Cresenta's Lark: thanks for the kind words. I'm gonna update again after this chapter if I get a few more reviews. I hope you the later chaps
Ann070490: yeah…I guess he is. I will continue, and hopefully get a few more chapters done. Just remember: drama is yet to come!
Chibi-sango16: thanks, I'm glad you like it. I'll try to update as regularly as possible, maybe twice a week, maybe three if you're lucky and I don't procrastinate XD
Miss.Thia: I WILL keep writing! Writing is like…my life!
BingQing: thankies! And I'm glad I got you hooked! Mwahahahahahahah!...uh…eh, I mean, heh heh…heh…?
Houko (me): I'd like to thank all my nice reviewers and all those who have favorite-d my story and added it to story-alert and anything similar! So, thank you!
Inuyasha: get on with the story!
Houko: Meanie!
Inuyasha: -growls- -sticks out tongue-
Houko: -whispers- he's just mad cause I made him a big softie
Inuyasha: I heard that!
Houko: I knew you would!
Inuyasha: shut up!
Houko: uhh…I gotta run now…enjoy the story! –runs away-
Chapter 4: First Dates
I went to bed with a scratched arm and bruised legs. He beat me again, and he wasn't even drunk! Apparently, he was just "punishing me for being out late." I wasn't even that late! And all the while he kept saying thing like "You know daddy loves you right?" and "I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you," and "This hurts daddy just as much as it hurts you, but I have to teach you a lesson." It was sickening! And then he just throws me onto the floor and tells me I can only leave after I apologize. "Apologize for what?" I had asked. That just made him angry, and he started kicking me. That's how I ended up with my bruised leg.
My head's hurting like hell now. I'm on the verge of fainting, but I don't. I'm scared he'll come back up and kill me or something. Lately, it seems that things have gotten even worse. I mechanically reach into the slit in my mattress and pull out my cell. I flipped it open and dialed Inuyasha's number.
Ring…ring…ring...ri—
"Hello?"
"Inuyasha…! He—"
"Inuyasha isn't here—this is Sesshomaru."
The blood freezes into ice in my veins. I had almost told Sesshomaru that my father beats me! How stupid was I? "Where's Inuyasha?" I demanded.
"Out. He's gone to run errands with Izayoi—not willingly, but still." His tone softens. "You can talk to me, though."
"I'd rather not."
"…Is this about your father?"
"…" I hung up. I replaced my cell back in its hiding spot and flopped back onto my bed, instantly regretting it as my leg and arm began throbbing. I wanted to talk to someone. Anyone. I felt as if I would explode unless I did. But there wasn't anyone I could talk to. No one would understand. Then I remembered the slip of paper Miroku had given me. I reached into my jeans pocket and prayed it was still there. It was. I took my cell back out and dialed his number. He picked up on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Miroku…?"
"Sango!" he exclaimed. "I didn't think you'd call this soon."
"You were right," I sighed. "My father does beat me. He just finished with tonight's beating, and he wasn't even drunk."
"Did you tell Inuyasha?"
"I tried. But Sesshomaru answered, and he told me that Inuyasha was out running errands with his mother."
"…Do you want me to come over?"
"No. It's all right. Just don't tell anyone. Okay?"
"I won't."
"Thanks. Bye."
"Goodnight. Sweet dreams."
"Thanks." I pressed the END button and sighed again. Wow. I seemed to be doing a lot of that these days. I put my phone back in place and went over to my window. I leaned on the window sill and took in a deep breath of the chilly air.
I remember how sometimes I would look down all the way into the yard and wonder: How fast would I die if I jumped out of my window? Would I die slowly, my body numbed by the overwhelming pain? Or would I snap my neck and die quickly? On more occasions than one, I was seriously tempted to actually jump, but I never did. Except this one time when my father beat me so bad that I felt half dead. I actually jumped that one time, but while I was building up the nerve to, Inuyasha had already left his house and was speeding over as fast as possible. He caught me before I hit the ground ad carried me back into my room through the window.
