Alright so getting these chapters proof read seems to be impossible so please excuse all the inevitable mistakes. This is a Judy heavy chapter so please bear with me. This project will soon be over. I do hope you enjoy this chapter and listen to the songs or the stories I mention. They are really good. I will post links under the respective songs and hopefully they'll work. Enjoy! Please review as well. It makes me happy and eager to continue writing on it.
Chapter Ten
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK
The sound echoed through the house alerting everyone that the special guest had arrived. The people of the house quickly finished putting all the plates and food on the table making sure everything looked neat and perfect. When everything was to his liking, Ichigo opened the door after taking a deep calming breath. However, that breath was taken away from him when he saw a raven-haired beauty standing before him. She wasn't dressed up per-say, but she had more elegant look about her than usual, a knee length flowing paisley skirt with a light brown cardigan over a white blouse and brown flats with her hair up in slightly messy pony tail along with a warm tan coat. Nothing spectacular, but on her, he thought she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Ichigo couldn't help but stare in awe as he tried to come up with something to say.
"Um, are you okay Kurosaki-kun?"
Her voice broke through his trance and Ichigo was brought back to reality. "Yeah, yeah; I'm fine," he said with some difficulty.
"So, are you going to let me in or do I have to eat on the sidewalk?"
"Oh, of course you can come in. Sorry about that. You look great by the way, Higurashi-san," he stammered as he stepped out the way to allow his guest through.
"Thank you; you look pretty good yourself," she said with a smile. 'He looks really good. He's so much more put together than usual. Nice dress pants and a button down shirt. Wait! What am I'm saying! I can't think that! I don't want to start falling for Kurosaki-kun. It's barely been a month since I broke up with Sesshomaru.'
"Everyone's in the dinning room, are you ready to eat?" Ichigo took Kagome's coat and hung it up before leading her to the dinning room where everyone was waiting.
"Yes; I'm starving."
"Great! We've got plenty of food." When the two came to the dinning room, Ichigo's family was standing by the table dressed as nice as Ichigo. "Higurashi-san, I'd like you to meet my Dad, my sister Yuzu, and my other sister Karin."
"Wow, Ichigo, you said she was pretty, but I didn't think you meant this pretty!" exclaimed Isshin as he ran over to Kagome with wide eyes, but before he could reach her Ichigo stepped in and kicked him in the chest.
"Ugh! What was that for?" cried Isshin as he doubled over in pain on the floor.
"You can't charge at our guest! You should know that, old man!"
"Come on, Dad. Show some manners for once," said a dark haired girl with her arms crossed and an annoyed look on her face.
"You're against me too, Karin?"
Kagome laughed quietly to herself as their antics reminded her of some of the arguments she and her friends got into in the Feudal Era. She found Ichigo's family to be a delight despite all the yelling and physical fighting.
"All of you stop fighting!" cried a dark blonde next to Karin. "We don't want to scare her off!"
"Sorry, Yuzu," they all replied apologetically. By then, Kagome couldn't contain her laughs anymore and everyone turned toward her confused.
"hahaha I'm sorry. hahaha" began Kagome. "You just all remind me of some friends from a long time ago. I couldn't help but laugh at the similarities and the memories. Please, forgive me."
"It's okay, Higurashi-san. As long as they're good memories," replied Ichigo kindly.
"Don't worry; they're good."
"So, shall we eat then?" asked Yuzu, much happier than a moment ago.
"Yes!" shouted everyone.
The conversation throughout dinner remained light and funny. Topics from school to friends were discussed without giving away anything supernatural. The more they talked, the more Kagome felt comfortable. She was beginning to really like Ichigo's family and started thinking about the next time she'd be able to come over. Finally during desert, the conversation turned to the reason Kagome and Ichigo were meeting.
"So, Ichigo tells me you here to listen to a record," comments Isshin towards Kagome.
"Yes, I am. We're going to listen to Judy at Carnegie Hall. First, we'll listen to the vinyl and then the CD. Apparently, there's a difference, but personally I just think Kurosaki-kun got swindled into buying more than he needed," replied Kagome with a playful sideways glance at Ichigo.
"I did not!" he shouted defensively. "Ryuu promised me he didn't swindle me. I trust him."
"Right, because you've known him for years and not just the short time in class."
"Hey, I'm usually pretty good at judging who I can trust. Doubt me if you must, but I know I wasn't taken advantage of."
"Well, the only way to solve this problem is to listen to the albums," supplied Isshin. "The record player is all set up in the sitting room. You can go on in when you're done with desert. Now, I must warn you, this album is legendary for a reason, so don't be surprised when you're blown way by Judy's power."
