A/N: Hi everyone : ) This is the second chapter for Tears of a Fallen Angel... It doesn't reveal much about the reason behind the title, but I left a clue : ) I do hope you'll review and try to guess what was the clue I left here. Thank you for every one who read it, whether you reviewed or not. I still appreciate people who stopped by to check it out. : )
Chapter 2
Things didn't seem to change at all. And she missed Syaoran even more especially hearing about the cultural festival they're having brought to mind the last card they had to battle and the day she declared she love him. It was a bittersweet memory that makes her long for the days that her primary concern was to get to the next level. But now, everything is different. Pretty soon she'd have to choose, and without any clear idea what she wanted, she's sitting on a time bomb.
"Sakura-chan, perhaps it'll be best if you try to keep yourself busy." Tomoyo said in concern. She had received a letter from Mei Ling detailing the cultural festival over there and the play they're putting up for their class presentation. It didn't take her long to figure out the reason behind the sigh. Plays have that effect on Sakura ever since Tomoeda's Nadesico Festival that ended up with almost the whole city obliterated by the sealed card.
"Like what? Cheerleading wouldn't be undergoing practice for awhile and so is track and field." Sakura blurted out more harshly that she intended. Seeing the look on Tomoyo's face, she quickly apologized. "I'm sorry Tomoyo-chan. I didn't know where that came from. I guess I'm just under stressed right now."
"It's okay Sakura-chan. Think about it like this, we could prepare early for our own cultural festival and invite Syaoran and Mei Ling back here to Tomoeda so they can see it for themselves." Tomoyo suggested hopefully.
"That would be nice. But our cultural festival won't be until the next month." Sakura pointed out.
"Yes. The more reason we should work on it early to make it even grander. Come on." Tomoyo pulled Sakura to her feet and made her way back to the classroom, her mind formulating something that would hopefully solved whatever was bothering Sakura.
"Hey Syaoran, I just received a letter from Tomoyo. She's inviting us over to Tomoeda for their cultural festival. She said she has a surprise waiting for us." Mei Ling walked in to Syaoran's room in puzzlement. "Whatever could she mean, and sending an invitation a month early? Hmm… something must be wrong. Hey Syaoran?" Mei Ling finally looked up from her musings to find that there's no one in the room. "Now where could he have gone this late at night?"
Syaoran threw out a mid air kick, landing fluidly on his feet, sweat flying whichever way. He had been out training every night since they started practicing for the play. It was getting harder to concentrate on his studies and his daily life since all he can think about is Sakura.
Her last letter to him lacked the same cheerfulness he had grown accustomed to and it's eating at his insides, not being there with her, not knowing what's bothering her.
He did a round-house kick, the whistling of the wind reverberating in the quiet of the night. His breathing ragged, he set himself down on the floor, uncaring of the dirt that clung to his track pants. He just wanted to be back in Tomoeda.
After some time, he stood up and brushed the dirt away as much as possible and strode back to the house. Checking the time on the clock in the hallway, he reached for the phone and dialed.
The phone ringing brought her back from her depressing thoughts. Cheerfully, Sakura picked up the phone expecting it to be Tomoyo, and was pleasantly surprised to hear a male voice greet her hello.
Taking the cordless with her, Sakura sank gratefully on herbed, her lower lip trembling slightly as a rush of emotions took over with just one word from Syaoran.
"Hi!" Sakura managed breathlessly.
"God, how I missed hearing your voice." was the agonized reply.
"Well, you could call more often or we could do as Tomoyo suggested and send each other video letters." Sakura teased cheerfully, and then her tone turned wistful. "I missed you too and I can't wait for the summer vacation when you'll be back here in Tomoeda."
"Me, too." Syaoran softly breathed through the phone. "So how are things there?"
"Everything's fine. Tomoyo was bugging me about starting on our presentation for the cultural festival early. She seemed excited after hearing about the play you guys are doing." At this her voice caught.
"Sakura? Are you okay?" Syaoran's concern could be heard clearly over the crackling of the connection.
"Yes." She sniffled. "I just remembered the last play we did together. Do you remember how troublesome the practices were with the sealed card playing havoc? And the performance, we never did get to finish it."
"Yes, we never did." Syaoran's tone turned softer, recalling how that day ended. Sakura taking a running jump into his arms while Tomoeda starts getting back to normal. "And I'm glad we never did, I get to hear you say you love me from the bottom of your heart and not just from the script."
He smiled hearing her soft giggle at the end of the line. He knew that at least for the moment, she's all right, that she's not under enough stress that she wouldn't be able to hold herself together. They chatted for a bit more, Sakura's voice taking on an animated tone with each passing minute.
At the end of their conversation, Syaoran felt more at peace. Suddenly, recalling a painting he saw in a shop downtown, he decided. "Hey Sakura, I'll be sending a package for you, I hope you'll like it."
"Eh? What is it?"
Syaoran chuckled at her excitement, "You'll see. It's something I saw that reminded me of you."
"Hmm? What could it possibly be?" her puzzlement clear through the increase in static.
"You'll just have to wait and see." Syaoran couldn't help the smile that could be heard in his voice. He got Sakura back to her cheerful self. "Listen, I have to hang up know since the connection is getting haywire. I'll see you soon hopefully. I love you." The words kept getting easier to say and less embarrassing to admit.
"I love you, too." Sakura said softly. "Oyasumi, Syaoran-kun."