Chapter 3: Under the Tree

As Tomoyo and Eriol walked towards the school lawn to have their lunch, Tomoyo recalled Eriol's first day at school.

"Class, you have a new classmate," the teacher said.

The whole class buzzed with excitement.

"I hope you can make him comfortable during his stay here, I understand he was from England."

From England? Tomoyo and Sakura looked at each other. Could it be…

"Eriol Hiiragizawa, your new classmate," the teacher said. Tomoyo and Sakura's face registered surprise at this unexpected return of Eriol. Li, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes, not looking surprised but as if merely confirming a suspicion.

Tomoyo turned to look at him and saw him looking directly at her with the slightest smile on his face. For a brief moment, their eyes connected. It's like déjà vu. It's exactly the way it happened when he arrived four years ago.

Tomoyo was so sure that any moment now, he would turn away and move toward Sakura and greet her. Just like he did then.

To Tomoyo's surprise, Eriol didn't do any of those things. Instead, he held her gaze and move towards her instead.

"Hi Daidouji," those were Eriol's first words to her.

"Welcome back Hiiragizawa," Tomoyo managed to respond after the initial shock of seeing him again wore off. Tomoyo proceeded to watch him as he took the seat beside her.

"Daidouji, are you all right?" Eriol's voice brought her back to the present.

"Yes, I'm just thinking about something. Sorry, I didn't quite caught what you said," Tomoyo smiled to reassure him that she's just fine.

When they reached the tree where they usually eat their lunch, Tomoyo noticed that Sakura and Li are yet to arrive.

Eriol offered his hand to help Tomoyo to sit down under the tree, Eriol said, "I've been asking you what are the clubs in this school."

"Well, there's the school paper. There's also the photography club, book club, drama club, computer club, debate team, the choir, the cheering squad and of course the varsity."

"What clubs did Li joined?"

"Well, he's the co-captain of the basketball team."

"Li? But he's just a sophomore,"

"Well, it's kind of a long story. On a school festival, to win a bear for Sakura, he beat the five members of the basketball team with great ease, if I might add. The coach saw this as a chance to win again the championship since Touya and Yukito left the school. He offered Li a starting position and the captainship of the basketball team to sweeten the deal."

"Impressive. What are Sakura's and yours are?" Eriol asked.

"Sakura's a member of the drama club and of course the cheering squad."

"How about you?"

Tomoyo has been trying to avoid this turn of conversation. "Well, I'm a member of the choir and…"

"And?" Eriol prompted.

Tomoyo hesitated. "The cheerleading squad," closing her eyes in embarrassment.

Eriol blinked in surprise, and surprise turned to amazement and amazement turned to mirth. He tried to suppress his laughter but in the end, he just couldn't help himself.

At first, Tomoyo tried her best to look offended but just couldn't. Eriol just looked so adorable when he laughs.

"I swear, I'm sorry," he managed to say between laughs. "It's just that you're the last person I imagined to be a cheerleader," he explained when he was able to recover himself. He just couldn't picture the elegant Tomoyo cheer a bunch of sweaty boys chasing after a ball.

"You really should laugh more often, it suits you, even more so than the mysterious air you assume." Not noticing that Eriol flushed. "It's just that between my choir and Sakura's drama club and cheerleading practices, there hasn't been anytime for us to be together, like we used to. Since Sakura already has joined two clubs, I made the choice to join cheerleading since drama club's meetings are at the same time with my choir practices," Tomoyo explained.

"I see," anything Eriol might add to that was cut off as Sakura and Li arrived.

"I'm sorry we kept you waiting," Sakura said.

"No problem Sakura," Tomoyo said cheerfully.

Then, the four friends proceed to eat their lunch.

"Why don't we go to the carnival tomorrow?" suggested Sakura. They are still at 'their tree' and still have twenty minutes of free time.

"That's a good idea, Sakura. You've never been there Eriol, have you? I remember it was opened after you left," said Tomoyo. She yawned. She was still so sleepy. This was her secret admirer's fault, who ever he is.

"It would be nice if we bring Eriol there, don't you agree Syaoran?" drawing Syaoran into the conversation.

Li just grunted in response, glared at Eriol as if this has all been his idea

"It would be nice if we could all go there," Eriol said, smiled at Li's direction.

"Yes it would! We could ride the Ferris wheel, the roller coaster, the carousel, bumper cars, the Pirate Ship, the Disk-O, the Screamin' Swing… Oh Eriol! We're going to have so much fun, we're going to ride all of them!" Sakura said excitedly.

"Except of course the horror train, I never really liked those and Tomoyo doesn't like the Space Shuttle. Tomoyo will you…" she glanced at her friend and was surprised to find her leaning to Eriol's shoulder and sound asleep.

"Is Tomoyo alright?"

His gaze softened as he looked at the girl sleeping on his shoulder and replied, "Yeah, she just didn't get enough sleep last night," all the while not taking his eyes off Tomoyo. Then, in an unconscious gentle gesture, he brushed away the strands of hair that fell on Tomoyo's face.

Not noticing that Li was looking suspiciously at him and Sakura has this goofy grin on her face.

Tomoyo was a member of cheerleading squad? There is a cute scene in the succeeding chapters during cheerleading practice

Also, Tomoyo falling asleep on Eriol's shoulder..Isn't that just adorable? Don't you agree? Let me know.. Thanks for reading!