Bulma lounged in the plush chair that sat opposite the principal's large mahogany desk, her expression a mixture of apathy and irritation. She had been staring down at the floor, lost in thought when the principal repeated her name for the third time.
"What?" she finally responded as her bored blue eyes looked up.
"Why don't you tell your father what you did this time, Bulma," the principal's shrill voice commanded.
Bulma looked to her father seated in the chair next to her. Dr. Briefs was still sporting his lab coat, his lavender hair looking a mess. The stubborn cowlick at the back of his head swooped several hairs in wayward directions. Bulma frowned. She had been cursed with the very same affliction, but had spent years taming her own in her lilac mane. Bulma recognized his feverishly tapping foot as another annoying trait she had inherited from her absent father. His disheveled appearance and seemly impatient body language reminding Bulma of how seriously he took this meeting and by extension his responsibilities of being her father.
This was the first time she'd seen him in four days. He spent so much time in his lab or in the office of their family's company, Capsule Corporation, that she seldom interacted with him at all. Dr. Brief's non existent presence in her life made him more of a ghost than a father. After her mom passed away a few years ago, it was like her father avoided their home — and consequently Bulma — at all costs.
"I stole the master key to the school and threw a pool party in the aquatics center," Bulma informed him in a monotone voice. Her father raised a brow, but didn't appear to be upset whatsoever.
"And?" The principal interjected and Bulma shot her a glare before turning back to her dad. "And everyone was drinking," she grumbled.
"Oh dear," was Dr. Briefs only reply. The principal appeared to be a little stunned at her father's lack of a reaction, but Bulma wasn't, not one bit. She tried to hide her disappointment by returning her gaze to the floor in front of her.
"Dr. Briefs, we have a three strike disciplinary system at our school, and this is young Bulma's fourth strike. Her behavior has shown no improvement since our last meeting, so I'm left with no choice, Bulma is expelled from this institution, and she is to leave campus immediately," the principal's voice was stern leaving no questions about the finality of her decision.
"Bulma..." Dr. Briefs said seriously, and she looked up at him from the corner of her eye, wondering if expulsion was what it took to finally elicit a reaction from him. "Apologize for your behavior."
Bulma turned her head before she narrowed her eyes at her father, unsure if that would be it. "I'm sorry," she said half heartedly to the principal.
"Alright!" Dr. Briefs said, flipping a switch to his usual cheerful demeanor as he stood from his chair. "Let's go find you a new school, Bulma dear." Then he proceeded to walk out of the room.
Bulma scooped up her book bag from the floor and shrugged as she met eyes with her dumbfounded, now former, principal.
Bulma sat across the table from her lighthearted father as he typed away on his laptop keyboard. She angrily took a bite of her dinner and narrowed her eyes at him. She had literally been expelled from one of the fanciest, most expensive prep schools in West City and he didn't even have the time to lecture her? Ask her why? Hell, he wasn't even a little curious about how she could have pulled it off?
"There! All set!" Dr. Briefs said as he shut his computer. "I have you all registered at a new school, and the headmaster said you can start classes next week when the new quarter begins."
"Wait! Where did you sign me up? If it was Shenron Prep so help me, Kami, I will scream."
"No dear, not Shenron, I signed you up for Orange Star Academy!" Dr. Briefs said with glee. Bulma swallowed hard as her eyes widened in disbelief.
"But Orange Star is a boarding school, Dad!" Bulma squealed. "And it's upstate!" she added with disgust.
"I think Orange Star will be a great fit for you! It has a tough curriculum so you won't get bored and cause mischief. And since it's a boarding school you'll have your peers around and won't have to be alone all the time!"
"I wouldn't be alone all the time if you would just come home at a decent hour!" Bulma yelled as she stood up from chair. "We never spend any time together and now you want to just get rid of me altogether!"
"Bulma..." Dr. Briefs said sadly, but before he could say anymore his daughter stormed out of the kitchen and stomped up the stairs. He cringed as heard her bedroom door slam dramatically.
