You Belong With Me
Inspired by the Taylor Swift song
Rated PG
brief language
"Are you going to say hello, or do I need to walk by again?"
"Huh?" the silver-haired boy looks up from his computer. "Oh, hi Kagome." His face splits into a grin.
I roll my eyes. "I've been here for five minutes. What could possibly be so interesting on that computer screen?" I sneak a peek at the screen while he tries to cover it up with a trigonometry worksheet. It was his girlfriend's facebook page.
Once I again, I roll my eyes. "There's no shame in looking at Kiyko's page. I mean, you two are dating." The words leave a sour taste on my tongue.
InuYasha sighs, but doesn't say anything. He reluctantly lowers the paper and goes back to what he was doing. "What brings you here, Kags?"
"It's the library, duh. I live here. What are you doing here?"
"Stealing wi-fi."
"So you can stalk Kikyo?" I tease.
"Not even close." His cellphone rings. "Speak of the devil," he says and answers. "Hey, babe, how are you?"
I feel the urge to puke, so I leave the table and lose myself in the aisles of books. I can still hear him talking to her, the witch. Kikyo Hatori. Hmmph. What does she have that I don't? I mentally assess myself. Pearly white teeth, a Mercedes-Benz, and a spot on the cheerleading team, for starters. I shake my head violently, as if to expel the thoughts from my mind.
"But Kikyo!" I hear InuYasha say. "Babe, I-" Kiyko yells something through the phone and cuts him off. "Fine. See you at six. Keh." He hangs up and I return to the table. He looks a bit frustrated.
"What was that all about?" I ask.
InuYasha shuts his computer and begins to pack up. Impromptu date."
"Oh." The queasy feeling is back. "Well, I've got to go anyway. I have to... mop the kitchen floor. See ya." I leave as fast as I can. I don't notice the way he stares after as I leave the library.
I'm in my room, it's a typical Tuesday night. I'm labeling the periodic table for Chemistry class and listening to my iPod. I'm not really paying attention either the music or my work, I'm replaying today's encounter. Why was Kikyo upset with InuYasha? Why does she get to date him, anyway? I never thought he'd go for the Barbie doll type. Kikyo is all wrong for him. She's snotty, preppy, flashes her cash, and doesn't have a sense of humor. Why does he like her? Why doesn't he see that she's no good for him? Why can't he see that I like him?
My phone rings, interrupting my pity party. "Hello?"
"Hey, Kags."
It's InuYasha. "Hey. What's up?"
"Nothing really. Just needed a break from Trig homework."
"Ah I see. How was the date?"
He was quiet for a moment. "In one word: suckish."
"Aw, why?" I asked, trying to sound like a good friend and not someone who just wanted to know Kikyo screwed up.
"Kiki drug me to the mall and she shopped for three hours. She made me hold her bags and tried to get me to go into, um, Victoria's, but I made up an excuse to get away. Then, on the ride home, she had me stop at Starbucks for a cappucino. At ten at night!" InuYasha sighed.
I stifled my laughter. She tried to get Inu to go into Victoria's Secret? "I can picture it now," I say.
"Yeah, it wasn't pleasant." We were both quite for a moment. "Hey, is that Nickleback you're listening to?"
"Huh? Oh." I forgot to turn my iHome off before answer my phone! "Yeah, it is. I forgot to turn of the radio."
"Awesome. I've had Britney Spears raping my ears all afternoon. I swear that's all Kiki listens to."
"Really? Ew. I like a few of Britney's songs, but wow. I feel for you." It made me happy to hear InuYasha talking negatively about Kikyo. Yes, I admit it, I am a horrible person.
He laughs. "Yeah, thanks. You didn't have to suffer through it."
"Didn't she let you listen to a song you like?" I ask.
"Nope."
"Oh." My first instinct was to say, "That witch!" but instead I let our conversation fall into an awkward silence.
He finally breaks the silence. "Well, I better get off here. I have a lot to do before school tomorrow."
