Mixed Emotions (Eighteen)

Author's notes: So I guess the last two chapters were rushed.-;-; and it was the good part that I wanted... :( Anyway, thanks for the reviews and reviewers Anyway, I'm done with the whole engagement thing with Kikyo and Inuyasha and Kagome. What's next? Why don't I mingle with Miroku and Sango's lives...or Kouga and Ayame's? Or should I continue with Kagome and Inuyasha? X3...haven't I meddled with them enough? Oh well...can't have enough of one thing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!!!

Mixed Emotions (Eighteen) - Uncertain feelings...

Missing her..

The warm pre-summer breeze entered the open window of a restless sleeper. The moon was slowly fading away, making way for the sun, the flaming ball of fire. The sky turned from deep blue to a shade of red-orange, signaling the crack of dawn. Kouga's ocean blue orbs opened, peeking at the alarm clock at his side. 6:48AM. Pretty early for a pre-summer day. Pressing the "snooze" button, he climbed down from the top of the bunk bed that he slept on and went inside the mini-bathroom. He took a quick glance at himself, and then washed his face with cold water. That should do it. He should be waking up fully now.

"Ugh...I'm getting sick of those damned dreams..." he mumbled under his breath, wiping his face dry with his sports towel. Then, something popped into his mind. "Oh yeah! Shit, I'm gonna be late! I forgot that I have to meet up with Ayame at the airport at 7:10! Damn!!" As he scrambled around the dorm room for his clothes, he made so much noise that his friends complained.

"Have you gone loco?? It's 7:00 in the morning, baka," Ginta sleepily grumbled. "Go back to sleep." Kouga ignored the guy's comment and got dressed quickly. After that, he goes out the door and shuts hard behind him. "What's up with him?"

"I dunno, Ginta, but I guess we better not disturb him. You know how he is," replied Hakkaku, who also woke up with all of Kouga's racketing. "Oh yeah, didn't Ayame-san say that she was leaving today?"

"Yeah, probably that's why Kouga was in a hurry...why wouldn't it be??"

-------------------------

"Poor guy..." Kagome said. "Not seeing his girlfriend for too long is too much for him..."

"Don't be pathetic, idiot," Inuyasha mumbled to his friend. "You'll see her in six months."

"........."

It's been a week since Ayame left to study in America. Since then, Kouga's been in a daze and depressed over it. Not even Inuyasha can snap him back to his old, 'annoying' self.

"It's not like she's never coming back."

"He's right, Kouga. There's no need to be sad about," Sango cheered.

"Anyways, why don't we go to the mall? We'll find something to do there that'll take your mind away from worrying," Kagome suggested, smiling. "Aw, come on, Kouga-kun..."

A few more weeks passed by, and Kouga was still in a daze. His grades in school were slowly slipping, and he's been skipping classes a lot more often. The weather was beginning to look up, yet, the young man remained as depressed as he was since his beloved Ayame left. It was so not like him at all, that it was bothering his friends, and pissing Inuyasha off. Kagome comes to his dormitory to cheer him up now and then, along with Sango and Miroku. Ginta and Hakkaku also tried to cheer him up, yet they always fail.

One hot summer day, Kouga gazed at the sky, sprawled on a grassy field. They school year had already ended. A butterfly landed on the tip of his nose quietly, and then flew away as he opened his empty blue eyes. Birds flew above him as he stared mindlessly at the bright blue sky. A picture of the red-headed girl he knew appeared at the spot that he was merely looking at all of a sudden.

"Ayame..." he mumbled, as he sighed deeply. His pure emotions were all inside his heart...he didn't want to cry, seeing that his friends did make a point: Ayame was coming back in six months anyway. A figure of a girl suddenly blocked the sun from his eyes, as she loomed high above.

"Are you okay, Kouga-kun?" the girl, Kagome, asked, concerned. "You've been 'out of it' ever since Ayame-chan left..."

"Oh really?" he asked arrogantly. "What made you say that?"

"Well...you look kinda pale...and you haven't been eating a lot. If you keep this up, you'll--"

"Whatever. You're just seeing things."

"Quit denying it, you ass," Inuyasha grunted as he walked towards the two. "You obviously want her to come back. You shoulda came with her if you wanted to be with her so bad." Kouga rolled over to his side, away from Kagome and Inuyasha.

"Well, you're lucky that you still have your girlfriend with you, mutt-face," Kouga retorted. "Go away and leave me alone, will ya?" Giving the guy a last glare, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's hand and helped her to her feet, muttering, "Let's go, Kagome." The both of them left the teen alone, giving him some time of solitude.

"You know what? Nothing's going to happen if he keeps on acting like this," Inuyasha grumbled in the distance, crossing his arms. "Can't he just get over the fact that 'it's not like she's not coming back?'"

"Inuyasha, if I went away, how would you feel?" Kagome asked, despite the hanyou's ranting. Inuyasha stopped for a moment, and put a great thought on it.

