A/N: Hello, hello! I'm back with Chapter 11! I want to take the time, as usual, to thank all of you guys who have reviewed! Thanks for sticking to this story. I love writing it. NOW, brief recap, in the last chapter Halloween parties came up. So because it's officially October, I feel that posting this chapter is necessary. Okay go enjoy!

The Drug Game

Chapter 11

Familiar Face

Inuyasha's POV

"When the parents are away… the children will play! Finally your square parents are out of town and we can destroy your house instead of mine!" Sango yelled as she walked from the kitchen to the living room, cradling three bottles of vodka in her arms. She set the liquor down amongst the thousand other bottles on the mini bar before taking a seat in Miroku's lap on the couch. She pecked his cheek. "Tonight is going to be the most epic Halloween… ever."

Miroku looked the girl up and down. "Especially with you dressed in that fucking costume," he nipped at her neck, making her giggle, and I silently had to admit Sango looked hot. In a black leather, skin tight body suit that rivaled that of Mystique in X-Men, dark makeup, ridiculously tall platform boots and a huge boomerang on her back, she looked hot. And she knew it.

I turned to Kikyou, who sat close by my side on the couch. She wore a white see-through teddy with white lingerie and angel wings. She looked gorgeous and sweet, though her emotionless face didn't portray the same. She offered a rare smile and kissed my cheek.

I smiled back, smile as empty as her expression. It took everything in me to withhold the huge sigh.

Instead, I looked back at Miroku. The four of us had just finished setting up his house, and the stripper pole in case some girls really got into character, for the huge rager that was going to get intense by 11:00. It was only 9:45, and now we were just waiting for the craziness to ensue. "Dude your parents are gonna murder you when they get back home."

He shrugged. "They owe me this. I haven't thrown a party in forever—"

"For good reason," Sango interjected, making Miroku and I laugh. She turned to Kikyou. "Miroku's last party—exactly two years and two months ago—was legendary. Probably five girls left knocked up, people were fucking in every corner of the house."

Kikyou looked disgusted. "Is it going to be like that tonight?"

Sango laughed. "That's the beauty of life: you never know!"

Miroku looked at his phone. "Hey, where's Kagome? I thought she was gonna help set everything up?"

My chest constricted and I subtly pulled out my phone, trying to appear as nonchalant as I could. It took everything in me to hide the tsunami of emotions I felt just at the mention of her name. The last I'd seen her she was talking to that perv teacher Mr. Ito, who was obviously hitting on her. I mean the man had a reputation for hitting on underage girls, and we unfortunately shared many of the same conquests.

Sango responded, "She couldn't make it. After her date she's gonna come over, though. Oh, Miroku! Can you go get…"

My vision slightly blurred as I disappeared into my thoughts. Date? Who the hell is she on a date with? Some loser from our high school? No, I would've heard about it if it were someone at school. It was full of gossip fiends. It had to be someone on the outside.

I bit my lip. It was probably that stupid douche Kouga.

I returned to reality and tuned into Sango and Kikyou talking about their costumes. Miroku wasn't there anymore. I heard clanging in the kitchen, and his grumbled curses, and stood up. "Eh, I'll be back," I mumbled before rushing into the kitchen. Miroku was pulling the weed brownies from the oven and placing them onto the stove. He wore a black tux, an overdrawn widow's peak, and vampire teeth, oven gloves temporarily on his hands. "Need help?" I asked.

He turned to me and shook his head. "Nah, man. Just wanted to make sure these babies didn't burn up. Gonna be the highlight of my night. I put some of that diesel kush in here. It will blow our fucking minds. You're partaking tonight, right man?"

"Uh, I don't know, but hey," I looked over my shoulder then turned back, whispering, "who is Kagome out on a date with?"

Miroku narrowed his eyes as if he were confused. "Wait, dude, you still have a thing for her? Or are you just asking because of the whole caveman-possessive thing that we sometimes do. 'Once mine, always mine' type of shit?"

"No, none of that. I don't really care, actually. I'm just… curious. I mean, I haven't heard anything at school… have you?"

Miroku laughed but didn't push anything. "Honestly, bro, I didn't ask. This is the first I've heard about anything pertaining to Kagome dating anyone. Sango and I are always fighting or not fighting, and when we're not, we're def not talking about Kagome," he winked. "We'll see when she gets here."

