Enjoy

I glare violently at the math problem before me. ' How dare he! I mean the honest nerve of that man…Who does he think he is…..kissing me as if…as if I sanctioned it…..the audacity!'

"Elizabeth!"

"What?!"

The class snickers as Mrs. Jones raises an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, was I disrupting an important daydream?"

My face goes red, "No, ma'm…my apologies."

"First you have the nerve to come late, and now you are blatantly ignoring my class. Do not make me regret giving you that recommendation."

I sink lower in my chair as she turns and continues the lesson. Already, that kiss is causing devastating consequences. Perhaps, Inuyasha was right. My heart lodges itself in my throat.

Inuyasha….

What will he do if he finds out...What if he discovers I agree to another date…..He'll never forgive me….

I cannot betray him again….I just can't.

The bell rings, and I gather my belongings.

"Are you ok?" Iggy asks as we step out in to the crowded hall. "You've been acting weird since lunch."

"I'm fine…just…I wasn't too concerned with Trig today."

"Uh-huh."

"What?"

"Nothing. Hey why don't you come with me to the arcade after school. I have some friend I want you to meet."

"Friends? Why can't I meet them now?"

"I told you, most of my friends don't attend this school. Just meet me out front at the end of the day ok."

"Fine."

I wave goodbye and head down the hall.

"Hey, Elizabeth."

My mouth twitches in slight irritation as I turn around and begin to walk in the other direction.

"Go away." I say harshly at the image of Bankotsu in my peripheral.

"Why?"

"Because." I say simply as I struggle to open my locker.

"Because why?"

"Because, I can't be seen with you."

He leans against the adjacent locker, "Is it because we kissed?"

"Shut-up!" I look around to ensure no one heard, "Keep your voice down!"

"Oh, sorry." He begins in a whisper. "IS IT BECAUSE WE KISSED?!"

I smack him with my trig book, and he laughs.

"You may find this amusing, but I do not."

"If I didn't know any better, I think you were ashamed of me."

"VERY!" I say slamming my locker shut and begin power walking to class. Bankotsu falls in perfect stride next to me.

"I don't see why. It was just a kiss."

I try to hide my face from those passing by.

"Now, I could understand if…say….I went around telling everyone we were dating."

I freeze and look at his arrogant smiling face mortified.

"You wouldn't dare…"

"I wouldn't, but I mean…unless you wanted me too."

I step up to him and in a low growl I say,

"We are NOT dating, we will NEVER date, and even IF I wanted too, I could not because that is not how things work. Now, GO AWAY. I CAN NOT be seen with you."

Bankotsu looks around the semi-crowded hallway.

"You're talking to me, out in the middle of the hallway, between classes. If discretion is what you were going for that's been shot to hell. Plus, we have the same class right now. Two classes, in fact, if you count homeroom, so really," He gets closer to me, "you can't escape me."

I shake my head suppressing a smile.

"I'll be seen in the same room with you, but I can't be seen WITH you, ok?"

"Then what are you going to do about our date. You're not backing out of it."

The first tardy bell rings and I flinch, "You are destroying my perfect attendance." I say as I continue to speed walk down the hall. Bankotsu grabs hold of my arm and I hiss.

"Let me go, this instant."

"This new 'don't be seen with Bankotsu' thing has to do with that runt brother of yours, doesn't it?"

"Watch it." I growl snatching my arm, "And no, I am doing this because I don't know anything about you. You could be a murderer for all I know."

"Well, instead of running away, you could just get to know me."

"That is exactly what a killer would say. 'Come see for you self.' And then I'm found in a ditch somewhere three days later."

"Is that really what you think of me?"

"No, but I will not rule anything out just yet."

"Well if you would take time out o get to know me, you'd discover that I'm pretty amazing." He brushes off some lint from his clothes.

"Your modesty is awe-inspiring." I say flatly.

He smiles, "Yeah, I'm pretty great aren't I?"

Despite myself, I chuckle.

The late bell rings, and I give a mortified groan.

"Oh! My record! Do you not see what a horrible influence you-"

My books fall from my hand as he pulls me closer to him, deepening the kiss.

I come out of my haze after a minute or so and begin to bang on his chest. He breaks the kiss and catches my hand before it connected with his face.

I quietly stare in to his cobalt blue eyes for a minute before slipping my hand from his grasp.

"No." I say as if reprimanding a child, "No!"

"Ok, so the beginning of September is when clubs and sports start kicking up."

"Clubs?"

"Yeah, you know after school organizations and crap like that to keep us rowdy horny youths out of the streets."

"Uh-huh."

I pay for my meal after Iggy, and we exit the small diner and head towards the local arcade.

"So will you sign up for anything?"

I sigh, "I am not sure. I will start tutoring during study hall tomorrow, but Sango has been courting me to join her soft ball team. "

"Go for it. If what I heard about the dodge ball incident is right, you got a pretty mean arm."

"Yes, well that was more a product of fatigue and irritation rather than skill. I do not think I will be able to maintain those results throughout a game."

"Never know until you try."

"What of you? Are you going to try out for something?"

We cross the street and Iggy shrugs.

