Promise Me

Secrets, lies, betrayals—all tied into the one reason why it's so hard to face your past. It's just not the mere word of it all—the simplicity—but everything that's classified under it. The memories of which you hoped to have left behind resurface and the images are too much to bear. But when the subject of your confused state of mind is standing before you, there's nothing you can do but fall back in line with history.

-

"Kagome," he said, only loud enough for both to hear. "It's been a while."

Miroku looked at the two staring intensely at each other, wondering how he has missed the obvious hints that they knew each other. He gaped at the scene, trying to figure out how it came to be, and why it seemed like this wasn't exactly a happy reunion for either.

"You two know each other?" He asked slowly, saying the dumbest thing that he could've possibly at the moment.

"For twelve years." Inuyasha said in a casual tone, still keeping the eye contact that they had established. "Haven't seen her in 4 years since she walked out of my life."

Kagome almost felt embarrassed that he even muttered those words. He made it sound like she left him standing at the alter on their wedding day. She could feel a warm flush spread across her cheeks, but it didn't break her gaze.

"I didn't walk out," She said quietly. "And you know it."

A tense silence followed her words, leaving the two to wonder what they spoke of. Sango could feel Miroku opening his mouth and quickly elbowed him in the gut before a single word could leave his mouth.

"Sorry to end this reunion, but we've got English class." Sango said, reaching towards Kagome's hand. "Mr. Lewis doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"I wouldn't be so hasty my love—for I seem to recall that next on my dear friend's schedule is indeed the class you speak of." Miroku said with a devious smile. Sango narrowed her eyes at the lecher beside her as she pulled Kagome from the staring contest she was in the middle of.

"Then we will be seeing you in a few." Sango said, as she made sure to kick Miroku in the shin on her way by. "You have an excuse for being late—we don't." And with that the two girls disappeared down the hall, leaving the two males in their wake.

"Is it too soon to ask what the hell that was?" Miroku asked quietly.

"Yeah, way too soon." Inuyasha answered before turning around and heading the way the women disappeared to. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to have expected from her, but it definitely wasn't this.

-

He watched her from the corner of his eye. It was innocent, just to see how she lived her life. But as he watched her, she looked like she was a stiff board. Though a slight change showed through when a male student came up to her with a few words to say. He couldn't hear, but whatever they discussed left the boy red-faced with a silly grin on his face. He wasn't jealous, but a small voice in the back of his head kept repeating it over. They were supposed to be reading some book, but they were short a copy. He was left with the summary of half of the chapters, but it was just wasting away before him.

Four years ago, when she left him, she was still innocent and pure—an angel if you could call her. But now—she was grown up beyond his expectations. She was a temptress to the male population of the school, a tantalizing school girl that was featured in every male's fantasies. But when he looked at her, he saw right through her. He always had seen her for the real her. She was still smart—even if she hid it. She was still 14 in his mind—not 18.

"Inuyasha," the teacher called him to the front. He looked towards the overly-organized desk where a fairly large man sat behind, glasses perched on his nose. The man beckoned him with his hand and he obeyed—even if it was against his will.

"I'm desperately sorry that I don't have an extra copy to spare. Students just haven't been returning the books they borrow." He said, giving Inuyasha a perfect chance to burst out laughing. "I take it you've already gone over the chapter summaries, and if you'd like, you can partner up with one of your classmates to read on." A window of opportunity presented itself, and he took the chance.

"Thank you, I will do that." He nodded at the man before turning around and making a line right for the place where Kagome had tried to separate herself from the rest of her classmates. She seemed to be reading as he approached, but her eyes weren't moving in the fashion that they would in reality.

"You're not supposed to be over here." She said not raising her eyes to him. He grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it next to her—so close that Kagome had to move herself over to breathe safely.

