Reality's Dream
Chapter 1: The Request
'Where is he?' Sakura tapped her foot impatiently on the matted floor glancing at the clock. She was at their usual post school training and Syaoran was late. Even since second they had trained together after school in the small back room of the Wo-lan dojo. She knew this room so well, the fading wood panel walls, the hard carpet floor with a slight springiness, the banners floating down by the one large mirror promising luck and health in beautiful characters. 'He's lucky Sensei isn't here today.' Sakura thought remembering how Sensei Ming's eyebrows would twitch when she stumbled in late to practice. On meditation days though, Sakura and Syaoran worked alone. 'For once he is the one late and not me. So unfair that Sensei is not here. Why am I always the one to get lectured? Must be bad luck.' Sakura grumbled.
Sakura heard the squeak of the door and turned to tirade Syaoran to make up for all the times she suffered the glare of Sensei Ming when she felt herself lifted up. Syaoran had caught her in his arms and began to waltz her round the room. Sakura felt her spirit soar as laughter bubbled up from deep inside. The room spun round and round till both landed in a smiling, giggling heap on a mat.
"Hi." Syaoran managed through his heavy breathing, his creamy brown eyes shining.
"Well hello to you too." Sakura smiled. She loved it when Syaoran was so exuberant. Those times when his mask fell away and instinct took over. He acted on feeling and impulse not on thought. It was pure and natural. "Had a good day perhaps?" She teased.
Syaoran felt his smile widen at the reminder. The joy he had felt all day had finally burst through when he had seen Sakura standing before him. All of school he had bottled it up, hiding it away until he could share it with her, his best friend.
The two teens slowly began to pull themselves off the floor as Sakura questioned, "So why were you late?"
"I was helping Tomoyo. Her car wouldn't start so I attached my battery to hers to give it a jump." Syaoran replied. And with that simple and innocent answer Sakura felt reality come crashing back in as the events of the day worked their way into her mind. She had gone through the quite human experience of denial and had pushed it from her thoughts. She had successfully avoided Tomoyo but had not been quite as lucky with Syaoran considering how many of her classes he was in. But she had survived the pain by ignoring it. Now it rose up inside her, a burning ache kindling in her heart.
Sakura merely nodded her head and turned her face away unable to look him in the eye for fear she would give herself away.
"Uhhhh Sakura…" Syaoran began his voice a little hesitant. 'Did he see?' Her mind panicked thinking he had guessed her true feelings. But Sakura was in for a bigger shock. "Could I ask you a favor?"
"Of course you can. You know you never even have to ask. I'll always be there for you." Sakura said stating the truth. No matter how much it could hurt to be near him she would never abandon him.
"Well I was wondering if you could go on my date with Tomoyo."
Sakura whipped around eyes wide trying to comprehend his meaning. 'Maybe I hit my head when we fell to the floor because I could swear I just heard him ask me to go on his date.'
Seeing her confused expression Syaoran elaborated, "I'm kinda hoping you could do the moral support thing again. You know be my wing man in case I screw up."
Sit there on their date watching her love and her best friend make goo goo eyes at one another, hold hands, maybe even ki… Sakura shook the hurtful images from her mind trying to come up with a reasonable excuse to trade in for the real one. "Syaoran don't you think that would be a little awkward. I'd be a third wheel. Hardly romantic. And remember Tomoyo is a romance fanatic." Sakura said thinking of how Tomoyo could go on for hours about heroes and heroines in her romance novels.
"Please Sakura." Syaoran begged. Sakura could feel her resolve breaking at her friend's apparent need. How could she ever say no to him? Sensing defeat in reach he added in, "Besides you could bring someone. That way it would be a square not a triangle. You wouldn't feel alone."
"…"
"Please Sakura." Syaoran whispered as he leaned in closer staring into her emerald eyes. Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat, her heart pounding merely from his closeness. Meekly she nodded her compliance.
"Thank you." Syaoran cheered hugging her quickly before running to the CD player to start some relaxation music before meditation. 'Sure,' Sakura thought, 'What are friends for?'
The two sat down crossed legged slowing their breath and clearing their minds. Sakura struggled with this task but for some reason despite the event of the day Syaoran had no trouble at all.