InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Simple and Clean ❯ A Jewel and Van Gough’s Sunflowers ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

 

A Jewel and Van Gough's Sunflowers

 

Kagome woke to her mother shaking her gently. Her eyes edged open slightly. She grumbled and turned over, pulling the covers over her head, “It's Saturday Mom, leave me `lone!” Mrs. Higurashi shook her head.

“Kagome, Sango is going to be here in fifteen minutes!” Kagome frowned and then her eyes widened. “Oh no!” She sprinted to the bathroom, grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on her way.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and smoothed out Kagome's sheets. The girl could be heard frantically trying to brush out her mane of black hair. The doorbell rang just as Kagome ran out of the bathroom, pulling on one leg of her pants.

“She's here!” Tripping down the stairs Kagome ran to the front door. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she opened the door to let Sango in. Except it wasn't Sango-it was Hojo. Kagome's jaw dropped.

“H-h-hojo!” She managed to stutter, trying not to look too shocked that the guy that kept trying to ask her out had appeared on her doorstep. Hojo looked as shocked as she did. “Kagome! I didn't know you lived here!” He paused, “Is this a bad time?” He asked, concerned.

Kagome shook her head, regaining her composure. “No, it's fine. Please, come in.” Kagome looked at him questioningly, “So, why are you here?” She asked.

“Well I'm going to work in the store on your shrine. I guess I was hired by your grandfather.” Hojo smiled broadly, “That means we can see each other all the time now!” Kagome tried to hide her shudder. Obviously, she didn't do it very well because Hojo got a worried expression on his face, “Are you sick Kagome?”

“No, really, I'm fine Hojo. I'll go get Grandpa.” Kagome ran out to the shrine's shop, where her grandfather was rearranging a display of something that looked oddly like human hair.

“Err, Grandpa?” He looked up, waving jollily at Kagome. “Your new employee is here to see you.” Her Grandpa looked delighted. “Fabulous! Tell him to come here right away. He can start today.”

Kagome looked more closely at the hair that was on display. It looked oddly like her hair. “Grandpa,” She said, “What is this?” She picked up a chunk of the hair and smelled it. It smelled really familiar.

“Oh, that-it's… it's…ummmm, Youkai hair.” He said, smiling guiltily. Kagome looked at him fiercely, “Grandpa! This is my hair!” The old man laughed nervously, “Yes, but it is very convincing!” Kagome sighed, and shook her head at her grandfather.

Kagome made her way back to the house where Hojo was waiting vigilantly. Kagome motioned to her grandfather's shop, “He says you can start today.” She said. Hojo missed her scornful tone of voice. He was all smiles as he made his way towards the shop, “Thanks Kagome! See you later!”

Kagome rolled her eyes. Sometimes her grandfather was such a pain! Seriously, employing her stalker? What did she do to deserve that?

* * *

Sango arrived soon after Hojo left. It was a nice relief to have her around. She and Kagome rode their bikes down to the lake. It was a nice day. They sat back against a little hill and ate their lunch that consisted of instant ramen and chips.

Kagome sighed happily, watching the reflection of a lone cloud float across the peaceful surface of the lake. Sango smiled, licking the salt from a chip off her fingers, “It's so peaceful here!” Kagome nodded.

“So, are you all done with your math homework?” Sango asked Kagome. Kagome nodded happily, “I finished it early so you could come over.” Kagome hated math, but her mother insisted that she had to do her homework before anything else.

“It's so funny; all of the girls at school have a crush on that new kid, Inuyasha.” Sango laughed, oblivious to the fact that Kagome had gone rigid at the sound of the boy's name. “I bet he made up his own name. I mean, what parent would name their child `Dog Demon'?” Sango laughed.

She noticed that Kagome wasn't laughing with her. “Don't tell me you like Inuyasha?” Kagome shook her head, her face held a troubled expression. Sango looked at her curiously.

“What's the matter?” Kagome pondered over to tell Sango about Kikyo and Inuyasha. Kagome decided that it was safe to tell Sango. She trusted her. Anyways, it would be nice to be able to talk to about it without them bursting into tears. Kagome watched the lone cloud; it was now in the center of the lake.

“Sango, do you promise not to tell anyone if I tell you?” Kagome asked, realizing she sounded like an eight year old. Sango nodded, looking worried, “What is it?”

“Well-there's more to Inuyasha than you think.” She paused; looking at Sango's perplexed face, “He used to go out with my cousin, and, well-I guess you could say they were in love.”

Sango looked relieved, “That's it? That's not so bad!” She said happily. Her face fell as she looked at Kagome's own face, “There's more?” Sango asked. Kagome sighed unhappily.

“See, Kikyo, my cousin, thought that he was cheating on her-she dumped him. It was so horrible!” Sango patted Kagome's knee comfortingly, “It's not that bad Kagome, he's probably a big jerk; Kikyo did the right thing.”

Kagome nodded absently. Was Inuyasha really a jerk? She had never met the guy, she'd only seen him from a distance, but he seemed to be still in love with Kikyo. But Kikyo had moved on… Kagome realized she felt sorry for Inuyasha. He might not have even cheated on her in the first place!

“Hey, let's go for a swim!” Sango suggested brightly, trying to get Kagome's mind off the whole Kikyo & Inu Yasha thing. Kagome looked up at her gratefully, “Good idea! It'll be so much fun!”

