|
rlm@2
|
1 First Date
|
|
rlm@2
|
2 A Tomoyo and Sakura story
|
|
rlm@2
|
3 by G. P.
|
|
rlm@2
|
4
|
|
rlm@2
|
5 Comments can be sent to the author at: treeandleaf2002@yahoo.com
|
|
rlm@2
|
6
|
|
rlm@2
|
7 Note: This story is s part of a series, but does not have to be read
|
|
rlm@2
|
8 consecutively. The first story was, "Love is the Crooked Thing".
|
|
rlm@2
|
9
|
|
rlm@2
|
10
|
|
rlm@2
|
11 That first night Sakura only just barely got to sleep before the sun
|
|
rlm@2
|
12 rose. Thank goodness for Sundays with nothing to do! But sleep ended
|
|
rlm@2
|
13 early with pounding at the door and a terrible voice bellowing,
|
|
rlm@2
|
14 "Monster! Phone call!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
15
|
|
rlm@2
|
16 "Ehhhhhh.....?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
17
|
|
rlm@2
|
18 Sakura staggered out of bed, blinking blearily at the alarm clock.
|
|
rlm@2
|
19
|
|
rlm@2
|
20 "Hoooeeeeee! I'm late!" In a mad dash, Sakura threw on her uniform
|
|
rlm@2
|
21 and rushed down the stairs to breakfast. Except, instead of a hot,
|
|
rlm@2
|
22 steaming meal, there was an empty table. There sat her dreadful
|
|
rlm@2
|
23 brother, calmly sipping coffee. Sakura shot a glance at the schedule
|
|
rlm@2
|
24 board, nervously thinking,
|
|
rlm@2
|
25
|
|
rlm@2
|
26 "Was I supposed to make breakfast?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
27
|
|
rlm@2
|
28 No, there was Oniichan's name, grrrrrrrr....in a furious windmill of
|
|
rlm@2
|
29 arms and fists, Sakura roared towards her brother, who kept her at
|
|
rlm@2
|
30 arm’s length while regarding her with amused detachment.
|
|
rlm@2
|
31
|
|
rlm@2
|
32 "Where's my breakfast I'm late for school why didn't you wake me up
|
|
rlm@2
|
33 if only I was bigger than you...."
|
|
rlm@2
|
34
|
|
rlm@2
|
35 Touya interrupted her with practiced ease, "Fridge, Sunday, you're
|
|
rlm@2
|
36 not, phone." Sakura froze in mid-flurry, staring at the phone. With a
|
|
rlm@2
|
37 sheepish look, she picked it up,
|
|
rlm@2
|
38
|
|
rlm@2
|
39 "Sakura here".
|
|
rlm@2
|
40
|
|
rlm@2
|
41 "Ohayo, Sakura-chan" The sweet, musical voice of her best friend.
|
|
rlm@2
|
42
|
|
rlm@2
|
43 "Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan!" A pause, and then she remembered- remembered
|
|
rlm@2
|
44 it all: The fortune telling, the maze, the song, Tomoyo....the kiss.
|
|
rlm@2
|
45 Sakura felt a crimson blush on her neck and cheek, as she stood
|
|
rlm@2
|
46 dumbstruck with her mouth open.
|
|
rlm@2
|
47
|
|
rlm@2
|
48 "I thought we might go on a picnic to the park today? Would you like
|
|
rlm@2
|
49 to go, or are you busy with schoolwork and chores?" Tomoyo's bright
|
|
rlm@2
|
50 and sunny voice only made the blush deepen.
|
|
rlm@2
|
51
|
|
rlm@2
|
52 "H-h-h-h-hai", Sakura managed to stutter out.
|
|
rlm@2
|
53
|
|
rlm@2
|
54 "I'll make o-bento. Shall I be there in an hour?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
55
|
|
rlm@2
|
56 "H-h-h-h-hai"
|
|
rlm@2
|
57
|
|
rlm@2
|
58 "Bye-bye, I'll see you soon!"
