"Please be there, please be there." a raven-haired girl chanted as she skipped down the stone steps of Higurashi Shrine. She jumped over the last two steps and faced the mailbox that sat at the base of the staircase. Still chanting she threw open the small door and pulled out the small pile of envelopes. "Bills, junk, junk, Grandpa's appointment reminder...no..." she blindly felt the bottom of the dusty metal box "NO" she wailed
"Kagome?" called a voice "What's wrong dear?" Kagome looked up at the voice, her mother, a tall, skinny woman with short brown hair and big brown eyes. As she descended the stairs, she was drying her hand on her ever-present apron.
"Mama...The letter didn't come." Kagome felt tears stinging at her eyes "They didn't want me" the tears spilled over and Kagome cried into her hands.
"Oh Kagome," Kaori held her daughter close to her and petted her hair. "I'm so sorry, but I hope you know love, not getting into that school doesn't make your Father any less proud of you" Kagome sobbed into her mother's shoulder. The letter in question is an acceptance letter from Kagome's father's Alma Mater, Shikon Academy. Shikon Academy was a high school/ University for gifted individuals, and by gifted, I mean, priestesses, monks, demon slayers, and of course demons. Kagome, being a daddy's girl, told her father at the ripe age of six that she was going to go to Shikon Academy too. Kagome's father was so proud that day, he paraded her around the Shrine grounds on his shoulders. But they say pride comes before the fall and shortly after, that very same day, he was killed in tragic accident. Since then Kagome has been determined to follow in his footsteps ever since. She became dishearten when her mother disapproved her attending in high school, but she understood her mother wanting to keep her in Tokyo. But the disappointment then didn't hold a candle to how she felt now.
"I know..." Kagome said wiping away the rest of her tears
"Why don't we make your favorite dinner tonight? That always seems to lift your spirits!" Kagome mother began ushering Kagome back up the Shrine steps "You can even invite Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri! I'd love to see your friends again" Kagome smiled as they walked through the back door into the kitchen
"I think you're right, a good meal and some quality time with my friends is JUST what I need right now!"
"That's my girl, now here" she handed Kagome some cash that she'd gotten from her purse "Go to the store and get what you'd like for our hotpot tonight!"
"Thanks Mama," Kagome grabbed her own purse from a hook by the door "I'll call the girls on the way!"
"Hurry back dear." her mother called out to her, Kagome sighed and pulled out her phone, dialing Eri's number as she descended the Shrine steps once again. Before Eri answered the phone, Kagome cast one last wistful glance at the mailbox and continued on towards the store with a deep sigh.
Kagome bought plenty of yummy vegetables and some good beef and hot dogs for the hotpot. Her mood was enhancing just thinking of the culinary masterpiece her mother would make with all this food. She had just reached the Shrine steps when she heard someone calling her name.
"Kagome, hey wait up!" Kagome turned around to see her old friend Hojo running towards her waving an envelope as he ran.
"Oh great." Kagome mumbled "He's probably going to brag about how he got into that pharm tech school he's been talking about." Hojo's family owned a natural medicine store and were huge health nuts. Back in middle school he had a major crush on Kagome and would bring her all sorts of weird health related products, all in vain of course, Kagome was solely focused on getting good grades for her transcript to Shikon Academy.
"Hey Hojo, how have you been?" Kagome asked, forcing a smile.
"I've been just great! Did you hear that I got into TPU? I just couldn't believe it; I'm following my dream one step at a time!" He said with a big goofy smile.
"That's awesome Hojo, is that your acceptance letter?" Kagome asked, instantly regretting it.
"Oh this, no it was accidently sent to the store but it's addressed to you. You know that mailman always gets North Shrine street mixed up with South Shrine street. Anyway, here you go!" Hojo handed over the letter and Kagome's heart stopped it was from Shikon Academy.
"ThanksHojo, gotta go!" Kagome took off up the stairs and burst into the backdoor yelling as loud as she could "I GOT A LETTER! MAMA I GOT THE LETTER!"
Mrs. Higurashi jumped, "goodness Kagome, you scared me half to death, what's going on dear?"
"I got the letter mama! It was delivered to Hojo's place! It's here!" Kagome squealed dancing around like a child.
"Well, read it what does it say?" Mrs. Higurashi sat at the table and watched her daughter with a smile.
"What's with all this commotion?" croaked Kagome's grandfather. Followed by Souta, Kagome's little brother.
"Kagome got a letter from Shikon, she was just about to open it."
"That's great sis!" Soutasqueeked, his voice showing his age.
