On Being a Pumpkin
Disclaimer: Sigh
Chapter 3: No One Remembers Your Name (When You're Strange)
Author's Note: I had a lot of people comment on the pen thing, and I feel I must confess that it really happened - to me - and it still embarrasses the hell out of me. pout
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You know, for a girl who has no hobbies (well, other than cleaning and homework) a month passed really fast. But I clung to that month with my fingernails. I kept telling myself that I had time. Yeah, I told myself that right up until the day I walked into class and saw him. Jerk – he had to actually show up, didn't he?
So, in my typical brave style, I strolled to my seat and sat down casually, or I looked at my feet and scooted to my seat, whipping out something- anything, to look at from my backpack – you pick. You see, stupid me has an awful tendency to get to class ridiculously early, and I was stuck there, just me, the teacher, and Sesshoumaru. Not good. I was so freaking nervous that I wasn't really reading the text book I'd found, just staring it down. Fortunately, nothing happened. For once in my entire existence, nothing happened. I could have cried from sheer joy. I mean, honestly, the last thing I needed to do was give that ass – piring adult more ammo. (Stupid step-mom)
I can't say that I was happy to learn that Sesshoumaru was teaching the class that day. Like I wanted to look at him! But I had to; he was just the kind of person to pick you out for not paying attention. Not what I needed. So, like the good little girl I am, I listened.
On a good note, the final sounded rather interesting. We got to choose poems, plays, prose, speeches, etc, to read for the class. Whoo - hoo! How could I mess that up? I was freaking reading it! More cause for joyful tears, my life was finally looking up. But I was forgetting one very important thing. Sesshoumaru was still tutoring my public speaking class; and that… POOPFACE is like walking bad luck for me.
Oh, it was all so innocent, I was engrossed in researching lyrics online – hey, I like music – and writing titles for possible songs in my notebook when Sesshy-boy just had to walk by. He did that annoying-teacher-hover-thing for like, five freaking minutes, then said in an all too innocent voice, "Switched to pencils, I see."
How I loathe thee, let me count the ways.
I would love to say that I had some sort of snide comment all lined up for his sorry self, but I think you know me well enough by now to know that I said nothing. Yup, I just sat there and simmered, willing him a million split ends in his altogether too perfect hair. Poopface.
I don't honestly know what it is about him that gets under my skin so. I mean, for Pete's sake, I'm the girl that gets picked on the most in this stupid school, why should five words from one guy get to me? I honestly don't know. Take Winterfest , for example. Have I ever told you about my enchanted evening at Winterfest last year? No? Well, Winterfest is a rather lame dance that my school holds around Valentine's Day every year. I wouldn't really know if it was lame or not, it was the first and only dance I ever went to but still, it was a dance. Somehow, I'd managed to get to go, and Sango and I went all out. Weird outfits and everything. To put it in perspective, Winterfest took place about a month from my delightful demonstration with a pen.
Anyway, we were dancing and having a great time, and even though I was at school and virtually surrounded by people I either didn't know or didn't care to know, I felt free. Dancing has always done that for me – not like I'm particularly good at it or anything, but I got lost in the music. It was Sango's hand that brought me crashing back to Earth.
"Kagome, look!"
She pointed to the corner of the room, and there, maybe fifteen feet from us, was Sesshoumaru. And he was staring. It made me very, very self-conscious, but then, my song came on. And so did that random fluke of courage that just loved to screw me over. So I got down with my bad self, but every time I turned or looked in his direction, he was staring, pointing, talking while starting/pointing. And I was beginning to get pissed.
By this point, I'd completely stopped dancing and was trying to find a suitable place to hide, either his dead body, or myself – it didn't matter, when Koga came up and grabbed my hips. He scared me so badly that I whipped around and belted him a good one on the face right as the music stopped. Yeah, the whole school just saw me slap the basketball star player – guy. And for those of you playing the home game, February = basketball season. Personally, I think that I should be able to slap him and get a reward, I mean – deer season, hurt deer, basketball season, hurt basketball players. But apparently, the world doesn't work like that. At all. It's a cardinal sin to do such things, little did I know – so when the next song started, no one danced, they just stared at the two of us. Yup… I made things go from bad (Sesshoumaru staring) to worse (everyone Sesshoumaru staring) once more. Ain't I great?
