Author's Note:
Words You Need To Know:
Kami: God
And last chapter's words.
Chapter 2- Deal With It
That had done it. That had sealed Kagome's fate. Her mother was being reasonable at first, seeing as how she didn't want Kagome to go to a boy's boarding school anyway. But, then she saw it.
The rather large cut that Kagura's ring had made on Kagome's cheek. Kagome had forgotten about that. She had gotten in another 'spat' with Yura, and Kagura had punched her. Very unlady-like. Kagome was a very bad liar, and when her mother's eyes pierced through her, she just subsided. Then, her mother had ordered her to wash off her make-up. Kagome did so, as not to anger her mother. But, when she had come out of the bathroom, her mother had a pair of scissors.
Kagome screamed.
Kagome ran.
Her brother laughed.
Once Kagome was safely locked in the bathroom, she breathed again. "I'm not cutting my hair! I'm not! I'm not!"
"Kagome..." And then her mother was silent. For a long time. It was only five minutes, but it seemed like hours. "Kagome, I'm worried. Come out and we'll talk. I'm not going to hold you down and rip your hair out."
Kagome obliged.
The two sat on the couch, while Grandpa spied on them from the stairs with Souta.
"Kagome, what actually happens at your school?" Ms. Higurashi asked gently. She was worried about her daughter's safety. She knew that girls could be crueler than boys on many occasions. Education was important, and she wanted Kagome to get the best education possible. If she went to that particular boy's boarding school, then she would get a good education. She knew Kagome wouldn't try anything. Kagome wasn't even interested in boys yet, and for that, Ms. Higurashi was somewhat grateful...if not a little disturbed that hormones hadn't kicked in.
"Social groups rule everything."
"And?"
"And they're evil."
"We aren't getting very far."
"Well, what do you want to know?" Kagome was getting irritated.
"Can you survive another year at that high school? How about two years? Or three? That's how long you have left at that school. Three more years. Can you handle that? I don't want you to become someone you aren't, just because you have to protect yourself daily." (A/N I am going by American school years. Four years of high school.)
Kagome was told that she often held her emotions in her eyes. Well, that's what her mother, Grandpa and Sango had said. They were the only ones who knew her well enough to tell what her eyes said. She couldn't lie. "No." She knew she wasn't acting like herself anymore. She had to fight tongue with tongue, words with words, insult with bitter sarcasm. She never liked bringing other people down.
Ms. Higurashi nodded firmly. "Kagome, short hair on young women these days is very unique, don't you think?"
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Kagome walked down the halls of her school that Sunday with her Mother and Grandfather. Souta had reluctantly stayed in the car. She didn't see Yura or any of her groupies, thank Kami.
Sango was walking out of the dorm she and Kagome shared, and waved when she saw Kagome. "Kagome-Chan, what is your family doing here?"
Kagome felt sick. "I-"
"I'm going to go talk to Kaede. We'll meet you back here. Start packing, alright?" Ms. Higurashi said and smiled and nodded at Sango. "Nice to see you again." She disappeared with Grandpa down the hallway.
"Packing? Kagome, you aren't leaving, right?" Sango asked her, panic flashing through her maroon eyes.
Kagome walked inside, and Sango followed, slamming the door shut. As soon as Kagome heard the click of the door, she slowly reached up, grasped some of her hair, and pulled.
The wig slipped onto the ground.
Sango screamed. She actually screamed.
"Don't scream! It isn't that bad!" Kagome snapped self-consciously.
Sango clamped a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry...but...why did you cut your hair? It was almost to your waist. You've been trying to grow it out for so long...it looks like a boy's hair! No offense, Kagome-"
"It's supposed to look like a boy's hair..." Kagome said loudly to drown out Sango's rambling.
"What? Why? You aren't going through a gender crises, are you?"
"Ack! No! Honestly, Sango...it's just that I don't want to stay at this school anymore." Kagome didn't look Sango in the eye. She focused on the white ribbon tied in her long hair instead. She swayed back and forth as Sango paced.
"You're leaving me here? Who's going to be my back up? Rin is sweet, but she has no backbone! She's so timid...wait a second. What does looking like boy have to do with any of this...Oh...Oh, no...Kagome..." Sango gulped, catching Kagome's gaze. "Kagome?"
