Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, any songs, or Erin and Yaten
I had absolutely no plans to update this story so soon, but I had finished reading this amazing book (How To Say Goodbye in Robot-sad, but amazing) at 2:30 in the morning and I closed my eyes to go back to sleep when all of a sudden, I saw this entire chapter in my head. It played just like a movie. So then I had to write out the outline for this chapter and then actually start writing the chapter. I was sitting on my bed with a flashlight in my mouth trying to write as much as I could before sleep claimed me. I was up until 3:30 (and I have to get up at 5:20 to get ready to school) writing and I spent all of my classes this week writing instead of paying attention (FINALS ARE NEXT WEEK TOO!). So, anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Walking Tightropes
Chapter 9: Distractions
The Odd-Ball Olympics is the first and last big event I am throwing for this school. I don't know how student council does it; planning events is tiring.
-x-
"Kagome Higurashi, you are a genius."
I looked up from the notebook I was writing my latest short story in to see Yoko standing over my desk, grinning at me. She slapped a flyer for the Odd-Ball Olympics down on my desk and it finally clicked.
"Oh, no, I didn't really come up with that. Not by myself at least; Inuyasha helped me come up with the original idea. The entire staff helped come up with different events."
"Okay then, you're both geniuses," Yoko waved off. "Every time I see one of these on the back of a bathroom stall I can't help but get excited. Seriously, this is the best event of the year, no since Shikon opened." Yoko went to take her seat behind me and I turned around to keep talking to her. After we worked in that group together last week it was impossible to not talk to Yoko. I eventually gave up putting myself through the trouble of trying to be short with her. "And I get a flyer every day without fail. Shikon Times has definitely mastered the art of advertisement."
"Yeah, well it's not easy getting up early to get here as early as possible to stuff flyers through the slits of every locker." The entire staff had to be here at 6:45 so we could split up and put flyers in every locker and nobody liked it. Kikyo was ready to wring my neck after her third day of having to get up at 4:30 (if she just cut back on the amount of primping she does in the morning, she wouldn't have this problem). "And the members that get stuck with the job of printing all the flyers at Tsubaki's every afternoon aren't exactly happy about having to deal with constant issues with their copier. But whatever," I shrugged. "It'll all pay off when we get to actually keep publishing the paper."
"Dai and I will definitely be there," Yoko promised. "Dai... he's really into the paper. Especially the 'Letters to the Editor'."
As if I didn't know that already.
"I'm holding you to that."
"I will be there," Yoko repeated. "So..." Yoko glanced over her shoulder quickly, "are you really okay with the prizes? You know, with Inuyasha?"
No, but it's not like I was going to admit to that. As long as I live in denial I will be able to handle the fact that Inuyasha will be kissing who knows how many girls for an entire week. You don't have to face your problems if you never admit to having any.
"I'll be fine," I told her. Seriously, who cares if Inuyasha is going to be giving out kisses and I can't even compete for one because I'm a stupid contestant? Girls paying to be kissed are just desperate. "It's not like we're dating or anything."
"Yet," Yoko pointed out as if my future was set is in stone. You, Kagome Higurashi, will date Inuyasha Takahashi.
The bell rang and I turned to face the front, pulling out my homework (more analyzing of poems). I was surprised when Inuyasha slid into the seat next to me, his shirt wrinkled and his hair a mess. He didn't show up to school this morning, so I had to eat breakfast alone. It didn't occur to me until this morning that I still don't have Inuyasha's phone number so I wasn't able to call to see if he was okay. We talked to each other so much when we saw each other it never occurred to me that I should probably get his number.
"Where were you earlier?" I asked as Mr. Vyke shut the door and the class slowly began to settle down. "You missed Calculus."
"I skipped Calculus," Inuyasha corrected me, digging through his book bag for his notebook. "I was on my way out the house when I was just hit with this amazing idea for a new song. Mass inspiration, if you will. So, before I could lose my thought, I had to write all the basics down and then I couldn't stop with just the basics and I started working on the harmony and then-" Inuyasha took a breath. "I just got caught up in my own little world. I would have called you but I don't have your number."
