The girls' changing room by the pool had separate stalls with doors, much to Kagome's relief. She didn't like getting undressed in front of people, plus she was sure Kikyo and Rin would be staring at her the whole time. As she waited for a stall, Kagome saw that most of the Beginners tennis class had signed up for pool volleyball, too, including Rin. Kikyo kept talking loudly about her lifeguard training, like she wanted everyone to know she wasn't a tennis camper like the others. Her sixteenth birthday had been two months before, so she was old enough, and the pool gave special classes for it in the mornings.

Inuyasha would be turing sixteen in a week and a half, more than four months before herself. Kagome wondered suddenly if she was supposed to get him a present. Normally she'd help Miroku pick out something funny from both of them, like the Extreme Worst-Case Scenario Survival Guide. But as his pretend girlfriend, was she supposed to give him something special and meaningful? Something that Kikyo would notice, that shouted, '' Look, my totally-for-real girlfriend gave me this?''

She'd have to save panicking about that for later. Maybe Miroku could help her figure it out. Not for the first time, she wished he was at Shikon Summerlodge too, and she wondered what he was doing all day. Probably beating all her high scores on their games. She adjusted the starps on her black one-piece and stepped into her flip-flops, tucking the rest of her stuff into her shoulder bag. Her necklace from Inuyasha went carefully into the side zipper pocket, where she was sure it would be safe. The minute she unlatched the door, Kikyo pulled it open.

'' Oh, Kagome,'' Kikyo said. '' What a darling bathing suit. I used to have one just like it. When I was nine.''

Kikyo, of course, was wearing one of her twelve different white bikinis. This one had thin barely-there starps holding up the top, and the bottom was a pair of tiny short-shorts that showed off her unnaturally tanned legs. Kagome could not imagine ever, ever, ever wearing something like that in public. Rin was wearing a two-[iece, too, but it was more of a tankini, where the top came all the way down to cover her stamach like a tank top. She kept tugging at it as if trying to make it cover more. It was deep emerald green with darking green waves across it, and she wore matching emerald-green flip-flops.

'' Towels are over there,'' Rin said, pointing to a folded pile by the door.

'' Unless you brought your own,'' Kikyo said, '' because you don't care for other people's germs.''

She wound her lavender beach towel around her waist while Rin and Kagome each toom one of the plain white ones from the pile. The she led the way out into the pool area. Kagome was glad she was wearing waterproof sunscreen, even if her mom was crazy. It was really hot around the pool, like the sun was magnified by the chiseled, fake-looking stones. Up in the two lifeguard stations, two older guys were sitting, looking like Secret Service agents behind their sunglasses. A volleyball net had been set up. stretching across the middle of the pool.

Inuyasha was standing with a coulple of freshmen, talking and pointing to the net, but when he spotted Kagome, he broke off and came over to her.

'' Hey,'' he said with a smile, '' Long time no see.''

But Kagome could tell that he was worried about her being alone with Kikyo in the chaning room, and that he was really asking if she was okay. Before Kagome could say anything, a curly-haired woman in bright yellow culottes blew a whistle around her neck and made them all gather at the wall farthest away from the pool. Then she spent forty-five minutes explaining all the rules of the pool as well as how to play the game. She must have said, '' No running on the edge of the pool'' five gazillion times. Kagome wasn't sure how she was supoosed to take anyone in bright yellow culottes seriously. Finally, she called the team captains forward and read off their assigned teams. Kagome couldn't believe her luck - she was on Inuyasha's team! As she headed over, he high-fived her and winked.

'' Did you make that happen?'' she whispered.

'' Of course, '' he said. ''Cynthia likes me. She's hoping I'll work here as a lifeguard once tennis camp is over.''

Best of all, Kikyo had to be a team captain too, and Rin wound up on a thrid team, so Kagome and Inuyasha didn't have to get too close to them for the rest of the day.

There were six teams, so four teams would watch while the other two played each other, and then they'd switch around. As Cynthia explained it, they'd practice for a week, and then they'd have a tournament the next week to crown a winning team. Kagome realized that, that meant she'd signed up for two weeks of pool volleyball. She wouldn't get to switch to something else - like Frisbee - until the two weeks were up. Well, maybe Kikyo would be over Inuyasha by then.

