Disclaimers: Okay, so I don't own the characters, but the story line is so totally mine so nyah. ;p

Chapter Eight: Mouth to Mouth Monday

"I hate you Hazuki!" Kagome bellowed once again that fine Monday morning. She was standing stiffly outside the shower, trying with all her might to get the honey out. This was her tenth scrubbing and it was starting to feel as painful as when she was washing –or trying to- her hair of the highlights.

"Kagome," a small voice whined from the other side of the bathroom door. "When are you going to get out? You've been in there for two hours!"

"I'll get out when I damn well feel like it!" Kagome growled, turning the water on full blast to wash the soap from her hair and face.

"But I got to go!" the voice spoke in an exasperated tone.

"Then grab some leaves and pee in a bush Souta!"

"Kagome, if you don't get out now, I'm gonna tell mom!" Souta exclaimed through the door.

"Fine!" Kagome sighed in exasperation. She turned off the water and grabbed a towel. Giving her hair a quick rubbing, she stood up and went over to the locked, wooden door. She swung it open to see a crossed-eye, puffed out cheeks Souta.

"Hahahaha . . . what happened to you?" He laughed, losing all composure. "You look like Medusa, except without the snakes!"

"Watch it!" Kagome growled, pushing past him. "Or you might wet your pants." She smirked as Souta stopped laughing and gave her own small laugh. "Guess you already did."

"Kagome!" Souta shouted; voice full of embarrassment, before slamming the bathroom door shut.

"That'll teach you," Kagome muttered before going into her room. She quickly took a look at her vanity as soon as she stepped in.

Her mouth twisted in disgust. She knew she wasn't one of the prettiest girls at school, though she also knew she had some looks to her. But, this honey in the hair did nothing for her. Her hair instead of being smooth was now crisp and dry. Also, they were located in clumps, all bunched together.

'Souta was right . . . I do look like Medusa without snakes.' Kagome thought grudgingly, running light fingers over her hair. 'That idiot boy! Always goes for the hair.' She shot a cold glare through her window to the one adjacent to it. To her surprise, Inu-Yasha was glaring right back at her with hand held up that was red and looked as if the fingers were in pain. She crossed her room smirking as she opened the window.

 Kagome thought grudgingly, running light fingers over her hair. She shot a cold glare through her window to the one adjacent to it. To her surprise, Inu-Yasha was glaring right back at her with hand held up that was red and looked as if the fingers were in pain. She crossed her room smirking as she opened the window.

"Looks like you found the mouse trap," she commented casually. To a passerby it would have looked as if she was talking to the wind or something. But Inu-Yasha heard, and he promptly answered by giving her the finger. "Touché are we? Well, then I guess I should cut our conversation short!" Kagome exclaimed, slamming her window. Kagome turned to go back to her business when a loud bumping sound from behind stopped her. She turned around to see egg dripping down her window.

'Why that little . . .' Kagome clenched her fist as a vein began throbbing in her temple. She looked over to see a smirking Inu-Yasha with his tongue sticking out and his right eyelid pulled down.

"Kagome dear, are you okay? What was that noise I heard?" Her mother's voice sounded from the door.

"Nothing mama . . . I just dropped something!" Kagome called out before returning her attention back to the window, but Inu-Yasha was gone. "That tard," she grumbled before turning back to getting ready for school.

x.x

Kagome walked into the courtyard of Kikidou Valley with a grim expression on her face. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, she figured that was the best way to go, and wore a black baggy skirt and a lime green shirt that said 'Save the drama for your mama'.

"Kagome!" Sango called out, running over to her. Her hair was pulled into pigtails and she was wearing a short plaid skirt, white blouse T-shirt, and a navy blue vest over it. Also the end of her pigtails held navy blue ribbons.

"Hey . . . interesting outfit," Kagome commented, eyeing Sango's choice of clothing.

"Kohaku dared me to wear this . . ." Sango trailed off, muttering something about stupid brothers daring siblings to look like a slut.

"So how much do you get to dress like a slut?" Kagome questioned.

"$100," Sango muttered, face turning a light shade of pink.

"Wow . . . Souta would never be willing to part that much just for me to dress up!" Kagome exclaimed, awe and envy mixed in her tone.

"Why should he, when he knows you do it everyday for free?" Sango questioned quickly before making a dash for the school.

Kagome stood still with a dumbfound look as the words began to enter her mind. Suddenly meaning fully sunk in and Kagome's face contorted from confusion to anger.

"Sango!" Kagome shouted her battle cry, before pushing her way towards her frighten friend.

x.x

"Hey Inu-" Miroku began to greet until he was cut off by a loud cry.

"Sango!"

"God damn that wench!" Inu-Yasha grumbled, placing his hands over his delicate dog-ears.

