InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bad Influences ❯ bad Influence # Nine: Avoiding Others ( Chapter 9 )

Wow! One hundred reviews already! I didn't know that this story was going to be THIS popular! The story just snapped into my mind one day, well bits and pieces of it anyway. I'm so happy, I could cry! T_T I love you guuuuys! WAAAA!!!

 

Okay, on to the next chapter before you drown from my tears.

 

Bad Influence # Nine: Avoiding Others

 

Kagome was having the worst week of her life. Only on the second track practice of the week, she had been tripped in the six-mile run. The glares she had gotten from the other team members and the fact that no one seamed to be playing any attention to her made Kagome's worst fear come true. The coach had noticed. At first, Hatari didn't say anything, thinking that it would tide over soon.

 

The moment the coach told Kagome that she was worried, Kagome felt her hold on any hope she had that week crumble.

 

“Is there something going on here Kagome?”

 

“What you mean, sensei?” Kagome tried to keep her voice calm.

 

“I mean, why are the other members of the team sending glares and ignoring their team captain? Did you do something wrong, or did you work your team members too hard?”

 

“No, of course not. I would never use my powers as captain against my team members.”

 

“Well, whatever has happened to make them so cross with you, I suggest that you resolve it before the next track meet.” The coach stated with mild disappointment and walked away. Kagome took a deep sigh, looking at her feet. She hated the look on the coach's face.

 

The rest of the practice didn't go so well; the students had tripped Kagome another two times, each time innocently saying “Opps, I didn't see you there,” giggling while they walked away. Kagome had to keep holding in her breath and by the last thirty minutes of practice, she found that her tolerance was wearing thin. The next time she had been running, someone had thrown a stone in the field and bent on the spikes on the bottom of her shoes.

 

The stone stuck between spikes and made her fall onto the dusty road, ripping her lower leg.

 

“That's enough!” Hatari had shouted, pushing past the snickering crowd of girls, and helping Kagome to her feet.

 

“Kagome, I don't know what you have done but this has to stop. I don't want this thing to interfere with the team's performance, do you understand? Finish this dilemma for your sake as well as ours. You there! Take her to the nurse's office.”

 

The girl she had pointed to gave a repulsive snort saying, “Me, you want me to do it?”

 

“That's alright, sensei, I can go by myself, it's not like I broke my leg. Let them continue with practice.” Kagome left without another word, fighting the urge to sigh and appear weak. She wouldn't give in! This is just a rumor, and she would fight this gossip no matter what!

 

()()()()()()()

 

“Something wrong Yoko?” Yoko turned her head from the window, tearing her eyes away from Kagome as she limped away from the field.

 

“Nothing's wrong, Tatsuya.” She said sweetly, watching him closely as he nodded and went back to work.

 

She turned her eyes back to the scene below, seeing Kagome limp into the main building. Yoko smirked at how well things were going. Soon, not only the girls would be paying attention, but more of the boys would know too, from their friends or girlfriends. She decided she didn't care how they got their information, so long as one boy in particular heard the news. Then it would be her chance.

 

“Tatsuya, do you need help with that?” She replied sweetly, going to help him with the stack of papers he was holding.

 

()()()()()()()

 

“Kaneko-chan? I need bandaging.”

 

The nurse shuffled out of her office, holding a white box with a red cross on it, as if knowing Kagome was going to come in any moment. She surveyed the bleeding, diagonal series of cuts under Kagome's right knee. Sighing, Kaneko said, “Have a seat Kagome.” She gestured to one of the white beds.

 

Kagome slumped down on the mattress, feeling it sink in with her weight. She was grateful to get off that bad leg, it was starting to ache along with the burning feeling from the scrapes she received from the dusty track field. She hissed when the nurse bathed the wound in peroxide to keep it from infecting.

 

Kaneko whipped the blood and medicine the proceeded to neatly and securely tie the long bandage around the large cut. “There, finished. Does it hurt, Kagome?”

 

“A little but it should be fine.” She flexed her leg, bending it up and down.

 

“I would speak to your coach to keep you from running, but, knowing you, you would just run anyway. That's quite a nasty cut. Did you fall again?”

 

Kagome pulled the shoe off her foot, examining the bent compression spikes on the sole of her shoe. Three of them were bent in their place, in between them, one large stone. She pulled the stone from the spikes, looking for further damages.

 

“So that stone was the culprit?” Kaneko said.

 

“I don't think it was as much as the stone as the one who threw it.”

 

“What? Are the other members of the team picking on you?”

 

Kagome nodded.

