Title: It Started With A Kiss
By: Queen Beryl
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Chapter Five: What's This: Another Mistress?!

"What's your name?" Inuyasha asked, his eyes searching the new girl before looking back at me again. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was: she could be my twin.
"Kikyo." The girl's brown eyes flashed slightly as she smiled at Inuyasha.
"You look a lot like Kagome, here." Inuyasha pointed out, pushing me forward slightly.
"Hi, Kikyo." I smiled warmly.
"Hello." Her words were edged with ice, making me feel slightly uncomfortable, but I decided to ignore it.
"We've gotta go to class now, come on." Sango prodded, desperately wanting to get away from that girl. There was something about her that rubbed Sango the wrong way. Then Sango realized something else was rubbing her the wrong way as well, so she elbowed Miroku in the stomach.
"Was she a new girl?" Miroku asked as we headed off to class.
"If you even think about touching her, I'll break-"
"No, no. I didn't mean it like that, my dear Sango. It's just that I've never seen her before." Miroku held up his hands in protest. For once in his life he wasn't thinking perverted, and he would take advantage of the moment.
"She's new." Inuyasha shrugged and entered Family Life class. We all sat down and waited patiently after the bell for Kaede-sensei's instructions.
Suddenly, the door burst open and in walked my copy, that Kikyo girl.
"Class, I'd like you to welcome our newest student, Kikyo. Kikyo, you can take a seat next to Kag... ome." Kaede-sensei looked from me to her, no doubt realizing that we looked alike. The rest of the class, except for Sango, Miroku, and myself, did the same.
"Thank you, Kaede-sensei." Kikyo nodded and briskly took the vacant seat next to me and Sango.
"W-well," Kaede-sensei smiled and nodded, hoping to avoid a scene, "I hope you enjoy class."
"Nice to see you again, Kikyo." I turned and smiled politely at her. She gave a weak smile and just sat there. I felt very stupid.
"Well, anyway," Sango leaned forward and shoved Miroku's hands off her butt, "we've figured out what we're doing. Can't you at least give me a hint on what you're planning, Inuyasha?"
"I can give you a very vague hint." Inuyasha replied. Kikyo looked up at him, obviously listening.
"And...?" Miroku waved his hand for Inuyasha to continue.
"It'll be fun." I could just hear the collective thud of our stunned silence.
"Should I leave?" I inquired, making to stand up. Inuyasha immediately reached out and pulled me down onto his lap.
"No. I'm not gonna tell them anyway." He stroked my arm. I glared at him and pulled away, sitting down in my own seat.
"I think you just don't have anything planned." I looked at him expectantly.
"That's possible." He countered, grinning. "But not true."
"That wouldn't be too far fetched for Inuyasha." Miroku confirmed.
"For once I'm on top of things."
"For once?" Miroku asked slyly. It took me a minute before I got what he was insinuating.
"I don't even want to know." I raised my hands as if to shield myself.
"It's not like that." Inuyasha protested sincerely. He looked so honest, I couldn't help but believe him.
"Okay." Sango said, breaking the small tension. "We're going to take a little trip to the beach. Isn't that great? The perfect romantic getaway."
"Yeah, and I bet at least half the class thinks so too." I pointed out.
"That doesn't matter because Miroku's father owns a beach house that he'll lend to us for the afternoon."
"Wait, wait, wait. You're going to be in a beach house, alone, with Mr. Hot-Hands?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Did Sango know what she was getting herself into.
"I can take care of myself." She nodded after a short pause.
"And I'll be on my best behavior." Miroku declared. I shrugged; it was their relationship, not mine. I had no say in the matter.
For the rest of the class period we discussed what Miroku and Sango were going to do at the beach, considering Inuyasha had upfront refused to say what he had in mind. I could just imagine that he was simply building up the suspense for nothing. When the bell rang, Sango and Miroku left as quickly as possible, hoping to make good time to the beach. It was less than half an hour away, but with traffic, who knew how long the trip would be.
