Speed Racer Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love, Life, and Reincarnations ❯ To Tell the Truth ( Chapter 15 )

Torie shook her head then sighed as she closed the door. Speed Racer was becoming more of a pain than all four of her children combined had ever been. He just wouldn't get it out of his head that her son was a troublemaker. Still . . . it had been somewhat hilarious to see his expression when she'd told him that she was the playing the music loud.

 

`If only he knew . . .'

 

Straightening her shoulders, she strode back into her kitchen then smiled at her guests, a group consisting of five men, a five-year-old boy, and a woman. Anna had gone with Ryan to work that day. To relieve her boredom, the young girl had said. Torie figured it had more to do with getting out of cleaning her room and doing some chores than relieving any boredom. Her children were not idle. She made sure of it.

 

“Very sorry about that,” she stated, bowing slightly. “Nosy neighbour. Now that you've heard some Dropkick Murphys and have gotten it out of your system, Yuki, you were saying?”

 

“Well,” one of the blonde-haired men began, smirking a little, “I want to try something different for my next novel, something that isn't romantic, something that'll bring in a larger audience . . . I know it'd be a shock to my readers . . . but I was thinking that you and I could possibly work on a collaboration piece together.”

 

“A collaboration piece?” Torie echoed. “You mean the great Eiri Yuki actually wants to collaborate on a book?”

 

“Don't get too excited,” he grumbled. “I just want to try something new.”

 

“What'd you have in mind?”

 

His eyes lit up and he smiled, leaning forward.

 

“You're not going to believe it when you hear it, Torie. Not in a million years.”

 

* * *

 

Greg sat in his room, staring out the window. From where he was, he could see most of the neighbourhood, including the O'Connell house. Not that it was hard to miss. Theirs was the only historic, five-story house in the entire neighbourhood.

 

Of course, when he'd discovered who Inuyasha's parents were, Greg had felt more than a little humbled. Torie Cronkhite had always been one of his favourite authors, ever since he'd been old enough to read. The fact that she had a wide range of stories for a wide range of people had suited him . . . and inspired him. He'd even gone out of his way to read the works that had inspired her to write, and seeing a lot of the influences. She was simply amazing when it came to writing. His uncle Rex couldn't even compare.

 

As he gazed at the pristine white house, a twinge of jealousy stabbed at him.

`It isn't fair . . . how the hell did Inuyasha get so lucky? His parents don't care if he dresses in all back. His parents don't care if he doesn't play sports and be the hero of the family. He's allowed to be who he wants to be . . .'

 

Then Greg shook his head. Inuyasha wasn't his problem, nor were his parents. If anything, he really liked them. Sure, Inuyasha's mother had given him the dirtiest of looks the first time he'd gone over there until he'd opened up about the “reason” why he'd shoved her baby boy into a locker. After that, she'd given him a bit of a chance and been a little more accepting of him . . . unlike his father had been of Inuyasha. Thinking of his father sobered him up rather quickly. He loved his father. He truly did. But there were times his dad was too overzealous for his own good.

 

`One day, Dad's going to go too far with his accusations . . . if he hasn't already . . . This neighbourhood . . . they're not like the people of our old home. They're not going to take him acting like a big shot . . . or a child expert. They don't care about last names . . . unless it's O'Connell and even then they don't seem to care . . .'

 

Shaking his head to tear himself away from his current thought circle, Greg moved away from the window and went back to his desk. He had a stack of papers to go through - applications to fill out and open house invitations to address - and they weren't going to take care of themselves. His parents would probably throw a fit if they knew about the applications but he didn't care. They weren't in Farmington Hills anymore. He couldn't rest his laurels on the family name . . . not when people didn't care.

 

`One day,' he told himself, `one day, when Dad's finally gotten it into his head that not all Goth kids are bad, I'll tell him and Mom the truth . . . one day.'

 

* * *

 

`I can't wait for spring vacation to be over,' Sesshomaru groused as he drove to Tsukiyo to pick up his younger brothers. He'd just finished his shift at the Diamond Cinema Complex and, for the first time in his life, he was actually grateful to be leaving work. `That girl is going to be the end of my sanity. I just know it.'

 

The girl in question was Danielle Racer. Ever since she'd learned of where he worked, she'd been there constantly, smiling at him and flirting. He'd hoped that, by ignoring her as much as possible, she'd get the hint and leave him alone. He'd hoped that, every time he wrapped his girlfriend and gave Austen a kiss, she'd understand that he wasn't interested in her and didn't want her. It had gotten to the point where he hid in the backroom or begged to start the projectors. Anything to get him out of Danielle's sights or make it look like he wasn't at work that day.

