Chapter Nine

Youth

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What do I do to ignore them behind me? Do I follow my instincts blindly? Do I hide my pride from these bad dreams, And give in to sad thoughts and the bad things? Do I sit here and try to stand it? Or do I try to catch them red - handed? Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness, Or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?'

Linkin Park By Myself

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- - - - - -(Flashback time!) - - - - - -

The small child walked through the grey toned door into a classroom full of excited children running about the classroom, giggling and jumping around. His white, fuzzy, dog ears perched upon his head twitched in exctiement and he sniffed like mad trying to take in all the new scents of all the children. His classroom had white walls and many decorations sprinkled around on them. Class 1-B' the lady at the front desk told him when his dad dropped him off. He smiled awkwardly looking into the room, his little body half way through the door frame. A kind looking woman wearing a long red skirt and a grey shirt walked up to him and smiled brightly, putting her hand on his shoulder and kneeling down so she was eye level with him.

Hello there little boy! she flashed a large smile You must be Inu ... Yatta, right?Um... Its InuYasha. he said meekly, in a high scratchy tone, stressing the yasha' part of his name.

Oh of course, the ears! Dog demon, cant believe I missed that. Half breeds ..... we dont get many of those in this day and age. Especially round here. In fact didnt get a single demon blooded child in this entire class this year. she tugged his ear in a way that made him squint his eye on the side of his head she yanked. Come this way and meet your classmates Inu Yasha.

She led him by the hand to the center of the room where the children were playing. When she let go he immediately pulled his arm down to try and cover the bruise on his arm he had recieved earlier. This one hurt him more than the others he had gotten from accidents, this one was from his daddy. She grabbed a bell from her desk and rung it, the children immediately looked up at her. Children, this is your new classmate, Inu Yasha. I trust you'll all become good friends? Inu Yasha smiled shyly.

Friends. He liked that word. He really liked that word. How could he not? It was what he aspired to, what he wanted most. Its what filled him with hope and cheer, even at the mere thought of such things. A friend, a confidant. Someone who likes you no matter what you are. It all sounded so nice and pretty to him. Just the slight thought of such elusive happiness lit him up with a small hope that one of these children would befriend him, despite his ears, or claws, or fangs.

They replied in unison, half of them not even listening to a word she had said. Their gazes were transfixed upon his ears that twitched nervously with all of the stares. Some looked at his claws, which he tightly balled into a fist, almost cutting the skin on his hand. The children stared up at the strange dog eared boy and their jaws dropped slightly to form tiny little o's.

The teacher left to her desk, and Inu Yasha began to feel slightly uncomfortable with the stares. An awkward silence settled between them all and Inu Yahsa was too afraid to move, much less talk to any of them. The silence began to make him very uncomfortable until one child ventured to break it. It started out as giggling. Innocent enough, until it erupted into full blown laughter, and was joined with the rest of the children. Inu Yasha just stood in front of them, still as the wind on a dead summer day. His face turned cherry red and the only movement was his heart, exploding inside of his chest.

Why were they laughing at him? Was it the way he looked? Was it the his ears? His claws? His long white, silver-tinted hair? Was there something wrong with him? Why did they laugh?

Why wouldnt they stop?

He wondered all of this, yet somehow, found no answers. He couldnt understand what they were laughing at, why they were laughing. Of course, being but a child he assumed the fault to be his own. What more could he have done? He was young then, he couldnt help but blame himself.

Why do I have to be so horrible?' he asked himself. Why can't I just be good? Or normal? Im a monster, thats what I am. I know it. Thats why they're laughing at me. Because I'm a freak. I don't deserve to be here, don't even deserve to be alive' He thought, grimmacing at recalling how his father had slapped him. He didnt mean to do it, he really didnt. He was so tempted by the plate of cookies his mother had just baked that he couldn't help himself. They just smelled so good, he couldn't help but reach out to eat one. Dont eat those, theyre mine' his father warned him. Of course he wouldnt have, had he known his father was watching.

He looked down at his shoes, utterly ashamed of himself, and saw the neatly tied laces that he had done himself that morning. He was very proud of them. He had done them all by himself. He didnt even have to ask for help!