 

“Alright what happened?”

“Well, its not really important, Kaneko.” Kagome tried steering the conversation elsewhere, but Kaneko would not be deterred.

 

“This is important. Why would anyone want to suddenly strike out against you?”

 

Kagome sighed, knowing that the discussion would not be avoided. Still, she trusted Kaneko, so she explained about the rumors but did not tell of whom they spoke of.

 

“Is that all? I thought it would be something serious. Rumors will fade Kagome.” The nurse said reassuringly. “I've seen many students under the pressure, but it doesn't last more than two weeks or so.”

 

“I'm not worried about rumors, I know they're not true, it's the administrators I'm worried about.”

 

“Hmm, that is a problem. I suppose the best thing to do is lay low and stay away from anything that could get the rumor circulating faster.”

 

“Yeah,” Kagome stole a glance at the clock, “Track is finished. I should get home. Thanks again Kaneko-chan.”

“Anytime Kagome.”

 

She waved goodbye to the nurse, and quickly walked through the almost deserted school. Silently thankful that there was no one in the changing room, Kagome went to pick up her duffel and school bag. Kagome stared at the ripped open bag against her locker. She picked up her clothes from the floor, noticing that they were covered in dirt and guessing that her so called team members had stepped all over them on the field. She reached into her bag, finding that they took her normal walking shoes also.

 

“I can't walk home in my track shoes.” She said, thinking about the bent and tarnished spicks on the sole of her shoes.

 

“Looks like they trashed my clothes and my shoes…” She could go home in her track uniform, though she hated the idea. The last time she wore her track uniform while walking home, some of the men commented on her “hot pants” and whistled at her because she was required to wear shorts while running in the outdoor season.

 

She decided she could handle those pigs staring at her legs; it was her shoes she was worried about. She couldn't walk home in her compression spikes. If only those girls hadn't taken her walking shoes.

 

Kagome sighed and pulled the shoes from her feet, sitting there in a silence for a few moments. She finally got to her feet, sighing, and began placing the combination for her locker. Pulling the door, open, Kagome noticed the shoe box there.

 

She suddenly remembered the pink shoes that were in that box, hoping that her teammates had not somehow gotten to them too. Kagome quickly opened the box, staring that the pair of pink running shoes she had gotten from Inuyasha, and thanking her lucky stars that they weren't taken.

 

She hugged the shoes to her chest, knowing that they were her only comfort then. She never wore the shoes Inuyasha had given her; she didn't want to wear them out, at least until her other shoes ran out of their reverie.

 

She pulled the shoes on her feet, marveling on how soft the inside was. She had only tried them on once, but never walked in them. The soles were comfortably flat and soft. She felt like running that second, but remembered the cut on her leg and decided to let it rest.

 

Kagome didn't know why the tears were leaking from her eyes.

 

()()()()()()()

 

“Kaede? You here?” Inuyasha asked as he walked into large, clean living room. God, how he hated being back home, but Kaede wasn't in her office, nor was she at her at her home so he guessed that there was only one place she would be.

 

He walked into the large room, lit lightly by the open windows giving it a warm glow that didn't fit Inuyasha. His eyes found a plump, elderly woman sitting in a chair on the other side of the room.

 

“Oh, well hello there child.” She greeted warmly, watching as Inuyasha walked across the room, sitting himself in a chair opposite her.

 

“Hey there, doc.” He said.

 

“How are ye doing out there on your own?” She asked, surveying his face, but before Inuyasha could answer her, her eyes had locked on the bandage on his forehead.

 

“What have ye done?” She demanded.

 

“What? Oh I-”

 

“It's only been little over two months since ye left home and already ye are carrying an injury!” She yelled.

 

“It wasn't my fault!”

 

Kaede calmed herself, her worry etching away from her face when she found that he was fine.

 

“So this is why you came to see me?”

 

Inuyasha nodded glumly, hearing his family doctor sigh as she reached around the table for a bag. “I should've expected as much. First ye come to ask me for a doctor's note and now this.”

 

“Sorry, I was too sick to tell you I had a fever.” Inuyasha growled sarcastically.

 

“Ye see, this is why I was so against ye leaving home.” She pulled a white box from her bag, and a pair of bandages from inside the box.

 

“Come here.” Obediently, Inuyasha leaned forward on his chair and he felt the bandages on his head slide off as Kaede removed the dirty material. Holding his bangs up so that Kaede could see the diagonal slit of flesh from his across hairline into his forehead, Inuyasha heard Kaede take in a worried breath.

 

“My that's a nasty gash.” She said, surveying how the wound was slightly open.