Later he told me, "I had this feeling like I should come over to your house. I don't know why. I just did. I tried to ignore it, but the feeling just got bigger and bigger until I felt worried—terrified, really. So I came. And I'm glad I did."
"I'm glad you did, too," I had replied.
Again, I found myself asking if I would die slowly or quickly, and if I decided to jump, if someone would come and save me. I doubted it. I pulled away from the window and shut it firmly. I shook my head in defeat and made my way back to bed.
It was the middle of fifth period when she showed up.
She was pretty, and slender. Probably shorter than me by an inch or two, but unlike me, she had rosy cheeks and peachy skin. My skin was pale and sickly. Her long raven hair was pulled into a low ponytail and her blue-gray eyes sparkled beneath messy bangs. She wore a white blouse with tight, faded jeans and silver necklace with a dog charm.
Before the teacher could introduce her, Inuyasha blurted, "Kagome!"
The teacher looked irked. "Yes, as Mr. Takashi just shouted, this is Kagome Higurashi."
I blinked. So this was the Kagome that Inuyasha and Miroku had both dated. I never got to meet her, but I always wondered what she was like.
Kagome smiled and waved at Inuyasha, then made a quick beeline towards his desk. She sat down at the empty desk on his right and greeted cheerfully, "Hey Inu-chan. How are you?"
"I'm fine." He smiled in return and then said, "This is Sango Taijiya, by the way."
Kagome looked past Inuyasha and peered at me. "Hello. I'm Kagome." I nodded, my eyelids heavy. Turning back to Inuyasha, she asked, "Is she your boyfriend?"
I would've shouted, but I was too tired. So Inuyasha shouted for me. "Hell no!" he exclaimed in a shocked whisper. "She's my sister."
"You're…sister?" Kagome glanced at me again. "I find it hard to believe."
"Not biological, or adopted. We're just really close. It happened some time after you moved. She was in a car crash where her mother and younger brother died. She was pretty much the outcast of the school, then. So was I, I guess. We became fast friend cause of it."
"She doesn't seem very lively."
"There's a reason for that." He glanced at me for my permission, and when I nodded, he went on: "Her father beats her. At least once per night. So she has hard time getting much sleep."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Kagome apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to bring it up."
"No. It's fine." I tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve. "I have to tell you something." Quickly, I told him a summary of what happened the previous day and Inuyasha fired up.
"You let him drive you home!?" he hissed.
"It was either that or I get an even worse beating," I hissed back.
"Miroku? I wouldn't trust him, if I were you." Kagome had been listening the whole time, and I didn't give a damn. I mean, why should I? Inuyasha trusted her a lot, so I should too. "He broke up with a little…harshly, but I forgave him. I'm not the type to hold grudges. And anyway, he's like a brother to me now…kind of. But when it comes to dating, don't trust him."
I nodded, "I know. It's just…I don't know."
The day passed in a blur for me. A confusing blur. In Feudal History, Miroku sat next to me again, and he seemed to be flirting with me. Finally, I snapped, "Stop flirting with me! You already have a girlfriend!"
"Not anymore."
"…Why?"
"I broke up with Shima. She kept flirting with this jock." Miroku shrugged. "She's was too clingy anyway. Too demanding." He shook his head.
"And so you start flirting with me?"
"I told you that I liked you. Anyway, how are you? How bad did he beat you?"
"Pretty bad." I glanced around to make sure no one was watching, before slipping my right arm underneath the table and pulled back my sleeve. Miroku grimaced at the sight of the wounds. From my wrist to my elbow there were numerous cuts and scrapes from when he had thrown me against furniture or cut me with a knife. The cuts all ranged in sizes, and some crisscrossed over one another in unusual red patterns. The flesh around the wounds was somewhat swollen and bright red. Some dried blood that I had been too tired to wipe away still encrusted the wounds and clung to my skin. I pulled my sleeve back down and winced at the pain.
"That looks painful."
"It is."
I looked down.
"Hey Sango, are you free this Saturday?"
"Yeah, but I doubt my…he would let me go out."
"Yeah, well, still—would you like to go out…?" Miroku asked hopefully.
