Hello, all you lovely people! I have two announcements to make!

Announcement number one: In case some of you didn't notice, this story has reached over 300 reviews! I'm so proud... I never dreamed that this would ever happen! You have all made me so happy!

Announcement number two: I have recieved my first flame for this story. I would have liked to have known who it was, but the person has decided to use an anonomous review. Look, people, if you want to flame me, or any other author for that matter, please actually have the GUTS to give your penname. Because, I assure you, it helps to talk to the flamer so that you can find out exactly what it is that ticked them off about that particular part of the story. I never got an explanation for why this person hated it so much... If you want to read it, it was left by ANGRY PERSON. Oh, and if you're reading this... Well, you will eat your words.

Now, to all of you that gave me nice reviews:

Eternal Starlight, Cherryblossom93, Rebecca, lozipozivanillabean, MzEvilBlossoms, whitewolfox, Starangelxviii, Ridley-Silverlake, Foxy-chan, jennarose120, Susspirino, lilLostKitten, Snow blossom, meep, Marine Brother Shran, Noir Rose, scarlet03, Chloena, daddieslittlestar, ffgirl-07, tammy, meow-mix23, FlowerLover, madcatherine, wIsTfuL-wIsHeR, Kenshoumaru, SxSLova, Synestra, Forest Scion, xxsoulesswriter, Hailey, thereviewergirl, kenshinlover2002, XoXoMoon TribalXoXo, xMysticSecretx, CuteCherryBlossom, StarCrystalMoon (My birthday was on the third, and I just turned 15), cardfreak, M207, SweetAnimeAngelSakrua (REVIEWER 300!) Susspirinho (AGAIN!), and finally kawaii-bunny.

Oh, and the 'Meiling-Naoko' relationship is... Well, it's something that wasn't actually part of the original 'plot'... It was something I thought I'd throw in to see how people would react. To be perfectly honest, I expected more than just one flame for this. Anyway, back on topic! So yeah... it's explained in this chapter!

And now, to the chapter that you have all been so eagerly awaiting!

Chapter 14

Too Far? Maybe... Just Maybe...

Sakura and Tomoyo sat at a table in the food court, talking while waiting for Meiling and Naoko.

"So, what do you think about Meiling and Naoko?" Sakura asked Tomoyo, who seemed to be avoiding their eyes for the whole day. Tomoyo flinched at the question, and suddenly became very interested in the tips of her hair.

"Oh!" She said in a false voice, "Would you look at that? I have split ends!"

"Tomoyo." Sakura warned, "Don't you try to change the subject. I can tell you don't like it. Why?"

"Oh!" Tomoyo gasped, "It's not like that!"

"Then what is it like?" Sakrua probed.

"Well... It's... just..." Tomoyo struggled for words, "It makes me a bit uncomfortable, is all. I mean, I suppose the thing I'm worried about is... Well, what if one of them became attracted to you?" She demanded, "Wouldn't you feel uncomfortable?"

"No." Sakura said, shrugging, "Why? Would it worry you? Is that what this is all about?"

"Of course it worries me!" Tomoyo hissed, "I don't think I could stand it if one of my friends was attracted to me in a... sexual way."

"You mean," Sakrua corrected, "One of your 'galfriends'."

"Well, not really." Tomoyo hissed, "It makes me uncomfortable either way... Guy or girl."

"You're a good actor, Tomoyo, but I can always tell when you're lying." Sakura whispered, as Meiling and Naoko came within earshot.

"Chow Mein for Tomoyo..." Naoko began to separate the food between them, "Calamari rings for Meiling... Salad for Sakura... and hot chips for me!" Everyone laughed at Naoko's obsession over chips. Where ever you went to eat, just sit a plate of chips in front of Naoko, and she was happy.

"So, where is that shop that you guys were talking about?" Meiling asked, as she laughed at Naoko stuff her face like it was her last meal.

"Over there." Sakura pointed to a darkened store a little further down. It had deep purple walls, and shelves full of wierd things. And then there were the regular things, like candles, incense, and... Sakura squinted... birth control?