"I know, tomorrow's gonna be rough! Why did Kikyo set up a date for this evening anyway? Midterms start tomorrow." I was genuinely curious.
"Dunno."
"Oh, well. Goodnight."
"Talk to you later." He hung up.
It made no sense to me. Why would Kikyo make InuYasha go shopping with her the day before midterms? He has an AP World History, Trigonometry, and an English 3 exam tomorrow. He should've been at home studying. I sigh. She'll never understand him like I do. They are completely incompatible. So why are they together?
My chemistry book slides from my lap to the floor and I cry myself to sleep.
The next day in homeroom, my best friend Sango Sachihana and I are discussing the InuYasha/Kikyo coupling. It doesn't make any sense to her either. We had been pondering it ever since they first started dating a few months ago. Our chatter stops as Inu, quite literally, stomps into the classroom. He practically has steam pouring out of his ears. I give Sango the Look and she distracts the teacher. I slip out of my seat and go to his desk.
"What's wrong?" I ask. "Are you okay?" Even though I know him well enough to know when he's okay and when he's not.
He shakes his head and shoos me away, his long dark hair flying around. He puts his head down on his desk in a defeated manner.
"Seriously." I touch his shoulder. "What's up?"
"I'm fine," he mumbles without looking up.
"But-"
"I'm fine!" he almost shouts. The teacher spins around and stares at us.
"Ms. Higurashi, back to your seat. Mr. Takahashi, inside voice only. If you need to scream something to the world, do it when you get home." Ms. Toboso watches until I sit back in my seat. Sango comes back and whispers, "Sorry" and I nod. I stay quiet, observing Inu for the rest of homeroom. He doesn't lift his head up until the bell for lunch rings.
Sango and I walk beside Inu to the cafeteria. He doesn't seem to notice us, and we exchange glances. What could possibly be causing him to act like this? He's hardly ever moody. Well, this moody, I should say.
We purchase our lunches. Today was a good lunch, cheeseburgers, fries, and cookies. Sango and I take our usual spots with our friends Miroku Conami, Ayame Minekura, Kouga Aihara, and Kagura Suzumiya. I watch Inu join Kikyo at her table. She gives him a kiss on the cheek and slings her arm over his shoulder when he sits down. I quickly avert my eyes to my lunch tray. Suddenly, the meal isn't as appetizing as it had been just a few minutes ago. I give my food to Miroku, who forgot his lunch money, and throw away the Styrofoam tray. I steal another glance at Inu, who is still with Kikyo. Look at her, in her skanky miniskirt and with five-hundred dollar Coach purse, draping herself on him like a pair of cheap, clingy drapes. She makes me sick.
Suddenly, the sight is too much for me to bear. I excuse myself from the cafeteria. I spend the rest of lunch period in the bathroom, staring in the mirror at my faded blue jeans and My Chemical Romance t-shirt.
He's my best friend, and I'm supposed to be happy for him, but I just can't be.
By Friday night, Inu has recovered from his foul mood. We are going to go to meet some friends at the football game tonight . He's going to pick me up a little before the game, since I don't have my driver's liscense. I am a little nervous, since we'll at least have ten minutes alone together. I wonder what we'll talk about... gah. No time for that. I need to find my marching band uniform.
Promptly at five-thirty, InuYasha pulls in the driveway. I quickly throw my marching band gear in a few Wal-Mart bags and grab my flute case. I fly to the driveway only to stop dead in my tracks. Who sits in the front passenger seat? Kikyo.
I open a door and climb into the backseat. "Hey, Kags, sorry about being late, but I promised Kiki I would give her a ride, too." Miranda smirks in at me in the mirror. Bitch.
"Oh, it's not a problem. You're just on time. How are you today, Kikyo?" I ask and smile polietly.
"Just perfect, hun. Just perfect. Any day I'm with Yashy is perfect!" She flips her glossy black tresses and rests a hand possessively on his shoulder. "What about you?"
"I'm pretty good," I reply. "Thanks for asking." It's all I can do not to stab her with my flute. Just keep smiling, Kaggy, just keep smiling.
