Candy Coated Chocolates

Better In Time

Froggeh12

A/N: Hey guys! I'm SO sorry I haven't updated in so long. I'd like to promise no more gaps like that, but I can't… what I CAN promise however is that I'm 99 sure I won't abandon this story, and I WILL let you know if I do decide to stop writing this. If you don't hear from me for a while, just assume it's a long, annoying break. Thanks so much for being patient. Enjoy the chapter! Nothing really big happens, and it's not that interesting, I know, but… xx; It was a necessary chapter.

Gah, you know what I realized, though? Japanese schools don't have the same breaks and re-entry times as American schools do. Whatever. D: This is an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE anyway! Psh, see, the author is always right. ;D

Make sure to review!

---

Right after a dinner of greasy pizza and light chatter, as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were leaving, Sesshomaru turned around and kissed me again. It was a lot more… well… active this time. After a few minutes of this, with Inuyasha waiting impatiently by the car, Sesshomaru asked me very bluntly to be his girlfriend. I squealed and hugged him and, quite obviously, said yes. It was a dream come true to someone like me. I usually only got the stalker-esque nerds. When I floated back to my room that night, I didn't think I would ever be happier than I was right at that moment.

I woke up the next morning with a fluttering feeling in my stomach. I was nervous. Being tired and groggy, I wasn't entirely sure as to what I was nervous about. I took a moment to think. I thought about the events of the previous night and… Sesshomaru was now my boyfriend! Oh my god! What was I going to wear? Was he going to expect me to tell other people? …Or did he expect me to keep it to myself? Would he think I was ashamed of him if I didn't come in bragging about it? Then I realized… I was nervous about seeing Sesshomaru for the first time after last night. I was nervous about how people would react, and how I would react once they reacted!

As you might be able to tell by this rant, I had never had a boyfriend before. I had only kissed a boy once before Sesshomaru, and that was on a dare in eighth grade. So, naturally, I was scared to death.

As I was contemplating skipping school entirely and faking illness, my mother came in. "Kagome, honey, it's almost time to leave."

I turned to her, hoping I didn't look as lost as I felt. Turns out I did.

"Come here, baby."

I instinctively ran to my mother, who, being a mother, wrapped her arms around me and kissed me on the head. "Don't be scared. Remember, he likes you for who you are. Don't act any differently, just hold your head high and be yourself."

"Thanks, Mom…"

So I took her advice. I dressed in a pretty medium-blue skirt and a white button down shirt, with black slip-ons and a very minimal amount of make up – same general look as every day. I brushed through my hair and looked in the mirror. I still looked like me. I gave the proud girl on the other side of the mirror a giant grin. Then both I and the girl in the mirror realized what time it was, and bolted away frantically, cursing everything in sight.

---

Naturally, I was late.

Naturally, the entire school knew that Sesshomaru and I were going out.

And naturally, I was on the shit list of every girl I came across.

Huh.

As I walked into English class, I was greeted by a loud round of wolf whistles and catcalls – a very animalistic class in every sense of the word. I smiled brightly at the class as if I hadn't just had a thick paper ball lobbed at my head, as if Mayu in the front row hadn't attempted to trip me. It was math class after dinner at Inuyasha's all over again, but this time everyone managed to say their comments perfectly fine from their seats. And this time… they actually had a reason to say something.

The comments varied. It went from "You fucking slut" to "How did YOU end up going out with Sesshomaru, the hottest demon in school? Don't you hate demons?"

AGAIN with the hating demons thing! They didn't seem to understand that I didn't hate demons. I've just never been able to stand people who abuse their power and those who stand by and allow the power to be abused; allow themselves to be walked all over so that maybe they can get a small taste of that power.

Sesshomaru didn't even seem too fond of his "power". Why would it amaze them so much that he wouldn't go out with someone like them? What was so bad about going out with someone who was different from him?

Well, as any high school movie will tell you, everything.

My next class was math, so at least I had my friends. I also had Inuyasha. That was something I had been waiting for, honestly. After yesterday… after we all had so much fun together… would he really join in on the taunting?

I sat in my usual spot next to Kikyou, feeling a bit safer, though not much. Sango came in a few seconds after I had taken my seat and immediately came over to my desk. She sat on her knees to get closer to my level and hugged me. "Are you ok? I haven't heard good things."

"I'm fine, Sango," I said with a smile, returning the hug. "They can say what they want. All I care about is what actually happened… I have my Sesshomaru. Go sit before Mr. Wolfe comes in."

Sango smiled back and stood up, going to the other side of Shippo and sitting down. Sure enough, Mr. Wolfe walked in just moments later. For a moment he looked over at me with an expression of sheer disappointment. … Wait… disappointment? I cringed and closed my eyes, hoping he was disappointed in the fact that Inuyasha seemed to have decided to skip again. I sighed, realizing that he would miss the day of torture. I had really wanted to see how he would react, too…

Wait.

