InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Smokes and Mirrors ❯ Sweet Misery - Part 1 ( Chapter 5 )

Smokes and Mirrors

 

 

Chapter 5: Sweet Misery - Part 1

 

Kagome was furious. Nothing she did was good. She wasn't paying attention in class and her notebooks had all these weird things written in them. She's never inscribed so much during classes. Hell! Her notebooks were usually empty. To top it all off HE was staring again!! The most annoying fact about it was he would do it openly, not discretely. She could have handled it if it was discreet, but no: he was just asking for it. Did the Gods hate her so much they wanted her out of Japan?

 

RIIING

 

`The bell! Thank goodness. I'm about to go insane.' She was so hungry too. Being mad can certainly work up an appetite. Quickly stuffing her things in her bag, she left the classroom in favor of her locker. `Now to have a hopefully peaceful lunch.'

 

Reaching destination locker, she exchanged her books, grabbed her lunch and headed for the diner hall.

 

The high school was huge, it having four sections with three floors in each section and two big gymnasiums. No, it wasn't just huge, it was gigantic!

 

She entered the second set of hallways, Wing B as they called it. That's where the cafeteria and diner hall was located. Walking through the main doors, she was once again paralyzed in her step. He eyes grew wide as they scanned the area. The place was immense, taking up half the wing for itself. There were stairs in the right corner leading to what she guessed was the second floor of the `diner hall'.

 

And where was she supposed to sit?

 

Not a single spot was free from her point of view. Maybe the second floor then? Kagome went straight up.

 

What a waist of time that was. The second floor was even bigger and far more crowded, filled to the rim with chairs and tables, and not a single one of them free. Some where eating while standing. Unbelievable.

 

Kagome sighed and went right back downstairs. She did need something to drink, so maybe by the time she's done with the line-up some tables would be cleared up. That was a good start.

 

Standing in line, she was pleased her sixth sense wasn't picking up any stairs. Then again, there were so many people in the cafeteria that one or two or even ten or twenty people looking her way wouldn't surprise her. Just as long as the entire place didn't stop their present activity only to stare at her, she'd be fine. The line was moving rather fast too, so maybe she'd be done with this faster than she thought.

 

Kagome sighed. Not only did she sight too much, but there were just too many maybes running her life.

 

Reaching the liquid dispenser and the juice fridge, she got herself a can of fruit juice and followed the line to the pay counter.

 

“Hi.”

 

Kagome was now waiting in the Pay Here line when she heard the all too familiar voice. She turned to greet the boy. “Hey.”

 

“Got any place to sit?” Sota asked. He knew all to well how hard it was to find a free spot. If you weren't part of a group and had a chair with your name written on it, then good luck!

 

Kagome scanned the tables for a second before looking at her brother again. She answered in the negative. “Nope.”

 

That was typical for Sota. “Well,” he eyed the crowd of students sitting and chatting away their lunch hour. He could always tell he to sit at his table, but would his friends like that? They all seemed too scared of her. Turning back to face his sister, he eyed the Baked Goods counter behind her. “Can you get me that muffin?”

 

It wasn't what she expected to hear, but turned around none-the-less. She saw the rows of blueberry muffins sitting, waiting for someone to just eat them. Without a second thought, she picked one up and moved along the line. Sota didn't follow, opting to lean against a pole holding the ceiling up.

 

Soon Kagome paid for her juice and the muffin. That done, she made her way back to where her brother awaited her return. She presented to cup cake to him, hoping in return he'd find her somewhere to sit.

 

His face lit-up at the sight of it. Graciously accepting the muffin, Sota told her to follow him. She did as asked. They walked out the cafeteria, out the diner hall's doors and out the school's back door. Now they were in the backyard. Where was Sota taking her?

 

Reaching a big tree, they finally stopped. Sota turned to face her, a big smile on his face. “Do you like it?”

 

Not so sure what exactly he meant, Kagome looked at the tree behind him. A warn feeling swept through her. The tension eased away from her and she felt her entire being relax. Her spirit never felt so much at ease. The area was peaceful and quiet, no one there to bother or stare at you. The tree itself took her breath away.

 

Its trunk was big enough to have three people lean again one side of it and still be sitting in a line. It was tall and filled with beautiful green leafs. It stood proud and strong, evoking strange fillings within her.

 

She smiled. “I love it.”

 

Her words were nothing but a muted whisper, but Sota heard it loud and clear. Tears brimmed his eyes, slightly stinging them. She smiled. His sister smiled and to him it was the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. The last time he saw his sister smile was before the incident. Knowing he might not be able to hold his tears in, Sota did the first thing he could think of.

 

He hugged her. He hugged her with all his strength. She didn't like it and he knew it, but he didn't care. She stopped hugging him and acting like an older since the first time she was kicked out of her school. He felt one arm go around him, pulling him in closer. Shocked at the show of affection, he was no longer able to stop the dam from braking open. The little boy hid his face in his sister's shirt and quietly sobbed.

 

“I miss him.”

 

They were three simple words coming out from a broken child's mouth and they were enough for Kagome to drop her juice and fully hug her brother.

 

She never once took her eyes off the tree, though. She felt her brother stare at her, felt him hug her, holding on for dear life; but she didn't push back. She heard his voice, knew whom he was talking about; but didn't voice her own thoughts. She simply pulled him closer to herself, hoping to create a protective bubble around the child. His soft cries broke something in her. She dropped the box in her hand, fully forgetting her hunger and anger at today's event. She brought her other hand around him as well and fully hugged him back. She stroked he little brother's hair and rubbed her hand in a soothing circle behind his back.

 

Kagome felt her own tears picking at the corner of her eyes. But those tears never dropped. No matter how much they stung on some days, she refused to cry. She refused to break down, to let her tears win her over. Her smiled had faded away, sadness and frustration taking its place. She had to be strong. Not for herself, but for her family. The bastard that ruined their lives was still out there somewhere and all she had to do was remember his face. Then they could all find peace again.

 

Not right now though. All she wanted now was to keep looking at the tree and remember the one person she'll never get to see. `Daddy…'

 

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A.N.

 

This chapter ended up being so long I just had to cut it in two. As you noticed the first part is Kagome's POV. I tried to keep the moment precious between her and Sota. They are and have been going through rough times, especially Kagome, but that's for later on in the story. Next chapter will be posted as soon as it's typed up.

 

Thank you for reading this far and please review.

 

Anime Lady P.I.M.P.: No, I thank you for your review! I appreciate every single one!

 

C-ya! ^_^