"Yeah, we should definitely trade numbers." I thought of us staying up until the one in the morning, just talking to each other on the phone. "Definitely."
"After class." Inuyasha dropped his notebook on his desk and flipped through the pages of what looked to be lyrics to me. "What was the Calculus homework?"
"Is there a point of telling you when you're just going to copy Sango's or my own homework?"
"Kagome," Inuyasha looked me in the eyes, "I have to do some of my homework on my own if I want to pass this class. I need passing grades for college."
I shook my head and told him the page numbers for tonight's homework. Mr. Vyke walked to the front of the class and immediately started talking about the poem we were given last night for homework. I immediately zoned out. I hate poetry.
I looked down at the flyer Yoko had left on my desk and sighed. Everyone was talking about the Odd-Ball Olympics which is a good thing when it comes to Shikon Time's funding, but it sucks for me. I didn't realize how much planning I have to do for this event. I have to organize the events, make sure each committee that is in charge of each day has all the needed materials, and I had to constantly change the list of which staff members were participating in which events because somebody is always changing their mind. It is really hectic in the "newsroom".
And then there is still a problem with the whole carnival thing. I still need to find a venue that will allow us to set everything up and won't charge us too much. And then there is planning where everything will go. And I still have to ask Inuyasha how he is coming along with getting the carnival games. I never brought it up when we were just hanging out together or eating breakfast because I don't like ruining our time together with "work".
It's not like the paper is put on hold either. People still have to make deadlines and I still have to edit the pieces after the editors for each section edited and then I have to work on the layout and get the photos in. Of course, if Aki ever took a fucking good photo for once, I would also be able to cut out the time I have to spend begging Bank to slip the paper some of the pictures that were supposed to be for the yearbook. Thankfully, not all of our photographers suck. This week is a publishing week, which means I have tons of articles to look over, too many "Letters to the Editor" in my inbox, and all of this on top of the crap load of homework my teachers love to give.
I put my head down on my desk as Mr. Vyke droned on and on about the elements of a sonnet. My head hurt. My eyes were heavy and it was only Tuesday. There is no way in hell that I'm going to be able to survive this week.
"You see, Kagome," Inuyasha whispered as I started to close my eyes. "This is why people drink coffee. Strawberries don't give you that energy burst."
"At least my breath doesn't stink," I mumbled.
"I wouldn't be so sure."
"Shut up."
-x-
The problem with driving a car to school is that you have to wait in the ridiculously long line to get out of the student parking lot. You could sit in the line for twenty minutes before you get out on the actual road and if your luck is really bad (like mine) you get stuck in traffic. I've been caught behind a car that broke down on a one way street twice and I was ready to squeeze my brains out from the frustration. I have never really been a patient person.
Today, I am going to get home at a decent time so I won't be up past midnight doing work. As soon as the clock hit 2:10 I started packing my book bag up. I would be at the front of the car line to get out of school. And I was in the History hall which is closer to the student parking lots than other classes. By 2:11 Mr. Kahn was still going on about the Meiji Restoration but I already had my book bag on my back and my keys in my hand. I'm ready to dash out of there as soon as the bell rings.
"Ms. Higurashi," Mr. Kahn said, stopping his speech to look at me. "There are still four minutes left of my class. Unpack your stuff and continue taking notes until the final bell rings."
Mr. Kahn isn't on my favorite or hated teachers list. He annoys me so much that I can't be bothered to see his name on a mental list because it would just piss me off to no end.
"Seriously?" Mr. Kahn shot me a pointed look and I pulled my binder back out of my book bag. I'll just run out with my binder in my hand. By the time I opened back up to my notes there were only three minutes left of class, really only two since the afternoon announcements always came on a little bit before the final bell.
