InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Playgrounds of the Mind ❯ Dates ( Chapter 11 )

Playgrounds of the Mind

Chapter Eleven: Dates

Challenge Answer: "The Disaster After Midterms" I though was reminiscent of the "The Nightmare after Christmas". It sounded cute to me. ^_^

Author's Notes: Sorry! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update! I know there are several people out there waiting and waiting, so this is dedicated to all of you! ^_^

But, if anyone is interested, you can always read my other, completed fanfic, "Inuyasha's Day Off". It's a one-shot, although it has three acts. Please review and let me know if you liked it-it features the same characters from "Playgrounds of the Mind".

Kagome felt weak; she faintly heard Sango by her side, shaking her by the elbow. Kagome was hypnotized by those golden eyes, which bore into hers relentlessly. The stare seemed to go on for hours, yet he never blinked. She tried to get the attention of the auctioneer, but to no avail. Inuyasha finally tore his gaze from hers and tried to march onto the stage when he was roughly held back by some of his classmates. Knocking them to the floor, Inuyasha stomped his way over to Kouga, pledging to send him into orbit when the clueless auctioneer stepped in. Clasping Kouga and Inuyasha around the shoulders, he smiled widely at the audience.

"Well ladies and gentlemen, it appears out next handsome bachelor is anxious to take the stage, so why don't we bid," he grinned at his own lame pun, "Mr. Wolfgang-Puck adieu and wish him well on his date. And now, allow me to introduce the younger Mr. West, Inuyasha."

Kouga gave Inuyasha the raspberry while Inuyasha tried to claw him to death. Miroku ran over to the side of the stage and desperately tried to yank Kouga off the stage before it became bathed in blood. Kouga was safely tucked away, but Inuyasha had a look that promised retribution.

Meanwhile, Kagome had her own problems. The entire time Kouga was being auctioned a young red-haired girl was awaiting her chance to give the winning bid--until Kagome had unwittingly beat her to it. Now this particular redhead was glowering in Sango and Kagome's direction. Getting up from her seat so quickly she threw it backwards, she angrily stomped over to where Kagome was slouching in her seat, defeated, Sango trying to comfort her.

Kagome looked up wearily as a shadow fell over her. Meeting incensed turquoise eyes, a fierce frown and tightly folded arms over an expensive fur jacket, Kagome noticed the beautiful and apparently live lavender iris in the girl's hair first. She was about to comment about it when the mysterious girl spoke.

"You think you're pretty smart, don't you?" She spat.

"What?" Kagome managed, flustered. First Kouga, now this.

"Hey," Sango said warningly, "what's your problem?"

"Her betting on MY Kouga, is my problem," she responded, glaring down at Kagome who was still swaying unsteadily in her seat.

"Well, she didn't even want to bet on that jerk, so that's her problem," Sango leveled, getting up to tower slightly above the girl.

"Oh really?" she inquired, raising a delicate eyebrow, "who did she mean to bid on?"

"None of your-" Sango was cut off by Kagome's sudden yell.

"INUYASHA!"

The three girls blinked several times as a strange silence fell over their immediate area. This didn't stop the auctioneer, since he was still in the process of introducing Inuyasha to the audience. "Yes, yes, this is Inuyasha West," he said complacently. Inuyasha was peering into the audience, trying to figure out who had yelled-Kagome's voice had been so hoarse, he hadn't even recognized her.

"Uh, Kagome? Are you okay?" Sango whispered.

"Inuyasha, damn it, Inuyasha! How many times do I have to keep saying it? I wanted to bid on INUYASHA! I told you, I told her, I told EVERYBODY!"

"Whoa, take it easy!" Sango desperately tired to shush her friend.

The newcomer narrowed her eyes devilishly. "Oh, so it's that boy on auction now that you wanted, huh? Well, since you bid on my Kouga, I'll simply bid on your precious Inuyasha!" Without another word, she stood up on the empty chair next to Kagome's and lifted her paddle into the air.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars!"

