" "

I've gotten so many hits already…. 3

Inuyasha stared at the wood for a moment, and the handle, before sitting down with his back to it, "Kagome…I'm sorry," He whispered half to himself and half to the girl who was sitting on the other side of the door, listening unbeknownst to his every word.

"I think I love you."

Now on to :

Chapter 5

"I think I love you," Inuyasha continued, looking down at the stack of papers, the page numbers blurring together as his eyes welled up. "But I don't think you love me."

He sniffed and looked up at the ceiling, an attempt to hold in his unmasculine tears.

"It's killing me," he confessed, "Not being able to touch your hair, and your face, not being able to tell you how I feel.

" I want to hurt Kouga in every way possible." His voice got harder, but was still so quiet, "I want to punch his face in for making you cry, for making you hurt, for making you his. I don't care how many times he says it, he's lying when he says 'I love you'.

"The truth is, he can't love you as much as I do. He hasn't been with you for 17 years, protecting you, holding your hand, having sleepovers, playing games, doing homework. He hasn't smiled at you when he felt like crying, he hasn't felt his heart break when you broke your arm because you tried to jump off of the ramp on your bike just like I did.

"He's never had a life with you, like I have. He couldn't walk around your house blindfolded. I can. He couldn't know how you feel by your eyes, knowing what each and every look means. He doesn't know all the little things about you that make me love you even more. And I hate him for it.

"I hate him for having more courage than I do, by asking you out, but I'm too afraid of what you'd say to me. It's just…" Inuyasha stood up and looked once more at the door, still locked and shut. "I love you Kagome, but I'm too afraid to tell you." Inuyasha turned around after confessing his feelings to a door and walked downstairs, leaving Kagome in her room, and Souta still looking like a squirrel on acid, twitching to the rhythm of obscure techno songs.

Inuyasha left the house and didn't return the next day, or the next or the next, though he wanted to. He completed his homework and watched reruns of all the soap operas and cartoons until he knew them by heart, and he still didn't go back over. He didn't go and get his homework and the days flowed into spring break.

"I haven't seen the girl in awhile." Sesshomaru remarked one day, over dinner, "What happened to her."

Inuyasha ignored his brother, and got up from the table, not feeling interested in talking about his best friend, and their relationship. He left and went back upstairs into his room and turned on some music before slipping back into his bed and falling to sleep.

'Your bitter goodbye, is ringing through this quiet night

This idle hour just won't pass

I never missed you this much

Never thought I would

Didn't think you would feel so far away…..

I'm thinking of your vague reply

So I can understand

Why we put this at rest

Why we forget to

Say that we were leaving

Say that I was sorry

The past remains unspoken

As this vacant night is dieing

But I still miss your summer perfume

This cold air brings such a distance to us

Such a painful distance

I'm still waiting for you to say you hate me now

So I don't have to hold on to this burning heart

This burning heart is getting old'

Inuyasha slumbered throughout the night, and didn't wake until his father pounded on the door. "Inuyasha! Get up!"

"Hmmm, whphmfr?" Inuyasha turned over,

His father pounded on the door one more time.

"Huh? What?"

"I thought I was suspended?"

"It's done."

Inuyasha fell back onto the bed, and realized he didn't do homework for the past week. "Great."

"Hey Inuyasha, where have you been?" His friend asked the moment he stepped into the school.

"Out. Obviously." Inuyasha tried to shake him off but he just wouldn't stop.

"Where's Kagome? Her friend said that she hates you now, because you got pissed at her and threw a desk at her."

Inuyasha turned and glared at the boy, who looked up at him with a charming smile.

"Miroku, who told you that I threw a desk at Kagome?" His words were low and dangerous.

"Um.. her friend, you know, the hot one, she has such a nice as-"

"Miroku!"

"Sango. The love of my life."

"She said that Kagome hated me?"

"Did you guys have a fight, Inuyasha? You really shouldn't take out your pent up frustrations on her. It's not the way to go if you want her to love you."

"And you should be a monk."

"A Monk? Why would I do that?" Miroku mused, walking with Inuyasha down the hallway, "Then I'd have to give up my fine taste in women."

