A/N: Hmm...Gasp! I'm writing a high school fic! I have never done this type of fic before. I don't do many AU fictions, but I get really bored...and I write a lot when I'm bored...This isn't totally AU. There are still demons, hanyous, and all that good stuff! So I hope you like this one! Please review and let me know what you think!

Summary: Kagome is in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend. What happens when Inuyasha, her best friend, finally figures out what Kagome has not been able to tell him? Will he be able to help her before it's too late, or will he only create bigger problems for her?

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Unspoken
Chapter One: Watch Your Step!

Kagome yawned and reached her hand out as her alarm clock screamed for her to wake up. It was only 5:30 in the morning...two and a half hours before Kagome actually had to be at school. It only took her thirty minutes to get ready, but she hoped that maybe, if she got there early enough, she could avoid him, at least for a little while.

She glanced at the photo on her bedside table. It was a picture of her and her four best friends. Sango sat up against a tree with her cat Kirara on her shoulder. Miroku had his arm around her. Inuyasha was standing behind them, leaning against the tree, and Kagome stood next to them, piggy-backing the youngest of them all, Inuyasha's half brother Shippo. They all looked happy. Kagome remembered when the picture had been taken. That day, she was happy. But then again, he wasn't there, either...

Kagome sighed. As long as I get there early... She told herself. I can have some peace and quiet for a little while.

Kagome grabbed her overstuffed yellow bag and tried to open the downstairs door without attracting attention to herself, but failed. The doorknob squeaked, and Kagome stopped cold.

"Kagome...what on earth are you doing leaving the house so early? I didn't think school started for another two hours...?" her mother questioned her.

Kagome sighed, spitting out the first excuse that popped into her head. "I promised Ms. Kaede that I would help her set up the classroom this morning. We're having some sort of special lesson today..."

"Oh, all right, sweetie. But don't you want some breakfast?"

"I'll grab a muffin." Another lie. All she wanted to do was get to school as fast as she could. Before he got there.

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When Kagome arrived at the school, it was indeed empty. Two or three teachers had arrived to start preparing for their lessons, but other than that, she was alone. She pulled open the double doors and stepped quietly inside. But yet again, not quietly enough.

"What are ye doing here so early, dear? Ye don't possibly like school that much?" It was Ms. Kaede.

Kagome shook her head. "I was just...I thought I'd come in a little early today and help out. Do you need any help?"

Her teacher's eyebrow rose in suspicion, but she only shrugged. "No, I don't need any help. If ye want though, ye can stay in my classroom until the bell rings?" she suggested.

Kagome smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Ms. Kaede." she whispered.

Kagome closed the door to Ms. Kaede's room with happy relief. Not only had she gotten away with coming to school so early, but she had actually avoided an early morning run-in with Kouga.

She laid her head down on the desk. There was a time when Kouga was normal. Their first year of high school, he was kind, courteous, sweet...everything that everyone thought he was today. But then he changed. He became jealous of every little thing Kagome did. Possessive...and the worst part...violent. Kagome shuddered when she began to think of the many times when she'd told her mother she'd fallen down the stairs, or hurt herself in gym class...or one of many other lame excuses she had used to cover up what had actually happened. She was glad her friends and family seemed to be believing her lies, too. She feared what would happen to her if they ever found out the truth. Sighing, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Unfortunately, she couldn't even escape Kouga in her dreams...

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Inuyasha stared at his friend with curiosity in his eyes. She was asleep at the desk...his desk, in Ms. Kaede's room. How she got there, he didn't know, but the bell was minutes away from ringing. Her scent told him that she was in distress somehow. "Kagome..." he whispered as he shook her awake. "Kagome, you need to wake up..."

Kagome jolted into consciousness. "I swear I won't...!" She yelped, but stopped when she realized that it was only Inuyasha. It was just a dream. "Oh, morning Inuyasha!" she smiled lightly. "What are you doing here?"

"That's my desk...and the bell is about to ring. You might want to head off to your own class, Kags. You know how the teachers can be..." he warned her. "Besides, if you wanted to see me that bad, I'll see you at lunch and in art class, all right?"

Kagome stood, and Inuyasha moved to give her a hug. She pulled away. "Right, Inuyasha. See you in art class..." she whispered hurriedly and left the room, leaving a dazed Inuyasha in her wake.

Kagome frowned when she remembered what happened the last time Kouga had seen Inuyasha hug her. He had seemed normal at school. He always seemed normal at school. But after school, when she was leaving the building from her extra-curricular activities, she got to the top of the stairs when she heard a voice that made her blood run cold.

"Watch your step," Kouga whispered dangerously as he approached her. "Tell dog-shit that he needs to keep his hands away from my woman," he growled, shoving her just hard enough to send her down the stairs. "Or else."

