InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Oops ❯ Rumors ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any characters there in.

Chapter 18: Rumors

(Day 45)

The next morning Kagome opened her eyes slowly and stretched luxuriously, before she sat up in bed.

InuYasha was gone. Kagome sighed. It was very unusual for InuYasha to sleep after the sun was up. Well… it was unusual for him to sleep much at all, usually. But at the hotel there was nowhere for him to go when he woke up, so when she woke up he was there.

`I guess things are back to normal.' She thought sadly. She felt silly about that. It was unrealistic to expect him to lie awake for hours so she could see him when she woke up.

Woke up…. It's morning… she slept straight through the night. She had to go to school!

Kagome jumped out of bed and grabbed her alarm clock, then sighed in relief. She didn't even have to be up for another hour. `Good,' she thought, `I have time for a BIG breakfast.'

When she made it to the kitchen, she found her mother looking happily at a scowling, pouting InuYasha.

"Good morning everyone!" Kagome sang.

"Good morning Kagome!" Her mother jumped up from her seat, "My, you slept a long time, you must be hungry."

Kagome's mother ran around to make Kagome a large nutritious breakfast, and Kagome sat next to her husband and beamed at him.

InuYasha looked back at her suspiciously, "What?"

"Nothing." Kagome chirped, "What did I miss?" Kagome gestured lightly to her mother's back.

"Nothing." InuYasha grumbled and looked at his hands that were resting on the table.

"InuYasha?" Kagome asked curiously, "Is something wrong?"

InuYasha glared at his hands and shook his head, "Everything's fine." He stood up suddenly and left the house.

Kagome watched him leave, "Momma what happened?"

"Oh, he's just grumpy this morning." She said as she sat Kagome's breakfast in front of her.

"What did you do?" Kagome gave her mother a suspicious look.

She winked and said merrily, "Let's not make things worse."

"But-"

"He'll be fine by the time you get back from school. Now eat." And she left the room.

*

Kagome walked up to the school building, nervously playing with her wedding ring. Yes, she was wearing her ring. It was a simple twisted white band, and it felt very strange to have a ring on that finger. She was attending high school wearing a wedding ring. Kagome sighed, it could be worse. She could have gone with her original thoughts and not married InuYasha. Then she wouldn't have to deal with any explanations for several months. Now someone, anyone, might notice the ring at any time and ask about it. Or worse. Not ask about it.

Kagome was about to enter the building when her friends ran up to her.

Kagome!" Yuka said breathlessly, then she noticed the ring, "Oh, good, you have a ring!"

"That'll really help!" Eri smiled listlessly, but brightly.

"We've been looking every where for you!" Amy grabbed Kagome's shoulder, "Kagome someone-"

They were interrupted by the bell signaling that they were all late.

Kagome ran into the building followed by her three panting friends.

"Kagome! Wait!" one of them called, "We have to warn you!"

"Later." Kagome called back, "We're late!"

Kagome was too caught up getting caught up to notice anything strange during class. But once they were released for lunch she couldn't help but see the quick glances from the small groups in the halls and on the lawn where she took her lunch, and the way those groups would turn inward and start to whisper.

Kagome sat under a tree and looked around, waiting for her friends, as she considered the actions of the groups.

"There you are!" Yuka smiled as she sat next to Kagome, "You sure are fast!"

"Occupational hazard." Kagome smiled at her friends. She enjoyed confusing people sometimes, "So… what's going on?"

"We tried to warn you," Amy bit her lip nervously.

"You know the gossips been a bit slow lately?" Yuka stated looking around to see if anyone was close before continuing, "Well, what with your actions lately, fainting and getting sick and stuff-"

"I didn't faint!" Kagome interrupted, "Not much anyway."

"Anyway," Eri jumped in, "someone must have overheard your conversation with us, because it was going around that you were married. But then someone said that you couldn't be married because you're so young and no one's seen any guys with you except for Hojo and we all know he isn't married."

"And then you had that serious talk with Hojo, where you … looked like you fainted." Amy took over when Eri paused to breath, "And then you cried-"

"And got sick." Eri added.

"And someone decided that you were… pregnant." Yuka said hesitantly, "This morning we heard that most people think that it's Hojo's child. They say you were trying to trap him into marriage. I'm sorry Kagome, but we only just found out about this! You know the friends are always the last to know."

"We told people that you weren't the kind of person to go get pregnant to try and trap someone into marriage." Amy piped up.

"Yeah, you're way to smart for that!" Eri smiled.

"And you have far too much self control to do it by accident." Yuka smiled.

"Yeah! Where do people get off thinking that I'd go and…" Kagome's voice faded and she stared off into space.

`But I did, didn't I?' she thought, horrified, `I went and had sex with a guy, chose, actually chose not to prevent a pregnancy, and I had no intention of marrying him.'

At the time she hadn't thought about marrying him at all, she was more worried that she might get pregnant, how to tell him about it and what she was going to do. The closest she got to the subject was to tell her mom that she didn't want to trap him with it. She didn't want to force her way between him and Kikyo. She didn't him to choose her just because she was carrying his child. She still didn't.