"Miroku, has anyone ever told you that you'll dry up from STD's before you turn 20?"

"Only you."

"You should listen."

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called as he walked away from him angrily, "If you want Kagome to love you, you should try being nice, you know, show a little tenderness?"

"Sure Ducky." Inuyasha muttered, going to his next class, where he pondered on his current situation.

Inuyasha passed Kagome three times before lunch, and every time she didn't acknowledge him and was with Kouga, talking to him. He growled inaudibly at Kouga who only smirked at Inuyasha, 'What does she see in this guy?' He wondered as he pulled her against him possessively as Inuyasha came upon them for a fourth time.

"We will be reading Uncle Tom's Cabin for the rest of the year," The teacher held up a copy of the book like it was the original copy of the bible, "You will be expected to complete a study guide and write a paper that clearly indicates you understand the important issues posed in this novel." Inuyasha's attention faded as his English teacher droned on, "This wasn't originally written as a novel, as some of you may know, it was intended for readers…" a glimpse of raven hair caught Inuyasha's attention and he nearly leaped out of his seat, "Got to go to the bathroom," he called on his way out of the door, "I feel sick."

"Oh dear! By all means."

Uttering a blessing for gullible teachers, he raced into the hallway, "Kagome!" He caught her turning the corner, and raced after her, his head trying to connect with his heart and create something believable so she would talk to him again. "Kagome!" He called as she ascended a staircase. He caught up to her, breathless as she entered a classroom that appeared to be empty.

"Ka-Kagome." He panted, pushing the door open and stumbling in.

"Wrong." The girl stepped out of the shadow behind the door and, grinning, pushed him against a desk until he tumbled into the chair.

"What the hell are you doing Kikyou?"

"Inuyasha, maybe you don't know how much I love you," She twirled a lock of his hair around her finger, leaning over to give him a full view of two of her most coveted possessions. He looked away, which made her frustrated. Stomping her foot, her face screwed up. "Why Inuyasha?" She scowled, pouting at the unfair situation. "What's wrong with me?"

She looked down at herself. "I've spent years perfecting my body, I'm sexy as all hell, and everyone else would chop off their right arm to be with me." She shook her pretty locks and her painted lips trembled. "Why do you love her?" Standing up she walked to the window and stared out of it a few moments in silence.

"I don't love you, Kikyou."

"Don't you think I know that?" She whirled around and Inuyasha was surprised to find tears in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks and mussing up her perfection. "Don't you think I see how you look at her, how you defend her, how you hurt when she's with someone else? Don't you think I know how that feels?" She tried to wipe her red eyes, streaking black across her cheeks.

"I know exactly how you feel." She looked him right in the eye, "and I don't like it."

She walked back over and put her hands on the table top and glared right at him, "Inuyasha Takahashi, you have my heart, and I hate you for it." One last look that summed up her distaste, love, and hurt, and Kikyou walked out of the room presumably to go to the bathroom. Leaving a very confused and discombobulated Inuyasha still sitting in the empty classroom as the bell rang for the day.

"Don't forget to support your football team tonight, and remember that there's a semi-formal dance in the gym at seven o' clock, only appropriately dressed students will be admitted. Go Youkai!"

The loudspeaker cheered on the home team, and Inuyasha's heart fell, he had planned on taking Kagome to that dance a month ago when the poster's first started appearing on the walls of the high school. It was a big deal to the students and every year the student council managed to make it worth the 20 dollars to get in.

While everyone else ran out of the school, excited about the semi-formal, chattering on about their dresses and dates, Inuyasha walked out of the school sullen and hurt, but most of all.

Alone.

A/N: Alright guys, this is the second-to-last chapter believe it or not, it may not seem like it is, but I'm pretty sure it is. It seems like it's ending real quick (IT IS! tears) but I promise it'll be good. With some encouragement I may even be persuaded to post a new story. Even if this has long since ended, review please. Thanks so much guys, you've been awesome.

As the beatles say: I hate to end the show, I'd love to take you home with us!