I leaned against the fridge, my thoughts jumbled all together. Did I still have feelings for Kagome? Of course I did. But I also liked Kikyou. Did I like Kikyou out of guilt? Sure, kind of. But didn't that make it worse, being with someone out of guilt and nothing more? Did Kagome think of me, still? Was she just dating whoever—probably Kouga—to get back at me?

"Dude, snap out of it!" Miroku said, directly in my face. I straightened up and moved away from him. "Look, stop stressing. As soon as these brownies cool down, we'll indulge, take our mind off the bullshit, and have fun."

"Nah… not tonight. I haven't drank in a while. Halloween may be the night to just get fucking wasted."

"You're pretty reckless when you drink, dude. There's a reason you don't do it."

"We're not dealing tonight. We might as well get shitfaced. We never can cuz we're always fucking catering these parties, basically. So let's say fuck it. And get drunk, and if we make mistakes, then we make mistakes… right?"

Miroku shook his head but then laughed. "You crazy bastard, I'm down. But I baked the fuck out of these, I'm eating some tonight."

I grinned, "Just save me a few. Maybe I'll have some later."

He raised a brow. "Will you? You haven't smoked in forever, you tryna give it up?

I shook my head. "Nah, just tryna be a better businessman, is all?"

"Hmm, that why you kinda been blocking me out lately, dude?" Miroku asked, slicing the brownies into perfect scares, more perfect than usual. He was avoiding eye contact.

"It has nothing to do with you. You know how my pops is. It's a family thing."

He laughed, humorlessly, "Ha, I thought we basically were family."

I didn't speak, because it was true. How was I supposed to respond to that. I opened my mouth to respond, but Miroku turned to me with a boisterous laugh, "Kidding! I'm kidding! I totally understand, man." He patted me on the back. "Come on, it's shots time."

We left the kitchen and went to the mini bar. I poured dark rum into four of the small Dixie cup shot glasses and called everyone to gather around. "This is rare," I said, shot raised in air, "but I'm going to make a toast. To a fucking good night with no worries."

"Here, here!" Everyone, even Kikyou, yelled before throwing back the shot.

I wiggled my brows at Kikyou. "This is just the beginning."

I couldn't find Kagome anywhere. The house was shaking from the bass of the music and thrashing bodies were dancing in every nook and cranny of Miroku's house. I had left Kikyou with Eri and the other girls, all of whom I'd fucked, and was on my forth of fifth round of attempting to find Kagome. It was difficult, though. Everyone was dressed in sexy costumes, many girls wearing masks. Sango had said Kagome was on a date. Had she gone in costume?

"So, this is like the sixth time I've seen you wandering all over the place. Are you looking for someone in particular?"

I turned left to see Sango screaming in my ear over the pulsing music. She started giggling at the scowl that crept onto my face. "Oh, stop it! Stop the, 'I'm Inuyasha, I care about no one' charade! I know you miss her!"

I put my mouth to her ear. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Yes, you do! You miss Kagome, and she missed you, too, but you screwed up, ya idiot!"

I dropped the act. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean before she started hanging out with Kouga, she was super upset all the time, constantly wondering why you just stopped talking to her. But she doesn't know you—hell, I've known you for years and I still don't know you, so I can't expect her to know that when you start to feel… you run. And you ran from someone who really could've cared for you. Someone who wanted to care for you. And now she's caring for someone else… You screwed up. You're an idiot!"

Normally I would've cussed at her, or at least scoffed at her truthful words, but I was feeling my drink, and all thoughts of how horrible I was to Kagome these past couple of months swirled around in my head. "Fuck, I am an idiot."

Sango's eyes widened. "Did you seriously just admit that? Seriously?"

I couldn't help but smirk. "Why the hell aren't you drunk, Sango? You're usually the first."

She pulled a flask from somewhere on her skintight outfit—knowing Sango there was probably some secret compartment for her liquor on her boomerang—and took a swig. "Give me another thirty minutes. I'll be dropping down from that pole." She winked and sauntered to the dance floor.

