InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It is you I have loved ❯ Normalcy ( Chapter 11 )

 

“Higurashi. If you wouldn't mind joining the rest of us in the conscious world…”

 

“Huh? Oh. Sorry.” Kagome peeled her face from her red spiral bound notebook only to have the entire class, which was already staring at her, burst into laughter.

 

“Uh…here.” A girl that sat next to Kagome passed a mirror to her. Kagome held it up and groaned in embarrassment. She'd fallen asleep on the metal spiral of her notebook and now had red lines climbing all the way up the left side of her face.

 

“Now, class, could anyone tell me…” Kagome let the teacher's voice fade into a distant mumble. Her whole day had been like this. She had been handed so much make-up work that even looking at it made her tired. Plus, she'd had a test in each of her first two classes; math and chemistry. Which, unfortunately, she was sure she'd only barely passed. `I used to be such a good student. The teachers probably think I'm on drugs already and I have to go and fall asleep in class!' Kagome had managed to finish some of her homework in study hall and had planned on continuing to work on it during lunch but was bombarded with questions about her phone call with Hojo. Apparently Hojo had called Yuka about Kagome's dress and Yuka told the girls that Hojo had talked to Kagome first. And even though Kagome tried convincing them that it was a simple, 2 minute conversation, they still left lunch pouting and mumbling something about Kagome being stingy with the details. English class had come after that and when asked about the weather, instead of reply that the weather “The weather is cold and gusty” she managed to tell the teacher his “mother is old and dusty”. To add on to her mortification, Kagome was so distracted in gym class that she ended up getting hit five times in the face with the ball. Though, Kagome figured after the second or third time that they were aiming at her face. Now, here she was, branded and humiliated, in her final class of the day; literature.

 

When the bell rang, signifying the end of school, Kagome could not have been more grateful.

 

“So Kagome, I heard you had quite the interesting comment about sensei Kobayashi's mother, and about your face, the lines kind of offset the swelling on your right side. They must have hit those balls hard!” `How did Yuka know already!? This wasn't fair.'

 

“Gee, thanks.”

 

“Oh lighten up Kagome! Someone will eternally mortify themselves soon and by this time tomorrow no one will even remember. Although, I don't think I'll ever forget the way your face looks right now. It's priceless.” Yuka jumped back from Kagome's swat and laughed.

 

“You're dead.”

 

“Yah, whatever, just wait until after homecoming. Oh speaking of which, I have that dress at my house. If you follow me home, I can give it to you so you can make sure it fits.” Kagome sighed.

 

“Whatever.”

 

“Where's the rest of it!?” Kagome was holding up the midnight blue dress that Yuka had just handed to her, looking scared. She hadn't really opened it up get a good look at what the dress actually looked like but she could see that there was fabric was missing in places it shouldn't be.

 

“Oh Kagome, don't whine. It'll look awesome on you. You have the perfect body for it. So, do you wanna try it on?” Kagome glanced at the clock on her friend's desk.

 

“Oh crap! I'm sorry, but I've gotta get home! Uh, thanks for the dress. Bye!” Kagome jumped down Yuka's stairs two at a time, not even waiting for her friend to walk her to the door. She couldn't be late for her first social worker visit. It would look badly and she couldn't let her mother down.

 

“Why are there no child-locks on these cupboards? To a child, these bottles of cleaner probably look like a fruit drink.”

 

“Well, there are no babies in the house anymore. I'm not sure that it is necessary to-“

 

“You do have a young son, correct?”

 

“Well yes, but he's already-” The social worker cut her off by shaking her head, tsk-ing, and recording something on that evil clipboard of hers. Kagome glanced at her mother. She looked stressed, worried, and a little perturbed. Kagome tried to make her mother look like a more suitable parent by subtly suggesting that her mother taught proper nutrition to her children.

 

“Mother, do we have any fruit? I'm hungry.” Kagome's mother caught on to what she was doing and rolled her eyes then shot a “thank-you” glance towards her daughter.

 

“Yes, sweetie. There are some strawberries in the fridge.”

 

“Thank-you mother.” Kagome walked a few feet farther into the kitchen and grabbed some strawberries from the fridge, plopping them into a bowl. Just as Kagome brought the first one up to her mouth, the social worker interrupted her.

 

“Dear, did your mother not teach you that you are to wash you're fruits before you eat them?”

