Kagome

I spent Sunday watching romantic comedies in my pajamas, which is what I always do when I'm lost. My dad didn't bother me much, except to kind of apologize 'You know how stressed I am', and to ask me what was wrong – even he knew a romantic movie marathon was the aftermath of something bad.

Monday morning, my dad had finally given up trying to be sympathetic and gentle.

"You're going to school, Kagome, or if you want to sleep, you can do it outside."

Yep. So that was mainly why I was at school now. And the fact that when I'd dragged my lazy bunny pajamas outside to sleep on the lawn, he'd threatened to ground me.

"Here you are, school," My dad said now, reminding me yet again. "Come on, Kagome, look alive."

Of course I'd made half an effort to look good. I had to show Kikyou that I was above it. Except, as I noticed when I stepped out of the car, she didn't just look good, she looked every bit as spectacular as she usually did. She was gloating.

Choosing a route into school wasn't easy. Kikyou and her friends were standing off the side of the main doors, and she'd obviously gloat. I still couldn't believe she'd done that to me.

Just as I'd planned it out, Sango spotted me and hurried over. "Kagome, I'm so sorry about not being able to come over." She said hurriedly. She followed my eyes and spotted what I'd been staring hard at. "Kagome, you can't let her get away with this. You can't let her step all over you."

I ignored her and began walking towards the door.

She chased after me. "Is that what it's going to be like, for the rest of your life? Never knowing why she did it, how she could do it. Never knowing whether or not she was really your friend?" She called behind me.

I turned around. "I suck at confrontation." I admitted.

"You can do it, okay? Want me to come with you?" She asked, her worried brown eyes wide.

"No, no." I said quickly. That would only show her that I was scared of confronting her, which I was. "I'll do it alone." Just at the thought of it, my stomach began to churn. My legs felt weak. "Later." I added.

"Kagome," She said in a calm voice. "I know you. If you don't do it now, you'll go crazy with it for the rest of the day."

She did know me.

I took another deep breath, and felt like throwing up. "Don't be too far away, okay?"

"Of course." She said, squeezing my arm lightly.

Deep Breath. I took long, confident looking strides towards her, ignoring the feeling to cry. "Kikyou." I called.

She didn't turn, and continued laughing with her friends.

"Kikyou." I called again.

The girl in front of her, Kagura, flicked her eyes to me and regarded me with a bored expression. "Hey, Kikyou, someone wants to talk to you."

Kikyou turned, her china doll like face etched with irritation. "Oh, it's you." She said, disgust filling her tone.

"Kikyou," I swallowed. "Can I talk to you, alone?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Go on, Kikyou, your pet wants some time alone with you." Kagura said behind her.

"Fine, but we're not going far." She warned. She followed me a few meters away. I cast Sango a desperate expression. "What?" She snapped finally.

"I saw you, with Inuyasha." I blurted out. "How could you do it, Kikyou? I thought we were friends! I can't believe you went behind my back like that and stole my boyfriend. Do you even know how it felt?" I said, my voice raising in desperation.

She scowled in disgust. "Don't even give me your little guilt speech, Kagome. Like you weren't doing the exact same thing with Naraku."

The cold words hit me. "What?" I asked, blinking. "Naraku? You saw that?"

"What, so you aren't so high and mighty now that you're the one caught, right?" She demanded to know.

"I didn't kiss him! He kissed me, okay? He grabbed me and forced me into one." I protested.

She gave a disgusted grunt. "Are you kidding? Naraku wouldn't be interested in you if you were naked, okay?" She looked me over. "You know what, why would anybody be?"

Now I really felt like crying. "I didn't do anything wrong. And this isn't fair."

She rolled her eyes. "Grow up." She spat, before turning around and walking back to her friends. I watched her turn her head to regard me, and then laugh to her friends.

"Bitch." Sango said, as she came to join me.

"I just want to go home. I can't do this." I said, as she pulled me through the doors.

"Yes, you can. You have to show them that you're stronger and bigger and better than this."

I hugged her, smiling weakly. "Catch you later, okay?"

"Feel better." She said, squeezing my hand.

I left her there, and went up the stairs to my locker. This part would be hard. Inuyasha always met me at my locker before class.

"Hey,"

He was there, looking as innocent and happy as always.

I barely looked at him. "Hey."

"I missed you." He added.

"Right." I unkindly twisted my lock open.

"What's the matter?" I turned to look at him, my face hard and set. I looked at his face, stared into it hard, trying to find something that I once loved. It was there, and it was so hard. I stared into his eyes, mine filling with tears. "Kagome?" He asked again.

"Nothing, I'm cool. You know what," I said, turning my face away. "I'll meet you after school, okay?"

