" Damn, I can't fall asleep!"
Inuyasha thought to himself rolling against the huge queen size bed, with his arms stretched out and staring weakly at the bright digital clock knowing, Kagome wasn't beside him. He knew usually they stayed up all night telling each other everything, and then would fall asleep. It seemed like a routine with them.
" I doubt Kagome is still outside. She probably crashed on the couch or something." Inuyasha yawned, dragging his feet against the kitchen floor, and grabbing the last thing of ice tea, that laid in the fridge.
Inuyasha just glanced at the mail that was laid out on the table, looking at the names and noticing one had came up for him, which left him curious, and completely dumbfounded.
" Why the hell would there be one for me?"
He grabbed a knife cutting it open, and scanning it over a couple of times, and smacking his head realizing what it was about. " I guess I'm not staying here for the entire summer after all."
Tears were already forming in his eyes when he read the note, and trying to shake off the sadness that was already eating him up. " Great. That's just fucking great. Now I have to tell Kagome. Damn why did this have to happen now!"
Inuyasha crumbled up the letter in his hands tightly, throwing it outside and noticing Kagome sleeping in the lawn chairs, with a small blanket draped over her. "
Inu-yasha? I thought you were mad at me…"
Kagome yawned, stretching out her arms trying to shake off the sleepiness knowing she was still completely beat. His body just crashed beside the lawn chair on the deck, pulling at the threads of his shirt in pure anger.
" Feh, me mad at you? don't think that highly of yourself, Kagome." Kagome could hear the snootiness in his voice, seeing his nose pointing towards the sky knowing something was bothering him a lot. Her head laid against the arm rest, staring at him and studying the fed up expression that was clearly on his face. " Can you just tell me what's a matter? Or are you going to be a jerk about it?" Her hands tucked the uneven strands of her hair behind her ears, while she sighed fighting within himself to tell her, what was truly going on.
" Kagome, I don't want to disappoint you or anything."
Kagome's eyes lit up, raising her eyebrow and pretty much lost in thought. She just placed the blanket over her shoulder and sat down beside him, for support and resting her head softly on his shoulders. She grasped his hand tightly, that caught off guard while she laughed sweetly. " Nah, you won't disappoint me. You never have." Inuyasha gathered his breath, thinking about how to say it but he knew he had to get straight to the point.
" Kagome…look…This summer has been wonderful with you. I've never been so happy before up here, and especially with your family. I guess it is better than going to a trailer trash like place. I want to stay here longer, but I can't. I have to leave tomorrow. I'm fucking sorry Kagome."
Inuyasha said sadly, managing to throw in one swearword, which didn't surprise Kagome that much. She just seemed to be hit harder than she realized, when she heard that he was leaving, and leaving real soon. I thought maybe in a week or something, but tomorrow seemed too early, and she had everything planned for them and everything was unfinished.
" Your…leaving? But Inuyasha…why? Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Kagome begged him, laying on her knees wondering if she was the one who caused him to leave, she was already blaming herself. His arm stretched out, grabbing her by the waist and throwing her underneath his arm in comfort when he saw how tears were ready to run down her face. " It's because of me isn't it? Don't lie to me…."
" It's not your fault Kagome. It's my soccer tournament I have to attend. They decided they were going to do a huge tournament in the summer, and I should be gone and prepare for it." Inuyasha told her, with sadness written on his face and a crooked smile, while he grasped her harder with his one hand. He could see Kagome really had nothing to say, he could see this was hitting her all too soon and he understood it was hurting her more then ever right now.
" You couldn't have told me earlier?" Kagome's voice was already cracking, the tears were already forming in the corner of her eyes.
" Kagome! I didn't know until now!"
" But..but…what about the beach…the water park…the new theme park!" Kagome began to sob knowing she was looking so forward to these events, and imagined Inuyasha enjoying the highest roller coaster with his arms up, and her screaming at the top of her lungs.