"…" I squirmed in my seat. My eyes swiveled to the clock. Five minutes. "Um…sure, I guess, but the only problem is getting out…"
"Isn't there a way for you to sneak out?"
"Well, I could tell him I have to go to the library to do some homework…" I suggested.
"Great! I'll meet you at the end of your street at seven-thirty, okay?"
I nodded meekly. "Okay…"
"Don't worry about anything, okay? Just look forward to having fun."
I nodded again, a little more confidently.
The bell rang, and I prepared to leave, but Miroku wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. I flinched slightly, but it was barely noticeable. I was already getting over my fear. Amazing. "Be careful around him, okay?"
"Okay."
Inuyasha's POV
"So, Inuyasha, I was just wondering…"
"Yeah?"
"Do you have any plans this weekend?"
"No. I'm free."
"So I was thinking, would you like to come on a date with me…?" Kagome blushed as she spoke, her rosy cheeks growing redder with each passing moment.
My ears twitched with excitement and my heartbeat intensified. "R-Really…? A-A date?" I stammered. I grinned widely, and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. "I'd love to!"
"Great!"
"So I'll pick you up at six-thirty, okay?" I clasped her hand in mine and looked into her silvery/blue-gray eyes.
"Alright, it's a date," Kagome agreed.
"I have to go, okay? I need to drive Sango home, or her father will give her a beating twice as powerful. But I'll see you tomorrow."
Kagome nodded. "So…um…Inuyasha, does this mean we're picking up where we left off…?"
I smiled warmly. "Yeah…yeah, it does."
SATURDAY: Sango's POV
I couldn't believe it. Saturday already. This week sure has flown by.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror. I had my hair pulled into a neat, high ponytail. Normally, I was too tired to brush my hair properly, but tonight, I made sure it was free of tangles. I had brushed my teeth until my gums stung and had made sure I got just enough sleep so some of the sickly look to my skin had gone. I wore a crisp red blouse I had borrowed from Ayame and a black skirt I usually wore for important events. Sleek black dress shoes I had purchased with what little money I had completed the outfit. Over the blouse I wore my sweater, so my father wouldn't suspect anything.
I left the bathroom and entered the living room. My father sat on the couch watching television and drinking a beer. He never looked at me. "I'm going to the library, now."
"Whatever."
"Okay then." I left quickly before he could call me back. He didn't even notice the library should be closed by now! The retarded baka!
It was cold outside. No—freezing. That's it, freezing. My ponytail was blown back by a piercing wind and it snapped and fluttered like a flag. I shivered, but forced myself to walk down the street to the corner. There he was. Miroku's sleek white Cadillac. He opened a window and waved, motioning to me to hurry. That's just what I did.
Inside of his car the air was so warm it made me think it was summer instead of winter. The snow and ice reminded me it wasn't, though. But it doesn't really matter, not to me anyway. I couldn't really care less what season it was.
"So where are going?"
"I was thinking a nice walk down by the lake. How does that sound?"
"Great, just great."
Inuyasha's POV
I felt my throat dry out and tighten as her front door opened and then closed. My breath was ripped away as she raced down the front path towards my car. Damn…she never looked so beautiful.
Kagome raced down the front path in a flurry of black as the hem of gorgeous silk ebony dress swirled around her. Her neat black dress shoes—which had obviously been polished to perfection—shone with an amber sheen in the slowly sinking sun, emitting a lulling thlump-thlump-thlump! A long black crystalline-bead necklace had been wrapped three times around her neck. Her blue-gray eyes flashed silver as, for an instant, a shower of moonlight danced around her.
She darted around to the passenger side of the car, thrust the door open, and hopped inside, bringing with her the chill of winter. She shut the door with slam! and grinned at me. She flipped her hair away from her face and asked cheerily, "So, where are we headed to?"
I took my time answering, mulling it over myself. I hadn't really planned much in my excitement to be reunited with her. I tapped my chin with my finger and mulled it over some more. "Hmm…" I said at last as I turned a corner. "How about…we go watch the sunset at the beach?" (Remember—they're an hour before Sango and Miroku!)