And the worst part was, Koga didn't even get the hint! Sigh – My life sucks.
So yeah, back to the story… I was having a rather hard time with it. Yeah, there were a lot of songs that spoke to me, but none of them really worked together. I mean, I wanted a theme to tie them all together – to make them make sense, but honestly, what theme? When the bell rang for the end of class, my frustration over a lack of topic was making more than happy to leave.
The rest of the day was pretty bland, and it passed in a blur of monotone teachers and bells. Home, though, home had few tricks waiting up her sleeve for me. There was a gi-normous parchment – parchment- envelope on our table. It was already open, and being the nosey little thing I am, I just had to read it. And was floored. It was an invitation to Sesshoumaru's engagement ball. But he wasn't engaged, oh no, he was supposed to pick a bride at this thing. Who the hell did that kind of thing?
I guess I owe you a little bit of an explanation before I go on. My little family is rich, but we look poor next to the Tashio's. They've had money in their family for years upon years. Koto says that with 'old money' like theirs, come old ways. So here, in the 21st century, Sesshoumaru's having a ball to pick his bride. How sad. Ah well, serves him right, I hope he gets a real bitch.
I tossed the envelope back to the table with a sigh and headed to my room, but shouts from the hall drew my attention. "But, Mom! I'm already dating Inuyasha! I can't go after Sesshoumaru, I'll look like a whore!"
Note she said "I'll look like a whore" not, "I love Inuyasha" I told you it was a bad relationship.
"It's no such thing. Your name was on the invitation just like Kaede's and Kagome's. And it's not like either of them have a shot at bagging Sesshoumaru! Kaede's too – well, plump," harsh, she's not plump, she's just not anorexic like Kikyo! "and Kagome's just Kagome, nothing special there." Oh, ouch. I mean, I know there's no great love between my step mother and myself, but at least she could say something lame like, 'The only way she'd sweep him off his feet is with her broom.' "Nothing special there." is just too harsh.
"Look, Kikyo, honey, Sesshoumaru stands to inherit his family's company – he's going to be filthy rich and Inuyasha's going to wind up just living off of him like a leach. Think it through; do you want the leach, or the source?"
Hey! Looks like Sesshoumaru's getting a bitch! But somehow, that didn't make me as happy as I thought it would. In fact, it kind of left me cold that Sesshoumaru, as much as I don't like him, was getting treated that way, like a check book and not a person. Sometimes, I really hate my family.
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Miko's Sorrow – I'm glad it's better. I am really sorry about that. But it makes me so happy to know that you enjoyed the last chapter!
Kagome Goddess Of Light - squeals like a four year old I thought I was just being weird with those bits, I'm glad some one liked them!
Platerair Queen – Oh yeah, the pen thing is awful. Your reviews are so kind, along with every other one I got, I just had to add another chapter before bed. Thank you so much.
LethiferousChatelaine – Ack! What'd I do to deserve a badger. Anyway, glad you liked it!
Sesshyangel – me glad you likey this ficcie!
PegasusRider – That makes me so happy to hear.
LiquidFusion38 – Wow, with all the Sess/Kags out there, I was afraid that it would be stereotypical, I'm really glad its not!
Triligy – Yeah, staying on topic can be a challenge for me, I like to jabber entirely too much. But thank you so much for your kind words.
Samanda Hime-sama - faints I think that's the biggest compliment anyone has ever given me. Excuse me while my circuits overload.
PiccoloJr212002 – Can do!
Blue Dove – High school, yeah. I mean, it's one of those things where you never realize how bad you've got it until you're out, and then you smile and say, "Hey, I never have to go back there again…" and the smile never fades.
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Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed. I love you all and want to hug you!