Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Author's Note: I can't believe I actually got reviews for that first chapter! I want to thank those who reviewed a million times over, I appreciate it so much! This is my first EVER fic, and I am eager to hear everyone's comments and suggestions to make it better. I know Kagome was acting kinda bitchy, but I think her reasoning will be cleared up a bit more in coming chapters. I hope some of you did take note on her "mood swings"….. At any rate, on to the second installment!!
Italics= character's thoughts
ALL CAPS= yelling
::text::= an action

Home Again

Kagome sat on the steps in the well house for a few minutes, collecting herself so her family wouldn't be concerned… she let out a heavy sigh, and stood up.

Alright, Kagome.. Look happy… She forced herself to smile and made her way up to the house.

"Mama, Jii-chan, I'm home!" Kagome called from the door, taking off her shoes and setting her backpack down.

"Kagome—You're back! You were gone a long time, you must be exhausted!" Mama peeked her head out from the kitchen. Kagome gave her a quick hug, and noticed her grandpa sitting at the table, reading the paper (Doesn't it always seem like he's sitting at the table, reading the paper??).

"It's about time my granddaughter came back, I was running out of illnesses to cover for your absences." Jii-chan said from behind the paper. "I hope no one discovers that Sengokutrichinosis isn't a real condition…" He seemed to slide further down in his chair, "But it sure sounds like something you'd need to miss school for…"

"J-Jii-chan…" Kagome's eyebrow twitched.. Her gaze was starting to burn a hole in the newspaper hiding the old man.

"We're glad you're back, Kagome dear." Mama broke the unease and put her arm around Kagome. "Why don't I start up a bath for you—That way you can rest up and relax, then get ready for dinner." Her sweet voice was enough for Kagome to forget all of today's happenings.

"Thanks, Mama. That would be nice."

After a nice, long, relaxing bath, and a yummy home-cooked meal, Kagome collapsed on her bed. Ahh… It really has been an awful long time since I've been home.. She smiled and snuggled her face into the fluffy pillow. She was rapidly drifting off into a blissful slumber, ready to dream of things like rainbows.. and kitties… and pocky……Mmmm…. pocky…..

"KAGOME!!!"

"AHHH!!! WHAT?!" Kagome bolted up in bed, disoriented, as sleep was wrenched from her so suddenly. Her brother Souta laughed hysterically from the doorway.

"Time to get up, Sis!"

"Eh?" She turned to face her alarm clock. "Oh.. Right. School."

(At school)

"Kagome!"

"Kagome-chan!"

"Hi guys." Kagome sat on the top of her desk and greeted her friends, Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi.

"Wow, Kagome-chan, you were out a long time! It must have been a really bad case of herpes, huh?" Yuka asked.

Herpes?!! I'm going to kill Jii-chan!!! Kagome laughed nervously. "Eh heh heh heh… I'm.. fine now.."

"It's a good thing you're back anyhow.. We thought for sure you were going to miss the Spring Fling Dance!" Eri added.

Dance????

"Dance????" Kagome's jaw dropped.

"Of course! It's in two weeks. You WILL be going, right, Kagome-chan?" Eri asked her, and her other friends leaned in close.

"But.. I don't have anything to wear.. And I didn't even know about it…" Kagome stuttered.

"You'll need a date, too." Ayumi smiled. "We already have our dates.."

"Yeah, are you going to bring that jealous boyfriend of yours?"

"Huh? Oh…." Inuyasha…. "No." Kagome replied coldly.

"Did you have another argument?" Ayumi asked.

"Hmph. You could say that. I don't care if I ever saw the jerk again." Grrr… Just thinking about him makes me angry!

A lightbulb turned on inside Yuka's head, and she pulled Eri and Ayumi toward her. "We'll have to find Kagome a date then, for sure….." She whispered. Turning back to Kagome, she piped, "Don't worry, Kagome-chan, we'll take care of everything for you!" They all nodded and smiled happily.

Kagome paled. "N-No, I don't think that's neccess--"

"Higurashi!" An overly enthusiastic Houjou lit up when he saw Kagome was back in class.

"Houjou-kun…"

Eri looked at her friends. "….Houjou-kun…." they mumured. They huddled together, starting to whisper and giggle.

God… They're scheming… She looked back up at Houjou.

"Are you feeling well, Higurashi?" He asked, sincerity in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." Kagome smiled.

"That's good." He fidgeted a bit. "Listen, Higurashi, I was wondering if--"

But Kagome wasn't listening. The teacher had just walked into the classroom, and everyone scrambled to their seats.

Once school was out, Kagome wanted to beat it out of there as fast as humanly possible… Heaven forbid she run in to her friends… And their crazy plans…

"Higurashi, over here!"

Oi.. Houjou-kun…

Reluctantly she turned around. Houjou came jogging up beside her. "Higurashi, I wanted to ask you earlier, and I know that you haven't been well lately, but I was hoping that maybe…."

Kagome looked past Houjou as he continued talking, noting that her friends were eavesdropping on their conversation. Those girls had no shame.

"So… What do you say, Higurashi? Would you be my date for the dance?"

Her attention snapped back to a hopeful looking Houjou..

Go to the dance with Houjou-kun?.. Kagome thought about what Inuyasha would think… She glanced over at her friends, they were beginning to panic at Kagome's delay.

Hn. I won't let Inuyasha mess with my head!! I need to get him off my mind, dammit!!!

Kagome set her face into a determined scowl, and took a deep breath…

"Houjou-kun, I would LOVE to go to the dance with you."

Her fierceness made the poor boy flinch. But seeing that she HAD agreed to go, he let her strangeness pass and smiled wide once again.

"Great! I'll call you later in the week, Ok, Higurashi?" And he spun off, on his merry way..

Author's Note: There you have it, folks! We certainly do have an angry-ish Kagome on our hands, don't we? There was like a billion scene changes in this one, sorry... :P I think next chap. we'll revist our friends in the Sengoku Jidai.. They're probably getting into some sort of trouble. Thanks again to Fred for proofing and such. Please review, Thanks!!! :)