"I'm enrolling in Totousai's school for Boys later today."
There was silence. Then, both girls erupted into laughter. When the laughter died down five minutes later, Kagome took to packing her things.
"This doesn't mean I forgive you for leaving me," Sango added as she finished up some of her homework for the weekend.
"I was expecting that."
"I can't believe you are going to dorm with a guy, Kagome. That's so unlike you."
Kagome paled. She had forgotten about that. Now, she wasn't feeling so good.
"Kagome?"
"Y-yeah?"
"You have to give me every single detail about every single day."
Kagome sweat dropped.
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Kagome had nearly finished packing when Ms. Higurashi and her grandpa returned. By then, Sango had gotten Kagome good and scared about the situations she could get herself into. Sango waved bye to Kagome, promising to break the news gently to Rin.
As they drove the five-minute drive to Kagome's new school/home, Ms. Higurashi gave Kagome a towel to wipe all her make-up off on once more.
Souta smiled innocently at her. "I always wanted a big brother, Kag."
"Ooh! That reminds me, Kagome needs a new name," Ms. Higurashi said cheerfully.
"What? But, I like my name!"
"We'll call you Kag, then. Short, simple, and almost exactly like you're old name."
"Mother, that name isn't even real. It sounds like a bad nickname!"
"How about Hiroshi, then?"
"Kag is fine."
"Haitani?"
"No...Kag is-"
"Keitaro?"
"KAG IS PERFECT!"
"Oh, look we're here!' Ms. Higurashi said cheerfully and promptly ignored her fuming daughter and parked in front of the school. She looked back at Kagome and smiled reassuringly. "You are a very cute boy, Kago-I mean, Kag."
"URG! Don't tell me that!" Kagome cried out and walked ahead of her snickering brother.
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Kagome wondered how old that guy was. He looked ancient, and he had some freakish hairstyle going on.
"Kag?" The headmaster said slowly, looking at Kagome's papers. "Is that...short for something?"
"Well..." Ms. Higurashi began her very overly dramatic tale. "I was sure Kag would be girl, and I didn't understand when they told me she- HE, that he was a boy. So, I named him Kagome. " She put her face in her hands and let out, "I'm so ashamed poor Kag has been teased all his life!"
"That's tragic," Totousai said, eyes wide with sympathy at Kagome.
Ten points for Ms. Higurashi.
Kagome felt her face heating up. How embarrassing. Her little brother was covering his mouth with his hands, stifled giggles getting loose.
"I wish that you do not mention this to any other person. Kag has been tortured long enough!" Her act finished with tears in the corners of her misty eyes. Souta and Grandpa sat there stupefied at the woman's amazing abilities.
"Of course, of course. Welcome to Totousai's School For Boys, Kag!" He smiled widely. Kagome felt her stomach come out her rear.
"You will be dorming with Houshin Miroku. He's...a nice boy, really." Kagome could tell he was lying. Something was up with that boy, and she knew it.
"That's wonderful!" Ms. Higurashi said, her cheerful smile once again danced across her features.
"You can go to your room now. You should be settled by this evening. And welcome again. Oh, and I am very sorry for you're past problems...with your name, I mean...and-"
"Thank you. But, I'm really over that," Kagome said as she nodded her head. The things her mother came up with.
"You are too kind," Ms. Higurashi said.
Her mother, Grandpa, and Souta helped her carry her bags to her room. They left so suddenly, and Kagome was left alone to unpack.
"Okay..." she said to herself. "I can do this...yeah...this is good..." She took a look at the other half of the room and blushed. A guy's bed was about six feet from her own. Oh, Good God. What was she doing? She couldn't be a guy! She liked her girly music and her outfits and...and...and she couldn't do this!
Miroku's bed had a navy blue bedspread. The bed was actually very neat. That was a good sign, right?
Kagome's bed was completely white. White sheets, white pillows, white bedspread. It was simple...and on sale. She couldn't bring her baby blue bed cover with her. She had just put the last pair of jeans in the closet when the door flung open so fast Kagome squeaked. She turned around, tripped on a sock she had dropped, did a small twirl, and fell over on her back.
"What...is...that?" Came a male's voice.
"Is he okay?" Came a female's voice. "He look unconsious..."
