KAGOME'S BAD BREAK
CHAPTER THREE
When Kagome got to school, her friend quickly ran up to her, asking what had happened to her ankle. "She fell down the steps, " InuYasha muttered.
Kagome's friend, Kaoru, looked at him, "Uh.. hi.. I'm Kaoru Tanaka. What's your name?"
"My name is -"
"Bob!" Kagome interrupted, "His name is Bob Mackenzie..." She added. InuYasha looked at Kagome as if she had said the strangest thing.
Kaoru looked at him, "That's an interesting jacket, Bob. It doesn't look very warm though..." she said.
Kagome groaned inwardly. InuYasha had decided he was warm enough without her grandfather's trench-coat. He had chosen to wear the coat from his kimono, "Uhhh.... he's from Canada..." Kagome explained quickly, "He's here visiting..."
"Oh!" Kaoru exclaimed, as if being from Canada explained why 'Bob' wasn't cold.
"Well... Hello, Bob! Welcome to Japan!" Kaoru bowed.
"Uh... thank you..." InuYasha replied.
"Well.. shall we go to class??" Kagome asked. Kaoru nodded, and the three started on their way.
"This Bob guy is cute, Kagome..." Kaoru whispered to her friend, unheard by InuYasha, "Does he have a brother?"
InuYasha and cute. Again those were two words that just didn't belong together. "Uh.. yeah... he has a brother named... uh... Doug...but he's not here," Kagome said quickly as she hobbled along.
"Bob and Doug Mackenzie... from Canada..." Kaoru repeated with a smile, putting that little bit of info away for future use.
Kagome, Kaoru, and InuYasha entered the classroom. After Kagome introduced 'Bob' to her teacher, he allowed him to sit in on the class.
Meanwhile, Kaoru busied herself imagining what 'Bob's' brother looked like, "Oh well.. it's better she not know the truth..." Kagome thought.
* * *
InuYasha sat beside Kagome at lunch time, "You don't have to watch me every second, you know..." Kagome said as she looked at the dog-demon.
"Yes I do..." he replied, and sunk his fangs into the meat sandwich Mrs. Higurashi had made for him.
"Hey, Kagome...!" a voice called from the other side of the lunch room.
Kagome looked up, and smiled at the voice. It was a boy around her age. She quickly waved him over. "Hi Hojo!!! How are ya?!?"
InuYasha felt his hidden ears flatten at the name of the boy talking to Kagome. Yes. Kagome had told him about this Hojo guy. She seemed to be fond of him. InuYasha didn't like that.
Hojo came up to the table, "I'm fine... you?" He asked. Kagome pointed to her ankle, "Oh.. stupid question.. sorry..." he replied.
She let out a kind laugh, "That's ok. Have a seat..."
"Oh, well... I don't want to disturb you and your friend," Hojo said.
"That's ok!! I don't mind!" Kagome said.
"I mind..." InuYasha thought, but he didn't bother voicing his opinion. Once again, introductions were made. InuYasha winced at the stupid name Kagome had given him. Kagome and Hojo quickly struck up a conversation about teachers, movies, and TV shows.
InuYasha watched this, ignoring the twinge of jealousy that gnawed at his heart. Would he ever be able to converse with Kagome like this?? They were from two totally different worlds! There were things he could never understand about her world, and vice versa. And he knew he could never carry on a casual conversation with her as she seemed to be doing with Hojo right now.
"Well, it's been great talking to you, Kagome!! I have some work to finish up now though, so I've got to go..." Hojo began as he stood up. He turned to InuYasha, "Nice to meet you, Bob," he waved, then headed on his way.
InuYasha looked at Kagome after Hojo left. She was quietly sipping at some soup, "So... do you like him??" he asked.
Kagome all but choked on the soup, "Excuse me?!" she replied.
"It's a simple question. Do you like this Yoyo guy??"
"It's HOJO, for your information! And he's just a friend... though it's not like anyone ELSE has any interest in me..."
"But I...!" InuYasha began, then stopped. He scowled, "I just don't want anything to interfere with finding the Shikon jewel shards!"
Kagome sighed sadly, "That's really all you care about, isn't it?" she asked quietly.
