FicWad

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A/N: Here is the other half of Chapter 1, this is going to take some time to post, soz people.


Chapter 2:

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He ignores me. "Here we are," he says, opening a door labeled Nurse and tugging me through it. "Sit," he says, dropping my elbow and pointing to a chair before leaning across the counter. "Hello?" he calls. "Where the fuck is everybody?" he mutters under his breath.

I roll my eyes. "The sign directly in front of your nose says that she will be back in fifteen minutes."

He shoots me a glare and growls. Or did he growl? The sound, imagined or not, makes my stomach burst into butterflies.

Oh, Inuyasha...

"Well fuck this," he mutters, and walks around the counter to start rummaging through the various cabinets.

I stiffen. "I don't think you're supposed to be back there," I say nervously.

He snorts. "Well I'm not going to wait around for fifteen minutes for the nurse to come get you a Band-Aid."

"You don't have to stay," I point out. "I'm fine."

"Just shut up, Higurashi," he sighs, fishing out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, some cotton balls, and a large Band-Aid.

"Kagome," I blurt out, cringing. "Call me Kagome." I can't stand hearing the boy I loved referring to me as if I was a stranger. The boy I loved... but not the boy I loved.... My throat tightens, as a sudden wave of claustrophobia washes over me. I need fresh air.

He shrugs, and kneels down in front of me. "Hold still," he says, carefully dabbing at my nasty cut with a peroxide-soaked cotton ball.

"How'd you know my name was Inuyasha, anyway?" he asks after a moment, grimacing. "Only my parents call me that."

I panic. "Uh-orientation?" I try, grasping at straws, hoping that his imagination will fill in the gaps for me. "It's uh-an unusual name," I add, for good measure.

His eyes darken. "My parents are uh-unusual people," he mutters bitterly, mocking me ever so slightly, but he seems to accept my explanation.

I look down at the top of his head, bent in concern over my small injury even though he tries to hide it with his gruffness, and feel tears prickle at my eyes. It's such a familiar sight; I can almost imagine that I'm sitting on a rock in the forest, instead of being surrounded by the sterile white walls of the nurse's office.

He puts the bandage over the cut and glances up at me, offering a small smile of satisfaction.

I am swamped suddenly by the overpowering urge to fling myself into his arms again, to crush myself against his chest, feel his strong arms around me, inhale his scent-I wonder if he still smells of pine. When I hugged him before I didn't have enough time to tell. So strong is the urge that I actually sway toward him, and have to grip the edge of my seat with white knuckles to keep from following through on my desires.

This is not Inuyasha/. I tell myself firmly. /His name is Yash. He goes to my high school. He doesn't love me. He doesn't know me.

"There," he's saying to me. "Done." Then his smile turns sly. "Unless you want me to kiss it better."

I squeak. "Osuwari!" I blurt, and then clap my hands over my mouth.

Both his eyebrows shoot up. "What the /hel/l did you just say?" he says, absently running a hand over his hair.

"Uh-haha! Nothing! Thank you!" I say nervously. "Well, nice meeting you Yash, I'd better get to class!"

"Not so fast-whatcha got first?" He holds my backpack just out of reach.

"Umm... history with Sato," I say quickly, trying to grab it from him.

He grins. "Me too," he says. "Isn't that interesting. Come on," he says, and sets off-with my bag.

I groan. I need to get away from him, so I can think. This is all just too awful to be a coincidence. But maybe it is.

Fate, after all, has a way of being cruel.

The knife in my chest twists deeper.

Taking a deep breath, I force myself to run after him./ He's not really that much like Inuyasha, after all...I'm probably just imagining things. Yeah. Isn't there a name for this? Seeing something because we subconsciously want to? Well I want to see Inuyasha again-not even subconsciously, either-so my brain naturally decides to try to be helpful. He probably really only looks a little like him, and I'm just imagining the rest. Just because he has the same name doesn't mean anything. Besides, it's not like I'll have to see him all the time-if I'm lucky, I'll only have the one class with him./

Of course, going by my luck so far today, he'd probably be in every single one.

o-o-o-o-o-o

I walk toward class, with Kagome half-running half-limping after me, yelling at me to give her back her bag. I'm tempted to, just to get her off my back, but I don't want her to see my face quite yet. I'm totally furious at myself right now. What was I thinking.../flirting/ with her? I don't flirt. I mean, I've never really needed to-I guess I fall into that aloof mysterious type bullshit category girls seem to like so much. Plus my family is practically rich enough to buy Japan. And it's not like any girl would ever want to be my serious girlfriend, not if she knew the truth. So why did I flirt with her? I was acting without thinking-/stupid stupid stupid. /

It's just that it's so easy to get a rise out of her... I... I miss having someone, a sibling to tease, I guess...

Oh, fuck. There I go again. Fucking hell. Quick, think about something else...think about Kagome...

Her response totally threw me off. At first she started to blush, but then I could have sworn she'd told me to sit. Like a dog. Not that my feelings were hurt or anything, of course not. I'm not that weak. But for a moment I was afraid that she'd somehow seen through my disguise... I knew that was impossible, even other youkai couldn't see through it, but I'd checked my ears anyway.