Kagome groaned and opened her eyes. She must have hit her head on the way down.
"What are you doing in my room and...what is with all this stuff?" The male's voice asked. Kagome looked up to see a girl she had seen a few times in the halls of her old school, and a boy with black hair tied into a small ponytail.
He had gorgeous eyes. He was actually extremely handsome and Kagome felt herself begin to blush. Was this her roommate?
"I'm Kago-I'm Higurashi Kag. You're new roommate," Kagome said shakily as she pulled herself up.
"Oh, I figured as much. I knew I was going have to share this room sooner or later. We're getting crowded," the boy said. "I'm Houshin Miroku."
"...and I'm Su Suzaka. Nice to meet you," the girl said, smiling.
(A/N I just want everyone to know, that a lot of girls in Japan like feminine looking boys. Not to say girly gay guys, just guys that are tall and thin with cute faces. Just generally speaking.)
"Nice to meet you," Kagome said. This was weird. She wasn't used to girls she didn't know being friendly. Especially not from her school.
"I had better go. Bye, Miroku. And nice meeting you Kag!" She waved and shut the door.
No sooner had she shut the door than Miroku whirled around to face Kagome. "What kind of name is Kag, anyway?"
So it began. "It's a nickname."
"What's your real name?"
"You will never know."
"Aw, c'mon."
"No."
"Whatever. Did you get your class schedule yet? I'm Student Body President, by the way."
"Yeah, I did." Student Body President? This Miroku guy must be increadbly popular.
"Well, go ahead and read it, my Good Man!" Miroku waved his hands for her to continue.
(A/N Remember...I'm doing the American thing here). "I have World History, Math, English, Japanese, Science and pottery," Kagome said. Pottery sounded like it would be fun.
Miroku started laughing.
Kagome looked nervous. What did she say that was so funny? "What's so funny?"
"Sorry, sorry, it's just that...you have pottery...that's so sad. No one takes pottery here. I thought they would have gotten rid of it by now. Well, some guys take it, but they aren't exactly guys." At that, Miroku started snickering again.
Kagome didn't even want to know what he was talking about. She already felt herself off to a bad start at this new school. And she missed Sango. Maybe she should call her...
"So, Kag, what school did you go to before this one?" Miroku asked casually. He flopped down his bed, arms behind his head.
Kagome, not used to having much contact with extremely handsome guys, turned red and looked away. "It was a stupid school...I don't even remember the name."
"Why'd you transfer?"
He was so NOSEY! "I was having problems...people are really cruel there."
Miroku scoffed. "Every school is cruel. Especially ours..."
Yeah, sure...Well, you try going to my school! Kagome thought bitterly.
"I'm going to go get some food. Do you want to come?" Miroku said and made his way towards the door.
Kagome smiled. "Uh...yeah! Sure!" Thank Kami someone was talking to her already.
"I'll introduce you to Inuyasha Takashi. He's a real bastard, though, so don't get sensitive around him."
"I won't," Kagome nodded her head vigorously. Just how...bastard-like was he?
"You look like one of those sensitive guys," Miroku told her.
"I do?"
"Yeah, kind of like a girl. No offense...some girls like that...for some reason..."
Great, she was being insulted because she looked too girly. Was that a good thing or a bad thing?
"Are you coming, or what?" Kagome was snapped back to reality to see Miroku's head sticking out the door.
"Yeah!" Kagome quickly followed him down the hall. They entered a cafeteria, where a few boys were talking. Kagome took a look around and gasped when she saw a boy with long hair and bright violet eyes. It was the boy she had seen at the dance.
"That's Inuyasha you're gawking at. And, I would stop doing that, you look girly enough as it is..." Miroku muttered.
Kagome blinked and smiled sheepishly. "I...didn't mean to gawk. I just never saw anyone with long hair like that before..."
"We have a few of them," Miroku explained as he grabbed some fruit. Kagome took her meal and followed Miroku to the table Inuyasha was seated at. When they neared him, she noticed all he had was an apple and three empty bowls of instant ramen.
"Who dat?" Inuyasha, half way into biting his apple, asked with narrowed eyes.
"This is Kag. He's my new roommate." Miroku sat down across from Inuyasha and Kagome took a seat next to Miroku.