"Inu-Yasha!" Kikyou scowled, slapping his arm. The sleeves of her white peasant top flowing with the wind along with her knee length red skirt. "That's not nice to say . . . especially about Kagome."

"Yeah Inu-Yasha!" Miroku joined in, liking any day where he could pick on Inu-Yasha without getting a pounding. "Besides, it seems our fine friend's victim today is someone other than you!"

"Who's Sango again?" Kikyou intervened with her question, seeing how Inu-Yasha was about to leap towards Miroku's neck.

"That chick always around Kagome . . . her new best friend," Inu-Yasha spat, not missing the hurt filling him or crossing Kikyou's eyes.

"Oh yes . . . I remember. Saw her in the library Saturday. Discussing how she was going to hurt Miroku with the Harry Potter book she was borrowing," Kikyou reminisced.

"What?" Miroku asked with an indignant tone. "Why would she want to harm me?"

"Hm . . . I don't know, maybe because you're always grabbing at her," Inu-Yasha commented, sarcasm obvious in his voice.

"That is no reason to go hit on innocent man!" Miroku reiterated, throwing a glare at Inu-Yasha.

"You ain't got the balls to be a man," Inu-Yasha sneered, returning the glare.

"Oh my! How ever did you find out about the castration!" A voice exclaimed, cutting off Miroku's retort.

Every head in the small group of three turned their head to look at the source of the voice. All eyes came upon the Catholic Schoolgirl Sango. She stood with a smirking expression that barely outweighed the fear in her eyes.

"Ah, the lovely Sango," Miroku greeted her dutifully, moving towards her with out-stretched arms.

"Not today small stuff," Sango jeered, side-stepping him so that he would fall flat on his face. Her moment of playing with Miroku's mind was fun, but it was also a great distraction that cost her.

"Sango . . ." A low, dangerous voice growled. Sango winced as a manicured hand dug its fingernails into her shoulder. "Let's talk . . ." Kagome breathed, bringing her head close to Sango's ear.

"What about?" Sango stuttered.

"Don't you . . ." Kagome started before calming down. She looked around to see everyone staring at her and Sango. She spotted Inu-Yasha, Kikyou . . . and Miroku; a sinister smile replaced the frown on her face. "Miroku!" She spoke happily.

"Hey Kagome!" Miroku greeted.

"Do you like Sango's outfit?" Kagome inquired, raising an eyebrow in interest. Sango shuddered as she watched Miroku scan her body up and down.

"Very," Miroku said simply.

"Sango said she dressed just for you," Kagome commented. Miroku's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Sango's skin took on a ghastly color. Before anyone knew what was happening, Kagome pushed Sango forward into Miroku's waiting arms.

"Hey Sango," Miroku spoke in what he thought to be a seductive voice. His hands moved their way slowly down her back to inappropriate places.

"I didn't let you touch me there yesterday. Didn't let you touch me there since I met you. So what makes you think I'll let you touch me there NOW!" Sango shouted as she twisted his wrists then did a complicated hand movement that ended with Miroku on his back. Then suddenly Sango twirled around and turned blazing eyes on Kagome. "You!"

"Now, now Sango," Kagome spoke nervously, backing away with hands in defensive position.

"Don't you 'now, now Sango' me Kagome," Sango growled out, taking a predatory step towards her.

"Come on, you wouldn't hurt your best friend, now would you?" Kagome rushed out before turning tail and running out of there. Sango just gave a quick glance to Kikyou's wince at best friend before taking her own leave to kill a soon to be ex-best friend.

"That was interesting . . ." Kikyou breathe without much enthusiasm. Inu-Yasha just nodded his head in agreement as the bell rang. "Bye Inu-Yasha!" Kikyou called out before walking away.

x.x

"Didn't have to hit so hard," Kagome muttered angrily as she took her seat behind Sango. It was third period and Sango had finally managed to get a hold of Kagome.

"You're lucky that I'm still talking to you at all," Sango growled over shoulder.

"I was only getting back at you for calling me a slut," Kagome countered. She let out a squeak of fright as Sango let out a very Inu-Yasha like growl. "Sorry, never mind!" Kagome whispered meekly.

"Look at the tiger turned mouse," Inu-Yasha barked as he took his seat next to her.

"Shut up Inu-Yasha . . . at least I don't purr like a cat," Kagome spat out viscously.

"Why you wench!" Inu-Yasha started, getting ready to do something; thought wasn't quite sure what seeing how Kagome was female. Kagome winced; knowing she was in deep trouble, for Inu-Yasha only called her wench when he was really mad at her.

'Great job Kagome!' She thought sarcastically. 'Making two people stranger than you wanting to kill you all in the same day! This must be a new record.'

 She thought sarcastically.

Before Inu-Yasha could finish contemplating how to take care of her, the teacher came in signaling the start of class.

