Hello my lovelies :)

Of course, I'm sorry for the late update. I really am. There'd been several things going on in my life that made it more hectic than a shopping spree on Black Friday.

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Now on with the chap ^.^

Bitter or Sweet?

Disclaimer: If I owned, would I be here? I think not :)

Chapter 18: Puppy Love

They say bad things happen for a reason
But no wise words gonna stop the bleeding
'Coz she's moved on while I'm still grieving
And when a heart breaks
no it don't break even, even no.

What am I gonna do when the best part of me was always you
What am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're ok
I'm falling to pieces, yeah

I'm falling to pieces…

~The Script: Breakeven

KAGOME'S POV

"He says he's already in love with someone else," Kirara explains, sprawled across Ayame's bed in a too-casual demeanor, munching on a box of strawberry pocky while watching a cheesy chick-flick on Ayame's flat screen. Of course, Kirara. Of course. "But he didn't mention who."

Sango purses her lips, deep in thought. "So he wasn't interested in you?" she repeated, just to make sure she'd gotten it right.

"Well, at first it was really awkward because he seemed all angry and stuff, but after he loosened up a little, he turned out to be a real gentleman. Surprisingly. He was actually fun to be around. But no, he wasn't dying to kiss me or anything. It was like those trial dates where two friends try going out, but there ends up being no chemistry, so to speak."

Ayame leans forward, steals a pocky, and sticks in into her mouth. "And you used the line we asked you to?" she mumbles, chewing. So it sounded like this: "Any yew pewsed ta line wee assed yew?"

Kirara nods, busily munching away, enchantingly glittering mahogany eyes glued to the television like a moth to a flame. "I told him I liked him, just like how we practiced, and that's when he said he was in love with someone else. So I pretended to seem deflated and made my way here. The end. Sorry I couldn't really be of much use, Kagome. But on the brighter side, the person he said he loves might be you, you know?"

I smile thinly, though I tried not to. "Or maybe he only said that to let you down gently. The whole, 'it's not you, it's me' thing. Oldest story in the book."

Kirara drags her gaze away from the movie to look at me in a sympathetic manner. "You should try confessing to him directly. Inuyasha's clearly not the smoothest with words, so you go ahead and make the first move."

Sango nods vigorously. "She's right, Kaggy. The fact that Inuyasha wasn't attracted to Kirara made the plan a success. Trust me, he's fallen deep, and he would probably jump of the Tokyo Tower for you if you said the word. I can see the way his eyes soften when he's near you, and even Miroku says-"

Oh dear, not again. "You guys!" I protest weakly. "Who said that I even liked him in the first place? You're jumping to conclusions." They all glare at me with such venom that I withdraw. "Okay, so maybe I've had a tiny, unconscious crush on him, but that doesn't mean anything special. Doesn't everyone have crushes in high school? I'm being completely selfish by forcing all of you to help me with my stupid 'love endeavor' so let's put an end to this. I admit to my infatuation. But that's where the story ends."

Let's face it. Falling for him? Kind of inevitable, considering my circumstances. Guy moves in. The guy's hot. His mother befriends mine, and hot guy and I end up spending wads of time together. It's so typical that in the end, my crush is unrequited. Then again, I deserved it. My punishment for crossing the boundaries.

So what if Inuyasha's smile makes my knees feel slightly funny?

So what if his embrace is warmer and sweeter than boiling honey?

So what if he's probably the only male alive who wouldn't immediately try to ditch me after being vomited upon?

So what if our kiss is the kiss I want to have for the rest of my life?

So what if I love Inuyasha?

I didn't think I did. A part of me still denies it. But I figured, why the hell would I worry so much about someone I didn't immensely care about? If I didn't love him, what does it matter to me whether he opens up to me or not? This is just how love is supposed to be, I suppose: irrational, stupid and hopeless.

But I refuse to be the naïve, love-struck teenager who falls at her knees before her guy like some pitiful damsel in distress.

No matter what happened, I will not be that girl.

I mean, come on: the whole swooning act? So not for me. I'll just end up making a fool of myself.

When I walk through the school gates the following morning, the first sound that greets my ears is the elegant verbal expression of Ayame's colorful vocabulary. Which is a very, very bad sign.

"Hey! Ayame!" I call, running over to where Sango is giving Ayame repetitive, soothing pats to her back. They look up and I see concern flash across Sango's warm, brown eyes. "Who did you beat up this time, Ayame?"

She scowls. "No one. But I sure as hell want to— need to. Fuck, I'm going to!"

I wince. "What's wrong, Ayame?"

Pausing, her eyebrows furrow a little as she stares at me, an apology embedded in those emerald irises. What's with all the pity I've been getting? What, did Inuyasha, like, broadcast to the world that he's not interested in me or something?