But she couldn't escape the fact that she had done all that on her own. She wasn't what they said, she wasn't the type to get pregnant to trick someone into marriage. But, forget that she was crazy about the guy and half out of her mind at the time, and put aside ideological or religious beliefs on contraception, she had made the choice to allow the possibility of pregnancy outside of marriage.

For the first time she felt really ashamed of herself.

"Kagome, Are you alright?" Yuka leaned towards her suddenly pale friend.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted them to know. She wanted to share this with them.

"WHAT?" all her friends lunged forward, putting her hands on the ground to balance them.

"Remember what I told you? About what happened a little over a month and a half ago?" Kagome looked from face to face nervously.

"When you got married?" Amy blinked, then jumped, "Oh! The wedding night!"

"You didn't…" Eri paused to find the right words, "Take measures?"

Kagome shook her head, she couldn't bring herself to tell them that she hadn't gotten married until just a few days ago, "We got caught up in the moment."

"Wow." Yuka sat back.

"Is it safe?" Amy asked, because of her `illnesses', "For you I mean."

"Not really," Kagome sighed, because of the quests, "but… I want it."

The girls nodded quietly.

"Should you even be here?" Eri frowned, "With your health problems, maybe you should stay home."

Kagome rolled her eyes, "I'm fine. You guys are as bad as InuYasha! I'm… fully checked out for attending school OK?"

The girls sat back, apparently satisfied.

"So," Kagome started picking at her lunch, "They think I'm carrying Hojo's baby? InuYasha's not going to like that."

"He's not going to hurt Hojo is he?" Yuka asked slightly nervous.

"No." Kagome said decisively, "I don't think so. No… probably not. He doesn't really have a reason to."

"That's not very reassuring Kagome." Yuka winced a little.

Kagome shook her head, "InuYasha's not as dangerous as he looks, or acts. He's just … had a rough life. I don't think InuYasha will do anything physical to him."

"Who won't I `do anything physical to?"

Kagome started and looked up into the tree she was sitting under, "InuYasha! What are you doing up there? Wh- what are you doing here at all?"

Amy and Eri leaned forwards again to try to get a look at the mysterious boy that was now Kagome's husband. Yuka joined them, curious as to why InuYasha was up a tree.

He was squatting on a low branch, a good ten feet from the ground, one hand on the branch one on the trunk and a very out of place looking base ball cap on his head.

"Yuka was right," Eri whispered, "He does have white hair."

"And golden eyes." Amy whispered back.

"Get down here before any more people notice us!" Kagome uncraned her neck and looked around.

"Won't more people notice me down there?" InuYasha asked, ignoring the girls that were staring at him. At least Yuka had gone back to her lunch after only a quick look.

"That might not be a bad thing." Kagome mumbled, but InuYasha heard.

InuYasha leaped lightly to the ground a little behind Kagome and then knelt beside her, "So? Who am I not going to beat up?"

Kagome sighed wearily, "Remember how I said you should deal with my friends InuYasha?"

"Just answer the question." InuYasha frowned.

"You didn't answer mine!" Kagome returned.

"I asked you first!" InuYasha raised his voice slightly.

"You were eavesdropping!" Kagome raised her voice to match his.

"I still asked you first!" InuYasha yelled.

"Um, guys?" Yuka prodded, "People are starting to stare."

Kagome looked around, noticed that they now held the attention of most of the people on the lawn, and settled herself down.

"Hojo." She said simply.

"Why would I hurt that guy?" InuYasha pouted, "What did he do?"

"Nothing." Kagome sighed again, she needed a nap, "It's just a stupid rumor. Somehow the fact that I was married got out and became a rumor that I got pregnant to trap Hojo into marriage. That's all."

"What?" InuYasha said flatly.

"It's just a rumor InuYasha." Kagome said again, now she was starting to worry a little, "You're not going to-"

But InuYasha had already stood up, "You're my … wife, I'M your husband. And you're carrying MY child! Not Hojo's!" he yelled, "How could anyone think that YOU would do something like that. Who said that?"

"InuYasha sit down! Stop yelling!" Kagome tugged at his pant leg, "No one knows who started the rumor, and there's no way of finding out! Stop making a scene."

InuYasha sat down heavily and looked around at the shocked faces that were all looking at him. Everyone except Yuka. She was looking at Kagome curiously.

"No one knew about you except Yuka, Eri and Amy. And Hojo, just before… I went up to get you."

InuYasha gave her a strange look, then remembered the cover story her mother had given them, "I bet it was Hojo."

"What about…" Kagome's eyes widened, "You think Hojo started the rumor!"

"Hojo wouldn't do that!" Eri cried.

"Hojo isn't that mean!" Amy joined her.

InuYasha leaned away from the high pitched girls and a little behind Kagome.

"Hojo isn't that stupid." Kagome joined dryly.

"What do you mean?" InuYasha leaned forward to look Kagome in the face.