"Kagome look, there's nothing I can do about it. Do you think I really want to leave this place?" Kagome grasped his arm, making sure he wasn't capable of going anywhere.
" If you don't want to, then why are you going?"
His forehead was already covered in sweat, and his head was pounding harder and harder leaving him so stressed out, and so upset.
" Kagome if I don't, I'm screwed. I'm sorry Kagome. I truly am."
Kagome could hear the sincerity in his voice. There was no hate, or anger; for once she could he meant what he said, and that 'sorry' she knew was actually meaningful. His arm brought her in closer, while she placed her head in sorrow, against his harden chest while her tears began staining his shirt.
" Inu..yasha…I'm glad you came. But you came too late, and your leaving too soon!"
Inuyasha smiled lightly, placing his fingers gently against her hair playing with the strands, noticing the stars were slowly fading from the sky.
" Kagome I know. But you know what? This is better than any childhood memory, or any trailer park.The happiest I've been, is right here with you.I know I'm not lying about that either. And you know me.. it's hard to make someone like me happy, or even to place a smile on my face!"
Kagome chuckled harder, knowing what he said was all truth. She just thought how he use to be, all mean and hateful and now cheerful and a lot nicer than he had ever been. Both stared at the orangey glow, that was shining right off the water knowing the sun was slowly coming up. " Ha, that is true!" Kagome thought, hearing the beats of his heart through his chest.
" Kagome when I leave, I promise I'll call ya. Sound good to you?"
Her eyes lit up, feeling the warmth off his body while her eyes were growing heavy, and his voice was slowly fading away. He didn't want to pull away, but he pulled away and had the best smile she had ever seen on his face.
" Ya…it does. Thanks Inuyasha. For everything…"
" I know I'm not going to forget this summer like the rest of them. Hopefully he'll like this. I mean it may not be much, but it's the thought that counts."
She thought sitting at the island in the kitchen, with the glue placed out and paper cut outs everywhere all over the table. She knew by looking at she placed her heart and soul into it, and that's what made her happy. She glanced at the cover seeing the seashells neatly in place, putting it in a safe spot.
" I'm sure he'll love that."
Kagome smiled, washing the glue off her fingertips and placing the stove on the burner, and cooking up some breakfast. Kagome loved being the first one up, because she felt like she could see everything clearly and appreciate everything around her a lot better when it was her, and only her.
" I should check the messages. Silly me, I forgot them." Kagome pressed her finger on the button, when she realized there was two messages on the answering machine.
" This is Higurashi's. Were sorry we can't make it. Were probably out sun tanning, or busy at the moment. Please leave your name, the date, and the time you called. Hopefully we can get back to you!"
" Hi. It's Sango. It's July 3rd, and the time is umm…3:30. I would have called earlier but I didn't want to bother ya. Kagome, I hope your having a fun time with Inuyasha up there! Oh I forgot to tell ya. You know I'm moving. I'm moving to Sumida. It's a beautiful place, believe me. I'm not happy about moving but, I'll only be like three hours away. I'm moving August 15th. So hopefully you'll be back by then, for the going away party. You and Inuyasha are invited of course! So call me back when you get this, and I'd love to hear from you two!"
Kagome smiled at the thought of hearing Sango's voice, and glad knowing she wasn't exactly that far away from her either. Kagome was proud to hear her sweet voice, which made her miss home even a lot more then she planned to. " Sango. I already miss that girl so much!" Kagome thought to herself, while she put the radio on low and started dancing in the kitchen with the flipper in her hand, as a microphone.
Inuyasha strolled into the kitchen, noticing Kagome in the ivory colored apron, and noticing her singing along to the song on the radio, with the flipper in her hands as if it was a microphone. He didn't know what was more embarrassing… Her singing, or her dancing and cooking at the same time? He couldn't help but snort in laughter, seeing the free spirit of a girl unleash her crazy side, and with her singing into that just made him misjudge her more and more.
