Romancing the Enemy

Scroll Six: School Days

By: MeldaVeanarSuure

Disclaimer: InuYasha does not belong to me. Though, I AM wearing a T-shirt with his likeness on it at the moment!! (mine!! No stealing!!)

The next day, InuYasha was moping up in his favorite tree, just outside of Kaede's village. Arms and legs hanging off of the branch, staring at the clouds through tired and upset eyes, his ears swiveled back at the sound of the light footsteps he knew so well. "What'd'ya want, Kagome?" He asked in an almost bored voice.

"Can I come up, or d'you want to come down?" She asked, smiling at him, and wondering what had gotten him mad now.

InuYasha sighed, rolling off of the branch, and landing on all fours in front of her. "Like I asked before, what'd'ya want?"

"Come on, have a seat." Kagome offered, sitting on the grass and patting the spot next to her.

He 'keh'ed, and sat down, pretending he didn't notice her. Kagome frowned slightly, but rolled her eyes, looking away again. "InuYasha, I'm going to go home for a while. I'd like to start the end-of-vacation with an attendance record… So, you're just going to have to rest for a while, maybe practice your Backlash Wave, or something."

She waited for his usual 'Ain't-no-way-in-hell-you're-going-back-for-school' sort of reply, but it never came. Kagome looked at him again. "What? You're not going to give me a reply?"

InuYasha shrugged, supposedly for the second time. "I shrugged. What'd'ya want, a speech?"

"I was expecting something a little more… you. Are you all right?" She asked, concerned.

"Fine. Just fine. You wanna go back, then go. I ain't stopping you."

That was unlike him. Kagome caught on in a flash. "You're acting weird. There's something wrong."

"There's nothing wrong. If you're going, then go."

"Tell me!"

"I'm fine! Now get!"

"InuYasha…"

"Kagome, if you're going, just go. Please."

Kagome was about to refuse, but he'd said please. She sighed, and stood to go. She'd walked not five steps when she turned around. "I'd like it if you'd tell me what's wrong." She said softly, then left, heading in the direction of the well.

InuYasha waited until she was out of earshot, then snarled, digging his claws into the ground. "It's all your fault anyway, Kagome… Wish I could tell you that, but then you'd catch on, or want to know why…" He muttered. "Just like always."

*~*~*Kagome's Time*~*~*

She pulled herself up out of the well, and exited the well house. Kagome found the ground very interesting as she made her way back to her house. 'I wish he'd tell me what's going on… I hate it when he's moody and won't tell me why… Whatever's bugging him must be depressing, if he's not even going to argue against my leaving, like usual.'

"Kagome! You're back!" Sota yelled, stopping his game of throw-a-ball-against-the-house.

"Yup, school's starting again." Kagome explained. "I wanted to start the term off good."

"How long y'staying this time?" Sota asked.

"Two weeks for now, unless InuYasha comes to get me. And if he doesn't, I'll probably stay a little longer." Kagome replied.

Her little brother eyed her suspiciously. "Did you two fight again?"

"Nope, surprisingly he wasn't objective to my leaving today." Before Sota could ask any more questions, Kagome skipped into the house.

"Mo-om, Grampa, I'm home!" She called.

"Hello, Kagome! Back for school?" Kagome's mother called from the kitchen.

"Yup! Where's Grampa?"

"He went to the market, said he was going to pick up some herbs to hang around the well house to keep feudal demons away."

Kagome sighed, rolling her eyes. "Right…"

*~*~*The Next Week*~*~*

"Higurashi, I'm so glad you've felt well enough to come to school." Hojo said, smiling at her as he, Kagome, and Kagome's friends left the school.

"Umm… Thanks, Hojo." Kagome replied, mentally curing her grandfather for all the dumb sick excuses he'd given out.

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi all giggled at how adorably cute Hojo and Kagome looked together. It was really too bad Kagome wouldn't give up on her violent jerk-for-a-boyfriend and go out with Hojo. Kagome glared knives at her so-called friends. "So, Higurashi, if you're feeling up to it, would you like to go to a movie on Saturday?" Hojo asked, oblivious to the giggle-glare war that was going on between the girls.

Kagome turned pink. 'I can't be going on dates! Not when I'm trying to get InuYasha to love me… But, I always stand Hojo up. Maybe one date wouldn't be that bad… and maybe I could tell Hojo I'm not interested. And it's not like InuYasha's ever going to find out, right?' She thought, trying to ignore Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi's giggles. "Umm… sure, Hojo. We can walk there from class." Kagome agreed, smiling slightly, her heart sinking.

"Really? Great! I'll meet you out here after class on Saturday, then!" Hojo said, smiling from ear-to-ear, and got up onto his bike. "I'll see you on Saturday!"

Eri squealed as he rode away, grabbing Kagome's arm. "Kagome, he's so cute, you have got to ditch your jerk-for-a-boyfriend and go out with Hojo!"

Kagome blushed furiously. "Eri, I'm not interested in Hojo! I'm going to a movie with a boy who happens to be a friend, and then I'm going to tell him that I'm not interested in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship!"

Yuka's eyes widened. "Kagome! You're really going to do that?"

"Yes. I already like someone. And he's not Hojo."

