter worry.
"Dammit, Tomoyo, you're burning." He stood up instantly, "I'm taking you home."
"No, no!" She looked at him with pleading puppy eyes that she could muster still despite her sickness, "I'm feeling pretty fine."
"Pretty fine!" He scoffed, "Yeah right, and you expect me to believe that crap. Now come on, be a good girl."
"No, please," She clasped her hands together and held them near the chin to emphasize her plead, "I really need to take the Math test today. I'm already missing out on so many schoolwork and I'm afraid I won't be able to finish them if I continue to absent myself."
Eriol paused, deciding that she had a point. After all, the sight on her desk - with the books and worksheets piled up - were already enough to back up her statement.
With a sigh and taking his seat back down before her, he watched as she continued to scribble through her Math sums. He could still recall the events last afternoon when he had taken a trip to her house. Somehow, she had been too tired to stay up the entire day with him and had fallen asleep within less than an hour. Obviously, her condition had weakened more than he had expected.
Looking at her flushed face, he could not help a fist of emotions that punched in his chest as she continued struggling through her homework. At this rate, she wouldn't be finished even when the teacher arrived.
"Tomoyo." He started, picking up the entire pile of worksheets into his hands.
"Hmmm?" She looked up with weary eyes.
"I'll help you finish up all of this." He said as he leant forward to take the Math book from her weak grasp, "I'll return everything to you once I get them over and done with."
"You don't have to do this." She protested, although she knew it would well be a futile attempt when she wanted to advice Eriol against his wishes.
"I know I don't have to do this," He said, his lips curving into a small smile as he turned back to the desk to start hitting the worksheets, "But I want to do so."
"Oh…" Tomoyo's eyes widened slightly with surprise. Had he said what she thought she had heard? Maybe it was a mistake…or not?
"Thank you so much." She said, trying her best to sound cheerful before surrendering to the darkness, laying her head on the desk before falling asleep instantly.
Both were oblivious to the envious and jealous stares that the classmates were giving as the blue-eyed boy breezed through the homework easily and the amethyst-eyed girl slept with peace radiating from her petite figure.
*
"Tomoyo?"
She felt a light tap on her shoulder as she turned her head to look into the marine eyes of Eriol, "What is it?"
"It's break time already. Shall I get something for you to eat?" The crease on his forehead was still there as he looked down at her with concern.
"No…I'm not hungry." She replied. I just want to go home. She couldn't deny that she had done rather badly in her Math test due to her headache and her feverish state. Those algebraic fractions and formulas were swimming in her head every time she had tried to attempt on a question. Needless to say, she wouldn't be very surprised if she was to fail this test.
"Not hungry?" Eriol arched an eyebrow, bending to her height, "Are you sure?"
She shot him a quick, sweet smile, "I'm sure."
He straightened himself, "I'm not convinced. I'll go get a sandwich for you."
"No, it's..." She trailed off for she spoke to no one in particular. He was already gone.
She was about to lay back down on the desk when she heard forced coughing from the front of the classroom. Her eyes looked up to meet several other pairs of fierce, glaring ones. She gulped inwardly as the small gang of female took a few steps closer to her, showing off the red buckets of paint that they held in their hands.
Uh-oh. FEAT. This wasn't good.
She stood up shakily, because of her headache or her fear, she wasn't sure. Whatever it was, she knew she had to get out of here. Fast.
"Hello, sweetie pie. I see your boyfriend isn't here with you." One of the girl who had streaks of red hair down her blonde locks said with an evil giggle.
"That makes the job easier for us then, girls." A brunette stood in the middle which Tomoyo decided that she was the leader of them all. She held up a bucket of red paint which trickled with red drops down the side.
"What…" The amethyst-eyed girl licked her lips to hide her nervousness, "What do you all want?"
Without warning, five of them lunged forward to grab her wrists as Tomoyo let out a yelp. The remaining six stepped towards her desk with triumphant smirk before they upturned the buckets in their hands.
"NO!" Tomoyo shouted amidst the struggle in releasing her grasp from the girls as she watched the red paint splashed all over her desk, down her chair…and staining the pile of worksheets Eriol had completed for her. For her.
"No, please don't!" She knew protesting was useless as she sank to the ground in despair and exasperation. The gang of 11 girls shot honeyed smiles over their shoulders before exiting out of the classroom without another word, leaving the mess of bloody red behind.
"Oh gosh…" Tomoyo cried out as she stared at the sight before her. How was she, one person, to clear it all up before break time was over? Her brain turned numb as her gaze settled upon the homework Eriol had done. Would he be mad at her after all he had done?
