Chapter 4: The Dance of Confessions

Li stood outside the door. His hand was poised and ready to ring to ring
the doorbell. He was wearing a nice plain white shirt with black pants.
In his hand, he held a box holding Sakura's sakura blossom corsage. Li
was all ready for the dance, but his heart wasn't ready. 'Okay, it's just
a dance and it's just Sakura. I don't need to be nervous or afraid.' He
smiled a little bit, and suddenly the wind blew a soft breeze, carrying
sakura blossoms into his hair. He picked them off, then grinned and rang
the doorbell. He heard two voices yell "I'll get it!" and then it sounded
like there was a buffalo stampede inside the house. The door swung open.
Julian was at the door, and Madison was next to him and panting. "Come on
in, Li. Your date for the dance is coming down." Julian smiled. "Sit
down, sit down. Tori and Sakura should be down any moment now." And then
he saw her coming delicately down the stairs.
She was wearing a very beautiful spaghetti-strap dress that was a pale
purple, with a light ice-blue see-through cover-up sweater that matched
the color of her low-heels. Her hair was covered with a light pink
see-through fabric, and her hair was done into a neat french braid. There
was a slit in her dress starting in the middle of her thigh, like the
chinese dresses, where a pattern of pink and white roses intertwined
with pale green stems and leaves. She was also wearing crystal earrings
that sort of changed color. 'Ohh, she is so beautiful.' Li stood up. "Hi
Sakura. You look... really beautiful." Sakura smiled shyly. "Thanks." He
walked over to her and opened the box. "Here is your sakura-blossom
corsage." Sakura picked it up and held it to her dress. "It's perfect,
Li! Thank you! Tori, please help me put this on." While she Tori put on
the corsage, Madison and Julian walked over to Li. "So, have anything
special in mind, Li?" Madison asked. "You're still the same, Madison. And
no, I just plan to dance with her and keep her safe." Julian smiled.
"It's like they're already a couple, right Madison?" "Yup." "Okay, Sakura
and Li, I'll be your driver to the dance."
As Tori drove them to the school, Li and Sakura were paying him no
attention and were deep into their own conversation about the soccer
tryouts. "Well, I think you're going to get the center forward position,
even if you don't think so." "Yeah, I know. But there are lots of new
students who are good soccer players trying out this year, like that new
kid, Matt." Sakura frowned. "There's something kind of pushy about that
guy. I mean, whenever I'm by myself, he comes over and starts asking all
these prying questions about my past and what I did in elementary school
and middle school, what my parents and Tori are like, everything about
me." "Do you want me to beat him up," Li asked thoughtfully. "That's all
right, Li. I can handle myself. I'll just tell him that I don't like him
asking me all those prying questions." Li smiled.
"Well, here you are guys. The first formal dance of the year."

Sakura looked outside Tori's convertible. A lot of girls were wearing
very revealing dresses, but she was glad she had hers on. It was elegant,
comfortable, stylish, and Li liked it. She looked down at her Sakura
blossom corsage. It made the pale purple of her dress seem more blended.
Suddenly the door opened. Li bowed and held out his hand to her. "May I
escort you in, Sakura?" He smiled, clearly very happy. Sakura blushed.
"Of course. Bye Tori, pick us up at ten, alright?" Tori waved and started
the car. "Seeya later, guys! Take care of her, Li!" and Tori drove off,
leaving Li and Sakura alone outside. Sakura shivered from the cold. Li
put his arm around her protectively and said, "Let's go inside. It's
chilly out here."
Inside, plastic leaves hung from the ceiling. Lights were blocked and
shaded as if you were outside during sunset near a park, and where there
was light, it was dimmed for a romantic effect. Streamers in yellow,
gold, and green were draped over the strings of light. Many couples were
admiring the decorations, and some were dancing to the medium-paced song
playing. "Come on, Li. Let's dance to this song. I always listen to this
one." So Li led her by the wrist to the middle of the dance floor, where
they danced to the beat. Soon, almost all the couples were dancing and
the noise was so loud, you had to shout to someone only three feet away.
Li and Sakura danced to every song, no matter how fast or slow. Sakura
was the envy of all the girls, especially Meilin, and Li was the envy of
all the boys, especially Matt.
When the fastest song ended, it was already nine. "Let's go to the
refreshment table, Li. I see some of my friends there." As the pair
neared the refreshment table, Sakura walked quickly over to Madison,
while Li branched off to the right towards Bryan. "Hi Madison, did you
find anyone to dance with you?" Madison laughed. "Oh, come on, you're
just being nice. How was your time with Li?" Sakura blushed. "Well,
actually, I feel like I really want to keep dating him, you know? It's
like we were made for each other."
"Yeah, right, Sakura. Li only likes me, no one else." Sakura and Madison
looked at each other, obviously confused. "What do you mean, Meilin?"
Madison asked. "Why don't you go ask Li, Sakura? Like, right now?"
Meanwhile, Li and Bryan were talking. "So, Li, did you break it up with
her yet?" Bryan asked slyly. "Of course not, you jerkface. She's too
nice. Besides, I think we're going to go on plenty more dates. She's way
down-to-earth, not flirty and unnatural like the other girls, you know
what I mean? That's what I like to see in a girl." Bryan sighed,
obviously envious in Li. "Duh, Li. Only every high schooler in this high
school wants to date Sakura." Suddenly Matt appeared, and said rather
loudly "Yo, Syaoran, you tell her that you're not really interested in
her, you only asked her on a date because we dared you to?" Syaoran
glared at Matt. "For your information, I was going to tell Sakura about
everything, and then I would tell her about my plans to keep going out
with her." Just then there was a sob behind Li. He turned around quickly.
Sakura had her hand over her mouth, and the tear that slid down her cheek
nearly broke Li's heart. "Dare? You only asked me to the dance because of
a dare?" Before Li could answer and explain, Sakura ran out the door.
"Sakura, wait!" "Looks like you don't even have to tell her, Li. She
found out herself." He turned and started to bring his fist out towards
Matt when Madison grabbed his arm. He stopped, and knowing what Madison
was going to ask him to do, he started for the door.

