Chapter One: No Such Thing

*2 Months Earlier*

"Are you serious?" Kagome asked her friend Ayumi who was shifting through costumes at the Halloween store, trying to find anything that wasn't all princessy.

"Yeah," answered Yuka who was busy trying on a red wig and devil horns. "Hojo's throwing a Halloween party this weekend and we're all going."

"You should come too Kagome," said Eri who was looking at the masks and trying on some of the cheap accessories. "I think…" she said, "I'm going as a cop this year. You know… one of those sexy cops?"

The other 3 girls started laughing. "That suits you, Eri," said Yuka who decided to go as the devil. "What about you Ayumi?"

Ayumi shrugged. "I think… maybe a witch? Oh wait… a Vampire! They're the coolest."

"Again?" asked Yuka, "Weren't you one last year?"

"Yeah," said Ayumi without embarrassment, "I just think that it would be cool to see one someday."

Kagome laughed again as she held up a costume in front of the mirror to see how it would look. "A vampire?" she asked skeptical tone. "Come on Ayumi. Vampires don't exist."

"How would you know?" Ayumi said back smugly.

"Have you ever heard of anyone seeing a vampire?" asked Kagome as she put the costume back and began looking for another, "Other than in the movies I mean?"

"Just because you've never seen them Kagome," said Eri as she was trying on a cop's hat and sunglasses, "Doesn't mean that they aren't real."

Kagome looked at her with raised eyebrows and asked, "Why? Do you believe in them?"

"Not at all," Eri said grinning. "But I had to try that line out you know?"

Yuka laughed as she picked up her costume and headed towards the checkout line, "You guys better hurry up and choose! The store's closing in 15 minutes!"

"Kay!" they all called after her. Eri finished picking out her costume and followed after Yuka, still wearing the cop sunglasses. Ayumi then picked up two costumes and looked them over… a vampire or a witch?

"Hey I got it!" said Kagome as she picked up a red and white costume.

Ayumi looked at it and said, "You're going as a priestess this year Kagome?"

Kagome shrugged, "Why not? It's something different right? Everyone dresses up as a witch or a vampire… but a priestess? You don't get too many of those do you?" She then looked at Ayumi's choices and said, "You always go as a vampire or a witch. Do you want to try something different this year?"

Ayumi thought about it for a moment before turning back to her selections. As she was trying to decide, she noticed an outfit hanging up on the wall across from her and she let out a squeal before running towards it… completely forgetting about the other two costumes she had been holding a minute ago.

"Oh! A hippie costume! It's adorable! I'll go in this one!"

After picking up a few accessories, the two of them walked over to the check-out line where their friends were waiting.

*That Night*

"A Halloween party?" Kagome's mother asked as she began putting up a few more decorations on the outside of the house.

"Yeah," said Kagome as she handed her mother a few fake spiders and bats. "Can I go? All my friends are going."

Her mother hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are there any parent's chaperoning?"

Kagome groaned, "Mom! I'm 17 years old for crying out loud! Don't you trust me by now? Besides… Hojo's throwing it."

Her mother let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, if Hojo's throwing it then by all means. Have a good time."

Kagome shook her head, "Mom… I'm not a little kid anymore. I know the difference from right and wrong by now. You don't have to worry constantly about me."

Her mom looked down at her with a sad smile before saying, "I know dear."

"Then…" began Kagome as she handed her the last decoration, "Why do you always treat me like a little girl?"

Her mother finished putting up the last fake bat before putting her arm around Kagome's shoulders and leading her inside. "You'll always be my little girl Kagome."

Kagome chuckled as she leaned her head against her mom's shoulder. When they went inside, her mother headed straight to the kitchens to fix dinner and Kagome followed her; she wanted to know if her mom needed anything else before she disappeared into her room.

"Kagome?" her mom asked as she began to boil some water and put her apron on. "Do you mind going outside to see where Sota is? He needs clean his room."

"Sure thing," said Kagome as she headed out the back door and into the crisp, cool October air. She looked around the small yard and spotted Sota lying down in the gazebo reading a comic book.

Kagome loved the gazebo. It wasn't anything special… just a 10 foot, red cedar gazebo that was in the shape of hexagon. To keep out the weather the roof was made with cedar boards, shingles and the posts were inside faces parallel for a true and solid frame, with small vines growing around it… climbing the wood… it looked like something you would see out of a fairytale. When the weather was nice, she would do her homework or read a book while lying in its shade.

