InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A new beginning, a new hope ❯ Bikinis, babes and Sesshoumaru (Part 2) ( Chapter 15 )

“Rin! What are you still doing there?” The girl turned only to find that this time, it was Koji and he was coming her way.

 

Rin had a better view of him when he got nearer and he was not his usual self. His whole body reeked of strong alcohol and even as he was approaching, the girl could tell that his sense of direction was already a little warped.

 

“Are you alright, Koji-kun? You look…” She hadn't finished her statement before being cut off.

 

“Nah, it's nothing. I'm tasked to come to fetch you, my lovely princess,” Koji stated sounding almost gallant if he wasn't trying so hard to keep his balance at the same time. He was DENIFINITELY not in the correct mind. “You see, I just lost a bet over there and that includes three tequila pops in a row as well as to get you. Thus I'm here.”

 

“Three what…ahh?” Rin let out a shriek when Koji lifted her up in a sweep without asking her consent and started back to the main party area.

 

What the?!? How dare that, that scum do this with Rin? How dare he touch her like this! Sesshoumaru clenched his fists menacingly as he followed them still staying hidden.

 

After a while, Rin decided to give up her struggles and just let Koji give her a lift. Her eyes sparkled as they neared the brightly lit vicinity of the beach bar. Christmas was round the corner and the whole place was shimmering with neon lights of green and red. The theme that night was Hawaiian and the bar counter was lined with tropical flowers and palms of a myriad of shapes and colors. Someone was waving frantically at her. It was Yumi. Rin's eyes bolted wide when she noticed that her friend was too boldly dressed for the party theme. She had replaced her tops with two halves of a coconut husk and the dried leaves were swishing and rustling as she jerked up to greet them. Her state of somberness, Rin noted, was not far off from Koji.

 

“Rin, here you are.” The voluptuous girl turned to slam Koji a slap so uncontrollably hard that the guy practically dropped the girl in his arm wincing away. “Well done. I see that you've completed your mission.”

 

As Rin touched down on the soft slippery sand, she could hardly regain her balance but a hand reached up swiftly from behind steadying her rather effectively. She recognized immediately her rescuer.

 

“Sota, thanks.” Rin felt a blush surfacing as his hand slide inevitably across her bare spine and she tried desperately to suppress it.

 

“Hey gal, you look absolutely beautiful tonight.” The young man was speaking from his heart as he admired the girl's slender form.

 

That was it. Rin's cheeks was splashed with a deep rosy red as she self consciously pulled the silk enveloping her thighs closer together.

 

Sota passed her a tall glass of fruit punch ornamented with bits of pineapple and cherry.

 

“Here you go.” His tone was mild but tender.

 

The drink never got to the girl. It was intercepted crudely by Uiru and he didn't look one bit pleased.

 

“Hey, that's kid's stuff. We only serve adult beverages tonight.” He exchanged it and shoved to Rin a glass of white sparkling wine instead.

 

“I know the bar's serving free flow of drinks tonight and you guys are going all out. But Rin, she doesn't drink. Please..” He didn't get to finish that statement either.

 

“Sota, you're being too protective.” This time, Yumi spoke. “Rin's a big girl now. She needs to learn”

 

“Yah. We're her best pals. Leave this tedious job safely in our hands.” Uiru managed to push Sota back to the counter where he came from, momentarily attracted to a topless fellow now dancing on the table. Now that's definitely a goner.

 

But still, he is kind of sexy. His muscled chest is quite a turn on, Uiru mused with an aroused smirk. Perhaps I can have other plans later tonight.

 

“Uiru, don't go overboard with the girl, please. If not, she'll feel awful after that.” The young man was genuinely concerned.

 

“Don't worry. I know this is her virgin drink. We won't force it on her.” Uiru burst out in great heaps of laughter at his own corny joke, slapping his knee. But somehow, Sota was not at all amused. Yet, he couldn't do anything. If he were to make any more attempts to side Rin, his affections for the girl would become too nakedly apparent to all watchful eyes around.

 

Rin watched as everyone surrounding her mingled and engaged themselves in some funny conversation topic or gossip. A soft sigh escaped her lips. She would have much preferred a quiet walk by the beach without all the loud music and dissonant clatters. She just wasn't a party animal, she concluded while sipping on her sparkling glass. Well to be exact, as the time passed, the drink was no longer that fizzy. She had clung on to that fervently so as to ward off any further attempts by her pals to force her with some other bitterish intoxicating fluids.

