Chapter Two: The Neighbor
--Two years later--
Kagome stepped out of the shower, towel-drying her hair. She sighed, glancing at the foggy mirror. In it she saw someone completely different than before.
She slipped into some clothes and once again looked around her house, examining it. Her new house was clean and had a fresh scent. Out of her window, Kagome noticed a man in the backyard of the nextdoor house.
'Maybe he's my neighbor.' Kagome thought, watching him chase a dog all around the yard. She scowled. 'Then again, I hope not.'
Starting to turn away from the window, she suddenly gasped. Leaning close to the window, so close that her nose was touching the glass, she stared.
"...Are those...dog ears?" Kagome said out loud, gazing at the white furry triangles on the top of the guy's head. His silvery hair shone in the sun and sent chills down her spine.
He stopped running after the dog and looked up. Kagome felt her heart stop. Could he see her? How would he know she was watching him?
The man continued to watch her, and she stared back, her eyes wide. To her great relief, he turned around and made his way back to his house, the dog trailing behind him.
The door closed gently after him.
Ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooO
The wind whipped around her body as she jogged around the neighborhood. People smiled and waved at her, and she smiled back at them.
'Wow, these people are really nice.' Kagome thought happily, heading back toward her house.
Her smile vanished as she got closer to her house, realizing that that man nextdoor was standing there on the sidewalk. Slowing down, she stopped completely in front of him.
"Um...Hi." Kagome said slowly, her eyes widening.
The man continued to stare at her, an eyebrow arched. He crossed his arms.
"Keh."
Kagome blinked. 'What kind of greeting was that? "Keh"? What the heck?'
She shook her head mentally, and tried again. "I'm Kagome."
"Inuyasha."
"What?"
"Keh. That's my name, stupid. Inuyasha."
She huffed in an outraged fury, her eyes darkening dangerously.
"I'm not stupid. It's just..."
Inuyasha snorted. "Just what, Kagome?" She narrowed her eyes into little slits.
"It's just an unusual name."
Inuyasha growled. "What's so unusual about it?" Kagome looked unbelieving at him. "Don't get me wrong, it's a nice name, but it's not something I would image someone being named."
He laughed, and she felt her heart lift a little. 'He has a nice laugh,' She observed.
Kagome smiled at him nicely, feeling her opinion on him lighten a little.
'He isn't mean, just a little arrogant.'
Inuyasha stopped laughing and stared at her, unblinking. She looked back at him, and a weird feeling fluttered in her chest.
"Nice meeting you, Kagome." Inuyasha smirked. Kagome felt anger bubbling inside her. Just the way he said her name was arrogant, just like his attitude. What was she thinking? He was mean. No changing that.
"Nice to meet you too, dog-boy." He stared at her a moment, and then turned away.
"Keh."
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'That girl...she looked exactly like...' Inuyasha scowled, watching Kagome walk steadily inside the house nextdoor to his.
"Kikyo..." He murmured softly. The name hung in the open air, and growling intensely, he stomped into his house, slamming the door behind him.
She had insulted him! That wench. He wasn't a dog-boy, he was a demon! Inuyasha marched past his dog, tossing himself onto his couch and laying there.
The dog crawled up to him, putting a paw on his arm. Inuyasha sighed and reached down. "Hi, Ryo." He said, petting the dog's head. Ryo's lips lifted up into what seemed strangely like a smile, and she turned around and strolled away.
'Stupid dog. Just when I give it attention it goes away. Keh. Women.' He turned over and fell into a peaceful nap before school. (A/N: Yes he still has school, along with Kagome. They're only in the 11th grade, which they start today.)
Inuyasha's upstairs alarm went off, and he stretched, getting off the couch. It was 9:00am, so he had an hour before school started.
Dragging his feet over to the kitchen, he pulled out a box of cereal and poured it into a bowl. Inuyasha hadn't had breakfast yet, mostly he didn't eat anything except ramen.
Only he was out of ramen. The boy put getting ramen on his list of things to do in his head.
Not like he would remember.
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Kagome looked around her at the students that came in the room after her. She didn't know anyone. Good.
A girl about her age sat down in the seat next to hers. She smiled nicely at Kagome, and stuck out her hand.
"Hey. I'm Sango."
Kagome shook Sango's hand.
"I'm Kagome. Nice to meet you."
The teacher shut the door and walked to the front of the class.
"My name is Kanna, and I shall be your teacher for the semister."
The students stood up and bowed in respect, and then sat down once again.
Kanna began teaching, and Kagome watched her closely, intending to get a good grade in this class.
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--Lunch--
Kagome sat down at an empty table to eat.
"Hey, Kagome, mind if I sit with you?" Kagome looked up at Sango, who looked back at her.
"Uh...Sure." Kagome smiled at the woman. Sango sat down and started eating.
"I'm not trying to pry, or anything...but...don't you have any friends to sit with?" Sango's head shot up.
"Not anymore," Sango replied. "they all ditched me when they learned I used to be a demon-slayer. Or an exterminator."
Kagome blinked, confused. "What's wrong with that?"
Sango looked down and sighed. "The girls said that 'the demons are so hott! How can you exterminate them?!'" She laughed.
"Obviously they don't realize that most demons are evil and horrifying to look at," Sango mumbled.
Kagome changed the subject. "Do you know any guy named 'Inuyasha'?"
Sango eyebrows knitted together. "Yeah, I know him. He's Miroku's friend. What about him?" Kagome looked down. "Well, I sort of live next to him..." she said softly.
The exterminator gaped at her, and then burst out laughing. Several heads turned their way.
"What's so funny?!" Kagome snapped. Sango wiped at her eyes, which were watering because she was laughing so much.
"Oh, I feel so bad for you..." She rasped out, ignoring Kagome's question.
"Why?" Kagome tilted her head to the side.
"Because he's such a pain in the neck! Well, most of the time anyway..."
Kagome groaned. "That's it? Hell, I've had more than enough trouble with pains-in-the-neck!" Kagome put her head in her hands, and for a few seconds they both were silent.
And then they started laughing again.
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"So I'll see you later?" Sango called to Kagome as she walked out of the school.
"Yeah!" Kagome shouted back at her, turning the corner and disappearing.
Sango smiled and ran the opposite direction-- to the park.
"Hey Miroku!" Sango said, kissing him on the cheek. Miroku grinned at her and put his arm around her neck.
"Hi babe." He replied before turning back to Inuyasha.
"You done yet?"
"Done."
"Good." Inuyasha said, looking at Sango. "Hey Sango. How's it going?"
"Fine. I made a new friend today. Maybe you know her-- Her name's Kagome."
Inuyasha winced at the name, before scowling. "That wench? She's so annoying!" Sango laughed. "Nah, she's great!"
"Keh. Like you females should know what annoying is."
"I do, and you're getting close to it." Inuyasha growled low in his throat.
"The only reason I put up with you is because you're better than Miroku. And he's weird."
"Hey!" Miroku cut it, glaring at Inuyasha. "I'm not the one who has dog-ears!"
"I meant being a pervert, idiot."
"Oh. Nevermind then."
Sango started laughing, obviously amused.
"Anyway, I just came to say hi. I'm going off to Kagome's house. We were going to hang out. See you!" Sango said, waving to them as she dashed off.
"Damn wenches."
"Hands off, Inuyasha. She's mine."
"Didn't want her."
"Oh."
A/N: That's the second chapter... hoped you liked it! Review!
