Home Is Where The Hurt Is

by Rogue Pryde

Chapter 3: once upon a time

I won't object to a few reviews. . .Hehehe. . . I really am desperate, aren't I? ANYways, without further ado, here is chapter 3!

 

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Kagome was still fuming as she followed Sango to an empty table.

"I'll show them 'claimed'." She muttered, sitting across from Sango.

"Boys can be so stupid." Her friend agreed, thinking of a certain dark haired charmer.

"That's not very nice, Sango." A smooth voice came from behind as Miroku plunked his tray down next to her.

"Speak of the devil." She murmured, shooting him a 'look'.

"Remind me again why we're sitting with these rejects?" Inuyasha complained, appearing next to Kagome, who turned on him in fury.

"No one ASKED you to sit here, Inuyasha!" She tossed her hair. "In fact, I think we'd all be much happier if you could just make yourself disappear."

He sneered and was about to reply when Kouga showed up and cut him off. "Yeah, Inu. I don't need you flirting with my woman." He sat next to Sango, across from where Inuyasha was standing with his tray. Kagome's eye began to twitch, but Inuyasha spoke before she could sputter out an objection.

"First of all, I would never EVER flirt with an ugly cow like 'that'." He pointed disgustedly at the new student. "And secondly, no one, especially you, can tell me what to do." He sat down across from Kouga (which just *happened* to put him next to Kagome, hehehe. . .).

Kagome groaned inwardly. *Could this day get any worse?*

"Hey Kagome!"

*You just HAD to think it, didn't you?* She yelled at herself mentally, turning to greet the smiling Hojo. "Um. . .Hey." Even HE would have to realize how fake her smile was.

Or not.

"Mind if I sit here?" He pointed to the seat on the other side of her, across from Miroku. Without waiting for an answer, he slid in and opened his lunch bag.

"No, not at all." She assured him through gritted teeth. Inuyasha snickered and she kicked him under the table.

Miroku regarded the newcomers with disinterest and turned his attention towards Sango. "So, are you going to answer my--" He broke off as she turned and glared at him. "So, about this project. . ." He switched to a safer topic.

"What about it?" She sounded defeated.

"It's sort of funny we got paired together, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Funny."

He leaned towards her. "In fact, you could almost say it was Fate." She met his gaze with disdain.

"Sure, than I won't be held accountable when I strangle you."

Unfazed, he kept his eyes on hers. "And 'I' can't be held accountable for what I do 'before' you kill me."

She threw her hands up in aggravation (doing her best to hide the blush that came involuntarily to her cheeks). "Don't you EVER give up? Or at least, SHUT up? We're going to do this project with as little contact as possible and than never speak to each other again. If that bothers you, well than I'm sorry." She paused. "Actually, no. I'm not sorry. That's how it's gonna be."

He regarded her thoughtfully and she struggled not to squirm under his piercing gaze. "Why do you hate me?"

"Do you want it in alphabetical order?" Her voice was dry.

His was more so. "Whichever you prefer is fine by me."

"Everyone knows how you treat girls. First, you're all nice and charming or whatever, but once they fall for your act you take them out once, maybe twice, and than you break it off, without so much as an apology. Call me crazy, but I don't want to be just another name on Miroku's 'dumped' list." She forced herself to stay angry. Why did he have to 'look' at her like that?!

"And here I thought you were the kind of girl who liked to draw her own conclusions." His face became unreadable.

"You don't have to get bit by a snake to know it hurts." She had seen them. Girl after girl, sobbing brokenly after being dumped by one jerk or another. It wasn't necessarily Miroku who had dumped them, but guys like him were all the same.

"I would never hurt you, Sango." His voice was soft. If she didn't lighten up after a line like that, she was a lost cause.

She looked at him in disgust. "You don't even know me."

He started at that. Girls didn't WANT guys to know them. They wanted guys to want them, lust after them, 'love' them, but never know them. He couldn't honestly say he had ever 'known' a girl. He had thought they were all the same, but one look at Sango's face as she turned back to her food convinced him otherwise. She was different. *But that just means she's more of a challenge.* He reminded himself mentally, ignoring the small voice that mocked him with her words. 'I don't want to be just another name on Miroku's dumped list.'

He didn't want her to be just another name either.

Than what 'did' he want her to be? *Just a challenge.* He reminded himself again. But this time there was even less enthusiasm behind the words.

Meanwhile. . .

Kagome was having problems of her own on the other side of the table.

"What makes you think you can sit next to MY woman, Hojo!?"

"I told you, you can't claim her yet! I talked to her first, and besides, she likes ME better!"

"Oh yeah! Why would she like you better than me, her own BOYFRIEND?!"

*4998, 4999, 5000* Kagome finally gave up on banging her head against the table. It wasn't doing any good to drown out the voices of the two boys. Haggardly, she turned to Inuyasha, who looked bored, but other than that, just as sane as always. "How can you STAND it?" She jerked a thumb towards the other two.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'm just tougher than you." He grinned wickedly. She let it pass.

"Homo over there is bad enough, but that--" She broke off as Inuyasha burst out laughing. "What?"

"Ho-Homo?" He managed. She blushed.

"Did I say that out loud?" Before he could respond, 'Homo' reached out and grabbed Kagome by the arm.

"Come on. We're leaving." He ordered.

*Wha. .?* "NO!" She yanked her arm away from him. "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Instantly Kouga was at her side. "See." He smirked. "She's MY woman."

Kagome had had enough. Before even 'she' realized what she was doing, she had a milk carton in one hand and the schools tapioca pudding in the other. "I am NOT your woman." She poured the milk over a stunned Kouga's head.