|
|
rlm@2
|
59
|
|
rlm@2
|
60 "H-h-h-h-hai", replied Sakura to the dial tone. Slowly she put down
|
|
rlm@2
|
61 the phone, closed her mouth, and stared at the floor. Just what had
|
|
rlm@2
|
62 happened the night before? Was it a dream, or had she really *sweat
|
|
rlm@2
|
63 drop* confessed her love to Tomoyo-chan? She staggered back to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
64 bedroom, her mind all awhirl…
|
|
rlm@2
|
65
|
|
rlm@2
|
66 Mechanically Sakura changed out of her uniform and into a yellow
|
|
rlm@2
|
67 blouse and a pleated, light brown skirt. Brushing her red-auburn
|
|
rlm@2
|
68 hair, she struggled to remember. Finally, she plopped on the bed with
|
|
rlm@2
|
69 a sigh and stared at the ceiling until she heard the knocking down
|
|
rlm@2
|
70 below. She rushed down the stairs, beating her brother to the
|
|
rlm@2
|
71 hallway. Nervously she reached for the handle, turned it, and opened
|
|
rlm@2
|
72 the door. There, smiling as always, stood Tomoyo. Dressed in a
|
|
rlm@2
|
73 beautiful, be-ribboned white dress with red trim, picnic basket in
|
|
rlm@2
|
74 hand, Tomoyo bowed and sang out,
|
|
rlm@2
|
75
|
|
rlm@2
|
76 "Ohayo, Sakura-chan".
|
|
rlm@2
|
77
|
|
rlm@2
|
78 "Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan. Oniichan, I'm going to the park with Tomoyo-
|
|
rlm@2
|
79 chan".
|
|
rlm@2
|
80
|
|
rlm@2
|
81 "Don't forget you're cooking dinner tonight- something better than
|
|
rlm@2
|
82 last time, I hope", came the laconic reply.
|
|
rlm@2
|
83
|
|
rlm@2
|
84 Tomoyo covered the giggle with a white glove as Sakura gritted her
|
|
rlm@2
|
85 teeth in impotent rage. Remembering Tomoyo, she suddenly put her hand
|
|
rlm@2
|
86 behind her neck and laughed,
|
|
rlm@2
|
87
|
|
rlm@2
|
88 "Ha-ha-ha...um, should we go now?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
89
|
|
rlm@2
|
90 Tomoyo nodded happily, and the two friends slipped out the door.
|
|
rlm@2
|
91
|
|
rlm@2
|
92 Wordlessly the pair walked to the park, Tomoyo glancing up at the
|
|
rlm@2
|
93 occasional cloud and twittering bird, Sakura staring at the sidewalk,
|
|
rlm@2
|
94 deep in thought. The day was bright and alive, with a cool breeze
|
|
rlm@2
|
95 that whispered of the end of summer. At last they entered the park,
|
|
rlm@2
|
96 where Tomoyo broke the silence,
|
|
rlm@2
|
97
|
|
rlm@2
|
98 "Would you like to eat by the lake? I know a quiet spot under the
|
|
rlm@2
|
99 trees"
|
|
rlm@2
|
100
|
|
rlm@2
|
101 "Yes", nodded Sakura, a little too vigorously.