"Um..." Meiling seemed to spot the same thing that Sakura did, "If they're a wiccan shop, then shouldn't they be selling natural methods of birth control... instead of condoms?

"I think so..." Tomoyo saw it too.

"Heck, maybe they know that they're the only thing worth using." Sakura shrugged, and everyone laughed. This launched a discussion on condoms, versus the Pill, versus vesectomy, versus just not having sex, which caused Naoko to go off her food.

SYAORAN

"Hey, Eroil!" Syaoran waved his friend over, "Come help me with this!"

"What are you doing?" Eroil's eyes glinted suspiciously at the thing in Syaoran's hands.

"Nothing!" He protested innocently, "It's something for my parents! I swear!"

"Sure..." Eroil tried to get a hold of it, "Why would your parents want an..." He got a hold of it, "Anniversary card?"

"It's their anniversary next week." Syaoran sighed, "And since I can't see them in person, 'cause their sick, I was going to give them the card in the mail... but I don't know what to write."

"So you wanted my help with that?" Eroil raised his eyebrow.

"Actually, no." Syaoran laughed, "That's something I think I should ask a girl about... Guys are no good at feelings... Well, when writing them down..."

"Anyway." Eroil chuckled, "What do you want help with?"

"I was wondering if you could help me with some decorations for Sakrua's party." Syaoran said, "Tomoyo asked me to help, and I figured that I might as well ask you."

"But what if Sakura finds out?" Eroil asked.

"Well, Tomoyo, Meiling, and Naoko have, um... Created a distraction..."

"Oh, you mean the Meiling-Naoko trick?" Eroil chuckled again, and Syaoran looked perplexed, "I can't believe they actually agreed to it! I mean, I know that Meiling 'swings both ways', but I never expected Naoko to do it."

"Wait a second, so you mean that what just happened out there..." Syaoran was shocked, "They were just acting?"

"Yeah..." Eroil stared at him like he was an idiot, "Didn't you know?"

"No..." Syaoran was more than just a little bit surprised. It looked as if his cousin could get that acting job she wanted so badly...

"Yeah, well, we all know that Meiling..." Eroil stopped himself, "You know... And Meiling and Naoko agreed to help Tomoyo and I get Sakura out of the house. So we came up with that. I thought one of them was going to tell you about it."

"I was obviously not supposed to know that it was only a ruse." Syaoran was a little peeved now, "And what do you mean, you knew about Meiling being like that? Did she tell you?" Eroil nodded, and Syaoran became more than just a little pissed off.

"Anyway," Eroil said quickly, sensing danger, "Tomoyo asked you about decorations? I thought Tomoyo and Meiling got them all before... during the school term?"

"Yeah." Syaoran nodded, "But she said that we have to put some finshing touches on a few of them. Like, the banners and stuff."

"Oh." Eroil's eyes widened in understanding, "Right. Come on, then."

Syaoran and Eroil meandered down the hallway, and into a room that Syaoran had always thought was locked. It was a rather large room, and it had party decorations strewn about the place. There were little bags of sweets and other little knick-knacks thrown haphazardly in all corners of the room.

Syaoran looked around, and smirked. This was going to be some party. He could see all the trouble that Tomoyo, Eroil and Meiling had gone to...

Well, it was Sakura's sixteenth birthday.

"You guys went a bit overboard, I think." Syaoran said, anyway. He picked up a bag, and rumaged through it. There were all sorts of sweets, like butterscotch lollies, 'party jellies', and chocolates. Eroil took the bag off him, and dumped it back into the pile with the other bags.

"It's a big deal." Eroil pointed out, "'Sweet Sixteenth'. Tomoyo wouldn't shut up about it, so I just chucked everything in the cart to shut her up... I swear," He shook her head, "Sometimes, I don't know how I put up with that girl."

Syaoran was about to ask why he just didn't break up with her, then, but thought better of it. He saw the way that Tomoyo and Eroil were, when they were together. They lived for each other. Syaoran sighed, wishing that he could have that kind of relationship with Sakura.

