InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Middle School Troubles ❯ Secrets ( Chapter 17 )

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and Co

`cause

Rumiko Takahashi is their awesome creator

 

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Miroku stared at Kagome, “Well, it seems like such a roundabout way for Naraku to go after you. I mean, through Inuyasha and Kikyo? I can see it would be potentially hurtful to Inuyasha if Kikyo broke up with him, but that wouldn't hurt you. If they stay together, it will hurt you and not Inuyasha. I just don't see how he can get you both.”

 

“Miroku, Kikyo can say whatever she wants - do whatever she wants - to Kagome and Inuyasha will always take that girl's word for it. That's how it will hurt Kagome. Naraku's trying to ruin their friendship and once that has been done, he'll probably tell Kikyo to break it off between her and Inuyasha.” Sango looked from Miroku to Kagome.

 

Neither disagreed.

 

“It's the way Naraku works. He has every one else do his dirty work. He never uses his own hands for anything, the coward,” said Kagome, a disgusted frown on her face.

 

“So what are we going to do?” Miroku was the one who posed the question.

 

“What can we do?” reiterated Sango.

 

“We do what we can …?” questioned Kagome in a timid voice. The three had said the same thing, basically, but in different forms.

 

Kagome truthfully wanted to say “Break them up!” but she was a better person than that, unfortunately. Be his friend, she chanted in her mind.

 

There was a thoughtful silence which followed, encompassing the room in its quiet for nearly five minutes.

 

“What if we,” all eyes turned to Miroku, “tell Inuyasha the truth.”

 

The girls looked at him incredulously.

 

“This is Inuyasha we're talking about here! Kikyo is angelic in his eyes; she never does anything wrong. He won't believe us.” Kagome flamed out near the end, saddened. He won't believe me.

 

“I know it's a long shot, but” Miroku was interrupted.

 

“Telling him is not just a `long shot.' It's like - like,” Sango stumbled, searching for an analogy for the situation, “like asking Kagome to tell Inuyasha her feelings.”

 

“Then you mean to say it's that impossible of a task, Sango?” Miroku queried.

 

“Hello! Still in the room here, besides,” Kagome paused, “we're not here to discuss my friendship with Inuyasha. We are here to find a solution to a problem. Got it?”

 

“Yeah, OK,” grumbled Sango and Miroku.

 

Another thoughtful silence.

 

“Why don't we just confront Naraku himself? Tell him we know his plan and it won't work. Something like that,” Kagome looked up from the floor, “should work, right?”

 

“Kagome, that's like slap on the wrist effective when it comes to Naraku. You should know that.” Sango spoke in a gentle, logical voice to her friend.

 

Kagome sighed, “I know, I know … but I don't know what to do. Geez, you two aren't much help either.”

 

“I still say we confront Inuyasha,” insisted Miroku.

 

“That can be our last resort, `kay?” reasoned Sango.

 

“Then how about Kikyo? What if we confront her?” Kagome attempted.

 

“Kikyo … yeah, that might work. Alright,” Miroku looked at them with a serious expression, “I have something important to tell you both.”

 

Kagome and Sango leaned in expectantly.

 

“Kikyo - I think - is the reason Inuyasha was expelled from his previous school. She got into some trouble and blamed Inuyasha for the crime. In turn, he was expelled. He doesn't know this, of course, but he didn't stand up for himself to refuse the accusations laid on his plate. Additionally, many other youkai testified against him when the principal asked.”

 

“So wait, it was a youkai school, right? What were humans and half-demons doing there?” Kagome asked confused.

 

“Well, it was just a very prestigious school, and if you had enough money and weren't a demon, you could still get in. Kikyo comes from a well-off family. So do Inuyasha and I. The demons didn't care, however, for Inuyasha since he is hanyou. They disliked me as well because I was his friend. They didn't hate Kikyo because she denied their relationship when the demon's asked her why she spent so much time around Inuyasha. She said he was her lapdog, her pet and servant. By the way she treated him, that's what it looked like anyway.”

 

“What did Kikyo do that got Inuyasha expelled?” asked Sango.

 

“She assaulted this other human who attended the school, and the poor girl was hospitalized - placed in intensive care. Inuyasha was forced to leave for a crime he never committed.”

 

“Inuyasha would never do something like that! Didn't he have a say in any of it?” cried Kagome.

 

It just didn't seem fair. She was disliking Kikyo the more she heard. Inuyasha's happiness was fake; if he knew the truth, he would come to his senses. She couldn't be happy for him if this was the truth behind it all. She was going to do some damage to the “cutest couple” in school! Kikyo was going down!

 

“It was the word of a hanyou against many demons in an prominently demonic school. Kikyo paid some to testify against him, but most just wanted to be rid of Inuyasha because of his human side. But then, the one thing I won't ever forgive, is that Kikyo went against Inuyasha himself. Everything was done behind his back - he still doesn't know who the principal interviewed about the dilemma - and Inuyasha was asked to leave the school.”

 

“Doesn't Inuyasha know what Kikyo did?” spoke Sango with a quiet voice.

 

“I've told him a thousand times. A hundred since she's returned to him, but he won't listen. He's blind to the truth, the idiot,” responded Miroku.

 

“Then we have to make him believe! We have to! If we don't, who knows what Kikyo will do to him. I don't want to see Inuyasha get hurt.” Kagome's voice resounded through her living room.