 

“This tastes gross. Why do they like it so much?” She wondered, confused. “Aren't they going to feel really sick during the actual concert after tonight?”

 

I wonder if he's coming. Rin found her heart still pining to meet the one whom she had known only from the figments of her dreams, the one whom she had merely caught a glimpse of. Letting her eyelids drift shut, she reformatted his features briefly in her head, those chiseled jaw line, his lean and towering build and that long flows of distracting pale colored hair. Handsome. That was the word stuck in her throat for the longest time, the one she was too shy to admit. She was so dead attracted to his handsome form. Couldn't blame her. She knew nothing else about the mysterious admirer. Rin couldn't help but peered all around to see if Keiko really did bring him to the party as she had promised she'd try, half hoping that the hanyou kid would just suddenly pop up from nowhere to give her a pleasant surprise, well, more than pleasant if she'd brought him.

 

In a while, her brows curved to a frown. What was happening to her lately, all these fascinations about someone whom she had never spoken to nor gain further understanding? She shook her head to reclaim some of her sanity.

 

This is ridiculous. Rin, you can't go on like this. Get a life! She chided inwardly. You can't be that desperate right?

 

Right. Life's not just about love and infatuations. More accurately, love isn't that narrow now is it? It's not just about having a relationship with a person, a man. Love comprises of much more than that. She had experienced love from the whole of the Higurashi family especially the brotherly affection from Sota. And not forgetting the love shared by all her faithful and caring friends, Yumi, Koji and Uiru. Though consistently filled with crazy ideas which she just couldn't keep up with, they had been always there for her, through all the good and bad days. Yes, there's also last but most endearing, her love for the violin, for music. Music had communicated with her soul like nothing else ever did. At times, it excites her till she felt all the vessels in her body tingle heatedly and occasionally, it reaches deep into her heart as if to retrieve the very essence of the breath that sustains her life. For once, she knew what actually she was meant to do with her life till the day she dies and she would never let it go for anything in the world. It was to her the most explicit expression of love and romance, more than any words can ever say nor any one person can replace.

 

Most importantly, love doesn't just come along as one so wishes it would, especially the times you have desired it most. Yet, it taps on your door when you least expected it and appears in the most unnoticed places. Well, she concluded that she may actually find one whom she would share this intensified emotion with one day. But till that day arrives, she wouldn't be desperately seeking it that's for sure. That would be too deliberate, too tedious, too painful.

 

I don't need anyone to make me feel any more complete than I am now, she decided with a contented smile. If he comes, we can talk, chat a little. There's no harm getting to know new friends, she guessed. If he doesn't show up, well, so be it. She promised herself not to let this whole thing blow so out of proportion and ruin what might be a fun and enjoyable partying night.

 

 

A familiar voice washed away her musings.

 

“Rin, come over here,” Yumi was sounding extremely excited and something intuited Rin that she wouldn't be rendering the equal amounts of such enthusiasm. “Koji has prepared a game and it's really fun.”

 

After some brief explanation, Rin started to get the gist of this yet another one of his crazily insane games. Koji had drawn a sort of Tic Tack Toe grid on the sand placing different types of liquor on each square and they were supposed to pop something before they begin?

 

“Yumi, did you say pop a what?” Rin thought she'd better ask in details for her own sake.

 

“Tequila. Rin, you look so blur. Let me explain again. There'll four of us here. One would be the tasked drinker for example if it's Uiru,” She pulled him to her side before continuing. “The three of us will select the combination he's gonna have by throwing these.” She flicked a pebble.

 

“We'll hit one each and combine them together.” Koji added.

 

“And Uiru has to drink it in a gulp without spilling a drop.” Yumi interrupted, her eyes twinkling as if she couldn't wait. “While everyone else will pop a tequila.”

 

Rin's eyes flashed with anxiety and fear.

 

“No way. I'm not into such stuff. You guys go ahead. I'll cheer, okay?” Somehow, the girl knew she wasn't gonna get out of this one so easily. “By the way, what's a tequila?” She was that ignorant.

 

“It's just a small drink, almost nothing. Here try one.” Uiru handed the girl a tiny rounded glass which Rin received with the most incredulous look. “You just hit it on the ground and take it all in a gulp. Remember, all of it in a gulp. You'll feel a one time high after that. I guarantee. Let's do it together. One, two, go.”

 

Rather reluctantly, Rin did as she was asked to. Besides, it's just a puny little bit of fluid.

