Okay, so one of my resolutions for 2011 (omg I still can't believe 2010 is over!), is to update this story more often… I always feel that the year I'm in is busier than the last, but you wonderful people keep me going with this fanfic ;)

Alright, so BIG SHOUTOUT to my 150th reviewer: Yuuki-Chan64 (Sara) who is not only a regular reviewer of mine, but one of my bestest friends here ^^ (Or, at least I like to think so).

Every time I reach 50 more reviews, I give that person a prize. I gave an offer to my 100th reviewer, but she/he didn't respond back. However, Yuuki-Chan did, and she's gonna get it =D It's the least I can do for you, girl ;) So, as my dear Wolf-junkie requested, here is your chap! The fluff you requested will come a bit later in the chapter, but it's still there!

Oh, and everyone please read the note at the end that explains what the "SPECIAL" chapters are, okay?

Bitter or Sweet?

Disclaimer: The plot and storyline is all that is mine (that rhymes!)

Chapter 11: SPECIAL- BOSF

He's my best friend, best of all best friends
Do you have a best friend too?
It tickles in my tummy, he is so yummy yummy!
Hey, you should get a best friend too…
My best friend!

~Toybox: Best Friend

AYAME'S POV (Warning in advance for any vulgar language!)

Two Years Ago

"Fuck you, Ayame!"

I scoffed. "You wish," I muttered darkly, stuffing my hands in the back pockets of my jeans while I sauntered home.

Dammit.

Why did they always choose to pick on Kagome? Sweet, kind, smart Kagome who never hurt anyone unless they treated her bad- if they did, then Kagome got scary. But otherwise, why her? Out of all of us- Sango, Kagome, and I- Kagome's the most vulnerable. She's not weak in any sense, but she isn't incredibly athletic like Sango or fast and nimble like me.

Once in a while, a bunch of kids try to push her around. They're sick, masochistic jerks who have absolutely no lives whatsoever.

I winced as a cold gust of wind blew against my cuts and bruises, making them sting even more. I'd beaten the guy who'd been in charge of hurting Kagome, but it wasn't exactly easy as pie.

If Kagome found out I got injured for her sake, she'd freak on me. The thought it made me laugh, but I debated on whether she should know.

With a sigh, I figure I'd tell her.

I'm not as sensitive and selfless as Sango. I was blunt and straight-to-the-point. I'm the kind of girl who never sweet-talks unless she has to.

My 'charming' characteristics came with downsides though.

First and foremost, I've never had a boyfriend. Actually, no one's ever even confessed to me while it's happened to both Sango and Kagome… and in Sango's case, it was multiple times.

People like to say that my personality comes hand-in-hand with my demon bloodline, but that's simply crap because that has nothing to do with it.

Like for instance, that one time when some guy told Kagome she was chubbier than a monkey (do monkeys even have fat?), she totally went into warrior mode. And Kagome's human, so that kind of thing isn't relevant to anger management or tantrums.

That's why I get so angry when guys always ask me, "Hey, Ayame, if you were to date a guy, who'd wear the pants in the relationship?"

Like, really? That's just beyond immature. And it wasn't even a joke- they were completely deadpan serious, much to my dismay. Sometimes Sango and Kagome make cracks about my hair matching my personality, but they never mean any harm. In fact, when guys ask me stupid stuff, they defend me quicker than I can defend myself.

Ever since I was little, the first thing on my 'to-do-before-I-die' list was: get a guy best friend.

Basically, a BOSF: Best Opposite-Sex Friend.

Never had any luck.

Present

Eww. Geography. Ewww.

God knows how much I hate sitting in a class listening to a teacher drone on all day. My only lifelines are Sango and Kagome, who are the people who are the only reasons I go to school.

By the time the period has ended, I smile and run over to the chemistry classroom for Yuka, since it's closer than the gym where Kagome and Sango are. "Hey, Yuka, how was class?"