I sighed and made my way to the dance floor, too, in hopes of seeing Kagome, when Kikyou suddenly was in front of me, her body pressed to mine, her arms around my neck, her lips on top of mine. My hands instinctively slithered around her waist, groping her, opening my mouth to let her tongue play with mine.

And then we pulled apart and, amongst the sea of bodies before me, all I could see was Kagome.

I had taken four shots back to back before I ran into Sango, and had drank a ridiculous amount before that, so I wasn't sure if I was seeing shit.

But it was definitely her, with Kouga's arms around her waist. She smiled up at him as he kissed her cheek, and I felt my body burn with an anger I couldn't control.

Couldn't control, that is, until I actually took a moment to look at her. She was beautiful. She hadn't worn a costume. Just a simple red, high-low dress, the front stopping around her thighs, the back flowing to the ground. Her face was fresh, barely any makeup, and her smile lit up the room.

She really looked happy.

She turned from Kouga and our eyes locked, and my chest tightened as we stared at each other.

It lasted only two seconds, but it felt like forever. I saw her every movement. Her eyes slightly widening, her lips parting as if an, "Oh" was about to escape, her face flushed, but that could've been from the change in temperature. She had just entered the party, and it was slightly cold outside. All I knew was that she was looking at me, and, on my face, I was finally showing the emotion I had been hiding.

But, just like that, she was smiling back at Kouga, and the two disappeared somewhere in the house, and Kikyou was grinding on me, and the moment between Kagome and me was lost.

I stepped away from Kikyou. "Hey, I'm gonna go get another shot."

She was about to object, but I was already at the bar. I downed two more, then chugged a beer. But Kagome was still all I could think about, so I drank some more, and more, until I found myself in the center of the dance floor, fist pumping with a group of people. Everyone was around me, excited to see the guy who subtly got all the attention getting it full on for once. And I was loving it as much as everyone else.

I saw Kikyou standing nearby, watching with a raised brow beside her goons, then I looked further behind her and saw Kagome leaning against the wall, by herself, smiling softly at me.

I stopped jumping to look at her, but she realized what happened and moved away, disappearing into the crowd. I noticed Kouga with his soccer friends, joking around, and knew this was probably my only chance to catch Kagome alone. I pushed through the hormonal kids, most of them drunk or high or rolling or a combination of the three, making sure my eyes never left the back of Kagome's head so I wouldn't lose track of her. I needed to talk to her, or just be close to her, again.

Sango was right.

I fucking missed her.

She was upstairs, standing beside Miroku outside of his door. The two briefly talked before Miroku unlocked his bedroom and let her in.

Bingo.

I hurried to Miroku. "D—dude," I hadn't even realized my words were slurring, "let me go talk to her."

"Holy shit," he laughed, "you're fucking wasted!"

"Let me go in there and talk to Kagome."

"Nah, she said she wants to be alone."

"I know her. She doesn't. She just wants to talk to me. That's why I'm up here."

Miroku, drunk himself, cocked a brow before nodding. "O—okay fine, but don't let anybody else in! Lock the door behind you."

He didn't have to tell me twice. I was already inside. I locked the door.

The room was quiet, the raging party mere muffled sounds through Miroku's soundproof walls.

I looked around his messy room and saw no sign of Kagome. I peered around a wall towards the bathroom and saw it was empty, too.

Then I stared over at the balcony. I slightly smiled, remembering the last time Kagome and I were on a balcony together at Sango's party. She had managed to make me smile—no girl could achieve such a feat. But I had told myself she was too good for me.

What had changed? Why was I in this room, following her?

I cringed. Fuck, I looked insane. I basically stalked the girl throughout the entire house so I could get her alone in a locked, soundproof room.

"Miroku? Is that you?"

Shit, I thought to myself, should I just run and forget about talking to her?

But no. I had already come this far. I stepped onto the balcony. "N—no… it's me."

She did a double take and gripped the balcony's ledge. Her mouth fell open again, just like before when an, "Oh" looked like it would tumble out.

I smiled. She was fucking adorable and beautiful and sexy and everything in between.

"Hey," she breathed, looking behind my shoulder. "What are you doing here? Miroku said I could have some privacy."

I nodded rapidly, backing towards the room, "Yeah, yeah. Sorry. I just thought I could come talk to you, b—but I can go. Give you space."