|
|
rlm@2
|
102
|
|
rlm@2
|
103 Tomoyo opened one of the picnic basket lids and took out a
|
|
rlm@2
|
104 delicately folded orange and brown cloth, decorated with a maple leaf
|
|
rlm@2
|
105 and pumpkin print. With easy grace she spread the cloth on the grass,
|
|
rlm@2
|
106 placed the basket to one side, and sat, legs tucked demurely
|
|
rlm@2
|
107 underneath her. Sakura dropped down quickly, looking at her hands in
|
|
rlm@2
|
108 embarrassment, finally holding them tightly in her lap. She was aware
|
|
rlm@2
|
109 of Tomoyo's lavender eyes regarding her with measured care. Never had
|
|
rlm@2
|
110 Sakura felt so ill at ease with her best friend. Her mind continually
|
|
rlm@2
|
111 wandered to the previous night, or rather, to what she thought she
|
|
rlm@2
|
112 remembered of it. Tomoyo looked on in concern as she set the table
|
|
rlm@2
|
113 with beautiful little white China plates, and delicately filigreed
|
|
rlm@2
|
114 Western silverware. Finally, she smiled and whispered,
|
|
rlm@2
|
115
|
|
rlm@2
|
116 "Sakura-chan, are you all right?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
117
|
|
rlm@2
|
118 Sakura didn't know what to say, so she blushed instead. She had
|
|
rlm@2
|
119 always liked Tomoyo as her best, most special friend. The dark-haired
|
|
rlm@2
|
120 girl was always there for her, someone to talk to, to share
|
|
rlm@2
|
121 adventures with, and to ask for help and advice. For the past month,
|
|
rlm@2
|
122 since learning about Yue, Sakura had been battered by a storm of
|
|
rlm@2
|
123 emotions. Finally, after reading the Clow Cards, she had followed the
|
|
rlm@2
|
124 maze deep within her own heart and, to her surprise and joy, had
|
|
rlm@2
|
125 found Tomoyo within. And last night, they had shared a kiss- a
|
|
rlm@2
|
126 lover's kiss. Her heart burned and ached with the thought of it, her
|
|
rlm@2
|
127 very first.
|
|
rlm@2
|
128
|
|
rlm@2
|
129 But what if it was not the same for Tomoyo? Had Sakura presumed too
|
|
rlm@2
|
130 much? Had she rushed in unbidden and unwelcome? Had she taken from
|
|
rlm@2
|
131 her friend what Tomoyo had been too startled or kind to refuse? She
|
|
rlm@2
|
132 knew now that her friend had professed love a year ago, though Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
133 was too dense to have known it then. Only in the past day had she
|
|
rlm@2
|
134 realized what Tomoyo had tried to tell her. And only now did she know
|
|
rlm@2
|
135 her own heart, overflowing with a fierce, ecstatic love for her
|
|
rlm@2
|
136 friend.
|
|
rlm@2
|
137
|
|
rlm@2
|
138 But what if Tomoyo had changed? What if her love, unrequited for so
|
|
rlm@2
|
139 long, had grown old and faded? What if she loved someone else, still
|
|
rlm@2
|
140 treasuring Sakura as a friend, as someone she liked...but not like
|
|
rlm@2
|
141 that. The auburn-haired girl felt her stomach knot at the very
|
|
rlm@2
|
142 thought. Tomoyo, ever and always kind, would be loath to say that her
|
|
rlm@2
|
143 love was no more. Had she realized Tomoyo's feelings, and her own,
|
|
rlm@2
|
144 too late? Oh, what if she had missed her chance for Tomoyo's love,
|
|
rlm@2
|
145 forever? Sakura clenched her fists tightly, and felt her body tremble
|
|
rlm@2
|
146 with each halting sob.
|
|
rlm@2
|
147
|
|
rlm@2
|
148 Tomoyo looked at her friend in silent agony. Sakura's pain tore at
|
|
rlm@2
|
149 her heart. Nothing was worth this, nothing. She was certain now that
|
|
rlm@2
|
150 Sakura had come to regret her words of last night, but did not know
|
|
rlm@2
|
151 how to take them back gracefully. Gently, Tomoyo took her friend's
|
|
rlm@2
|
152 hands in her own and spoke in an even voice,
|
|
rlm@2
|
153
|
|
rlm@2
|
154 "Sakura-chan...Sakura-chan"
|
|
rlm@2
|
155
|
|
rlm@2
|
156 The Mistress of the Cards turned her tear-stained face away, trying
|
|
rlm@2
|
157 to yank her hands from Tomoyo. But the dark-haired girl had strong,
|
|
rlm@2
|
158 nimble fingers from countless hours of sewing, and held on with a
|
|
rlm@2
|
159 vise-like grip.
|
|
rlm@2
|
160
|
|
rlm@2
|
161 "Sakura-chan, please look at me". When the wet, shimmering green
|
|
rlm@2
|
162 eyes turned to her, Tomoyo nearly stumbled. It had taken hours of
|
|
rlm@2
|
163 torment to fashion the words, and now she hesitated. Had she lived a
|
|
rlm@2
|
164 hundred lifetimes, she never, ever would have thought she could say
|
|
rlm@2
|
165 this. How easy it would be to quietly live her life with Sakura's
|
|
rlm@2
|
166 sweet words ever in her ear, even if she no longer meant them. But
|
|
rlm@2
|
167 what she was going to say now was right, and Tomoyo knew it.