"Can you tell me now what we're going to do?" I begged Inuyasha.
"You'll have to wait and see, wench." Inuyasha grinned, grabbing his bag... which reminded me.
"You made me leave my bag at home this morning." I reprimanded.
"You were the one that left in a hurry, remember?" He winked. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. He was right.
"I hate you."
"I very much doubt that."
"Look, before we go, I have to use the restroom, okay? Wait for me."
"I'll go to my locker, and I'll be right back." Inuyasha nodded as I entered the restroom.
I checked my hair after coming out of the stall and washing my hands. I wasn't too pretty today, but Inuyasha wasn't complaining, so I wasn't either. I stepped out and looked around for Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha?" I called, looking around the mostly empty hallway. I decided that he was still getting something from his locker because if he ever left me, I'd kill him.
I rounded the corner and spotted him next to his locker. There was only one problem: he wasn't alone. I walked closer, right behind a pretty tall guy who was walking really slow, so I couldn't be noticed right away. I could hear their conversation.
"So you moved here from Kyoto?" Inuyasha was asking his companion.
"Yeah." I recognized the cold, heartless voice instantly.
"You really do look a lot like Kagome, you know."
"I've gotten that a lot today. A girl named Eri tried to convince me I was actually her. Speaking of Kagome," Kikyo said after a short pause, "is she like, your girlfriend or something?"
I sucked in a short breath of air. What did Inuyasha really think of me?
"Kagome? Naw. In Family Life we're doing an assigned marriage project thing, and she's my wife."
"Oh, I was just wondering because you were all over her in class and at lunch."
"Well, a guy has his needs." Inuyasha shrugged. I couldn't believe it. I was being used. Used by him! I forgot I was supposed to be hiding, and I walked around Mr. Slowpoke and right up to Inuyasha.
"Is that all I am? A tool for you?" I demanded, too angry to see the very shocked expression on his face. I didn't even let him answer. I slapped him very hard. My own hand felt like it was bleeding. "You arrogant, conceited little dog! I can't believe you would use me! After I trusted you! You're a low-life, and I hope you drop dead!"
"Ka-" Inuyasha started, but I wouldn't hear it. I ran down the hallway, not caring who I bumped into. I ran out the side door near the parking lot and all the way home. My vision was blurred drastically by the tears. How could he? Every good thing I ever thought about him melted away. For many of my school years I'd liked a playboy!
I burst through the front door, ran up to my room, and cried on my bed. I couldn't face anyone right now. Luckily for me, I didn't have to. Mom had gone to go watch Souta at his soccer game. I'd forgotten, of course, so it didn't matter. After I'd had a good cry, I heard pounding at my front door. I went down to answer it, and just before I did, I heard the shouting.
"Kagome! Kagome, I didn't mean it, I swear!" Inuyasha's voice rang loud and clear between the poundings of his fists on the door. I sat at the bottom of the stairs right by the front door and listened to his rantings.
"Please, Kagome, open up! We need to talk! I didn't even know you were there!" He fisted the door so violently I thought it would break down.
"That doesn't matter, does it?" I asked, just above a whisper. The pounding stopped, and I could tell he was listening. "We aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, so what does it matter? We could just keep our distance from each other for the rest of the time, and I'll just say what a wonderful husband you were and stuff, okay?"
"I don't want it to be like that, Kagome!" I could hear his body slump against the door. "Don't do this to me."
"Oh, don't do this to you, huh? Because it's all about you, right? Well what about me? It doesn't matter that you're all over me just because you're a horny little dog, right?"
"That- that's not it at all!" He protested.
"Then I was just there so your pride could stay afloat, right?" I wiped fresh tears from my eyes. Inuyasha wasn't going to get to me, I won't let him.
"No. Kagome, you've liked me since the sixth grade, right? You know I could get any girl I wanted. You know that. I don't want just any girl anymore!" There was a short silence as he let those words sink in. I knew this was true; he could, and usually did, get every and any girl he wanted with the snap of his fingers.
