"Sorry... I-I've got the stomach flu. Gotta go!"

I stand in the midst of my two friends, watching our third friend run off. She doesn't look back and my heart sinks miserably. I glance back at the street she had chosen to use but see no sign of her.

"Ayumi, are you zoning out on us, too?"

"Oh, sorry!"

I walk with them, smiling and saying all the right things, feeling dead and alone inside. They don't know me at all.

"Eri, did you notice how fast Kagome left after we started questioning about her boyfriend?"

Oh yes, Kagome's boyfriend. The one everyone's so curious about. The one I wish would stop hurting Kagome so badly.

"Yeah, I wonder if they're having troubles..."

"You think? Maybe we should stop by Kagome's house tomorrow with a gift?"

"Yeah! She can't run anywhere if she's already home, Yuka!"

My friends grin at each other maniacally, not noticing my silence, which I don't mind. I feel more like moping at the moment, anyway. I can't while with my friends, though. I don't want to try to pile my sadness on them.

"Alright, see you at Kagome's after school!"

Yuka runs off and Eri turns to me with a questioning noise, "You're coming, right Ayumi?"

"Of course!" A smile and a nod from me sends Eri off with a wave.

I hope her boyfriend isn't there... I don't know what to do if he is. Does seeing him, proving that he's real, mean these strange feelings for Kagome will disappear?

"What am I thinking?" I giggle softly as I step into my house, laughter bombards my ears as I head for my room.

Kagome's my friend, of course I'm going to care about her. There's nothing strange in that... Nothing.

I sink into my bed, clutching a pillow to myself and looking out my window. The laughter turns into polite talk between my family and their friends. I don't want to go out there and force myself to smile anymore, they won't miss me anyway.

"Oh, a shooting star!"

I imagine the trail of the star after it disappears, a dumb smile on my face before realizing I have a wish to spend.

I want her to be happy...

Even if her happiness doesn't involve me. And that's okay, as long as she's happy.

Quiet tears slide down my smiling face and I stifle my sobs, I can't let anyone hear my pathetic display. Not anyone.

Just a short snippet that I've been thinking of. If you didn't get it, it was about Ayumi's (one of Kagome's present day friends) feelings for Kagome. Take everything as you will.