|
|
rlm@2
|
168 Composing herself with the greatest difficulty, she smiled and spoke
|
|
rlm@2
|
169 in a calm, even tone,
|
|
rlm@2
|
170
|
|
rlm@2
|
171 "Sakura-chan, I wanted to speak with you today. I wanted to tell you
|
|
rlm@2
|
172 something, about what you said to me last night". Sakura sat
|
|
rlm@2
|
173 motionless, like a fragile crystal statue. Tomoyo took a deep breath,
|
|
rlm@2
|
174 and continued,
|
|
rlm@2
|
175
|
|
rlm@2
|
176 "Sakura-chan, if you did not...really mean what you said last night,
|
|
rlm@2
|
177 it's all right. I will always like you as a friend, no matter what. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
178 want you to know that".
|
|
rlm@2
|
179
|
|
rlm@2
|
180 Inside her, a voice screamed, "Liar!" It's all right? If Sakura
|
|
rlm@2
|
181 really did not mean what she had said, if she had said, "I love you"
|
|
rlm@2
|
182 out of pity, or kindness, or confusion, it was not "all right"- it
|
|
rlm@2
|
183 was a black agony that Tomoyo dared not face. But better that than
|
|
rlm@2
|
184 her friend, no, her one, true love, should be bound by words she did
|
|
rlm@2
|
185 not mean. Breathing deeply, unburdened by the words that were so hard
|
|
rlm@2
|
186 to speak, Tomoyo looked with a start at Sakura's reaction. Like some
|
|
rlm@2
|
187 terrified animal, Sakura was slowly shaking her head back and forth,
|
|
rlm@2
|
188 a look of utter terror upon her.
|
|
rlm@2
|
189
|
|
rlm@2
|
190 Sakura's ashen face reflected her worst fear: that Tomoyo was gently
|
|
rlm@2
|
191 trying to untie the tangled knot that bound them. She was nearly
|
|
rlm@2
|
192 certain that Tomoyo no longer loved her, but was too kind to hurt her
|
|
rlm@2
|
193 by saying so. Never had she felt such a hopeless despair. She knew
|
|
rlm@2
|
194 she should let it all go, and walk away for Tomoyo's sake. But she
|
|
rlm@2
|
195 could not. Her overpowering love forced her to speak the words she
|
|
rlm@2
|
196 knew were wrong. Choking back a sob, Sakura blurted out,
|
|
rlm@2
|
197
|
|
rlm@2
|
198 "Don't you...Tomoyo-chan, don't you love me?"
|
|
rlm@2
|
199
|
|
rlm@2
|
200 Stunned, Tomoyo stared into Sakura's frantic eyes, felt hands
|
|
rlm@2
|
201 painfully gripping her own, nails digging into her palms. This was
|
|
rlm@2
|
202 not at all what she expected. Now, dancing on the precipice, she felt
|
|
rlm@2
|
203 a breathless, suspended hush, as though all the cosmos listened for
|
|
rlm@2
|
204 her reply. For the first time she sensed the presence of the Clow
|
|
rlm@2
|
205 Cards, watching her and waiting. Blinking back the tears, she gazed
|
|
rlm@2
|
206 into Sakura's emerald eyes and drew a deep, steady breath. She knew
|
|
rlm@2
|
207 she could never lie, even if it was the right thing, even if it was
|
|
rlm@2
|
208 for her beloved's sake. Carefully taking her hand away, she gently
|
|
rlm@2
|
209 brushed back the girl's auburn hair, and tenderly caressed the pale,
|
|
rlm@2
|
210 teary cheeks. With a sweet, soothing voice, Tomoyo spoke,
|
|
rlm@2
|
211
|
|
rlm@2
|
212 "Sakura-chan, I loved you when I first saw you, love you now more
|
|
rlm@2
|
213 than words can tell, and will always love you, and only you, forever
|
|
rlm@2
|
214 and ever. I was never so happy as when you said you loved me, and
|
|
rlm@2
|
215 never so afraid as when I thought it might not be true. I was
|
|
rlm@2
|
216 worried that you might have regretted what you said last night. I
|
|
rlm@2
|
217 didn't want you to suffer for my sake, for the sake of my love for
|
|
rlm@2
|
218 you".