The two girls stripped down to their bathing suits and plunged into the clean, cool water. Laughing and splashing at one another, they both fell over, hitting the water with twin splatters. They broke the surface at the same time and giggled even more until they could barely breathe because they were doubled over in silent laughter.

Kagome spotted a flash of white and red underwater. She squinted her eyes, trying to see better under the water. Suddenly she was pulled underwater. Strong arms wrapped around her shoulders. Then she was pushed up. She broke the surface of the water gasping for breath.

“What was that?” She asked breathlessly. Sango looked at her curiously, “What was what?”

“Uh, there was something in the water and it pulled me under!” Sango smiled and splashed at Kagome playfully, “Maybe it's the spirit of the lake!” Sango said, laughing, “She's mad at you because you stole her necklace!”

Kagome raised her eyebrow, “What necklace?” She asked, confused. Sango looked at her confused also, “The necklace you have around your neck silly!” Kagome frowned, her friend was obviously seeing thing too… maybe it was the ramen; it did taste a little stale…

“Sango, I don't wear a neck-” Kagome froze. Around her neck was a large, perfectly round crystal. It was shaded slightly pink, and it had an unearthly glow to it. Kagome's jaw dropped. How had this jewel gotten around her neck?

She decided to act as though she had found it. “Oh, this? I saw it at the bottom of the lake. A tourist probably dropped it.” Sango nodded. Her teeth were chattering.

“I'm cold, let's get out.” She suggested. Kagome nodded gratefully, “Yeah, anyways, it's getting dark.” It was indeed getting dark. By the time the girls had dried off and gotten dressed again, the sun had almost set.

They hurried over to Kagome's house on their bicycles. They tromped up to Kagome's room to dry their hair. While Sango was changing into a fresh pair of clothes, Kagome examined the strange jewel.

It fit nicely in the center of her palm and glowed with an inner light that seemed almost unnatural. How had this jewel gotten onto her neck? Was it the strange force that had pulled her under the water? What had that been anyways?

The weekend was finally over, much to Kagome's disappointment. She was hardly into her second week of school and she was already dreading it. It wasn't the subjects that she hated; she had pretty nice teachers, it was Inuyasha.

She was constantly hoping that he wouldn't notice her. She knew that if he did, and if he brought up Kikyo, she might break down. It was enough stress that he was in all of her classes.

She was thinking these things in her first period art class while Mr. M was showing the daily painting. She had zoned out and didn't realize that Mr. M was talking to her.

“Ms. Higurashi? Are we awake?” Kagome looked up at him, and realizing that the whole class had their eyes on her, she smiled guiltily and asked, “Um, what was the question again?” Kagome tried to sink down as low as she could into her chair.

“Who do you think painted this particular piece of art?” Mr. M asked kindly, smiling. Kagome looked at him blankly. She had a heavy feeling in her stomach and she knew that her cheeks were turning red.

A voice to her right whispered so that only she could hear, “It's Van Gough.” Kagome let out a little `oh' and then looked up at the young teacher uncertainly and then at the painting. It was a picture of sunflowers.

“Err, Van Gough?” She said, hoping that whoever had given her the answer wasn't just playing a mean trick. Mr. M smiled, “At least your friend pays attention in class. Next time, Ms. Higurashi, I hope you will be a little more attentive in class.” Mr. M's voice was gentle; he wasn't upset with her-just amused.

Kagome heaved a big sigh of relief as Mr. M started to introduce the project of the week. She turned to the nice person who supplied her with the answer. The person she was now looking at was the last person that she ever expected to do what he did. It was Inuyasha.

“T-t-thank you?” Kagome forced out. She was shell shocked. Why had he done this for her? Did he even realize who she was? She noticed he was smiling.

“Yeah, whatever.” He informed her. It didn't seem as though he realized who she was… But maybe he did? Now she was really confused. She just nodded her head, and slowly turned to face forward again.

Inuyasha caught up with Kagome in between second and third period. He asked to walk with her to class. What could she say? Of course she had to accept the offer. Anyways what would she have told him instead? `Oh, sorry Inuyasha, I don't want to because you broke up with my cousin and she hates you now, and so do I... or maybe I don't.

“I'm Inuyasha; you're in all my classes, right?” He asked her. Kagome kept her eyes on the floor. “I know who you are.” She said bluntly, not caring if she was rude. She had let him walk her to class, but that didn't mean that she had to be nice to him.

Inuyasha seemed shocked, “You know me?” He asked, surprised. Kagome looked up at him, trying hard to keep the rage out of her eyes, “Not personally, but my cousin does. You might remember her-her name's Kikyo.”

Kagome sped up, hoping Inuyasha wouldn't bother her anymore. She needn't have worried though, Inuyasha had frozen the moment she had uttered Kikyo's name. Inuyasha wasn't there the rest of that day, nor the next, or the next after that. Frankly, Kagome really didn't care.

* * *

Aww, poor Inuyasha! I think Kagome was a little harsh on the poor guy… oh well, maybe she didn't get much sleep that day… either that or she was PMS-ing… either one… Okay, well, I hope you like it! Much more coming your way hopefully real soon! By the way, to all you readers, I LOVE reviews!!! *wink* *wink*