Author's note is at the bottom. Please read...
Chapter six: Three Steps Closer to You
"Why won't you tell me the new plan?"
"Sarah it's because, I don't want you to take a part of it." Kagura said coyly. Her hand held the phone over her ear.
"Kagura, why not? Have I done something wrong?" Sarah questioned once more.
"Hmm no, not yet," Kagura replied back. She stood up from her swivel chair and stood in front of her mirror.
No, not yet Sarah. I have heard that you talk to Sesshomaru constantly, now. He does not acknowledge you the way he does with me, but I can never be too cautious.
"Fine, I'll see you in school, tomorrow." Sarah said in a pissed tone. She hanged up, abruptly.
Kagura simply smirked. She tapped her index finger over her red colored lips. How should I torture Rin, next? It has to work perfectly.
Xxx
Rin stared at Kagome with a perplexed expression.
"What is jealousy?" she asked her older big sister.
"RIN!" Kagome exclaimed, before letting out a sigh. "Have you never watched the soap operas I watch? They can definitely teach you something about complex emotions."
"Hmm, I have never given those shows much thought. They are just too strange." Rin said honestly. She hoped she didn't offend Kagome.
"Okay, okay." Kagome said, before she settled on Rin's bed mattress, once more.
"Jealous is a feeling that builds up in here." Kagome said as she motioned to her chest. "It is when a person gets jealous that another person has something or someone that they want."
"Okay." Rin nodded, but still confused. "So, why is Sesshomaru jealous of Mr. Hiroshi?"
Kagome slapped her forehead, before reaching out to hold Rin's hand. "Mh, well I personally think it is because Mr. Hiroshi knows more about you than Sesshomaru does. He probably, unconsciously, wants to get to know you better."
"Haha, of course, that is just a presumption. Maybe, Sesshomaru has always disliked his father's friend." Kagome said, thinking about the tense atmosphere that had formed with Mr. Hiroshi's presence.
"Well, I admit that I think it would be nice to become friends with our neighbors. I mean, they might be doing things we don't approve of, but maybe they can change. A person can always change for the better, if they set their hearts to it. I think friendship is a good step to take." Rin said revealing her resolution.
"u-huh, I totally agree with you." Kagome nodded.
It would be nice if Sesshomaru got to know me better. I certainly don't want him to feel jealous as Kagome puts it. Rin thought with a warm smile on her lips.
The following morning on school grounds, Sarah walked down the courtyard with Sesshomaru by her side. They were both conversing about Sarah's book report. Sarah had approached Sesshomaru when he had arrived at school asking him if he could spare some time for her. She had said that she wanted his help on a school assignment.
Sesshomaru truthfully did find it a bit irritating to attend school. He really hoped that his father would give in soon and be able to arrange the necessary papers, so he didn't have to attend school, anymore. He sought out to prove to his father that he was wrong about sending him to school, instead of letting him work for the company.
He knew Sarah's father was an important figure to this school and if he helped Sarah with her book report, surely the word of his keen behavior would travel around.
"If you focus your paper on Leonardo Da Vinci's art history, you have to make sure to create a proper time line. This assignment is going to take a lot of research. The sources have to configure in a precise chronology."
"Wow, it really is amazing. The way you explain this assignment makes me very excited to be working on it. You seemed to be knowledgeable about Da Vinci's artwork. Do you have a favorite painting from him? Is it the Mona Lisa?" Sarah asked, as she smiled widely.
"No," Sesshomaru replied back. They both came to a standstill in front of the art department. "Oh," Sarah sounded a little dejected. She had guessed wrong, and now he probably thought she was a naïve, and silly girl with a crush on him.
"When you have the chance, look up Picasso's painting, The Girl in a Chemise." He said. He was about to head inside the art department when he caught a glimpse of Rin. She was walking down the outskirts of the sidewalks that led behind the buildings of school.
His gaze was intent on the color of her hair. 'Who did that to her? What purpose do they have to humiliate her?'
Sarah noticed Sesshomaru staring intently at Rin. She shrugged off the feeling of envy. "Say, Sesshomaru, you're going to be late to class. I have to also get going, but we'll meet up again after school, okay?"
"Yes, that's fine." He said before he headed inside the art department building. Sarah sighed feeling happy. I know I'm not close to him the way Kagura is with him, but I have high hopes that I will be able to steal Sesshomaru from her. Kagura does not deserve him.
Rin ignored the laughing voices as she walked down the sidewalk with her head held high. Her hair was covered in purple hair spray paint.