To her surprise, volleyball was much more fun than she'd expected, although she kept getting water up her nose and a couple of freshmen on her team were horrifyingly better than she was. She even managed to hit the ball in the right direction a couple of times, and each time she did, Inuyasha yelled, '' Yeah!'' and splashed her. Her turn to serve came up. She balanced the ball on one hand and tried to remember what she'd learned in regular volleyball in gym class.

'' Here,'' Inuyasha said, coming up beside her. '' Hold this arm out straight.'' He took her left arm under the water and straightened it out so it was pointing a little to her right. '' Now keep that arm straight while you hit it with your other fist.'' He reached around behind her and touched her right shoulder.

The combination of his hands, her bare arms, nad the water made her so nervous, se swung wildly and sent the ball up out of the pool, into the crowd along the edge.

'' Don't worry,'' Inuyasha said, squeezing her shoulder. '' You'll get it next time.'' Not if you keep helping me like that, I won't ! Kagome thought, but the truth was she'd rather be that close to Inuyasha than hit a great volleyball serve any day. Finally, finally, the end of the day came. Kagome didn't want to face Kikyo and Rin in the changing room again, so she toweled off her hair, pulled on her shorts over her bathing suit, and headed straight out to the bikes.

A stranger was leaning against the rack, next to her bike. A guy about her age. She'd never seen him before, which probably meant he either was new or went to one of the private schools in town.

'' Hey,'' he said with a lazy, crooked smile. He had amazingly straight white teeth. His hair was long and black, tied up in a high ponytail, and his eyes were light brown. ( A/N : Can you guess who it is?'' )

'' Um, hi,'' she said. '' Sorry, that's um that's my bike.''

'' Oh, sorry,'' he said,, moving aside. She knelt to unlock it, hoping Inuyasha would come out soon.

'' I'm Koga,'' he said. His eyes had this faraway, dreamy look, and she couldn't tell if he was really listening to her until he turned and smiled at her agian. His smile could really catch a girl's attention, even if that girl had a pretend boyfriend she was secretly totally in love with.

'' Is it cool?'' he said, but kept going without waiting for an answer. '' Tennis. Man, I'm bad at tennis.''

'' Me too,'' Kagome said. '' It's - ''

'' What did you say your name was?'' he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets, acting like he didn't just interrupt her. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved shirt, and she wondered if he was melting in the heat but too cool to admit it.

'' I didn't, '' she said. '' Um, it's Kagome.'' She unwrapped the chain from he bike wheel and stashed it in her shoulder bag. She tried to move as slowly as she could without looking like a mentally challenged alien. She really, really wished Inuyasha would show up. Or else she'd have to stay and make conversation with this strange guy, because of course she couldn't leave without Inuyasha, could she? That wasn't a girlfriendy thing to do.

'' Kagome,'' Koga said. '' That's cute. Has anyone ever told you that you look like Sophia Bush?''

'' Who's that?''

'' Wow, really?'' he said. '' Or are you just trying to trick me into admitting I watch One Tree Hill?''

Kagome giggled. '' My brother would kill me if he found that on the TiVo.''

'' Uh, yeah, me too,'' Koga said, affecting a deeper voice. '' Me, I only watch wrestling. And monster truck rallies. Grrrr.''

'' You're so busted,'' Kagome said. '' Admit it- you stay home whenever Grey's Anatomy is on don't you ?''

He laughed, and she found herself smiling despite her nervousness. She liked it when people got her jokes.

'' Hey Kagome,'' said Inuyasha from behind her. She'd forgotten to keep watching for him, but her heart stilll eaped into double time as he paused next to her. His T-shirt was slightly damp from his wet hair, so it clung to his shoulders, which were strong from all the swimming, and tennis. The light blue colour made her want to lean into it, like falling into the sky.

'' Who's this?'' Inuyasha asked. His amber gaze was fixed on Koga, and he didn't look too friendly.

'' This is Koga,'' Kagome said, wondering why her voice sounded higher than normal. '' We just met. He's waiting for someone. ''

'' Oh,'' Inuyasha said. Koga reached out his hand, and Inuyasha shook it, the tendons in his arm tensing like he was slamming a hammer down.