She groans. "Do you even have to ask? We have a test tomorrow. As if that's a surprise. Anywho, I have too much going on already to worry about another test. I know we're only freshmen, but this is so different from junior high!"

"You, the one with a 80 percent average, is complaining?"

She glares. "Do you know the effort it takes to keep that average? Besides, you hardly study and get 70s where I study and the best I've ever gotten this year is an eighty-eight." Pause. "Sango's pretty smart, too. Then there's Kags… damn her and her smarticles."

I laugh. "Well, it is fair though, since she's not as involved in sports and clubs."

"True. I think she lost a lot of her confidence in her earlier years when those guys-"

"Don't even get me started on how sick they are. If you remind me, I'm gonna go ballistic and then I'll have to punch something."

Yuka backs away as a joke, and I roll my emerald-green eyes (by the way, I would never describe them as emeralds but that's what people tell me. Kagome always talks about how jealous she is.). "They're not only physical bullies but mental ones too."

"Yeah. Making fun of her even when they know she's not overweight. And even if she was, like, how gives a flying piece of poo?"

Yuka raises an eyebrow. Then she says, "I think it's because Kagome's always had a bit of a baby face. She's always been the cutest, hasn't she? She's gorgeous, really, she just doesn't flaunt it… for example, if she did beach volleyball, guys would notice it more since she'd have to strip down a bit. Whatever- Sango agrees that she's just a natural cutie." Kagome's good at sports, it's just that she's just kind of… clumsy.

Yuka laughs, nodding. "Part of the reason why she's so lovable. Anyways, you'd better get going. Sango and Kagome might be pissed if you're too late."

Imagining an angry Kagome, I chuckle and we take the fastest route to the gym. When we arrive, people are putting away the basketball equipment or coming out of the change rooms, but Kagome and Sango aren't anywhere to be seen- they're not waiting for me as usual.

"Hey, Ginta!" I shout, and the boy turns around.

"Oh, hey, Ayame. What's up?"

"Do you know where Kagome is? Is she still changing?"

Ginta suddenly looks uncomfortable. "Um, I guess you haven't heard. Sango's with Kagome, who's seeing the nurse. We were playing some b-ball, and a girl passed the ball to her. I don't really know the details, but, uh, she seemed to be bleeding a lot. One girl even fainted, actually."

My eyes sharpen. "What?"

He shrugs helplessly. "Sorry, that's all I know."

"Thanks, Ginta. I've gotta go." Then, sprinting with all that I am, not even caring if the teachers catch me, I race over to the nurse's office.

When I barge in, Sango's sitting in the chair nearest to the door, while Kagome's seated in front of Ms. Ai, the school nurse. I pant, trying to catch my breath. "What… happened?"

Kagome smiles at me weakly. "Hi, Aya."

"Kagome, tell what happened!"

She holds up her right hand. It was wrapped up in a white cloth. "I had to get stitches."

"Give me the full details. You know blood doesn't gross me out."

"Well… there was a sharp piece of glass taped to the ball… and when I brought my hands up to block my face when Koharu threw it at me, the glass kind of… slid down my hand." She winces. "They had to disinfect my palm, too."

That fucking little bitch.

She was going to pay.

"What if you hadn't brought up your hands?" I scream. "What if it'd been your face? I swear, I am going to hurt her so bad, she'll-!"

"Ayame!" Sango interrupts, standing up and placing her hands on my shoulders. "Ayame, calm down right now! You going crazy on Koharu isn't going to fix this! I want her punished as badly as you do! Hell, she deserves to be hurt and see how she likes it! But the best thing for Kagome is that we use our minds and be rational about all this. Making a wrong move could get you in trouble, and that's not what Kagome wants."

The best thing for Kagome.

The… best thing? For Kags?

I sigh, shoulders slumping as I slide to the floor, exhausted. Sango gives me a sad, but knowing smile. "Ms. Ai?" she asks, turning to the nurse. "May Kagome, Ayame, and I excuse ourselves?"