 

“Ye are lucky that the blood has stopped. Let me guess, ye didn't feel a thing when it happened. This looks like a cut? Playing with knives?”

 

Inuyasha gave her an annoyed look, but didn't answer. He had been injured so many times by now to know that Kaede didn't care how he came upon his injuries so long as he was taken care of properly.

 

He saw her pull on a glove, before gently whipping some soothing ointment on the aching cut. Soon, she placed new clean bandages on the wounds. Removing her glove and throwing it away, he saw Kaede neatly place her white box back into her bag.

 

“I think it might leave a faint scar. Another one to your collection eh?”

 

“Keh.”

 

Inuyasha leaned his face against palm, surveying his living room, noticing how big it felt since he started living in his dingy, little apartment. “Where are Pops and that…pinhead brother of mine?” He had almost said “Bastard”. Knowing Kaede, she would have barked angrily at him for uttering such a word. Possibly the only person in his family that he respected, even though it was a little, was Kaede.

 

“Ye father is still out of town for a few more days, and Sesshoumaru is out with Kagura. Actually, I was just about to leave till ye came.”

 

“Why were you here?”

 

“Kagura had the stomach flew for a few days, I came to see if she was feeling well.”

 

“How is she?”

 

“She's fine now.”

 

He stayed there for a good half hour, talking to his doctor about events outside his house as well as hearing about things happening with his family. None of the news given by Kaede made Inuyasha the least but sorry that he had left the house. After a few more minutes of conversation, he told Kaede that he should get home. Before he could leave, Kaede reached into her bag, handing him a case of bandages and ointment for his forehead, advising him to change the dressing every so often and to visit her to see how the wound was healing.

 

()()()()()()()

 

Kagome found the idea of faking illness quite tantalizing the next day as she got up in the morning. Getting home was just as she predicted, several pigs asked for a date, and she ended up punching one of them in the nose, letting her bottled up frustration out in one hit. She felt so terrible after coming home, that all she had done was her homework and then gotten into bed.

 

It was getting to her; she couldn't deny it. The treatment from the other students was weighing on her tolerance. She didn't care what they thought; nothing mattered more than her opinion. She had hoped that they would not go as far as physical abuse. Mentally she was immune to their attacks, but couldn't stop the way they tripped her in practice, or the way they damaged her things.

 

She almost considered skipping school that day, but knew that running away from her problems would not solve them. She was going to face the day like any other; the only problem was that she didn't know how much more she could take.

 

Walking into school, she could still feel stares at her back, and in the student council lounge, it seemed that more boys were giving her dirty or interested looks, obviously interested in this new bad gene in her reputation.

 

Determined to make sure the rumors didn't get any worse, Kagome made point to avoid Inuyasha every time she had seen him that week. She was certain by now that he was really angry. It was like he had some disease. Every time she saw him in the halls, she turned the other way and out of sight before he could spot her.

 

And when he got close, she said she had work to do and would sneak into a classroom. She didn't have any idea what he wanted to tell her, but she was certain that there would be more far fetched rumors when everyone saw her with Inuyasha. Unfortunately, during her foreign language class, he had caught her before she could leave.

 

“HEY!” He grabbed her arm before she could dash out of the room.

 

Breathing in, Kagome turned, her face calm and unaffected.

 

“Why the hell you keep avoiding me!” He barked, loud enough for the rest of the class to hear and turn their eyes at her direction. Kagome breathed in so that her face remained stoic and unabashed, she would not appear weak!

 

“I don't know what you're talking about. I have work to do, now if you'll excuse me.” She rushed out of the room without another word.

 

 

“The hell's her problem.” Inuyasha growled. First she demands that he be in school and now she pretends he didn't exist! Just what was her problem anyway!

 

“Can't you tell, Taisho?” One of the boys said from behind him. Inuyasha didn't turn; still looking at the door Kagome had just run through.

 

“Don't you know that she's acting that way be-”

 

“I don't give a rat's ass about your opinion. I would rather hear from her not you. Now if you'd be so kind as to shut the hell up.” Inuyasha growled as he exited the room.

 

“What the! You bastard!” He heard the student yell after him, but didn't care; he was going to find Kagome and get some answers!