Bulma's father tried to sympathize with what she was going through. He too was a troublemaker in high school. When you're a genius and school is a breeze you have to find something to entertain yourself. That's why he never got mad when she was in trouble, but her reaction to his choice of new school made him wonder if he was way off base with his assessment of the situation.
Dr. Briefs sighed. He didn't know if he should go talk to her or give her space. Fathering a teenage daughter seemed more complicated than any scientific equation he had encountered. His heart ached as he wished his precious Panchy was there, she would've known what to do.
Bulma sulked as she threw herself onto her bed and buried her face into her pillow. She could care less about getting expelled, but instead of getting mad or acting like he cared at all, her dad decided to ship her off to boarding school. 'Is my existence so bothersome he would just send me away like I was nothing to him?'
Bulma sobbed as she wondered how everything would differ if her mom were still alive. Her doting mother would never have sent her away, but her ever absent father never showed Bulma that he loved her the way she had. No home cooked meals, no heart to heart conversations, nothing. If anything he gave her money, but it just felt like he did so to get her to go away.
When Dr. Briefs actually was around, she was never really confident that he was listening when she talked. The scatterbrained scientist was always reading the newspaper or scribbling notes on a blueprint.
When she tried to help him in his lab, he insisted that she spend her time doing more 'teenage things', which Bulma took as a personal insult. It was like he was saying she wasn't old enough or smart enough to help him.
Bulma wanted to feel noticed and loved by her father. She thought helping him in his lab would make him proud, but instead it was just another way for him to reject her. That's when Bulma subconsciously decided that she would make him notice her. Cue bad behavior. But even that didn't seem to work.
The week in between schools dragged as Bulma spent the majority of her time packing her bags for her new life at Orange Star. Though the school provided uniforms, Bulma made sure to bring an ample amount of accessories and weekend wear.
She wanted to say she would miss her friends at her old school, but after they let her take the fall for the pool party they all threw together, she decided she didn't want them as friends anyway.
When the dreaded day had finally arrived, Bulma dressed in a cropped hoodie, matching joggers, and a pair of white sneakers so that she could be comfortable on the long ride up to her new school.
Bulma stared out the car window with the hood of her sweatshirt over her head and pouted the whole drive to Orange Star Academy. She ignored her father's attempts at conversion, if he really cared about talking to her he wouldn't be sending her to this school so far away.
When they pulled up to the school's front drive, Dr. Briefs put the car in park and frowned at his silent daughter. He thought he might have to fight to get her out of the car, but she opened the door and stepped out without protest, so he followed.
"I was told your personal belongings would be delivered directly to your room, so all you have to do is go to the headmaster's office for your schedule," he informed her.
"Fine, whatever," Bulma said tiredly. Realizing she wasn't going to give him much more, he decided to leave her be. He'd give her a call in few days after she got settled in.
"Good luck Bulma, I love you!" Dr. Briefs said as he gave his daughter a squeeze.
"Sure you do," Bulma mumbled sarcastically into his chest. Either he didn't hear or he chose to ignore the comment because he hopped into his car and drove away without another word.
She stared straight faced at the massive building across the drive with a sigh. This was to be her new school and home, 'awesome,' Bulma thought sarcastically.
The lavender haired girl ambled up the path that lead to the school's front doors. The quad was covered in grass with trees lining the pathway. Ivy climbed the walls of the brick buildings, the classical architecture adding to its old timey feel.
She navigated the halls with mild confidence and made it to the headmaster's office. It was Friday, so regular classes were still in session, and she found herself slightly embarrassed by her casual wear. Bulma introduced herself to the receptionist at the front desk who politely advised her to enter his office after a knock.
Bulma knocked on the door as instructed. "Come in," she heard a deep voice from within say.
She tentatively entered, gazing around the room. Behind a ornate maple desk sat a muscular man with auburn hair that stood atop his head like a flame, he had well groomed facial hair and serious black eyes.