"So, as a quick review before you leave for today," Mr. Kahn started and I glanced at the clock. One more minute until the announcements. "Who can tell me which Egyptian pharoh was responsible for the Armana Revolution?" Nobody raised their hand. We were all waiting for the principal to come over the intercom. "Nobody? Maybe I need to keep you after to-"
"Good Afternoon, Shikon Students." I silently thanked Principal Tsukuyomaru for his perfect day. "I hope you all had a knowledgeable day today and are going home with information you didn't know before. There are some bus changes today so please listen carefully to..."
"Okay, I'm not going to be able to make it tomorrow morning," Kikyo said as she turned around in her seat to face me. "I have a doctor's appointment."
"You're not sick."
Kikyo faked a cough. "Shit. I think I'm coming down with that whooping cough stuff. I am banned from school if I have that."
"Kikyo, everyone is getting up early, so it's not like you're alone. Just suck it up for a few more days and-"
"Is it really necessary?" Kikyo cut me off. "Everybody already won't shut the hell up about it. I'm pretty sure our mission has been accomplished."
"... A reminder to student drivers: you must have a parking pass if you park in the parking lot or your car will get a boot. And parking at the apartments is prohibited; they will tow your car. And finally, would the following students..."
There were only a few seconds left until the bell rang. "Just be there," I told Kikyo.
"We'll see."
I didn't bother pushing the subject with Kikyo anymore; she would be there. I adjusted my book bag and grabbed my binder, leaning out of my seat, ready to take off. I looked over at Sango and she had her keys in her hands and was stuffing her boots in her book bag as quickly as she could. Sango has to work Tuesdays at Smoothie King right after school and can't afford to be late again. Her boots had a heel so they would only slow her down in her mad dash to her car.
"Alright, drive safe-"
Principal Tsukuyomaru's voice disappeared which meant that in a few seconds the bell was going to ring. I was already out of my seat and heading towards the door.
"Kagome and Sango," Mr. Kahn snapped. "The bell has not-"
The bell cut Mr. Kahn off and I bolted out of the classroom, Sango not very far behind me. Unfortunately, there are a few other people who drive that understand the importance of getting out of the parking lot early, so the halls were already starting to fill up with other drivers racing to the parking lot. We're not supposed to run in the halls, but Shikon really needs to fix the traffic problem before anybody actually starts to take that rule to heart.
"I cannot get bitched out again," Sango mumbled as she passed me, her socks picking up the dirt of the hall. "I'll see you tomorrow!" Sango called back to me as she rounded the corner.
I usually don't participate in the afternoon mad dash (hanging out in Mrs. Kido's room and waiting for the parking lot to clear up is a lot less strenuous), but I have way too much work to do as of lately to stay after school for an extra thirty minutes.
"Hey Kagome," Inuyasha called out to me as I started approaching him. He had his hands in his pockets and he looked relaxed. Lucky bastard. He probably likes waiting in the car line forever, enjoying the extra time he has with his music. "What's-"
"Can't stop, I have to get to the parking lot before it gets jammed," I explained to him as I ran past him. I looked back over my shoulder. "I'll call you-"
I was cut off when I ran into somebody and it momentarily knocked the wind out of me.
"You still don't look where you're going, I see." I looked up to see Kouga standing in front of me, his eyebrows raised and his arms crossed over his chest. "Why is it that you always run into me when I'm around?"
"Kouga!" I threw my arms around him in a quick hug. I haven't seen him since the gig (I've heard a lot of complaining about his ego though). "What are you doing here?"
"Ayame's car broke down yesterday so I'm picking her up." Kouga smirked at me. "Visitors get to park in the slots in front of the school so I don't get caught up in the crazy traffic. So glad I graduated."
"Shit!" I cursed, stomping my foot. "I'm supposed to be running to get out of here and you went and distracted me."
"My good looks do make girls lose their minds." Kouga looked over my shoulder and smirked, sliding his hands into his pockets. "'Sup' dickweed?"
"Asswipe," Inuyasha greeted as he came to stand next to me. "Why are you here?"
"I have to pick up my girlfriend, since, you know, I have the balls to actually go out and get one."
Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed and I got the feeling that I was somehow being left out of the loop. "Shut the fuck up."
"I'm just saying," Kouga shrugged as his lips pulled up into a smug smile. "And Erin also told me to tell you that practice is canceled today. She got caught up at home. She didn't even make it to school."
"What happened?" I asked, worried. Erin canceled practices on very, very rare occasions.
Kouga shrugged, trying to come off as nonchalant, but his brow creased, giving the sign that he was worried too. "She just cancelled. She'll probably crash at one of our houses later. I'll call you," Kouga promised and I nodded my head. "But, the point is to tell dog-breath here that he's free tonight. You could, I don't know, grow a pair and do something you want."
"For two people to claim to hate each other you know a lot about one another," I pointed out, before Inuyasha and Kouga got into a verbal argument. "I feel completely out of your inner loop."
Kouga looked confused for a second before his sky blue eyes light up with amusement. "Would you like to fill her in, Inuyasha?"
"I'm good." Inuyasha turned to me as if he didn't just have a cryptic conversation with Kouga. "Why were you in such a hurry to get out of here?"
"Well, there's no point in rushing now," I sighed. "I wanted to get home early so I could start the crap load of work I have to do and be done at a decent time tonight. I've had a bunch of homework to do for the past few days and then I still have to edit pieces for the paper and get the Odd-Ball Olympics together and try to figure out this whole carnival deal. Which reminds me that I have to stop my Mrs. Kido's room to check my basket and look over the photos we have so far. Running to the car lot would have been completely pointless, now that I think about it."
"Would you like me to walk you to Mrs. Kido's room?" Kouga asked grinning. "I haven't seen her in a while."
"I think you have other responsibilities." Ayame came up around Kouga, wrapping her arm around his waist and he smiled down at her sheepishly before kissing her forehead. "And besides, Mrs. Kido isn't that hot."
"You're a girl so you don't understand," Kouga waved off. "You just tell yourself that so you don't feel insecure. Mrs. Kido is smoking."
"Kouga!"
"You told me to be honest with you while we're in this relationship," Kouga reminded Ayame and she just rolled her eyes. "She's only a few years older than me too. It might be nice to date a mature woman for a change." Ayame gasped and Kouga caught on a second too late that he was taking his joke too far. "I'm just kidding Ayame." He kissed her reluctant lips. "You ready to go?"
"Yeah." She released her hold on Kouga and gave me a quick hug. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," I waved as the two started walking away. I then turned to Inuyasha. "You want to go to Mrs. Kido's room with me? We might as well burn some time before getting stuck in that ridiculously long line." Inuyasha shrugged as he took his iPod out of his pocket and slid the stereo headphones over where his ears would have been if they didn't rest on the top of his head. "I've always wondered about that."
"About what?" Inuyasha asked as we started down the hall and he scrolled through his music. I swear he has to have more than 1,000 songs on his iPod.
"How you used headphones and phones. I mean did you put them up to your actual ear or just put them where your ears would be if you weren't half demon and just use your super hearing to hear through the earpieces." I shrugged. "I just think about this stuff when I'm bored."
"So you think about me in your free time."
"No, stupid," I mumbled blushing. "I think about your ears in my free time. There is a huge difference."
When we got to Mrs. Kido's room I checked my basket to find a folder with the pictures in it and about four printed articles. I get the articles via email, but I prefer editing on paper because I can clearly see what needs to be fixed instead of having to scroll up and down a Word document. While I was getting everything together, Mrs. Kido talked with Inuyasha and I was proud of him for not falling into that trance she unconsciously put guys in.
"Are you ready to be a prize next week?" Mrs. Kido asked, gathering her papers.
"I think the girls are more excited than I am." I am starting to see that Inuyasha is actually kind of cocky. Of course, he does have the right to be cocky since he does have the looks, but still. "But I'm getting used to Kagome using me for her own benefit."