Standing on her own two feet with renewed energy, she ignored the headache that unfalteringly coursed through her head. Anger poured into her veins as she headed out of the classroom and down the stairway to seek for those girls. She didn't care if she was the one who got the red paint, she didn't care if she was the one who was outnumbered. They were in the wrong and they should learn. She hadn't committed any mistake, for that she was sure.
She thought she spotted those girls turning at a corner when she heard noisy footsteps approached from behind her. She ignored it at first, but turned only when they grew too persistent and forceful.
Her eyes grew wide at what she saw. Another larger group of girls were heading towards her direction in full force now - and with buckets of water in their hands! Biting down a scream, she pivoted and ran as fast as she could. Anywhere, somewhere! She had to avoid that downpour targeted at her!
Realizing that the toilet cubicle could be the only escape route of hers, she turned and ran into the washroom, only to be pinned onto the wall with painful strength and sharp fingernails that pierced into her skin.
Before she could even scream in pain and agony, the buckets of water emptied at her and the brute force of the waterfall poured onto her skin, soaking her thoroughly as the first chill of its cold slashed at her every cell.
Damn, but the water was freezing.
She held herself close as she began to shiver incessantly, from the cold or the fear she felt awhile ago, she didn't know. Or perhaps, she couldn't tell the difference. Right this instant, she couldn't feel any worst as the poundings of her head now multiplied a few notches more and the fever that now burnt with a heat so intense was making any movement a pain. The cold pricked at her and the shock of it all was killing her.
"I want to go home…" She whispered softly. She thought of the homework now stained with bloody red and the first tear bit at her lashes, fighting to stay at its root. "Eriol would be angry…" She let out a shaky sigh. She couldn't even think that she could still take the fierce lecture of Eriol after what she had gotten herself in. The only thing she wanted now was to go home…where she was free from all this torture and unfriendly treatment. Why had those girls targeted at her? Was it because she was close to Eriol and that it was the sole reason that had led them to feel hatred towards her?
"Tomoyo! Where are you!?"
The deep baritone reached her ears and for once, she dreaded to hear it. Was he going to get angry and yell at her after he saw the mess? If that was so, she didn't think she would want to hear all of that. Looking around, she decided that perhaps hiding in one of the cubicles would help.
That was when she felt a light tap on her shoulder.
Too late.
She willed her eyes to meet those blue ones and the sight of them was enough to cause the tears to spring into her eyes.
"I'm…sorry." She started, not knowing how to interpret the expressionless look that he was giving her.
"Tomoyo…" He silenced her immediately as he looked down at her figure. Emotions like he had never known before surged within him and all he could do was to bring the girl before him into his embrace to quell those rising unexplainable words he had wanted to say. He had walked into the classroom only find her gone and a red mess in place. His skin had turned ashen and fear had awoken within him that instant.
Why?
He had no answer.
"Dammit, Tomoyo." His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he continued to hold her trembling figure. He could feel the iciness of the cold even. "Who did this to you? Tell me, dammit."
"I…I don't know." Her voice sounded tired. "They were girls…A lot of them…" She gave a sigh and drew back, looking into those worried blue orbs, "I'm sorry about the homework."
"Why?" He arched an eyebrow, "You weren't the one who destroyed them."
"I know, I know…" She looked flustered all of a sudden, "But I'm just sorry. I mean, you worked so hard for them and--"
"I breezed through them," He corrected, a lopsided grin touching his features, "And even if you give me another pile, I'll finish them all for you in an hour."
All for you…
She tried a cheerful smile, "You're always such a show-off." She was delightfully surprised that they could still joke at such a time.
"Show-off, yeah whatever. Now back to strict business." Smoke colored his eyes and the grin was taken over by a firm frown, "You said there were a lot of girls?"
Tomoyo nodded.
"And they…" He paused, "Poured those red paint and…the water on you?"
She nodded.
"Oh damn them," He pulled her into his embrace again, "I'm bringing you home."
"No, I--"
"I don't care, alright, Tomoyo? You're shivering, you're cold, you're frightened, you're feverish, you're sick, you're giddy. All this and you dare say you're ok?"
She sighed before allowing a giggle to escape her lips, "I never said I was frightened, Eriol."
He easily lifted her into his arms as if she weighed no more, "Hell, of course I should believe that. My Tomoyo never gets frightened that easily."
His cheeks turned a rosy color as soon as he realized what he had just said. He had called her HIS possession again!