She bit her lip then sighed. "I mean," I stopped walking, "you can stay. I'm not uncomfortable, if that's what you're worried about."

"You're not?" I asked.

"No," she laughed, and sat down on one of the purple lounge chairs. While stretching her legs out, she picked up a beer amongst the three she had on the table. "Want one?"

"S—sure," I slurred, reaching for it, but she pulled it away.

"I should've asked do you need one. You look wasted."

"I kinda am," I laughed, plopping down in the chair beside her. "I never drink… but I said fuck it tonight."

"I see," she grinned, and took a sip of beer.

"But you're drinking," I said, popping the beer open. "A lot has changed since…"

"Since you abruptly stopped talking to me? Yeah, it has."

I looked up at the sky to avoid looking at her. I was always avoiding her.

"Kagome—"

"Inuyasha—"

We laughed after speaking at the same time.

"You first," she said.

"Okay…" I leaned on the table and squinted my eyes, "Kagome… I'm… geesh, this is hard."

She straightened in her seat. "Spit it out, man," she joked.

I grinned at her then let out a deep breath, "I'm sorry. Fuck, I'm really sorry. I can't believe I treated you like that. Except I can believe it because I'm a dick and an asshole and any other body parts that're used to call someone a douche."

She laughed, which made me laugh. "Oh Inuyasha… best apology ever."

I grinned. "So you forgive me?"

She groaned and took a long swig of her beer. "I can't stay mad at you—or anyone. It takes too much energy. Of course I forgive you. I'm just glad you apologized, and I hope you mean it. You're drunk as fuck. I should make you apologize when you're sober."

"I will, I promise I will." I said with a smirk, watching her as she watched me. I finally broke the peaceful silence and leaned in closer, "Kag, explain something to me."

"What?" She asked suspiciously.

"Why are you with Kouga?"

"Because, Kouga's great when you get to know him. He's funny and sweet—really sweet—and he makes me feel good," She answered. I hated the glazed over look that appeared in her eyes at the mention of Kouga. I didn't buy it, though. That couldn't be the reason.

"Kagome, come on, you can be honest with me… are you with him just to make me jealous?"

A shocked look crossed her face before she busted out laughing. When I didn't join, the shock came back onto her face. "Wait, are you serious?"

"Yeah!" I exclaimed, "Yeah I'm serious! One day you're all over me, the next you're suddenly into the one guy whose guts I fucking hate? I mean… come on, you coulda been a lil more subtle, Kag."

"Oh my fucking gosh. Are you out of your mind? Are you really this conceited and self absorbed?" She stood from her chair with a laugh and headed towards the bedroom door, but turned around first. "My feelings for Kouga weren't sudden, asshole! After you randomly stopped talking to me for two months, two months where I looked like an idiot wondering what the fuck I did to piss you off, I met Kouga! And he doesn't play games and send me mixed signals. He's up front. He tells me how he feels, and I tell him the same. So what I have with Kouga? Has nothing to do with you, Inuyasha! H—how arrogant and narcissistic are you? Like seriously? Get over yourself."

She stormed into the room, but a moment later came back onto the balcony. "And what does that say about you and Kikyou, then? One day you were into me, then literally the next, you're back in a relationship? So should I be saying that wasn't so subtle, Inuyasha? Should I be asking if you're trying to make me jealous?"

"Yes," I answered simply as she stomped back into the room. Her heavy footsteps stopped.

I stood up and said louder, "Yes, that's what you should be asking."

She slowly walked back onto the balcony. "What?" she said.

"It wasn't subtle. I had to get with Kikyou so… I mean, fuck Kagome. I don't know how to say it," I raked my hand through my hair then awkwardly folded my arms over my chest. I was never awkward. This girl was gonna be the death of me.

"Well don't stop now. You started. Finish." She said, folding her arms, too.

"I…" I took a deep breath in, then breathed my words out, "I like you. I like you a lot Kagome. I haven't stopped having feelings for you. I sound fucking crazy when I say this but… the first day I saw you, I just knew, ya know? You talked to me so confidently outside the school that day, it felt like we had known each other for years. And right then I knew that you were good, and funny, and cool, and beautiful, so beautiful, and just… I knew I had feelings. And I sound like such a pussy right now, but I don't wanna send you mixed signals anymore."