"What are you getting at?"
"I want you, Kagome." He stood up and leaned his forehead against the door. I just sat there in stunned silence. What did he say?
"What?"
"I know I've been a jerk to you... and you thought I never noticed you before this assignment, but it's not true. I've had a thing for you for a long time. Not as long as you've had for me, I admit, but I've noticed you for a while. I never thought you'd go for me, so I didn't do anything. When I found out you'd liked me, though, I thought there was a possibility. I had to act on it."
So he'd liked me from the beginning? This wasn't just a ploy to get me to open up the front door and let him in, was it?
"Then why did you tell Kikyo that I was just there for your horny male needs?" I demanded, realizing this was the only thing that kept me from flinging open the door and rushing into his arms.
"What if I told her I was into you? Then she told somebody else and eventually the whole school knew before you did. I didn't think you'd like that very much." Inuyasha explained.
I unlocked the door.
He opened the door the moment the sound occurred and stepped inside, looking at me. He tightly wrapped his arms around me as I fell into him. I knew that this was his way of saying that he was sorry. He had probably never said those words aloud before to anyone, so I smiled, knowing that in his own way, he said them loud and clear.
"So you like me?" I smiled into his shoulder. I could feel him chuckle.
"You've got me."

& * &

"And?" Sango suddenly lurched forward and grabbed my shoulders. "What happened?"
"He asked me to..." I left off, taking a deep breath, knowing this was agony for my best friend.
"To what?!" Sango's eyes looked almost wild.
"Be his girlfriend." I smiled. Sango wrapped me in a fierce, excited hug.
"I don't believe it! That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" She exclaimed, catching the attention of the fellow students and Kagura-sensei's.
"Sango," Kagura-sensei warned.
"Sorry." Sango nodded and sat back. "So what did you guys do for the romantic getaway?"
I'd completely forgotten. "Oh, well-"
"I see. You guys forgot and ended up making out on the couch, right?"
"What?!"
"Now, who can solve this equation?" Kagura-sensei asked, in a loud enough voice that signaled I should quiet down. I looked up at the board and immediately knew the answer. I slowly raised my hand. "Kagome."
I went up to the board and solve the problem; now was my chance to prove myself. I'd studied so much the past year... and I prayed I wouldn't mess up in front of Sango or Inuyasha. I completed my work and walked back to my desk before Kagura-sensei said anything.
"Have you gone through this problem before?" She asked, not looking at me but the board.
"I s-studied before." I stuttered. Did I mess up that bad?
"Well," Kagura-sensei slowly turned to the class, "if anyone has any questions on how this should be solved, go to Higurashi Kagome. Very nice work."
I sat there, stunned. I did it!
"Way to go, Kagome!" Sango high-fived me. "I knew you could do it! You'll probably beat me this time!"
"No doubt." Inuyasha shouted from halfway across the room. He had good hearing too?
"Oh, so now that you're her boyfriend you're going to be on her side?" Sango raised an eyebrow.
"In case you hadn't noticed, I was on her side before." Inuyasha wiggled his eyebrows in retaliation. I shook my head.
Math ended quickly, as did P.E. I was looking forward to science because I wanted to prove I was good in that, too. I was suddenly determined to be academically better than before. However, Kanna-sensei decided she needed to speak with me after class, so by the time I got into science the bell had rung. Naraku-sensei, being the evil man he most obviously was, made me stand outside as a punishment. Oh, how original. I stood outside the whole period, bored out of my mind. Finally, I heard the bell. I was so grateful, I didn't even notice Sango's face as she walked out.
"I can't believe Naraku-sensei is such a jerk!" I exclaimed, not caring if he heard me or not.
"I think he's the least of your worries right now, Kagome." Sango stated sadly.
"What do you mean?" I stopped; Sango hesitated slightly.
"It's Inuyasha." Miroku filled in for her.
"What's wrong? Is he okay?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm sure he's fine." Sango spat bitterly.