"Excuse me?" I turned around to face him, my eyebrows high on my forehead. "You said you were okay with this. I quote, 'What better way to make a transfer feel welcomed than letting him kiss a few girls.' You were in love with the idea."
"I am pretty sure you're over exaggerating about loving the idea. And besides, I thought I just had to kiss a few girls on the cheek, but you went and changed the rules around at the last second to get the crowd's attention." Inuyasha had an amusing glint in his eyes. "Face it, I'm being used for your own personal gain."
"It's for the paper." I shook my head and turned back to Mrs. Kido. "There weren't any changes to who's competing in which event, right?"
"Not that I know of. Nobody stopped by to tell me anything, but you should probably check your email later on tonight. Aki might have changed his event again."
"Of course." Stupid Aki. "Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Alright. And don't forget to have the advertising committee make some posters about which events are each day. I know you're having it in the paper, but you want to make sure the people who don't buy the paper know what's going on next week."
"Okay."
"And make sure to remind everyone that the deadline is tomorrow. You've been editing the pieces that you've already gotten, right? I'd hate for things to pile up on you the last second."
"I've got it all together," I assured Mrs. Kido. I grabbed Inuyasha's arm and started pulling him towards the door. "Bye!"
"Bye Kagome. It was nice to finally meet you, Inuyasha!"
I waved to Mrs. Kido over my shoulder before we started down the hall. I watched Inuyasha slide his headphones back on (it still looked funny) and glanced back over his shoulder to Mrs. Kido's room, nodding to himself. He was smiling.
"What was that?"
"What?" Inuyasha asked innocently, looking down at me.
"That nod and smile thing you just did." I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion. "You think she's hot, don't you?"
"Duh," Inuyasha laughed as if I was stupid for asking. My mouth fell open. "Don't give me that look, Kagome. I am a guy."
"Yeah, well I just thought you wouldn't be that guy." I love Mrs. Kido - she's my number one teacher for getting recommendations from - but it's annoying how she enchants the guys at this school without even trying. I mean, why can't I do that? Not that I want every guy's attention, just a few.
"What gave you that impression?"
"I... I don't know." Wishful thinking? Probably. "I was just stereotyping you as a deep kind of musician again."
"I was just being honest with you." We turned down the hall on our right that led to the student parking lot. "I'm not going to run to the newsroom every day after class like Bankoutsu to see her, or obsess about her; I'm just stating the obvious fact that Mrs. Kido is hot." Inuyasha smirked then. "And since I'm hot the two of us would make beautiful music together."
"Ew!" I slapped Inuyasha's arm and he laughed. "Guys are so... ew."
"At least I'm not like Miroku."
"Thank God."
I smiled up at Inuyasha as we reached the end of the hall and he opened the door that led outside for me. It was amazing how easily Inuyasha fit into my group of friends. It wasn't like he was new at all. It felt like all of us had known him for years.
"You should hear the things he says about the girls in our Weight Management class." Inuyasha shook his head. "He is the true definition of a pervert."
"But I do hear what he says! Ayame catches some of his conversations and decides that it's unfair for her to suffer and shares what Miroku says with me." I shuddered at the bits of conversations Ayame has relayed to me. "Sango is amazing for dating him."
"She knows how to tame him," Inuyasha concluded. We came to my car first and Inuyasha leaned against the car that was still parked next to mine, sliding his hands into his pockets. He looked at the line of cars that wrapped around the parking lot. "Damn. The line is longer than usual."
"This is why I was running through the halls," I sighed. I unlocked my car and tossed my book bag into the passenger's seat. "Stupid Kouga. Getting me distracted."
"You're actually really easy to distract. The second things start getting boring in class you're writing or reading a book."
"That's because classes are boring," I pointed out and Inuyasha laughed. "I need to go before that line gets any longer."
"Okay, I'll see you later."
"Okay, that saying right there?" I turned my back to my open door and looked up at Inuyasha instead of getting in my car. "I hate that saying."
Inuyasha seemed to think over what I just said before shaking his head. "I tried thinking of all the reasons why someone would hate that saying but I can't think of one."
