Call Center Romance

Chapter Twelve: Prelude to a Duel and a glimpse into Kagome’s private Hell.

~Two Thirty PM, Friday.~


Kagome was getting dressed for work and had decided on her blue polo and a pair of khakis. She finished her hair and make up and was heading to the door when an ear shattering screech stopped her dead in her tracks. From the depths of the living room ambled a rotund wobbling woman with one hand on her hip and the other on the stove for support.


“When are you going to give up trying to eke out a living by working dozens of little jobs. Isn’t about time you finally got off your ass and quit paying money to the college for something you don’t care about? You really are destined to cause me nothing but pain and misery aren’t you? Look at your brother he’s going to nursing school and making something of himself doesn’t it make you feel terrible that you BABY brother is succeeding where you failed? Look at you, you are 26 years old you spent at least 100,000.00 on college and have absolutely nothing to show for it. Isn’t it about time you grew up?” Kagome sighed and let it all roll off her shoulders. She had grown so used to her mother’s tirades that she had become jaded.


Just let it go ‘Gome, she’ll get tired and need to go back to her damned couch. Then you can go to work and see Inuyasha and Auralay and all the other people who actually think you are worth something more than a verbal whipping post.


Kagome’s mother huffed and grabbed her chest with her hand.


“Just talking to you makes me so tired and upset. Fetch me some Alka Seltzer, I can’t take this anymore. Then just go on to your worthless job and get more chump change to bring home and tell me you can’t help with the bills because you don’t make enough. Go on already!!! You make me sick!”


Kagome played lapdog for her mother then proceeded to leave for work.


Glad that’s over. If I’d had to endure one more minute of that I might have… well, nothing, that’s what. I might have done nothing, as usual, because standing up to her means standing up to what I fear. Damn I hate being a coward.


She turned on the radio in her car and put it on the loudest rock station she could find. And so Kagome drove on to work drowning her sorrows, fears and insecurities in acid metal and feeling no better for it.


~Three Thirty PM, Friday~


Kagome whipped her sunfire into the nearest available parking space, which happened to be clear at the end of the parking lot. She turned off the ignition and Megadeth continued to play ‘Sweating Bullets’. She let the angsty, angry music sink in and wash away her troubles. Kagome took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, purse and notebook in hand.


Just at that time, Inuyasha came swinging in. He had the windows down and was singing along with the radio at the top of his lungs.


On the way down
I saw you and you saved me from myself
And I won’t forget the way you loved me


On the way down
I almost fell right through
But I held onto you


He turned off his ignition and climbed out of his car. He looked over and saw Kagome leaning against her car and smiling at him. He smiled and waved back.


Kagome walked over to him and laughed, acting as if she had no cares in the world.


“You have a lovely singing voice you know. I’m tempted to close my eyes and listen to ‘Ryan Cabrera’ all day long!” She giggled again.


“Oh yeah, and I just might have to close my ears and stare at this lovely young supermodel all day!” He laughed gesturing to her body.


They shared a laugh and then Inuyasha compulsively grabbed Kagome’s hand and pulled her along into the building.


~Sesshomaru’s Office, five minutes prior.~


Sesshomaru mentally grumbled to himself as the voice on the phone kept yammering on.


“But father, I already told you… Yes, Father, I know that. What you fail to realize is that if I tell them he’s my brother they could pull him from my training class, even fire him. … Because on the application you are required to put if anyone in your family works for the company. He didn’t know I worked here so he put ‘no’. … Yes Father, I will try and see what I can do. I’ll let you know what he needs, and get some info on Izayoi for you. … Yes Father, I’ll talk to you soon. … Goodbye.”


Sesshomaru sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of his nose again, muttering to himself.


“I’ve told you to take something for that you nut!” Auralay said from the door, giggling lowly.


Sesshomaru smiled tiredly and looked up at her, what he saw had him doing a double take.


Auralay was wearing a simple red baby tee with “Hottie” written across it in scrolling gold letters. She was in a pair of dark Baby Phat jeans that hugged her like body paint and a pair of red high heels that screamed “take me.”