"Hello class," Mr. Myouga spoke as he came up to the podium. "Now, we've been talking a lot about tales over the past few weeks and I thought it would be fun to make our own. You can make a tale about anything. A holiday, a pet, animals, things, anything you can think of." Mr. Myouga explained before going into specifics about the assignment. After he was done he spoke the magic words. "You can work with a partner." The class began to cheer. " . . . But, your partner will be chosen at random. If you look down at your desk you will find a square of paper. Write ou name on it and pass them to the front."

Kagome quickly signed her name on the paper then looked over to Inu-Yasha's desk.

"Hello-Kitty?" She asked in a confused tone.

"Where the hell do you see 'Hello-Kitty'?" Inu-Yasha snarled, glaring at her.

"Right there," she replied simply, pointing at his square. "Inu-Yasha Hello-Kitty."

"You dumbass, that says Inu-Yasha Hazuki!" Inu-Yasha corrected.

"Oh . . . well you should learn to write better," Kagome countered.

"No, you just can't read," Inu-Yasha retorted.

"Can too!"

"Can not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Can. Too!" Kagome yelled, pulling Inu-Yasha's face closer to her by yanking on one of his forelocks.

"Can. Not!" Inu-Yasha said obediently, wrapping his fingers around her small wrist.

"Can-" Kagome was cut off by the loud sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Can you two stop bickering and put those squares in the hat," Mr. Myouga commanded, nodding his head at their desktops.

Both quickly let go of their hold on one another and looked down. Sure enough, there were piles of squares on both desks. They each turned a light shade of pink before gathering up the squares and placing them in the hat.

"Thank you," Mr. Myouga spoke, giving them a curt nod before walking back to the podium. "Now, partners will be as follows. Hinomiya and Shatsu. Lin and Wan . . ." Mr. Myouga kept pulling out squares and partnering people up. Soon it came down to only a handful of people left. "Higurashi . . ." He called Kagome's name before pulling out another paper. He scrunched his eyes up as he read the name. "Can't make this out . . . very illegible . . . seems like the last name begins with H," he stated as he squinted his eyes more.

"Shit!" Kagome heard Inu-Yasha whisper next to her.

'You can say that again.' Kagome thought wryly, knowing he was thinking along the same lines that they were going to be partners.

"Ah here we go!" Mr. Myouga suddenly exclaimed, causing Kagome to jump a little out of her seat. "Higurashi and Harasaki!" Kagome wasn't sure if she should just jump for joy or throw herself out the window. Either way, her partner was bad.

'Just terrific! Instead of a jerk, I get a pervert.' Kagome thought grudgingly, throwing a glance at Miroku.

" . . . Our last pair is Long and Hazuki!" Mr. Myouga announced. "Now you have the rest of the period to work with your partner!" As soon as those words left his mouth, Sango turned in her seat to look at Inu-Yasha.

"Come on Inu-Yasha, let's go somewhere where we're not surrounded by ex-best friends," Sango commanded, shooting a withering glare at Kagome's shrinking form. Inu-Yasha nodded his head numbly, a little nervous of a pissed off Sango. The two gathered their stuff and walked off into a corner of the class not disturbed by students.

"Hello partner!" Miroku greeted cheerily as he plopped into the seat next to Kagome.

"Shut up." Kagome spoke in an annoyed tone.

"What's wrong?" Miroku asked, furrowing his brow in concern.

"Because of you, Sango is mad at me," Kagome retorted, angrily flipping through her binder searching for a clean page.

"Me?!" Miroku asked with shock. "What did I do?"

"If you weren't such a pervert, then I never would have gotten the idea to push her at you this morning."

"Yeah right!" Miroku snorted; all worry of something bad leaving him. "Aren't you responsible for your own actions. I don't think my 'pervertedness' called out to you this morning to push Sango . . .well maybe it did. But you never had to listen to it."

"Like I'd ever lis-" Someone calling her name cut off Kagome's retort. "What?!" she shouted, turning in her seat to face the person. She took on a calmer look as she noted that it was Sango.

"Hey Kagome, you work today, right?" Sango asked curiously.

"Yeah," she replied, ignoring the voice telling her not to trust Sango. "Why?"

"No reason. I was just wondering!" Sango replied before turning her attention back to Inu-Yasha.

"Let's get to work!" Kagome exclaimed, in a better mood seeing as that Sango wasn't as mad at her.

x.x

'Man is work boring.' Kagome thought, as she boredly scanned the pool area once again. 'I think I'll just call it in for the day.' She mused as she noted that the other lifeguards were also either off duty of making their way home. She climbed down the ladder on the side of the chair and began to place her clothes on over her red bathing suit. As she was about to make her leave she was stopped by a commotion. Her head snapped in the way of the noise to see a crowd gathering around the corner of the pool.