The teacher came up from behind him and patted his back, urging him forward. Go take your seat now dear. You may sit in that desk. she pointed to a chair accross he room. He gulped and walked through the herd of children, bumping into them and uttering countless Scuse me's and Sorry's.

His desk was only a few steps away when he stepped on a loose string on his shoe and fell down, banging his head on the desk as he fell. The children behind him giggled, not one of them offering to help him up. Not that they expected them to. Sure, some help would be nice but he knew they would never want to touch something as horrible as he. He cringed in slight pain and rolled off his bruised arm, rubbing his fore head with his palm.

Are you okay? the teacher asked. He simply muttered Fine.' and she went to shooing the other kids to their seats. Well, that goes for all you too, take your seats. announced the teacher. The children scurried to their seats, giggling slightly. And Inu Yasha walked back to his desk with the last bit of his pride leaking from the laces slapping against his heels.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

When he realized what he was thinking about it almost shocked him, thinking that he had forgotten those unwanted memories many years ago. He had learned the trick early on: Convince yourself that it doesnt hurt any more and then it will be like it never happened! Becuase if you dont remember or feel the effects of something than it doesnt matter what actually happened! But why was he remembering this now? Because of those girls gossipping about him and Kagome?

He heavily exhaled and looked at Kagome who was glowering under her brow at the giggling girls accross the room. It seemed like she was more hurt by it than he. He felt how strongly he wanted to go over to her and hold her close to him while telling her everything was alright and that those girls over there don't mean anything but his shame would prevent him from ever doing anything close to that.

She crossed her arms on her desk and nuzzled her face into them humming a song to herself. That sounds familiar...' he thought almost instantly recognizing the tune. He couldnt put a name to it but it did sound familiar to him. He shrugged it off and took the neccessary books from his pack and placed them on the desk, readying himself for school.

School went by quickly that day and before he knew it he was walking to lunch with a sullen Kagome walking close behind him. he asked

Are you okay? You seem kind of sad. he looked over his shoulder to see her downturned head.

I have a right to be sad. she uttered.

He paused and she bumped into him causing her to stop walking and look up at his face I.... I want to see you happy. A happy Kagome is always better than a sad one. he muttered shyly.

She continued to look down so that her bangs covered her eyes and Inu Yasha could only see the tip of her nose. You shouldn't do that. he said tapping her chin with his fingers, pushing her head up. Keep your head up. he told her and she looked up into his lovely honey eyes, her bottom jaw hanging open just so her lips parted slightly. Soon, her lips curved upwards into a faint smile and she stepped ahead of him, marching proudly.

She sat at her table with Inu Yasha and Miroku. Her sad manner had all been cleared away, and one could guess that she looked like the happiest girl in the world. Inu Yasha couldnt help but smile from the warm radiance of her cheery smile and heartwarming laughter. There was just something about that girl .....

!Author Notes!


Everyone! Please read my new story Unchained Melody' It is very good and short and so far only 6 people read it, Wah! It's basically about Kikyo thinking about Inu Yasha and trying to make herself fall out of love with him. I'll update sooner if lotsa people review it! .

Story News! Alas, the promised flashback! Not a lot happening in the present but oh well. So anyways, I have come up with a plot besides Inu Yasha and Kagome some how falling in love! Yay for me. There will be a little mystery theme in there (As in like ALL of my stories!) and I will keep you wanting more! MUAHAHA! From now on almost EVERY chapter will have a flash back somewhere and you guys get to learn more about InuYasha's childhood, as it is key in understanding the events that happen in the current time. Maybe I will put in a little bit about Kagome somewhere. (You guys'll like that.)

By the way, the next chapter has a part in it I find quite beatiful. So the next chappy is a good one. Be excited. I cant wait to post it!

Note to Booky: Hello, and I am sorry if I insulted your religion etc because I didnt really mean anything by the little author note thing. I actually put it there ... thinking it to be completely disregarded by anyone who reads my story... But honestly I dont really mean anything by it. As I said In my OPINION,' And if I say something you dont like... then pretend I didnt say it, because chances are I have no idea what Im talking about.

Stay tuned for next chappy: Waiting

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