"I've been eyeing that photographer position for the school paper for a while now, I might do that."

"You should, you take wonderful pictures."

"Maybe."

I step in front of her and cross my arms, "Iggy, promise me you will take that position."

She give a nervous laugh, and her small frame shrinks back a bit, "Ok, I'll submit some pictures. You don't have to go all Xena on me."

"Who?"

"Never mind."

I make a mental note of the name 'Xena' to look up later, and we continue to the arcade.

"Tell me about these friends of yours?"

"Oh, well they're pretty rowdy, but for the most part their good people."

"Exactly, how many are there."

"A lot, but really it's like three who I talk to on a daily basis. Let's see….there's Ginta, he's a bit skittish and really not all that bright, but he's pretty loyal when you need him to be. Then there's, uh Hakkau who's really sweet and just as loyal. I usually play video games with them, and we sometimes stroll through the mall."

"And what of this third friend?"

Iggy's face goes red slightly, "Oh…well…yeah….he…he's…..I guess you could say he's the leader or something like that….he's cool people though…yeah…."

I raise a brow, "What of his name?"

"N-name…oh yeah….um….it's…..Koga." Her face goes even brighter, and I begin to laugh.

"Is there something about this Koga that you wish to share with me?"

"What….n-no no way…no….Look we're here!"

Iggy snatches the door open with more force than necessary as though that will stop my inquiries. I glance around the open room at the throng of young acne ridden adolescents and middle aged men trying to recapture their youth through nostalgia.

"Yo! Iggy!" I suddenly see Iggy smile harder than I've ever seen her smile before as she waves to a large crowd at the back of the dark noisy arcade—specifically to a very handsome man in the center of the crowd.

"Koga!"

The crowd then lets out a uniformed howl to which Iggy responds. I try to stay close to Iggy, but her small frame made it easy for her to weave effortlessly through the crowd to the handsome man in the middle sitting atop a broken pinball machine as though it were a throne .

I raise my guard as I make my way through the demon wolf pack to Iggy and her 'friend' in the center.

"So who's the little princess?"

My lip twitches at the mocking tone of the one named Koga's voice. I direct my eyes to him noticing that he was the same age as me. His long jet black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and an ash grey head band covered his forehead. He wore ash grey cargo pants, black and white tennis shoes, and a dark red shirt with the words, 'thug life' in venom green and graffiti font.

Hoodlum.

I think narrowing my eyes at him.

"This is my good friend, Elizabeth. Elizabeth, this is-" Iggy clears her throat a bit, "This is Koga. I was tell you about him…earlier."

Koga eyes me carefully before hoping off his machine, "So tell me, princess, where are you from?"

"I do believe my friend Iggy enlightened you to my name which is Elizabeth, NOT princess."

He begins to circle me as though he were the predator, and I the prey.

"Well, since you are on my turf, I can call you whatever I want."

I cross my arms, "The last time I checked the name of this establishment was Ringer not Koga's turf. Therefore, you will address me as a gentleman should, or you will not address me at all."

He stops in front of me and laughs, "Big talk for a harmless little lap dog."

"What-pray tell- makes you think I'm 'harmless'?"

"Oh, where to begin." He takes a small step back as if to take in all of me. "You're clean, clothes are probably made from the finest material and tailored to fit you to perfection. Your shoes are so well polished I can practically see my reflection in them even in this dark room. Your nails are filed and manicured, your teeth are white and clean, your hair is brushed, scrubbed, fluffed, and-" He leans forward and takes a couple of sniff at my hair before I swat him away. "Smells faintly of lavender. You can't get like that from living on the streets, so you're harmless."

I roll my eyes, "The only thing you've proven is that I take great pride in my appearance as well as my personal hygiene. One does not have to look like you to be considered a threat."

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

I smirk, "Your clothes are faded and filthy, your hair is matted slightly with gunk and dirt, you look as though you have not seen soap and water in three days and-" I lean forward and sniff him slightly, "smell as if it's been eight, and your breath is far from smelling like fresh cut green flowers spewing over a babbling brook, and yet…. you intimidate me not.

He steps closer to me, "You're harmless because you're a dog."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. You're a dog, a sad inferior version of me. I'm a wolf. I'm bigger, faster, and stronger. Overall, wolves are just naturally magnificent."

The pack howls around me in agreement, and I sneer.

"The only thing magnificent about you or your 'pack' is your stupidity…and smell."

A wolf growls lowly in my ear behind me, and I snarl back at him; Koga, however, either did not hear me or chose to ignore my comment.

"I mean you dogs have allowed yourselves to be domesticated by humans. To be their servants and slaves, to be trained, beaten, and abused for their entertainment. While we wolves-" The pack howls again, "stay true to our natural instincts and stay close to nature."

"It exclaims, standing in an arcade building within a city."

He sneers at my cheeky remark, "Where I am now is doesn't matter. The point is I can live on far less than you ever could. So face it, PRINCESS-" He grabs my chin lightly, "you're nuthin' but a harmless little lap dog."

I growl as I slap his hand away, "Touch me again and the 'harmless lap dog will rip your throat out with her bare hands."

Koga smiles at me our face mere inches apart, "and I'll rip yours out with my bare teeth."