"It's just… I'm so pissed… At him… and me…"

Blinking owlishly in confusion, I tilt my head. "I really do wish I knew what you were talking about."

Sango sighs, flicking Ayame's ear, making her growl wolfishly, no pun intended. "This little hot-head had to go blabber off her big mouth to Inuyasha, that's what happened. And then he-"

Whoa.

Wait, what?

WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?

"Hey, excuse me for a moment, but what exactly did you tell him, Ayame?" I demand. "You better not have said something that made me sound stupid or-"

Ayame visibly deflates, spirit shrinking, luminous eyes glistening and pleading. Damn it. I can never get or stay angry at her when she pulls a face like that! Curse myself for having such adorable and irresistible best friends. "I said that you loved him and that he should ask you out."

"In l-love with him,? I asked, choking a bit on the 'L' word. What did I do to land myself in an unbelievably exasperating soap opera? The dramatic, sentimental stuff only happen in books and movies. I should know: that's my forte.

Damn it.

Things are supposed to be so much simpler in real life. What the hell's wrong with me?

I suppose I just happen to be the exception.

From the uncomfortable looks on their faces, I take a wild guess and decide that, while the chance of any normal friendship-relationship between Inuyasha and I has already been squashed and shattered into a million different pieces, nothing could really go too wrong. "So there's more, right? Alright, spill; what else is there?"

Ayame closes her hands into fists. "He's an asshole, Kagome. Don't even bother wasting your time on a jerk like him. I shouldn't have tried to intervene and help you two—he doesn't deserve you in the slightest. Because while you have your faults and flaws, at least you're a genuine person at heart. Inuyasha is an unfeeling bastard who couldn't be any vaguer. He can go fall into a ditch! I hate him! I actually thought he was different, Kagome. I thought…" She smiles bitterly, surprisingly me. "But I screwed up and scared him off."

I open my mouth, a million different questions on the tip of my tongue, but Sango quickly jumps in.

"What Ayame was trying to say, is that as a result of her mindless chatter, Inuyasha ran off like a little boy and grabbed himself the first girlfriend he could."

Ah. I get it now.

"So basically, Inuyasha's dating Kikyo," I summarize shortly and smartly, feeling shockingly calm and not taken aback at all. "Did I get it right?"

My friends nod, and Sango hooks a thumb over her shoulder. "That's why everyone's frenzied today. That, and the overdose of coffee. They're totally absorbed in the hottest new couple. It's absolutely ridiculous, in a way. You'd think they'd never seen a couple before in their entire lives or something; they're making it such a big deal, when it's really not. It makes me wonder if the majority of our school population has way too much time on their hands."

"Did you really expect anything different?" I add dryly. "Well, now we know who our prom king and queen are going to be a couple years from now. Wow. My life is so predictable, it's sad."

Sango makes a disgusted face. "When I think about the fact that I have to pretend to be in love with that donkey for our spring play, I get the urge to hurl. What he did the worst and most hurtful way possible to reject a girl's feelings. But you know what I know for certain? I am sick and tired of seeing his oh-so-perfect face. The next time you like someone, you're going to like someone right. Ayame, here, is going to make sure of that. Isn't that correct, Ayame, dear?"

"Shut up," Ayame mutters, rolling her eyes. "Stop trying to make me feel bad, Sango. I can see right through that itty bitty plan of yours, and it ain't workin' so quit it before I have to force you!"

"Psshh, you couldn't do shit to me," Sango scoffs.

"Oh, I love you both," I sigh, wrapping my arms around their necks, effectively cutting off their argument… by choking them. I swear Ayame's eyes practically bulged like a bug's. "But sometimes, I worry about both of your sanities… Promise me you'll get some help?"

"Ka-go-me!" Sango sings dangerously, reminding me of old times.

Old times where boys were the least of my worries.

I'm still so young. I don't need this drama. And as horrible as it sounds, I don't need Inuyasha. And he clearly doesn't need me. Although Kikyo isn't my favorite crayon in the box, if they're happy together, then the best of luck to them, I guess. I'll even bring in a box of chocolates (not poisoned) on their wedding day. If they even make it that far.

Yes, this is how it's meant to be: the popular girl gets the popular guy.

The lame best friends find their matching dorky princes in aluminum armor.

And they all live happily ever after.

Until someone, of course, dies.

After that, I avoid thinking about Inuyasha. Successfully, too, I'll add. Being so outrageously busy does have its… 'benefits.' If even that.

On rare occasions, Inuyasha and I do encounter each other, as we still attend the same high school, and due to the ever-lasting friendship between our mothers.

We exchange greetings, talk politely, smile, laugh, play along as if we were just two family friends, nothing awkward or real between them. The way it should've been since the day we met.

