part 3
Looking at his suit in the mirror, trying to decide between a safe tie and the red tie that Ruby had sent him, he realized with a start that this marked the first school day in years that he hadn’t seen her. Of course, the fact that he was going to see her in the matter of a few hours made little difference. Conscientious avoidance was a new thing for him.
Not necessarily a good new thing, but still.
His last gift-a heart necklace from a local jeweler-sat on his living room table, neatly wrapped in pink paper. Next to it was his back-up gift, the ‘safer’ chocolates he had picked up on a whim.
They’d come so far together. He didn’t want to mess things up. His hand strayed towards the chocolates.
…but at the same time, he didn’t want what they had. He quickly grabbed the necklace and stuffed it in his pocket, moving towards the elevator before he had another chance to be indecisive.
The ride to the elevator and the walk to the salon was, for some reason, unbearably long. Once inside, he instantly singled her out-she was wearing a deep, blood red, the only one amidst a sea of pink.
He was about to go up to her when she turned and looked at him. Instantly, her face changed from pleasant to…hurt? It was fleeting, however, and the next second he found himself listening to the highly complex rules for unveiling the secret Valentines.
“…three people. They will sit here, and close their eyes. Their Valentines will come behind them, deposit the last gift, and then those three people will sit in the chairs. It should work. Any volunteers?”
Eriol kept his hand down, preferring to blend away. He kept an eye on her the entire time, as group after group went. She steadfastly refused to look at him, however, concentrating intensely on the people coming.
Hiro was amongst the last to go, and Eriol willed himself to watch. When it was time, Tomoyo…didn’t go up.
He sat up, confused. Hiro’s second gift had also been made by Tomoyo; Eriol had definitely recognized the handwriting. But the girl standing behind Hiro was a tall, lithe brunette, who shyly placed a wrapped box of chocolates on his lap.
Eriol glanced back at Tomoyo, who was watching them intensely. When Hiro stood up and embraced his secret Valentine, Eriol suddenly recognized her-her name was Meghan, and she was in Tomoyo’s fashion design class.
Tomoyo was making a last call for unclaimed presents, and Eriol raised his hand, his mind whirling. “I haven’t gone.”
Tomoyo nodded curtly. “Okay, anyone else?” She bent down to a girl sitting next to her , who whispered something in her ear, and then straightened up. “Oh, I have to go, too.”
Despite the awkwardness of sitting almost-alone on stage in front of some seventy-odd people, Eriol had to grin. This would be an interesting exchange. Plus, he wanted to see who his highly devoted Valentine was.
Tomoyo barely glanced at him on stage, instead beaming at the crowd. “Hi,” she finally managed.
“Hello.”
“Where were you?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Where-oh, never mind.” She leant back and closed her eyes, her hands folded around her clutch.
Eriol shook his head slightly, and then did the same. When the announcer called out for Valentine’s to come on stage, he paused, then leant over and placed his gift in Tomoyo’s lap-
-at the exact same moment as she did the same.
Eriol’s eyes flew open when he made contact with her hand. She was looking at him, but not in a surprised manner. Her look seemed to say, “So?”
“You?”
Tomoyo rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Two can play this game, you know.” Fluttering her eyelashes, she repeated, “You?”
Eriol turned to face her, ignoring the crowd. “Wait, but my presents…they were…”
“Lame? Yes, I was trying to throw you off.”
“But Hiro’s presents…”
“Meghan asked me to write out the cards, if that’s what you’re talking about.”
Eriol took a breath to try and regain composure. “Wait, you knew?”
“Like you didn’t?”
“I swear, I had no idea.”
Now Tomoyo looked confused. “Really? Then why…I mean, I thought…”
“Thought what? And how did you know it was me?”
“Seductive Snickerdoodles? From the book Fifty Nifty Yet Thrifty Desserts? I gave that to Ruby.”
Eriol felt small. “Oh.”
“Exactly.”
There was a pause. Eriol took the opportunity to glance around, noting with satisfaction that their conversation had begun to bore the crowd, which was steadily dispersing. When he turned back, Tomoyo had that look on her face again, the hurt one.
Old Eriol would have done the civil thing and pretended like it didn’t exist. New Eriol, however, had to confront it. Convincing himself that he was only interested for the sake of this new, improved himself, Eriol leant closer. “Are you okay?”
“Are you positive you didn’t know?”
“Absolutely. Why?”
“Why were you avoiding me?”
Eriol paused.
~
Later, Eriol wouldn’t be able to describe the next moment, but when he tried, it went sort of like this:
Suddenly, he knew how the conversation would play out-
Why are you avoiding me?
I’m not.
Then where have you been?
Just around.
Avoiding me around?
No, just around.
Oh.
At least, he had reckoned, that’s how old Eriol would have responded and ended the conversation. But new Eriol had also suddenly understood. New Eriol knew how he would finish the conversation:
Why are you avoiding me?
I…well, I’m not sure.
So you were. Avoiding me.
Sort of. Not on purpose.
What does that mean?
I guess…I thought you…Hiro…I…
What?
It’s nothing you did.
Then why?
Tomoyo, I think I love you.
But simultaneously, Eriol-normal Eriol, not old or new-had realized that there was no old Eriol or new Eriol. They were all the same Eriol, all mixed up. And since normal Eriol wasn’t stiff like old Eriol but also wasn’t as forthcoming as new Eriol, there had been only one thing left for him to do.
He had leant over and kissed her.
She had kissed him back.
Ruby Moon in his head smiled, satisfied.