"I'd feel lonely, I guess..."

"Exactly," someone from behind answered. "So give the guy a break. He feels 'incomplete' without Ayame." The couple twirled around to see Sango and Miroku gazing at the lonely Kouga. "Everybody feels that way whenever someone special is torn apart from them. Wouldn't you say so, too, Sango?" The sixteen year old girl nodded in agreement, still staring sympathetically. All of a sudden, she gasped, and slapped Miroku.

"He's at it again..." Kagome thought. "This isn't even the right time..."

"Ginta and Hakkaku are out for the holidays, so Kouga is all alone in their dorm," Sango explained, fists still clenched. "That's why he's always looks so lonely. He could use some company though."

"Why do things have to turn out like this?!?" Kikyo raged in her room, tears streaming in frustration. She's been acting like this for months, as if the memory in Ahakuri was still fresh in her mind. Naraku stood by his mistress as the young woman wept to her heart's content. He, also, was angry at Inuyasha for making Kikyo feel the way she feels now. Clenching his fist at the thought of the hanyou, he resisted the urge to punch the wall. "I didn't want it to end this way..."

"Mistress...I mean, Kikyo..." he said as softly as he could, kneeling down at the girl on the floor. Kikyo clutched his shirt by his collar, and shook him madly.

"Why, Naraku?!? Why does he have to be such a damn bastard?!?" she yelled as she shook the man. Finally, as Kikyo calmed down, she rested her head on his chest, still sobbing. "Why...?"

"It can't be helped...he's already chosen the girl..."

"That's certainly not helping at all..." she mumbled in a quieter, calmed voice.

"When I get my hands on that shit hanyou, I'll make him pay for what he did!!" Naraku thought in his delinquent mind with an evil twist to his smile. Then, with the softest eyes he could ever muster, he locked his gaze in the girl's eyes, slowly leaning forward to feel her lips after four years of waiting...

And so, day turned to night, as usual. Kouga lazily slumped on his bed, putting his palms behind his head as he stared mindlessly at the picture frame on his end table. It was their first "official" date. His and Ayame's. Absent-mindedly, he smiled tiredly and replaced the picture back on the end table. His blue orbs glimmered more than normal.

"This is pointless..." he sighed to himself. "I gotta move on...it's just for six friggin' months. Snap out of it, dammit!" Then, a soft knock was heard from the door, followed by his name being called out. "The door's open, baka!" As the door cracked open slowly, Kagome's head popped in. "Oh, Kagome. I didn't know you'd be droppin' by."

"Sorry, I just thought you'd like some company..." Kagome muttered apologetically, lowering her eyes.

"S'okay..." Kouga mumbled in response. How weird. "Sure, I'd like some company. Make yourself comfortable." The young teen smiled at him, closing the door behind her.

"I see you've been alone for the past few weeks..." she began. "...I guess you've been really lonely."

"Yeah..."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"No. Nothing in particular, that is. Why?"

"Just wondering..." A short moment of silence came upon them, until a shrill ring from the cordless phone echoed in the quiet dormitory, until Kouga had picked it up. His hand shook like crazy, and it also seemed to affect his voice. Part of him knew who it was, yet, he didn't want to answer it. Well, it's now or never. It could be her.

"Y-yo. Kouga here."

"Oh my god, Kouga!!!" a female voice on the other end spoke excitedly. "I'm so glad to hear you again!"

"Ayame! Damn, I missed you, babe!"

"Aw...I missed you too..."

"So what's happenin'?"

"Well...it's been great here...lots of new people to socialize with...and I'm learning a lot of English!"

"So...when are you coming back?"

"..............."

"When?"

"Can you connect our conversation with Kagome?"

"Why? She just came here. Hold on," Kouga sighed inward and handed the phone to Kagome, frustrated and cursing under his breath. There was something that Ayame wasn't telling him, obviously. Something that she didn't want him to know. Maybe Kagome will tell him later on...

---

"Kagome?" The red-head asked quietly on the other end.

"Hey, Ayame. What's up?" Kagome wondered.

"There's something I wanted to tell Kouga, but...I think he won't be able to take it..."

"What is it?!? Did something happen?"

"I...---"

I'll leave it there for the time being. I have to study now, since I have a test tomorrow. I promise to update as soon as possible 3. Forgive me for this short chapter!!! '(

P.S. Reviews, please?

Next on Mixed Emotions...

"It's not worth it, Kouga!" Sango cried from afar.

"What the hell are you doing?!?!" Inuyasha yelled, grabbing the young man by the collar. "Do you think she wants you dead?!?"

--

There was a note. On his front door.

"Inuyasha,

It's me again. I know that my relationship with you is over, but I can't get over you as

easily as you did with me. My love for you will linger on until the day I die...of course,

maybe until I find someone else, too. But till then, I will hunt you down, even if it means

taking away the life of Kagome Higurashi!!!"

P.S. Heh...I guess you know what's gonna happen on the next chapter, huh?