During speech class, someone thought it would be fun to fill up one dozen balloons with purple paint. The balloons exploded after she had been the only one left inside the classroom. As it had turned out, someone had locked her inside the room on purpose.
She took a short cut behind the math department building heading to the gym building. She hoped the gym coach would give her the chance to enter the girl's locker room. She really wanted to take a shower and get rid of the hair paint.
She tried to not think about the possibility that the paint wouldn't come out on the first wash. Unintentionally, her steady walk turned into a fast pace dash.
Sarah soon caught up with Rin, catching the girl's attention. Rin didn't recognize the girl running alongside her. They both stopped running and stood in front of the gym's front doors.
"C-can I help you?" Rin asked out of breath.
"I should be the one asking you that. I want to help you. You look like you need someone to talk to." Sarah replied back. She stared into Rin's watery eyes. It looked like Rin had been holding in her tears.
Rin continued to hold back her tears. "I'm fine."
"Come on," Sarah grabbed Rin's hand and pulled her inside the gym building. The sound of students exercising inside a separate room could be heard down the hallway.
Sarah pulled on the girl's locker room door handle, but it wouldn't budge. The locker room had been locked with key. She left Rin standing near the door and walked over to the janitor that was walking out of the bathrooms with her janitor cart.
"Rosy, can you please open the girl's locker room. It's an emergency." Sarah requested with a polite smile. Sarah didn't know the janitor, but she was grateful that their names were splayed out on the back of their uniforms. The janitor named Rosy, turned around and gave her attention to the girl. "Did you get Coach Jenny's permission?"
"Umm, not yet, but I know janitors have copies of the key. Don't worry, I'll go get permission, but please let my friend go inside. Please," Sarah implored once more.
Rosy noticed the girl wearing the school uniform. Her eyes widened in realization. She's the school's president daughter. She had heard from other staff members that only the president's daughter followed the school dress policy.
"Okay, but I still want you to report this to the coach. I don't want to get into trouble." Rosy said with weary expression. She fumbled with her set of keys before she found the key she needed.
Rosy walked over to the door giving a strange glance at Rin and her purple hair. She inserted the key inside the key hole unlocking the door with a soft click.
"There you go," She said, before returning to her janitor cart. "I'll check on you two in half an hour." She said before walking down the corridor.
Sarah smiled gently," Rin, you can go ahead and use the showers to your disposition. I'm going to go find the coach instructor and inform her about what happened."
"Okay," Rin replied meekly. "Thanks," She walked inside the locker room.
Sarah glowered at the empty hallway in front of her. 'Kagura definitely pulled this cruel prank on Rin. I don't know… if I should expose her to my father. Kagura's wrath is scary.'
She walked off to find the coach and returned back to the lockers in ten minutes. She wasn't surprised to find that Rin was still rinsing her hair. She walked over and opened her locker. All the lockers were a livid green color with student name plates on them to identify with them. Sarah took out spare clothes hoping they wouldn't be too big on Rin. She then took out her hair blow dryer.
She waited for Rin to exist out of the shower stalls. Rin soon came out and smiled when she saw Sarah. "Thank you for helping me."
"It's no problem. I don't think you deserve to be bullied. You are treated really awful. Haven't you ever thought of telling the school council about this problem?" Sarah asked as she handed Rin her clothes. "I don't know if you have a change of clothes, but this is all I can offer."
"Thank you for the clothes, umm…" Rin wondered what her name was.
"My name's Sarah Hitomi. I'm in your biology class." Sarah said extending her hand to shake. Rin reached out and gave her a soft handshake.
"Thank you, I hope we can become friends." Rin said before turning her attention to the clothes.
The skirt was made of pretty silk and the cotton shirt didn't look too big. "I think they'll fit." She answered with a nod.
Rin glanced at Sarah's blue-grey eyes wondering about her sincerity. 'Sango mentioned that I had to be cautious around this girl, but I don't see why I need to be careful. She seems to be a trust worthy person.'
"Is something the matter?" Sarah asked. She noticed that Rin had been staring at her warily for a few seconds, before dismissing the feeling.
"No, Uh, I'm going to go change." Rin turned to go inside one of the bathroom stalls. Sarah was glad to know that the paint was not permanently dyed and it was easy to wash off. 'Thankfully, Kagura didn't do too much damage to Rin's hair.'
ooo
"Spread your love like a fever…"
Kagura enjoyed the sound of music playing in the empty classroom. She was sitting on top of a desk humming along to the tune of the song.
Shelly walked inside the room and stood in front of Kagura. She kept her hands in front of her at all times.
"What report do you have for me?"
"Umm, well I saw Sarah giving Rin a helping hand. I think Sarah is planning to betray you." Shelly said in a soft tone.