"I guess so." She buried her head in his strong chest as her eyes closed in a tired slumber, "I'm really tired, Eriol…"
"Then I'm taking you home." He whispered those last words before she fell asleep in his arms and was conscious of no more.
*
It is unfair.
Eriol thought bitterly as he slid his hands into his pockets and looked to the scenery outside where the sun was scorching. It was only a few minutes past noon and Shades had yet to be dismissed from school. He recalled how he practically had to slam Mr. Whiteoak's table down to get permission to send Tomoyo home and how he had almost turned the teachers' room into a hell of chaos during the process of convincing Mr.Whiteoak. It hadn't been easy.
It is because of me that she had landed up in this state. He thought as his eyes turned back to the figure that laid nestled in those blue sheets. He had wanted to get her home if not for the explanation he would have to tell Mrs. Daidouji. Because there was nothing good enough he could think of as an excuse, he had decided to bring her over to his house. His father would not be home for another two days so she would be safe here.
He noticed how innocent she looked right now and that certainly, she was not worthy of such treatment. She had done nothing wrong surely, and it was because of him that had landed her in this state.
It was certainly unfair.
His fists clenched. And it was certainly fair that he would get his revenge soon enough. It was time those bitches learn what it was like to deal with a Daidouji…and a Hiiragizawa. They would surely prefer not to try it again.
"Eriol?"
He spun around. Had she awoken already? His question was proved positive as she struggled to sit up on the bed. He rushed forward immediately, helping to place the pillow behind her to ease her posture. He knelt before her, touching her forehead, "Are you feeling better?"
"I guess so." She frowned as she looked around, realizing that the surroundings she had expected to wake up in was definitely not like this. She turned back to Eriol, a light smile touching her lips, "I'm not at home."
He shook his head, "I…I don't know what to tell your mother."
"Oh," She nodded in realization, "It's ok then. I like your room much better."
He found it strange. Surely his room was plain boring, since it was totally blue throughout. Her room was definitely more interesting than this.
"Hmm, it just reminds me of you." She giggled, noticing the question in his eyes.
He felt his heart skipped a few beats and he ignored it, deciding to roll his eyes to cover up the mixed emotions he was feeling this instant, "You seem to recover amazingly quick."
"I don't know. I feel really good now," Her hands shot up to her head, "Although my head still--" She sneezed. And then again.
"Your head still hurts and your cold isn't over yet." He raised his palm to feel for her forehead again. "But your fever is gone already." He stood up to reach for the medicine bottles placed on the desk.
"Eriol," She began, looking down at her humongous shirt she wore that reached almost to the lower part of her thighs. It had a shade of dark blue and there were a few sketchy pictures she couldn't really make out. There was all she wore on the outside except for the clean white socks that her feet had on, "…I'm not wearing my own outfit."
"Oh that," He refused to turn around, not letting her see the pink shades that were staining his cheeks, "Don't worry, I'm not a pervert."
A giggle escaped, "I never said you are."
He sighed, returning back to her side with a tray of medicine placed on it, "I rang up my maidservant to change for you."
"Oh…She works part-time? What's her name?" Tomoyo asked as he fed her the first spoon of the dark liquid that was meant for healing her cough.
"Yeah, she works part-time. Her name is Nakuru. Now will you please stop talking and just drink the goddamn medicine?" He asked, slightly irritated.
"Is this shirt yours?" She asked again, ignoring his previous statement.
He lowered his gaze to eye his shirt on her before he nodded, wary of the heat rushing up his veins. He could deny it all he wanted but she still looked adorable and perfect in his shirt.
Don't go there. He chided himself.
"Go to sleep now," He stood up, putting aside the tray, "I'll be right at the kitchen so if you need anything, just holler."
"Kitchen? Why?" She asked, mischief obvious in those amethyst orbs.
"…Lunch." He walked away to avoid anymore interrogation from the raven-haired girl.
"You cook, Eriol?"
He left the question unanswered as he stepped out from the door and closed it. The events of the past awhile ago rushed through him and he felt the angry arose from deep within once more, churning like a powerful wave that he could not just ignore with a frown.
His fists clenched as he made his way down the stairway.
Those bitches would pay, he vowed silently.
Tonight.
*
OOH!!! I can't believe I made Tomoyo suffer soo much! *sobX* Well, at least we know Eriol care a lot for her! Yay! Three cheers for Eriol! I will love to see him bash some action in the next chapter! Well, till then, stay cool and funky and TaADAA!!
Once again, forgive any mistakes I made, okee?
As always
Mysterio000
p.s. the almighty one!