Post-High School

Wager

Higurashi Kagome stretched her arms above her head as she stared languidly up at the ceiling. A small smile quirked up the corners of her full pink lips, slowly expanding into a full-force grin. Today was the first day of summer. Not only that, it was the first day of the summer after her graduation from high school. The ceremony had been yesterday and Disney movie-themed graduation slumber party had been last night. Kagome and her friends had watched Disney movies until they couldn't keep their eyes open any longer. The result had been a whole bunch of teenagers scattered all around in front of the TV in her living room and everyone save her seemed to have a cuddle buddy.

From her vantage point on the recliner she could see Sango curled up into her unofficial boyfriend Miroku's chest on the couch. He had one arm over her shoulders and the other wrapped around her waist in a very un-hentai position. Kikyo and InuYasha were snuggling on the pallet on the floor, her head resting just under his chin on his chest, his arms draped over her body and holding her close. The last two of their little group were TanaYasha and Jakotsu who were wound around each other next to Kikyo and InuYasha on the floor. As Jak was practically a girl and Tana was not-so-secretly in love with Bankotsu, Jak's older brother, their snuggling was completely innocent and not all that uncommon; Tana always claimed Jak was cuddly and smelled good—which Kagome completely agreed with—and Jak said that since he couldn't snuggle with InuYasha, Tana was a good substitute, plus she was fluffy.

Kagome pressed her lips together to keep from yawning; she didn't want to wake up InuYasha or Tana who were notoriously light sleepers. A glance at the clock on the wall told her it was 10 in the morning. She bit her lip. They were scheduled to meet the rest of their friends in just a few hours at the beach and everyone still had to go home and grab a change of clothes.

Sighing Kagome reached for her iPod, scrolled through her playlist until she reached "Barbie Girl" by Aqua which she had purchased off iTunes specifically for occasions liked this, turned the volume up to full blast, and hit play. The result was instantaneous. InuYasha and TanaYasha, whose sensitive ears made them hate that particular song with the burning passion of a thousand suns, sprang to their feet still half asleep and swearing profusely. The twins looked around wildly for the source of the "God-awful" screeching, as they called it, and when their matching amber eyes fixed on Kagome innocently holding her iPod their expressions soured.

"Turn that damn thing off!" InuYasha yelled.

Jak and Kikyo, who had both sat up as their heat source left them, glared at him. "Shut up InuYasha," Jak grumbled irritably, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His yell had also awoken Sango and Miroku and they both watched the interaction with bleary eyes.

Kikyo, being the polite miko that she was, settled for a look of disdain. "Is that racket really necessary, Kagome?" she asked of her sister.

Kagome lost the battle to control her mirth. "Y-yes," she stammered between peals of laughter. "S-so w-worth it," and she collapsed into her chair, still giggling madly.

Tana, glowering down at her evilly cackling friend, snatched the cursed music player from her grip and punched the stop button. Instantly her ears stopped threatening to begin bleeding and she relaxed. "That was just mean Kags," she said irritably, returning the iPod to its owner.

"But funny," Kagome said cheerfully, taking the iPod back and setting it down on an end table.

"Why'd you wake us up?" Sango asked tiredly.

"Cause we're supposed to be the others at the beach in a couple hours and everyone still has to home and change clothes," Kagome explained as she stood, stretching her arms high above her head.

"Oh, right."

"Shall I escort you home, my dear Sango?" Miroku asked. Kagome didn't need be a mind reader to know what he was thinking, he had that too-charming tone going which always got him in trouble. To her surprise, however, Sango blushed a pretty pink and took his offered hand, allowing him to help her stand up. Together the two lovebirds said their goodbyes and left the Higurashi residence.

Kagome watched them go, a slight smile on her lips. "Bout time," she muttered.

"'Bout time' what?" Tana asked, pausing in her folding of the blankets and looking at her miko friend.

"Oh, you know, bout time Sango started letting Miroku do his charming and romantic routine instead of just slapping him for it."

Kikyo snorted. "Bet it won't last," she said as she and InuYasha picked up the bowls of junk food they had left on the floor. It was a wonder Bouyo, their family cat, hadn't gotten into them.

"You know their destined for each other," Kagome countered as she stared picking up DVD cases and putting the disks back in.

"True, but they're not going to realize it for probably another two years."

"Yeah right," Kagome scoffed. "They'll figure it out way before then."

"Care to wager on it?'

Kagome's blue eyes flashed as they met her sister's calm brown one. There was nothing the two Higurashi sisters loved more than betting with each other; it was their form of sisterly bonding. Behind their back Jak, Tana, and InuYasha rolled their eyes. "What would you suggest?"

"I wager that Sango and Miroku won't become an official couple for at least another two years," Kikyo said.

"I wager Sango and Miroku officially become boyfriend and girlfriend by the end of our freshman year in college. The usual stakes?"

Kikyo nodded. "A year's supply of candy," she said and stuck out her hand. Kagome reached for it but at the last minute Kikyo said, "And there will be no interference of any kind. Neither of us are to encourage or discourage the development of Sango and Miroku's relationship in any way other than what we would do naturally."

Kagome nodded and gripped Kikyo's hand. The likelihood of one of them cheating was slim to none. They took their moral purity as miko very seriously. "Done," the sisters said together.

Kikyo looked around at their audience and added, "You three are sworn to secrecy, of course," she said matter-of-factly. "Sango and Miroku will not find out about this bet, it could affect the outcome."

Reluctantly Jak, Tana and InuYasha promised not to tell their other two friends about the bet.

Kagome grinned. "Good," she said looking at Kikyo, "may the lucky miko win."