"Kag? What kind of name is that?"
Kagome glared. He was indeed rude. "It's a nickname." Too bad he was so cute.
"That's a pretty lame nickname. What's your real name?"
"That's none of your business."
"Aren't you friendly."
"You aren't exactly rolling out the welcome mat."
"I don't have a welcome mat."
"That explains a lot."
What do you mean by th-"
"OKAY then!" Miroku interrupted cheerfully. "Honestly, Inuyasha, you only fight like that with people you really hate or girls."
"Feh. Kag over there looks feminine enough to argue with."
Again, Kagome felt happy and insulted at the same time.
"Chicks dig that for some unknown reason...no offense, Kag."
"None taken," Kagome said, a slight twitch tugging at her fake smile.
"Whatever," Inuyasha said and continued to eat his ramen rather, in Kagome's opinion, grotesquely. Inuyasha noticed Kagome's expression of disgust and mumbled, "what?" with the ramen half in his mouth.
"Nothing...nothing at all," Kagome said and quietly ate her meal. She was thankful Miroku ate more appropriately.
"You any good at sports, Kag?" Miroku asked.
"I've never actually played sports," Kagome said.
"What? Are you serious?" Miroku asked, eyes wide.
"What kind of shitty school did YOU go to?" Inuyasha asked.
"Well, is swimming a sport?"
"Yeah...a lame one," Miroku shook his head. "It's too bad, we could really use some decent swordsman, too." He sighed dramatically as he twirled his chopsticks in his fingers.
"Swordsman?" Kagome squeaked. She was getting nowhere near a sword. They were dangerous! Adn when were they a sport?
"Yeah, I'm a swordsman. See?" Inuyasha cockily pulled out his sword, making Kagome go very, very pale. "Hey, are you okay?"
"I think he's going to pass out," Miroku said.
"Stating the obvious as usual."
"At least I stated it."
"Well-"
"No, I'm fine," Kagome said as Inuyasha pointed his sword at Miroku.
Miroku glared. "Put that away, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha glared back, but gave in after he ended up blinking, signaling he had lost the glaring contest.
"I can't wait for the next dance," Miroku said, quickly changing the subject.
Inuyasha scoffed.
"C'mon, Inuyasha, you know the girls aren't all that bad. They are really quite-"
"They're sluts, okay? It's disgusting."
"I agree!" Kag piped in, smiling.
Miroku and Inuyasha stared at her in disbelief. Their new classmate was way too perky all the time. She even smiled when arguing.
"How can you say that? Women are lovely, delicate creatures-"
"You're acting as if we-um- they are fuzzy little rabbits or something," Kagome said, clearly offended.
"Do you have a sister, Kag?" Miroku asked.
"Um...well...I-" Kagome began, but Inuyasha cut her off.
"He has obviously heard of your sickening ways and doesn't want to let you know about her," he said matter-of-factly.
Miroku gave a small gasp. "How could you imply such a thing? I am a prefect gentlemen."
Inuyasha snorted.
Ignoring him, Miroku then turned back to Kagome and said, "So, who is she?"
"Her name is Rin," Kagome said stupidly. Rin was her sister....sort of.
"How old she?"
"She's a year younger than I am," Kagome said. "And don't touch her, either."
Miroku sighed. It was obvious that too many brothers knew about him, and now decided to hold their sister's closer.
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Kagome was to start classes tomorrow. She still felt awkward in a crowd of boys, and a few gave her second glances. Kagome was satisfied to just lay on her new bed at last. Miroku, of course, had to go and ruin it by bringing in some female.
"You don't mind, do you, Kag?" Miroku said.
Kagome didn't bother to look at the girl. "Oh, sure."
"Who is this?" The girl said with a small giggle. "A friend of yours, Miroku?"
As Miroku said Kagome was his new roommate, Kagome looked up and locked eyes with none other than Yura. Her index finger was twisted in Miroku's small ponytail. When they locked eyes, the girl gave a small gasp.
"I know who you are!" She said with sudden realization.
And, right then, Kagome wanted to barf.
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A/N: I hope you enjoyed the second chapter! Don't forget to review, please! Thank you! The next chapter should be up soon, hopefully. I have practice for a performance, but I will be able to write this weekend. Have a great week everyone!
Miko