"Dammit... why is she being so difficult?!" InuYasha wondered. But yet, Kagome seemed somewhat disappointed.
After a moment, Kagome looked up at him, "It's time for my next class... let's go..." she said, and quickly pulled herself up on her crutches. The two headed out to the next class.
* * *
InuYasha was getting impatient with the way the teacher kept droning on. He didn't even have his facts straight. It was a class Kagome called 'history'. Right now, the sensei was going on about demon myths during the 1800s, and how these myths were simply used as a way for the people of that time to explain things they didn't understand.
"How about if I give him a demon in person!! Let's see him call ME a myth!" InuYasha muttered, and reached for the baseball hat that covered his ears.
Kagome quickly grabbed his hand, "Don't... BOB..." she whispered, eyes narrowed. InuYasha looked at her hand. It felt warm and soft... not that he minded.
He quickly blinked, and pulled his hand out of her grasp, "Are you afraid I'll scare him or something?!" he snapped.
The teacher turned his attention to InuYasha and Kagome, "So, tell me, Bob.." the teacher began, "Do you know of any legends in feudal Japan that have been explained using the 'demon' myth?"
InuYasha turned to Kagome, who was giving him a warning look. He shook his head, "Women..." he muttered, not realizing the teacher had heard him.
"Ok, Bob! I think that will be enough questions for you today..!" the teacher replied.
InuYasha didn't seem to understand why the class was looking at him, snickering.
* * *
"At least that's over with..." InuYasha muttered as the two walked (or in Kagome's case, hobbled) home.
"Until tomorrow," Kagome added.
InuYasha looked at her, "Tomorrow? We have to go BACK?!" he asked.
"YES we have to go back!! We have to go almost every DAY...!" she explained.
"But if you have classes everyday, then all that time you spend looking for the Shikon Jewel...." InuYasha started.
"...is time I'm missing my classes!!" Kagome finished. InuYasha finally seemed to understand the scope of her educational problems,
"So... you've missed a LOT of classes then, haven't you?!"
"Yes I HAVE! NOW do you understand why I get so stressed out?! I'm missing so much, it's amazing that I'm even keeping up my grades!!" She replied.
"Maybe you should just quit..." InuYasha said.
Kagome stopped in her tracks and spun around, shaking with anger, "Quit??! You want me to spend the rest of my life searching for that stupid Shikon... GAAAAAH!!" Kagome let out a shout as her crutches slipped out from under her. She fell hard on the ice, sliding ungracefully into the snow piled up against a nearby fence.
InuYasha was shocked to hear the words that escaped Kagome's lips. He didn't even know she had such a colourful vocabulary!
Kagome sat on the ice, her jacket caught on the fence behind her. She tried to pull it free... and ended up ripping it at the seams. More colourful vocabulary from Kagome as she pulled off the jacket and proceeded to whack it against the ice angrily.
InuYasha carefully went to her, not wanting to be the next victim of the ice. He kneeled in front of her, and brushed the snow out of her hair, "Your brother was right, you know... you ARE a klutz!" Kagome looked up at him through snow-covered lashes, pouting. The dog-demon held his breath. "Even when she pouts, she's cute!" His inner voice said. "Dammit.. stop that already!!" InuYasha chided his inner voice, "She's just a human. And a klutzy human at that!"
"Well.. this is embarrassing..." Kagome thought to herself as she closed her eyes. She felt something dry and warm being placed on her shoulders and quickly opened her eyes. She was surprised to find that InuYasha had given her his jacket.
"The last thing I need is for you to get pneumonia! That would delay our mission even MORE!" He muttered.
Kagome looked up at him, and noticed how thin his shirt was, "But... you're going to freeze...!"
"I'm FINE!" he snapped. "I'm from Canada, remember? Whatever the hell THAT means..."
Kagome smiled slightly, "It's another country. I'm sorry... I just couldn't think of anything else to say to Kaoru at the time..."
InuYasha shook his head, and quickly scooped her up, tucking the crutches under his arm, "I don't trust you with these stupid crutches anymore!!" he replied, and proceeded to carry her home... ignoring the odd looks he received from those they passed by.