Chapter 7: First Danger Sign
"Huh? Where? Inuyasha cried.
As his eyes searched the crowd, he took a moment to realize that Kikyo was laughing.
"Gotcha." She murmured, taking his arm. Her dark eyes stared triumphantly into his.
"No way. I didn't believe you." Inuyasha insisted.
"Then what's that terrified expression on your face?" She demanded. "You look like you were going to swallow your tongue!"
"No way." He protested, laughing.
"Well, I feel like we are in a spy movie or something." She confided in a low voice. "What if someone does see us?"
Inuyasha shrugged. "No problem." He replied casually. She had thrown him off with her phony scare. Now he had to be extra cool. He decided. To impress her.
"Did you bring the plans, Boris?" She whispered. "Do you know the password?"
He snickered. "You're weird."
Her expression turned serious again. Still holding his arm, she raised her dark eyes to his. "I feel a little strange sneaking around like this, Inuyasha. I mean, Kagome told me she had a great time last night. I think she really likes you."
"Hey, I'm a likeable guy." Inuyasha boosted, flashing her his best smile. He checked out his reflection in a window and ran his fingers through his long silver hair.
"So it's not nice of me to go out with you tonight, is it?" Kikyo asked, staring into his golden eyes.
"Well..." Inuyasha couldn't think of a good answer.
She answered before he could anything. "Who wants to be nice?" She exclaimed. "Nice is boring!"
They both laughed.
She is hot! Inuyasha thought, trying to be cool and not stare at her beautiful smooth white skin below midriff top. She's not like her sister at all, he decided.
"I—notice you in homeroom." Kikyo said, following him to the ticket booth.
"Hey, I noticed you too." Inuyasha replied with a meaningful smirk. "I mean, who wouldn't?"
She giggled.
She likes to be flattered. He decided.
"You've got quite a reputation." She said.
He stopped walking. He wasn't used to girls being so direct. She says whatever she thinks. He realized.
"I mean, girls at school, they talk about you." Kikyo confided.
"Yeah? What do they say?" Inuyasha demanded.
She flashed him a smile. "I'm not telling." She replied coyly. "You've already too conceited."
"Well, whatever you heard, it's probably true." He said.
She laughed again. Her laugh was loud and throaty, he noticed. Not like Kagome's quiet, coughing one.
She has a lot more personality than Kagome. Inuyasha decided. And it's obvious she's really stoked for Inuyasha the Man.
They stopped in front of the ticket booth. "What movie do you want to see?" Inuyasha asked. "Eradicator Five?" the special effects are supposed to be outstanding!"
"Those films are gross." Kikyo replied. She grinned, then added. "I love them!"
"So you want to see it?"
She frowned and pulled her long black hair back with both hands. "I saw it already. Do we have to go to a movie? Can't we just hang out?"
"Yeah, no problem." Inuyasha quickly agreed.
She probably just wants to drive up to River Ridge and make out. He told himself. This one doesn't want to waste anytime.
"I like walking around the mall." She said as they started away from the movie theater. "You see so many cool things."
"You like to shop?" He asked.
"No, Kagome is the shopper. I just like to look." They entered the mall and walked for a while, stopping to gaze into store windows.
In front of the Gold Barn, a jewelry store, she turned to him, a devilish expression on her face. "Kagome would kill me if she knew I was here with you." She confided.
"She won't find out." Inuyasha replied, checking out his reflection in the display window.
"Did you have a good time with Kagome last night?" Kikyo demanded.
Before he could reply, she laughed and pointed across the aisle. "Look at those people! Do you believe them!" She cried scornfully. "They're eating hot dogs, nachos, and ice-cream all at the same time. Think they know the way to the food court?"
"Fat chance!" Inuyasha joked. "Uh-oh." He said quickly. "I'm starting to sound like Miroku!"
"Miroku? Sango's boyfriend, who she occasionally slaps for looking at other girls?" Kikyo asked.
"Yeah, he is my best friend." Inuyasha told her.
"Weird." She replied.
He didn't understand her reaction. But he didn't have time to question her. She pulled him into the Gold Barn.
"I thought you didn't like to shop." He protested.
"I don't. But I love earrings!" She exclaimed. She dangled the two large gold hoops from her ears. "See?" Then she turned to the wall of earrings.
Inuyasha glanced back through the small store. It was long and narrow with a display counter across the back and walls of earrings on both sides.
"My cousin worked here one summer." He told Kikyo. "The owner knows me."
"Thrills and chills." She commented sarcastically. She handed him the gold hoops. The she playfully pushed him out of the way to try on a long, dangly pair of silver earrings.
"Help me with these." She said, holding her hair back with one hand to insert the earrings in her pierced ear. "Oh, wait. I like those better."
She reached for another pair and held them up to him. "Look, Inuyasha. Silver fish. Aren't they great?"
He nodded.
"Which do you like better—the dangly ones or the fish? Oh, never mind. I'll try them both."
As she tried on the first pair, Inuyasha turned to the display counter in the back. He didn't recognize any of the salespeople.
His eye fell on the large sign in the center of the wall. In bold red type it declared: SHOPLIFFTERS WILL BE PROSECUTED To THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.
He juggled the two gold hoops in his hand. They looked like solid gold. But they were actually hollow and light.
"Excuse me, miss." A saleslady called out from across the store. Kikyo was reaching for a pair of delicate gold heart-shaped earrings. "It's against the store policy to let customers try on pierced earrings. Please don't put on anymore."
"Sure, no problem." Kikyo said with a smile. "Aren't these great?" She asked.
"Great." Inuyasha replied without any enthusiasm.
"I could shop for earrings all night." She told him.
"Wow. This is going to be an exciting night!" He teased, rolling his eyes.
She turned towards him, her eyes lighting up. "You want excitement?" She seemed to be challenging him.
He grinned. "You know my reputation." He boosted. "I'm always pumped for a little excitement."
"Okay." She said, grinning back. "Let's go." She started to the door.
"Hey, wait!" Inuyasha hurried after her. "Your earrings!"
Kikyo didn't look back. Walking with quick, steady strides, she continued toward the open doorway.
Inuyasha ran to catch up with her. He had her gold hoops in one hand. He grabbed her shoulder with the other. "Those heart earrings—you didn't pay for them."
He glanced back at the salespeople behind the counter in the back. Were they watching?
"I didn't know I didn't pay for them." Kikyo whispered, shoving her earrings into her pocketbook. "Let's go."
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha demanded.
"I'm taking a hundred percent discount." She replied back casually.
As they stepped into the doorway, they heard a loud, urgent call from the back of the store. "Young lady—stop! Young lady!"
Inuyasha hesitated. But Kikyo grabbed his hand and tugged on it.
"Young lady! Stop! Stop!"
Inuyasha glanced back to see two salespeople racing towards them.
Kikyo pulled him out the door. "Inuyasha, run!" she cried.
To Be Continued
Time to write the next one. Read and review.