Disclaimer: Owns nothing!

Just Trying to Forget the Pain

Chapter 2

"Talking"

Thoughts

After I announced my coming home, my family burst out the doors of the house and ran over to me.

"Kagome!" my mother exclaimed, "What happened to you?! You're covered in blood and-"

"Did you finally kill Naraku?" my brother asked excitedly.

"Where's Inuyasha?"

"Tell me you're alright!"

"Was there lots of blood like in the movies?"

"Are you hungry?"

I looked at them both with sad eyes and they stopped interrogating me. Walking back into the house with them, I made my way upstairs and turned on the shower ignoring them both. I heard the phone ringing and left my mother and Souta to take care of it.

I stepped into the shower and felt the hot water raining down on me, wincing when I felt a searing pain in my leg. I shut my eyes at the sight. After a while, I opened my eyes and watched the pink, blood tainted water flow down the drain in a whirlpool of pink and clear. Separate at the start, the motion of the water made them blend together in a swirl of color near the drain. Shutting my eyes again, I sighed. Tilting my head up, I felt the water splatter against my face. The feeling reminded me of the blood that rained down on me and I gasped as my eyes shot open. I stepped back and looked around me. The water was still pink, and I felt my stomach lurch.

I quickly turned the shower off and dried myself, not daring to look at the towel. I slipped on some clothes and combed my hair before racing out of the bathroom. The heat, the moisture in the air... it was intoxicating. It reminded me too much of the baths I used to take with Sango. Flopping down onto my bed, I stared at the ceiling. I began to gall into a state of daydream when a knock on the door made me sit up with a start.

Getting up, I walked over to the door and opened it to see my mother.

"Kagome, your school just called" she said softly and I nodded.

"What did they say?" I asked.

"...your attendance record is lowering their reputation..."

"So they're going to kick me out" I ended and she slowly nodded.

"They've applied for you to go to another school, so you can continue your education. Strangely, they sent you to one of their rival schools so the classes you have will be about the same."

"Where is it?"

"Don't worry about that, they've paid for a house for you to live in and-"

"Where is it?"

"About a 4 hour train ride away..."

"I see..."

"They've already furnished and everything so you won't have to worry about that. All you have to worry about are your grades. The school has volunteered to pay for 1/3 of the cost, the rest you'll have to pay off yourself..."

I gave a small smile. "I'll manage... when should I start getting ready?"

This time my mom gave a nervous laugh. "Actually... the train's supposed to leave in half an hour..."

"WHAT?!?!" I shouted, racing past her. I had to get going!

"Make sure to call us!" she hollered after me and I gave a small smile. I was leaving my blood family after seeing my other family die just hours before... what a day... After making it to the train station, I realised that I didn't have a ticket and I groaned. How was I supposed to get on the train?

"Higurashi Kagome?" a man asked and I looked up. I slowly nodded. "If you would please follow me, the train is this way." I numbly obeyed and he led me onto the large train. Leading me to a seat, he left me. I sat down just as the train began to move. I was sitting alone, with no one around me. Why was everyone ignoring me? Leaving me alone? Had I done something wrong? Looking at my hands, I answered that question myself. I had killed two of my friends with my own two hands. Of course I had done something wrong. I had murdered.

Sighing, I stared out the window and watched as the sky slowly began to darken. The scenery also changed. We had long ago left the busy streets bustling with cars, and had entered an area of peace. Rolling hills covered the land. Shutting my eyes, I tried to fight back the memories threatening to break free. I didn't realise how long I had been struggling with them until I heard a voice informing that it was my stop from the speakers. I got up and left the train. Another man was there to greet me this time, and I followed him to a car. Not caring anymore, I got in. He shut the door behind me and got in the driver's seat, driving off. It began to rain. When he stopped, he explained that this was my house. I got out and he drove away, leaving me in the rain alone.

"And yet another person leaves..." I whispered bitterly, looking up to see the huge mansion in front of me. I stepped up to the gates and saw a wet envelope hanging off of them. I picked it up and opened it, finding a set of keys. Taking the key out, I unlocked the gates and stepped into the grounds of my new home. Looking up at the enormous home, I felt something pulling at my heart. What was I doing here...? I shut the gates and locked them, walking slowly up the long driveway. I felt my hair clinging to my form, along with my clothing, and I shivered when a cold wind blew by. Walking up the steps to the lone building, I touched the white door. I unlocked it and stepped inside. It was even bigger looking from the inside.

Wandering around, I eventually found my bedroom and stared into the darkness. I stepped in and saw a desk to my right, a large bed against the wall on my right, and large windows in front of me. The drapes were pulled back, revealing the dark gray sky and the falling rain. I looked in a walk-in closet and saw a few school uniforms and a pair of pajamas. I picked up the pajamas and changed into them, climbing into my bed. I just wanted to sleep the rest of the day away, the rest of the week, month... year... away. I didn't want to wake up from the calm bliss that was found in a dream.