"It's just used incorrectly," I explained. "When you say 'I'll see you later' what you really mean is, 'I'll see you tomorrow.'" I gave my shoulders a shrug. "I don't know, it's just a pet peeve, I guess. A lot of people use that saying wrong and it kind of drives me insane."
"That's a really unique pet peeve."
"Don't tease me." I turned back around and slid into my car. "Just don't say 'I'll see you later' unless you're planning to see me again in the same day. I let you get away with it the first two weeks, but I realize you're going to be around for a while so I just had to set you straight today."
"How'd you know I wasn't planning to drop by Shoe Carnival today and visit you at work?"
"Because I don't work today." I put the key in the ignition and started my car, turning on the heat and hitting a few of my presets before finding a radio station that wasn't on a commercial break.
"But last week you-"
"I alternate every week from working Monday, Wednesday, Friday to Monday, Tuesday, Friday. I don't work Tuesday this week."
Inuyasha's brows furrowed. "Why do you have a fucked up schedule?"
"Because I'm a fucked up person." I closed my door and rolled my window down. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said and Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "That is how it's done."
"Bye Kagome," Inuyasha said as he started walking towards his car, tossing his hand over his shoulder in a lazy goodbye. I watched him for a few seconds before I finally snapped out of whatever daze I was in and backed out of my parking space to sit behind an obnoxiously big Hummer for 20 minutes.
-x-
Being a senior sucks.
Don't get me wrong, it has it perks (leaving ten minutes early on Fridays, Senior Banquet, Senior pictures, Senior section at games, holding fear over tiny freshmen, etc.), but there are a lot of things to not like about being a senior. One of those things are college applications.
Writing essays, putting together portfolios, and building up my resume to make it look flattering is a lot more stressful than you'd think. Especially since I thought it would be great to apply to five colleges (all with amazing writing programs). Having to write five different essays and put together five different portfolios in hopes of getting into an advanced creative writing program before my senior year is not something that is fun. I could just use the same essay and change a few words around (all my prompts are basically the same; why is (insert school name) special to you?) and use the same pieces for all my writing portfolios, but that's unfair. Every school I applied to is special to me, each of them had something unique that I loved, and none of them deserved my first pick's sloppy seconds.
I have notebooks filled with short stories (and long stories, but I'm not using those in my portfolios) that date all the way back to sixth grade. My writing style wasn't the most impressive six years ago, but the plotlines were good and after editing the short stories they're now up to par with my current day writing. At least, they are in my opinion. I still needed people to read over them.
Another problem with being a senior is that I'm still expected to do all my work. At least until first semester is over and colleges start accepting people. After the first semester all I have to do is keep my GPA up so the schools don't decline my offer after they receive my final transcript.
The point is, I have to get through first semester which means I actually have to do my homework, and that really sucks when you look at some of my classes (Calculus, AP English, AP World History). Taking three college courses really knows how to bury me in homework and tests. And even though I'm going to have to still take those AP classes next semester, it's not as important as it is first semester. This is not good for me when I'm an easily distracted individual.
As soon as I got home (at 3:00 which is ridiculous since we get out at 2:15 and I don't live more than ten minutes away) I immediately got to work on editing the four articles that were in my bin (championship football game, Kikyo's advice to pressure, the cover story for the Odd-Ball Olympics, and Raiden's movie review). After going through each of the articles, I pushed them aside and tried starting the outline on the culture of ancient Egypt Mr. Kahn had assigned for homework. I got through half of Religion section (about 1/4 of what I was assigned to complete) before my hand started to cramp and I took a break and checked out for my daily dose of humor. After an hour of reading posts on FMyLife I picked up my Calc homework only to see that it was really confusing and put it back down to watch The Office on my computer for two hours. Then I actually did all of my Lit homework (there are amazing people who have analyzed I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings online) and then I picked up How To Say Goodbye in Robot and read that book until dinner.
