Veils 16:Still

Tomoyo quickly dialed Nakuru's number. The girl, on other hand, answered it quickly.

"Nakuru?"

"Yeah?"

"My god! Our plan is working like a charm! He's jealous!"

"YOUR plan?"

Tomoyo giggled, "Fine. OUR plan."

"That will teach him a lesson," said Nakuru smugly.

"Un!"

Both girls laughed

That night..

Tomoyo called Miruyuki up next. After two rings, he answered the phone.

"Hey Miruyuki! Eriol saw you downtown awhile ago with Naoko," she said.

He laughed. "It's that so? We were out on a date."

"Eriol came here this morning and told me about it," she sighed. "I swear he looked so mad that he might just assasinate you!"

"See? He's crazy about you!"

"I don't know..maybe he's just feeling this way because he was so used to his big bro role that it became part of his life already."

Miruyuki chuckled. "Well you better wrapthis game up quickly, Daidouji. I don't want my sweetheart to get jealous of us."

She laughed good-naturedly. "Of course. we'll just have to wait for further instructions from Nakuru."

After bidding goodnights, Tomoyo placed the phone down with a smile. Everything was going according to the plan. Eriol thought that the engagement was real, but little did he know that it was all a set-up to, in Nakuru's words, "teach him a lesson".

Eriol's servant assured her that it was the perfect revenge, pretending that she doesn't care about him anymore. Everyone in Tomoeda conspired with Nakuru to pull the prank.

Demo..

She went out of the backyard and knelt by the tiled poolside and looked at her reflection illuminated by the silvery glow of the moon.
She still loves him. Until now, it was he who owns her heart. Even after he left her without a farewell, leaving her depressed for months, she was still hoping that he would come back. Even if he couldn't love her the way she wants him to, at least he loved her as a special friend. She was happy with that already.

But Nakuru kept on dropping hints to her. Something about Eriol feeling something strongly for someone but doesn't realize it yet...

Her thoughts were broken by the sudden appearance of another reflection on the pool water. Her heart leapt. She turned around and saw Eriol standing beside her, gazing at her tenderly.

She quickly collected herself and stood up, masking her face with coolness. It's showtime. "What are you doing here? Do you know that you can be charged with trespassing?"

"Surely the reincarnation of Clow Reed cannot be jailed for that charge," he replied, eyes glued on her face.

"Granted." She crossed her arms over her chest as she imagined Eriol turning all the jailguards into frogs. "So why are you here?"

He sighed. "I came here to see you."

"Well you saw me already. Leave."

He stepped closer towards her and she stepped back cautiously. "No. I have to tell you something very important. It's a matter of life and death," he told her beggingly.

"I don't care!" she snapped, although her heartbeat was getting erratic again, just like last night when he danced with her.

"Please, Tomoyo," he pleaded as he took another step.

She felt her heart melt with his intense gaze. "Just beg one more time and I'll tell you the truth," her mind told him.

She took another step back, but only air caught her weight. She lost her balance and was just about to tumble down the pool if Eriol had not been quick enough to hold her.

Her eyes widened when she felt intimate physical contact with him. Her face burned. "Let me go!" she pushed him, but her sudden jerk made both of them fall down the water.

Both of them surfaced, but Eriol was quick to gently shove her against the wall of the pool.

Tomoyo opened her eyes and found herself cornered - Eriol in front of her, his arms blocking her left and right, and her back against the wall. She slowly looked up and found her face only a few inches away from his.

His hand cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek lovingly. "Miruyuki is one big fool for doing that to you. He doesn't understand what a priceless treasure he let slip away."

"Let me go!" she cried with her last ounce of will.

Sapphire melted amethyst.

And Tomoyo lost command of herself.

continue