"You think? Shelly, I don't pay you to think. Go back and get me information that is actually useful." Kagura said in a displeased tone.
"Y-y-yes," Shelly stammered before scurrying out of the room.
Kagura turned off the music from her IPod. She took out her Motorola Razr Droid cell-phone from her purse and looked through the directory.
I'm going to have an awesome time planning the ultimate idea and show Sarah to never mess with me.
Why can't I stop thinking about her? Is her well-being that important to me? She is a strange woman. What is so magnificent about her? I admit she has beautiful brown eyes. Her smile is different from other girls.
Sesshomaru pondered about Rin as she gave him a tutoring lesson about History. He didn't attempt to make conversation with her about her troubled predicament. It seemed the girl was being bullied and she was doing nothing to prevent it from happening, again.
Two weeks had passed since the neighbor dinner at his house. The girl also never brought up the topic of Hiroshi Saotome. Maybe, they weren't so close like he had first assumed. Besides, the man was really old for Rin. She couldn't really be interested in that type of person.
"Sesshomaru, do you not understand something? You were scowling..." Rin said in a low voice.
Sesshomaru stared at her with an indifferent face, "You just imagined it. I don't scowl."
"Ah, okay." Rin said closing her books. He was definitely scowling, but I wonder why? "I think we should end our session, here."
"Hn," he stacked up his books, before dumping them inside his backpack.
They both walked outside of the library and into the parking lot. Rin tried thinking about something to talk about, but knew he was going to leave before she even had a chance to talk with him.
Sesshomaru placed his hand into his pant pocket and walked to stand in front of his neighbor. "We both know that I don't really need these tutoring lessons. Perhaps, it would be better if we stopped meeting here."
"Sesshomaru, I know you are smart enough, but I'm only doing what your father requested. He wants someone to help you with passing your classes. I think it would be wrong if we didn't continue the tutoring lessons." Rin said.
Sesshomaru stared at her with a quirked eyebrow," I wasn't insinuating that we stop meeting for our tutoring lessons. I'm only suggesting that we should meet up in different places for the lessons, instead of the school library."
"Oh," Rin said blushing. I guess I still need to learn more about him. He talks without giving me much hints at what he wants or likes. I wonder if I can even be friends with him.
"I'll be choosing our next location. We can meet here in the parking lot, after school." He stated firmly. Rin nodded seeing no problem in changing locations.
"I'll see you tomorrow, then." He turned around and walked off to his motorcycle. Ever since the incident with Kagome's mother, he hadn't offered to drive her home.
Rin hesitantly took a step forward, debating whether she should let him walk off. She wasn't quite yet ready to admit to him that she was not an ordinary girl, but she could apologize for the tension she created between them.
Sesshomaru noticed that Rin was walking over to him. She probably forgot to ask him something. Rin stood next to his motorcycle. Sesshomaru was already sitting on it.
"Do you need something?" he asked.
"Umm, I want to apologize for my behavior at the dinner we had in your house. I uh… I wanted to talk with you and get to know you better…but I was worried you didn't want to talk to me, after my mother scolded you for giving me a ride home. "Rin said with a small smile.
"You don't need to apologize. I noticed the way you stared in my direction. I thought perhaps your mother prohibited you to talk to me." Sesshomaru truthfully revealed what he had thought. He noticed Rin's embarrassed blush, when he had mentioned that he knew she had been sneaking glances at him.
"What? Oh, no! I really am-"
"Stop apologizing." Sesshomaru interjected.
"Eh… well I hope we can become good friends, now that we put some misunderstandings behind us." Rin said with a happy grin.
"Sure, we can become good friends." He offered, placidly.
"Really," Rin's voice came out surprised, but also ecstatic.
"I'll see you, tomorrow, Sesshomaru." Rin said giving him a small wave, before turning around and walked off.
She looked down to glance at her watch remembering that she was supposed to meet with Sarah, today. After that hair spray painting incident, she and Sarah had become good friends. They weren't close, but they were still getting to know one another. It made her happy to know that Sarah wasn't a bad person.
XXXX
Author notes: In case, anyone got confused Sarah's father is not president of the states. He is the owner of a big corporate construction site and, also happens to own the High school campus. He is very rich, and strict with his wife and Sarah. And, also Rin wants to keep her vocation a secret, because she thinks people will judge her. So, for the moment Sesshomaru doesn't know about her vocation. The only ones that know about Rin's vocation: the Higurashi family, people she knows in the convent and those in her hometown, and Mr. Hiroshi. Please don't forget to review! =3