His office walls were lined with bookshelves, trophy cases, and framed certificates. The rich colors of the room gave an air of sophistication, and seem to reflect how seriously he took himself and his position. The dark wood of the shelves contrasted against the shiny mental trophies, and Bulma wondered if all these accolades belonged to him or if he just took ownership of all the school's accomplishments.
There were no family photos, in fact there was nothing particularly personal about his office, save his name plate that read: Headmaster Vegeta Ouji.
Headmaster Ouji greeted Bulma and invited her to sit in the chair opposite his desk. They spent a moment on introductions and reviewed her transcripts that her previous school sent over. Their conversation felt light, but his intense aura never wavered.
"I'm going to be straight with you Miss Briefs, your academic record is superb. I'm sure you will excel at our school, my concern is your repeated bad behavior," he said as he narrowed his eyes.
Headmaster Ouji stood from his chair and walked over to where Bulma sat. "We at Orange Star Academy will not tolerate such inexcusable conduct, but if you mind your manners here, I assure you, we will get you into a top tier university."
"Understood, sir," Bulma replied with a swallow, trying not to be intimidated by his looming presence.
"Good." Another knock drew his eyes away from Bulma and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Come in," he said as he made his way back around his desk.
A girl with shiny, raven black haired entered the room shyly. "You summoned me, sir?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss King meet Miss Briefs," he introduced, motioning to Bulma. "She's a new student here and has been assigned as your roommate. If you could please show her around campus and help her get situated, it would be greatly appreciated."
Chi Chi looked over at the lavender haired girl seated before the headmaster. She was very beautiful, but seemed to have a bit of a resting bitch face. Chi Chi wondered if they would be able to get along.
"I've paired the two of you up intentionally. You see, Bulma here has excellent grades and Chi Chi has perfect attendance and behavioral marks. I hope you two can be a positive influence on one another," Headmaster Ouji informed them.
"What if I'm a bad influence on her?" Bulma mumbled sarcastically. Chi Chi couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, but both girls were immediately silenced by the seething glare the the headmaster gave them.
"You're dismissed."
"Thank you for your time, sir," Bulma said politely as she gathered her belongings and scurried out the door.
"And Bulma," the Headmaster called, "be sure to stop by my office after your first day. I'd like to hear how you're settling in."
"Of course," Bulma replied with a wave as she followed her new roommate out the door. His words were friendly, but his tone of voice and the look in his eye were absolutely no nonsense.
"Holy shit, that guy is scary," Bulma muttered to Chi Chi once they were out in the hall.
"Tell me about it," the raven haired girl replied exasperatedly, and the two shared a laugh as they continued down the corridor. Bulma decided maybe she could be a good girl at this school if it meant avoiding the intense headmaster.
Chi Chi escorted Bulma around the vast Orange Star campus pointing out the significant buildings and explaining some of their traditions. The halls remained relatively empty as most students were still in their final class of the day. The last stop on the tour was the school's library to pick up the textbooks Bulma would need for her classes.
They walked in the large double doors of the school's impressive library. Shelves full of books lined the walls of the multistory building. Public use computers and reading nooks were sprinkled across the room along with large tables set up for study groups. "Let me see your schedule," Chi Chi said as she lead Bulma towards the circular reception desk.
Bulma fished the paper out of her bag and handed it over, brown eyes scanned the page before looking up in disbelief. "Seriously? You're in all AP classes?"
Bulma smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "What can I say? I'm a genius," she bragged.
Chi Chi shook her head and smiled before telling the librarian that they needed the textbooks for all of Bulma's classes. After receiving an armful of heavy books, the girls left the library.
"I have to drop some stuff off in my locker and then I'll take you back to our room," Chi Chi told Bulma, who nodded in agreement. Not long after, the school bell rang and students flooded the halls. The lavender haired girl leaned against the wall of lockers as she surveyed the sea of people swimming by.
As the various cliques began to meet up and discuss their weekend plans, Bulma wondered where she'd fit in in the ecosystem that was Orange Star. Chi Chi was rifling through her locker when a group of boys rounded the corner. Bulma watched with intrigue as the crowds in the hallway parted to let the trio through.