"Yes, go on Kagome, open it." Grandpa said crossing the kitchen to sit next to Kaori.
"Alright, here goes." Kagome began to tear at the edges of the envelope revealing the folded paper that held her fate. She held the letter to her chest and took a deep breath. "Dear Miss Higurashi, we are pleased to report that you have been accepted into Shikon Academy; status college freshman!" Kagome's voice got louder and higher pitched the more she read until finally she just squealed, jumping up and down with joy!
"Oh Kagome congratulations!" Kaori said wiping at her tears
"Oh my gosh!" Kagome blurted and stopped jumping. "It says I have to report in by this Friday! It's Wednesday night, I haven't packed or bought anything!"
"There, there child, your brother and I will help you pack tomorrow while you and your mother go and take care of your supplies, you're not in this alone." Grandpa stated, obviously feeling proud of his answer. Kagome threw her arms around his neck.
"Thank you Grandpa!" he chuckled and patted her back.
"Of course child, your father is no doubt beaming with pride in heaven at this very moment. And of course as his father, I am too."
"Well, with all this excitement we haven't even started supper yet. Kagome, we'll get everything taken care of tomorrow for tonight, let's celebrate!"
"Oh look, this was when you were four I believe, it was Souta's first birthday and you were so jealous that in every picture you were trying to get in front of him" Kagome and her mother were sitting on the floor of her small bedroom, looking at an old photo album. "And here's you and Dad at the beach! Do you remember that trip?" her mother said sipping at her tea.
Kagome took a sip from her own mug, the warm liquid warming her core. "I do, that was the first time we went to Shikon Academy! Dad took us to his old Dorm house and we got to see all his haunts…the sparkle in Papa's eyes is what made me wanna go myself."
"Kagome, he is so proud of you. He was proud of you then, but I just know he's in heaven, grinning ear to ear." Kagome's mom played with her daughter's hair as she spoke.
"Mama Look, it's dad with Uncle!" The picture was of a college aged Mr. Higurashi along with his four roomates from Shikon Academy. Kagome only recognized her father and the man beside him, which was his very best friend, Naraku. He was like family to the Higurashis', In fact, after Kagome's father passed, he moved to Tokyo for a year just to help them get on their feet. He was in America now but he would call and check up on them!
"Well dear," Kagome's mother started, while placing the photo album in a box. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"I'm so excited, there's no way I'm sleeping tonight!" Kagome taped up the last box and looked at her mostly empty room. She couldn't take everything, and her mother had insisted that she buy new bedding and room décor. "a fresh start" she had said. The rest of Kagome's belongings had been sorted as take, leave, and donate. Two suitcases and a tote bag later, she was packed.
"Well, if you aren't sleeping then neither am I, I'm soaking up every last minute I have with my baby. What do you say to movies and popcorn?"
"That sounds perfect mom!" Kagome shut off her light and took one last glance at her room before shutting the door.
"Great, I'll go start on the popcorn, you go pick out a couple of movies." Kagome's mom turned to go down the stairs and paused "I think I'll make some coffee too, want some?"
Kagome chuckled "Sounds great Mama"
Kagome went down the stairs to the living room and picked two classics, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Wizard of OZ" Kagome's mother was a sucker for the classics. She got the first movie ready when she heard someone behind her.
"Sis, can I watch with you?" Souta was sitting on the couch rubbing his eyes.
"Of course, but why are you up?" She asked mussing up his already crazy hair.
"I smelled popcorn." He said matter of factly, his sleepy eyes meeting her own.
"I'll tell mom to make some more" Kagome wandered into the kitchen and found mom chatting with Grandpa. "Grandpa you too?" she asked
"Well, I've been in here just thinking about when your grandmother and I were sending your father off to Shikon, she was taking it pretty hard but I was just so proud he was studying to the a strong spiritual leader like myself" Grandpa was so proud of that memory, and Kagome could only giggle because Grandpa had never been one for spiritual powers, In fact it was grandma who was the powerful one, but She loved grandpa so much she just let him think he was the most powerful priest in all of Tokyo.
"Well, since we're all up, everyone to the living room, it's our last family movie night." Kagome's mom carried two large bowls of popcorn and Kagome brought the adults their coffee.
Family movie night didn't last long, despite the coffee, Grandpa was snoring within 15 minutes of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and Souta was out once the popcorn was gone. Kagome leaned on her mom's shoulder gradually nodding off, but enjoying the moment. "Thanks mom." She said with a yawn, her eyes slowly getting heavier. Tomorrow would be the best day of her life.
Thanks for reading! Please review and let me know what you think!
Carry on-Kayla