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"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" asked Miroku as he jogged into the room just after an angry Sango. The red hand print on his cheek told the whole story.

Inuyasha shook his head. "It's nothing."

Miroku knew his best friend better than that, though. He wasn't about to let this one slide. "I don't think so, buddy. How about you tell me what's wrong? I know you a hell of a lot better than you think I do, if you think you can get away with lying to me."

Inuyasha frowned. "It's Kagome." he revealed. "I found her sleeping in here this morning. Ms. Kaede said she'd been here since two hours before school started for some reason...and she was real short with me. She left the room in a hurry, and wouldn't even give me a hug before she left..."

Sango sighed. "Inuyasha, there are hundreds of reasons to explain why she was here so early. And maybe she was just short with you because the bell was about to ring and her first period class is on the other end of the hall?"

Inuyasha considered this. "I don't know. I don't think that's it..." His voice trailed off.

"Why?" asked Miroku curiously. "What makes you think that?"

Inuyasha blinked. "It was weird. Kagome seemed kind of distressed while she was sleeping, so I tried to wake her up. But when she woke up...she said something strange to me, and I could have sworn I could smell...fear...on her..." he told them. "I just don't understand."

"Sometimes a person's dreams are worse than reality, Inuyasha. Maybe Kagome was just having a bad dream?" Miroku suggested.

Inuyasha nodded. "Maybe..."

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Kagome jumped.

"I thought I told you to watch your behavior around dog-shit?" Kouga whispered into her ear.

Kagome shivered. "Kouga, you scared me. Don't do that. And everything is fine. Inuyasha is one of my best friends, nothing more..." she assured him.

"You aren't allowed to be his friend, Kagome. You are mine. I don't want dog-shit getting any ideas. Got that?"

"But, Kouga...!" Kagome whispered hoarsely.

"I won't say it twice, Kagome..." he added in a threatening tone.

Soon, the bell rang, and Kagome rushed off to lunch. She saw the table where her friends had all gathered. They waved to her, smiling. A shiver went down Kagome's back as she watched them, and she carefully walked in the opposite direction.

Inuyasha frowned. "Do you see what I mean? Now she is whole-heartedly avoiding us! I just don't get it!" he whined.

"You're right. Kagome is acting very odd." Miroku agreed.

Sango stood. "I'm going to go follow her and see if I can find out why..." she told the rest of them, and she ran after Kagome.

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Kagome was eating her lunch on her own under a cherry blossom tree in the school's courtyard. When Sango approached her, she didn't even notice at first.

Sango cleared her throat. "Hey, why are you eating out here by yourself?" she asked her best friend. "Why not just come inside and eat with the rest of us? You know, I think you hurt a certain hanyou's feelings this morning. He's been pouting about something being wrong with you all day. What do you say we prove him wrong?" she smiled, extending her hand to Kagome.

Kagome stared at it, unsure. "Sango, I just really don't know if I should..."

"Is something wrong? Are you mad at us or something?" Sango questioned her friend.

Kagome sighed. "No, it's not that at all...I just don't think that it's a very good idea for me to..." she started to explain, but Sango soon cut her off.

"Why not? Come on!" Sango urged, grabbing her hand and leading her back inside.

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Kagome stood in front of the table without a word. Finally, when she thought she had a good enough excuse, she spoke. "Well guys, I have to go kind of early today because I have to get ready for the..."

"Kagome...your eyes get really shifty when you lie to us," Inuyasha pointed out. "Why don't you just sit down and eat and tell us what's been going on? Obviously, we've missed something pretty big..."

Inuyasha stood and pulled out a chair for Kagome. She reluctantly smiled, and was about to sit down when Kouga's arm intertwined itself with her own. His warning to her flashed through her mind, and she glanced at him with worry. What was he going to do now?

"Hey, Kagome!" he smiled for her friends.

Kagome returned a weak grin. "Hi, Kouga."

He kissed her forcefully on the lips, and pulled away quickly. "I need to talk to you really quick, all right?" he whispered with a fake air of sweetness. "I'll bring her right back. I promise." he lied to her friends.

Inuyasha stared after them, his eyes wide.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Sango whispered. "Are you jealous of Kouga?" she teased.

"No!" he snapped at her. "Kagome is...Kagome is afraid of him..." he realized.

"Of Kouga?" Sango nearly laughed. "He's one of the sweetest guys at school!" Miroku cleared his throat as Sango said this, but she shrugged it off. "Besides, he said they would be right back. Didn't you hear him?"

"Yeah, I heard him, all right..." Inuyasha nodded. "But I'm starting to think he's nothing but a big damn liar..."

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A/N: All righty then! So there's the first chapter of this one for you! Hoped you all liked it. Please review and let me know what you think!