First Date

 A Tomoyo and Sakura story

 by G. P.

 

 Comments can be sent to the author at: treeandleaf2002@yahoo.com

 

 Note: This story is s part of a series, but does not have to be read

 consecutively. The first story was, "Love is the Crooked Thing".

 

 

 That first night Sakura only just barely got to sleep before the sun

 rose. Thank goodness for Sundays with nothing to do! But sleep ended

 early with pounding at the door and a terrible voice bellowing,

 "Monster! Phone call!"

 

 "Ehhhhhh.....?"

 

 Sakura staggered out of bed, blinking blearily at the alarm clock. 

 

 "Hoooeeeeee! I'm late!" In a mad dash, Sakura threw on her uniform

 and rushed down the stairs to breakfast. Except, instead of a hot,

 steaming meal, there was an empty table. There sat her dreadful

 brother, calmly sipping coffee. Sakura shot a glance at the schedule

 board, nervously thinking,

 

 "Was I supposed to make breakfast?"

 

 No, there was Oniichan's name, grrrrrrrr....in a furious windmill of

 arms and fists, Sakura roared towards her brother, who kept her at

 arm’s length while regarding her with amused detachment.

 

 "Where's my breakfast I'm late for school why didn't you wake me up

 if only I was bigger than you...."

 

 Touya interrupted her with practiced ease, "Fridge, Sunday, you're

 not, phone." Sakura froze in mid-flurry, staring at the phone. With a

 sheepish look, she picked it up,

 

 "Sakura here".

 

 "Ohayo, Sakura-chan" The sweet, musical voice of her best friend.

 

 "Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan!" A pause, and then she remembered- remembered

 it all: The fortune telling, the maze, the song, Tomoyo....the kiss.

 Sakura felt a crimson blush on her neck and cheek, as she stood

 dumbstruck with her mouth open.

 

 "I thought we might go on a picnic to the park today? Would you like

 to go, or are you busy with schoolwork and chores?" Tomoyo's bright

 and sunny voice only made the blush deepen.

 

 "H-h-h-h-hai", Sakura managed to stutter out.

 

 "I'll make o-bento. Shall I be there in an hour?"

 

 "H-h-h-h-hai"

 

 "Bye-bye, I'll see you soon!"

 

 "H-h-h-h-hai", replied Sakura to the dial tone. Slowly she put down

 the phone, closed her mouth, and stared at the floor. Just what had

 happened the night before? Was it a dream, or had she really *sweat

 drop* confessed her love to Tomoyo-chan? She staggered back to the

 bedroom, her mind all awhirl…

 

 Mechanically Sakura changed out of her uniform and into a yellow

 blouse and a pleated, light brown skirt. Brushing her red-auburn

 hair, she struggled to remember. Finally, she plopped on the bed with

 a sigh and stared at the ceiling until she heard the knocking down

 below. She rushed down the stairs, beating her brother to the

 hallway. Nervously she reached for the handle, turned it, and opened

 the door. There, smiling as always, stood Tomoyo. Dressed in a

 beautiful, be-ribboned white dress with red trim, picnic basket in

 hand, Tomoyo bowed and sang out, 

 

 "Ohayo, Sakura-chan".

 

 "Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan. Oniichan, I'm going to the park with Tomoyo-

 chan".

 

 "Don't forget you're cooking dinner tonight- something better than

 last time, I hope", came the laconic reply.

 

 Tomoyo covered the giggle with a white glove as Sakura gritted her

 teeth in impotent rage. Remembering Tomoyo, she suddenly put her hand

 behind her neck and laughed,

 

 "Ha-ha-ha...um, should we go now?"

 

 Tomoyo nodded happily, and the two friends slipped out the door.

 

 Wordlessly the pair walked to the park, Tomoyo glancing up at the

 occasional cloud and twittering bird, Sakura staring at the sidewalk,

 deep in thought. The day was bright and alive, with a cool breeze

 that whispered of the end of summer. At last they entered the park,

 where Tomoyo broke the silence,

 

 "Would you like to eat by the lake? I know a quiet spot under the

 trees"

 

 "Yes", nodded Sakura, a little too vigorously.