She nods slowly. "That's fine, girls… Just take it easy though, alright?"

Kagome immediately leaves, but remembers to thank Ms. Ai, even trying to smile at her when she was in obvious distress. Once we're in the hall, Kagome decides to speak.

"Sango and I got passes to miss class due to my injury, but what about you, Ayame?"

"That's seriously not important. I know you want to get evidence before we point fingers, but honestly, how much simpler can this get? I mean, the game went along fine before Koharu went to get the ball, am I right? And then she threw it at you, and a shard of glass just happened to be taped on? Like, honestly?"

Sango shakes her head slowly. "Again, no direct proof."

"You have at least forty witnesses! What kind of 'proof' are you looking for? Right, Kagome?" She doesn't answer. "Kags?"

"Poor, poor Koga," she murmurs, almost miserably. "I can't believe that I'm going to have to let him down… and my mom, too… I really wanted to perform of Friday, and this had to happen."

What?

Um, excuse me, shall be back up?

WHAT?

That is not Kagome! My Kagome absolutely does not take shit from anyone. When people tell her off or get angry at her, she freakin' makes it crystal clear what she thinks about it. So why…?

Sango seems to think the same. "Kagome, this isn't like you. Why so down? You know that both your mom and Koga are warm people who would never be disappointed or upset with you for something like this."

"It's just… I'm so tired. I'm aware this isn't just coincidence, and I'm not extremely nice and understanding, because I believe Koharu is guilty, and I am pissed at her. But… what can I say? Or do? I just feel that even if we brought this case to the principle, he can't really do anything to benefit us. It's not like tattling on those morons is going to automatically fix things; it's just going to make everything worse, and… I… I…"

I watch her, cautiously, reaching out. "Kagome…?"

Then, she breaks, throwing her head into her hands, sobbing hard and loud, her miserable wails breaking my heart with every second that passes. "I want it to stop! Make it stop!" she begs, voice muffled by her hands. "Please, please, please! Every since my father died, people have been out to make my life crap!" her high, shrill voice, was as broken and scattered as puzzle pieces. "I knew that if I ignored them, life would go on… I had people who cared about me, and I figured that was all that mattered… I wanted to not care… I didn't want to cry, to break down… DADDY, PLEASE COME BACK!" she bawls, lifting her face from her palms, tears running down her face like a river.

Her face is turned towards us but she's isn't really seeing us.

Kagome's voice quivers as she continues. "Daddy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I hadn't been good. I'm sorry if I made you sad! Please, please come back, Daddy. Don't… don't leave me! I miss you, I can't help it anymore! If you just come back, I'll do anything you want! Anything! I know I'm a crybaby, I know I'm foolish and stupid and naïve! But I can fix all of that if you'll just come back!" Kagome drops to the floor on her knees, fists clenching on the floor as she hangs her head and continues sobbing her heart out.

"KAGOME!" Sango shrieks, eyes tearing as she tries to pull her up. "Kagome, don't do this! Don't hurt yourself like this- it isn't good for you! Ayame and I will take care of you: we'll make sure nothing like this ever happens again. So please don't… do this…" Her voice breaks off at the end, and I'm at a loss of what to do.

Kagome's never been one to shed a tear easily. In fact, it's been approximately seven years since she's cried over her father, from what Sango's told me. Even with the bullying she's faced, nothing really seemed to faze her.

If people made fun of her, she either told them off, or brushed it off.

Never broke down.

When she was reminded of her dad, she always said his death was a thing of the past, that she missed him, but had accepted fate's choice. That she wasn't suffering any longer.

Bullshit.

This is my fault. I should've known that she hadn't completely gotten over him. And now, with the pain that had accumulated over all these years, she's finally being torn apart by her caged emotions. She shouldn't have kept it in. She should've let it all out when she needed to.

