Day 4: Hurt Feelings

Eriol snored, hugging his pink bear while he slept in the back of the limo. The driver was his friend, but apparently he didn't like him enough to carry him into the hotel and put him to bed. Either that, or he didn't have the strength.

Drool trailed out of the side of his mouth as it often did when he slept alone and left a wet spot on the bear's arm.

A tap on the window sent him into a frenzy as he flew up onto his arms and looked around in a panic.

The one at the window was Syaoran.

Eriol, not even bothering to wipe the drool off his face or move his hair out of his eyes, crawled over to the window and rolled it down. "Morning," Syaoran said.

"Hey," Eriol said, lifting up his hand.

"Why are you sleeping in the car?"

"Beats me. Guess I fell asleep after dropping Tomoyo off last night."

Syaoran leaned on the window frame, peering in at Eriol.

Eriol leaned back against his seat and smiled. "It was lots of fun. We went to an amusement park. She made me ride a roller coaster which wasn't so great, but then we rode the Tilt-O-Whirl and played Cowboys and Indians on the carousel, and-"

"Sounds like you enjoy spending time with her," Syaoran said, a smirk playing on his lips.

"She's fun," Eriol replied, grinning. "I feel like I can tell her anything."

"Anything?" Syaoran played, his eyes lighting up mischievously.

"Well, stuff I don't trust you with anyways," Eriol responded, staring at his fingernails. Syaoran's head fell down on the window frame, but he managed to lift it up again before Eriol looked his way.

"You've got a little---" Syaoran mentioned, pointing to his chin.

"Oh," Eriol said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "So, why do you stare at me that way, huh? So what if she's my friend, ah?"

"You seem to be really attracted to her, that's all," Syaoran said.

Eriol exited the car. "I thought we already discussed this yesterday."

"Maybe you're in denial."

"Maybe you're being stupid and looking too far into things, but then that's nothing new," Eriol retorted, glaring at him as he headed in the direction of his hotel room. "You're forgetting, sir, that I've got a bet to win, and if I want to win, I have to turn on the charm a bit."

"So… you're just pretending to be in love with her so she'll lose?" Syaoran asked, looking a bit outraged.

Eriol didn't respond as he entered the hotel and let the glass doors shut behind him. Syaoran thought for a moment to follow him but decided that he was too tired to argue and complain with Eriol. Eriol usually won those kind of things anyways.

-

Tomoyo had fully dressed in a white, short-sleeved button-down, black hoop skirt, and black sandals. She'd pinned her hair up in a bun with little strands of it hanging around her ears.

She opened the door on the second ring of the doorbell, and Eriol stood there, beaming his usual Cheshire Cat grin. He'd put on a white button down with a black coat and matching slacks. She was worried they'd look related.

"Shall we go?" He asked, not realizing the similarities. "We can eat breakfast wherever you want."

"Okay," She responded simply.

-

The silent car ride there was driving her insane. He wouldn't speak, and therefore, she was forced to think. Her wandering eyes kept glancing at certain parts of him, like his long hair that was in need of being cut, those deep, intriguing eyes, that little part of his chest that showed where his shirt wasn't buttoned…

He of course was thinking as well, but for once in his life not about a woman's body. His thoughts were hanging on the words Syaoran had been saying to him not two hours ago that morning. It seemed his brain had wrapped around them and wouldn't let go.

Tomoyo looked down at her hands in her lap to prevent watching him again, but that was when she began thinking other thoughts like, I wonder what his skin feels like and He has such a beautiful face. She kept mentally slapping herself, but that side of her wouldn't give in. That mental her must have enjoyed the pain, the little witch!

Eriol saw her battling herself a little too visually in her eyes and calmly said, "Um, Tomoyo?"

"MASOCHIST!" She screeched, then turned red in embarrassment.

Eriol raised his eyebrow and smiled. "Actually no. Where'd you hear that?"

"No, I was talking about---" Her blush deepened. "Never mind…"

"We're here," He said simply. "Try not to yell out like that in the restaurant. We can save that for home, dear." He winked, and it was then that she remembered that they were indeed still betting on a winner.

"Humph!" She said, getting out. "Don't call me dear, Hiiragizawa."

"Weren't we on a first name basis for awhile, Miss Tomoyo?" Eriol replied coldly as they walked towards the restaurant.

"Maybe I changed my mind," She responded, glaring at him. I can't let him get a hold on me… I'm too stubborn to lose!

"Apparently," Eriol said. "I thought we were getting along pretty well until you decided to start acting like a bi---ah… I mean, acting this way."

Her glare began to throw daggers at him.

They entered the restaurant. Eriol had a bad feeling about today.