" Kagome your damage today …is this.. And believe me this is nothing new…"
Inuyasha laughed, while Kagome rushed to turn down the radio, when she noticed him barely amused with his hand on the side of the doorway watching her clearly dancing by herself.
" How long were you watching?" Inuyasha laughed, when she realized there was a huge plate on the table with food on it. " Long enough to learn the dance moves." Inuyasha made fun of her, doing one of her moves that looked like a dancer trying to perform, completely piss drunk.
" Inuyasha shut up! Just eat your damn breakfast!"Kagome screamed, while Inuyasha smiled at the full plate of eggs, toast and bacon, and the fact she was slaving over a hot stove. He sat down grabbing the fork, and pleased at the fact that she had made all this food, and it was all for him nobody else.
" Thanks Kagome." Inuyasha smiled with the food hanging out of his mouth, while she turned around and nodded and disgusted by his manners.
" Oh there's another message." Kagome thought pressing her finger down on it.
" Hey sexy. It's Miroku. It's July 9th and it's 5:50. Hopefully you guys can come for Sango's going away party. Oh I forgot to tell ya I'm moving to a different school, so far that I know. Sadly, I won't be with you guys. But hey there's other women around to run after so I'm pleased! Hope you guys are having fun, and knowing you Kagome your putting Inuyasha in line? Well I can't wait till you two come back! Talk to you when you guys get back!"
Kagome smiled sweetly, when she heard both their voices. She hadn't seen them for awhile, and she was missing them terribly. Kagome saved the messages to hear them again later, while Inuyasha quietly ate to himself, while she made another thing of ice tea.
" Inuyasha..it's not going to be fun without you."
Kagome said, grabbing a piece of bacon from his plate. He whipped his mouth, and saw the sadness lingering in her eyes, that made him feel guilty that he had to leave her, when he knew they were just getting started.
" I know it won't be. But look on the bright side. At least I came up here, and plus I'm moving or going anywhere. When school starts, you'll see me again."
Kagome dreaded the thought of school, but at least tried to look at the bright side of things. Her hand barely held her head up, staring at the clock noticing it was only seven now.
" Ya your right. It isn't that far away anyways. Plus I'm going to Sango's going away party and so are you!"
Inuyasha nodded with a smile that grew ear from ear, while the nerve-racking silence settled in.
" Kagome I should get ready and pack."
Kagome nodded and followed him into the bedroom, and sat down on the bed watching him pulling out all his clothes from the drawn and throwing them all into the bag, noticing they weren't fitting.
" Damn! They fit before!"
He yelled punching his clothes in, hoping that would make enough room. Kagome rolled her eyes, grabbing the clothes and folding them properly knowing he had so much to learn
" Inuyasha they only fit if you fold them properly!" She said with an angry tone, smacking him upside the head, as he rubbed his temples.
" Sorry! I didn't know!"Kagome shook her head with disappoint and laughter. " Of course you didn't…"
" Hey Inuyasha? Can I ask you about that girl now?"
Kagome remembered the conversation they had about him liking a girl along time ago, and he the conversation stopped when her mother wanted them to eat. Inuyasha zipped up his bag, throwing it to the side and sighed in exhaustion
" Her? We use to be close, kind of like me and you. We went out for awhile, over a couple years anyways. We were happy as anything. Until, some other guy came and ruined it with lies that we both lead to believe, it was each other. Kikyo and I have never talked since then. The only time we did, was to trash talk each other. Otherwise it was nothing." Inuyasha sighed, knowing this was hard enough explaining his feelings, when the whole thing was so fresh in his mind. His heart ached speaking about it, but he wasn't going to be rude and not tell her anything.
" Do you miss this girl, Kikyo?"
Kagome bluntly said it without hesitation, and without time to think about it. Her legs kicked back and forth on the bed, watching him biting nervously on his lip soaking in exactly what he said, and trying to form it in words.
