Chapter 3: Wondering if...
"Kagome. Kagome...Kagome..." I heard my name being called over and over again,
and I opened my eyes to slits, seeing my mother bending over me, tears
welling up in her eyes.
"Kagome, are you feeling alright?" She asked, and I nodded slightly.
"Hey, Mom?" I said, my voice still hoarse.
"Yes sweetie?" She replied softly, her eyes glimmering with hopes she could help.
"Is Sesshomaru still-still here?" I asked, weakly, my voice tripping on a word.
She nodded. I nodded back, and she sat down on the chair and I fell asleep. I was woken up once again to my name being called, but this time by a deeper, softer, calmer voice. I opened my eyes, hoping to see Sesshomaru's sweet eyes, but only saw brown.
"M-miroku?" I stuttered, and he stood up fully.
"Yep. Shippou came along, we had to apologize to your face. Um...Inu-Yasha wouldn't come. Sorry. Sorry for hurting you. Sorry for teasing you, and everything," Miroku said, smiling weakly.
"You're forgiven, you to Shippou," I replied, hearing a small movement by the bed.
True, Shippou had never hurt me really, but he had teased me, tripped me, pulled pranks on me, etc. I heard him squeak a bit, and I thought it to be a 'thanks'. This time, after I had spoken, I didn't want to sleep. I realized I was thirsty and hungry. I looked up at Miroku and sat up, grimacing painfully at the tear-jerking pain in my chest.
"M-miroku, can y-you get me some water? Please?" I asked, tears welling in my eyes.
He nodded, and I heard a scampering and saw a fluffy tail headed for the door. I chuckled to myself, even though it hurt. I sat and thought about Sesshomaru. 'What if...what if he doesn't really like me? What if he was just...just trying to get around to my good side? I won't take chances. I can't. Not before-'My train of thought was interrupted suddenly by Shippou meekly entering. He hopped up onto my bed. Tiny as he was, it was a miracle he was in high school.
"K-kagome? C-c-can you really forgive me?" He asked, looking up at me. I nodded.
"C'mere Shippou."
I said softly, picking him up. I gave him a kiss on the top of his head, I saw him blush, and he scampered off to help Miroku. Miroku came in a few moments later holding water and a small tray of food. He set that on my lap, and I smiled.
"Thanks Miroku," I said.
"You're welcome Kagome. Better eat. Before you die of starvation." He laughed somewhat, his smile brighter.
'He called me by my first name instead of 'Higurashi'? Gods, everyone's turned into someone else.' I thought, beginning to eat slowly. ~~~~~~~The Next Day~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Sesshomaru, I need to tell you something..." I said, Sesshomaru sitting on the bed beside me. I was much stronger and felt a lot better because of the food Miroku had brought me, and the nurses had been bringing me food from then on.
"What is it Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice soft, his eyes piercing my soul it seemed.
"I-I think...I think I..." I stuttered, trying to muster up courage. Obviously, my strength and courage were not at equal levels right now. "Kagome? Are you sure you had something to tell me?" Sesshomaru asked, looking at me with concerned eyes.
"No. Never mind." I said, shaking my head, tears welling in my eyes. I lied back on my pillow, closing my eyes. I felt a warm touch on my forehead and opened my eyes to see Sesshomaru's face moving away from my forehead. I closed my eyes again, and fell into sleep. *******Sesshomaru's POV******** 'Why wouldn't she tell me whatever it was she needed to tell me? Oh well, she said she'd be back in school by Thursday, so I'll leave it alone.' I thought and started walking towards my home. 'Does anyone know how tough it is to live alone with your parents only sending you money once a month? Eh, Kagome's lucky...I hate this house!' I thought as I trudged up the steps, searching my pocket for my key. I pulled out the key and unlocked the door, pushing it open.
"I'm home!" I shouted to no one, knowing there would be no answer.
I sighed and sat down on my couch, propping my head up on one elbow. I fell asleep like that. *****************************End Sesshomaru's POV***********
"I'm so happy to be home!"
I said to Grandpa, moving slowly up the shrine steps.
"We're glad you're home, Kagome." Mom answered before Grandpa had a chance to speak. I smiled. Souta came running down the shrine steps.
"Kagome!!!!! You're back!"
Souta shouted, and I smiled, ready for the hug. I braced myself and felt Souta's arms come around my stomach. I winced and hugged back, slowly, trying to concentrate on him rather than my pain.
"S-s-souta...let go," I whispered hoarsely, squeezing my eyes shut in pain. "Sorry Kagome..." Souta said, smiling weakly and releasing my stomach.
I inhaled sharply, only to receive a jolting pain. I cried out and fell on the next step, but Mom just helped me up.
"Thanks Mom," I said, and continued walking.
At the house, I went to the refrigerator, opening the freezer and reaching up for ice, to find that I got pain with reaching.
"Mom! Can you please get me some ice in a glass?" I gasped through gritted teeth.
Mom nodded, getting out a glass and getting ice. I took the glass of ice and went to the sink, filling it with water. I slowly made my way back to my room and sat down on my bed lightly. I slowly leaned back onto the pillows, trying to avoid use of my stomach muscles and breathing slowly, but not necessarily deeply. I drank most of my water and set the glass on the table beside my bed. I looked around for my diary in the drawer without really 'looking', more feeling, and found it at the back. I pulled it out and took the pen from its side. I flipped it to a clean page and started writing.
Dear Diary, Hey, it's Kagome. I feel horrible, not only because of my ribs, but because I couldn't tell Sesshomaru I loved him! Why? Why can't I seem to do it? It's so hard. Sorry this is so short, but I need rest. Going to school on Thursday, day after tomorrow. Two days...