"You don't have to make it sound so serious, Dad," added Karin.
"But is serious. She wasn't called the World's Greatest Entertainer for nothing you know, but I'll let you two decide if she deserves that title or not. You better get to it, you've got about five hours until you're done and it's already seven." Isshin then grabbed is plate and silverware and went into the kitchen to begin cleaning.
"Geez is everyone a closet Garland fan? First Ryuu and now dad," commented Ichigo.
"Well, shall we go and hear what all the fuss is about?" asked Kagome.
"Yeah, let's go." The pair went into the sitting room and Ichigo grabbed the vinyl record to put on. The sound of pops and crackles filled the air and the anticipation grew for Kagome. Being a Garland fan herself now, she was bursting with excitement and was finding it very difficult to contain it. She and Ichigo sat next to each other on the couch, but with a respectable distance between them. After Ichigo sat down and got comfortable the applause started signifying the beginning of the greatest night in American Showbiz history.
When the applause ended the overture started. First the drums rolled, followed by the sounds of strings climbing the scales. Then more drums accompanied by blaring trumpets. Bongos began to play and the orchestra went into the first song. Kagome didn't recognize the song at first, but after looking at the album she learned it was the Trolley Song. A song she had never heard before. Even without Judy singing, the instruments made the song soar. Suddenly a trumpet was alone and went into a song she did recognize. "Over the rainbow". The strings came in and gave the song a sense of melancholy she'd never realized before. She made a mental note to really pay attention to The Wizard of Oz next time she watched it. The drums began to pound again and the brass section went into an intense passionate number. Kagome and Ichigo could feel their emotions intensify as the music went on. When it was over applause immediately erupted with people hollering and then it suddenly got louder. It was then they both realized the woman herself, Judy Garland walked out on stage. All she said before going into the first song was, "Oh my!" with a couple of claps.
/eKwDrkyE_Ac
The songs on the first record ranged from up beat swing about love and happiness to a subtle song about sex to jazz to discovering love. Things got a little tense when "How Long Has this Been Going On" began. There was tenseness in the room they both thought was coming from just them. Ichigo thought about his crush on Kagome and was hoping it wasn't noticeable and Kagome thought of her possibly growing crush on Ichigo she hopped would go away as the lyrics seemed to be about them.
"There was a chill up my spine, and some thrills I can't define. Little wow, tell me know. How long has this been going on?" Judy sang in a soft vibrato as if she were singing this directly to a lover as they danced close together in a dim lighted room with candles everywhere.
Both of them pictured each other in this song. One holding the other while living the lyrics.
"Kiss me once then once more. What a dunce I was before. What a break for heaven's sake. How long has this been going on?"
/RRX5c55c5oM
Kagome bit her lip and Ichigo shifted uncomfortably in his seat avoiding eye contact with each other. When the song finally ended sighs of relief filled the room and the thoughts were unfortunately not replaced with more appropriate ones as the next song was just a jazzed up song about being alone with someone and finding ways to "entertain" each other.
As much as Kagome loved the album she wished it didn't have so many love songs in it. The next song didn't help either as it hit closer to home. The only thing worse than a love song is a song about lost love. "The Man that Got Away", Kagome's least favorite song right now.
"The man that won you has run off an undone you. That great beginning has seen a final inning. Don't know what happened it's all a crazy game. No more that all time thrill for you've been through the mill, and never a new love will be the same."
/Lvl-quzGsx4
Two different images popped into Kagome's head. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. The two men she had loved deeply who loved someone else. They both left her heartbroken and yet she still wanted to be with them. More so Inuyasha than Sesshomaru. Inuyasha was her first love, the man…er dog demon she saw herself spending the rest of her life with. He was the man that truly got away. As she relived her memories in the song a tear fell from each eye. Quickly she wiped them away hoping Ichigo didn't notice. Judy's sadness ripped through her. She felt Judy had experienced the very same thing at some point in her life.
The last song of the first album was another jazzed up song, but instead of it being about love it was about San Fransico. A song neither of them expected, but it was also a song they couldn't help but love. They could just picture Judy belting out this song and flailing her arms like she does around the stage and just pulling the audience in just to throw them back out with the powerhouse notes. Then the song ended, and applause and hollers roared and she sent them into an intermission. The first album was done.
"Wow." was all Ichigo and Kagome could say at first.
"I didn't expect to go through so many emotions so soon." commented Kagome as Ichigo was messing with the record player. "You're dad was right. I am blown away. I don't see how the other one can be better than this."