 

()()()()()()

 

Yoko watched as Inuyasha stalked out of the room, defiantly smiling on the inside. Things were falling into place. She stole a glance at Tatsuya as he glared angrily at the board while a huddle of girls spoke nearby. Looks like things were going according to plan…

 

 

 

“Oh no!” Kagome couldn't believe her ears. Temporary suspension from track practice!! But they had a race coming up! When Hatari said it might be best for her to stay off her injured leg as well as stay away from practice until the rest of the team members are in better terms with her, Kagome wanted to scream! This was the exact thing she didn't want to happen! And by the time she had walked away from the field, it was clear that the rest of the students didn't want her there. So she sat on the other end of the field, watching her team members run and wishing she could join them.

 

She stared at her team members running across the field, jumping hurdles and sprinting. Clutching the fence in front of her, Kagome wished she were on the field with them.

 

As she walked home, she wondered just how long these rumors would last, and how much more she would have to avoid Inuyasha. She felt so guilty about leaving him in the dark, assuming that he didn't know about the rumors.

 

“Wait! What if he DOES know about the rumors!” Kagome realized and stopped walking on the sidewalk, her hand over her mouth.

 

“Is…is that what he wanted to talk to me about? Is that why he was so serious! Oh no! What if all this talk goes to his head! Uhhh!!! I don't think I can STAND any more!” She bean scratching her head as if to erase the imminent headache.

 

She walked into her home, shortly after gloomily greeting Grandpa. Mrs. Higurashi was, predictably, in the kitchen making dinner.

 

“Oh,” She said when she saw Kagome's face, “Kagome dear, how was-Kagome, is something the matter?”

 

“Huh?” Kagome turned to face her. “Oh, no mom, I'm just a little tired.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi smiled knowingly, “That's alright, I'll send dinner to you're room.”

 

“Thanks Mama.” She said, giving Mrs. Higurashi a quick hug and rushing into her room.

 

 

“Ooops, I didn't see you there.” The girl stated just as Kagome rose from ground, rubbing her behind.

 

Smirking, the female student turned to see Inuyasha glare at her from across the room. She flinched and blushed at the same time, turning to her little click of girls and whispering, “Why did he glare at me like that? Could it be that he still likes her?”

 

Kagome caught every word, turning to see that Inuyasha was now sitting in his seat, his back to her. No matter what she did, things seemed to only be going from bad to worse, and now she found herself cut from track practice till this whole issue was resolved. She hoped things would tide over soon; she only missed practice once and that was when she had to meet her family, but even then she had made the day up.

 

“Sango, this is killing me! Everyone in track and student council is avoiding me like I'm some leper. I can't stand it. How am I supposed to get practice or work for student council if no one is talking to me? And what's worse! My coach knows something's wrong! I might get kicked off the team!” Kagome stared at her lunch while sitting on her desk next to Sango. It was now clear that everyone was spreading rumors about Sango too, seeing as she was one of the few people that was still talking to her.

 

“Rumors have high points and low points, Kagome. I don't think it will last forever.”

 

“I hope your right, I don't want to miss any more track practice.”

 

“Still holding on to that promise?” Sango stated, smiling.

“Yeah, I won't rest until I'm the fasted girl in Japan!” Kagome giggled, glad that the conversation went elsewhere then her current dilemma.

 

“So what was the promise again?” Sango teased.

 

“I've told you a billion times!”

 

“Yeah, but tell me again.”

 

“SANGO!”

 

“Oh, come on, Kagome. It doesn't feel real if I say it.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Well.”

 

“When I was little, Papa took me running with him. He loved to run and was in cross-country during his college days. When I was little, I told Papa, that I would beat him in a race one day. He said, `that's our promise. And one day when you are bigger, I want you to promise you will only marry the man that is faster than me.' ”

 

“It's so cute!” Sango cooed. “I wish I had that kind of relationship with my dad. Too bad, you haven't found anyone athletic enough to marry yet.” Sango giggled.

 

“Sango!” Kagome blushed.

 

“Too bad you aren't going to practice anymore, Higurashi,” One of the female students who had listened in on their conversation interrupted, “Now you may never find you're dream man.” She walked away giggling.

 

Kagome sighed and looked down at her lunch. Somehow she didn't feel too hungry anymore.

 

Sango placed her hand on Kagome's. “Don't worry about it. Your coach can't keep you off the field forever.” She smiled.

 

“You're the best Sango.”

 

“I know, darling.” She giggled, making Kagome smile weakly.

 

“Don't let what they say get to you.” A new voice entered the conversation. Kagome looked up to see Yoko standing near the next desk, smiling serenely. “Oh, excuse me for coming into the conversation.”

 

“Not at all,” Sango stated politely.

 

“You're the fastest person on the track team, you don't need those practices.” Yoko said.

 

“Thanks Yoko. I appreciate that.” Kagome smiled. She didn't notice the glint in Yoko's eye as she past.

