The Promise

Chapter 1 -- "Pastimes"


"....I don't know how to start this," Goten sighed with his head bowed.
"...." Bra looked slightly away from Goten as she realized what he was talking about.

Goten laid back against the cold brick wall of a building downtown. He slid his hands into his pockets and looked up at Bra, who looked back at him with an innocent look. Goten collected himself as he began to speak.

"We've been together for about a year and a half, we've had our share of problems and ups and downs," Goten said reliving the good times. "I just want to know what you want now, it just doesn't feel as though I can give you what you want anymore..."

Bra smiled as usual and drew closer to Goten, hugging him and giving him a long passionate kiss. To Goten it felt half-motivated, not at all like it used to be.

"You're the only one I want...," Bra said softly into his ear and hugged him a little bit tighter. "I promise I'll never leave you,"

Goten smiled a little uneasily and laid his head on Bra's shoulder. He felt it was hard to trust her after everything that had happened. It was hard to believe her word as truth. So much had happened between them that it was getting harder to forgive and forget.
Goten never used to be the type to worry about relationships, he was naive. The world was not quite so nice in reality. A few months before he had learned a hurtful secret from one of Bra's friends, Marron. Goten happened to be friends with Marron too, they had known each other for a long time and had at one time tried their hand at a relationship, but it never worked out and instead turned into a good friendship. The day he found out the secret he was at the library with her, they were checking out some books and generally were just talking. They were having a discussion about Bra. They were discussing a time, last summer, when Bra was messing around with 17 (while Goten and Bra weren't seeing each other too often). Goten used to come to Bra's house in the night to visit her and just to be in her company. It was hard emotionally not to be able to see her very often. There were a lot of problems stemming from their relationship. Their families didn't get along with each other and their early relationship was very much like a Romeo and Juliet play set in more modern times. Families opposing each other, trying to rip them apart...all the while they stayed together, no matter how tough, blissfully in love. Anyway, Marron was talking about 17 and Bra and Goten was listening, adding his own input as far as he understood. He knew that Bra was seeing 17 but he though they were just friends. She would ask him if it was alright if she could hang out at his house, or go swimming with him, or go to the mall with him. Goten has no problem with that, he had always liked to give his girlfriends lots of freedom and gave them a very large amount of trust. Plus, he loved her and thought she loved him. Cheating never came into the equation. He would ask her afterwards what had happened and she would tell him that nothing happened, except that she gave 17 a hug goodbye. Goten understood and again love blinded him. 17 and Bra went out again and later Goten asked what they did. He wished he could've went with them because he wanted to hang out too...but he was bogged down with busy work. She told him that she had kissed 17. This shocked him terribly and it hurt badly, but she promised that it would never happen again, it was a mistake she said. Goten trusted her and took her word. She assured him that nothing else had happened and it meant nothing.
Marron had a different story to tell. Bra and Marron talked quite often and Marron thought Goten knew everything about what had happened but of course, he didn't. Marron said something about 17 and Bra having sex and Goten stopped her dead in her tracks. Marron thought he knew and was surprised he didn't have any clue about it. She thought that Bra had been completely honest with him about everything. Case DENIED.
Goten has Marron spill everything, and each sentence killed him on the inside. Goten didn't show anything on the outside though, the entire impact of what was told to him wouldn't become apparent until later on. He decided to get some confirmation on what was told to him. It was still a little surreal. The part that hurt him the most was the fact that Bra would lie to him about something like that...he understood why but it hurt that she did. He was also hurting because of the deep feelings of betrayal. She had 17 over a few times, and each time he knew about it. 17 was having her girl right under his nose and he NEVER imagined it would happen like this. Never.
Goten caught up with 17 around a group of his friends. 17 acted like an idiot and didn't want to come aside with Goten to talk. Goten decided to drop it and moved on. Later in the day, he saw Bra by The Spot, a place that Goten would go with her...their special place. It was a quiet spot on a tall hill (more like a cliff) overlooking a canyon and the city lights. They came here often to meet and stare at the night sky or do other "things". It was a rainy day when he saw her. It was fitting for the situation at hand. Bra walked up, smiling as usual, stepping lightly. Goten smiled downcastingly and Bra asked what was up. He looked at her sadly and told her that she knew what was up. She didn't know what he talking about of course, but she would know. Of course you could guess what happened next. This even basically would change the way things were run between them from now on. A couple of days went by while Goten dealt with the problem internally. It was hard to forgive and forget what had happened. But eventually he did. It would never be the same though.

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End Of Chapter 1
Hmm...well. The second chapter will be the start of the actual story. Keep checking back for more ^_^;; ....*ahem*