"Well there's only one way to find out." Ichigo started the second half of the album and the two were thrust into another hour and a half or so of non-stop power and emotions.
Most of the songs were slower and more subdued, but when Judy went into a torch song she let the audience have it. There was nothing stopping her. Nothing was holding her back from belting out every song with as much gusto as the one before. She was on fire and the audience both in the album and on the couch was loving every minute of it. Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. She noticed the audience had the utmost respect for her. It wasn't like any concert today where fans are screaming the whole time. When Judy sang they were quite until the very end. When Judy finally sang "Over the Rainbow" for one of her four encores a pen could've been heard if it was dropped. It seemed as if she took everyone's breath away. You would think it was a regular studio recording if it wasn't for the applause in the beginning and the end of the song.
Strangely enough Kagome found herself crying again at the end of "Over the Rainbow". She had no idea why either. There was nothing sad about that song, at least no reason she could think of. Ichigo looked at her worriedly and wanted to find out what was wrong so he could fix it, but when he asked about it she said it was nothing and not to worry.
The last three songs played and oddly enough the second half of the concert ended with a song about Chicago, which was sung with as much vigor as "San Fransico". Her favorite song by far was "After You've Gone". A song about the person who left the relationship being miserable because they don't have that person anymore.
"After you've gone and left me crying. After you've gone there's no denying. You're gonna feel blue and you're gonna feel sad, you're gonna feel bad and you'll miss and you'll miss the bestest pal you ever had." During this song Kagome had a smug smile on her face.
/f3-EEKXO6Os
When the album was over Kagome and Ichigo sat on the couch amazed. Kagome more so than Ichigo, but that was nothing new. It seemed to her it would take Judy saving the world to impress him.
"Well that was just as good as the first half," said Kagome laying down on the couch with head near Ichigo's legs.
"Yeah it was. I liked it. I can see why it won all those Grammy's. She really is something else. Do you want to listen to the other version now?"
"Can we listen to it some other time? I'm worn out just from listening to it once. I feel emotionally and physically exhausted." she said stifling a yawn.
"Did that pretty little head just yawn?" asked a voice from behind the couch. Ichigo immediately jumped off the couch in surprise.
"What the hell are you doing behind the couch? Were you there the whole time?" he yelled at his dad loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood.
"Of course not! Just since "You go to My Head." he retaliated nonchalantly.
"That was from the first record!"
"I couldn't resist. Anyways that's not important. Higurashi-san is tired. She should stay here tonight instead of driving home."
"You can call me Kagome Kurosaki-sama. You can to Kurosaki-kun. I think we're good enough friends no to not be so formal."
"And you can just call me Mr. Kurosaki and I'm sure Ichigo wouldn't mind if you just called him by his first name. Isn't that right son?"
"Yeah I don't mind Kagome."
"So Kagome you're staying here tonight. You can sleep in Ichigo's room and he can sleep on the couch in here."
"Oh I couldn't do that Mr. Kurosaki. I don't want to put Ichigo out of his room. It's okay. I can make it home."
"Nonsense. Please stay. You can listen to the other album tomorrow."
"Dad if she doesn't want to stay she doesn't have to."
"It's no trouble. Please stay Kagome."
"No really. I can ma-"
"I can't believe he talked me into this," said Kagome out loud in Ichigo's bed wearing a pair of Yuzu's pajamas.
"I can't believe he talked her into it," said Ichigo in his pajamas on the couch in the sitting room.
The morning came at a much slower pace than usual to the two young adults trying to make sense of the current situation. Kagome had no intention of sleeping over at the Kurosaki's house, but she just couldn't say no to Isshin after arguing for nearly half an hour and found herself sleeping in Ichigo's bed. Well she should've been sleeping. She kept thinking about all the feelings she had when listening to the album trying to make sense of where they came from. She didn't want to fall in love. She didn't even want to like someone. She was tired of falling hard for someone and then hitting the ground even harder once the relationship ended. This was not going over well for her.
When morning finally came Kagome got up and changed back into her clothes and left Yuzu's pajamas folded on the bed neatly. After she was dressed she walked downstairs to the kitchen hoping she'd be alone. She didn't want to deal with anyone from the family first thing in the morning, but when she turned the corner into the kitchen she found Karin sitting at the table drinking orange juice and eating a rice bowl.
"Oh good morning Kurosaki-san." Kagome greeted sheepishly.
"Good morning, and you can call me Karin. I've never cared for formalities with friends."
"Okay. You can just call me Kagome then. So what are doing up so early?"
"I have practice in an hour. I like to get up early to go for a quick run. What about you?"