"Sure the rumor makes me look awful, but it makes Hojo look bad too." she explained.

"Yeah," Amy helped, "Hojo comes out looking foolish, cruel, and um I don't know but the idea that he would sleep with a girl before marrying her, get her pregnant and not marry her, would tarnish his perfect reputation."

"And he's worked hard on it," Yuka nodded, "or he's really that nice and innocent. Either way he's not happy about it."

"Where is Hojo?" Kagome asked. She hadn't seen him since she returned.

"He's… avoiding you." Yuka answered, "Can you blame him? First you dump him-"

"I didn't `dump' him!" Kagome squeaked, "We were never together so I couldn't have `dumped him!"

"-then this rumor starts up about the two of you."

"I think InuYasha has successfully squashed that rumor." Kagome said dryly. Most of the students were still watching them. And, oh joy, Hojo was approaching them.

Kagome quickly grabbed InuYasha's arm, and he looked at her curiously.

"Higurashi?" Hojo's uncertain voice snapped InuYasha's attention to the front again.

Kagome smiled nervously, "Hello Hojo."

"You're Hojo?" InuYasha's eyes narrowed as he looked over the boy standing just outside the circle of Kagome's friends.

"I'm sorry about the rumor Hojo." Kagome tightened her hold on InuYasha's arm, "I'm sorry that you got involved."

Hojo just looked uncomfortable, "Is this… you're really…"

"This is InuYasha," Kagome looked adoringly at her husband, who was glaring at Hojo, "My husband."

Hojo nodded, "Did he say… people were saying-"

"Don't believe every thing people say idiot." InuYasha snapped.

"InuYasha, be nice. Isn't the important thing that I'm married, Hojo?" Kagome bit her lip.

"They were saying…" Hojo stumbled again. Poor Hojo, to have to deal with so much surounding his sweet, pretty, innocent Kagome, so quickly.

"You mean about getting pregnant?" Kagome fidgeted with InuYasha's sleeve.

There was a moment of shocked silence between the two, as if the word itself was a problem. The audience, except for InuYasha, pretended to be looking elsewhere. InuYasha was thinking. All that he had learned about this subject in this time led him to one course of action.

"I married her that night." He stated, a little sulkily.

Hojo's eyes locked on him for the first time, so did Kagome's. The silence was heavy, and now it was on him.

InuYasha took a deep breath and calmly, succinctly, stated, "I married her before she got pregnant. So you can all stop looking at her like that."

Hojo's eyes returned to Kagome, "You were married all that…."

"I told you the truth when I said there was nothing real between InuYasha and me until I almost died. I don't know why it happened like that but... that's when it happened."

That was so lame. `How many times do I have to tell this stupid story?' Kagome thought bitterly.

"And don't forget to tell your friends!" Eri piped up unhappily.

"Yeah, stop this rumor now!" Amy picked up, "Kagome may be a married pregnant teenager but she was married first! So leave her alone."

Hojo was now backing away slowly hands up in a defensive position.

Kagome ignored them and turned to InuYasha, "So, what are you doing here?"

"…You left." InuYasha stated uncertainly.

"I left… for school," Kagome clarified, "you know that. Well you should know that."

"I… I knew that!" InuYasha frowned, "You… I… didn't say good morning?"

"Is that why you're here?" Kagome said surprised, "Well, good morning! … What were you mad about anyway?"

"Nothing." InuYasha grumped. He was still unhappy about that, but it was no excuse for treating Kagome unkindly. He was just glad that Kagome wasn't upset about the way he acted.

"Uh huh." Kagome thought for a moment, "Did you try to convince mom to convince me to stop, going… for walks?"

"No," InuYasha pouted, "you told me not to." And the last thing he needed was Kagome to get mad at him. She wandered off when she was mad.

"Then… something I did?" Kagome asked cautiously.

"No." InuYasha said quickly.

"Then what?" Kagome released his arm and fell back against the tree in exasperation.

"It's not important." InuYasha sighed.

"Will you over it by the time I get home?"

"Maybe."

Well if you're not I want to be told why!" Kagome sat up and crossed her arms, "If I have to live with it I have a right to know!"

"…Can I use that?" InuYasha asked genuinely curious.

"No." Yuka answered.

"Why?" InuYasha scowled at Yuka.

"It's different with girls." Amy explained.

"How?" InuYasha asked Amy. Kagome's friends were making him dizzy.

"It just is." Eri answered.

"You've got your work cut out for you with this one, don't you Kagome?" Yuka winked at her.

"Yeah," Amy laughed, "even Hojo knows that one."

InuYasha was about to respond, when Kagome interrupted him. It was probably for the best, his response was less than polite.

"Lunch is almost over." Kagome grabbed his arm again, making sure to get his attention, "Why don't you go home now and… do what ever you do when I'm not around."

InuYasha nodded and stood slowly. He cast a weary look at the circle of girls, and every one else, who were staring at him. He said a quick, unfriendly good bye and jumped over them to leave the school grounds.