"Huh?" What was going on?
"It seems as if ramen isn't his only mistress." Sango hinted.
"We don't know that for sure, Sango." Miroku interrupted. Ah, Miroku; the faithful friend.
"He came back from the chemical storage room with her!" Sango exclaimed.
"Can somebody please tell me what the hell is going on so I can understand? Here comes Inuyasha."
"Miroku, go distract him, I'll tell Kagome." Sango nodded, and Miroku did as commanded.
"Please, Sango, be straightforward and tell me what happened." I pleaded.
"Inuyasha went to go refill some chemicals in the storage room and about five seconds after he left, Kikyo followed him in. They were in there, alone, for at least thirty-five minutes. They came out together, a few minutes before the end of class. I don't know what happened in there, but we all know Inuyasha. I just hope for the best... but I'm expecting the worst."
I couldn't believe it. Inuyasha... he wouldn't... would he?
"Inuyasha, wait!" I could hear Miroku's voice drift over.
"I can't anymore." He stated as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind. I decided he couldn't do anything with Kikyo and then be so affectionate with me. He was probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person. "How's my wench?"
"Your wench?" I repeated, trying to pull his arms off me.
"Who else's would you be?" He kissed my neck.
"Stop it." I giggled against my will. What was happening to me? One kiss and I'm all over?
"I can't do that either," he grinned and kissed me on the cheek and neck. I sighed; men.
"Let's go off to English." Sango insinuated our tardiness.
"Do we have to?" Miroku asked, his hand making his way toward Sango's backside; she caught him just in time.
"Yes. Myoga-sensei is letting us watch a movie today." Sango pulled him down the hall, Inuyasha and I trailing behind.
"You're coming over today, right, wench?" Inuyasha asked just before we entered the classroom.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Of course."
"You're going over to Inuyasha's?" Miroku asked, pausing at the door.
"Yep." I smiled, about to step into the room.
"That's a big step for Inuyasha, you know."
"Miroku..." Inuyasha warned.
"What?" I asked, my interest piqued.
"He only invites the women he really likes to his house. You're the second one."
"Really?" I asked, delighted. It didn't bother me that there was another person he'd invited; I was far too excited thinking that he liked me that much.
"Yeah, now, I'll see you all later!" Miroku dashed off to class.
"That was embarrassing."
"I think it's cute." I kissed Inuyasha on his nose as I walked past him to my seat. He smiled, shrugged, and took his respective seat.

& * &

Inuyasha turned off the car and for the first time I got a really good look at his house.
He was definitely rich.
"I still can't believe you live here." I gazed up at his mansion-like abode. I would practically kill to live in a place like this.
"Well, it's home." Inuyasha slammed the car door and walked around to open mine. Our relationship was definitely improving.
"Tch, this isn't home; it's a castle."
"Would the princess like to enter?" Inuyasha entwined his fingers in mine as he gripped my hand. I laughed and kissed his cheek; I could get used this treatment.
"Of course, my good knight."
"Knight?" He asked indignantly. "What happened to prince?"
"You're no Prince Charming."
"But I could be the king of your castle," he winked and kissed my jaw. Did he mean... what I think he meant? I wasn't even going to ask... it was safer not to.
"Are you gonna let me in, or am I going to stand out here in the cold?"
"It's almost eighty degrees." Inuyasha deadpanned, unlocking the front door.
"You never know." I smiled as I stepped inside.
If the outside was spacious and gorgeous, the inside was five times that. It was... practically perfect.
"You like it, wench?" Hey, what happened to princess?
I only nodded, not able to do anything else.
"I'm glad." Inuyasha sounded almost relieved. I couldn't think why. I couldn't think at all, really.
"Well, well. Who is this?" A calm, cool voice asked from a room off to my right. Inuyasha and I both turned to see that the voice belonged to a tall man with long whitish hair tied into a sophisticated low ponytail, deep-set gold eyes and... makeup?