I woke up when an unknown alarm clock sounded and I groaned as I sat up. Slamming the alarm down, I got up, ignoring the pain in my leg, and changed into a school uniform. Combing my hair and brushing my teeth, I decided to forgo breakfast. I didn't know when school started, afterall. Picking up a backpack that I found, I stuffed my keys inside and walked off. Walking outside, I felt a few drops of rain splatter on my skin from the day before and sighed. Locking the gates behind me after I made it off of the grounds of my home, I began to walk in the direction that I saw a few students walking in. Deciding to follow them, I walked after them, trailing behind them. They led me to the proper school in the end.

Once I got there, I made my way to the office and asked for my schedule.

"Ahh, yes. Miss Higurashi, was it?" the lady asked and I nodded.

"Hai."

"Here you go. Do you think you need any help getting to your classroom?"

Shaking my head, she gave me directions anyway. I followed her directions and ended up in front of a classroom labeled as class 9. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and walked in. All the talking stopped and everyone looked at me for a few seconds before they returned to their conversations. A girl with pink hair and eyes skipped up to me.

"Hi! I'm Himeno! I've never seen you here before... are you new here?" she asked and I forced a smile.

"Yeah."

Her eyes lit up and she smiled laughed. "Cool!!! So am I! I just came here halfway through the schoolyear. Came about a month ago, but people still call me the 'new girl'."

I forced a laugh and played along with her. That's when the teacher came in and everyone went to their seats. "Okay class, we have a new student today-"

"Why are you wet?" a person blurted out.

"Because its raining outside..." I answered. "Dumbass..." I whispered.

"Ehhem. Her name is Higurashi Kagome and she transferred here, so I expect you to treat her nicely." He pointed to a desk. "There's an empty spot behind Himeno. Feel free to sit there." I nodded and went over to the pointed spot. Sitting down, the teacher once again cleared his throat. "Today, we will be continuing our lesson on the history of America."

Already bored, I pulled out a notebook and pencil, beginning to "take notes". My 'notes' compromised of a few sketches.

------------------------------------------------Himeno---------------------------------------------

When school finally ended, I was one of the last to walk out of the classroom, as usual. I skipped down the stairs and saw Sasame and the others waiting for me under umbrellas. I smiled and waved as I ran over to them, ignoring the cold rain.

"How was school, Himeno?" Sasame asked, handing me an umbrella, and I gave a huge smile as we walked out off school grounds, opening the umbrella and holding it over me.

"It was great! There's this new girl at our school and she's really nice!"

"Are you sure its not just an act, Himeno? We can't risk anything with Fenrir running around..." Hayate commented and I scowled.

"I'm absolutely positive!" My eyes suddenly lit up and I pointed at a girl with black hair and blue eyes. "Look! There she is!" I exclaimed. "Kagome!!!" I hollered but she didn't hear me, turning into a dark alley. I cocked my head to the side in confusion. "Where's her umbrella? and why's she going in there...?"

"I'll follow her" Sasame volunteered and he ran after her, his white hair falling into his eyes.

--------------------------------------------Sasame------------------------------------------

As soon as I saw her again, I slowed to a stop and staye a safe distance behind her. Following her, she made it out of the alley unscathed and turned down a street with a lot of large houses, but not nearly as large as Himeno's. I watched as she stopped in front of a set of black, iron gates, and slowly pulled out a set of keys. Sliding them into the lock, she unlocked the gates and left them unlocked behind her. Her hair clung to her face and body. She began her way down the long driveway and stumbled, falling over on to her side with a yelp. A small smile made its way on to my lips.

"Clumsy..." I laughed softly. All that changed when she slammed the ground with her fist. What...?

She gritted her teeth and struggled to her hands and knees. She strecthed out one of her legs and straightened so she was only on one knee. Pushing herself off the ground with a grunt, I caught a glimpse of a scar on her lower back. Standing up now, she winced and leaned on anything she could as she made her way to the door. Her uniform began to turn red and I felt alarm fill my body. Blood began to drip down her leg and she unlocked the door, leaning her head against it. She stayed like that for a few more moments before shoving the door open. Blood was running down her leg now, dying her socks and shoes red.

Where is her family...? Don't they care...?

Using his sense of sound, images filled his mind. The house was empty except for her and a few items. She walked into her room and sat down on a large bed. She didn't move for a while, just staring blankly at what was assumed to be a photo in a frame on the nearby counter. Then, curling into a ball, she began to tremble. The blood bled into her sheets but she didn't seem to notice.

"Happy, Kagome..." she whispered. "Think happy... no crying... that's right... crying is bad... be strong..."

She looked up and Sasame 'saw' a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"No!" she hissed. "Don't think about them! They're gone...! They're gone..."

I think I've heard enough... Sasame sighed and left, leaving the strange girl alone. He would ahve to tell everything he saw to Hayate, but for some reason he felt as though it should've been kept a secret.