Just when I was making some progress too… Man…

-

"So, ah-" Eriol tried to start up conversation once the meal was half over.

"Don't talk to me."

"What?" He sighed in frustration. "Were you like this with your other boyfriends?"

"You are NOT my boyfriend!" She replied, blushing.

"Ah-" He couldn't believe he'd said that. "I… I didn't mean it that way…"

"Humph."

"So err… tell me about your past relationships," Eriol said, smiling nervously.

"I'll tell you they all sucked, especially the last one."

"How come?"

"He was always so clingy. He wouldn't leave me alone, and I was afraid he was going to start stalking me. He was creepy, okay?"

"Um… okay…" Eriol said, shoving a bite of food in his mouth.

"So… I've been wondering about something…" Tomoyo said, as Eriol lifted his bowl to his mouth.

"Mm."

"Whatever happened to Miss Mizuki?"

He slammed the bowl down on the table, looking rather peeved. It was the first time she'd seen him not looking like his cool, calm self.

"Uh…" She muttered.

"I thought you said you didn't want me to talk to you," He said, closing his eyes and lifting up his tea. He slurped it quickly and slammed the glass down, then proceeded to hurriedly finishing his meal.

Was it something I said? She wondered. Jeez, what's his problem?

She figured she'd never know unless she asked (that was what she'd always been taught anyways) and so she asked, "What's your problem?"

"You know what? Maybe you're my problem, Miss Tomoyo," He replied heatedly, relaying a mocking tone on the word Miss.

She glowered at him. "Well, excuse me for living," Tomoyo retorted.

"You're excused," Eriol responded, sipping his tea.

She smacked the glass out of his hand, it crashing to the floor and causing people to turn and look at them. "Why'd you become like this all of a sudden, huh! You don't have to act so pissed! I just asked you a question!"

"Maybe I didn't want to answer it!" He yelled.

"It was just a simple subject!" Tomoyo yelled back.

"MAYBE!" He screamed, standing. "Certain subjects should not be brought to others' attentions." He panted, staring angrily at her. It was the first time she'd seen that wild look in his eyes.

"Call your driver! I wanna go home!" She cried.

"You can walk home for all I care!" Eriol responded, crossing his arms. "Go ahead and leave."

"I'm going…" She mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes.

Eriol glanced over his shoulder just as she turned to walk away, and he saw what he'd never expected to see…

Tears were streaming down Tomoyo's face.

She was gone before he could say anything.

-

"Admit it. You buh-lew it," Syaoran said, leaning against the wall of Eriol's hotel room.

"Mmph, mrrgh," Eriol said.

"What?"

He lifted his face off the pillow. "I said, I know."

"Oh," Syaoran replied. "Jeez, why'd you have to get so mad? What'd she say?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Apparently," Syaoran said waltzing over to the window. "You really hurt her you know. Sakura says she won't answer the phone."

"That bad, huh?" Eriol muttered, pulling his blanket up closer to his face. He'd felt guilty enough as it was, and now he was feeling even worse if possible.

"Yeah," Syaoran said, lifting a curtain and peeking downward. "Tomoyo's really sensitive. She just puts up a tough front."

"I feel terrible…" He said, covering his head. "Just shoot me."

"I don't have a gun," Syaoran replied, rolling his eyes. "Why don't you just apologize?"

"She won't answer the phone, dip-stick. I doubt she'd answer the door, especially if it was me."

"Then, find some way to make it up to her," Syaoran said, heading towards the door. "If you don't hurry, you'll lose the bet… and her…" He slammed it behind him before Eriol could make a remark.

"I feel like everyone is walking out on me today," Eriol said, plopping down on the bed and running his hand through his bangs. "-Stupid Syaoran… What am I supposed to do!"

-

Tomoyo spent her day at home watching her favorite movies while wearing her pajamas. She was just sobbing over the ending of a tragic romance movie when the phone rang again. "Jeez!" She cried, finally picking it up. "Hello?"

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura cried in relief. "I've been so worried! Why wouldn't you answer?"

"Hello, Sakura-chan…" Tomoyo said. "I err-- was watching movies. I didn't hear it ring."

"Oh, so Eriol didn't actually get to you?"

"Who's Eriol?" She responded flatly.

"-or he did… Hey, how about we go out on the town tonight to make you feel better? We could go clubbing with Yamazaki and Chihiro or-"

"No offense… but I'd rather just chill out here… alone…"

"-but-"

"I'm not really in a people person mood right now so… maybe next week."

"Oh… okay," Sakura responded. "Well, if you change your mind, give me a ring on my cell phone, and I'll come pick you up."

"Right," Tomoyo hung up.