" Kikyo? Sometimes I do miss her on occasion. Some things remind me of her. I don't try to remember her. It's in the past, and belongs to stay there."He said bitterly, with his hands transforming into solid fists. Kagome saw Buyo laying beside her purring, while she gently placed her fingers through her fur while she listened to his entire tragic love story.
" Do you think you and her would have lasted longer, if that guy didn't interfere?"Inuyasha laughed, while he placed his socks over his bare feet. " Maybe longer. But all things like that usually come to an end anyways."
He slowly got up, slinging his bag that was fully packed over his shoulder and placing it outside the kitchen hallway, when he noticed Sota and her mother was wide awake eating at the table.
" Inuyasha, how come you have your bags packed? Aren't you staying?"
Sota asked, wiping the excess milk that sat on his upper lip. Sota seemed very concerned, when he saw his bag was pretty full and her was already dressed to get ready to go somewhere. Inuyasha stood behind Sota, messing his hair jokingly and placing a smile on his face.
" Ya something came up. I would have loved to stay longer squirt, that's just how life is."
Sota placed a frown on his face, knowing he wouldn't be able to stick around longer to play video games, or teach him about girls. They were brothers in his case, and the fact that he was leaving cancelled all his idea and plans together.
" That sucks! I was hoping we could play more video games, and you could teach me some things.. you know…." Sota whispered, while his face was already a couple shades of red.
" Sorry squirt." Inuyasha commented, seeing her mother putting away dishes and looking back at him with a sign of disappoint written on her face.
" That's sad that you have to leave, and so early too. But I'm glad you were able to stay with us. It was a treat for us, and especially Kagome and Sota."
Her mother said happily, while Inuyasha nodded with a jack ass type smile on his face. " Sadly, I'm going to miss your cooking…"
Her mother smiled, opening the oven and muttering about something, Inuyasha couldn't make out. He just noticed her showing him a couple of sliced up pieces of chocolate cake, wrapping it up and placing it directly in his palms.
" Well you don't have to miss my cooking. You can take these pieces home with you to have."Inuyasha's eyes were open wide with deal, and completely awestruck at the thought, and knowing there was enough pieces to keep him grounded for days. " Thanks so much!.This will probably last first ten minutes. !" Inuyasha smiled, hugging her thatleft her to laugh feeling his excitement. " Your welcome." Kagome grabbed him by the hand, seeing Inuyasha staring at the clock and knowing his time was getting closer and closer to leaving.
They sat back into the bedroom, playing the radio on low while Inuyasha stared in glory at the chocolate cake" Kagome, you don't know how much I'm going to miss this place." He said admiring the house, and the room it's self. He just stared at the window looking at the lake's beauty, and the thick forest that must have been a couple of arches. " I know Inuyasha. I'll miss you a lot." Kagome said sweetly, while Inuyasha's face was glowing when he heard her say that, with so much feeling to it.
" I'll miss you too Kagome."
Inuyasha smiled, placing his arms around her, and having a complete urge to do something that was beyond anything he did, and wanted to do before. He knew he just couldn't part with a hug and saying good-byes, to him it didn't seem like enough. His face looked at hers, noticing the redness on her cheeks, and how she blinked completely thrown off guard. His eyes gently closed, placing his fingers through her hair and placing his lips sweetly against hers, without a care or even a thought. Kagome blushedharder, knowing she wanted to push him away, but she felt she needed to embrace this moment
" Kagome…I love you…."
Inuyasha whispered sweetly between their lips, leaving her completely frozen and speechless for a moment. Her hands loosely hung over his neck, taking one last good look at him before anything else happened.
" Inuyasha I feel the exact same way too." She laughed feeling the flying and falling feeling, and the needles that went up and down her spine.
Inuyasha slowly pulled away, noticing the time on the clock and wishing he could only stay longer but he couldn't. His finger touched her lips, while he stared into her big brown eyes while she was left with the odd feeling throughout her.
" This is our secret, Kagome."