Sakura leaned against the cherry tree, sobbing. 'Is that really that's
between us? A dare? I wonder if that's what Meilin meant.' She cried
harder when she heard footsteps approaching her. "Sakura, look at me."
She slowly turned around to Li's voice, but stared at the ground. His
strong, firm hand moved under her chin and tilted it to meet his gaze.
Her sad emerald eyes looked at his deep amber ones. Then he dropped his
hand and kissed her on the lips. She started, surprised by his sudden
movement, and was about to turn away when she felt the embracing warmness
and sorry of the kiss. As she closed her eyes, Sakura knew that the date
was more than a dare, that the dance was something she and Li had waited
for a long time. Li's arms went down to her waist, and Sakura wrapped her
arms around his neck, savoring the happiness and romance of the moment.
Finally, Li broke the kiss. Sakura looked at his eyes and noticed that
he was near tears. "I'm so sorry, Sakura. I've been meaning to ask you
out for a long time, but the dare was something that gave me another
reason. I'm so sorry I made you cry, and I'm even sorrier for not telling
you before." Sakura started crying again, but she told him "It doesn't
matter, Li. I love you so much, I know I couldn't survive without you.
You were always so important to me, Li." and she jumped into his waiting
arms and hugged him.
Li smiled. "Here's a napkin. Now wipe up your tears so we can go back
inside."

Matt looked outside from the door. He saw Li and Sakura moving closer
and closer, till they were kissing each other. 'Omigosh, how dare he
steal her away! How dare he even kiss her! And on the lips, too.' His
anger flared up inside him again.

Madison looked at the hugging couple from a small window, with a very
pushy Meilin behind her. Meilin shrieked in outrage when she saw them
kiss on the lips. Madison laughed, happy that the couple had worked
everything out. When Li and Sakura started toward the dance again, she
ducked her head and smiled. 'Everything's going to be okay now.'

Meilin was fuming. 'How dare she kiss him on the lips when Li is
obviously MY boyfriend!' Meilin looked at Sakura again. She wanted to
fling the entire pan of brownies at her dress. 'Well, now I have more of
a reason to think of ways to get Sakura away from my Li' Meilin thought.

It was ten o'clock, and Sakura and Li were waiting outside for Tori.
Sakura was snuggled up against Li's chest, and Li was behind her,
wrapping his arms around her. Earlier after going inside, Li and Sakura
had danced to all the slow songs, each one with a long, kiss and more
hugs. Sakura felt more comfortable now that her feelings were out in the
open, and Li felt the same way. Julian's blue convertible pulled up to
the sidewalk, and Li and Sakura had to struggle through the many couples
and people to get there. Tori already had the door opened. "Hop in, you
guys. Did you have a nice night?" Sakura smiled. "Yeah. We had the
greatest day of my life." And she leaned over to kiss Li again.