Kagome's eyes got this excited gleam to them that made me shiver with pleasure. "Oh! I'd love it!"
"Great. Let's go."
Sango's POV
I shivered as I stepped out of Miroku's car and into the icy winter evening. My breaths came out in misty-white puffs and already frost formed on my clothes and hair. I felt Miroku tap my shoulder. I turned and he pointed in the lake's direction. With a nod, I trailed after him as he led me to the lake.
An old, slightly rotting dock waded out into the water about ten or so yards. The wood was slick with patches of ice, and the uncovered parts threatened to give way at any moment. I held back, hesitant to step onto the dock and asked, "Are you sure it's safe…?"
"Hmm?" Miroku glanced back at me. He was already half-way down the dock. "Oh yeah. I'm positive. I've been out here a couple times two weeks back, and it still held strong then."
"Two weeks is a long time…"
"Not by much."
"…" I didn't say anything. I took and deep breath and decided I'd just have to trust him. It's been easier for me to do that these past few days. I stepped out onto the dock and shuffled forward a few steps. It was only after I caught up with Miroku that I realized I was holding my breath. Feeling somewhat silly for not trusting him completely, I continued down to the end of the dock without hesitation and sat down beside him at its edge.
From our position, our toes passed just inches over the chilling lake water, maybe centimeters. I peered into the darkening water and estimated it to be about twelve or so feet deep. I swallowed.
For the first time, I took a look at our surroundings and smiled slightly. The sun had almost vanished, and a swath of cream-and-amber coloration edged the sky near the horizon, before darkening out to a deep violet color, followed by deepest indigo, and finally inky black. The colors danced over the waters surface in multi-colored dapples. The glassy black water was mottled with patches of cream, gold, orange, and violet-blue. For a long while the colors played a game of tag on the lake's surface before the sun finally vanished and the moon took over, completely overpowering the beautiful array of colors with its silver light.
Small, dusty-yellow pinpricks specked the sky as the stars came out slowly, one-by-one, after the moon.
I leaned onto Miroku's shoulder and felt a little lightheaded.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah…just tired."
"Okay, then." Then he gently wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close.
The night seemed remarkably warmer than it had earlier in the evening.
Inuyasha's POV
I pulled up in the dirt parking lot of the beach, killing the engine once I had secured one of the many open parking spaces. Despite it being a Saturday night, the beach was deserted. Absolutely deserted. Perfect. It was as if Fate had planned this out for us!
I stepped out of the car and met Kagome at her side. I glanced toward the sun, which had begun to sink slowly towards the horizon, and then back at Kagome. Finally I said, "Here. Get on my back."
"Hmm? Why?"
"Just get on."
Kagome shrugged and moved closer. She gathered up the loose ends of her dress and pulled it back until the dress was wrapped tight around her legs. She bunched up the loose cloth and held it tightly in one hand before resting her free one on my shoulder and leaning gently on my back. I hoisted her up and then took off full speed towards a large, craggy canyon-like cliff.
In quick, short bursts, I scaled the cliff to its grassy tip. I set Kagome down gently on a patch of bright green grass before taking my seat next to her.
The sun had begun to set.
Already the water was awash in swirls of orange-red and golden light. A mixed shadow of theses colors swept out over the ocean's surface before fading into the darkened blue-gray/golden-ish water. A cool breeze swept towards us, blowing the scents of winter, approaching spring, and the salty ocean tang along with us. My nose was overpowered by the scents, but Kagome didn't even seem fazed. Obviously, since she's human.
By now, the final golden rays where fading, only to be replaced by the silver slivers of the rising moon. The milky rays danced across the water in a mass of swirling gray, chasing out the small lingering reflections of golden light from its domain.
Another wind blew towards us, and a flash of gray caught my eye. From the corner of my eye, I could see mine and Kagome's hair being swept back, the salty winds forcing them to mingle. For an instant, for one, fleeting instant, our hair swirled into a mass of pale silvery-gray/black.