 

“Uh…” Oh crap! “Uh, she did, but I forgot.”

 

“I see.” More scribbling on the clipboard. `Crap! Sorry mom!'

 

By the time the social worker left, everyone was tired and a little on edge. Figuring she should just avoid any possible tension-spawned arguments, Kagome walked slowly up to her bedroom, slid the dress Yuka had lent her into the back of her closet and plopped onto her bed, falling asleep immediately.

 

The next week and a half were similar to her first day back. She just couldn't seem to do anything right. Plus, she'd somehow managed to anger the social worker again. True, she'd finally caught up on her make-up work and was managing to get adequate rest, but she was still struggling in English class, gym, and to find more enough excuses so that she wouldn't have to go out with Hojo anytime before the day of homecoming. Inevitably though, the day showed up much faster than she could have imagined. Kagome hadn't returned to Inuyasha's time yet either. She was in no mood for an angry Inuyasha just yet and if he was still too angry to come and talk to her, then she definitely didn't want to see him yet. Well she did but what would she say…

 

`Stupid dance snuck up on me!' Kagome thought as she slid from her bed. The same bed she wished she could just stay curled up in for oh, a year or so. Ecstatic that her daughter was being sociable and attending a school function, Kagome's mother had made an appointment for Kagome at the local Salon.

 

Kagome had her reservations about the whole “getting dolled up” thing. But it wasn't really that bad. Sure her eyebrows burned from being plucked and ripped and her hands smelled like some horrid chemical from having acrylics applied and of course her scalp would never recover from all the pulling and pushing it took to smooth Kagome's wild tresses into anything resembling elegance, but…well, Kagome had still enjoyed it. She felt almost special, almost calm, almost…pretty. A pedicure was last on the list and besides the weird razor that shaved skin from her calloused feet, it felt amazing. All in all Kagome couldn't complain too much. Returning home was another story though.

 

“What'd they do to you Kagome!?” Immediately Souta shot for the stairs, his already edgy sister chasing him. Kagome's mother shook her head and yelled up the stairs to her daughter.

 

“Kagome, dear, you wouldn't want to have to have your hair put back up would you?” Immediately the crashes stopped. Kagome's mother rolled her eyes and chuckled before walking off to the kitchen.

 

“Kagome, you'd better hurry. He should be here any minute!” Kagome didn't move. All she could do was stand there, gaping at her own reflection.

 

“Holy…crap…” Kagome seriously wished she had tried the dress on before tonight. “There's…there's nothing to it.” Sure, Yuka had mature tastes in clothing but this dress was at least 5 years way too mature for her. The sad thing was, she didn't have time to find a new one, or heels to match if she did find a new one. Plus, she couldn't back out now. Although she rued the idea of going anywhere dark with Hojo, she had promised him…even if she had been drugged up at the time.

 

“Kagome. Hojo is here.” Her mother had knocked on the door but had not entered and Kagome heard her quickly bustle down the stairs back into the kitchen, presumably to take something out of the oven.

 

“Well…this is it. Let's just get it over with.” Kagome smoothed her skirt, wiped at her face, and took one last look in the mirror. `I have to admit…I do look pretty damn sexy…' Rolling her eyes at herself, Kagome started her descent down the stairs, meeting Hojo's eyes about three quarters of the way down. She inwardly wished Inuyasha was the one waiting for her, staring at her, mouth agape, at the bottom of those stairs.

 

A/N: So I'm hanging my head in shame at the inexcusably small size of this chapter. It's like a third of the size of my normal chapters. But don't fret the next chapter will be out soon. It's actually pretty much written. I have one more paragraph to finish, I have to proofread it, and then it's done. That chapter is pretty long, well it's like normal length. You shouldn't be too upset about the length though because I've been popping these chapters out quite steadily. I'm sure you'll enjoy the next chapter, for the most part that is Nothing too, too exciting is going to happen in that chapter but uhm…let me see not the chapter after that one but the chapter following the chapter after this one (If that makes any sense) has a nice little treat for all you perverts :p Haha, it's ok. I'm one too. I've already agreed to bare Miroku's children…and Sesshomaru's…and Inuyasha…Koga's request is still pending and Hojo was too timid to ask. So who's attending the baby showers!? I LOVE GIFTS!!!!