Hello. Welcome to my first story. Here, I will introduce my muse. *calls for her muse* Come on out! *a girl holding a black cat steps out and waves* Cute little girl: Hi.... Jordan: Isn't she adorable? *hugs muse who cringes, then regains composure* She helps me write stories. Her name...DRUMROLL!!!! *drum roll, then cymbals* is Trinity! Trinity: Hiya! *giggles* I help her write stories! *points to Jordan* Jordan: *melts to a black puddle on the floor then reforms* She is absolutely adorable, and her little black cat Brin! He helps too. Ahem, now for my story, "Love, Pain, and Torture"! Enjoy! (P.S. It's Kagome's POV, and sometimes switches to Sesshomaru's POV) 'Not again....' I thought, being cornered by 4 guys, all with menacing eyes. I shut my eyes, ready for the first blow, and one of them laughed and said, "Oh look, she even wears that stupid black eyeshadow." This made me angry, but I was to scared to say anything. The guy who had spoken punched me hard in the stomach, and another ripped my bag off of my shoulders, dumping everything out of my bag. I heard a sickening crack as one of them stepped on my foot, hard. My eyes stayed clenched shut, and I got a punch in one eye, causing me to cry out in pain. They guys laughed, and I cringed as I slowly slid down against the wall and they kicked me in the sides and shins. After about a half hour of torture, I heard their footsteps leaving, and I opened my left eye, my right one swollen shut, and looked at the blood on my hands. 'I guess I'm bleeding," I thought, and felt my lip and forehead, which both hurt, and found more blood on my hands. Weakly, I pushed myself off of the ground and stood, trembling in pain. I gathered my things back into my bag. I couldn't find my CD player, but I DID find my AFI CD, fortunately safe inside my bag without a scratch. I sighed and heaved the bag onto my back, tears streaming and mixing with the blood and dirt on my cheeks. I started walking, muttering to myself on the way. "Just because I'm a goth," I muttered, "Doesn't mean that everyone has to pick on me. I am who I am. I don't deserve this. Or maybe I do." I continued the argument inside my head with myself, walking the remainder of the way home. The 4 guys had cornered me, directly after school when I had started to walk home. I finally reached my house and trudged up the stairs. My mother stood in the kitchen, preparing dinner already and humming. "Hello Kagome, glad to-KAGOME! What happened?!" My mother shouted, eyes wide and watering. I looked down, my black hair covering my face. My mother ran to me, lifting my head up. "Kagome, who did this to you?" She asked, and I turned my head away, keeping my eyes away from hers. "Don't worry Mom," I said, going to the freezer, getting a few ice cubes and a kitchen towel. I looked back at my mom, who was just standing there looking helpless. I rolled my eyes and put the cold towel on my swollen eye. I started out of the kitchen, hearing my mother breathe as if she were about to say something, but I rounded the corner and went back to my room. I sat down and looked down. "Damn them," I heard myself mutter, and looked up at the mirror in front of me. I had a nice bruise on my left cheek, a large, busted lip, a cut on my forehead (so that was the pain I felt in my forehead...), and of course a nice, swollen black eye. "Why me?" I asked myself and fell back onto my bed. I heard a knock on the door and sighed, yelling, "Come in!" I saw my little brother's head pop in my door, and I smiled. "Hey Kagome. How ya doin'?" He asked me, with that adorable little enthusiastic face. I kept my smile. "Fine Souta. Why don't you go do something, I gotta sleep." I said, laying my head back down. Souta nodded. "Kay Kagome. Tell me when you feel better," he said, and left my room. I failed to tell him I got beat up, as I didn't want him to think I had to miserable a life. I sighed again, and shut my eyes, falling into another troubled state of mind. I woke up about an hour later, to a knocking on the door. I stood and stumbled to the door. "Honey, it's time for dinner," my mother said, standing at my door, smiling, but I saw her eyes gain a watery, sad glaze to them, and she started walking. I nodded and walked to the bathroom, sighing. I looked in that mirror, and shook my head. My face had drips of dried blood on it, and I reached for the peroxide and cotton balls. I winced as I touched some of the peroxide to my forehead and lip. "I've done the best I can..." I muttered to myself, taking a bandage from the cabnit and placing it on the cut on my forehead. I walked from the bathroom and towards the kitchen. As I sat down to dinner, everyone gave me a sad look and I looked down at my chicken and rice, nibbling on my rice. "May I be excused?" I asked, pushing my plate away after I ate a bit. Nobody said anything, so I took it as a yes and stood, walking away from the kitchen and towards my room. I fell onto my bed, and there I went into a deep, troubled sleep.