Kagome walked over to her 10 year old brother, who looked up with questioning eyes before moaning at having to go and clean his room.

"I would sis," he said innocently. "But I'm trying to think of a way for mom to increase my allowance… and I'm afraid I don't have time to clean it."

"You know?" said Kagome, "There are some people who would be happy to say, 'Just keep giving me allowance and you can say anything you want.' Why can't you be like them?"

Sota shrugged. "I'm not like some people."

Kagome thought that one over for a minute before saying, "Lucky for them."

*Later*

Once Kagome finally got Sota to go inside, she decided to sit out in the gazebo until dinner. She leaned back on the floor so that she could stare up at the ceiling, and so that she could enjoy probably one of the few last days of nice weather.

She couldn't wait for this weekend. She couldn't wait to put on her costume and go to that party with her friends! Oh, she knew that it was going to be a night to remember. She sat in the gazebo thinking about how much fun she was going to have until she heard her mother call to come in and eat.

Sighing slightly, she got up and went in.

*Inside*

Her mother had made pasta tonight and Kagome quickly got herself a bowl before Sota came down and ate the entire pot. Kids and their metabolisms these days. As soon as she sat down, Sota came running into the room, and just like Kagome thought, he took almost twice as much pasta as Kagome did.

The 3 of them all sat down and for a few minutes the only sounds were from the clinking of china, or the sound of chewing. "So," said Kagome trying to break the silence. "Grandpa's not eating with us tonight?"

Her mom shook her head, "No, he went with an old friend on a trip remember? He should be back next week though."

"It's so quiet without him blabbing his stories every chance he gets," said Sota taking a sip of milk. "We should enjoy it while it lasts."

"Sota!" said mom but with a small laugh. She then turned to Kagome and said, "So when does your party start?"

"It starts at 8 but lasts until midnight," said Kagome slurping up some pasta. "Is that alright?"

"Yes," said her mother grinning. "I trust you. Do you need a ride or…"

"No, I can get a ride don't worry," she said reassuringly.

"What are you going as?" asked Sota.

"A priestess," she said happily. "I wanted to be something different this year."

"Really?" asked Sota. "I wanna see it."

"You going trick-or-treating this year Sota?" mom asked interestedly.

"Duh," said Sota as if it was obvious, "Never pass up on free candy!"

"What are you going this year?" Kagome asked.

"A vampire!" he said excitedly. Kagome groaned. Again with the vampires?

"You know? My friend Ayumi wanted to go as a vampire this year… but come on. Everyone goes as a vampire."

"Why not? Vampires are so cool," he said in a huffy voice.

"I'm not saying that they aren't," replied Kagome. "I'm just saying that you might want to go as something different for a change?"

Sota rolled his eyes, "I take it that you don't believe in vampires?"

"To each his own," said Kagome with a chuckle. "You can believe in them all you want, but don't expect me to jump on board."

"How do you know that they don't exist?" he asked in a mock offended tone.

Kagome shrugged, "That's exactly what Ayumi said. If you ask me, there's no such thing as vampires. And until you give me proof, that's what I'm going to believe."

"Alright kids," mom interrupted, "You two can talk about this later."

"Sis?" asked Sota after a few minutes of him slurping up his noodles. "You gonna meet your boyfriend at that party?"

Kagome dropped her bowl and shrieked, "BOYFRIEND?"

"Oh, Kagome," her mother cut in excitedly, "I didn't know you had a boyfriend! Oh I wish you told me about him sooner…"

"Mom!" Kagome said quickly as she glared at Sota, "I don't have a boyfriend yet. Why can't you be like other moms and dread the idea of their only daughter dating?" Kagome knew that her mother dreamt of having grandkids and she had no problems of stating this whenever she had the chance.

Kagome thought that this was ironic. Most mothers would dread the idea of their daughter having a boyfriend, but then their daughters go out and find one. But when the mother SUPPORTS the idea of your daughter of having a boyfriend and what happens? You're 17 and without a boy…

… heck Kagome haven't even had her first kiss yet.

"I take it that you don't want me to talk to you right now?" asked Sota smugly.

"Not exactly," Kagome said coldly. "You can talk to me, just don't at me. You know the difference?"

Sota gave her a bewildered look before simply replying, "No."

"Kids these days…" Kagome said under her breath, but she was smiling as she continued her food.