Syaoran realised what he was thinking, and slapped himself in the face. Sakura wasn't interested in him. That much he knew. He sighed, and looked at Eroil, who had a strange look on his face.

"What did you slap yourself for?" He inquired, wearing a bemused look on his face. Syaoran brought back his infamous 'fatal death glare of doom',which he only ever reserved for two people. Eroil, and Sakura. Neither of which recieved it very often anymore. Eroil recognised the danger signs, and put his hands up in surrender. They went on in silence, painting banners, and things like that. After a few minutes, Eroil decided that he was going to bring up a very touchy subject with Syaoran.

"So, how've things been going with Sakura?" Eroil wore a very sly look on his face, "Tomoyo's been bugging me to ask you about it, since Sakura won't tell her much anymore."

"Nothing's been going on." Syaoran answered quickly. He turned away so that Eroil would not see the blush that came to his face, and busied himself with curling ribbons. It was not the best of things to do, but it occupied him.

"Really?" Eroil was not giving up, "'Cause it seems that the two of you are a little..." He paused for effect, "Closer." He finally settled on.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Syaoran's head snapped back to look at him. He wasn't angry... he was surprised and worried.

"Well, you honestly think Tomoyo hasn't shown me that tape from the other day." Eroil smirked. Syaoran was the colour of a tomato now.

"So?" He choked out, "It didn't mean anything. I did it to shut her up. She was blubbering all over the place." Okay... so he was lying...

"Sure." Eroil taunted, walking out the door, "I've never seen you look so weak before."

That was it. Syaoran snapped, and lunged at Eroil. The two of them fell through the doorway, into the main hall, and Eroil was slammed against the wall, the collar of his shirt balled up in Syaoran's fist, feet dangling in the air as Syaoran raised him two inches to look him in the eye.

"Take it back." Syaoran growled, lowly and dangerously. Eroil snickered, instead of being terrified, like any other normal person.

"You wouldn't dare." He challenged. His eyes widened as Syaoran's grip tightened around his neck. Neither of them heard the front door open or close. All either of them knew was Tomoyo and Sakrua shrieking, and Meiling and Naoko pulling Syaoran off of Eroil.

Eroil gasped in much needed air, and Takashi and Chiharu raced inside to see what all the noise was about. Their eyes widened as they saw the scene in front of them.

Eroil was leaning heavilly against Tomoyo, gasping, and Meiling, Naoko and Sakura were forcing Syaoran into another room. Syaoran tried to struggle, but adding Sakura to Meiling and Naoko seemed to calm him an itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny-itty-bitty little bit. He just tried to avoid her. He still struggled, red face from anger, to get away from the other two.

Takashi leapt into it, helping the girls shove Syaoran inside, and locked the door. Meiling winced as she heard a crash on the other side of the door. Whatever that crash was, it sounded expensive.

"What happened?" Sakura's tongue was the first to become unglued from the shock.

"I pushed him too far." Eroil said, now breathing normally, though still a little red in the face, "I should have known when to stop." There was a slam from the room that they had locked Syaoran was in, and Naoko opened the door a sliver.

"He's gone!" She gasped. They were just getting to the doot to go out to find him, when Meiling yelled out to them.

"Just let him go!" She ordered, "He needs to let off some steam. He'll be back." Everyone looked at each other uneasily, but decided to listen to her. After all, she knew him better than any of them.

They all went their separate ways, wondering just what the hell had gone on.

So? They pulled the woll over Sakrua's eyes pretty well! Imagine her reaction! (giggle)This is another of those 'things' that will drive all of the characters 'over the edge'... Mwahahahahahaha!

ONE MORE NIGHT TO SAKURA'S BIRTHDAY!

Sigh... I had trouble with this chapter, so I won't be offended of you think it sucks... It's all too much stress for me... I have exams in the very near future...

Oh, and since my exams are coming up next week... I might not have time to write... But I will not consider it until I get 20 reviews! When I get 20 reviews, you just have to sit back and wait. Time will tell...