Speed Racer Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love, Life, and Reincarnations ❯ A Valentine's Gift ( Chapter 13 )

There weren't that many holidays that Inuyasha could say that he truly detested. Christmas was okay. His mother had instilled in him, and his siblings, that it was more about spending time with family and friends rather than the gifts or candy. Plus, they tended to celebrate Yule rather than Christmas. And Halloween wasn't too bad, either. He'd always enjoyed dressing up in something that people would never expect him to be, and the neighbours, when he'd still been little enough to go trick-or-treating, had made sure to have sugar-free candy for him. But other holidays, such as Valentine's Day and Easter, he didn't care too much for. They held no real significance for him, given that they both seemed to revolve around making the candy companies richer than what they needed to be.

 

`I hate being a diabetic,' he groused as he made his way down the halls of West Hall. Around him, girls were chattering excitedly about the upcoming Valentine's dance, the dates they would be having with their boyfriends, and what kinds of gifts they were going to get their beaus. `Though I guess I should ask Dad to take me shopping for gifts. Just because I don't like the holiday doesn't mean I have to take it out on everyone else. I should at least find something for Mom, Jade, and Trysten. I can make my cards.'

 

He had just reached his locker when one of the new English teachers approached him and leaned against his neighbour's locker.

 

“Mr. O'Connell . . .”

 

Inuyasha tilted his head to see Rex Racer, Speed Racer's older brother, next to him. He nodded.

 

“Mr. Racer.”

 

“Why haven't you been in class? We're almost six weeks into the semester and you've only shown up for one session. Is there something wrong?” the teacher inquired.

 

“No,” Inuyasha shook his head. “I thought the administration had told you. I'm being home-schooled by my mom for English. There was another class that I wanted to take.”

 

“Was this before or after the first day of class?” Mr. Racer frowned and folded his arms.

 

“Before,” he replied, giving the teacher an odd look. “The school insisted that I attended that first class before they'd switched classes for me. That way, they had a little more time to get the test results.”

 

“I see . . . So your mother's teaching you? Is she qualified?”

 

“Yeah. She is. She's got a Masters in English with a minor in Education . . . Now, if you'll excuse me, Mr. Racer, but I have to get to class before I'm late.”

 

Inuyasha grabbed his books then sidestepped the teacher. For some reason, it didn't surprise him that one of the new English teachers would question his decision to test out of English, especially the fact that it was Speed Racer's older brother doing the questioning. If they didn't know his mother, then they doubted her abilities.

 

`I just hope this doesn't become an issue,' he prayed as he entered his next class.

 

* * *

 

Trixie glared at her husband's back. Her second favourite holiday, Valentine's Day, was just around the corner, and all he wanted to do was bitch about Inuyasha O'Connell with Rex. Her fists clenched, she whirled around and headed for the door. Fifteen minutes later, she was parking her car at the mall and getting out.

 

`Sometimes I wish we'd never moved here,' she fumed as she entered through the fye entrance. `This is getting to be ridiculous.'

 

As she headed for the main portion of the mall, she passed by the wedding music selection. Trixie paused then smiled before thumbing through the CDs.

 

“They're all the same,” a young voice commented. Startled, Trixie glanced up to see Inuyasha O'Connell off to her left, and he was smiling rather brightly.

 

“What are you doing here?” she blurted out.

 

“Doing some shopping,” he replied with a shrug. “Got some Valentine's gifts to buy.”

 

“Really?” Surprise continued to wash over her as she inspected him closer. Several bags already hung off his arm. “Looks like you've done quite a bit already.”

 

“Yeah . . . Just trying to find something for my mom.”

 

“Oh . . . I see . . . Would . . . would you like some help?”

 

“No thanks,” he grinned. “Doesn't really make any sense to buy her CDs. She practically has everything imaginable.”

 

“I can imagine,” Trixie smiled. “Are you here by yourself, Inuyasha?”

 

“No. My dad's here. He's picking up some art supplies so we can make our own Valentine's cards.”

 

“That's sweet of him . . . Sweet of you, too.”

 

“Thanks . . . I really hate the holiday, though.”

 

“Why's that?”

 

“Because there isn't a lot about it that I can really enjoy,” he sighed. “I'm not really into flowers and I can't have that much candy, even if it's sugar-free. It just . . . it just feels like it's really more about how the candy companies can make a buck.”

 

“There isn't anything you like about Valentine's Day?”

 

“Not really,” Inuyasha shrugged. “Well, maybe one thing.”

 

“And what's that?”

 

“The way my mother smiles,” came the answer. “My dad proposed to her on that day. They tend to get a little silly about it.”

 

“A lot of people get proposed to on Valentine's Day. And a lot of people get married on that day as well,” Trixie stated.

 

“But not many send their intended on a treasure hunt, take them to a romantic Japanese dinner, and propose on a stage in front of a large crowd while attending a concert of a mutual favourite band,” a second voice replied. “I just happened to get lucky that day when she said yes and didn't kill me for such extravagant lengths.”

 

Trixie glanced up to see Ryan O'Connell standing behind his son, a broad smile on his face. He clasped his youngest son's shoulder.

 

“I guess you did,” she chuckled. As she gazed at them, she remembered a piece of paper that Catherine had come home with a few months prior. It had been a “thank you” card, hand-drawn. When she'd asked her daughter about it, as the artwork had been outstanding, Catherine had shrugged and merely stated that it was from Inuyasha.

 

“We need to hurry before your mother starts to get ideas,” Ryan told Inuyasha, breaking into Trixie's small reverie. Then he looked at her, and bowed his head. “It was a pleasure running into you, Mrs. Racer.”

 

“Likewise. And, please, call me Trixie.” Her gaze moved to Inuyasha. “Could you do something for me, Inuyasha?”

 

“What's that?”

 

“Would you draw a Valentine's card for me for my husband?” she inquired softly. “I'll have Catherine give you the instructions as to what I would like to be on it and what I want it to say. I know you have some classes with her.”

 

“I suppose I could,” he frowned. “But won't your husband be upset about it?”

 

“You mean that I asked you to draw a card for me?” At the boy's nod, Trixie shrugged. “Don't worry about it. I'll deal with Speed on this. Besides, I want to give him something different, something he won't be expecting . . . and that'll let him know just how much he means to me.”

 

“I think I can do that,” Inuyasha nodded thoughtfully. “I was going to do some drawing tonight anyways . . . I'll give Catherine what I've done and you can pick which one you like the best.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” she smiled. They said their goodbyes and Trixie went back to browsing through the wedding CDs. Talking with Ryan and Inuyasha had given her some inspiration as to what she could do to surprise her husband and make it a Valentine's Day that neither of them would forget.