|
|
rlm@2
|
219
|
|
rlm@2
|
220 Crying again, Sakura buried her face in Tomoyo's chest and sobbed on
|
|
rlm@2
|
221 the soft, white of her dress,
|
|
rlm@2
|
222
|
|
rlm@2
|
223 “Tomoyo-chan, I love you! I..I didn’t think you loved me anymore…I
|
|
rlm@2
|
224 didn’t think…” She broke down, weeping incoherently.
|
|
rlm@2
|
225
|
|
rlm@2
|
226 With soft, loving strokes, Tomoyo smoothed the girl's beautiful
|
|
rlm@2
|
227 hair, touched by fire from the afternoon sun. Nestled in Tomoyo's
|
|
rlm@2
|
228 black-gray tresses, Sakura remembered crying like this before,
|
|
rlm@2
|
229 remembered the comforting solace of her mother's bosom. She hugged
|
|
rlm@2
|
230 her friend fiercely at the memory,
|
|
rlm@2
|
231
|
|
rlm@2
|
232 Looking down at the trembling, vulnerable girl, Tomoyo felt a sweet,
|
|
rlm@2
|
233 painful ache wash over her. She knew now that Sakura truly loved her,
|
|
rlm@2
|
234 and that her love was freely given. Tomoyo felt a deep, glowing
|
|
rlm@2
|
235 peace. Despite the terrible fear of losing Sakura's newly found love,
|
|
rlm@2
|
236 she had been honest and fair. It seemed odd that as the Cards had
|
|
rlm@2
|
237 tested their Mistress, so too was she tested by Sakura's love. Last
|
|
rlm@2
|
238 night was like a fairy tale, where her dearest wish had magically
|
|
rlm@2
|
239 come true. Today, like a story from long ago, she was tested by a
|
|
rlm@2
|
240 dark, terrible riddle: to take Sakura in silence, or speak, and risk
|
|
rlm@2
|
241 losing her forever. Tomoyo spoke, and now, in a miraculous, unlooked
|
|
rlm@2
|
242 for happy ending, she cradled the beautiful princess in her arms. Her
|
|
rlm@2
|
243 falling tears glistened in Sakura’s hair.
|
|
rlm@2
|
244
|
|
rlm@2
|
245 Tomoyo softly sang her Mother's favorite lullaby, gently rocking her
|
|
rlm@2
|
246 exhausted friend to sleep. Sakura dreamed of lavender-eyed angels in
|
|
rlm@2
|
247 glowing robes, dark tresses swirling as they floated slowly to Earth.
|
|
rlm@2
|
248 Tomoyo too grew drowsy in the afternoon sun as the song worked its
|
|
rlm@2
|
249 maternal magic. Dark lashes fluttering, she closed her eyes and soon
|
|
rlm@2
|
250 fell asleep in Sakura's arms.
|
|
rlm@2
|
251
|
|
rlm@2
|
252 There Sonomi found them, bathed in the orange-purple of the setting
|
|
rlm@2
|
253 sun. Hearing the song, her song, as she jogged through the park, she
|
|
rlm@2
|
254 came upon them, like two angels fallen to Earth. She stood and
|
|
rlm@2
|
255 stared, marveling at the fairy spirits entwinned in sleep. The
|
|
rlm@2
|
256 evening wind seemed to whisper the voice of Nadesico, soft and sweet
|
|
rlm@2
|
257 and approving. Finally she roused them from blissful slumber,
|
|
rlm@2
|
258 giggling to herself as they stretched and smiled and blinked
|
|
rlm@2
|
259 themselves awake. Laughing and singing, her loneliness forgotten,
|
|
rlm@2
|
260 Sonomi led the two girls home. |