"I was supposed to pick someone to read along with." He said glancing up at the teacher who was typing away on his computer. She glanced up at him shortly before staring blankly at her page, as she was doing prior.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush Kagome," he said lowering his voice. "Why did you leave?" She bit her lower lip, and immediately Inuyasha recognized it. She bit her lip when she was nervous about something, and he knew for sure the way she was gnawing at her lip.

"I'm not going to yell at you or embarrass you—I just want an explanation for you up and leaving me the way you did." He said hushed—almost in a husky voice.

"Oh quit it with the sympathy lines." She said, turning to look at him, keeping the same volume that he used. "You and I both know why I left. My stepfather got a promotion, only it was all the way out here. I told you that."

"I'm stupid—I know that. But why did you leave me? You did give me a reason, or even a farewell?"

"Are you that heartbroken over me leaving that you have to badger me about it? Are you still mourning for me after those 4 years?" She said angrily, fire ablaze in her eyes.

"For only four years you've seemed to have adapted well to these uniforms." He snapped. "One can only wonder how many times you've given these boys a little show like the one in the cafeteria."

"Why do you care what I do? You're not my father!"

"I had no idea—here I was thinking that I was your biological father when I'm the same age as you—wow, what a mind boggler."

"You're so stupid! You think being sarcastic is going to make everything better?" She huffed. "Why did you come here anyway? Is it because of me?"

"I came here because my brother lives here. My mother died and I was left with that bastard. You want to blame someone for my presence—there you go!"

"I don't need to blame anyone but you." She ground out, her teeth clenched.

"And why do you need to blame someone? Is it because you're little show that you've got on won't last long now that I'm here?"

"Fuck you." She said fire ablaze behind her smoky irises. "I don't need you to come here and try to screw up my life." He was taken aback as soon as she spoke her first words. The Kagome he knew never swore.

"I don't need you, I never did. Everything in the past will stay in the past." And with those last words, she snapped her book shut and headed for the door. Students gawked at her bold move, and the teacher barely made any move to stop her. Inuyasha watched her retreating form, almost too shocked by her words to move.

"She's changed—you can't do anything but bring her down." Sango's voice said from his right, almost warning him. He mildly took her warning into consideration, but it wasn't what he was worried about.

What happened to her?

-

Something was going to happen—something he wasn't about to welcome with open arms. He could feel it, but somehow didn't take any heed to the warning's that were practically sounding off around him. Inside the locker his head was currently absorbed in, adorning every inch of metal was a picture of some woman—be that scantily clad, or fully clothed. But not even they could predict the sudden course of action that a certain male had decided to partake in.

Miroku couldn't do anything to soften the blow that was delivered when he was sudden pulled out of his locker and crushed against the ones beside. At first he had a clue that it might've been Sango, but then he found himself looking at the face at the one and only Inuyasha.

"How may I be of service to you my lad?" He asked, a nervous smile printed of his face. Inuyasha wasn't angry, but his face was locked with determination.

"I want to know everything." He said, his voice low, but threatening.

"What? What do you want to know?" He said, looking around for help if he didn't deliver the proper information.

"About her."

"Oh, her." He said in understanding, finally understanding the violence that the man portrayed in this act. He gave Inuyasha an eerie smile that could only mean that he was ready to talk. And somehow, it was Inuyasha himself that had a moment's hesitation in what he wanted to know.

"It started four long years ago…"

-

It's the essence of the mind that delivers the unyielding emotions to the heart. It's the mind's fault that memories come back—not having been forgotten. It's the mind's fault that it picks up where it left off 4 years ago. But it's the figment of your past that's faulty for your world to come crashing down. And only to aid in that demise can be that in name of a best friend—the betrayal of everything you've tried to forget. It's safe to say, let the game's begin…

Here's a quick update. Long weekend and everything just fell into place. Sorry if it's not what you wanted, but let's just say the second is coming along nicely. The fourth will be its way shortly, but I can't be blamed if it's delayed a few months. I'll keep updating if you keep reviewing!

Crowned King