Being a senior with all these responsibilities and actually having to do work is really, really hard. I have all these things that are so much better to do just sitting in my room, taunting me. Of course, I'm going to chose to watch a hilarious TV show over actually doing stupid World History homework; it's the way our bodies were made. Pleasure will always beat responsibility. So it's now 7:30 and I'm going to be up until midnight probably, trying to do my homework.
I picked up my phone a couple of times and thought about calling Inuyasha and asking him if he understood our Calculus homework. It was a really good excuse to call until I remembered Inuyasha never does his Calc homework and he wasn't in class today. I just got his phone number today too and I don't want to come off as too eager. But I really don't understand my Calc homework...
I finished the Religion part of my history outline before I decided I needed to get something to eat. The second I walked downstairs I could hear Souta's video games blasting from the living room. Oh, to be in seventh grade again and finish your homework at a reasonable time.
"Hey honey," Mom greeted me when I walked into the kitchen. She was cleaning the dinner dishes while Jii-chan sat at the kitchen table working on a crossword puzzle. "How's your homework going?"
"I'm almost done," I lied. "I just needed a little brain food." I opened the freezer and saw strawberry swirl ice cream just waiting for me to dig a spoon into it.
"Oh, well there are some baby carrots in the fridge." Mom looked over her shoulder at me. "You are still trying to eat healthy, right?"
Mothers. They always know how to remind you of things you are glad you forgot.
"Right." I shut the freezer and opened the fridge, grabbing the bag of carrots that sat on the second shelf. I am doing this for my health. "Carrots. Yum."
I washed a few off and dumped them in a bowl then started carrying them back upstairs with me. I stopped by the living room just to walk in front of the T.V and mess Souta up on his game. It just seems unfair that he can freely enjoy his video games without the burdens of homework while I can't.
"Wassup Doc?" I quoted Bugs Bunny as I bit into a carrot, standing right in the middle of the T.V. I turned around to stare at the screen. "What game is this?"
"Kagome!" Souta shouted when I finally moved out of the way. "You made me die!"
"Don't blame me for your mistakes," I lectured him. "You should get better eyesight."
"Kagome!" Souta shouted at me again, looking frustrated. "Mom!"
"Okay, okay, I'm leaving." I walked past him towards the stairs. "Brat."
"Bitch."
I turned around, my jaw dropping and my eyes open wide. "Did you just... Mo-"
"If you tell her, I'll her you lost your virginity," Souta hissed and I almost choked and died on the pieces of carrot I was chewing. How the hell does he know that? "You talk way too loud when you're on the phone."
"Bastard," I mumbled as I stomped up the stairs. That is why I'm working so hard to get into college. I cannot stay here with Souta for another year. That stupid kid knows way too much.
I put another carrot in my mouth once I got to my room and went to check my email before actually trying to really do my homework. I also needed to send a reminder to people who haven't turned in their articles yet that the deadline is tomorrow. Even though I remind everyone of the deadline every week we publish the paper some people still chose to not turn it in on Wednesday.
There was an email from Aki saying that he had a last minute suggestion that we should have some team events like photographers vs. editors or columnist vs. reporters. It was actually a good idea that I decided to file it in my memory to think about later. Sango also sent me her column that I printed out to edit tomorrow during classes.
I clicked on the email titled Letter to the Editor that was waiting at the top of my inbox.
Hey, are you busy tonight? Great. I'll pick you at your house at 8:00.
-Inuyasha
The carrot fell out of my mouth as my jaw went slack and my mouth fell open. He… he just asked—no, told me we were going out via email. And even though it was completely original and I love the surprise, what the hell! I mean, "I'll pick you up at eight"? He can't just spring that on me! What time is it anyway?
I looked in the lower right corner of my screen. It's 7:59!
Shit. How am I supposed to get ready in a minute? No, less than a minute since I have no idea how long it's been 7:59. I looked at my closet and then at the piles of dirty clothes collecting on my floor. I've been so busy with the newspaper—and simply ignoring my chores to clean up—I never got around to washing my clothes! God, do I even have anything to wear?