 

`It just isn't working. There's got to be something else that I can do to get my point across,' he sighed as he parked his car then entered the building. Little Ryan was finishing up with some customers but Inuyasha was nowhere in sight. Sesshomaru frowned. Normally, it was always Inuyasha who ran the register. The customers liked him better, for some reason.

`Has to be his eyes,' Sesshomaru had often mused. `They're always grabbing other people's attentions. And he's always courteous, no matter what.'

 

As a group of customers passed by him to leave, one of them glanced at him.

 

“Sesshomaru O'Connell?” came the inquiry. He did a bit of a double-take then fought back a groan. Of all the people he had to run into at that moment, it had to be Danielle's father.

 

“Mr. Racer,” Sesshomaru gave a curt nod.

 

“Please,” the older man smiled, “call me Speed. Do you have a moment?”

 

Sesshomaru hesitated. He did have a moment while he waited for his brothers but he didn't exactly want to tell the Racer patriarch that. However, he also didn't have a plausible excuse to get away from the man. Speed would insist.

 

“Yes,” he nodded. “I have a moment. What is it?”

 

“It's about my daughter, Danielle . . .”

 

“What about her?” Sesshomaru inquired coolly, his back becoming stiff. The inquiry came as a bit of a surprise but not by much. Like most parents were with their children, Speed was probably fooled by his daughter's character. Sesshomaru had noticed the way she acted at the winter potluck. She'd been very polite to everyone when her parents were watching. But behind their backs . . . the girl was completely something else.

 

“Well, I was wondering why you haven't asked her out on a date,” the man confessed softly. “She's quite taken with you. You're all she really talks about.”

 

“I see . . . She hasn't mentioned the fact that I already have a girlfriend?”

 

“No . . .” Mr. Racer blinked.

 

“And she hasn't mentioned the fact that she constantly is talking about my youngest brother and trying to run his name into the ground?”

 

“No . . .”

 

“You might want to ask her about that then,” Sesshomaru stated.

 

“Sesshomaru . . .” he began.

 

“Mr. Racer, if you're going to start in about my brother, I don't want to hear it. I do believe I know him better than what either you or Danielle do. I've known him longer.”

 

“Is that the real reason why you won't talk to her?” Speed demanded quietly, his tone shaded with hints of rage.

 

“Honestly, Mr. Racer? It is the main reason why I won't talk to her. He is my brother and the only real living relative I have left. If it hadn't been for my adoptive parents, I wouldn't even know who he is or have the family that I do. An insult to him is an insult to me. That's just how it is. I will protect him with everything that I have. And I don't want to hear from you as to why I should give your daughter a chance. Both of you refuse to give my brother a chance. Both of you refuse to listen. I'm just returning the favour. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find out what's taking both of my brothers so long.”

 

Sesshomaru jerked his arm away and immediately headed for the kitchens, where he knew the older man wouldn't be allowed. Some people just didn't like to listen.

 

* * *

 

Trixie stared at her coffee, the story Jem had just told her slowly sinking in. Things were starting to become a little clearer for her, but some things still remained out of her reach, like why the O'Connells would allow their son to dress in such a manner that people would accuse him of being a troublemaker. Granted, Speed was the only one accusing him, but it still baffled her. Why didn't they simply make him wear something else?

 

“Speed's been trying to tell Ryan and Torie that Inuyasha's a trouble-maker, hasn't he?”

 

“Yeah,” Trixie nodded, her voice soft. “But they haven't been listening to him. Quite honestly, I'm getting tired of his tirades. So's Catherine. She can't believe it about him, especially when he helps her with her English homework.”

 

“He's taking English?”

 

“Not this semester, apparently. But he's been tutoring her. Has since we moved here. She's told me he explains the assignments better than what her own uncle does. I find it to be surprising, to say the least.”

 

“Doesn't surprise me,” Jem murmured. “Torie has a Masters in English. She's taught her kids well. And she really isn't a bad person. She just seems that way. You, of all people, should understand what it's like to want to protect your children.”

 

“Yeah . . . that I do. That I do.”

 

* * *

 

“So what do you say, Torie?” Yuki inquired, leaning forward. “Tell me the truth.”

 

“You have me tempted,” she admitted. “I wasn't expecting anything like this. Especially from you, Yuki Eiri.”

 

“Tempted,” he smirked. “That's always good thing.”

 

“Yeah . . .”

 

The phone rang, cutting her off. Sighing and shaking her head, Torie excused herself once more, and answered it.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hello . . . may I speak to Torie O'Connell please?” a female voice inquired.

 

“This is she . . .”

 

“Mrs. O'Connell, I know you don't know who I am and I know that I don't know you very well. But this is a matter of great importance . . . it has to do with Speed Racer . . .”