The sky went dark in another hour, and Tomoyo lay on her couch, staring at the ceiling fan while listening to the movie that was playing on the screen.

A knock on the door forced her up. She padded across the room and opened the door a crack. "Listen, Sakura, I-"

"I was requested to give this to you," A young man said, holding out a box with a note on it. Before she could ask about who it was from, the boy zoomed off.

She took it inside and pulled the note off the package, opening it.

Come down to the docks in twenty minutes. Wear this when you get there, and I promise to make it worth the walk. I know how good you look in blue.

She raised her eyebrow and opened the box, then gasped.

Tomoyo pulled the long, royal-blue silk dancing dress out from within. It had spaghetti straps and a split up the left side, and the end of the dress skirt was decorated with black lace in the shape of butterflies and flowers. She stared at in awe for a long time, then decided that the trip down there was already worth the walk. Why she would need it at the docks, she didn't know, but at the moment she didn't care.

She'd been admiring that dress in the store windows for months.

-

She'd tied her hair back in a bun with loose strands dangling down and decorative pins sticking out of if. Her eyes were highlighted with a hint of blue eye-shadow, and her lips had been painted deep red. On her ears she placed sparkling diamond earrings that matched the necklace she wore (Sakura had bought them for her for her birthday two years ago). She even wore royal-blue heels that matched the dress. After all, in an outfit like that, one must go all out.

"What am I doing here?" She asked herself aloud as reality started setting in. It was cold and dark at the docks, and there was nothing there.

-or at least that was what she thought.

"I didn't think you'd come," A familiar voice said as the lights flickered on.

There was a medium-sized boat with a large front deck sitting before her with colorful lanterns hung all around. There was a table and chairs near the edge and a piano on the other side. A man was playing music.

…and then there was Eriol. He had dressed up in a tuxedo with a white jacket and tied his hair back more tightly. He'd even greased back his bangs a bit though the stubborn things still hung in his face some. She hardly recognized him.

"Do you like the dress?" He asked, smiling kindly.

She was too mesmerized by the situation to answer.

"Well, come on up here," Eriol laughed, beaming. "Come here, Tomoyo!"

She slowly headed up to the ship and stepped onto the deck. "Eriol…?"

"You look lovely this evening, Tomoyo," He said, taking her hand, leaning down, and kissing it.

"Wh-what are you doing?…" She breathed, still lost in the moment.

"When I apologize, I like to do it in style," Eriol replied. "Won't you say we're in style?"

"Oh… Yes, yes! Thank you very much!"

"Don't thank me," Eriol said softly, touching her face. "I don't want to win you over by giving you material possessions. I just wanted you to know I didn't mean to hurt you before… I'm just… a bit insecure… Can you forgive me, please?"

"I…" She blushed. "Yes… I… I forgive you, Eriol."

"Splendid," He said. "Now… shall we dance?"

"Um… o-okay…"

They slowly started into a dance, spinning and twirling around. Tomoyo was constantly watching her feet.

Eriol giggled slightly. "Stop watching or you'll never get it!"

"I… I can't help it! I've always been so bad at this!" Tomoyo grumbled.

Eriol stopped and took her chin in his thin fingers. "Here… Look into my eyes…" He lifted her face to look at him.

For a moment, the whole world faded away from both of them. It was just him and her, the sound of the music far from hearing. She couldn't remember where she was or why she was there, but she knew the warmth of his hands on her waist and chin were quite nice, and those deep, intoxicating eyes were locked into hers.

His entire face was serene, in fact. Those eyes… that cute nose… those soft, pink, kissable lips…

Her eyes were half-closed as she moved closer to him, unaware of what she was doing. He seemed a bit surprised by the move but didn't move. Closer… and closer…

She gasped as she was flung back into reality, and just in time too. They were centimeters apart, and he seemed about ready to go too.

She stepped back and walked away. "See you tomorrow," She said quietly, leaving the boat.

He stared after her, flushing deeply.

"Sir… do you need me to go fetch her, sir?" The man at the piano asked.

Eriol walked to the edge of the ship and leaned over the railing. "No… go home… I need to think…"

He saw her quickly fading into the distance.

The heat of her breath near his lips made his entire face tingle. It felt so good, so… right… was that the word for it? He wasn't sure. He didn't care. It was… wonderful.

He let out a contented sigh, then smiled slightly.

The moon hung in the sky, shining large and brightly.

He gasped. "Woah! What's gotten into me!" He exclaimed, slapping himself. "I must be lonely…"

Tomoyo ran towards home, carrying her shoes, bright red in the face. NO! I refuse to fall for his tricks! I refuse to feel that way! She told herself. I won't give in! I won't give in! Eriol will NOT BEAT ME!