"Honestly, I couldn't sleep. I kept thin—wait. Did you just say you go for a run before practice even though you're just going to run when you're there?"
"Yeah." she said. "I like to get a warm up in before hand. The sooner I'm active the better."
"Right" replied Kagome a little confused. "Makes sense I guess."
"Personal preference. So you couldn't sleep last night?"
"No. It felt a little weird sleeping in Ichigo's room and in Yuzu's clothes. Ichigo and I are friends, but I don't really know him well enough to be that comfortable."
"I can understand that. Sorry about Dad practically forcing you too. He never gives up so it was kind of inevitable when he started asking."
"It's okay. I guess it's fine since Ichigo and I still have the second album to listen to. Saves me a trip." Kagome and Karin continued talking until the sound of footsteps coming from the living room interrupted them. Kagome looked over to where the noise was coming from and saw Ichigo standing in the door way rubbing the back of his head and yawning.
"Good morning." he said sleepily.
"Good Morning Ichigo." the two girls replied in unison.
"So how did you sleep Kagome? Sorry about my Dad forcing you to stay. He's to persistent for his own good." Ichigo pulled out a chair and sat between Kagome and Karin at the table.
"Well I have to get to practice. I'll see you later Ichigo. If your gone by the time I get back Kagome, it was nice meeting you. Come back sometime. I'll take you to one of my practices and you can meet the rest of the team." offered Karin with a smile as she got up and put her dishes in the dishwasher.
"Really? That would be fantastic! Thanks Karin, and it was nice meeting you too." After Karin finished with her dishes she grabbed her soccer gear by the door and headed out saying bye one more time.
"So Kagome how'd you sleep?" Ichigo asked again.
"Oh…I slept okay I guess. Honestly it was a little weird sleeping in your bed and in Yuzu's pajama's."
"Yeah sorry about that. Like I said before my dad is pretty persistent. There's really no refusing him when he gets that way."
"It's okay. Saves me a trip down here anyways. We still have another album to listen too."
"Oh yeah, that's right. We can listen to it after breakfast. Have you eaten yet?"
"No I haven't."
"Do you want cereal or rice or a grapefruit or all three or anything really?"
"I'll have some cereal."
"Okay cereal it is." Ichigo got everything out and prepared breakfast for him and Kagome. A small gesture, but still something he hoped she'd appreciate about him. He and Kagome ate breakfast with some conversation, but still with some silence as usual. When they were finished Ichigo put the dishes in the dishwasher and the two moved to the living room to begin listening to the second version of Judy at Carnegie Hall.
"This better be worth it," mumbled Ichigo as he was putting the CD in the CD player. Just as with the first one the Overture started with the same applause and music going into the first song and Judy saying, "Oh my."
"I don't hear a difference yet," commented Ichigo.
"Just give it time. It's only been two songs," chided Kagome. So Ichigo sat on the couch with his head back and eyes closed completely disinterested in listening to the same thing twice. The lack of sleep making him a little more irritable than usual. Then when the applause ended after the third song something that he hadn't heard before began playing. Judy started talking.
'I a…I'm so excited my goodness. I just got back, well not actually just got back. I got back about three months ago from Europe, and I did a tour on the continent and I went to Paris and I'd never worked in Paris before. And I have a friend in Paris. A woman who is so chic, she's so chic you can't stand it. (Audience laughs) She's a darling marvelous woman, but she's so chic. (More audience laughter) Anyway, she said you must go see my hairdresser because obviously you need somebody. (Audience laughs) So she arranged for me to go to this marvelous Parisian fellow who is just supposed to be the end you know. And he came in and took one look at me and looked quite discouraged. (Audience laughs) And he said the first thing we must do is you must look nothing nothing like Judy Garland, nothing like yourself and I said, "don't you think I should look a little like…" "NO!", he said, "No that'll be disastrous. We'll change you completely." (Audience laughs throughout) So the night of the performance he came back stage and he had about nine assistants you know. And they just clipped at my hair. It just got taller and taller and really it was about to here with great big things out here. Spit Curls we used to call them in my day. I think they have a new new name for it now. And and I looked very strange. I looked like an overweight Bellasiango(I'm not really sure what she says with that word) model or something. And I came out for the concert that night and I walked out balancing my hair. And when I work I get very warm as you can see. I just really get so hot. And I started to sing and I started to get warm and my hair started to fall. And it got lower; it was Neanderthal with all the lacquer running down the spit curls it was terrible.'
/_JaQHR6e5rU
Both Kagome and Ichigo were laughing at Judy's story and instantly realized why this version is better and why the concert is legendary.