But she was Kagome, and Kagome never wants to hurt anyone by letting them see how much she's hurting.

Sango continues to try to get Kagome to slow down, but I stop her.

Kagome needs to cry it all out, or else she won't recover. She needs an outlet.

"It's okay, Kags," I whisper. "You can cry all you want. Don't be afraid, okay?"

Then, with her still crying, I gently bring her onto my back, and with Sango walking beside us, I make my way out of the school.

"Where are we going?" Sango asks.

"We're taking Kagome home. She needs a break right now."

I know I'm not the strongest demon out there. But if it for Kagome, I'll gather all the strength I have to make sure she gets home.

"Dammit, Yash, we shouldn't be skipping!" a voice sounds from across the parking lot. "You're in enough trouble already, and- Sango?"

Inuyasha and Miroku look towards us, questioning expressions on their faces.

Miroku runs over, and Inuyasha sighs, arriving right after him. "Sango, what happened to Kagome? Why's she… she's crying…? What-?"

"Shut up," Inuyasha grumbles, gaze focused intensely on Kagome. With a clawed hand, he reaches over, slowly pushing a strand of thick, black hair away from her face. He runs a thumb under Kagome's left eye, but more tears follow. I'm sure Kagome would've stopped crying if she realized that people whom she wasn't that close to were near since she only cried in front of those who she's most comfortable with, but with that many tears, it'd be impossible to see anything clearly.

"Sango," he says, voice low, "Please tell me what happened. You may not think it's any of my business, but I think I can help."

Oh, gee, thanks Inuyasha. Ask Sango about the situation instead of me? Shows how reliable you think I am.

But that really isn't the point.

"It started in gym class," Sango starts. "Everything was fine until my team threw the ball out of court, meaning the opposite team- Kagome's team- got to retrieve the ball and pass. A girl named Koharu went to get it, but she went out of sight for a bit, and when she returned, she decided to pass to Kagome, who wasn't prepared and blocked her face with her hands so that it wouldn't hit her head… However, her right hand started to bleed a lot, and we saw that a long piece of glass had been taped to the ball.

"She got stitches and her hand's better now, but you know that performance-thing with Koga she has on Friday? Well, she was so heartbroken that the option was out, and…"

Inuyasha's eyes narrow. "What?" he demands.

"I'm sure you know Kagome's father died," I say, continuing for Sango. "And I'm sure you also know that Kagome's a popular victim of many bullies. Kagome's an extremely strong girl and never really seemed all too sad about it. Either the bullies were flipped off, or she thought they weren't worth the effort. But apparently, a lot of memories and sad things flooded back to her today, and she kind of lost it… She started crying, asking for her father to come back, and that's what happened. We think that maybe her injury suddenly reminded her of what happened to her dad or something like that. Either way, it wasn't because of the physical pain that she was grieving."

Inuyasha inhales, then lets it out, slowly and dangerously. "I am going to fucking kill the person who's responsible for hurting Kagome, I'll promise you that." He cracks his knuckles- not in that corny way you see in movies, but the real, hardcore way saying that he wasn't just saying that. He meant it- I saw it in his eyes.

Of course, he wasn't going to kill them- that was a figure of speech. But he definitely would never forgive them.

Inuyasha, I respect you for that one.

Looks like we think the same way.

But surprisingly, he was calmer about it than I'd figured he'd be.

This time, Sango doesn't try to protest like she did with me, 'cause it's obvious it wouldn't work on him. All she said was, "Don't do anything that would just make things worse."

"She never seemed like someone who gave in easily."

"I know," I snap. "That's why we're all surprised, smart one!"

Sango places a gentle and soothing hand on my shoulder, her cool touch calming me a bit- I really had no reason to bite Inuyasha's head off.

That's when I notice that it's suddenly very quiet. I look over my shoulder to see that Kagome's snoozing, tear marks stained on her cheeks. Poor girl cried herself to sleep.

