The sky was clear, a baby blue that rivaled anything they'd seen so far that spring. Dozens of high school students milled about the courtyard of Shikon High on such a fabulous day. At a stone picnic table in the shade of a large oak sat four seniors, the very best of friends and practically a family as a whole. A tall, and somewhat lanky, brunette boy sat cuddling a brunette girl in his arms. Her sharp brown eyes sparkled in the sunshine as she giggled in response to something he whispered in her ear. The girl was slim, but well toned with tan skin from spending many summer afternoons outside on the soccer field. The boy was just as tan, a member of the baseball team and the captain. He squeezed his girlfriend a bit tighter and she leaned against his side, her head resting in the crook of his neck between his chin and shoulder. Across from them, a boy with gorgeous black hair and startlingly violet eyes straddled the gray stone bench with an ebony haired girl facing him and playing a hand of go-fish. Her chocolate brown eyes glanced towards her best friend and cousin, before focusing back on her game with her closest friend out of the entire group and neighbor.

"Got any sixes?" he asked with narrowed eyes. She shook her head with a smirk and he swore under his breath.

"Language, InuYasha," scolded the baseball player from across the table while the girl playing cards rolled her eyes.

"Miroku, you and I both know you've said much worse in front of me and your mother," she scolded her cousin, sticking out her tongue. He simply winked and his girlfriend twisted in his arms to kiss him.

"I still love you, though," she teased before turning to her friend. "Kagome, you better give InuYasha your farewells because practice is in forty five minutes and we have to change." Sango reminded Kagome. Kagome sighed.

"Yes, mother," she said with a grin and turned to InuYasha. "Now, hand over the jack you stole earlier because I know you still have it." InuYasha begrudgingly handed over said card and she set down her winning hand.

"I win! Now I can go practice with a settled mind knowing I have forever proved myself to be the go-fish champion." She said with a grin. InuYasha smirked.

"Look who's getting cocky," he joked. Kagome shrugged. "I learn from the best."

"Time to go change, Kagome," Sango said, tugging on her arm. The two girls grabbed their book bags and headed off towards the building housing the girl's locker room. Miroku sighed with a dreamy smile. "Wish I was there to see that," he murmured. InuYasha watched Kagome go with a soft smile and "mmhmed" in agreement. Then he turned to Miroku. "You're a pervert."

Miroku grinned. "Like you weren't thinking about my beautiful little cousin. When are you two planning on getting serious? Seriously," he chastised his best friend. InuYasha flushed crimson and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Who the hell knows?" he muttered before wandering off, leaving Miroku behind with a mischievous grin. "I do," he said simply before slinging his book bag over his shoulder and going off to the soccer field to watch his girls practice before driving them home.

"Nice game girls," Kagome said to the group of freshmen standing before her on the field. She was Sango's co-captain, and they played against the junior varsity team every week to check up on them. "Work on your goals and coordination. Good hustle today. We'll see you next Friday!" she said with a grin before the girls ran off to collect their stuff. Sango came up next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

"That's one battle over. On to the next one," she said, nudging Kagome in the ribs.

"What are you going on about?" Kagome asked as they made their way towards their gym bags and Miroku and InuYasha. The boys were holding their book bags and waiting for them.

"I'm talking about InuYasha. When are you going to ask that moron to the Sadie Hawkin's dance?" Sango murmured right as they reached the boys. Kagome was blushing furiously, angling her head so that her bags hid her eyes. She didn't have the comfort of the rest of her hair hiding her blush since it was up.

"What up, my two favorite ladies?" Miroku asked, putting his arms around Sango and twirling her in the air. InuYasha peered down at Kagome.

"Hey, Kagz, are you okay?" he asked her. Kagome nodded silently and trailed behind with him as they headed for Miroku's jeep.

"Hey, InuYasha," Kagome murmured. He turned to her. "What's up?" he replied with his hands in his pockets. Kagome mentally inhaled and prepared herself for the worse.

"I was wondering if… the Sadie Hawkin's dance is on Wednesday, next week, before Spring Break, and… well-"

The worst did happen. A tall girl with straight black hair and an obviously stuffed bra came running up calling out InuYasha's name. She looked a lot like Kagome.

"InuYasha, we're in first period together." The girl said with a slinky smile. InuYasha glanced back to a mortified Kagome. She looked like she was about to blow away in the wind. "Um, we were just talking about the dance…" Kagome whispered. The girl smirked. "Yeah, so am I. InuYasha, I'm sure you've been waiting for me to ask you." She said. Kagome stiffened. What?

"I saw you staring at me all through class this morning. So, will you go to the dance with me?" she asked, handing him a cupcake with a little heart drawn in icing on it. Kagome felt like melting into the ground and staying there for the rest of her life. InuYasha liked this girl? Life officially sucked. Before InuYasha could say anything, Kagome pushed him towards the girl.

"Oh, wow! Such a cute proposal, cupcake and everything! Look at that adorable little heart! I was just going to ask InuYasha to the dance, but now that he has you, he'd love to go, I'm sure! You two kids have fun!" Kagome practically yelled, the volume of her voice the only thing hiding her stupid heartbreak. InuYasha froze and turned to Kagome.