 

 Tomoyo opened one of the picnic basket lids and took out a

 delicately folded orange and brown cloth, decorated with a maple leaf

 and pumpkin print. With easy grace she spread the cloth on the grass,

 placed the basket to one side, and sat, legs tucked demurely

 underneath her. Sakura dropped down quickly, looking at her hands in

 embarrassment, finally holding them tightly in her lap. She was aware

 of Tomoyo's lavender eyes regarding her with measured care. Never had

 Sakura felt so ill at ease with her best friend. Her mind continually

 wandered to the previous night, or rather, to what she thought she

 remembered of it. Tomoyo looked on in concern as she set the table

 with beautiful little white China plates, and delicately filigreed

 Western silverware. Finally, she smiled and whispered,

 

 "Sakura-chan, are you all right?"

 

 Sakura didn't know what to say, so she blushed instead. She had

 always liked Tomoyo as her best, most special friend. The dark-haired

 girl was always there for her, someone to talk to, to share

 adventures with, and to ask for help and advice. For the past month,

 since learning about Yue, Sakura had been battered by a storm of

 emotions. Finally, after reading the Clow Cards, she had followed the

 maze deep within her own heart and, to her surprise and joy, had

 found Tomoyo within. And last night, they had shared a kiss- a

 lover's kiss. Her heart burned and ached with the thought of it, her

 very first. 

 

 But what if it was not the same for Tomoyo? Had Sakura presumed too

 much? Had she rushed in unbidden and unwelcome? Had she taken from

 her friend what Tomoyo had been too startled or kind to refuse? She

 knew now that her friend had professed love a year ago, though Sakura

 was too dense to have known it then. Only in the past day had she

 realized what Tomoyo had tried to tell her. And only now did she know

 her own heart, overflowing with a fierce, ecstatic love for her

 friend. 

 

 But what if Tomoyo had changed? What if her love, unrequited for so

 long, had grown old and faded? What if she loved someone else, still

 treasuring Sakura as a friend, as someone she liked...but not like

 that. The auburn-haired girl felt her stomach knot at the very

 thought. Tomoyo, ever and always kind, would be loath to say that her

 love was no more. Had she realized Tomoyo's feelings, and her own,

 too late? Oh, what if she had missed her chance for Tomoyo's love,

 forever? Sakura clenched her fists tightly, and felt her body tremble

 with each halting sob.

 

 Tomoyo looked at her friend in silent agony. Sakura's pain tore at

 her heart. Nothing was worth this, nothing. She was certain now that

 Sakura had come to regret her words of last night, but did not know

 how to take them back gracefully. Gently, Tomoyo took her friend's

 hands in her own and spoke in an even voice,

 

 "Sakura-chan...Sakura-chan" 

 

 The Mistress of the Cards turned her tear-stained face away, trying

 to yank her hands from Tomoyo. But the dark-haired girl had strong,

 nimble fingers from countless hours of sewing, and held on with a

 vise-like grip.

 

 "Sakura-chan, please look at me". When the wet, shimmering green

 eyes turned to her, Tomoyo nearly stumbled. It had taken hours of

 torment to fashion the words, and now she hesitated. Had she lived a

 hundred lifetimes, she never, ever would have thought she could say

 this. How easy it would be to quietly live her life with Sakura's

 sweet words ever in her ear, even if she no longer meant them. But

 what she was going to say now was right, and Tomoyo knew it.

 Composing herself with the greatest difficulty, she smiled and spoke

 in a calm, even tone,

 

 "Sakura-chan, I wanted to speak with you today. I wanted to tell you

 something, about what you said to me last night". Sakura sat

 motionless, like a fragile crystal statue. Tomoyo took a deep breath,

 and continued,

 

 "Sakura-chan, if you did not...really mean what you said last night,

 it's all right. I will always like you as a friend, no matter what. I

 want you to know that". 

 

 Inside her, a voice screamed, "Liar!" It's all right? If Sakura

 really did not mean what she had said, if she had said, "I love you"

 out of pity, or kindness, or confusion, it was not "all right"- it

 was a black agony that Tomoyo dared not face. But better that than

 her friend, no, her one, true love, should be bound by words she did

 not mean. Breathing deeply, unburdened by the words that were so hard

 to speak, Tomoyo looked with a start at Sakura's reaction. Like some

 terrified animal, Sakura was slowly shaking her head back and forth,

 a look of utter terror upon her.