She observed the boy at the lead, he was incredibly handsome, muscular, but a bit shorter than the burly boys that flanked his sides. His school uniform was immaculate, his tie perfectly knotted, not a wrinkle in sight. The only thing that marred his otherwise perfect appearance was a petulant, little frown.
"Who's that?" Bulma asked as she nudged Chi Chi. The raven haired girl peaked over her shoulder and spotted the boys, before she sighed, "Oh, that's Vegeta Ouji."
"Ouji? As in Headmaster Ouji?" Bulma spoke her thought like a question, but once she got a better look at his unmistakable flame shaped hair she knew the answer.
"Yeah, his son. He's basically like royalty here. Like if Orange Star was a magazine, he'd probably be on the cover of every issue." She smirked at Chi Chi's analogy, Bulma had been the pseudo 'royalty' at her old school. She wondered what the power dynamic of popularity was like here at Orange Star.
"So what's his deal?" Bulma asked with genuine curiosity, as her gaze followed Vegeta and his minions as they rounded the corner.
"Top of the class, captain of the lacrosse team, insane body, cocky as hell," Chi Chi rattled off before shutting her locker.
"Wait, rewind!" Bulma said turning her full attention to her roomie, "Why have you seen his body?!" Chi Chi blushed furiously in response.
"It's not like that! It's just sometimes I like to read out by the fields… ya know where the lacrosse team practices, and some of them practice... shirtless," she shrugged, averting her eyes in embarrassment.
"Ok, first of all," Bulma began holding up a single finger, "I will be joining you on the fields since you're promising sweaty, sexy athletes. Second," she continued, adding another finger, "do you have a crush on him or something? Why are you being so awkward?"
"A crush?! On Vegeta?" Chi Chi said with a forced laugh. "No way! He's not the one."
"So there's a one?" Bulma raised an eyebrow at her roommate's accidental confession. Chi Chi furiously shook her head and the lavender haired girl just snickered at her new friend's expense.
"Let's just go back to our room, you need to unpack and stuff," Chi Chi suggested, completely ignoring her question.
Bulma pushed off the locker she was leaning against and made her way down the hall toward the dormitory with her roomie in tow. When she rounded a corner, she ran face first into a brick wall of a human being, causing her to drop her books.
"Ow! Watch it, you big oaf!" Bulma sneered as she reached down to gather her belongs.
"Eek!" A paralyzed Chi Chi peeped.
"Hah, I'm so sorry!" the boy replied sweetly, "I wasn't looking where I was going. Let me help you!" He bent down and passed Bulma one of her books, she suddenly felt guilty for acting so bitchy.
"Thanks," she mumbled as the pair stood. The boy was handsome, tall, and obviously well built. She realized he must've been checking her out to because he didn't walk away.
"You're new here, huh?" he asked, an easy smile slid over his lips. He was definitely cute but maybe not that bright. Obviously she was new, she's the only one not wearing the school uniform. "I'm Goku, what's your name?"
"I'm Bulma and this is my roommate," Bulma turned to find an oldly stiff Chi Chi standing beside her, "Chi Chi."
Goku slid his gaze over to the raven haired girl, "oh, I know Chi Chi," he smiled.
"You do?" Chi Chi squeaked.
"Of course! We've got chemistry together," Goku replied before he looked down at his phone, "Oh shoot! I got to get to practice. Maybe I'll see you around?"
"I sure hope so," Bulma said with a wink, and Goku waved before jogging down the hallway. Chi Chi exhaled a heavy breath, and Bulma shot her a knowing look.
"So he's the one?" Bulma accused.
"Is it that obvious?" Chi Chi cringed.
"It was painful to witness," Bulma laughed, "but he's super cute and nice, I bet you guys would be great together."
"Oh no, no, no!" Chi Chi shook her head. "He would never be into someone like me. I mean, like, look at him!"
A/N: Follow me on Twitter vegebul_soup