"You were going to ask me-"

"Yeah, but this girl really wants to go with you and you obviously want to go with her so I'll get out of the way of you two lovebirds. See ya!" she interrupted with a fake smile and bolted towards a gaping Sango.

"Honey," Sango said with a sympathetic smile. "I am so sorry."

"You're a fracking moron," Miroku commented as he tossed a handful of popcorn in his mouth. He was watching a sci-fi marathon with InuYasha in the Higurashi living room. InuYasha simply stared at the ceiling. They were directly underneath Kagome's bedroom.

"Do you think I should got talk to her?" InuYasha asked quietly.

"Frack yes," Miroku said with a vigorous nod. InuYasha stood with determination then turned on Miroku.

"Dude, stop saying frack. It's not even a real world," he said with a raised eyebrow before slowly going up the staircase to Kagome's room.

Kagome strummed her guitar as she lay on her back sprawled across her bed. Her eyes were closed and her braid was loosened against her pillow. Sango sat at Kagome's desk surfing the web on Kagome's laptop. She closed out of the window after a moment and stared at the computer's wallpaper. It was a picture of InuYasha and Kagome at the lake house last summer. He had his arms wrapped around her waist, his grinning lips pressed to her neck as she laughed tilted her head to see him. Sango had taken the picture. That was the summer things had changed between the two of them. They'd flirted, even shared a kiss in the shade of the old oak with the rope swing over the lake. Why the hell didn't he tell that girl to buzz off earlier?

Sango swung the chair around and propped her feet on the edge of Kagome's bed.

"Maybe it's for the best. Didn't Koga want you to ask him?" Sango asked, attempting some kind of comfort. Kagome cracked open one chocolate brown eye.

"You're insane. He's on the freaking football team and only wants me to go out with me so we can be some insane power couple." She said without faltering then closed her eyes again. Sango sighed.

"Yeah, you're right… What about Hojo?"

"I guess," Kagome propped herself up on her elbows. "Do we still have his number?" she asked. Sango shrugged. "I think we tossed it." Kagome dropped back onto the bed.

"Oh… all's well that ends well, I suppose." She muttered. Sango huffed and jumped to her feet.

"But it's not even ending well, let alone right!" she fumed. Kagome frowned and eyed Sango. Sango clenched her fists and stomped her foot.

"Damnit! The two of you belong together! You love him! Why did that stupid barbie doll have to beat you to it?"

Kagome sighed. "Sango, go drink a soda and vent on Miroku." She advised, resuming her original position. Sango sighed in resignation and trudged out of the room. On her way out she passed InuYasha muttering to her self. He inhaled deeply and entered the room. Kagome had changed into a denim mini skirt and white tank top with green knee socks. She was also wearing his old red sweatshirt from their junior year, when he'd given it to her at the homecoming football game. Her guitar rested against her stomach and she played a familiar tune.

"Our song, the one we wrote at the lake house over the summer." InuYasha voiced. Kagome nodded silently.

"Still needs lyrics," InuYasha tried again. She turned her head and opened her eyes, forcing a smile.

"Yeah, I guess." She said. InuYasha sat down on her bed and lifted her feet into his lap, fingering the hem of her sock on her right calf. "Since you're not going to talk, I am." He said with a sigh then forced himself to say what needed to be said.

"Kagome, over the summer, things between you and I changed. Suddenly, it was like we'd become something more than best friends in the blink of an eye. Neither of us even noticed, I think. When I kissed you under that tree, it was the greatest moment of my entire high school career. Yesterday, when you were going to ask me to the dance rivaled that very moment. I want us to be what we were over the summer."

He finished with exhaling and waited with baited breath for her response. She began to sing a verse softly.

"You and me,

Sitting under an oak tree,

Lovin' like we're meant to be,

'Cuz we know we are.

You and I, dancin' in the moonlight,

Never seein' eye to eye,

But that's alright.

Because I love you, and I want to be with you tonight,

I want to be with you every night.

I'll wear a pretty dress,

You put on your best shoes,

And we'll dance the night away in love,

Just me and you."

InuYasha listened in silent awe. "You wrote the lyrics." He murmured.

"Just started. I need some help finishing them though." She replied softly, opening those beautiful brown eyes. InuYasha pulled the guitar from her grasp and leaned over her.

"Let's dance the night away…" he murmured, his lips only inches from hers. "Because I'm in love with you."

And he was kissing her with all that pent up passion he'd been holding back from her. She immediately responded, without hesitation. Her arms circled his neck as his tongue begged for entry and she granted it to him. After what seemed like an eternity, but not long enough, they pulled apart gasping for breath.

"Go with me to the Sadie Hawkin's dance," Kagome managed between gulps for air. InuYasha smirked. "As long as you promise to wear a pretty dress," he replied. "Just be sure to put on your best shoes," she murmured, nudging her nose with his. He chuckled and she giggled underneath him. The sight of her flushed cheeks and happy eyes, her ebony hair framing her beautiful features, it made him want to kiss her again all the more. So, he did.