"No wonder this concert is no amazing. I hope she tells more stories," said Kagome in between her laughing.
The concert went on with more commentary from Judy. She talked about a striptease tempo and joking about it not looking right in Carnegie Hall. She messed with the orchestra members and told more stories. The audience ate it up and laughter filled the air. She told two major stories and the rest were little comments here and there. Not only was she a phenomenal singer, but also she was a great storyteller. One of the reasons she was such a beloved entertainer. A couple of hours went on with Kagome and Ichigo enjoying the stories and the music. At the end Kagome was once again laying on the couch with her head close to Ichigo. A position she always takes when sitting on the couch. Ichigo stayed in the same spot but enjoyed the closeness of their bodies even though they weren't touching.
"Okay," began Ichigo once the album was done, "that was pretty amazing. I think it's a lot better than the first version just because of the stories. I didn't realize how funny she actually was."
"I know what you mean," agreed Kagome, "I haven't really looked into anything like that. I just figured she mostly did music. I've been meaning to look up interviews and stuff like that, but I haven't gotten around to it. I've been to busy."
"Yeah same here, except I haven't really wanted to do any further research on her. She seems to be more your thing. So what was you're favorite story?"
"Um…I'd say the one she tells about arriving in the London and that two-faced journalist totally making fun of her in her column after being a suck-up to her. How can someone write, Judy Garland arrives in London. She's not chubby. She's not plump. She's fat. I mean really! That was just horrible!" ranted a very frustrated Kagome. Ichigo began to laugh at her frustration and how intensely she talked about it.
"Then she goes on to say, She's jolly then I've ever seen her and when she throws her head back her chins joggle happily. Her teeth are crooked but I think they're her own. It's so awful but so funny."
"I love how she can laugh about it so easily. Celebrities now a day would have a fit and force it to be changed and they'd feel as if they're careers will be ruined by it. Celebrities today need to learn how to laugh at themselves and what happens. They should take a lesson from Judy."
"I totally agree. So what else do we have to do on this project?"
"I think we just have to narrow down all of our information and just concentrate on the most important stuff. How much longer do we have until it's due?"
"It's due in December, so just a little over a month I guess. We can get it finished by then."
"Yeah we can, but lets take a break for a week. I'm getting burned out with it. I need to rest my brain and let it recharge."
"Good idea. I'm honestly tired of this project, but it hasn't been horrible." Ichigo looked down at Kagome, who was still lying on her back with her head near Ichigo, and smiled at her. Kagome slightly blushed and immediately looked away to hide her the red on her face that insisted on staying.
'His eyes are so brown and deep; I never realized how brown they were until now. They're so different from golden amber.' she thought to herself as she pushed herself up and into a sitting position on the couch.
"Uh…so what do you want to do now?" asked Ichigo nervously.
"What time is it?" Kagome took out her phone and looked at her watch. It was around noon and she had nowhere to go. "Oh I have to get going actually. I have class in two hours. I need to get home and get ready." Kagome quickly got up and started looking around for things that weren't there.
"Oh okay. I guess we can do something another time." he said as he got up as well and nervously rubbed the back of his head in disappointment.
"Yeah maybe. My stuff is upstairs still. I'll be right back."
"Okay." Kagome went up stairs and after she was out of sight Ichigo grabbed a pillow and growled into it out of frustration. 'I totally ruined it,' he thought, 'It was because I smiled at her. She blushed and now suddenly she has to leave. Ugh!' Ichigo continued to growl into the pillow until he heard her coming down the stairs. Instantly he threw the pillow down on the couch and sat down nonchalantly and tapped the armrest with his fingers as if he'd been sitting there waiting the whole.
"Alright I guess I'll be going then. Thanks for letting me come over and listen to the records Ichigo. I think they'll help with our presentation a lot."
"It was no problem. I'm glad you could come over." They both stood in awkward silence for a minute until Ichigo finally came to his senses again." Oh let me walk you to the door."
"Thanks." The pair walked the short distance to the door and began an awkward goodbye.
"Thanks again Ichigo. I'll see you in class tomorrow."
"Right. See you in class." Ichigo made a miniscule move for a hug or even a handshake, but thought better of it considering how their goodbye was going. He wasn't sure if Kagome noticed or not, but she turned around and walked off towards her car on the side of the street. He watched her walk away and drive away all the while he mentally kicked himself for possibly screwing things up again. When she was out of sight he went back into the house and closed the door with one last word. "Damn."
Author's Note/ The last video is all the stories Judy tells during the concert. I find them to be hilarious and I hope you do too. Please let me know what you think of the chapter or Judy or both. I'd love to hear your comments. :)