"Sesshoumaru, this is my girlfriend, Kagome; Kagome, this is my half-brother, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha didn't sound too happy about the introduction.
"A pleasure, I'm sure." Sesshoumaru waltzed over and kissed my hand politely. I could see Inuyasha's blood boil. He snatched my hand away almost instantly.
"Inuyasha didn't tell me he had an older brother."
"Half." Inuyasha clarified in the background.
"He usually doesn't." Sesshoumaru replied without much emotion. "Would you care to join me in the C room for a chat?"
"The C room?" I asked, following him into the room from which he had just appeared. I ignored Inuyasha, who was shaking his head violently.
"It stands for Company Room. When you live in a house like this for so long, you eventually find shortcuts for everything." Sesshoumaru sat down on a very expensive-looking couch.
"Oh," I muttered, mesmerized, as I peered about the elegantly furnished room.
"Now that you've chatted," Inuyasha pulled my arm toward the way we'd come, "let's go elsewhere."
"Are you afraid to let your woman be with me for long periods of time?" Sesshoumaru asked. His voice was cool, but I could detect a hint of a challenge. Inuyasha stiffened.
"It doesn't matter to me. I just want to spend time alone with her."
"You can do that later, let her stay here for a while."
Inuyasha looked helpless. What was so wrong about talking to his brother? Inuyasha would be in the room too, right? So what was the problem? Inuyasha plopped down heavily in an armchair and pouted.
"Feh." Was all he said.
"There, now." Sesshoumaru smiled and offered the armchair in front of him, next to Inuyasha's. I took it, careful not to touch more material than I needed to. "You can relax, if you want."
"I'm fine." I lied. I couldn't relax with such hostility in the room, never mind the squeaky clean furniture.
"So how long have you and Inuyasha been dating?"
"Well, actually," I smiled nervously, looking at Inuyasha, who seemed content to stare out the window, "just since yesterday." Sesshoumaru leaned forward, the only indication that he was surprised.
"And he's already invited you over here? He must really like you."
"She knows that already!" Inuyasha exploded, unable to keep his cool anymore. "You and Miroku have the biggest mouths!"
"Don't get so flustered, little brother." Sesshoumaru half-smiled. His smile faded as he thought for a moment. "Kagome... now I remember!"
"What?" I asked.
"No, don't!" Inuyasha commanded at the same time.
"You're the one he's liked since the eighth grade!" Sesshoumaru exclaimed triumphantly. I sat there in dumb-amazement. Inuyasha has liked me for that long? And I never knew!
Inuyasha put a hand over his face and sighed.
"I knew I'd recognized your name. He used to talk about you all the time... in fact, he hasn't exactly stopped-"
"Sesshoumaru, shut up." Inuyasha interrupted, and I noticed something that I'd never seen before.
Inuyasha was blushing.
"That's alright, Inuyasha," I smiled encouragingly as he looked up at me through his fingers, "you still have nothing on me."
"What do you mean?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"I've liked him since sixth grade." As if Inuyasha had suddenly remembered, he brightened, and sat up straighter.
"And you're both in twelfth grade now? Talk about commitment."
I let the words sink in. Commitment. Inuyasha and I... we had something strong. We were committed to each other.
Or so I thought.

*sobs into pillow* I'm so sorry The lady winged Knight to even make you THINK I was angry with you! I could never be mad at you, you're one of my most faithful reviewers! I hadn't planned on putting Kikyo into the story, but, honestly, it just came out that way. I was just writing and she appeared. But HAVE NO FEAR! I'm not a Kikyo lover so all those that are, beware! Chaos! Muahaha! *choke* Ahem! She is only in the story to help cause mayhem... like she always does. And I also want to thank you The Lady Winged Knight for your confidence in my writing abilities! You're awesome!
And I if perchance I don't reply to anyone's review in the very next chapter, I'm not mad at you! I am just a dingbat who will eventually say something... lol. ^_^ And for future... uh, stupidness on my behalf, I apologize!