"So why couldn't you just say that?" She whispered.

"Because I wanted to protect you."

"From what?"

"From me! I'm… I'm not a good guy. I hurt people. I'd hurt you. I have hurt you, and we're not even together. I didn't wanna… screw anything up. And then Kikyou came back, and she was the perfect escape. And I used her, because I'm not a good guy." I ran my hands down my face and laughed, "Fuck, I'm drunk. I never should've told you this but… it's the truth. And I don't usually tell it, but you deserve to know. Because, Kagome, you're fucking perfect—or as close to it as I've ever met. And I think about you all the time, and wish I hadn't just ignored you this whole time, but I did, and I want to fix it, and be close to you again, because you make me happy. Like, actually happy."

She was biting her lip, and gripping her arms tighter and tighter with my every word. "Damn it, Inuyasha," she whispered. I could see tears swelling in her eyes, but they didn't fall.

"I'm sorry," I said, wanting to go to her and hug her and kiss her, but sensing that wasn't what she wanted.

"You're so late," she continued.

"You don't feel the same?" I asked.

"Not anymore, no!" She sounded angry. "No, I don't feel that way for you. I'm with Kouga now, and he makes me happy. And… just no! You're too late." She stepped closer to me and pushed her index finger into my chest, "You're two months too late, Inuyasha. You can't come here, see me with another guy, and want me back. What if I left him for you, huh? Then you'd find some other reason to 'protect me' from you and I'd be hurt all over again. It'd be like a cycle with you. A—and you're only telling me this anyway because you're wasted!"

She stepped away from me. "I still forgive you, Inuyasha. But I don't trust you. I'll see you around." She turned to walk back into the room

"Kagome, wait," I said, and gently grabbed her arm and pulled her towards me.

She was in my arms, now. And we were staring at each other, both of us holding our breaths. I should just do it. Just lean down and do what I'd been wanting to for months now—since the day I met her.

So I did.

I grazed her lips with mine, to gauge her reaction. She didn't move. So my lips melded with hers passionately, fervently, with the months of anticipation for this moment finally coming to fruition. She was kissing me back, with as much need and desire. She clung to my neck, and I clung to her waist, pulling her as close to me as possible.

She moaned into my mouth, and I felt like my body was on fire. Somehow I managed to pull her closer.

Then suddenly she broke the kiss by shoving me back with everything in her. Her lipstick was completely gone and, breathing heavily, she stared at me.

I was breathing heavily, too.

I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it, continuing to watch her to see if she'd say or do something.

Instead, she just grabbed her purse and beer, and walked off the balcony into Miroku's room. I stood where I was, regaining my composure. When I heard the door slam, I sat down on the recliner and rubbed my hands up and down my face. Anything she had said about it being too late was a lie. She couldn't feel that way for Kouga and kiss me like that.

I smiled, then frowned. Who knew what I'd want to do in the morning, when I was sober and I had to consider what it meant to pursue Kagome. It meant being honest about selling drugs, it meant possibly turning her into what my mother and Rin had become. But it also meant I could finally be happy.

The selfish move would be to pursue her, to be with her. But what if she wanted me—all of me?

I shook my head. She would see what a fucking mess I am and move on. I hated to admit it, but I didn't think I could handle that kind of heartache—not from Kagome.

I hopped up from my seat and chugged the last can of beer, reminding myself that I wasn't dealing tonight—tonight was all about fun. I wasn't gonna stress about anything. I just wanted to go back downstairs, have fun, and think about the best kiss I had ever experienced just moments ago with Kagome.

The thought of her brought a smile to my face

I headed out of Miroku's room, locking the door behind me. The noise had returned tenfold, and I grinned. But as I turned from to make my way to the staircase, I felt like eyes were burning on my neck. I froze at the top of the stairs and slowly turned towards the hallway.

A figure stood there in the dark. Chills shot up my spine at the sight of him. A scowl came onto my face when he stood in front of me, smirk on his face.

"Hello Inuyasha."

Naraku.

A/N: And that was Chapter 11! Woot woot! Finally the moment a lot of you have been waiting for! Now the action and drama is about to really begin. Next chapter coming soon(ish). Hope you guys enjoyed! Now go ahead and REVIEW!