Tears rolled steadily down Kagome's face. Her cruel father had snapped again, this time busting Kagome's lip. Kagome ran her tongue across her bottom lip softly, tasting the blood. She was so sick of the abuse. After her mother died in an accident when she was young, her father had become a raging alcoholic. Kagome swiftly threw some clothes into her big, yellow backpack and slowly crawled down the vines on the side of her house. She began to run and run until she reached a park not far from her home. She sat down on a wooden bench and dug her face into her hands. When suddenly, she felt someone take a seat next to her. Eyes watering, she looked up to see a boy about her age, then buried her face back into her hands.
"Are you alright?" he sounded extremely concerned. "You're bleeding?! Did someone do this to you?!" he ripped off his bright, red hoody and put it over her shoulders.
"Please help me!" she managed to choke out those few words before the sobbing continued.
"I'm willing to help but I'll need you to calm down so I can understand the situation." the young man began to rub her back, offering it as some sort of comfort. Kagome turned to him then buried her face in his chest, continued to cry as he sat there holding her.
'I'm crying in the arms of a complete stranger. I'm so fucking pathetic, I'm so desperate for someone to talk to.' Kagome thought to herself as she sat up, and rubbed her eyes. "I'm so fucking scared."
"You don't have to be afraid anymore, I'll help you. Where do you need to go?"
"I don't know. I snuck out of my window. My dad gets drunk and beats me, I haven't been able to go to school, I've been living in fear my whole life. I just can't take it anymore! I don't know what to do or where to go. He's always threatening me I feel like there is no escape." the girl poured her suffering heart out instantly. The young man gulped.
"I'm so sorry... I don't know what to say. Do you need a place to stay for the night? I have a spare bedroom at my house, I'm sure my family would understand." he offered and the girl sat there in silence, he could tell thoughts were racing through her head. "Okay, you're not going back there. I won't let you. You're not sleeping under a bridge because I won't let you. I can tell you are probably emotionally and physically exausted- you need sleep."
"Why are you trying to help me?" she stared into his amber eyes, realizing he must be some sort of a demon.
"I'm not really sure... I guess I hate seeing people suffer." he confided, as if it was some sort of secret.
"Why would you even care? I'm just a human and I know how demons feel about people like me, just pathetic and weak beings."
"To be honest, I'm only a half demon. So I guess that makes me half pathetic and weak right? Sorry I actually give a shit about people; I'm not a souless monster." he sneered. "I guess you better hurry up and run away before I cook you up and eat you right?" he barked, mocking her ignorant statement. He stood up and folded his arms.
"I'm sorry, it's actually a genuine trait. I'm just not used to someone offering kindness." she looked down at the blank cement beneath her feet.
"Do you have anywhere to go?" he questioned, then she shook her head and sighed. "Then you're coming with me. I can't leave you alone here, I'll feel too guilty when I read about you getting mauled alive by a demon in the newspaper." he laughed. "Hop on my back and hold on tight." Kagome stood up, wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her onto his back. He held her thighs as she softly gripped his sides with them. Then he took off, bouncing from tree to tree. Kagome hugged even tighter, she had never experienced something like this in her life. She kept her eyes closed the entire time, she always had a fear of heights. She felt him land one final time, then opened one eye cautiosly. "You can get down now, I didn't mean to scare you so much." he laughed.
"I wasn't scared." she argued, getting off of his back.
"Oh really now?" he slid his shirt over, showing her the scratches she had made gripping up his shoulder.
"I-I'm sorry."
"It's fine." he chuckled. "My mom told me never to bring home stray animals but I think you might be an exception." he opened the door quietly, and Kagome followed him into a room. It had peach walls with white carpet, lovely lace drapes and the bed had to be queen sized at least. He lit a candle on the small, wooden desk beside the bed. He slowly took her bag off of her back and laid it in the corner. "I have to talk to my mom real quick, make yourself comfortable." he headed for the door, but before he grabbed the doornob he turned and "I still don't know your name?" he giggled.
"Kagome." she took a seat on the bed. She ran her hand across the soft, light-pink comforter. "I still don't know yours either?!"
"Inuyasha." he stated then continued into the hallway as he shut the door behind him. For some reason, the name sounded so familiar. That's when Kagome realized it... Inuyasha was one of the most popular dudes in her school. She was afraid this was about to make everything awkward. 'Maybe he won't be so nice when he realizes who I am? Haha, I shouldn't flatter myself. He proabably doesn't even know I exist...' Kagome thought to herself.
Inuyasha tapped on his mother's door; "Come in." she said sweetly.
"Mom..."
"Well you sound like you want something. What is it Inuyasha?" she sighed deeply. He explained the story to her; it took her a brief moment to soak it all in. "You did the right thing, I'm proud of you son. We're just going to have to discuss this more tomorrow morning, if that's okay. I'm feeling so tired right now." Inuyasha nodded as he exited the room. His mother was so understanding and he always loved that about her. He went back into the guest room.
"Kagome, I talked to my mom and she said we will work everything out tomorrow. I'm sorry we don't really have a light in this room, so the candle will have to do. But I'm going to bed so I'll wake you up for breakfast tomorrow. The bathroom is the room next to yours, on your left. My room is straight across the hall from yours so if you need anything just come in. I'll see you tomorrow?" the girl failed to respond. He stepped closer and realized he was talking to himself because Kagome was already fast asleep. He blew out the candle, pulled the blanket over her, then went into his room and stared at the ceiling until he fell asleep.
