"Hey, I'm really sorry about your date…" Bankotsu began, but Sesshomaru got up before he could finish.
I guess I should go apologize to Akiko…using her was such a bad idea Sesshomaru thought glumly. He headed in the direction of the bathrooms, following a small trail of yellow feathers. Upon reaching the door to the girl's restroom, he stood still and waited for her to come out. Minutes passed, yet there was no Akiko. Then Sesshomaru put his ear to the door, and heard sniffling inside. Obviously it was going to take her a while to get herself together and leave the safe haven of the bathroom.
"Um, excuse me," said a random girl, poking Sesshomaru's shoulder. Embarrassed, he moved out of the way so the girl could get in. As the door opened, he got a glimpse inside and saw Akiko in front of the mirror, surrounded by crumpled up paper towels, her eyes red and puffy. Then the door slammed shut in his face.
"Damn it" Sesshomaru muttered in frustration. Suddenly he felt a hand grip his arm and turn him around. He found himself looking straight into the face of Kagura, dressed up in a surprisingly sexy feline costume.
"You look a little down in the dumps. How 'bout a dance?" she asked innocently, already tugging him towards the dance floor.
Sesshomaru was in such a huff and totally overwhelmed with thoughts that he didn't have time to object. Before he knew it they were pressed against each other in an intimate embrace, slow dancing to a love ballad. Kagura's body was warm against his, and her presence felt almost soothing after losing a date. They rocked side to side until the song had ended, at which point they broke apart slightly, and Kagura closed in on Sesshomaru's lips. It took him a couple seconds to realize what was happening, and when he finally began thinking straight he pushed Kagura away forcefully.
"What the hell are you doing?" he said angrily.
People around them turned their heads, casting weird glances at them. Kagura looked a little surprised at first, but then her expression turned back to normal and she smirked. "Poor guy can't take a little heat," she said calmly, examining her nails.
"What, you think you can just come up to random guys and kiss them after one dance? You're crazy!" Sesshomaru snapped.
"At least I make a move" Kagura said, pulling her cheetah print leotard sleeves lower to reveal her bare shoulders. Then she casually walked off, and no sooner had she left Sesshomaru, she was hanging off another guy, Naraku to be specific. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes in disgust and stalked off through the crowd. He wasn't really in the mood to be at this stupid dance anymore. He was tired of being dumped, tired of dancing, tired of the stupid music blaring on stage and the colorfully shining, blinking lights that seemed to have gotten ten times brighter. All he wanted to do was relieve his weary self and doze off on the couch at home. Sesshomaru checked his watch…it was 9 o'clock. About time I left anyways he thought dismally. With that final thought, he made a hasty exit. Rain was pouring from the sky, immediately soaking Sesshomaru's cape and matting his long hair. Great…just great. If you're trying to tell me something God, I get it! He headed for his car, which he had parked right under a tree close to the school. But there was no car. In its place was a big blue van, it's windows and doors covered in grime. Sesshomaru stared at it for the longest time, still absorbing the fact that his car was gone. Then he looked up at the sky, the raindrops falling into his eyes. The world officially hated him. He had been ditched by two girls, stared at, lost his chance at ever hooking up with Kikyo, and gotten his car stolen all in one night. Sesshomaru backed up from the van and began walking home through the parking lot. The rain just kept coming down, and he tried to imagine he was at home taking a warm shower, except that the water wasn't warm and he was wearing clothes. Sesshomaru reached the end of the street and then turned onto another, vowing that he would never go to another dance ever again. As he shuffled up Main Street, the town park became visible. Sesshomaru was about to pass by it without a care, until he happened to take a glance and notice a solitary figure sitting on one of the swings. Peaking Sesshomaru's curiosity, he headed over to the park. As he approached, the figure came more into focus, and he realized it was a girl with large black wings strapped to her back, now drooping from the weight of the pouring rain. When Sesshomaru was within an arm's distance away, the girl turned her long black haired head. Sesshomaru almost choked on his own spit. Kikyo was looking up at him, with one of the most depressed looks he had ever seen on her pale face. Her usual smooth and slender features were lost, and instead she had an overall look of raggedness. Sesshomaru wasn't sure if he should talk try to hook up with her after acting like such a bastard to do so…maybe he just didn't deserve her…
"You shouldn't be out in the rain…you'll catch a cold" Sesshomaru informed, which was the first thing that came to mind to break the odd silence.
Kikyo didn't move, or say anything for that matter. She just kept her eyes locked on to Sesshomaru's face, tears beginning to well up inside of them, eventually overflowing and streaming like rivers down her cheeks. Sesshomaru didn't know what to say or think…he wanted to comfort her, but he knew it would seem too forward of him and Muso would probably get angry…
"I'm such a loser" she whispered hoarsely.
Her hair was hanging down over her face in clumps, unlike the usual perfectly straight hair Sesshomaru saw at school. Tired of standing, he sat himself in the next swing.
"You're not a loser" he said firmly, staring straight at her. He was surprised at how strongly the words came out of his mouth; as though he were protecting her self-esteem.
The ends of Kikyo's lips turned up slightly, like she was trying to smile but some outside force was pushing it down. Sesshomaru just didn't understand why she looked so sorrowful, but he pushed the thought out of his head when Kikyo parted her lips and began to speak.
"I…I'm so sorry, Sesshomaru" she said in harsh whispers. That was the first time she had ever spoken Sesshomaru's name before. It surprised him, and veered his gaze to the ground where his feet made small circles in the sand. "I've been such a bitch to you, and it's all my own stupid fault."
"What are you talking about?" Sesshomaru responded, confused.
"I just….it's my family" Kikyo said, her voice beginning to gain strength. "My dad got out of jail and is now a living nightmare. It's like he lives to make my life hell! Every day he throws these huge tempers, and yells at me for things that I don't even do." Explanations were pouring out of Kikyo's mouth, almost too fast for Sesshomaru to follow. "My mom is too stoned to even do anything about it, so I have to rush out of the house first thing in the morning and stay out until daylight is gone. I saw you that one day when you approached me, and I freaked out inside….you were so handsome…" Kikyo trailed off.
Sesshomaru's heart was pounding as fast as the raindrops hitting sand. All this time he had totally wrong ideas about her…
"…I knew my dad would kill me if he knew I had a boyfriend, so I had to try and avoid you and stop you from liking me. It was so hard because deep down, I just wanted to be with you, but I couldn't and every night I would cry in my room while my parents screamed at each other downstairs…"
Sesshomaru felt his broken hear aching, and without caring what other people would think, he got up off the swing and pulled Kikyo up into a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry" he said, his voice a little muffled.
Kikyo buried her face in Sesshomaru's chest, the feeling of his arms around her more comforting than anything she had ever felt. She tightened her own grip around his neck and the two of them stood silently in the stormy rain, in the middle of a park, getting soaked from head to toe, not caring about anything but each other.