The rest of the car ride I pretend to be fixing my band keeps glancing at me in the rearview mirror as she talks to Inu. I don't pay attention what is being we park at the school, I thank InuYasha for the ride and run off to the band section.
Throughout the game, I focus on other things, such as my flute and marching in formation. I refuse to see Kikyo in her short cheerleading skirt surrounded by her clone friends. I refuse to see Inu sitting in the stands, watching her jump around and do flips in the air. I refuse to see how perfect Kikyo is as she flips in the air and lands on her feet flawlessly. I refuse to notice Inu buying her a Diet Coke. It's just me and the band.
The band's performance was extremely nice, almost flawlessly executed. Of course, some freshman had to go sharp on one of the most crucial notes in the song. It figures. The football team won, pounding the other team into the dirt. As number 41 scored the winning touchdown, everyone screamed and the band began to play. "GO, NARAKU! GO, NARAKU!" the crowd chanted, exhaulting 41's victory to the heavens.
The game ended on a happy note. For most of the guests, anyway. Stationed at the end of the first row of the band bleachers, I saw it happen. I saw Kikyo run from the cheer station to Naraku Tachibana , number 41, and give him a big congratulations smooch. I was so shocked, I stopped playing. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one to see.
InuYasha stood ten yards away from me and about ten feet away from Kikyo and Naraku, frozen to the spot. His one-million-watt smile disappeared almost instantly. He then walked away quickly, toward the school's main entrance. I hid my flute under the bleachers and ran after him.
I saw him run into the men's restroom in the main hallway. Unsure of what I was doing, I knocked on the bathroom door. I didn't get a response, so I strode right into the men's room. Standing in front of the sink was Inu, shell-shocked. He had his eyes closed. I came up behind him. Then, without thinking. I threw my arms around his shoulders. "I'm so sorry," I whispered.
We stood there for a while, just like that. My heart ached for him. I'd rather see him with Kikyo and him be happy than like this. My bulky marching band hat slipped off my head, but I didn't move to retrieve it. After a bit, Inu moved away from me and I brought my arms back to my sides. I stood awkwardly, not meeting his eyes. After all, I was in the men's room. He picked up my fallen hat and gave it to me. "Me too," he croaked out. "Me too."
We left the room. We walked back to the football field. I picked up all of my band stuff while InuYasha located his coat. The car ride home was silent except for the sounds of our breathing. I hugged him goodbye before I got out of the car. He hugged me back and acted like he didn't want to let go, but he did. I shut the door and started up the sidewalk. Before I could go inside, he rolled down his window and said, "Thanks, Kags." Then he drove off, just like that.
I sat in my room, too miserable to do anything. In fact, I was lying in bed, still wearing my band uniform. My flute case had been abandoned on the floor. I didn't feel like putting anything away.
What was he doing with a girl like that in the first place? I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're about to cry. I know all your favorite songs and we confide in each other our dreams. I think I know where you belong. I think I know it's with me.
Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you? I've been here all along, so why can't you see that you belong with me?
Needless to say, I cried myself to sleep.
The next Friday night was the homecoming dance. Sango was coming to pick me up at seven-thirty. At seven o'clock, I was putting on the finishing touches. Taking a few steps back, I took in my ensemble. The knee-length brown dress was perfect for me. The sparkles glittered as I twirled about. My gold flats brought out my gold necklace and earrings. My mother, the beautician that she is, somehow managed to manipulate my hair into a fancy braid that resembled a crown. I smiled, satisfied. Who says band geeks don't clean up well? Now to add the shrug.
I opened my closet door and dove in. Nothing like a scavenger hunt before a dance.
"Kagome?" my mom called up the stairs.
"Yeah?" I yelled back, climbing precariously up a shelf. I had put the shrug on the top shelf of my closet. Darn my diminutive stature!
"InuYasha's at the back door."
Surprised, I nearly fell off the shelf. "He is?"
"Uh-huh. You better get down here." She sounds a little worried.