When we act so distant and stranger-like to one another, Inuyasha even seems nice.

Am I stupid for wishing that he'd treat me rudely again?

Uh, yes.

But it's not fair for me to wish for something so idiotic, since I'm unable to act like my regular self in front of him either.

But maybe he's not forcing himself to be civil in front of me. Maybe Kikyo changed him. You never know, after all. Besides, even I have to agree with the rest of the students at Shikon High that the two of them make a cute pair.

At first, both were stiff next to one another, as if only pretending and saying that they're boyfriend and girlfriend. Which Ayame was convinced was the case.

But as days slowly ticked on, they loosened up a bit, and the more and more I saw them, the more in love they appeared to be. Inuyasha's arm was always slung around Kikyo's shoulders, and she was constantly smiling up at him, eyes warm and sparkling. Scary and cringe-worthy, but… sweet.

I thought I must be delusional for actually falling for Kikyo's 'nice act' but with every time I look at her beaming face, the less positive I become of my resolve on Kikyo's twisted personality. How can a girl who stares at a boy so… wholly and sweetly and lovingly be faking? Whether she's evil or not, it's hard to believe that her relationship with Inuyasha is feigned.

But what's truly amazing is that although they obviously like each other on a sincere level, they don't overdo it, make a scene for attention, or make out in public. They're such a real couple, joking around with each other lightly and not too frequently, which in most cases would start to annoy people with time.

Now that they're together, I—Kagome Higurashi—the girl who was caught on camera by some stalker newspaper-club-boy was long forgotten, and honestly, I can't say I minded.

Even Sango and Ayame drop their resentment for Inuyasha. Somewhat.

Well… no, not really. Knowing them, they'd hold a grudge against him till the end of time.

"You're kidding me," Kirara says, chomping on a bar of chocolate. (How does she absorb all those sweets without gaining a single pound? Unbelievable.) "So, what, I went on that date with him for nothing? He just... randomly asked some other chick out and left you in the dust? That's horrible! And he seemed like such a gentleman, too. Bummer."

That was Kirara's initial first reaction when we updated her on my 'love life.'

"It wasn't as big of a deal as it sounds. He's just… not smooth with words, like you said. In fact, he even reads a lot, but he doesn't like to admit it… for example, he quoted from the Princess Bride before. I've told you guys he's actual a genius, right? But that he doesn't apply himself?"

"Yep, Kags, we've heard," Ayame chirps. "More than once."

"Wait, hold up!" Kirara protests. "So the girl he said he was in love with was not Kagome, but another person? Oh my gosh, this is getting kind of complicated, isn't it?"

Sango rolls over, lying on the edge of her bed. "Not really."

Kirara smacks her cousin gently. "It is so! Because I have this theory…" She stops, staring at me. "Hey, Kagome, did you know I'm going back to America tomorrow morning?"

Startled by her change in topic, I raise my brows. "Huh?"

"I'm going back home. In the morning. Tomorrow."

"What? Hey, that can't be right! We haven't even seen each other that much! What about our agreement to introduce you to Rin?"

She smiles sadly. "Aww, Kaggy, don't get teary. You know I'll visit."

"Yeah, but the last time you said that was five years ago," I sniffle.

Reaching over, she envelops me in a hug. Kirara smells like cupcakes, rainbows, and ribbons. If ribbons and rainbows had scents, anyway. I'm going to miss her bright neon socks, polka-dotted dresses, bows (which she glues onto everything), and her sweet-pea perfume… a fragrance that she uses so religiously, it might as well be named after her.

"I'll try to get away from Mom and Dad more often so I can sneak away to visit you guys. Maybe I'll get to meet that 'Rin' person next time. She sounds extremely interesting. I think we'd get along."

"Oh, trust me, you would," Sango mumbles under her breath.

"But as an apology to Kaggy for not being of any help to her on her conquest of love, I'll have a farewell-for-now gift ready for you by the time I leave to catch my plane. And I keep my promises."

"I should be the one giving you the present; you're the one who's leaving! Don't bother—"

"Alrighty then! Be prepared for the impact of my supreme awesomeness."

AN: Alright, so I made some minor changes: added a few things here and there, made it a tad bit longer.

This is the second upload of this chapter, because the last one was too disgraceful. I'd been forced to rush the content due to the fact that I was going on vacation and wouldn't be able to update there.

Thank you to Daichi! Seriously, she fights the battle of grammar for me. Super cool.

As always, hope everyone enjoyed the chapter… maybe-sort-of-kind-of liked it? :)

Daichi: Yes, I fight the battle of grammar pretty good, don't I? Well, I hope you guys liked the new-and-improved version of the chapter, so to speak. See ya in the next chapter!