CHAPTER 2
Tomi
I had been on that damn plane for thirteen hours! Japan, it was the last place I wanted to be right now. I watched as all the passengers filed out of the plane. Carrying their luggage, laughing with loved ones. My heart hurt. I wished that could be me. To be a normal person with a normal life and a normal loving family. This was the final step. When I got off the plane I knew I'd never be who I was. A mysterious Japanese girl whose life you could only guess at, here everyone knew my story, knew who I was, where I came from. Which in a lot of ways should be a good thing, but the shame was overwhelming. I didn't want to change who I was.
To see my aunt and cousins would be the only consolation. They were nothing but kind to me when I was young. They didn't care about who I was and were always careful to not mention it.
The flight attendants were checking all the seats. Finally I got up; as I began to exit the plane I felt my world change. I couldn't help but feel this wasn't real. That at any moment I would wake up and be on my mattress. Joey calling me to tell me I was late for work again. But I knew it was real. I had the memories of leaving, saying goodbye. I knew I was going to change. As I stepped through the threshold of the plane I let go of everything I was. I would let it stay on that plane and fly back to America, to my real family.
Kagome
"INUYASHA!" I screamed. I heard something loud crash in the far off distance, and a second later he was bursting through the brink of the forest. He looked particularly panicked. Well he should be because I was definitely about to tear him a new one! "What? What do you want, wench?" God I hated it when he called me that! Stupid jerk, I don't have time for this! Tomi would be there any minute if she wasn't there already!
"Inuyasha! Did you take the basket Kaede made me to take back to my cousin?" I asked even though I already knew.
"The one with the candies and pastries?"
"Yepp"
"No." He said as if it were fact.
"SHIPPO!" I called.
From somewhere far away Shippo yelled, "INUYASHA DID IT!"
Inuyasha replied with, "Damn kid!"
I sighed "ugggghhh INUYASHA!!!"
"Why do you even need it huh?"
"I told you, my cousin is coming today."
"Oh yeah." he said in his low disgruntled voice.
" I've got to go. I'll be back in a couple of days. Don't wait up!" I said as I ran toward the well waving back at him.
"DAYS?? What do ya mean days!!"
"GOODBYE!" I shouted, jumping in the well. I was excited I hadn't seen Gai since we were kids. I remembered that we used to be best friends until she moved to California. I wondered what she was like now. Was she still the sweet little girl, I remembered? Well whatever she was, I was so happy she was coming to stay with us!
When I finally made it back home I noticed that mom's car wasn't there. Good, that meant that I wasn't late! I exited the shrine and made my way to the house, it was a clear starry night. Mom hadn't told us why she was coming, just that she was staying for awhile. She was older than myself, a high schooler.
As I walked in, Sota was cleaning. I had to say that he looked suspiciously dressed up.
'Oh yeah', I had almost forgotten that he had a crush on her when we were kids. It's always awkward having a crush on a family member. He looked up and said, "You should have been here earlier."
"Why?"
"Because I could have used your help with the ceiling. I couldn't find the duster for it."
"Oh, I'm sorry! Inuyasha ate the basket I had got for Gai, and we got in a fight."
"It's cool, I managed."
"Okay, I'm gonna go upstairs and change into something a little less muddy."
Sota nodded, indicating he heard me. I went upstairs to my room and picked out a really cute blouse and skirt. I was super cute and ready to make a good impression!.
Tomi
When I had gotten off the plane Grandpa and Aunt Yuki were waiting for me. As I walked up to them I forced a smile, it wasn't totally false. Even with everything I had been going through it was great to see Aunt Yuki, She was always more of a mother to me than my real one. We all used to be really close before I left for America. Kagome, Sota, and I were almost siblings; we would spend almost everyday together. I felt better when I saw her.
Yuki and Grandpa each gave me a hug. We left almost immediately. I was thankful I didn't have to drag on about myself. I wanted more than anything to forget and move on. Yuki knew how I was. So she didn't even bring it up, another great thing about her.
It was about an hour drive from the airport, Grandpa had played music the entire way, oldies you never want to know the name of. When we pulled up to the house, Yuki turned off the radio. Everything was quiet except for some strange noises coming from inside, it sounded like rabid animals fighting over food. I looked around at my surroundings, just how I left it. I smiled, it was like eating your favorite ice-cream after being away awhile. I took a deep breath, yeah definitely NOT the same it smelled like old man fart.
When I realized that it was I looked at grandpa, his face was suspiciously red. I laughed as he walked away smiling, he knew how to part a crowd! I got to the front door and spotted the shrine and a wave of memories hit me like a ton of bricks. I remembered all the times Kagome and I had played priestess on those steps. I almost cried, almost.
Grandpa opened the door, walking in we found what the strange noise was, Kagome and Sota were wrestling on the floor. Kagome was trying, with great success, to mess up his hair. "GUYS!" Yuki yelled. Immediately they both stood up, Sota looking particularly flustered, and they simultaneously said, "Sorry, Mom."
"You two are shaming this family!"
I walked over to Sota and ruffled his hair, "Oh, Come on Aunt Yuki! I'm family what do I care?"
Kagome smiled from ear to ear, "Gai."
She gave me a hug, and awkwardly I gave a small smile.
"Actually it's Tomoe now, Tomi for short." I said.
When I turned around I was unexpectedly trapped in a hug from Sota. "Whoa, kiddo I missed you too haha!" I said. He pulled away and apologized. He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back, he was so sweet.
I faked a yawn, "Well I think I'm gonna go lay down, it was a long flight."
Yuki laughed, "Okay. Your room is up the stairs, down the hall; the last one on your left. You'll be bunking with Kagome."
"Alright!" Kagome cheered, "Your bed is the one that's not screwed up!" She laughed and I smiled. "Okay, I'll see you all in the morning." I grabbed my bag and walked upstairs.
I found the room and made it inside, crashing on the bed. I sat up and looked at the floor. 'I want to believe this is permanent but I have no way of knowing for sure.' I thought. A single tear escaped my grasp and landed on my pant leg. I knew I should stop feeling sorry for myself, there are real tragedies in this world. Joey always told me, "Buck up sweetheart, people don't care about your tears, they only prove you're weak." He was right and at that thought I saw the walls harden around my soul. I knew that no one really cared they were just obligated to ask. So it shouldn't hurt when someone disappears from your life, its normal. Pushing my self pity back down, I changed and stumbled into sleep.
