Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, his name wouldn't be Inuyasha. It would be something cutsie and embarrassing like Fluffy or Snuggles.
Making Friends
I walked into the room silently. Every eye in the room averted to me. Some of them gasped in shock. Others looked disgusted. There were a few that actually laughed. The American looked quite stupid.
Except I wasn't American, I was Canadian. There's a big difference between the two. I hated it when people called me American. Not that there's anything wrong with being an American, but I just wasn't. I had been born in Canada, and was proud of my country of origin.
I'd hoped the exchange to Japan would be an exciting adventure that I would never forget. I thought I'd make friends easy, and that we'd be able to learn from each other. Apparently, traveling half way across the world hadn't cured me of my status as freak. The only difference was that now I was a stupid freak.
The teacher introduced me to the class. Mrs. Something-or-other. I would never be able to remember her name. I had a hard enough time remembering the names of my teachers back home. Funny, how the so-called genius could solve mathematical equations that would baffle Einstein, but couldn't remember something as simple as names.
I surveyed the classroom, trying to measure out who I could get along with and who I'd have to avoid like the plague. The raven-haired girl at the back seemed like a nice person. She had a soft face with a hint of hidden fierceness. She looked like the kind of person who would want to help people, not tear them down.
The teacher sent me to the empty seat beside the raven-haired girl. As I walked past, she smiled at me. So I was right. Kind and positive. It was good to know that I might at least manage to find one friend here.
"Hello," she said, "My name is Kagome Higurashi. These are my friends, Yuka, Eri and Ayumi." She indicated the grinning girls sitting around her.
"Hello," I said. It was funny to watch their stunned faces. Obviously, they had expected me to know nothing of the Japanese language. Please, what genius would go to another country without fluently knowing how to speak the language? "My name's Clara. Clara White. It's nice to meet you."
Kagome smiled even wider, "It's nice to meet you too."
"Clar-ra," said Yuka, trying out the word on her tongue.
"What an interesting name. What does it mean?" asked Eri.
I couldn't fight the blush that crept up my cheeks. My parents had always said they'd known I'd be smart, so they named me appropriately
"Um, it means bright. And clear. Kinda like my last name."
"Oh, that's so nice. You have such a pretty name." said Ayumi.
"Thank you," I said, blushing even harder. The one thing about receiving compliments was that I tended to not react to them very well. I was more of a drawn back, independent person. When people said nice things about me, no matter how insignificant, I would blush like crazy.
"Hey, Clara. Would you like to sit with us at lunch? We could show you around," offered Kagome.
I shut up the part of my brain that tells me to not associate with people I barely know. Even one friend had been wishful thinking, and now there was the possibility of making four on my first day. I'd have to be an idiot to say no (And I am no idiot. Seriously, you can check my report card if you don't believe me).
"I'd love to," I said. Suddenly, this transfer didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. It might even be fun.
The rest of the day did indeed turn out to be fun. At lunch, they walked me around the school grounds, pointing out this and that. I was thankful that I was able to actually remember their names. The other students they introduced me to, well, not so much. I was still having trouble remembering the name of that clueless boy who liked Kagome. It was like Bojo or something. Anyway, the girls turned out to be really cool.
After school we went to this place called WacDonald's. I had a feeling it was a branch of the ever popular and ever disgusting North American McDonald's. Though the food wasn't bad, fast food didn't get along to well with my head. Of course I had a minor headache after scarfing down some fries.
The company was the best part. We talked and laughed about nothing in particular. It was nice just to act like a normal girl. I hadn't had the chance to hang out with friends in years. And yes, they were my friends. The very best of friends, too.
On the way to the house I was staying at, I remembered that we had a test tomorrow and I hadn't studied the subject. The teacher said I was exempt from this test, but I've never turned down a challenge. If you can call a junior high school test a challenge.
I'd told them of my predicament, and Kagome was more than willing to lend me her notes. She told me to just keep them, but that wasn't fair to her, since she wouldn't be able to study tonight. I decided to make copies then return her notes to her.
Oddly, she didn't seem to care if she studied or not. Her mind was elsewhere, in some far off universe that only Kagome could see. I was concerned, but Eri filled me in on her reoccurring medical conditions and it was probably nothing. Call me crazy, but I didn't believe it was any sort of medical condition that had her distracted.
I stood at the steps of the Higurashi shrine. Kagome's fuzzy pink and purple notebook was in my hands. As soon as the girls had left me to go home, I'd run to the store and made copies of Kagome's notes. I'd done my best to ignore the name that cropped up around the edges of the pages. I'd already crossed out the repeated names on my copies. Whoever this person was and how Kagome felt about him was none of my business.
I walked up the steps and over to the main house. On the way there, I walked past a large tree. I would have just ignored it, but I got a funny feeling in my stomach as I walked past. It seemed to be alive, and had some sort of other worldly power that closed around my heart. Which was stupid, since there was no such thing as magic. It must have been my overactive imagination again. Like my mom used to say, genius is just one step short of insanity.
I knocked on the door and waited. Then knocked again. And waited some more. I was about to give up and walk away when I saw a note on the door.
Kagome,
Grandpa, Sota and I have gone away for the night for Sota's soccer championship. Dinner is inside. If you need anything, call my cell. I'll see you in a few days. Send your friends our love.
Mom
Okay, I know I should have left it like that. Anyone else would take the hint. But there was something wrong with the note. If they were only going to be gone for one night, why would it be several days before they saw Kagome? And if Kagome was home, why wasn't she answering the door?
My curiosity got the better of me. I walked around the back of the house and did some exploring. I wasn't going into the house. I was pretty sure I could be charged with breaking and entering. The last thing I needed was to go to jail.
Still, there was a lot to explore around the property excluding the house. My eyes drifted over the tree, as if expecting it to jump up and say boo!
What finally drew my attention away from the tree was something infinitely as interesting. The door to the well house was ajar. Someone had been inside, and with any luck, they still were.
I opened the door to the well house and peered inside. It was dark. I could just make out the shape of an ancient well at the bottom of the stairs. I stepped inside and looked around. I couldn't understand why Kagome would come in here. There was nothing but dust and cobwebs.
Sighing, I sat down on the edge of the well, looking out the door into the slowly fading sunlight. I should probably return to my guest house. Kami knows I couldn't remember the family's name. Asking for directions back to the house was definitely out. I sighed again at the long walk ahead of me. I really needed a map, or a portable GPS.
A shadow came out of nowhere. I screamed and jumped back. Fortunately, it was only the Higurashi's cat. Unfortunately, jumping back had only made me trip over my own feet and fall backwards into the deep well.
Thanks for reading. Seriously, I hope I didn't offend anyone with the American comment. That was not my intention at all. And if I didn't offend you and you think this note is completely stupid, well I have a hard time judging what's rude and what's not.
REVIEW!!! Please…