Finally collecting my shrug, I climb down from my makeshift ladder and make my way downstairs. My mother greets me at the bottom of the stairs and points toward the backdoor. "He's out there. He seems really upset."
I nod and head outside. Descending the back steps, I found Inu on the swing set we used to play on all the time when we were younger. He looks very depressed. I walked to the swingset. "Hey," I say softly.
He looks up. "Hey." He pauses as he takes my outfit in. "You look gorgeous."
I smile slightly. "Thanks. You look nice yourself, Mr. Blue Jeans. Are you not going to the dance?"
Inu shakes his head. "Nah. You going?" He slaps his forehead. "Oh course you are, why else would you be dressed up? You going with someone?"
"Sango is going to pick me up, then we are meeting up with the rest of the gang there."
"Oh."
An awkward silence ensues.
After a few moments, I break the silence. "Why the long face?"
He shrugs. "You know."
Did I ever know. He was still sulking over Kikyo, that whore. How dare she play with his heart like that? I take a seat beside him in the unoccupied swing, facing the sunset. "Still not over her?" Tactless, I know.
"No." He shakes his head, sending his beautiful black hair flying. "I mean, I kind of halfway am. It's just... I felt like I belong somewhere, you know?" His gorgeous amber eyes gazed around the property aimlessesly.
I ponder this for a moment. "But you don't now?"
"I feel lost at the moment."
"Oh." I don't know what to say, so I don't say anything. We sit in silence for a few more minutes. Suddenly, I hear a horn honking. I see it is Sango in her little Ford Focus. "I'm being paged." I stand up, then bend over and give him a big hug. He doesn't break the embrace, and neither do I.
"Thank you, Kagome."
"Anytime." I break the hug and head toward Elizabeth's car. Opening the car door, I turn around and say, "I know where you belong, InuYasha. I know. I know it's with me." Then I slip inside and shut the door. Sango backs down the driveway as soon as the door is shut.
"Did you just say what I think you did?" she questions me, her dark eyes sparkling with excitement.
I peek at Inu's fading form. I don't respond.
"Kaggy, I think you just confessed to InuYasha Takahashi."
"I did, didn't I?" I say, surprised but confident.
Sango nods, pride filling her brown eyes. "Way to go, best friend."
Sango drops me off at home after the dance. We are both shocked to see Inu's car still parked in the driveway. I step out of the car and she winks at me. Then she speeds away before I can slap her. Ah, best friends.
Upon entering the house, I find my mother waiting for me by the front door. "You better go out back again," she says with a smile. Giving her a quizzical look, I head out the back door again. Walking down the back steps, it feels like dejavu, only this time the sun has already set. InuYasha is still sitting on the swing set, the moonlight reflecting in his amber eyes. I perch beside him in the same swing I had sat in only hours before. Before I can say hello, he says, "What did you mean by what you said earlier, Kagome?"
I blush and look away from him. Thank goodness it is nighttime. I stare straight ahead in the dark, thankful he can't see my tomato red face. "I meant what I said and said what I meant." Oh God, my face is on fire.
"You meant that I belong with you, then." I don't react to this. We sit in silence for a moment, then he takes my hand and says, "I'm glad you think the same thing that I do."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold the phone!" I jerk myself out of the swing and out of his grasp, surprised. "Do you mean that..." I trail off, too embarrassed to say anything more.
He stands up and takes my hand once again. "I mean that I like you. I always have. I just was always afraid to cross the 'best friend' line. Then came Kikyo..." It's his turn to trail off. He looks at the ground, then with a reborn confidence, he looks me in the eyes. "I'll make this plain and simple, Kagome Higurashi. I've always liked you, but I was afraid that you didn't like me."
"Oh, Inu." A single tear runs down my face. He pulls me close to him and wraps his arms around me.
He smiles his ten-thousand watt smile.
I giggle through the waterworks. "You're so dense."
"I've noticed." He smiles and softly kisses me on the lips. The stars seemed to shine brighter that night than they had ever before.