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            That night, Kagome put down her pencil and let it roll to and fro slightly on the table next to her math homework. Her table light shone brightly, illuminating her desk but failing to fill the rest of her room with light. The serene melody of crickets sounded as Kagome sighed, propping her chin on her palm.

            She let herself fall on her bed, the covers bouncing lightly with her body. Rolling to her side, her eyelids fell heavily, blanketing her world in darkness. As her soul was lifted into a dream, she opened her mind, allowing it to carry her to blissful sleep.

            In this dream, she was falling. Through the clouds of mist, not knowing where the ground lay because it did not matter. As she fell, her hair brushed her face tenderly and she sighed. It felt wonderful, to be free, free from all her restraining anxieties.

            The feeling of hair brushing her cheek turned to someone's fingertips. Soft and loving, they stroked her skin. She touched the hand, enlacing her fingertips with theirs. The warmth was comforting, like a warm blanket on a winter's night. She didn't wasn't to leave it. She had felt this way before...when was it?

            Ah, yes. It was Inu Yasha that caused this feeling.

            Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, hugging herself. Her breathing slowly returned to its normal pace, but her mind remained perturbed. No, no no! She can't be in love! She can't even like Yasha-kun! She wouldn't allow herself. He's just a person, someone she met. No one special.

            Because if he were someone special, she would be doomed to the horrors of love. Those who believe in the joy of love are fools. Love is nothing like it is in songs or poems, love is something Kagome didn't need. 'If I don't love, I won't get hurt', Kagome thought fiercely. 'If it's love, I don't want it. I don't need it.'

            She flipped her body over roughly to face the wall. The blankets fell slowly to around her. She let the fluffy softness of the covers sooth the adrenaline she just triggered. In silence, she wondered about the stranger she had encountered that day, "You love my Inu Yasha."

             "No, I'm sorry but I don't," Kagome announced at loud. She felt silly, conversing with herself, but her mind was elsewhere. What kind of girl was she? She said something about "Her Inu Yasha" and such. Her attitude was like a child discovering his fellow toddler had stolen his favorite toy, and instead of throwing a tantrum, planned his revenge smoothly. Her anger was blunt and plain, but her actions swerved from predictions. What was her relation to Inu Yasha? Was she...?

            Kagome's heart stopped and her hand tightened on the covers. No, that can't be right. Inu Yasha's reputation is so bad; he couldn't have a girlfriend. Her mind drifted onto hers and Yasha-kun's first meeting. His lovely amber eyes smiled down at her through messing black strands of hair. Kagome closed her eyes and sighed, but bit her lip recalling his long silvery strands. And his words, his acidic words. The girl cringed under her blankets.

            "Everything's so confusing!! Argh!!" she yelled and flipped herself over, squeezing her eyes tightly. A small salty trickle of tears sent her to sleep. Amber eyes watched through a small crack in the window and fled as quickly as they had come.

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            A chair flew across the room, slamming into a wall, creating dirty streaks. A form a furious longhaired girl reached over to grab it and project it into the air once more. It crashed sickeningly into the ground. Like a furious animal, the girl tore the last remaining leg of the chair from its body and used it as a bat to destroy the rest of it. Splinters stuck gruesomely in her delicate skin, but nerves were numb from anger.

            There was now a pile of wood and chips scattered around her. She stopped, her breath wild and gasping. Her long ink black hair hung untamed around her face, her lovely features were soaked in sweat. Her feet gave way from under her and she collapsed onto her knees. Her harsh breaths blew the strands of her hair as beads of sweat formed on the tip of her nose.

            Slowly and painfully, she lifted her physically exhausted body and managed to prop herself up. Limping pathetically to the couch, she let herself fall heavily on top of it, grunting in pain. As if waking from some sort of trance, she stared at the wounds on her hands. Countless wooden spikes protruded from her skin, trickles of blood ran over her fingers in tiny rivers. She bit her lip, the pain coming back to her in full force.

            Rolling her head to the side, she spied a photograph sitting on top of a small table. A crumpled photo that didn't quite fit its wooden frame looked back at her. She glared at both the girl and boy residing inside the picture with contempt. Their happiness was unnerving. And yet, she had experienced that kind of happiness before; the picture was her evidence. She grinned tipping her head back, 'Hmph. It's been so long I forgot the feeling.'

            Once again glancing at her swollen, tortured hands, her smile faint. "Looks like I'll be put out of commission for a while. Hn, that's a shame." Her eyes grew wide for an insane moment. Her mouth curved upward, anticipation brimming on her lips.

            "Don't worry, Kagome-san. You'll soon feel my pain. I'll gladly share it with you and Inu-chan. You'll both love it..." a giggle formed on her lips and shifted into a high-pitched laugh, and unnatural laugh, shrieking and howling.

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AN: *sigh* another long one... will I ever stop??? -_-;;;;; ugh, this chappie really disappointed me...sorry if it was really really boring. I think I dragged it out a bit too much. I was like BS-ing the whole way through..._ gomen gomen!!! Urgh, after so many requests for a new chappie too... I disappoint myself...T____T

Um, I probably won't do any special thanks to specific people anymore (soweez!!!) I know it's really exciting to see your name on a special thx list (it's ok. You don't have to deny it), but it's come to day that I never thought would come... *dramatic pause accompanied by drumroll*

WE'VE REACHED 100 REVIEWS~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! W00T!!!!! *throws streamers and confetti* so happy, so happy!!!!! ^_____________________________^

T|-|4|\|Ks 4 |3|_|NC|-|!!!!!!!!!! (Thanks a Bunch!!)

Hehe, had to add that last bit of 733t in there. It's been a long time since I've mentioned l33t ne??? ^_^

Thank you so much for all your support as readers!!! You've really helped my lazy butt get up and be of some use!!! ^^;;;;

Happy Mother's Day too to all your moms!!!! ^_^ Make sure you say meow-chan wishes them a wondlerful stuperendous  and zooey day!!! heehee.

Ja ne!!

~meow-chan~