Inuyasha snickered. "Moo." He said under his breath, reminding her of his previous insult. Not a good idea.

Calmly she threw the pudding in his face.

And that's when the world turned upside down.

Kouga grabbed the nearest thing he could find (which happened to be an apple) and launched it at Hojo's head, rendering him instantly unconscious. Kagome cheered.

Inuyasha, sensing an opening, flung a spoonful of pudding towards Kagome's face, but missed because at that exact instant she bent down to pick up more ammo. The chocolate goo hit Sango instead.

"Who threw that?!"

Inuyasha pointed innocently at Miroku.

"It wasn't me! How could I have, I'm sitting right next to you!"

She smirked. "But if I believed you, I wouldn't have a reason to do 'this'." Before Miroku could even flinch she hurled a handful of the school's 'tuna surprise' right into his gaping mouth.

Everyone froze.

"That was bad. . ." Inuyasha breathed. Sango gulped. Kagome looked confused, but one glance at everyone else's face convinced her not to pry. Kouga looked like he was gonna have a heart attack.

Sango laughed nervously. "Miroku?"

Slowly, he made himself swallow and wiped his mouth on the end of a napkin. "Sango?"

"Yeah?"

"You owe me."

She gulped. "Yeah."

The others cautiously sat down, as Miroku dropped the napkin back on the table.

"Big time."

"Yeah."

Suddenly he grinned, spoiling the dramatic mood. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at five!"

"WHAT?!"

For a second everyone just stared, and than Kagome giggled, breaking the silence. "I'm sorry!" She gasped, as Sango turned and glared at her. "But can't you just imagine what your date's going to be like?!" One by one the others began to join in, and even Sango cracked a grin.

"This is gonna be the worst date you've EVER had Miroku!"

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, before he could respond. As they picked up their trays and books, Kagome bumped into Inuyasha and got a good look at his face. She snickered.

"What?!" He demanded. "What's so funny?"

She just laughed helplessly before pointing a finger at his face. "I love you new look!"

Instinctively he moved a hand up to his face, feeling the smeared pudding with his fingers. "Well, since you love it so much. . ." He let his voice trail off, and before Kagome knew what was happening, she felt something cold and slimy hit her in the face. He cocked his head to one side, as if deep in thought. "Yes." He said finally. "It's definitely an improvement."

Instead of getting angry, like he expected, she just laughed. "Remind me to never go to you for make-up tips. Not that your face isn't enough of a warning. . ." She added thoughtfully.

"Don't worry." He responded cheerfully. "Not even make-up could do anything to fix that horror you call a face."

"Jerk."

"Wench."

They exchanged insults all the way to the next period. Neither could remember exactly when they had switched from furious rantings to slightly pretended furious banter. But they still hated each other.

Right?

Right.

By the end of the day, Kagome was feeling really good about her life. She had a great friend in Sango, guys liked her (even if they were weird and scary), and it was even fun fighting with Inuyasha. (Not that she'd EVER admit it!) She couldn't help but sigh contentedly as her bus pulled away from the school. She'd never had friends. People she could talk with, or joke with. She always seemed to be on the move. And than there had been the bruises to explain. . .

Forcing herself to be honest, she wondered just how long it could last. How long would she stay at this school? How long could she go without her making her dad angry? How long could she keep her secret? She didn't want to think about what people would do if they found out. She knew from experience, the majority would think she was a liar. A selfish lying daughter, that had it in for her dad. But that wasn't what frightened her the most. Against her will, she felt old memories resurfacing.

*********flashback************

"Where's Mom?" The eleven-year-old Kagome rubbed her eyes sleepily. "She was supposed to take me to school early for the science fair."

She had never forgotten the look in her father's eyes as he turned to face her. For a second, she could almost forget that he ever got angry, or yelled, or hit. And than, unable to look away, she watched that part of him die. "She's gone."

Her heart stopped. "What do you mean?" But she knew what he meant. Choking back sobs, she ran up to her little brothers room to take comfort in reassuring him, but stopped abruptly at the doorway.

"She took him with her." Her dad's voice came from behind, followed by a fist. "She took him with her, and left me with YOU!" She didn't even try to block herself as the blows fell on her unprotected face and body. His words had made her wince more than the pain ever could. She lay there, hugging herself in a little ball, hours after he left. Her Mom had told her that things had been different once. A long time ago once, like in a fairy tale. Her dad had been sweet and kind and funny. But he hadn't wanted to be a father. *It's my fault.* The words echoed in her mind, over and over until they burned. Her Mom had been her comfort. Her mom had listened to her when she cried. Her mom had promised her things would get better.

Her mom had lied.

She had left her all alone.

With him.

*Souta was worth saving.* A voice from inside her whispered. *You weren't*

*You weren't worth saving.*

*********End flashback*********

Coming out of her reverie, Kagome realize her cheeks were wet. What frightened her the most about her secret, what absolutely terrified her, was the thought that someone would find out. . .*You weren't worth saving* Her mind whispered the words hauntingly. Her dad hurt her, he hit her, and yelled at her. And she deserved it. She didn't want anyone to find out how much she deserved it.

Once upon a time her dad was sweet and kind and funny. And than she was born. . .

Hiding her face from the rest of the passengers, she sobbed as if there were enough pieces of her shattered heart to break.

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This is the longest chapter yet! Sorry if you thought the lunch thing was a little too goofy for a 'serious' fic, but I couldn't resist (and it's night, I'm tired.). I hope you enjoy this chapter! (I know I enjoyed writing it!) Please, please, PLEASE, don't forget to review! You have NO idea what an inspiration you guys all are!

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