He stood there uncertainly. "You're okay?"

I nodded rapidly.

"Fine."

He left me there, at my locker.

"Hey, beautiful."

I ignored the chills that ran through my body at his dark, low voice.

"Get away from me." I said, without turning around.

"You know what," He said, putting his hands on my waist. "That hurts. Especially now that we've established this new, intimate relationship."

I shoved out of his touch. "Don't touch me." Something about the way he had had set something off in me. Maybe it was a subconscious warning, telling me he wasn't who he seemed to be.

"Really, beautiful, I think you should start warming up to me soon, or I might just have to do something." He breathed behind me.

"Like what?" I challenged.

"Oh, I don't know." He ran a cold fingertip against my neck. "Maybe hurt you a little. Or a lot. Why don't you choose a way to die, Kagome? I could make it happen."

"Are you threatening me?" I gasped. A grip on my hand prevented me from running away.

"No, of course not." He said, with a smile.

I ripped out of his hold. "Don't touch me, Naraku. I'm serious. If you ever touch me again, I'm going to the authorities." Then, I walked quickly away while he laughed.

………………………..

I pushed out of the school, my skin meeting the cool air as I did. I took a deep breath. School had been hard. Maybe too hard.

"Kagome." Inuyasha's familiar voice came to meet my ears.

"Hey." I said. "I need to talk to you."

He smiled. "Talk."

"Do you love me?"

His gaze had trailed behind me. Just as soon as I noticed it, he looked back at me. I whisked around, determined to find it. He'd been looking at Kikyou.

"Sorry, what?" He asked with a smile.

"Do you love me?" I demanded.

He hesitated. "I do." He said slowly, like it was a trick question or something.

"I know what happened." I said honestly. I watched as his expression went from confused, to surprised, to a hard, set face. "I went to see you, on Friday, after school. I saw it. Don't lie to me."

He was about to protest, but his face changed. "Kagome," He started. "I would never want to hurt you. What happened had been a mistake, and I know that now. You're everything I've ever wanted in a girl, and I see that now, after all of that. Don't you see? It just made me realize how much better you are." He smiled, satisfied with what he said.

But I was shaking my head, tears threatening to cloud my vision. "You had to do that – to hurt me – to realize how you really felt about me?" I asked. His eyes widened. "I don't understand, Inuyasha. Make me."

"You have to believe me, it never meant anything except for a temporary feeling. Trust me."

"How?" I asked, shaking my head again. I couldn't stop. Everything he said was so unbelievable. "How do I trust you?" I took a deep breath. "Why don't we just…stop? Let's just…"

"Kagome," He started.

I closed my eyes. "Hey." I froze when I heard the voice. It was him, and he looked so good. His hair was wet again, and water was still dripping off his neck onto his loose open necked shirt.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha demanded.

He ignored his brother, and bent down to whisper 'Let's Go' in my ear. Taking my hand in his, he tugged softly and I was already following him.

"Kagome." Inuyasha called helplessly behind me. "Don't do this."

Sesshomaru cast an irritated look behind us, and did what he did best. Which was to push me against the side of the school and kiss me like his life depended on it. If it wasn't for him holding me so tight, I probably would have fallen, because my legs were gone. His arms were tight around the small of my back, holding on to me as the rest of my body gave in.

His lips brushed against my ear causing chills to pass through my body, but the good kind. "You're with me now." He whispered roughly before he pulled away. His hand tight around mine, he pulled me forcefully away.

"Where are we going?" I asked finally. I was breathless, having to work much harder at catching up to him.

"I don't know." He said.

I pursed my lips. "Why did you even do it?" I asked.

He didn't answer, and kept on walking.

"Sesshomaru."

"What?"

"Why did you do it?" I repeated.

"What?"

"You know," I said, feeling heat on my face. "What we did."

"I thought we established," He said. "That it wasn't a mistake. Was it?"

I wanted to say no. I really did. "I don't know." I admitted.

"I did it," He said slowly. We turned the corner of the sidewalk, where a car was parked. I recognized it from Inuyasha's driveway. He reached into his pocket and pulled out car keys. "because you were interesting."

"Oh." Talk about a let-down. He unlocked the doors and held it open for me.

He looked me in the eyes. "And because I thought you were different. I still do."

"Oh." I climbed in, and he slammed the door.

"I guess I did it because I liked what I saw in your eyes, the other day," He said, getting into the car. Then he groaned. "I took advantage of you, but I'm not apologizing for it. I honestly didn't mean to. I just wanted to kiss you. But you have no idea."

"What?" I asked, confused.

He shook his head and started up the car, propelling it forward suddenly.

"Where are we going?" I asked again.

"My city."