 Kagome thought, as she boredly scanned the pool area once again. She mused as she noted that the other lifeguards were also either off duty of making their way home. She climbed down the ladder on the side of the chair and began to place her clothes on over her red bathing suit. As she was about to make her leave she was stopped by a commotion. Her head snapped in the way of the noise to see a crowd gathering around the corner of the pool.

"Kagome!" A voice yelled out to her.

'Sango?!' She thought with concern as she registered the fear in her voice. She rushed towards the crowd and began to push her way through to the center. There in the middle was a worried Sango, and Miroku kneeled over what appeared to be a drowning victim. Who strangely had white hair and dog-ears . . . "Inu-Yasha!" Kagome yelled, hurrying over to his side. "What happened?" She demanded.

"Well . . . we were just playing around . . . then he got a cramp . . . we tried to keep him up. But Inu-Yasha is a dead weight," Miroku explained hurriedly.

"Oh . . ." Kagome stated seeming to go back to her heartless mode when it came to Inu-Yasha. 'Dammit! What am I going to do!' She had half the mind to help him when her rational side decided to voice an opinion and tell her how stupid she was for trying to help him. 'But he's helped me out before.' She reasoned. 'Then again, we were friends at the time.' That's how it went. With every reason she came up with to help him she always found a counter. Finally she looked up and spotted the familiar face of her boss. 'But, that $20 bonus will always look good on my paycheck.' She resolved.

She quickly set to work, making sure that Inu-Yasha was lying flat on his back. Then she scanned his body for any movements, giving him few slaps also to make sure he was breathing. When she saw nothing she gave his face a determined look.

'You better appreciate this.' She thought before pinching his nose and pulling his chin down. Slowly she breathed into his mouth, watching his chest rise up and then down. She repeated the action a second time. She watched his body for any signs of movement. Not getting any she placed her hands on his chest, one on another, and began to push down 15 times before reopening his mouth and giving 2 more breaths. She then repeated her actions.

'Still no signs.' She thought worriedly. She pushed on his chest again for 15 counts, then once again lowered her moth to his. This time however, while giving the rescue breaths, Inu-Yasha's arms wrapped around her waist before pulling her towards him-self. Kagome froze in her actions as she felt the movement.

'Is he kissing me!?' She panicked, starting to push at his chest. But Inu-Yasha wouldn't hear of it as he pulled her tighter in his hold. Finally when Kagome was getting light-headed from the lack of oxygen, Inu-Yasha pulled away with a smirking face.

Kagome stared at him in horror, numbly taking in Sango's laughter. Tears soon welled in her eyes as she looked from Inu-Yasha's smirk to Sango's laughing form to Miroku's worried expression. Suddenly she did the only thing her mind would comprehend. She swung her arm forward, slapping Inu-Yasha hard across the cheek. Then before anyone could do anything, she picked herself up and began to run.

"Kagome!" Inu-Yasha called out, moving to go after her with Sango following his lead. Both were stopped however by the placement of a hand on their shoulders. In unison they turned to look at an angered Miroku.

"I think you both have done enough for her today," he said in a low dangerous tone. Inu-Yasha and Sango both exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. The three just stared at Kagome's disappearing form.

x.x

Kagome ran blindly on through the streets, just trying to make it home. Trying to understand why Sango or Inu-Yasha for that matter would do something as mean as that towards her.

'That was so not worth the $20.' She tried to joke to make herself feel better, but that only made her want to cry more. As she reached a hand up to dry her face she fell backwards from a force that collided with her.

"I'm sorry," she heard a familiar voice rush out. She looked up to see a worried Kikyou offering her a hand.

"Hey Kikyou, that's okay!" Kagome said happily, gladly taking hold of the offered hand.

"Where you heading?" Kikyou asked curiously as Kagome wiped her skirt off.

"Home," Kagome said bluntly before walking around Kikyou.

"Can I walk with you?" Kikyou asked suddenly, surprising Kagome.

"Sure . . ." Kagome answered in an unsure tone after getting over the initial shock.

"Great!" Kikyou cheered, moving forward as she stepped into stride with Kagome; who in turn gave a bright smile.

The two began to walk, saying words here and there to get over the awkwardness. But as they neared the shrine, they were laughing and talking like good friends. Both were forgetting momentarily their reason for the silent year.

"Well bye Kikyou, thanks for walking with me!" Kagome thanked as she began up the shrine steps.

"You're welcome," Kikyou smiled. ". . . and I'm sorry."

"Haha, I told you not to worry about that. I wasn't hurt when I fell so there's nothing to be sorry about!" Kagome laughed before running up the rest of the way.

"No, I meant I'm sorry for not being the friend you needed, and "m sorry for betraying you," Kikyou whispered up the steps. "But I won't let it happen again," she spoke with a resolved tone before walking away.

A/N: Here's this chapter! Thank you reviewers! Hope to see you all next time!