A/N: Stupid school, stupid tests, stupid projects, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid!!! It's a tough world…. How can I feel stressed even during the holidays!?

Disclaimer: (holding tightly onto Inuyasha, crying, "Mine! Mine!" Rumiko Takahashi gives me the 'death glare.' Gulping, "Ok, yours." Inuyasha faints)

Chapter 4

Gosh! Inuyasha was driving her insane!!!

Every time she turned, everywhere she went, she could feel his steady gaze constantly bearing through her back, watching her, and studying her. She could almost envision him lurking in the dark corner observing her, waiting for the perfect moment when she was alone and helpless to pounce on her, like a predator bearing down on its prey… did she just hear him walking behind her? Man, she was getting paranoid.

The guy was persistent, she would give him that, but annoying nonetheless. She had tried her best to avoid and stay as far away from him as possible ever since this morning, but he always managed to intercept her when she least suspected him to appear and when she was alone even for only a minute, like now.

"I'm still waiting," he crossed his arms.

"Waiting for what?" Kagome tried to stare him down with as much hostility as she could muster.

"Waiting for your explanation." He replied flatly, not at all affected by her hostile glare. One might consider him brave to be so nonchalant about the glare that many would certainly cringe under, but his placidity probably had something to do with the fact that he was not meeting her eyes and was talking to her nose instead. Seemed like someone here already had a few unpleasant experiences with the bone-chilling glare and dared not to experience it again.

Face tight, Kagome brushed past him without a reply.

Inuyasha yelled after her, face flushing, "Running away won't help. I'm gonna haunt you until you spill the truth!"

Why the hell won't I just give up on this? He thought angrily to himself, as this was about the hundredth cold shoulder that Kagome had given him today. But I'm dying to know what had come over her last night, because I…well, not like I really care about her or anything. It's just…because!

"Just you wait, Kagome. I'm going to pester you to no end until I can wrestle whatever you're hiding from me out of your mouth. I am a persistent guy, after all." He silently vowed to himself.

Just as Kagome was drifting off to dream world during History class, an "unidentified flying object" hit her lightly on the head. She jerked awake. Looking around frantically, she spotted a tiny paper ball beside her foot. She made sure that the teacher wasn't looking and picked it up.

'Tell me the truth' was boldly imprinted on it in scrawl.

Whirling around, she caught Inuyasha sneering at her. Bastard!

Had people no concern for the environment and the trees? Kagome wondered as she dumped an armful of tiny slips of notes thrown to her by Inuyasha during History, Literature, and Math class onto his head. That flipping self-centred, pesky, annoying, inconsiderate, idiotic, foolish, rude ***hole! The list could go on, but she didn't think the terms were appropriate for girls.

He really didn't know when to quit, did he?

Kagome bought her lunch and was about to make her way towards the roof where Yuuka and the others were waiting for her when a gruff voice sounded by her ear. "I'm still waiting for the truth."

Inuyasha smirked and marched away.

She threw her bread at him.

At Gym, when they were running around the track, he bumped into her and whispered, "I'm waiting waiting waiting! I'm patiently~ waiting for the truth."

She stuck out her foot and tripped him.

During chemistry class, a slightly limping Inuyasha walked up to her, was about to speak, then saw the test tubes and HCl in her hands, thought better of it, and turned.

She had a hard time keeping a straight face and not bursting out laughing during the middle of the class.

That stupid girl! Inuyasha grimaced as he applied ice to his swollen ankle. He was excused from class because his ankle had really started to swell and it was last period anyway. Everything had started out with him wanting to find out what had happened and enjoying a bit of fun seeing the irritated look on her face, but now…now things were beginning to get a little violent here.

Why can't I just let it go? He cursed himself, but thought that if he gave up now, his "injury" would have been wasted. A guy like him had certain pride to hold up and he would never, ever, admit that a girl like Kagome could make him back out from what he had set his mind to. Never.

"We'll see." He murmured as a flash of mischief crossed his eyes.

Kagome practically grabbed her bag and fled on the ring of the bell. Throwing a quick apology to a protesting Yuuka, she ran and picked her way through the crowd of students who were all eager to go home, although not as much enthusiasm was shown as Kagome had.

She had to get away from Inuyasha. The part about "hurting" him had been fun, but she definitely did not enjoy being harassed and pressed about the late night incident. Why couldn't the guy just pass it off as some unimportant event that had absolutely nothing to do with his life at all? It really should not concern him what she did. He was a fat lot worse than the prying neighbours. Sheesh.

Familiar scenery of the ancient shrine, the serene forest, and the house rushed up to greet her as she raced up the stone steps. There, she had made it home safe and sound, without any "pest" control problems to distract her on the way.

She happily opened the door and announced cheerfully, "Mom! I'm…"

She froze in mid-sentence and gaped with eyes huge with shock. This- could- not- be- happening---- She swore that she heard the crack as her jaw dropped to the floor.

Right there, sitting comfortably and contently in HER kitchen chair sipping tea was no one other than Inuyasha.