'' And you are?'' Koga asked.

'' Inuyasha.'' Pause. '' Kagome's boyfriend.''

Kagome was astonished. Why on earth did he say that? Kikyo was nowhere in sight. There was no one around to run back and report to her. There was no reason at all to volunteer that information, as far as she could see. Not that she minded, but it was odd.

'' Ah,'' Koga said.

'' We'd better get going Kagome,'' Inuyasha said, touching her bike but not looking at her.

'' Yeah, okay.'' she said. She pulled her bike free and stood for a moment awkwardly, waiting for Inuyasha to unlock his bike. Koga was still watching her. As Inuyasha rolled his bike free, she swung onto hers and said. ''Well, see you.''

'' Nice to meet you Kagome, '' Koga said. He gave her the smile again, and she ducked her head and pushed off. Inuyasha was quiet all the way back to her house. She felt the wind blowing her hair dry and she wondered what was he thinking. At the bottom of her driveway, he braked but stayed starddling his bike.

'' Don't you want to come in?'' she said. '' We can make fun of my lazy slug brother.''

'' Nah, not today,'' Inuyasha said. '' I've got stuff to do. Tell him I say hi.''

'' Oh, okay.'' Kagome said. He ran his hand along the top of his hair, stopping as his clawed hands reached his ears. He looked like he was going to say something else, but in the end he sighed and stood up on the pedals and rode away. She watched him ride to the end of the block, where he glanced back and waved at her, and then she rolled her bike into the garage and went into the house. Miroku was lying on the floor in front of the couch, where she'd expected him to be. As she went into the den, he quickly slid something underneath a pile of cushions.

'' What was that?'' she asked.

'' What was what?'' he said, pretending to be focused on a plate on the coffee table. '' Here, Mom made snacks. It's bascially peanut butter on celery, but cut into slices so it's prettier and harder to eat. Have you ever notices that she's weird?''

'' Miroku come on!'' Kagome said, flopping down on the couch. '' What were you hiding when I came in?''

'' Nothing. '' he said. '' Where's Inuyasha ?''

Kagome was hurt. Miroku never kept anything from her. What could it be?

'' Inuyasha decided not to come in,'' she said. '' But he says hi.'' She waited for a minute, but Miroku kept moving the celery around the plate without saying anything.

'' So... did you have fun today?'' she tried. '' Tennis was so lame. I'm a total menace with a tennis racket. What did you do?''

'' Nothing, '' he said again.

'' I'll bet, '' she said, reaching for the remote control and flipping the TV to their favourite game. To her surprise, none of the scores had changed. Either he hadn't played very well that day, or he hadn't played at all.

''Was Kikyo there?'' Miroku asked.

'' Of course, '' Kagome said. ''She's so scary. And now she seriously hates me.''

'' But she's really hot,'' Miroku said. '' I don't get why Inuyasha wouldn't just date her. I would, if I weren't too stupid and boring for her to like me. It sounds a lot easier than pretending to date you.''

'' Oh, thanks!'' Kagome said sarcastically, pushing herself off the couch. She headed for the door in a huff, but he didn't stop her. In the doorway, she turned and glanced back. He was staring down at the table, rolling a pencil absentmindedly back and forth along the carpet. Her mom was coming down the stairs as Kagome went up.

'' Oh, Kagome!'' Mrs. Higurashi said happily. '' How was Shikon Summerlodge? Did you have such a lovely time? It wasn't so bad without your brother, was it?''

'' It was terrible, like I thought it would be,'' Kagome said. '' And I think something's wrong with Miroku. I'm going to take a shower.''

Her mom looked disappointed, but she stepped aside without pressing for more tennis details. At least she didn't ask about the bikini, safely hidden under Kagome's bed. In her room, Kagome lay down on her bed, feeling tired. It was kind of exhausting being a pretend girlfriend. First there were Kikyo and Rin ; then there was all the complicated Inuyasha stuff, plus that guy Koga ; and now Miroku was acting strange and keeping secrets. She felt all mixed up, with no one to talk to about it.

And it starts all over again tomorrow