Chapter Three: Dinner Disaster Plan

On the table sat mounds of shrimp tempura, oriental chicken, orange chicken, fried rice, spring rolls, chinese noodles, katsu, and so many other foods.

"Thank you Madison. Everyone can sit down and start eating before Tori and Julian arrive," Aiden told them.

"Wait where’s Sakura?" Meilin asked.

At the exact moment Sakura walked down from upstairs and stood in the doorway of the dinning room. "I’m here!" She greeted, but no one said anything.

"Oh my god Sakura!" Meilin awed.

"Is it that bad? I’ll go and change," Sakura was going to walk back upstairs, but Madison stopped her.

"It isn’t bad, she meant it in a good way. Right Meilin?" Madison questioned taking a shot of Sakura with her video camera.

"Sakura you look amazing," Meilin exclaimed.

"Really?" Sakura asked afraid.

"Yeah really you do," Meilin assured.

"I must say Madison, you’ve done it again," Aiden complemented.

"Thanks Mr. Avalon, but it’s really Sakura who’s done it again," Madison giggled.

"That’s enough you guys. So Li, what do you think?" Sakura asked.

Li was in shock. Sakura was wearing just an ordinary party dress, but her body made the dress look even more beautiful. The dress hugged her body at just the right spot so that she looked absolutely perfect. The most perfect thing about it was that the dress was emerald green so it matched Sakura‘s beautiful clear eyes. "Um- Uh...." He stammered. "Uh... you look nice," Li said finally.

"Thanks Li," Sakura said and everyone sat down.

Li felt like he could kick himself. Nice?!? You look nice?!? He thought furious at himself.

"Dad I’m home!" Tori called from the living room, "And I just happen to run into-" He saw Sakura, "Oh my god!" He dropped his school bag on the floor.

"What is it Tori?" Julian asked walking up behind his friend. He saw Sakura too and was shocked. They all had never seen Sakura in that kind of dress before.

"What the hell happened to my sister!" Tori asked completely surprised. "Tori watch your mouth," Aiden warned.

"But look at her dad," Tori exclaimed.

Sakura blushed and spoke under her breath, " I knew this was a bad idea."

"Don’t worry Sakura," Madison assured her patting her friend’s hand.

"Sakura you look amazing," Julian complemented.

"Thanks Julian," Sakura replied wishing she could take the attention off of her for just a minute.

"So you said you ran into someone," Sakura urged Tori to finish his story.

"Uh, yeah your teacher, so I invited her over," Tori finished not taking his eyes off of his sister.

"Mrs. Mackenzie!" Sakura shouted when she walked into the dinning room.

"Well it seems like it’s going to be really crowded tonight," Aiden said smiling at Mackenzie.

"Is that who I think it is?" Tori asked spotting Li.

Li stood, "Yeah it’s me."

They both looked at each other. "You actually grew taller Li," Tori teased.

"Yeah and you’re still the same," Li snorted.

They all sat down and ate the delicious food. "Save room for dessert," Aiden warned.

"HEY!!!!!" Someone shouted from the stairway.

"Kero!" Sakura shouted.

"You guys are eating without me," Kero asked pouting.

"Sorry Kero we kind of forgot about you," Madison apologized.

"Yeah you can’t expect us to remember about a stuff toy," Tori complained eating his mouth full of food.

Kero flew up to Tori’s face. "For your information I’m more important than you are! And I don’t consume as much food either!" Tori shooed him aside with his hand.

"Hey I thought I felt some magic in here," Kero complained. "The Kid’s back in town!" Kero shouted hugging Li’s face.

"Kero!" Meilin shouted. "Stop that you’re hurting Li’s face!"

"Hey it’s you little girl," Kero shouted hugging Meilin, "I’ve missed you!"

"Get off of me stuffed animal!" Meilin shouted.

"Kero, behave!" Sakura scolded.

"Ah as long as I get some of this delicious food," Kero starts eating his fill.

"Save room Kero there’s going to be pudding," Aiden told him.

"Alright pudding my favorite!" Kero screamed and everyone laugh. Kero was still the same.

"Thanks for dinner Mr. Avalon," Julian thanked riding off with his bike.

"Your welcome Julian," Aiden responded.

"Good-bye Aiden," Mrs. Mackenzie bid farewell and bowed.

"My pleasure Lyala," Aiden replied.

"Dad I’m going to walk Lyala home," Tori explained walking outside.

"Alright Tori, be back soon," Aiden said walking back inside the house.

"Well actually I think P.E. is my favorite subject," Sakura answered.

"No surprises there," Madison responded, she winked at Meilin.

Meilin made a loud fake yawn. "I’m gonna head on home," Meilin stated. "How about you Li?"

"I think I’ll stay and finish my dessert," Li answered.

Meilin’s napkin fell on the floor, " Oops clumsy me," Meilin said going under the table to pick it up. When coming back up she hit her head on the table and Madison reached over to help Meilin. Madison’s arm accidentally hit her spoon and sent pudding flying across the table onto Li’s shirt.

"Ah!" Li shouted and tried to clean it off with his napkin.

"Here let me help," Meilin reached across the table and poured some water onto her napkin and tried to help Li, but she was just making a bigger mess, getting the pudding on Li’s pants.

"Meilin stop trying to help!" Li warned.

"Whoops," Meilin shouted as she accidentally knocked over Sakura’s glass of pudding.

"Oh no," Sakura screamed.

Madison shouted and ran over to Sakura and tried to get the pudding off of the dress, " That’s not going to come off." Madison had just spread the stain around more.

"What’s going on?" Aiden asked stepping into the dinning room.

"A little accident?" Sakura said sheepishly.

Twenty minutes later Li was wearing one of Tori’s old shirts and Sakura changed out of her party dress that Madison took home right away to get it to the cleaners. Meilin also left to get Li’s denim jacket and shirt to Wei to clean before it stained. Sakura and Li were left alone.

"I’ll walk you home Li," Sakura offered.

"You don’t have to if you want," Li responded apathetically.

"Yeah I want to," Sakura assured Li smiling. "Dad I’m going to walk Li home!"

"Alright be careful," Aiden consented.

"I will," Sakura responded closing the front door. "What a beautiful evening," Sakura commented looking up at the stars that were starting to appear. Li agreed by mumbling something.

"Sorry about dinner Li," Sakura apologized.

"It wasn’t you fault," Li stated putting his hands in his pocket.

"I know, but I felt like it was. Not anymore though," Sakura explained walking closer to Li.

"Sakura," Li said hesitantly.

"Yes Li?" Sakura asked. They both stopped walking and admired each other in the fading sun light.

"Never mind," Li stammered continuing to walk.

"So Li what is it that you came back for?" Sakura asked.

Li blushed. He couldn’t tell Sakura the reason he came back. He wasn’t ready yet to jeopardize their friendship. "Maybe some other time," Li replied quickly.

"Okay, but you will tell me eventually right?" Sakura questioned. Li thought for a moment and they walked in silence. "Yeah I will," Li replied, "Just not now. The time isn’t right."

"Alright, but remember you promised," Sakura reminded.

Li nodded unable to say anything. They walked silently just listening to the crickets and watching the stars wink on one by one. Finally they reached Li’s apartment.

"Good-night Li," Sakura bid farewell. "See you tomorrow in school."

"Yeah I guess," Li said. He was about to open the door, but then he quickly turned around, kissed Sakura on the cheek and quickly ran into the house.

Sakura had no time to think or react. She touched the spot where Li had kissed her and smiled. Fifteen year old Sakura Avalon turned around and walked home as happy as could be.

On the other side of the door, Li Showran hit himself on the head for doing something so stupid and foolish.