 

The bell, signaled, telling the students it was time to head for another class. Telling, Sango that she'll meet her in class, Kagome walked out into the hall. Just as she was about to round the corner into her class, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned, heartbeat quickening at the sight of Inuyasha and at the fact that some students had stopped in the hall to stare at them. Kagome gulped despite herself.

 

“I need to talk to you.” He said gruffly.

 

“There's nothing to talk about. I'm going to be late for class.”

 

“Oh no you don't!” He grabbed her wrist before she could walk away. Kagome frantically looked around her to the people that were beginning to whisper, and almost screaming when an intrigued teacher walked by. `Oh no!'

 

“You're not leaving before you tell me why the hell you keep avoiding me!” Inuyasha demanded.

 

Everyone was looking, everyone was talking, why wouldn't they stop! Why wouldn't Inuyasha let go of her. She had to get away, away from those prying eyes and annoying voices.

 

Without thinking, Kagome snatched her wrist away from Inuyasha's hand. “L-leave me alone!!” She rushed across the hall, whizzing past the students with such speed that some of them stumbled as she past.

 

She flew into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Kagome panted in a few needed breaths. Soon, her rational mind caught up with her as she stared into the empty bathroom. What had she done!

 

She had just embarrassed Inuyasha and left him standing there without a fair explanation. He must be so angry! She walked toward a sink and wet her face, staring at her soaking skin in the mirror.

 

It finally happened, she cracked out of the pressure! And worst of it all, she had probably made Inuyasha angry, and now there were probably more rumors spreading about him too! Kagome wet her face again.

 

“Why did I do that!” She stared angrily at her reflection. “Why did I run away like that! Why did I scream like that! What's wrong with me!” She punched her reflection. “Stupid…”

 

()()()()()()()

 

Kagome stared out at her team as they finished with their practice. She really wanted to be there out in the field with them…

 

After her little show in the hall, she had washed her face and gone to tell her teacher she didn't feel to well. Luckily, the teacher had agreed and she had spent the rest of the day hiding in Kaneko's office. The nurse, seeing how depressed Kagome had looked, let her stay until class was over.

 

Sango, knowing Kagome too well, came to the office later, carrying a pack of homework and notes from the two classes Kagome had missed. She had asked if Kagome wanted to come home with her, but Kagome had flashed her a false smile and said she wanted to hang out at school a little more, while the rest of the students had gone away.

 

Kagome watched as Hatari shouted out orders to her track team members in the distance. She really wished that it were her that the coach was yelling at. The team members walked into the locker rooms, without the vaguest notice of Kagome, not that she minded. As soon as she was sure that the rest of the team members were gone, Kagome walked through the fence and across into the track field, staring at the bleachers.

 

Sighing, she threw her book-bag on the dusty ground and then sat on it. Her running things were in back home, and even if she had them, for once in her life, she didn't feel like running.

 

“Wish you were here Papa. It's just not the same without you…don't worry, I will find someone faster than you someday, and leave them in my dust! That is…if I can survive another few weeks of mindless and annoying gossip…”

 

“You know, you didn't strike me as the type that gossips.”

 

Kagome jumped from her sitting position, her face heating up and her heartbeat hammering against her shirt. Turning, she couldn't help but gasp when her eyes rested on Inuyasha, as he stood there with his hands in his pockets, a scowl on his face and his eyes staring intently at her.

 

She didn't feel much like seeing anyone, least of all him. After her last dramatic ditty, he was the last person she wanted to see, and, already the guilt was rising to the surface of what she had been doing to him for the past week: avoiding him, not telling him why she wasn't talking to him, and then yelling at him in front of everyone in the hall.

 

Reaching for her bag with lightning speed, she turned to run, but Inuyasha's reflexes was too fast. Before she could take another step, he grabbed both her wrists, spun her around and glared into her eyes.

 

“You're not going anywhere.” He growled, his hands jumping to her shoulders and shaking her ligthtely.

 

“I'm not letting you leave until you tell me why the hell you have been avoiding me!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There you have it. Phew! You guys don't know what a miracle it was getting this chapter out. It's finals week in college here, and I'm dying! I have five finals and three essays due for each and only a week to study for all of them!! I was lucky to find time for this chapter, and I felt bad for not updating so fast. Wish me luck on my finals!!! I'm gonna need it!! T_T Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chap, lotsa tension here!! I'll update as soon as I'm able anyway, I just hope my brain doesn't turn to mush while studying and taking finals!!! T_T Chow!