 

Surely, it wouldn't be that bad, would it?

 

Boy was she so wrong! She almost spat out the stinging liquid if not for Yumi holding her chin up, forcing her to swallow it.

 

“There, see, it's not that difficult. You just need a helping hand.” Yumi spoke so proudly that Rin after coughing several times, starting hitting her vengefully with both her hands.

 

Turning a total deaf ear to the girl's endless pleadings, they started going in rounds, giggling and chuckling when one coughed or choked. Well, they were at least kind enough to let the trembling girl be the last of the four to taste the repulsive combos they've stirred up, by a mere stroke of chance. After a long agonized wait, it had finally come down to Rin. She watched in a painfully slow horror as her so-called best pals mixed Gin, whisky and vodka together in a rounded short glass before placing it in front of her.

 

“Okay Rin. Show us what you've got. We've already only given you the half dose.” Yumi coaxed, thinking that it would ease some of her fears.

 

“Yah, go for it gal!” Uiru encouraged. “The trick is to finish it all at once. Remember, don't think twice.”

 

“Show us you're big girl!” Koji added like a chant.

 

Together, they pushed the glass right up to Rin's mouth and the girl was already appalled by the excruciating stench rising from it. For a moment, the fluid touched her lips and she flinched instantly with disgust.

 

“Hey, you crazy fellows. Don't force her to drink that.” Sota had come to her rescue the second time that night. Rin had never been so grateful to hear his voice.

 

“Sota. You again. Stay out of this. The girl needs to grow up.” Uiru wasn't talking sense. He was gone way before the game even began.

 

“Okay, I'll help her take it.” The young man took over the glass from the now shaking girl.

 

“No, you can't. If you do that, she'll forever be so protected, so weak.” Koji barked out in protest.

 

Weak? Rin's whole body flared with a strange impulsive inner rage at the belittling word. She didn't want to be thought as weak, never, though she didn't know why she got so worked up with just one innocent comment. Somehow, that word didn't go down well on her. In fact, she hated it to the core! With an unrestrained petulance, she grabbed the glass and gulped down everything while Sota let out a loud shriek of terror. The taste was much worse than she imagined but she didn't care. She just didn't want to be called a weakling. Her brave feat was of course complemented by loud cheers from her pals.

 

“Rin, are you alright?” Sota was not the only one who was concerned. Sesshoumaru's heart was beating worriedly out of control and his lips were twitched so tautly till it ached. His clawed fingers were pulling out heaps of palm from its source, his amber eyes fastened to the girl. Boy was he momentarily relieved when the young man went to aid the girl. But why in all levels of hell did Rin drink it, that silly girl?

 

All of sudden, a realization struck him. Yes, that was the Rin he had come to know. She had made it clear to him before that she'd never wanted to be his burden. She'd never wanted to be called weak and useless. He let out a reproachful sigh. Perhaps, he was the real reason why she felt this way about herself, his strength and his subconscious reign over her both physically and emotionally.

 

Rin didn't feel the total effects of the alcohol in her body till half an hour later when she attempted to stand up. Everything around began spinning wildly like a merry-go-round, turning rhythmically darker and brighter like a kid playing with the dimmer. The other three had gone to the bar to get some water so as to clear their heads. Moreover, all these hard liquor had made their throats uncomfortably dry. No one was there to catch her as she tipped over and fell to her side. The demon lord followed her every move and he knew that it was time for him to make his appearance. The girl needed his help, quite pressingly. In almost an instant, he kicked off all his clothes leaving the swim wear and in the next, he was by the girl's side, cushioning her descent elegantly.

 

Rin's vision was so blurry that she couldn't make out who he was. She found her eyelids becoming really laden and she struggled to lift them futilely for a clearer view. She attempted to utter a question but opening her mouth only brought her the immense urge to throw up. Yieldingly, she eased into the arm of this unknown intruder.

 

“Hey, who the hell are you? Put my friend down at once.” Yumi ram towards the unattended Rin, thinking that she was been molested by a lecherous passerby. “Koji, Uiru, come quickly. Someone's got Rin.” She beckoned the two brothers.

 

Sesshoumaru found himself in a rather complicated situation. He couldn't explain himself, knowing full well of the consequences if the girl heard him as well. Usually, it would have been nothing to get rid of these annoying humans who were in fact the culprits causing Rin's physical agony now. But, they were the girl's friends and they were obviously aggressive to him only because he was holding onto Rin. He couldn't just swipe them with his venomous claws, can he?