Room 201. I blink. Here already?

Kagome lurches up beside me, panting. Her cheeks are flushed, and her hair's all messy. She glares at me, but it's a weak glare, like she'd rather be smiling at me instead. I suddenly remember that hug she gave me.

Dammit, I thought I decided I wasn't gonna think about that.

"Here," I say to distract myself, and flash her my "cocky asshole" grin as I hand her her bag back. She takes it, turning up her nose at me, pushes open the door, and marches inside. I wait half a beat and follow.

"Kagome!" A few girls chorus happily as we enter. She waves surreptitiously at them, but she's already bowing to the instructor, a big mean-looking bastard with bushy eyebrows who glares down his nose at her.

"Higurashi, you're late."

"I'm very sorry, sir," she says politely. "I fell and I hurt my knee. In-Nishimoto helped me. That's why we're both late."

Belatedly, I bow as well, just the bare minimum. I don't say anything.

Sato's glare deepens. "I'll let you off, just this once," he finally says, like the words give him a toothache. "Don't let it happen again."

I roll my eyes, but Kagome looks like she's ready to die of shame. "Yes, Sato-san," she whispers. "We're very sorry."

Hey! Who told her it was okay to speak for me?

"You should be," the instructor says smugly. "Every minute of class time counts. As it is, you've already missed partner assignments for the term project. Looks like you and Nishimoto are stuck with each other. Now sit down. You can get the assignment from one of your classmates later."

/Aw, shit. Don't fucking tell me I've got to do a project with this spazzy girl/, I think. I guess I could do worse, though. I sneak a glance at her, trying to see her reaction.

Kagome looks like she's going to faint, but she manages to wander over to a seat in the second row over. I take the only other empty seat in the room-the one directly behind her-and immediately slump, leaning my head back. Out of the corner of my eye, I see several curious stares.

It's gonna be a long first day.

o-o-o-o-o-o

"I don't believe this," I groan, burying my face in my hands.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Eri asks sympathetically from across the lunch table, pitching her voice loudly enough to be heard above the din of the cafeteria.

But I don't have time to answer, because the 'problem' has already sauntered within earshot, laughing coolly at something with some of the popular guys. How did he manage to make friends so fast? I pray that he will keep walking, but no such luck.

"Hey, Kagome," Yash says. "How's life treating you?"

"Fine," I snap. "Haven't you tormented me enough today?" So far, he's been in all my classes except one, and that was choir. And every chance he gets he makes me look like an idiot in front of the teacher, or smirks at me and makes me blush, or /something/.

His smirk doesn't waver, but I see that flicker in his eyes again. /M/y Inuyasha would have just yelled something right back at me, but Yash keeps his cool. For some reason, that just makes madder. Where does he get off, making me seem all-irrational?

Gritting my teeth, I force myself to rein in my anger. The pang of loss that my thoughts make me feel helps, dulling my emotions.

"Sorry," I mutter, and sigh. "Actually, I'm having a terrible day."

Ain't that the truth.
He leans closer, his smirk widening, and whispers so that only I can hear him; "Want me to kiss it better?"

"Os-" I stab myself in my leg with my fork underneath the table to keep myself from finishing the statement. What frightens me, though, is the fact that I want him to kiss me. Suddenly all my emotions from the day well up in me, as my tight rein on myself loosens. Sighing, I lean forward and rest my forehead on the table, feeling tears prick at my eyes again. I swallow the lump in my throat. If I could only have Inuyasha back with me, I'd never let that word pass my lips again. "Please, Yash, just leave me alone," I say.

Mercifully, he says nothing. Then I hear him move away.

I want to go home/, I think miserably. But home lies within the embrace of a certain inu-hanyou. /I can never go home again.

"Oh...my.../god/...Kagome!" Eri, Yuka and Ayumi squeal together, after a safe time has passed. "He's so /hot/!"

"It's not fair," Yuka pouts. "Kagome hogs the attention from all the hot ones."

"Hey Kagome," Eri says. "Whatever happened to that two-timing boyfriend of yours? Yash kinda looks like him, doesn't he."

I go rigid. "He's dead," I snap, and stand. "Excuse me."

Eri, naturally, misunderstands, and nods wisely. "He broke up with her for good," she whispers loudly to Ayumi. "Poor Kagome."

/Poor me/, I think, as I run from the cafeteria and into the hallway, and keep running until there is no one else around me. I stick my head out the open window, filling my lungs with fresh air. Still, it isn't as fresh as the air of the Sengoku Jidai.

Wave after wave of longing washes over me as I crumple where I stand, sitting against the wall and resting my forehead upon my drawn-up knees. I wrap my arms around my knees, hugging myself, feeling cold all over, like the cold of the grave.

o-o-o-o-o-o

I grit my teeth, confused. Mostly at my own actions. Tuning out the boring blather of the new "friends" I made, I glance across the cafeteria, towards where Kagome's sitting with her three girlfriends-I've forgotten their names already. They're talking about how hot I am, and I can't help but grin a little. But Kagome, I notice, isn't joining in... she's just sitting there, silent, glumly prodding her food.