 

“Then we have to get Kikyo to tell him the truth,” stated Miroku in a voice which held a plan behind it.

 

“I'll do whatever it takes,” the determination visible in her eyes, “to get Kikyo.”

 

**********

 

“Ah-choo!”

 

“What was that, the eighth time? Someone must be talking about you a lot today, Kikyo.”

 

“Well, lots of people know who I am. I suspect they're talking about how they want to be me or something. People are so stupid,” said Kikyo confidently.

 

Inuyasha couldn't stop himself from thinking Kikyo was full of herself. He covered it up, however, by thinking “confidence is good for a person.” He didn't want to view Kikyo in the bad light.

 

Kagome doesn't brag like that, he thought by accident. He glanced at Kikyo who was admiring her manicure, thankful she couldn't read minds.

 

He had subconsciously begun comparing the two for a while now. Kagome was compassionate and more carefree. Kikyo was stricter and more mature. Both had brown eyes, but Kagome's were filled with something Kikyo's lacked. Maybe it was that compassion again. Kagome, despite her tough appearance, was a sweet, caring girl. Kikyo, well, was Kikyo.

 

Kagome had shorter hair compared to Kikyo's waist-length, luscious strands which were well-cared for by the priciest shampoos and conditioners out there. Kagome, on the other hand, cared less for her appearance and used some type of fruity hair stuff.

 

He brought a handful of his own hair to his nose and inhaled deeply. It smelled like Kagome. The remnants of the aroma, detected by his keen nose, were still present from where he'd used her shower five days ago.

 

He'd taken showers since then, of course, but he could still pick out Kagome's scent above the rest. He had enjoyed eating breakfast with her and her mother as well. It was like a family - minus a father. He had never bothered to ask where he was, but he didn't feel it his place to pry his nose.

 

Right now, it was content with taking in the scent of Kagome's shampoo.

 

“Inu-honey, when did you stop wearing that red hat of yours? Do you not like it anymore?” cooed Kikyo from her side of the couch. Inuyasha was seated on the other side.

 

He couldn't exactly tell her that he'd given it to Kagome and stopped covering up his ears for her.

 

“I just didn't feel like wearing it anymore. It bothered my ears,” lied Inuyasha as smoothly as he could.

 

As if she read his mind, Kikyo asked, “So what is this Kagome-girl to you?”

 

Inuyasha thought about it. Kagome, well, she's fun to be around, has an attitude, a short temper, a captivating personality, a - well, she's cute and caring. The way she scrunches up her nose sometimes when angry is adorable. Her smile makes me smile. Her laugh makes me laugh. She's strong and annoying as hell, but I wouldn't have her any other way.

 

He wasn't about to tell Kikyo all those things. After all, his girlfriend would have been anything but pleased.

 

“She's a friend,” he said finally.

 

Kikyo cuddled up to him on the couch, pleased with his answer. She didn't know his real thoughts.

 

“She's more than a friend,” thought Inuyasha secretively. It had been a secret to him all along.

 

**********

“Here are your grades for your projects,” Mrs. Ajewski's bored tone evident in her speech. She walked by Kagome and tossed the paper on her desk in a huff before walking on to other students.

 

Kagome looked down. She had made an A on this project. While it was an A minus, it was still a great grade. Her mom would be so proud. She smiled happily to herself.

 

Sango leaned over, “What'd you make?” She looked down. “Oh, you suck! We only got a B. I blame Miroku,” grumbled Sango.

 

“What about me?” questioned Miroku as he walked over with Inuyasha. Mrs. Ajewski had left the room for the time being.

 

“We got a B because of you,” muttered Sango darkly.

 

“What, I thought you were used to worse grades?” Miroku asked.

 

“No, I always make A's because I'm smart. Kagome, however, fails math, but that's the only class she's horrible at.” Sango said playfully.

 

“Hey! I resent that! I get D's in there, not E's, thank you very much.” Kagome huffed indignantly.

 

Miroku, Sango and Kagome all shared laughter, but Inuyasha stood in a daze. Kagome swiped her hand in front of his eyes, waking him up.

 

“Hm … what?” responded Inuyasha with much intelligence.

 

“Here, our project grade,” Kagome said while passing the rubric paper into his hands, “we made an A.”

 

“Great …” Inuyasha said without looking at the paper. His eyes were fixed on Kagome. His “secret” came rushing to his mind but a picture of Kikyo followed closely. He had Kikyo but wanted Kagome. Did he like one more than the other? Could he live without one? He knew he liked Kikyo and Kikyo liked him back, but his feelings for Kagome were different than what he felt when he looked at Kikyo. What was going on in his mind? He needed to sort it all out before he said anything.

 

“Are you alright, Inuyasha,” Kagome asked with genuine concern, “ `cause you seem a bit out of it today.”

 

Inuyasha looked dead at Kagome and smiled, “I'm fine.” when I'm with you.

 

Kagome's cheeks blushed slightly at his smile, but she calmed her reddening face, turning away from the group and faking the search of something in her desk while her face returned to normal color. She hated the fact that she was an easy blusher.

 

She also hated the fact that Inuyasha made her feel this way more than any one else in the world.

 

He made her so …

 

… happy.

 

And she was going to return the favor.