Wait…

Why did I want Inuyasha here so bad, anyway?

We weren't friends. We weren't really even acquaintances. We just happened to be stuck together on a science project together. The closest relation he had to me was future brother-in-law… and you were allowed to hate your spouse's family. He was a selfish pig, who only cared about his reputation after having his ego stroked for to long. Maybe he started out innocently like Miroku said, but now? Now he probably honestly thought he was the greatest, only because he's half-demon.

Somehow though, I wasn't sure I entirely believed that anymore…

I screwed my eyes shut even harder. Why was I thinking this? I just got the boyfriend of my dreams. He was protective, kind, and, well, interesting…not to mention amazingly hot.

I had Sesshomaru. I had Sesshomaru Hidaka, finally. So why did I find myself thinking about his idiot brother, other than to think about him as "my boyfriend's idiot brother"?

I sighed and leaned back in my seat. Just block it out. Block everything out and pay attention to the lesson… even though it's almost as painful.

I really hate math.

---

"Kagome."

"Mmf."

"Ka-go-me. Class is over."

"And we're on to a new class. Kill me?"

"Not a new class, lunch. You get to see Sesshomaru now," Evana coaxed, poking me between the shoulder blades.

I bolted upright. "That's right! The only thing that makes this day worth it…"

Evana smiled. "Let's go, Kagome. Or do you want to be alone with him today? Or just with Sango?"

I shook my head furiously. "No way. Besides, why just with Sango?"

"Well," Evana began hesitantly, as though maybe she had said something wrong (which she might have), "She's your best friend, isn't she?"

I had never really thought of that. Sure, I had "good friends", my group of friends consisting of Sango, Shippo, Kikyou, Evana, and Sophie. But… weren't my best friends the ones I had left behind?

I had talked to them less and less frequently, and each time we talked we had less and less to say. I figured that when they came here, however, all would be right again. By the time they left we'd have dozens more inside jokes to laugh about over the phone and over IM. It'd be normal again… right? It'd get better in time.

I pushed the thoughts away and ignored her question. "I want you all there, even Miroku." (Miroku seemed to like sitting with us by this point, and said he was going to bring Inuyasha along with him after the punishment period was over.) I grabbed her arm almost desperately. "Come with me to the line?"

Evana smiled reassuringly. "Sure." I got up and slung my backpack over my shoulder, feeling just as nervous as I had in the morning. God, why was it so controversial for someone like me to date a demon, just because I hadn't really shown too much of an interest in demons before?

Society really sucks sometimes, I thought bitterly. I pushed open the heavy doors and walked outside towards the food stand with Evana at my side. I put a bowl of lukewarm ramen on my tray and took the smallest carton of milk they offered. I was sick of these expensive prices, especially today. I paid for my food, waiting for Evana, and then sat down at my table. To my great surprise, the first demon to sit down at the table wasn't Shippo or Sesshomaru… it was Inuyasha. Miroku smiled cheerfully in greeting. "Punishment's up."

"Is it now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. While Miroku was being punished, he wasn't allowed to bring any friends. Sango didn't dare tell the teachers why she slapped Miroku so often (a/n: Now that I think about it, that'd be pretty bad XD;; Siiigh, but she doesn't go reporting it in Inuyasha so she won't report it here either), but the teacher figured he must be provoking her in some way, so the history teacher therefore refused to Miroku bring any friends.

"Yeah. It ended early because Sango and I get along so well now," he said with a broad grin, glancing over at Sango who was sitting to my right. She turned bright red.

"We're not going steady, we're simply dating. I told you that," she said dangerously, taking a sip of her green tea as though not bothered in the least, though her body language and tone betrayed her.

"How cute!" Evana, Sophie, and I all squealed together. Kikyou said nothing, and Shippo grinned at Sango as he walked up. "Finally, you two," he said brightly. Sango buried her face into her backpack.

Sesshomaru was the last person to come over. He sat next to me and gave a very small smile. I returned the smile and began eating.

Having Sesshomaru there… well, it didn't really affect the lunch table. He'd nod at our stories and roll his eyes at his brother's antics. I was too busy paying attention to Sesshomaru to pay too much attention to the other new arrival to the table. Sesshomaru wasn't really affectionate, or anything else. I didn't even feel reassured having him there. I couldn't help but feel disappointed, but maybe it'd get better in time. I blocked out most of these thoughts and tried to enjoy being with my friends and new boyfriend, but…

Did everything really just get better in time?

A/N: Yeah, I know, it wasn't great. Don't eat me. D: I updated, though! I TOLD you I'm not dead!! Oh, and to those of you who hated the Sess/Kag fluff. Here you go. xD