A deathly silence fell over the room. Outside, in the fading summer days, the last few notes of crickets could be heard through the heavy glass.

Kagome fell out of her chair, her paddle smacking her in the forehead on its way down to join her.

Inuyasha stood still and tried to comprehend what was going on.

The auctioneer cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Um, Ms. number 43, was that two-fifty thousand?"

"Oh, yeah", the girl nodded emphatically.

"Well, that's very generous! Thank you very much, Ms. Calais!" He looked down at a clipboard to identify the girl's name by her paddle number.

"Ayame Calais?" Sango wondered aloud.

Kagome stirred on the floor and groaned a bit. "College fund," she muttered, barely audible.

"What was that, Kagome?" Sango kneeled down in concern.

Ayame grinned in sheer jubilance and jumped down from her chair. She looked down at Kagome with satisfaction and marched off.

Up on stage, Inuyasha was peering into the audience, trying to figure out where Kagome went. He finally stepped off the stage and joined the bid-on bachelors waiting for their dates.

"Hey, Man, nice going!" Miroku walked over, clapping his friend on the shoulder. A bunch of other guys also whistled and congratulated him. Inuyasha ignored all of them and made his way over to Kouga, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, Inuyasha, it looks like some poor, delusional, idiotic girl bid on you after all."

"Better than a pity bid."

"Oh is that what you think?"

Inuyasha smirked, although inside he had no idea why Kagome did such a thing.

Kouga shook his head. "Two-fifty thousand-overpriced if you ask me."

Inuyasha lunged at him, fist raised, but Miroku held him back. Kouga stepped back and laughed. "Really, Inuyasha, is that any way for a man of Aureate Winters to act?"

"I don't know, is it?" Inuyasha shot back.

The other boys shifted uneasily as the temperature seemed to drop.

Kagome was finally sitting back in her chair, with Sango fanning her lightly with her paddle.

"Who's Ayame Calais?" she weakly asked.

Sango sighed. "She's just the local debutante who thinks she's the fashion police and social director of Manhattan. Oh, and her family has been really close to Kouga's since forever. You know, holding and trust companies, and what not."

"I take it she likes Kouga, then?"

"I guess so," Sango returned, looking at the stage, "I've never really had a conversation with her or anything," she finished with a look of slight disgust. "I mean, really, who has to wear fur everywhere she goes? And she . ." Sango droned on and on.

Kagome had slouched in her seat, trying to forget she ever came to this school. These people are driving me crazy, she mentally groaned, I won't be going to college after I graduate, I'll be going to a mental institution. She let her chin fall onto her chest and tried to think some way out of going with Kouga. Her only reward was a headache.

Kagome felt Sango tugging on her arm. Looking up, she realized people were leaving the auditorium; the auction was over. Getting to her feet, Kagome leaned somewhat on Sango as the two classmates made their way over to where they were supposed to pay for their dates.

"Sango, if I don't make it, you'll send my body home to be buried, won't you?"

"Kagome, what are you talking about?"

Kouga sauntered over, his polo sweater thrown over one shoulder nonchalantly. "Kagome, I just wanted you to know, I paid the bid myself. I would never allow a beautiful young woman to pay for a date." He smiled a cocky grin as he switched his sweater to his other shoulder.

Kagome was so ecstatic she couldn't breathe properly. "Oh, thank you Kouga!" She squealed, launching herself at him. She didn't even realize what she was doing. When she finally opened her eyes, she was greeted with two glares-Ayame's and Inuyasha's.

Seeing Kagome look over at her, Ayame made a grab for Inuyasha's arm, and rested her head on his shoulder, batting her eyelashes. Inuyasha didn't even notice; his gaze was centered on the back of Kouga's head, as if to bore holes through it. Kagome searched for Sango to help her, but she had apparently already skipped out with Miroku.

Kagome quickly jumped back. "Uh, sorry," she managed, trying not to look directly at Kouga, Ayame, or Inuyasha.

Kouga then turned around. Seeing Inuyasha, he grinned maliciously. "That didn't seem to be out of pity, eh?" he questioned the pale blonde, who growled threateningly.