She smiled seductively and peered up at him through her eyelashes with a come hither glance. “You like, I dressed with just you in mind. Did I do well?”


Sesshomaru stood and walked up to her, pulling her in his office and checking the area for onlookers before closing the door.


“Oooh, eager are we?” She asked, her heart beating rapidly.


“Yes, as a matter of fact I am.” Sesshomaru replied lowly and picked her up, carrying her to his desk and sitting her on the surface, he then leaned in and took her lips with a fury.


When they were both out of breath, he let her go and slowly ran his fingers through her blonde curls. “Thanks for making a bad day better. I was anticipating a rough evening, now it will still be so, but for an entirely different reason.”


“Oh, and what reason is that now, dare I ask?” Auralay quipped a little breathlessly.


“Because it will be very difficult to keep from ripping these lovely garments from your lovelier self. Do me the favor of not tempting me further, lest you find yourself searching for something else to wear.” Sesshomaru moved away from her and crossed his office, opening the door. Auralay smiled and jumped from his desk, landing deftly on her heels.


For the benefit of anyone who may have been listening he was sure to toss out a cover.


“I do hope that answered your question Ms. Vincent. Please let me know if you have any other concerns.”


Auralay threw him an award winning smile and replied.


“Oh absolutely, Sesshomaru. Thank you so much for explaining that to me. I’ll be sure to get with you if I have any more questions. Thanks again, see you in class!!”


She gently sashayed her way to the break room.


~Back with Inuyasha and Kagome~


“For crying out loud Inuyasha! You’re likely to pull my arms out of the socket! Will you slow down!” Kagome shouted as he dragged her in the door.


“Oh, cut it out you wuss! You’re just afraid that someone will see you holding my hand. Oooh, how cute!” Inuyasha began to make kissing noises and sing like a lovestruck little girl.


Kagome was so busy laughing she forgot why she was blushing, and missed Auralay coming off the floor like a cat that just finished a bowl of cream.


Auralay laughed aloud and pointed at the two goofballs. “Have you any idea how ridiculous you look Inu-chan? And YOU, Kagome, you look like you’re about to have an attack!” She laughed aloud again and they filed into the training room for an uneventful, if tense training session.


~Day’s End~


Sesshomaru stood at the head of the room and waited for the students to file out. When all but Kagome, Inuyasha and Auralay had exited he cleared his throat.


“So, where will this contest occur little brother?” He stood tall and made note of the look in his brother’s eye.


“ Lager heads in California, meet there at 7PM tomorrow, and bring your second, I’ll bring mine. Remember the rules?” Inuyasha asked with an odd gleam in his eyes.


“Rules, what do you mean?” Kagome asked quietly, hating to intrude but her curiosity getting the better of her.


Sesshomaru smiled a little at her and proceeded to explain. “ Two out of three contests, if at any time there is a tie or something to close to be called; then the seconds will break the tie with their own two out of three contests. Poor sportsmanship is forbidden, as is taunting and baiting. Fair contest all around.”


Auralay yawned and feigned sleepiness. “Sounds boring, where does the fun come in?”


Inuyasha beamed. “The fun comes in because the rules do not prohibit using our demonic abilities to win a contest. Those are natural abilities and can sometimes come in handy. That and this time our seconds are two lovely ladies that will look FANTASTIC bent over a pool table.” He smiled lecherously and both Auralay and Kagome slapped him soundly.


Sesshomaru chuckled and turned to Inuyasha. “This will be one of our best duels yet brother, and I hope to see you getting more and more ‘discipline’ as the time progresses. Auralay and I will see you there then.”


“You got it Bro. Kagome and I will be there.” Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the arm and led her from the room.


After they were gone Sesshomaru turned to Auralay, “It seems as though they have the right idea. Shall we do the same?”


He held out his arm to her and she gladly took it. “I thought you would never ask!”


A/N: WOW, been a while since I updated this, I’ll not say why. I can however promise an update at least once a month from here until the story ends, somewhere around chapter fifty. So email me if you want updates, and let me know what you think by reviewing.


Holly S


B I B L E Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth TM ~ The Love Guru