(Author's notes)

Dang, this is the second story I've updated today! I'm on a roll! XD (Story)

Rin was just going through an ordinary day at school until she was called by to stay behind for a few minutes.

"Rin, we won't have a full meeting today after school but I would still like for you and Sesshomaru to drop on by for a few minutes after school. Do you think that you can do that for me?" The teacher asked his student.

"Of course." Rin respectively replied. She then continued on with her usual day until the end when she went back to the empty English classroom with her two teachers there.

"What did you want to meet with us about, sir?" Rin asked her teacher. Mr. Oda then reached over for his briefcase and clicked it open.

"Well, actually, I thought that this might be a good chance for both of you. I was with a usual teacher meeting about local school activities and so on and so forth, and this came up in the meeting today. They described the program and I thought that this would be good for the both of you." Mr. Oda said as he pulled out a piece of paper from his briefcase. Sesshomaru and Rin both looked at each other with confused looks before taking a glance at the piece of paper that they read together.

Young Author's Contest

High school students from grades nine to twelve are eligible to submit either a poem or a small selection written in the 2010-2011 school year. Each author may submit only one entry and the work must be original. No plagiarizing. You will be eliminated from the contest.

There will be one winner from each grade level in the local area. The winner of the Local level will receive local bookstore certificates. Their work will then be submitted to the Regional level. If the author should win this selection, they will receive a $500 gift card from a select choice that will be presented to them. If the author wins that competition, their selection will then be submitted to the National level of this competition. The winner of the National competition will have the chance to get their selection published in a national author's magazine and win a $10,000 scholarship to any college of their choice.

"Rin, this will be good experience for you to publish one of your works and see if Creative Writing is something that you may like to continue with in the future. And Sesshomaru, I know that you're beginning applications to a few Liberal Arts colleges and you've already entered competitions like this before and won at Nationals; so I'm sure that if you win, the scholarship money will be a great help to you." Mr. Oda explained with laced fingers and his usual teacher-like face. Rin and Sesshomaru both nodded at him, saying that they understood.

"Excellent. Sesshomaru, you can keep that copy. Here's another one for you Rin. But don't think that you have to just jump right into this. We don't have to make submissions until two weeks from now, on October the 1st. So take your time and think about if you really want to enter this competition. If you do, then find some inspiration and make a few selections." Mr. Oda further explained as he handed Rin an extra copy of the Contest paper. Once again, Sesshomaru and Rin both nodded in agreement.

"Very good then. That was all that I wanted to discuss for today. Sesshomaru, you're busy tomorrow after school, right?" Mr. Oda asked.

"Yes sir. I have a Student Council meeting after school tomorrow." Sesshomaru replied back.

"You got that Rin?" Mr. Oda directed at Rin.

"Right. No meeting tomorrow then." She replied back as she carefully placed the Contest paper in her bag and flung it over her shoulder.

"Very good then. I will see you both in class tomorrow." Mr. Oda said as he stood up, signaling his dismissing them. Sesshomaru and Rin immediately left the room and headed out toward the front entrance.

"Sesshomaru, have you really entered this contest before?" Rin curiously asked.

"Well, not this contest exactly, but I have entered a few of them like this one, and yes I have made it to Nationals before." Sesshomaru casually explained to Rin.

Wow, he must be brilliant to be able to make it to Nationals.

"Do you think that you can make it again this year Sesshomaru?" Rin asked Sesshomaru. He paused in the hallway for a few moments, pondering his answer while Rin patiently waited for an answer.

"Well…I've never entered this competition before so the judging of pieces may be different. And everybody's got a different opinion on what a good piece truly is. So…I don't know." Sesshomaru calmly explained to Rin. She could only stared at him wide eyed at his humility in his obvious talent.

"What about you Rin. Do you think that you stand a chance?" Sesshomaru asked Rin. She then leaned against the wall and set her stuff down while trying to think of a good answer to say to him. It took a while, but she finally found the right words.