Ayumi blinked several times. "You can't possibly mean that rude, obnoxious, violent, jerk-for-a-boyfriend do you??"

Kagome nodded, not even trying to correct Ayumi's description, because of course, she was right, InuYasha was all of those things, but… "My… boyfriend," Kagome blushed, praying that InuYasha never found out about her calling him that when it wasn't even close to being official, "He's got a sweet side. He doesn't like to show it; because he was… he wasn't treated very well when he was a kid. Because he was different."

The three other girls were quiet for once, very interested. It wasn't often that Kagome opened up about her boyfriend. Their silences made Kagome go on, for whatever reason. "I guess the only time he was ever happy when he was young when he was with his mother. But, she died a long time ago, and all the protection she gave him disappeared, and he was tormented and chased and almost killed so many times…"

Kagome forgot that she was talking to her friends from her own time. "And then I found him… Sure, he was a bastard at first, and yelled at me and threatened me… But we went though so much together, I know he's changed, at least a little. He may not like to admit it, but I know he really does care about me… and I love him."

Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were silent for probably the longest time since they were able to talk. The four girls walked down the street in silence. Finally, it was Eri who spoke. "Kagome… We're sorry. We didn't know…"

"Well, now you do." Kagome replied shortly. "And next time you go around trying to insult any boyfriend I may have, try to get a little background information on him first."

All three girls looked a little guilty. Kagome saw the guilty looks, and sighed. "Okay, so I did complain a little about him at first, and you guys were just trying to look out for me. I should thank you for keeping my best interests at heart. So, thanks." She said, as the others smiled.

"We'll see you at school tomorrow, Kagome." Yuka said. "And good luck with shaking off Hojo."

"See you, Kagome!"

"And next time you open up about your boyfriend, show us a picture!"

Kagome waved them off, feeling a little awkward. 'Some friends I've got. Good ones, but weird… And just think at how much of a fuss they'd create if I showed them a picture of InuYasha!'

*~*~*Saturday*~*~*

Kagome waited for Hojo outside of the school. "Higurashi!"

Hojo came down the steps, waving at her. Kagome waved back, smiling. "Good afternoon, Higurashi. Are you ready to go?" He asked, indicating his bike.

"Oh, we're taking your bike?" Kagome asked, blushing slightly.

"Of course. I'm never on time for the bus, or for the train, so I ride my bike every day. You can sit on the seat, and just hold on to me." Hojo said, walking to get his bike, and wheeling it back.

Kagome turned the faintest color of pink, and hopped up onto the seat, as Hojo got ready to pedal. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hung on for her life as Hojo started off, heading towards the theatre. She wondered how InuYasha was able to balance himself on the back of her own bike; she also knew immediately that she preferred being carried around on InuYasha's back over being driven around on the back of a bike.

"Are you okay back there?" Hojo asked.

"Fine!" Kagome lied.

"You sure? You're hanging on a little tight."

"Sorry! I've just… never been on the passenger end of a bike! I'm always the driver." Kagome loosened her grip as she spoke.

Hojo smiled, "Don't worry, you're in safe hands."

*~*~*Three Hours Later*~*~*

Kagome and Hojo exited the theatre, laughing. "That was really fun, Higurashi. Thanks for coming with me!" Hojo said, smiling at her.

"That was fun, thanks for taking me." Kagome agreed, smiling back. 'Though, I wish you hadn't tried to kiss me back during that one romantic part of the movie.'

He looked sidelong at her, considering something. "Would you like to go to another movie next weekend?" He asked.

"Well… I'm not going to be in town on Saturday…" Kagome said, drifting off.

"Oh… Sunday, then? Or, instead of a movie, I could take you to dinner."

Kagome bit her lip. 'Now or never…' "Listen, Hojo." She started, trying to not go into the 'I'm-so-sorry-but-can-we-just-be-friends' pathetically sappy voice. "You're a really nice guy. I haven't had this much fun on a date in a long time, really. But… I already have someone I'm in love with."

Hojo had a slightly shocked look on his face. "W-Well! I… I had wondered if there was someone else… You were either sick, or couldn't go on our previously arranged dates…"

"I'm sorry, Hojo." Kagome apologized. "I should have told you sooner, instead of leading you on like this. I really do like you; you're a great friend. I just already love someone else."

The boy smiled. "I understand, Higurashi. It's a little shocking, but I do understand… But, do I know this person you like?" He asked.

Kagome shook her head. "No. He's… not from around here." 'Try by 500 years.'

Hojo chuckled. "Maybe you could introduce us someday. Come on, I'll give you a ride home."

Kagome got onto the back of his bike. 'I don't think you want to meet InuYasha, Hojo…'

*~*~*Feudal Times*~*~*

InuYasha lounged in his favorite tree again, bored to death. And lonely. He missed Kagome. Sango and Miroku were off somewhere. Even Shippo was leaving him alone, off doing whatever kitsune children did.

'I wish Kagome was back… I can't go get her, I've got to win that bet!! If I don't, I'll have to tell her… I'll tell her when I'm damn ready to, and I'm sure she'll accept!!' He thought, sighing and rolling onto his side.

'Maybe I'll go pick a fight with Koga or something…' InuYasha thought, trying to ignore the lonely feelings inside of him.