 

 Sakura's ashen face reflected her worst fear: that Tomoyo was gently

 trying to untie the tangled knot that bound them. She was nearly

 certain that Tomoyo no longer loved her, but was too kind to hurt her

 by saying so. Never had she felt such a hopeless despair. She knew

 she should let it all go, and walk away for Tomoyo's sake. But she

 could not. Her overpowering love forced her to speak the words she

 knew were wrong. Choking back a sob, Sakura blurted out,

 

 "Don't you...Tomoyo-chan, don't you love me?"

 

 Stunned, Tomoyo stared into Sakura's frantic eyes, felt hands

 painfully gripping her own, nails digging into her palms. This was

 not at all what she expected. Now, dancing on the precipice, she felt

 a breathless, suspended hush, as though all the cosmos listened for

 her reply. For the first time she sensed the presence of the Clow

 Cards, watching her and waiting. Blinking back the tears, she gazed

 into Sakura's emerald eyes and drew a deep, steady breath. She knew

 she could never lie, even if it was the right thing, even if it was

 for her beloved's sake. Carefully taking her hand away, she gently

 brushed back the girl's auburn hair, and tenderly caressed the pale,

 teary cheeks. With a sweet, soothing voice, Tomoyo spoke,

 

 "Sakura-chan, I loved you when I first saw you, love you now more

 than words can tell, and will always love you, and only you, forever

 and ever. I was never so happy as when you said you loved me, and

 never so afraid as when I thought it might not be true.  I was

 worried that you might have regretted what you said last night. I

 didn't want you to suffer for my sake, for the sake of my love for

 you".

 

 Crying again, Sakura buried her face in Tomoyo's chest and sobbed on

 the soft, white of her dress,

 

 “Tomoyo-chan, I love you! I..I didn’t think you loved me anymore…I

 didn’t think…” She broke down, weeping incoherently.

  

 With soft, loving strokes, Tomoyo smoothed the girl's beautiful

 hair, touched by fire from the afternoon sun. Nestled in Tomoyo's

 black-gray tresses, Sakura remembered crying like this before,

 remembered the comforting solace of her mother's bosom. She hugged

 her friend fiercely at the memory, 

 

 Looking down at the trembling, vulnerable girl, Tomoyo felt a sweet,

 painful ache wash over her. She knew now that Sakura truly loved her,

 and that her love was freely given. Tomoyo felt a deep, glowing

 peace. Despite the terrible fear of losing Sakura's newly found love,

 she had been honest and fair. It seemed odd that as the Cards had

 tested their Mistress, so too was she tested by Sakura's love. Last

 night was like a fairy tale, where her dearest wish had magically

 come true. Today, like a story from long ago, she was tested by a

 dark, terrible riddle: to take Sakura in silence, or speak, and risk

 losing her forever. Tomoyo spoke, and now, in a miraculous, unlooked

 for happy ending, she cradled the beautiful princess in her arms. Her

 falling tears glistened in Sakura’s hair.

 

 Tomoyo softly sang her Mother's favorite lullaby, gently rocking her

 exhausted friend to sleep. Sakura dreamed of lavender-eyed angels in

 glowing robes, dark tresses swirling as they floated slowly to Earth.

 Tomoyo too grew drowsy in the afternoon sun as the song worked its

 maternal magic. Dark lashes fluttering, she closed her eyes and soon

 fell asleep in Sakura's arms. 

 

 There Sonomi found them, bathed in the orange-purple of the setting

 sun. Hearing the song, her song, as she jogged through the park, she

 came upon them, like two angels fallen to Earth. She stood and

 stared, marveling at the fairy spirits entwinned in sleep. The

 evening wind seemed to whisper the voice of Nadesico, soft and sweet

 and approving. Finally she roused them from blissful slumber,

 giggling to herself as they stretched and smiled and blinked

 themselves awake. Laughing and singing, her loneliness forgotten,

 Sonomi led the two girls home.