Chapter 13
Here I am again. In the garden. But I know what to do this time. I began walking around the lit-up place, searching for him. Soon enough, I found him by a large tree, staring up into its branches.
"There you are."
I smiled at him as I approached, averting his attention to me. He didn't return my smile.
"Kagome. What are you doing here?"
Okay, kind if confused.
"What do you mean? Should I not be here?"
He sighed deeply and took a step closer to me.
"Kagome, what do you want from me?"
"What?"
"Can't you just stop toying with my emotions?"
"What on Earth are you talking about?!"
Even though his face was dark and hidden, I could see the somber sadness sweep over him.
"I thought you loved me Kagome."
"What did I do?"
"Please Kagome, just go. Just leave."
He turned his attention back to the large tree, his back to me.
"Wait! Tell me what I did!"
"Just…go."
Things started fading and I was moving back, the mystery man, the tree, and the garden becoming smaller and smaller.
"Wait! Tell me! Please!"
"Kagome?"
"Huh?!"
I leapt up, my eyes shooting open. I was in my bed, Ayumi and Yuka standing over me with worried expressions plastered on their faces. Eri was beside me, snoring away.
"Kagome are you all right?"
"I don't…"
Then a horrible pain throbbed and pulsed in my head.
"Ugh…"
I squeezed my eyes shut and cradled my head in my arms.
"Kagome!"
Ayumi's hand went to my forehead, feeling my temperature.
"She's not warm…"
"She's hungover Ayumi."
Yuka's stern voice told me she didn't approve of my drinking splurge last night.
"Oh…right."
"The lights…turn them off please…?"
I heard footsteps and a flick of a switch, making me peek an eye open to see if it was safe. It was. Safe and dark.
"Phew…thanks."
"We made you some coffee and we have some Advil for you too."
Ayumi eagerly handed me the things, trying to help anyway possible.
"Thanks Yumi."
I took a big gulp of my coffee and swallowed my pills, then relaxed into my pillow again.
"Kagome Higurashi, I cannot be quiet about this anymore!"
Yuka had stopped pacing around the room and stormed towards me, her finger pointed accusingly at me.
"You were extremely drunk last night!"
"No really, I hadn't realized."
"This is serious Kagome. You are only 16. You are not the legal age for drinking yet!"
"Can you stop yelling?"
A groggy voice grumbled from beside me. I guess Eri was awoken. Ayumi quickly passed her a cup of coffee and some Advil as well.
"And, you got poor innocent Eri involved in drinking too! She was way more drunk then you Kagome!"
"Yuka…my head…"
"Yuka, keep it down. They're in pain."
Ayumi stroked Eri's hair comfortingly.
"No Ayumi! They need to pay for their actions."
I groaned and rubbed my temples.
"Can you at least keep it down so my mom doesn't think there's a war going on up here?"
Yuka blushed slightly, but quickly regained herself.
"Kagome, Ayumi and I found Eri last night sharing a bottle of vodka with some random college boy!"
"So? It was a party, Yuka. Loosen up."
Oops. Wrong thing to say to her.
"Loosen UP?"
"My head…"
Eri cried and moaned, making Ayumi coo and fuss over her some more.
"Don't tell me to loosen up Kagome when I find my two best friends wasted at a strange place! I will not loosen up, thank you very much!"
"Okay, okay. Sorry for making you mad."
She huffed and crossed her arms. She stayed silent for a while, expecting me to apologize for being so reckless. I exhaled deeply.
"I'm not sorry for what I did, Yuka."
"Well why in the seven hells not?"
"Cause it was my choice to drink and I had a really fun time. So I'm not sorry."
"But you persuaded Eri to drink as well!"
"I drank on my own will, Yuka."
Eri mumbled.
"B-but…"
She seemed to have no more reasons for her side of the argument. Oh never mind, that's impossible for her. Here she goes again…
"But we're only 16! And we said we wouldn't get involved in that kind of stuff!"
"Yuka, we said that when we were 12. And besides, we're teenagers. It's like the teenage rule to get drunk at least once in your life."
"I've never been drunk before and look how well off I am!"
"Well actually…"
Ayumi piped up in a small, unsure voice. Would she dare to go against the almighty Yuka?
"There was that one time, in gr. 7. At your aunt's Christmas party? You had a lot of wine and were pretty tipsy."
"That's…different!"
"How?"
I rolled my eyes. This'll be good.
"My mom let me have the wine! I didn't sneak it! I didn't disobey my mother!"
"Yuka, you know how my mom is. I'm not going to lie to her. I'll tell her I was drinking last night and even if I don't, she'll be able to tell from my hangover. But the thing is, I didn't sneak it or disobey my mother either. She knew that I would drink when said I was going to a party. She trusts me enough to make whatever choice I feel is right for me and that's just how it works. So technically, I'm not at fault."
Yuka was at loss for words.
"Now, if you don't mind, all this arguing has made my head practically explode so I'm going to have a nap. Thank you for being concerned about Eri and me Yuka. You're a great friend. And thank you for the coffee Ayumi."
And with that, I closed my eyes and fell into a light doze, Yuka standing there speechless as I did so.