Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters….I only own the plot of my story.

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Chapter One

The small, petite, black- haired girl flung a tantalizing smile over her shoulder. The poor guy didn't stand a chance. She narrowed her eyes and continued to smile.

"Geez Kagome, I said try to smile at him, not stalk him like he's a piece of prey."

Kagome dropped her smile and turned back around to face her three friends. She let out a long-suffering sigh and slumped into her seat. "I give up…Obviously I'm destined to be single forever."

"Way to look on the optimistic side, Kagome," Yuka replied with a sardonic smile as she scanned the restaurant for another unsuspecting male. Her eyes widened as they swept past the doorway and she immediately began nudging Kagome in the ribs with renewed enthusiasm. "Hey, hey….the guy walking in isn't so bad…"

Kagome rolled her eyes and turned back to her food. "Then you can have him Yuka. Believe it or not, I'm quite fine being single…"

Yuka pouted at Kagome's lack of interest for a few moments before letting the matter go and staring at the group of guys who had just settled at a table across from them. Kagome and her other two friends shared a look and grinned. Most outings with Yuka ended up like this.

Today the four girls were relishing a highly-fattening meal at their favorite WacDonalds.

Well…

…all of them except Yuka.

She seemed more into relishing the guys.

Kagome crammed a French-fry in her mouth and leaned her elbows on the table before releasing another sigh. It seemed like her friends (mainly Yuka) were desperate for her to get a boyfriend these days. But, geez. What was wrong with being single?

In her opinion it was so much easier. She didn't have to put up with annoying phone calls, unwanted obligations, stress dealing with the "my boyfriend is so jealous and possessive" stage that all relationships eventually went through, or-

"Kagome! Hey! I'm talking to you…"

Kagome snapped her attention back to reality…and Yuka. "Right, sorry…keep talking."

"Anyways," Yuka continued, "I was trying to ask which animal you chose for your story."

Oh yeah.

She'd forgotten all about that stupid Literature assignment. Right now her class was focusing on descriptive writing, and their first assignment was to write a five paragraph essay. The topic: Decide what kind of animal you would be, if you were one, and then write a descriptive story about an adventure you went on as that animal.

"I chose to do a rabbit," Eri spoke up, "I think it suits me perfectly: we're both cute, and cuddly, and- …"

"What kind of adventure could a rabbit possibly go on?" Yuka criticized.

"It doesn't matter, it's my story. I'll go on any adventure I want to."

"Well I think it-…"

Blah Blah Blah

Kagome rolled her eyes and dipped a chicken finger into a blob of ketchup before shoving it into her mouth. Who knew how long this argument would last.

Oh well, at least they're not trying to set me up with some random stranger…

Kagome sighed again and went back to moping about her love life…or lack thereof… which, was a good thing, as she had already decided.

"What do you think Kagome?"

"Huh?"

Yuka sighed in exasperation. "I said what do you think about me choosing to do a horse? They're bold, and spirited, and their manes look beautiful when they run," she said, giving her hair a swish to add to the effect.

"That sounds great Yuka….," Kagome said, appeasing her friend so she could finish eating her chicken tender.

"And what animal have you chosen Kagome?"

Kagome shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it yet." Truth was, she just didn't feel like coming up with one. Lately she'd been feeling tired and, well, lazy.

"A cat."

A chorus of "Huhs?" swept around the table.

"I said a cat," Ayumi repeated matter-of-factly. "It fits her perfectly. Kagome's independent… and shy, but curious and bold at times." Ayumi cocked an eyebrow, "Plus she can jump like a friggin' basketball player...I'm telling you," she said as she dipped a French-fry in some ketchup and waved in Kagome's direction, "you're exactly like a cat."

Eri snorted. "And let's not forget her excellent stalking abilities."

A round of giggles broke out, causing Kagome to roll her eyes and grin. "Ha ha," she said dryly.

They sat for a few more minutes, finishing their meals and talking about random topics. But Kagome knew it was time for her to make her escape when the conversation began including the word "boyfriend". She'd had about enough of that today.

She really did need to get home though. She'd promised to help clean the shrine.

"Hey…I'll catch you guys later. I have to get home before Grandpa does… He wants me to clean the shrine with the well in it…." She stood up, still talking. "He thinks the cat may be trapped in there somewhere." Kagome gathered the trash from her chicken tenders and grabbed her Dr. Pepper. "When is that paper due again?"

Yuka smiled and held up two fingers. "Two weeks."

"Right…thanks for your help you guys. I'll see ya later…" Kagome smiled and waved goodbye as she slipped her trash into the trashcan.

Her friends waved back for half a second and then promptly turned back to their chat about boyfriends.