"I'll take her home."

I shake my head. "No. I'm going to."

Inuyasha growls. "Give her up!"

"You have no business butting you head into-!"

"Ayame," Miroku interjects, "Inuyasha's much stronger. He's better suited for this job. And you know he'd be able to take care of her until the next time you see her. Even though Inuyasha would never admit it, he views her as a very precious friend. She'll be alright."

I hate it when I'm wrong.

I carefully pass Kagome over, and as she very softly snores, I can't help but be reminded of a little child.

Inuyasha is unexpectedly gentle with her. As he moves her onto his back, he treats her as he would a lover, or a daughter.

Sango, Miroku, and I wordlessly watch him walk away.

Ring, ring, ring!

He looks surprised to see me waiting for him outside of his classroom.

The last period bell rang, dismissing us, and signaling the end of the day.

"Hey," he smiles, confused. "It's… um… Ayumi? Ayaki?" He scratches his head. "Oh, it's Ayataki, right?" Koga looks extremely pleased with himself.

And I clearly had a 'WTF?' expression on my face.

I mean, a lot of people mistake my name for Ayumi, but I swear, no one's guessed it to be Ayataki.

Until, of course, somebody just had to break the record.

"Mm, no, it's Ayame," I correct, feigning a smile. "Actually, I just thought you should know that Kagome's left for home early today with Inuyasha. She was injured during gym class, and was… devastated that she wouldn't be able to perform with you on Friday."

"Oh… that's…well, is she okay? She's not badly hurt, is she?"

"For the most part, she's physically alright but is currently mentally weak so try to understand."

He nods. "I know. Well, if she doesn't pick up her phone or respond to my texts, tell her that I hope she gets better." With a little wave, he swings his bag over his shoulder and walks past me.

"W-wait."

"Hm?" He turns back around. "What's up?"

I lower my head, afraid that I may start crying. But I don't. "I don't know what to do."

"Uh, what do you mean?"

"What's the best cure?"

"For what?"

I take a deep breath, wondering if I should really step out of my bubble and ask a guy for help. After all, all my life, they've always done nothing but make fun of my personality. But Kagome and Sango said that he was a lot like me, that we would be good as friends. I hope they're right about that. "When you feel empty but want to stay strong for the sake of someone else. What do you do?"

Silence. Then, he laughs. "Ah, I get it. Well, I'm not sure how this'll work for you, but if I needed a bit of a boost, there's only thing to do."

Giving me a toothy grin, his ice-blue eyes sparkle, making my breath catch for just a second. "Two words: roller coasters."

He grabs one of my hands, holding it tightly (though he doesn't seem to be aware of it), and pulls me along. And for some reason, I actually go along with it. Oh, no, no, no, this is not good at all.

And why does my face feel hot?

Grr.

AN: Hugs to you, Sara! I'm sorry it wasn't fluff-to-the-max, but because I want to take the romance aspect nice and steady, too much fluff would be very… sudden. Don't worry- I'll remember your love for Aya/Koga in the future chapters!

Hope you all liked it ;)

Haha, a guy actually asked me before, "if you were dating a guy, who'd wear the pants?" Of course, I answered him with a fist. Jokes ;D

Okay, so if anyone hasn't noticed so far, my chapters alternate between Kagome's POV and Inuyasha's POV, and my "Specials" are chapters that are written in other people's POVs, such as Ayame, Rin, Sess, etc. They're not as frequent, but they do happen!~

Well, this chap was longer than the last one ^^

Much gratitude and hugs,

~Nyony

Ninja beta Daichi: I love this name . Well, anywho, I loved this chapter! Inuyasha's tenderness, Ayame's fiery protective spark and Kouga's sudden take in things are just a few of the many great elements working together in this doozy of a chapter! Like I've said before, Nyony deserves all of those precious reviews you give her, so click that button right under this, and make her day.

Peace!

~Daichi