Disclaimer: I don't own jack!
Crossing Stars
Chapter Two: Torn
Kagome sighed as she glanced at the message on her phone.
I look forward to seeing you tonight!
Her lips pursed into a thin line as she tried to come up with a decent excuse. Claiming to be sick wouldn't work. He'd just show up here unannounced.
"Oh there's no need for that." Her mother gave her shoulder a gentle pat, "He's a nice boy! The two of you look good together."
Kagome bit the inside of her cheek.
That was precisely the problem.
They only looked good together. When it came to their actual relationship, there was always something that felt like it was missing.
Attraction maybe?
Or perhaps it was something else entirely?
Either way, all she knew for certain was that she no longer felt any sort of connection with him.
Her friends and family all loved him but she couldn't get over the feeling that something wasn't quite right. Maybe it all really was just in her head. Maybe she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life by stalling.
"Oh I heard that Inuyasha finally broke into the top twenties." Her mom swiftly changed the subject, "It won't be long before he reaches the top ten."
Kagome found herself nodding along absently.
"Earth to Kagome," Her mother waved her hand in front of her face. "Did you hear anything I just said?"
"I heard you." She mumbled in return. "It's good that he's going up in rank."
Inuyasha had been a close family friend for as long as she could remember. In her middle school years they'd briefly dated but found that they weren't suited to each other romantically. So they had an amicable split and managed to remain friends ever since. Inuyasha had started dating someone else recently so their contact with each other had lessened considerably.
She didn't blame him but she was also more concerned with her own relationship issues at the moment.
Kagome jumped as another message came in. She sucked a breath through her nose and eventually read through it.
What time should I pick you up?
Her fingers twitched.
She flipped the phone over and pushed it away from herself.
"You can't leave him hanging." Higurashi Momo shot her a displease scowl. "If you're going to cancel on him then you should at least be honest with him."
Kagome sighed, "Yeah, sure mom because that has gone well in the past."
Every time she tried to reschedule or cancel a date, he'd just find some way to rope her right back into it. Trying to break up with him had proved to be even more fruitless. He'd simply act as if she said nothing at all and would show up on her doorstep pretending like they were still dating.
She could never slam the door on his face either as her mother would let him waltz right into their living room every single time. Her mother meant well and she knew that she only wanted what was best for her, however her desire to see her marry that particular man made her want to tear out her hair.
Kagome growled beneath her breath as yet another came through.
You should dress nice. We'll be going to a high end restaurant.
It was quickly followed up by one more.
Not that you don't look amazing already.
The winking emoji made her body tremble with barely contained rage.
Everyone always told her that she was just being sensitive. That her boyfriend was perfect husband material. Yet she could only feel completely suffocated by the man. Every friend she'd ever confided to about her true feelings towards him always told her that she was just blowing things out of proportion. They often told her to get over herself and learn how to be a better girlfriend.
She was at a point now where she just wanted to be single and never consider dating again.
"You guys talking about Houjo again?" Souta plopped himself into the seat next to her.
"Who else would we be discussing." Kagome shot back, pushing her phone across the table and as far away from herself as possible.
"That guy is creepy." Her little brother rested his chin onto his folded arms, "He gives me the ick."
That made two of them.
"Oh you two!" Their mother gave them an exasperated sigh, "I will never understand your aversion to that man."
"Because he's a lizard in human skin." Souta added without skipping a beat.
Kagome snorted as tried not to fall into a fit of laughter.
Now that was a good one. She'd have to use it later when she had the chance.
"Alright then, what is it exactly the both of you don't like." Momo crossed her arms over her chest as she tapped her foot impatiently.
"He's pushy." Souta stated matter-of-factly.
"And he doesn't take no for an answer." Kagome added, "Besides, I thought I was the one that gets to decide who I date? Why are you so upset about this?"
Her mother's face flushed with embarrassment, "Well you know that he's Yume's son." The woman grew flustered as she tried to fish for an appropriate response, "I just think it'd be cute as all."
Kagome shot her an unimpressed look, "You just want us to get married because you and his mother are best friends."
Momo at least had the audacity to look embarrassed.
She roughly stood from her seat, "I love you mom, but do remember that this is my life."
She snatched her phone from the table and marched her way back upstairs.
At the age of twenty-two, she'd thought she'd long since outgrown any rules her mother had placed on her in her youth. Yet the longer she stayed in this house, the more she questioned her own wants and desires. She felt restricted. Both by Houjo's insistence and her mother's pushy attitude towards their relationship.
She stepped into her room and pressed her back against the door, gradually sliding down until she'd folded her arms over her knees.
Was she making the right decision? Was she really just being too judgmental? They say that there's someone out there for everyone and all of her friends seemed convinced that Houjo was quite the catch, so why couldn't she accept him?
Kagome bit into her bottom lip.
She just felt confused.
She paused as she heard the faint sound of scratching at her window.
"Oh!" Kagome leapt to her feet. She rushed over and swiftly opened it, allowing her cat to saunter back in.
A small smile pulled at the corners of her lips, "And just where have you been today, huh?"
Ohagi had been a stray that'd turned up on their shrine steps a few years ago. She'd tried to make him an indoor cat but the feline had always found a way to escape. He would disappear for hours at a time before turning up at the end of the day, acting as if nothing ever happened. Eventually she just gave up on trying to stop him altogether.
Kagome paused as she saw a strip of paper tied to his collar.
Now that was new.
She curiously untied it and glanced over its contents, a small laugh escaping her lips.
Nice cat. How'd he get his name?
She'd been asked that questions a few times before but never quite like this.
"You've been busy, haven't you?" Her smile widened. "I suppose I should answer them."
There was no guarantee that Ohagi would wander back to the same place tomorrow but she found herself feeling curious. She took a sheet of paper, tore off a strip and wrote her response. Once certain that it was good enough, she tied it to Ohagi's collar once more.
"Think you can take that back to them tomorrow?" She scratched at his chin while he purred contentedly.
Kagome took the fast swishing of his tail as a silent agreement.
Afterwards she picked the cat up into her arms and settled herself atop of her bed.
She'd worry about Houjo later, right now she just needed some time to enjoy her favorite show and cuddles with her cat to feel better.
Kagome pressed a kiss atop Ohagi's forehead while the cat's purring grew louder.
Hopefully she could find her answer soon.
