Innocent Kisses In The Rain

Chapter 8

"The beautiful angel sent down to find the lost angel soon found a boy. He seemed to be the angel she was looking for, but looks can be deceiving. He seemed rude and cruel at first, and only showed a kind side sometimes. The gods that had sent her had described the physical features and general characteristics of the angel she was to find. He had silver hair, and silver eyes, and was expected to be, in his new state, perhaps rude or hateful. That was why the woman angel mistook a true demon to be the angel she was looking for."

-

Kagome's eyes drifted open. Sudden bursts of morning sunlight caused multicolored spots to erupt behind her eyelids as they snapped shut again.

Once she cracked them open again, the first thing to meet them was a ticking alarm clock.

It struck eight.

She yelled and tumbled out of bed, racing around her bedroom to get dressed in time for school.

"Bye-bye Mama!" Kagome called as she hefted her book bag over her shoulder and sped out of her house, down the shrine steps, trying to make it to school.

Luckily, five years of track practice kicked in and she had soon left the traditional structure belonging to her family, behind.

As she entered the building, she switched shoes and walked quickly to her homeroom class.

Upon entering, every head turned.

"Ahhhh, I'm so sorry, sensei. I didn't wake up on time." Kagome apologized deeply and bowed low. He fixed her with a cold stare but nodded her to her seat.

Inuyasha, who sat beside her, looked sideways and half smirked, half grinned, at her embarrassing tardiness.

"Jerk." She spoke under her breath as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and began taking notes on the lesson.

-

"Kagome. Do you want to come over to my house to work on our story today? It's due soon…" Inuyasha looked sideways at her and she looked back.

"I've got track today, Inuyasha. Maybe tomorrow, if my mom says it's okay…" Kagome trailed off.

"Fine. Whatever. I thought you wanted a good grade, but who cares?" Inuyasha's usual attitude returned and he stuck his nose haughtily up into the air.

"It's not that I don't want to!" Kagome cried desperately, catching hold of his uniform's top, "it's just that today is a big competition between us and a rivaling school and I can't miss it - even for studying!" She looked genuinely scared that he had stopped liking her by her refusal.

"I said I don't care!" He retorted, pulling himself out of her hold. They were standing outside the school.

She sniffed and turned away, getting ready to walk around the back of the school and receive the pep talk before they went to the local high school for the contest.

"… Good luck, Kagome." He said reluctantly, gritting his teeth as he could almost see her aura brighten and feel her cheerfulness fly.

"Thank you so much!" Kagome spun around and smiled widely at him, her heavy bag swinging behind her.

He nodded gruffly and spun around to proceed to walk home.

"What time is your competition?" A smooth voice asked softly, making Inuyasha freeze before he even dare run into his older brother.

Kagome turned back around curiously and smiled again when she saw Sesshoumaru.

"It's today at six o'clock!" She said happily, unaware.

"I wish you good luck as well, then." He allowed a small smile to light his features for a split second before turning away, gesturing for Inuyasha to follow him.

Inuyasha blinks when he sees her bubbly happiness as she skips away.

'He stole my line and now she's even forgotten I said it since… He said it!' Inuyasha thought hatefully, sending piercing glares to his older brother.

"What is it, sib? She is as young as yourself, you need not worry yourself about… Issues, between us." Sesshoumaru stated bluntly, walking on calmly as if announcing this meant nothing.

"She's older in mind than in body." Inuyasha automatically defended, "besides, what made you think I cared about what happens between you two? And what made you consider such a relationship yourself? What were you implying?!"

"I thought you did not care, little brother." Sesshoumaru spoke, smiling cruelly down at the younger.

"I can't believe you." Inuyasha hissed, and stepped before Sesshoumaru boldly.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, but he made no further comment.

-

"Kagome, you're running the relay and the four hundred, okay?" The couch spoke surely, looking at each student as he announced their activities.

The students, of course, knew beforehand what events they would be competing in, but it had become a habit to hear it spoken before t actually happened or was announced on the loudspeaker.

"Yup, I'm prepared, sir." Kagome smiled up at him and he smiled back at her, moving on.

When they arrived on the track, there was a crowd seated in the bleachers. Some people yelled out their friends' names, while parents just clapped for them all.

Kagome smiled broadly and felt the wind pick up for a moment.

The 400 meter dash was first, then there were the hurdles and a couple other events, then there was the relay, then the 800.

Kagome lined up on the track, and steeled herself for the coming race.

Another wind gusted by, and soon enough the day was turning to early evening and Kagome was getting ready to go home.

She had taken first place in the 400. Her school had gotten second place in the relay.

She was walking towards her mom when…

"You did well."

She tensed momentarily then spun around at the familiar ring in his voice.

"Sesshoumaru!" She cried happily when she turned and saw him.

"My brother is at the house." He said, as if thinking that was what she wanted to know.

"Oh. Why are you here?" Kagome asked, undeterred.

"Inuyasha was commenting on your swimming ability. My mother used to enjoy swimming, and she was a stronger runner for it. I figured… If you could swim so well, I would know it by how you run." His logical voice was sweet but monotone, almost like poetry.

"Well, I like to swim." Kagome said the first thing she could think of.

He almost smiled.

"I could tell."

"Well then…"

"Congratulations. I have to go."

"Okay - thank you for coming. Sesshoumaru." She smiled softly at him and bowed.

"I enjoyed watching you." He returned with a nod, then turned and took out his keys.

"Do you like to run?" She called after him, and he threw a secretive glance over his shoulder back at her, finally letting an enigmatic smile cross his lips. Then he was gone.

"Is that your boyfriend Kagome?" Asked a voice behind her.

Kagome spun and saw her mother.

"What - No! He's in high school Mama! How can I like a guy like that! Mama!"

Her mother turned around, and, giggling, walked toward the car.