I shake my head. What is it about that girl that makes me act like such an idiot? I raised my eyes again to glare at her-/Hey! Where the hell did she go!/

"Hey, where you going, Yash?"

"See you in class," I say absently, already moving toward the table where her three friends are still sitting. I'm careful not to get too close to the bubbleheads, just close enough to pick up her scent. I can feel their stares on me, an uncomfortable tickle between my shoulder-blades. Don't make eye contact... Don't make eye contact...

Kagome's scent is laced with tears. Frowning a little, I follow it out of the cafeteria, and down the hall.

She's sitting against the wall, curled up in a little fetal ball. I walk toward her, careful to make my footsteps loud enough so that she won't be startled. It's a habit of mine, to move silently. Instinct, really.

I come to stand next to her, leaning back against the wall, my thumbs hooked in my pockets. Kagome doesn't acknowledge my presence.

"Look," I say, and stop, clenching my jaw. I'm already regretting following her... it's totally out of character for me, and it pisses me off that I don't feel in control of the situation.

Still, I can't help but feel guilty, like her distress is my fault.

This is all a huge fucking mistak/e, I think, and speak, with great effort. "I shouldn't have teased you like that," I mutter, making the closest thing to an apology I'm capable of. /It's not my fault that she's so goddamn sensitive. I keep that to myself, though. I've got a big mouth, but it's not that big.

Kagome goes still. Not that she wasn't already just sitting there, but the normal little motions of a stationary person, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathes-it all stops. "It's okay," she says in a small voice, and climbs to her feet, a careful distance away from me. She looks at me again, her eyes red-rimmed with tears. I don't like that expression she's got. It's almost like she's afraid of me.

Suddenly, she laughs, half-heartedly, and leans back against the wall next to me, imitating my own posture, her eyes closed. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry," she says bitterly, quietly-too quietly for normal human ears to hear.

I wonder briefly what's bothering her, but there's no question of asking her. "Cheer up," I say dryly. "Only three hours to go."

A tiny, wistful smile touches her lips, as she tilts her head back. The sunlight shining in through the windows slides across her features, highlighting her skin with gold. "Trust you to be counting down the hours," she says wryly.

I blink at that, /What the fuck/? but don't comment. "Whatever. See you around, Kagome." I push off from the wall and take a step towards the cafeteria, only to find that she's gripped my sleeve, holding me back. I twist around and raise an eyebrow at her.

"I'm sorry," she says. "It's just... I'm kinda dealing with a lot in my life, right now." Her eyes are sad, but she forces a smile. "I just can't... take much more. That's all."

I nod, focusing on tugging my arm free. We've all got problems, and I sure as hell don't want to hear about hers.

"Look," I say, and face her squarely, taking a deep breath. "I know we got off to a bad start, but if we're going to have this presentation ready by the end of the quarter, we're just going to have to get over it eventually, and move on." Bad isn't really the word, more like weird, but I'm not splitting hairs here. Really, all I care about is getting rid of this stupid guilty feeling.

"Deal," she says, her eyes softening as she holds out her hand. "Why don't we just start over? Hi, I'm Kagome Higurashi," she chirps. "Nice to meet you."

"You know my name," I growl at her, but let her shake my hand Western-style anyway. She's got calluses on her palms-momentarily I wonder what they're from.

"Nice to meet you, Nishimoto Yash," she says, smiling.

I smirk, about to one-up her on the whole charade she's playing, but then I think better of it. So I just let the smirk speak for itself, and turn to walk back to the cafeteria.

"Well, see ya," I say casually, giving her a little wave. She smiles and lifts her hand, watching me go.

Women.
o-o-o-o-o-o

He saunters off, cool as ice. /He really is different than Inuyasha/, I think, not even pretending to guess at the emotions that realization makes me feel. Inuyasha's personality spilled out all over the place-it was always action before thought with him, and he was rarely capable of hiding his emotions. I loved that about him-that wild, raw honesty of self. I don't see that in Yash. The abrasive edge Inuyasha possessed is more polished, smoothed over in Yash. His confidence seems easier, less aggressively defensive.

Yet I can't help but feel that if I dug deep enough, I'd find that same vulnerability buried within him that Inuyasha had just beneath the surface. After all, he followed me out here to apologize-sort of-and he wouldn't do that if he cared absolutely nothing about my feelings.

But I also recognize that I would take that action at surface value-an attempt to smooth things over between forced co-workers-from anybody else; it's my previous experience with Inuyasha that makes me read this on a different level.

Damn, damn, and damn.

No one ever said life was easy, but sometimes I can't help but feel as if my road is a little rockier than most.

As long as I focus on the fact that Yash is not Inuyasha (repeat five hundred times), I think I'll be okay. Yeah. Okay.

Yeah.

Inuyasha, I miss you so much...

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