Heyy :) guy and gals I know I was supposed to update a long time ago and all I can say is that with school starting and everything that has happened I had not had the time to fix this part and post it. But please read and review and I hope you enjoy it and I want to thank everyone that has stayed with me, there is only one more chapter to go so lets get through this. Yay! and again Thank you all!

Our Sweet Secret

Chapter 12: I love you pt.1

The moon pierced through the shutters lighting up the room. A girl laid in her bed, sobs wracking her small frame. It hurt to think of what she had to do, but she had to. It was for the best, for him. He deserved better, it was his dream and she refused to be an obstacle. She had promised herself that since the moment she fell in love with him. Sakuno knew it was just a matter of time before their paths separated but she had expected more time. It was too soon and their time together had been too short.

In another room across the town lay another confused boy, well more like irritated "What does he have that I don't? Why can't it be me?" he asked himself in frustration, "I deserve her love, not that ungrateful brat." Takumi lay in his bed reminiscing the past few days and how everything had blown out of proportion. He had expected to ask out Sakuno and they would have dated. She was cute, smart and kind so who wouldn't want to date her. But he never expected her to have any sort of relationship with the so called prince of tennis. Before his thoughts turned any more sour his phone began ringing. "Hello" "uhm... is this Takumi?"asked a meek voice. "Yeah who is this?" "Its me Sakuno" "Oh hey Sakuno-chan what's up? " his voice immediately changing into a more friendly voice. "Uhmm.. Takumi-kun there is something I need help with, its about my relationship with Ryoma but please you must keep it a secret."

The next morning Ryoma woke up extra early to pick up Sakuno, he was worried that she was still upset from the sudden new of last night. As he arrived at Sakuno's house he noticed another figure standing by her front gate. As he arrived closer he noticed who he was, "Takumi what the hell are you doing here?" Takumi turned and sneered at him, "I don't have any reason to answer you Echizen but if you want to know so badly," he paused building up the suspense, "I came to pick up my girlfriend. The real question is why are you here?" Enraged at Takumi's taunt Ryoma was about to question him when Sakuno came out. "Hey," she smiled brightly towards Takumi completely ignoring Ryoma's presence. "Let's go or we will be late." She grabbed Takumi's hand and walked away leaving a dumbfounded Ryoma on the sidewalk.

At school Ryoma desperately tried to speak with Sakuno but at every chance she would slither away, avoiding him like the plague. All through the day he was not able to catch her and demand answers for her behavior and whenever he was close to her that damn Takumi would drag her away. 'Was she mad? Does she truly not feel the same as me,' he worried that his actions had brought her cold attitude, 'Did she hate him now?' All these thoughts went through his mind, all day he could not concentrate on anything but Sakuno's cold and far away eyes whenever he caught her glance and before he knew it he was in tennis practice.

Slam- "oww" yelped Ryoma as a ball slapped his face. "What the hell Momo-senpai?" "What the hell you Echizen. What is wrong, your head is not in the game" But Ryoma did not answer instead lowered his gaze, and Momo understood. "Oh I see is it because of Sakuno-chan. Did she break up with you?" "What!? No" said Ryoma not completely sure himself. 'Had Sakuno dumped him just like that.' "Yeah then why is she with that Takumi guy" answered Momo-sempai pointing toward a tree by the tennis court entrance. Ryoma looked up towards where Momo was pointing and saw Takumi too close to Sakuno and all he saw was red. "Hey wait up practice is not over yet! " screamed Momo, concerned at Ryoma's explosive temper. He took one last look at Echizen's retreating figure before going off to look for his sempai, things were going to get ugly, real ugly real fast.

Takumi was tucking Sakuno's stray hair behind her ear when a hand gripped his wrist. With a slight wince he turned around and was face to face with an enraged Ryoma, "Get your filthy hand off her, before I break it." Sakuno was more than shocked at Ryoma's presence and especially at his rage. "Ryoma please stop" said Sakuno, but Ryoma only grasped Takumi's wrist tighter, "Let her go". With no other choice but to concede Takumi let her go and as soon as there was enough space between Takumi and Sakuno, Ryoma punched Takumi in the jaw knocking him down. Sakuno worried ran towards him but Ryoma grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her towards the locker rooms, "Let me go Ryoma, you're hurting me." But her protest fell on deaf ears, the tennis team was still in the courts and some of the sempais had gone to help the unconscious Takumi.

Ryoma dragged Sakuno into the locker rooms and locked the door blocking her path to escape and finally let her go. There were tears staining her cheeks and he could see the red mark that his hands had left on her arms and a wave of guilt overwhelmed him. The last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her but he needed to know why she was acting this way. "Ryoma open the door" "Not until we talk. Why are you acting like this? Is it my fault? If you don't want me to go I'll stay... just please don't do this to me" Sakuno heard his pleas and realised it was already too late, she had already messed with his future, and this realization caused her to fall to the ground and she began to sob. Ryoma was dumbfounded and although his mind was filled with question he acted on instinct and wrapped his arm around her shaking frame. After she somewhat calmed down he pulled back and showered her tear streaked face with soft kisses, "Please look at me Sakuno" and at his pleading voice she turned her eyes towards him and everything else disappeared. There was nothing more than raw emotion in those eyes, confusion and sadness but most of all love, love that he felt for the doe-eyed girl. In that instant Sakuno saw her mistake, "Im sorry" said Sakuno in between a new wave of tears. "Shh Sakuno its ok it does not matter I love you" "I love you too" and they held each other as Ryoma brought his lips to hers.