I was about to look through my closet when I heard the doorbell ring and I whipped my head around to look at my alarm clock. It was still 7:59. He's early!
"I got it!" I heard Souta yell from downstairs and I tore form my room in panic. He can't open the door when I still look like crap!
"No Souta!" I shouted as I ran down the hall and to the steps. "Don't open it, don't open it, don't open it. DON'T OPEN—"
"Jeez, if you really didn't want to go out, you could have replied to the email," Inuyasha said as Souta flung the door open, but he was smiling when he spoke and my heart stopped beating for a second as I came to a stop at the bottom of the steps.
"Well, I just got the email so I didn't have time to reject you."
"Just like I planned," Inuyasha said smiling again, his eyes dancing with amusement.
"Oh, it's just another one of your dates," Souta mumbled, rolling his eyes. "I thought it was someone important."
"Just go back to your video games," I told him and he stuck out his tongue at me but headed towards the living room anyway to continue shooting Storm Troopers.
"You ready to go?" Inuyasha asked once Souta was completely out of sight. "I left the car running so…"
"Oh! Well, um, I kind of need to get dressed, so—"
"You're not dressed now?" Inuyasha asked, raising a brow at me.
"Well, technically, yes, but I'm not really dressed for a… a, um, date yet." I blushed, wondering if Inuyasha even considered this a date.
"You look fine," Inuyasha insisted, still smiling and I was glad he decided this was a date too. Or he just chose to avoid the topic all together… "Very down to earth."
Oh man, he knew just what to say.
"Come on Kagome," Inuyasha urged, tilting his head towards his car that was waiting in front of my house. "You look great."
I was still wearing the skinny jeans I had on during school, but I had traded my zebra-print shirt in for Dad's old college sweatshirt that was gray and had 'Tokyo University' across the chest in orange. It went down to the middle of my thigh, the sleeves completely engulfed my hands, and it did nothing to flatter the shape of my body. My hair was piled up in messy bun on top of my head, I had on no make-up and, God, I was wearing my glasses. But Inuyasha was still smiling at me and I had a feeling that he actually really did like the way I looked.
Still…
"Oh, uh… alright then. Just… let me go grab my purse," I told him. "I'll meet you at your car." Before he had the chance to stop me I was bolting up the steps to my room.
Inuyasha may like the way I look, but I wasn't going to give him plain and simple on the first date—if that's what this is. I sprayed some body spray my mom had gotten me last week—she caught a deal at Bed, Bath, &Beyond—into the air and ran back and forth through the mist. I put a pair of tiny silver hoops in my ears and put the small stud I found after a lot of searching into the cartilage of my left ear. I then grabbed my purse and shoved my feet into the checkered slip on Vans I bought last year with my birthday money.
I quickly sent out the deadline reminder and then ran out the house with a fleeting goodbye as I rushed down the steps while pulling my hair out of its bun. When I walked out the front door, I was all too happy to see Inuyasha leaning over the passenger seat to push my door open for me, smiling at me when he saw me coming.
Just a feeling, but this is going to be the best date of my life.
-x-
If teachers really want me to do my homework they should try to get the world to stop making distractions so easy to access. Seriously, if you had to choose between a dog-eared hottie asking you out and Calculus homework, which would you choose?
Exactly.
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So, when I sent this to hanmajo to edit I still had a week before finals, but now Finals start tomorrow. Lucky me. Besides updating I've cleaned out my biology binder, listened to hours of music, eaten dinner, read some, and checked out FML for funny posts. How much studying have I done? None. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter! This was actually supposed to be part 1 because I was going to include the date in this chapter as well, but it was too much so I was going to keep writing to have the date chapter posted not long after this, but... uh, yeah. I got distracted and I haven't even started that chapter so you might have to wait a bit for the chapter. But who doesn't love suspense, right? It would be SUPER awesome if you REVIEW! it will make up for the fact I have to take my math exam tomorrow.
~Kimiko888~
And that's all folks!
~hanmajoerin