He smiled, wishing nobody would know and Kagome nodded her head happily in agreement to keep this quiet that they had fallen for each other.
" I promise I won't breathe a word."
His body moved to the ledge of the bed, throwing on his bulky black jacket, while Kagome grabbed a hold of the surprise that she waiting to hand him.
" Bye everybody. Thank you so much for everything. I really enjoyed it up here."
He said with a smile on his face, while her mother turned around with cooking batter all over her apron and her hands" Your welcome. Anytime." Inuyasha quietly walked over to her with thanks, and hugged her tightly while she just beamed with delight.
His head sadly looked back, ready to place his foot out the door until Sota came crying, and rushing down the hallway.
" Inuyasha don't leave! We'll miss you!"
Inuyasha smiled, when he felt Sota wrapping his arms around his waist, knowing he wasn't tall enough yet to properly hug him. Inuyasha felt touched, seeing her brother hug him and almost to the point of tears knowing he cared that much for him." I promise squirt, I'll call now and again and you'll see me after summer vacation." Sota looked up to him with his eyes widened, " You promise?" Inuyasha laughed placing his pinky out to him and wrapping it around his. " I promise…"
Everybody waved off to him with cheer and happiness, while he nodded and waved back with all his strength while she headed with him out the door, with the book underneath her arm. He quietly grasped her hand down the long stone steps, until he reached the side between the driveway and the forest pathway.
" So I guess your really leaving…."
Kagome said sweetly, hoping maybe it was one of his jokes, but sadly it wasn't. Inuyasha stood firmly seeing her standing so still and perfectly, until she cracked and wrapped her arms around him with strength, almost knocking him to his feet. Her head was smothered into the shoulder of his shirt, bleeding out all the tears that were inside of her.
" I don't want you to leave!"
She cried, catching her breath bit by bit while she refused to let go of him.
" I don't want to either. Your making this hard on me!" Inuyasha laughed, embracing her tightly for a couple of minutes while they stood at theedge of the lake admiring it together.
" How I'll miss this place.."
He told himself, bewildered by the view feeling like he inside a romantic novel, with compelled him to chuckle for a moment. Kagome finally wiped her tears, and raised her head and was eye level with him. She placed the present out in front of him, while he blankly he grabbed it from her hands. " Here. I hope you'll like it. Ever since you told me you left, I worked on this and decided this would be a good time to hand it to you." He looked at all the work and detail that was done to it. He noticed the seashells on the outside, opening the cover reading the title " Our Summer." He stood reading and flipping through the pages, noticing all the pictures of her and him together, and the rest of the family. It showed her showing off in her bathing suit, and even a shot of him wearing Kagome's clothes as a joke. A picture of him and Sota playing video games, andthem outside at the edge of the lake.
He was astonished by the pictures, and everything she had put into the book. He chucked a couple times when he saw the pictures, and even the sayings that were written at the bottom.
" Kagome, you made this for me?" Kagome placed her hands in front of her and shyly nodded. " Thanks a lot. I love it." He smiled, embracing her again even longer this time at the thought of the book she had made just for him. " I'm glad you do." She whispered in his ears, while their hands held on to each others as they walked towards the forest path.
" Kagome I'll always remember this summer, and especially this day."He said sweetly, while his fingers intertwined with hers. She nodded, barely having anything to say and she hated that." Me too Inuyasha. I'll miss you a lot. I don't want you to leave. I love ya too much. But I'll be waiting for your call for sure."Inuyasha drew her in sweetly for a chase kiss, while he backed away into the sun's light, slowly letting go off her hand.
" Good-bye Kagome. Thanks for everything…."With that Inuyasha slowly turned away walking down the long stretch of driveway towards the long highway that was way behind their cottage. Kagome stood watching him getting smaller and further away, and turning around realizing now it was all said and done with, and he'd be gone for awhile. She just felt herself blush as she turned around, staring at the house as she signed.
" Guess the summer was fun while it lasted…."