"I'd like to see you try."

We go silent as his blue eyes lock with my amber ones and then, they all begin to laugh. Koga steps back chuckling, "I like her, Igs. She's got spunk."

I don't bother trying to hide my frustrated confusion as I look over to Iggy who happily slaps me on my back.

"Great job, Elizabeth. For a second there I thought you were actually going to claw his face off."

"It's still too soon to say I won't."

"Easy there tiger, I was just testin' ya that's all. Got to make sure the person hanging around Iggy can stand their ground and not back down from a challenge. Ya passed."

"And I knew you would." Iggy adds smiling. "You've got the Koga clan seal of approval."

"Oh what joy! Words cannot begin to express the RELIEF I feel now that I have been APPROVED. Perhaps this will TRULY be the end of my sleepless nights."

"Cheer up, princess. I didn't mean to offend you. I just have to make sure my clan members are protected, and since Iggy goes to a different school, I gotta grill the people she hangs out with harder than I normally would."

"Yes, well, as much as I would love to stay and continue being the butt of your jokes, I have far more pressing matters to attend to at home."

"Aw, come on Elizabeth, don't be like that.' Iggy tugs on my sleeve, "We were just having some fun."

I gently move her hand off me. "I am not offended; I just have to stop by the mall before I head home. I will see you tomorrow."

I stand at the little bow tie stand within the formal wear boutique, examining the red and blue ribbons in my hand. Clearly, a black will be for when he is older because it will compliment well with his white feathers during formal occasions, but now…..I'm not quite sure what goes well with yellow….

"Can I help you with something ma'm?"

I look up at the associate and smile.

"Yes, which color do you think will go well with yellow?"

"Blue is the complimentary color for yellow, but I have seen people do yellow and grey or yellow and spring green. My personal favorite is yellow and turquoise."

"Oh, that would be lovely on him! I would like a turquoise, but make it a bright shade. Also, I need a black—for formal occasions—and throw in an orange for a more summery feel."

"Great, do you want a white as well?"

"No, that will be to easter-y. Oh, and give me a deep purple. Yes, that one is fine. That won't be till he's older though, and his white feathers come in."

The woman nods as she rings up the total, "W-wait….feathers?"

I smile brightly at her as I set the exact change in her hand and grab my purchases. "Thank you so very much for your assistance."

"The sentiment is sweet, but Bankotsu isn't much of a bow tie kind of guy."

I turn, "For your information, jako-"

I freeze at the sight before me. Jakotsu's hair was down and wavy with some of the waves covering his right eye. He wore a pair of stark white jeans and brown leather belt, a soft baby blue button up shirt with brown buttons and brown shoes. The first three buttons of his shirt were undone and his sleeves were pushed up to the crooks of his arms.

"Hell hath truly frozen over, for Jakotsu actually looks like a boy."

"Haha, you're so fucking hilarious."

"The only thing that really ruins it is the very faint hint of makeup."

"Are you done, yet?"

I eye him a bit more, but no other jab comes to mind, "Yes."

He snatches my bag and begins to go through it. I try to grab it back but he lifts it up over his head and out of my reach."

"There is nothing in there for you or bankotsu, so return my items immediately."

"Then who are they for?"

"None of your business, that's who."

"Oooooh, I'm telling Bankotsu you're getting another man gifts."

"It's not for another man."

Jakotsu's eyes go wide and sparkly, "Are they for Inuyasha!? Is he posing nude for a magazine and is only allowed to wear bowties?!"

I shutter and gag at the imagery, "Yes," I say choking back vomit, "You guessed it."

He squeals, "Will you get me a copy?"

"Not if you don't give me my bag."

He lowers it, but lifts it up back up as I reach for it.

"You are very cruel. There's no magazine."

"You said it not me."

"I'll tell you what. I give you back you back if you agree that we are even."

"Even?"

"I don't like owing anybody anything, and currently I owe you."

My brow furrows for a moment before I suddenly realize what Jakotsu is referring to. "DO you honestly think me saving you from unimaginable fluids is on the same level as you returning something that is already mine!?"

He shrugs, and I give off a frustrated sigh as I find myself back in another unfair predicament.

"You and bankotsu are nothing but a couple of dirty bamboozlers."

"Soooo….are we even?"

"I should have let you open that locker."

"Buut you didn't." he says in a sing song voice. He starts to walk off with my purchase. I quickly follow. "You see, Elizabeth, that's your problem, you're too nice."

"Nice has nothing to do with it. I am positive that if I were in the precise same predicament, you would the same noble deed."

"Mmmmmm, no; not really."

I manage to grab my bag from him after he unknowingly lowered it with in my range, "Well then, I will keep that in mind next time. Now if you would excuse me, I need to get home."

"Doesn't matter, we're even now."

"I never agreed to that."

"Yes, you did."

"If you recall, all I said was that I should have let you open you locker."

His cheeks puff out in frustration, and I gracefully dodge his lunge at my parcel as if I were a matador, and he the bull. I smile, "I would have simply accepted a thank you as payment, but now," I fix my uniform top and smile sweetly at him. "I will take in too deep consideration how you will repay me."