"Kagome, I need to speak with you," Inuyasha almost barked.

"Um, yeah, sure," Kagome quickly agreed. Kouga seemed irritated by this turn of events.

"Oh, and Kouga, I need to speak with you," Ayame crooned, although she didn't seem all that pleased.

"Eh? Ayame, is that you?" Kouga finally took a good look at the girl attached to his rival. He paled considerably.

"Well, isn't this opportune? Since Inuyasha has to talk to what's-her-name, and I need to talk to you, we should just switch dates." Ayame complacently said.

"Good idea," Inuyasha and Kagome spoke in unison. Kouga was at a loss for words, and kept swiveling his head about, looking at Kagome is shock, then at Inuyasha with distaste, finally at Ayame with some trepidation. "Uh, I don't really want to," he stated flatly.

"Nobody asked you," the three others replied simultaneously again. Kouga was shocked at the turn of events. How had he lost control?

Ayame grabbed Kouga by the arm before he could protest and dragged him away. Kagome and Inuyasha regarded each other uneasily for a few moments.

"Um, maybe we can go somewhere to talk? Like my room?" Kagome quietly asked. Inuyasha curtly nodded, and they went off to the girl's dorm.

"Harder, Miroku!"

"I'm trying, Sango, but I don't think it can get much better than this."

"Oh yes it can, just do it harder."

Miroku bent over even more, trying to reach the end of the bottom of the doorframe. "Sango, I don't see why this has to be done."

"Because I want the entire place to sparkle and be clean," she replied, walking about the room, running a white-gloved hand over random furniture, testing it for dust.

"But no one can even see the bottom of the door, Sango!" Miroku tried to reason.

"That's not the point, slave-I mean, Miroku," Sango corrected herself, trying to keep a smile of glee off her face. The slave sighed and went back to scrubbing.

"Do you like it?" Rin questioned.

Sesshoumaru observed the room he was in. It was oval in shape, and expansive, and a large black grand piano sat in the middle. A swank divan sat nearby, with a side table with some kind of liquid and glasses. "It has taste," he replied.

"Please, take a seat." Sesshoumaru relaxed on the divan, throwing one arm over the back and regarding her.

"I wanted to thank you, for earlier, in the library. And to apologize," Rin spoke softly. "So I thought I would play a private concert for you." She smiled and walked over to the piano bench and took a seat. "Any requests?"

Sesshoumaru seemed surprised, although it didn't show. "You choose first," he stated.

She began to play Mozart's concerto 40. Sesshoumaru observed her quiet grace, her careful demeanor, and her elegant fingers move over the keys, silently, yet surely. She's rather good, he mused, becoming enthralled by her playing.

Kagome sat opposite a stoic Inuyasha. "I just wanted to say-"

"Why did you bid on that jerk?" Inuyasha interrupted.

Kagome sighed. This wasn't going to be easy. "I didn't mean to it-"

"And I suppose you didn't mean to sit in his box at the match, either?"

Kagome sighed heavily. "No. I didn't know, and besides-"

"Kagome, I just don't want you to make the wrong . . choices." Inuyasha finished, rather lost in thought. "Making the wrong choices here can be fatal."

Kagome walked over to him, trying to make him hear her out. But he jumped up and backed away.

"Forget this! If you want to pursue that jackass, go ahead! I won't save you!"

"Inuyasha please!"

He sighed heavily, vacillating between being angry and hurt. "I think I'll go now," he declared, opening her door.

"Inuyasha, I wanted to bid on-"

"I said forget it!" He yelled back from the hall, rapidly making an exit.

"-you," Kagome finished in a whisper. She felt like lead. She walked stiffly to her bed and lay down carefully, as if she were made of glass.

How can one person make me feel so many tumultuous things inside? She wondered, drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

Author's Note: Well, the dates are over! Looks like dating in this school is tiring work! Please review and give me some comments, so I know where to take this story.

No challenge this time, just review! It's been a while, so I'd appreciate some feedback.