Author's Note: Heya guys! I LOVE YOU ALL! Thanks for all of the reviews! Now…to some answering. 1) I am really sorry about the shortness of the last chapter, as I had stated in the ending of it, that was all that my brain could come up with as of that moment in time. 2) I am also really sorry for not updating as much as I should be. I do have a life (unfortunately it's called college…I took two summer classes in june and have been extremely busy…but now I'm free until the end of august!) and I am very busy, but I do keep all of you, my adoring fans, in the back of my mind so I can at least push myself to update whenever I have time. I WANT TO MAKE YOU HAPPY! 3) This is an INU/KAG fic. Heh…not like there aren't enough on Fanfiction. But anyways…like I said, it is an inu/kag fic and it will revolve mostly around InuYasha and Kagome. But to keep things interesting I AM trying to focus on the relationship between Miroku and Sango as well. THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING AND HAPPY READING!

Zelda-chic04

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha

The best years of our lives

Chapter 11: Getting ready for reality

As the three walked into the school building, there was no sign of Sesshomaru, Rin, or InuYasha. Kagome sighed in relief. All over the school were huge posters and banners for the school's annual fall dance. On this day in particular, all of the signs had TOMORROW written in huge letters. To Kagome reality started to sink in.

"Hey Kag. You sure you don't want me to find you a date?" Sango asked concerned. She noticed Kagome's lonely expression and just had to ask.

"Yes…I'm fine. Don't worry about me, please." Kagome said softly then turned away from the group to go to her locker.

Miroku leaned into Sango. "Maybe you shouldn't of asked her."

"I had to. I'm her friend and I'm concerned." Sango glared. She turned away from Miroku and then joined Kagome.

Kagome was searching through the mess of her locker for her books and various other school items. Billions of thoughts were racing through her mind. Mostly about InuYasha. Frankly, she was glad that he was getting what he deserved but yet she wanted to comfort him at the same time. Right when Kagome stood up from bending over the first bell rang.

"Looks like we better be heading to class." Sango said starting to head to the classroom. Kagome nodded her head and followed her and Miroku.

Once they entered the classroom Kagome started to get extremely anxious. She just remembered that InuYasha was in that class. Kagome closed her eyes and hoped and prayed that he wasn't going to come.

To her luck InuYasha didn't come. The teacher continued her day's lesson as time drove on. Kagome felt more at ease but couldn't shake off the last bit of tension. Sango tried her best to cheer Kagome up but it of course was no use. Finally the bell rang letting the students leave.

"I'm going to get something from the pop machine, I'll be right back." Kagome said almost in a hurry.

"Do you want me to come with you? You know how things have been." Sango offered.

"No…no thanks. I'll only be a minute."

Kagome walked on down the hall to the nearest pop machine. She approached it, put her money in and received her desired beverage. On the way back she looked out of the window that looked out to the courtyard. Kagome noticed that there was someone sitting up in one of the branches. She walked closer to the window to see if she could recognize who it was. It was InuYasha!

I wonder what he's doing up there. She thought. Her conscious was telling her to just walk away but her heart wanted her to go out to the tree. Kagome stomped her foot and walked to the door leading into the courtyard.

I've gained so much with him and I don't want to lose it. She thought to herself again.

"Hey Kagome! You have a minute?" A voice said.

Kagome turned around to see Hojo, the cutest and most popular guy in school, standing there. "Yeah." She was a bit surprised. Every girl in school had a crush on him, including Kagome.

"Great! I was wondering…" Hojo paused. Kagome waited and stared at him. "Would you like to go to the dance with me tomorrow? I know it's short notice, I apologize for that."

Kagome blushed. She really wanted to say yes, because it was Hojo and she could now go with a guy to the dance, but she also wanted to say no because of InuYasha. Kagome thought on it a bit more and figured that InuYasha wasn't going to go through with wanting to be with her.

"Well?"

"Oh!" Kagome blushed more and scratched the back of his head. "Ye…yes, I'll go with you!"

"Thanks! I'll pick you up at six! I'll see ya!" Hojo waved and walked away.

Kagome raised an eyebrow. Well…I am certainly glad that he asked me to be his date, but why did he just walk away like that? Out of nervousness and shock Kagome gripped her pop bottle tightly. Quickly, she walked back over to Miroku and Sango who were leaning against a wall.

"You ok, Kag?" Sango asked as she saw Kagome squeezing the life out of the bottle. "Give the bottle a break girl!" Kagome blushed and loosened her grip.

"Yeah…you look like the best thing in the world happened and then it all came crashing down." Miroku added. Sango elbowed him in the stomach.

He sure knows how to hit the nail on the head. "Uh…yeah…everything's fine." Sango glared at her. "Ok, ok! Hojo asked me to the dance, happy now?"

"YAY! Now we can double date! I'm so happy for you!" Sango hugged Kagome. "But wasn't he going with that one chick, Kya or something like that?"

"I guess so…" Kagome said after catching her breath again.

"I wonder what happened then."

"He's prolly gonna go with two girls to make himself look macho." Miroku grinned. Both Kagome and Sango kicked Miroku into the wall and walked to class.

As they were walking to their next class Kagome felt as if someone was following her again. She stopped immediately and turned around.

"Kag-chan, are you ok? You look like you've seen a ghost again." Sango asked.

"I still think she has a stalker." Miroku said while rubbing his head and caught up with the girls.

Sango rolled her eyes. "Yeah…you."