"Lame," Kagome murmured as she pushed through the door. She ignored the way she suddenly felt like an outcast and focused instead on the unpleasant task that awaited her at home.

"I'm back!" Kagome called as she walked through the door of her small two story house.

She sniffed the air appreciatively. Good. Mama was cooking. She would be starving again by the time she got that stupid shrine cleaned.

Kagome ran up the stairs to her bedroom and flung her backpack on her bed.

Won't be needing that….

She quickly changed out of her school uniform into some baggy shorts and an old T-shirt, grabbing a hair band as she walked past her dresser so she could pull her hair back into messy pony tail. She didn't care what she looked like; it wasn't like anyone important was going to see her.

Kagome bounded out of her room and down the stairs in search of her Grandpa, hoping that she had made it home in time. But first… She swung through the kitchen to check on her Mom.

"Hey Mama!" she greeted.

"Oh, hello Kagome. I must have missed you when you where coming in. How was school?"

Kagome's mother was a woman of average height with the same dark eyes and dark hair as her daughter.

"Ehh…. about the same as usual. I have a Literature assignment and some Algebra homework, but other than that the day was pretty uneventful."

"Well that's not so bad. Poor Souta got loaded down with homework. I thought the older you were the more homework you got, but apparently I was backwards." Kagome's mother sighed and turned back to her cooking. "I actually think Souta is glad he got homework. It got him out of having to clean the shrine. He's in the living room working on it right now."

Kagome poked her head in the living room suspiciously. Souta was on his belly with homework strewn all about him, eyes glued on the TV. Being the super nice, forgiving, Souta's-going-to-owe-me-big-time, sister that Kagome was, she went back into the kitchen and told her mother that 'Yes, Souta is in the living room doing his homework.'

"Oh by the way Kagome," her mother added, "your Grandpa is waiting out by the shrine for you."

Shit…I didn't make it…

Kagome whirled around and sprinted out the door. Grandpa was going to be pissed; he never was a patient man, and who knew how long he'd been waiting for her.

Kagome pulled to a stop in front of the shrine, looking around for the elderly man. She spotted his bent form resting on a bench not too far away. On the ground next to his feet was a bucket of cleaning supplies. Kagome sighed and braced herself for the impending lecture before walking towards her grandfather.

Wait…Kagome froze a few feet away from him. What's that noise?

She tilted her head in the old man's direction.

Is he…Is he SNORING?

She practically fell to the ground with relief…

I'm saved…he's asleep…

She looked at the old man and giggled silently. He had a line of drool coming from the corner of his mouth, dripping onto his blue jacket. Other than that his posture stated he was doing nothing more than just sitting there.

Kagome quickly grabbed the bucket and silenced her giggles, deciding that Grandpa actually looked a little creepy. She turned away from him and backed toward the shrine, keeping her eyes on his motionless form lest he wake up and see her making her escape.

She wasn't safe yet….

Kagome slid the shrine door open and slipped inside.

Now I'm safe…

Geez was it dark in there. She stood still waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, the walls and well slowly taking form around her. Kagome sat the bucket down lightly, still trying to be quiet as possible. It wasn't worth taking a risk and having her Grandpa wake up.

"Buyo….are you in here?" Kagome whispered into the darkness.

But there was no response from the chunky cat. Usually he was outside taking naps in the sunlight or pawing half-heartedly at some poor insect. Kagome didn't know why her Grandpa thought he would be in this small, dark place, but she continued to look for him anyways.

It's so quiet in here…

Kagome made her way around the small building, dusting and scrubbing, humming occasionally so it wasn't too quiet. Her back was starting to kill her by the time she made it all the way around the walls.

Now I just have to scrub that dang well and I'm finished…

This part was always a little scary because in order for Grandpa to be satisfied she had to practically climb into the well to clean it. Speaking of Grandpa, was he still asleep outside? The old man would probably catch a cold from being exposed to the cool twilight air for too long, and somehow manage to blame it on her. Kagome quickened her pace so she could check on her grandfather before the air temperature dropped even lower.

She hastily scrubbed around the base and outside of the well, soap suds dripping down her hands, before attempting to clean the inside. Kagome leaned in as far as she felt safe, straining her arm down to clean as much as she could.

Almost… she reached further down for one last swipe at a particularly nasty smudge …done.

"Mur-owww"

Kagome let out a gasp and flinched at the sudden sound of the meow; it seemed so loud after an hour of silence. She teetered on the lip of the well for half a second, and then…

…she fell.

Dun Dun Dun….

I'll have the next Chapter up tomorrow…..stay tuned!

-RedThread