I stopped writing, closing the diary and placed it back in the drawer. Little did I notice the pair of colder, harder amber eyes watching me, straight through my bedroom window, and I just drifted off to sleep.
"Kagome, are you feeling alright?" She asked, and I nodded slightly.
"Hey, Mom?" I said, my voice still hoarse.
"Yes sweetie?" She replied softly, her eyes glimmering with hopes she could help.
"Is Sesshomaru still-still here?" I asked, weakly, my voice tripping on a word.
She nodded. I nodded back, and she sat down on the chair and I fell asleep. I was woken up once again to my name being called, but this time by a deeper, softer, calmer voice. I opened my eyes, hoping to see Sesshomaru's sweet eyes, but only saw brown.
"M-miroku?" I stuttered, and he stood up fully.
"Yep. Shippou came along, we had to apologize to your face. Um...Inu-Yasha wouldn't come. Sorry. Sorry for hurting you. Sorry for teasing you, and everything," Miroku said, smiling weakly.
"You're forgiven, you to Shippou," I replied, hearing a small movement by the bed.
True, Shippou had never hurt me really, but he had teased me, tripped me, pulled pranks on me, etc. I heard him squeak a bit, and I thought it to be a 'thanks'. This time, after I had spoken, I didn't want to sleep. I realized I was thirsty and hungry. I looked up at Miroku and sat up, grimacing painfully at the tear-jerking pain in my chest.
"M-miroku, can y-you get me some water? Please?" I asked, tears welling in my eyes.
He nodded, and I heard a scampering and saw a fluffy tail headed for the door. I chuckled to myself, even though it hurt. I sat and thought about Sesshomaru. 'What if...what if he doesn't really like me? What if he was just...just trying to get around to my good side? I won't take chances. I can't. Not before-'My train of thought was interrupted suddenly by Shippou meekly entering. He hopped up onto my bed. Tiny as he was, it was a miracle he was in high school.
"K-kagome? C-c-can you really forgive me?" He asked, looking up at me. I nodded.
"C'mere Shippou."
I said softly, picking him up. I gave him a kiss on the top of his head, I saw him blush, and he scampered off to help Miroku. Miroku came in a few moments later holding water and a small tray of food. He set that on my lap, and I smiled.
"Thanks Miroku," I said.
"You're welcome Kagome. Better eat. Before you die of starvation." He laughed somewhat, his smile brighter.
'He called me by my first name instead of 'Higurashi'? Gods, everyone's turned into someone else.' I thought, beginning to eat slowly. ~~~~~~~The Next Day~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Sesshomaru, I need to tell you something..." I said, Sesshomaru sitting on the bed beside me. I was much stronger and felt a lot better because of the food Miroku had brought me, and the nurses had been bringing me food from then on.
"What is it Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice soft, his eyes piercing my soul it seemed.
"I-I think...I think I..." I stuttered, trying to muster up courage. Obviously, my strength and courage were not at equal levels right now. "Kagome? Are you sure you had something to tell me?" Sesshomaru asked, looking at me with concerned eyes.
"No. Never mind." I said, shaking my head, tears welling in my eyes. I lied back on my pillow, closing my eyes. I felt a warm touch on my forehead and opened my eyes to see Sesshomaru's face moving away from my forehead. I closed my eyes again, and fell into sleep. *******Sesshomaru's POV******** 'Why wouldn't she tell me whatever it was she needed to tell me? Oh well, she said she'd be back in school by Thursday, so I'll leave it alone.' I thought and started walking towards my home. 'Does anyone know how tough it is to live alone with your parents only sending you money once a month? Eh, Kagome's lucky...I hate this house!' I thought as I trudged up the steps, searching my pocket for my key. I pulled out the key and unlocked the door, pushing it open.
"I'm home!" I shouted to no one, knowing there would be no answer.
I sighed and sat down on my couch, propping my head up on one elbow. I fell asleep like that. *****************************End Sesshomaru's POV***********
"I'm so happy to be home!"
I said to Grandpa, moving slowly up the shrine steps.
"We're glad you're home, Kagome." Mom answered before Grandpa had a chance to speak. I smiled. Souta came running down the shrine steps.
"Kagome!!!!! You're back!"
Souta shouted, and I smiled, ready for the hug. I braced myself and felt Souta's arms come around my stomach. I winced and hugged back, slowly, trying to concentrate on him rather than my pain.
"S-s-souta...let go," I whispered hoarsely, squeezing my eyes shut in pain. "Sorry Kagome..." Souta said, smiling weakly and releasing my stomach.
I inhaled sharply, only to receive a jolting pain. I cried out and fell on the next step, but Mom just helped me up.
"Thanks Mom," I said, and continued walking.
At the house, I went to the refrigerator, opening the freezer and reaching up for ice, to find that I got pain with reaching.
"Mom! Can you please get me some ice in a glass?" I gasped through gritted teeth.
Mom nodded, getting out a glass and getting ice. I took the glass of ice and went to the sink, filling it with water. I slowly made my way back to my room and sat down on my bed lightly. I slowly leaned back onto the pillows, trying to avoid use of my stomach muscles and breathing slowly, but not necessarily deeply. I drank most of my water and set the glass on the table beside my bed. I looked around for my diary in the drawer without really 'looking', more feeling, and found it at the back. I pulled it out and took the pen from its side. I flipped it to a clean page and started writing.
Dear Diary, Hey, it's Kagome. I feel horrible, not only because of my ribs, but because I couldn't tell Sesshomaru I loved him! Why? Why can't I seem to do it? It's so hard. Sorry this is so short, but I need rest. Going to school on Thursday, day after tomorrow. Two days...
I stopped writing, closing the diary and placed it back in the drawer. Little did I notice the pair of colder, harder amber eyes watching me, straight through my bedroom window, and I just drifted off to sleep.