"You know what…now that I think about it…the more I completely agree with you. I mean, I've never entered a competition like this before. So, I know that I'm definitely going to enter without a doubt…but…I think that I just want this to be a test for myself. A test to see how far that my writing abilities can take me. If I can make it past the Local level then great! If not, it just means that I haven't done enough yet, and that I just need to continue to get my work evaluated like this until I've gained everybody's approval." Rin said with a small smile on her face as she stared at the floor. Sesshomaru didn't say a word. He couldn't say a word.

Such wise words from her…you're no ordinary freshman Rin Higarashi.

Rin then felt a large but gentle hand on her head and glanced up to se Sesshomaru smiling down at her.

"…My thoughts exactly…" He replied to her. He then lowered his hand from her, gently grazing her face with his fingertips as his hand went back to his side. Rin blinked a bit before she realized what he'd done, and slightly blushed. Her mind raced with something to distract her blush.

"Sesshomaru, I didn't know that you were on the student council!" Rin quickly exclaimed as she walked down the hallway. Sesshomaru shook his head, completely aware of what she was trying to do.

"Yes. It started a something just to fill in some free time, and now I'm a Senior Executive." Sesshomaru answered as he followed her.

"What is the Student Council up to at the moment?" Rin asked out of curiosity.

"It's preparing for the Homecoming as of right now. I'm the music manager this year." Sesshomaru replied back. Rin then swung back around and stared at him wide eyed.

"You like music?" Rin replied. Sesshomaru just casually stared back at her.

"Well, in instrumental aspects of it. I took Music Theory and Keyboard composition classes when I was in sophomore and junior year here. Then I made connections with a few DJ classes after school so now I do it as a part time job." Sesshomaru answered.

Sesshomaru as a DJ for a part time job! He must be so cool to be able to pull of something like that!

"Wait, so does that mean that you're DJ-ing for Homecoming this year?" Rin excitedly asked.

"Yes." Sesshomaru causally replied. Rin felt a big smile for on her face with excitement.

WOW! This is so cool right now! Wait 'till I tell Kagome!

"What about yourself?" Sesshomaru asked Rin. She instantly calmed down and answered him.

"Well, I used to take piano and violin lessons when I was younger. I'm also in Concert Choir class right before my Intro to Drawing and Painting class; so I guess you could say that I'm a bit of a music person." Rin shyly replied.

"Concert Choir, eh? Then that means that your first concert comes up around Christmas time, right?" Sesshomaru asked. Rin nodded back at him before she felt her phone vibrate. She flipped it open to reveal a text that she got from Kagome.

SIS! 4got 2 tell u, Sango had her MA tryouts 2day and I had 2 give her a ride! Want me 2 text Dad 2 c if he can take u home after ur meetin' 2day?

Rin glanced down at her phone and heaved a sigh in annoyance. Sesshomaru quickly replied to her reaction.

"Something wrong?" Sesshomaru asked. Rin shook her head in annoyance.

"No it's just…Sango had Martial Arts tryouts today and she needed a ride so, now I don't have one…" Rin replied back.

"I've got some time on my hands. Want me to take you home?" Sesshomaru asked. Rin glanced up at him, still having her phone open.

"You sure?" She asked.

"Positive." He calmly told her. Rin then confidently flipped her phone closed.

"Well, if you insist!" Rin said and she heaved her bag over her shoulder again before flipping her phone back open to a clean text page.

Nah. Sesshomaru is takin' me back again. C u later. Tell Sango good luck 4 me!

Rin then flipped he phone closed again and followed Sesshomaru to his Harley.

(Author's notes)

The Young Author's Contest was inspired by a real contest that I entered recently and won in the Local division. I'm actually going to be using the poem that I submitted as Sesshomaru's piece. Rin's piece is just going to be a selection that I did for a deep thinking session of mine; so be on the lookout for them! I'm quite proud of them both! ^_^