"No…it wasn't Miroku." Kagome said solemnly and continued walking to class.

After pulling into the parking lot, Rin jumped out and ran over to the side where Sesshomaru was. "Maybe we can actually go to the stacks today". She winked.

"We'll see." Sesshomaru said in a cool tone of voice. They both walked away leaving InuYasha in the car.

He growled and got out. Students were all around; some were standing around and talking while others were heading into the building. InuYasha took a cautious look around and sulked while walking to the school building. He cursed himself several times and pushed a few students who were in his way. Making it to the courtyard, InuYasha jumped up into the tree and began to think.

"Screw this…I'm not going to class. Kagome is there." InuYasha hissed to himself. He tried to get himself to think that he was truly mad, but on the inside he was hurting and in love. Why am I like this? What in all hells am I doing?

As he was pouting a couple students were giving him weird looks. "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!" InuYasha snapped.

"C'mon, lets go. This guy's a freak." The one student said.

"Yeah…he seems like a bastard anyway." The other one responded.

InuYasha almost fell off the branch he was sitting on. WHAT! NO ONE CALLS ME A BASTARD! He regained his composure and leaned up against the tree. The first bell rang signaling that class started. "Feh…" InuYasha leaned his head up against the tree and closed his eyes.

Feeling like seconds later the second bell rang. InuYasha jumped up and looked at his watch. Fifty minutes had past. He sighed and stared down to and through the window looking into the school. Students were either lazily hanging around or speeding off to somewhere. At that point in time InuYasha watched Kagome as she went to the pop machine. Mixed feelings built up in him like a severely shaken bottle of soda. He wanted to be by Kagome's side and protect her, but the other part of him didn't want to get attached. Who knew what would happen. InuYasha's heart began to race as he noticed her heading towards the courtyard doors. He sighed in relief when she stopped. His feeling of relaxation turned to anger when he saw Hojo talking to Kagome. Luckily InuYasha stopped himself from going down there and punching the daylights out of him. It would be incredibly weird to seem him suddenly protecting Kagome when he was obviously trying to hate her. Before he knew it Kagome was gone.

I wonder if I should still go to the dance tomorrow. InuYasha thought to himself.

"Ah! Where is it!" Kagome shouted as she frantically ran around her room. Any minute now Hojo would be there and then shortly after that Sango and Miroku. "Ah ha! There it is!" Kagome said as she placed the rhinestone clip that she was looking for in her hair.

Kagome was wearing a green halter styled dress with light pink flowers towards the bottom of the dress. She sat down on her bed and placed on her matching green strappy high-heels. 5:50 her clock read. Butterflies were forming in her stomach. So many thoughts were dancing through Kagome's mind. Is he going to be late? Is he here yet? I hope I'm pretty enough. What happened with that one girl who he was originally supposed to go with?

Before she could ask herself more questions, the doorbell rang. Kagome ran down the stairs and beat her mom or her little brother to the door. She opened it hoping it would be Hojo.

"uh…hello. You guys order a pizza, right?" The person asked.

Kagome about fell over. "uh…"

"Yes we did! Thank you so much! Here's the money. Keep the change. GOODNIGHT!" Her mom said as she ran for the door.

"You ordered a pizza!" Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. You're going to be gone tonight and your grandfather is busy with the shop so I didn't feel like cooking." Her mom smiled.

"uh…ok…" Kagome sighed and walked back up the stairs.

About halfway up the stairs the doorbell rang again. Kagome was hesitant on whether or not to answer it. Before she could decide her mother was already at the door. Kagome walked back up the steps to wait some more.

"Kagome dear! You're date is here!" Her mom shouted.

Kagome's heart started to race again as she made her way back down. "Hi." She smiled.

"Hi. You look pretty," Hojo smiled back. "I hope you like this. My mom insisted I get one for you. See…I have a matching one!" Hojo held out the carnation corsage while pointing to his chest.

"It's pretty!" Kagome took the flower and placed it on her wrist. "Um…I have a question. Whatever happened to the girl you were gonna go with before?" For some reason she felt lower than dirt. She didn't want to pry into his life.

"Heh. Things didn't work out I guess. Turns out she found another guy somewhere and was just using me. Everyone was expecting me to go with someone and since you're a nice girl and pretty I thought that I'd ask you." Hojo explained.

So why do I feel like I'm being used? Kagome thought to herself. "oh…ok."

"Don't worry! I'm not using you. I'm not that kind of guy." Hojo reassured. Kagome gave a comforting smile. "You ready to go?" He asked.

"Oh! I meant to tell you that Miroku and Sango are coming and we're going to double date, if you don't mind"

"Of course I don't mind." Hojo smiled and kissed Kagome on her cheek.

Kagome blushed bright red. Now she knows why all the girls, including herself, always fall head over heels for him. He's so charming and good looking, just like a prince would be. But his relationships with girls never lasted. Why? Kagome didn't ponder that too much because she just wanted to be happy with Hojo and forget about InuYasha.

"So when are they supposed to get here?" Hojo asked while looking around.

Kagome looked at the wall clock it was a quarter after six. "Anytime now. I told them to be here at six o'clock."

Hojo nodded his head. There seemed to be an awkward silence for a while. Then, as if a prayer was answered, the doorbell rang again.

Sorry for not posting sooner! I've been incredibly busy the past month or so with summer school, anime con, and a bunch of other crap. So I hope to be more productive in the future. SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT!