Objective: I do not own Dbz. Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad. Happy Hanukah. Happy Winter Solstice.
Enjoy!
0000000
Christmas Eve. Satan City. Snowing. Lights strung up everywhere. Peace.
Peace.
Everywhere! The one day I actually want something to happen, nothing is going on. I don't want to be stuck in this classroom. I need an excuse to leave, but none presents itself. Dad's been on a big education kick lately, so if I'm not out fighting crime, I better be studying.
But, in my opinion, this is boring. I will never be a scholar in any way. The only one who'll be a scholar in this whole entire class is Son, Gohan.
My eyes go to him. I move the pencil eraser from my mouth and bounce it on the table. He's taking notes. He must be the only one to do so because I know at least five of our classmates are drawing doodles instead of notes.
He listens to the teacher too, but he knows my eyes are on him because he looks at me. He gives me a small wave. I give one back. No one knows what we do. Not even my dad. They wouldn't understand. I didn't at first. Now I understand, and explaining it to someone now, would make it sound farfetched.
And I'm not really good anyways. I feel like I've hit a plateau. I'm trying, and it gets really frustrating sometimes.
Like this class. It's really frustrating, sitting here when I don't want to be. It's really warm in here. My eyes droop. I have no hair to cover them. I can't nod off like Sharpner does. I don't know how he gets away with it.
My eyes go to the teachers, just as her eyes go to me. I look as attentive as I can possibly muster; which isn't a lot. Her eyes go to her book, and then to the bullet points on the board. My eyes go to Sharpner. He's awake now. He eats from something under the table. I put my hand under the table and tap his knee. He looks down at my hand and smirks. I shake my head. He gives the tiniest of shrugs and gives me some of the sunflower seeds from a pretty full bag.
I put a few in my mouth and chew anonymously from behind my fingers.
"There will be no eating in this class!" Mrs. Lynn barks at Sharpner.
Glumly, he drops the bag into his bag. I smirk behind my fingers. I pick up my pencil to follow in Gohan's footsteps, but it only lasts for a few seconds.
Flat.
00000
Finally the bell rings. Everyone gives a cheer, including Mrs. Lynn who wishes us a 'Merry Christmas,' and is out of the room before any student.
I slouch down in my seat and shove the rest of the seeds in my mouth.
"Merry Christmas, Videl!" Erasa wishes me. I wish her the same and Sharpner as well. I scowl at his pass.
When it's just Gohan and I, he says to me, "I guess we won't have much practice during the break."
"Guess not. My dad is returning tonight from a tour. Usually it's just him and I, but I like it. We're the only family we've got."
"That's really nice." He says snapping his bag shut. There's a hidden sadness behind his eyes. His eyes come back to me and it's gone. He says, "Goten considers you family since you're the only visitor we usually see."
I smile. "He's a great kid."
"He is. Well, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," I say. I wave him goodbye and pack up, relieved there are no assignments for the winter break.
Most of the school has cleared out. I know Gohan is well on his way home. Naturally, he flies. I have a much shorter commute, and I'm home in no time as well.
I greet the door servant politely and ask if my father is home yet.
"There is a message for you in your father's office," the servant says before his eyes go beyond me to someone walking by on the sideway in the distance.
I follow suit and find a piece of paper with a phone number on it. I sit in his chair with my feet on the desk and dial the number. It rings for a while before it is answered.
"Hello, dad?"
"Videl, sweetheart, how was school?" he greets in a quiet tone; as if he doesn't want to disturb somebody.
"Fine, I say suspiciously. My feet go to the floor, and I sit up in the chair. "When are you coming home?"
"Sunday," he says, no need to think, and much more quickly, "The weather is terrible. The snow is falling, and the winds are howling."
Still the same low tones.
I get so mad from just those sentences alone. I bark, "If you really wanted to, you could be here for Christmas. You're always here for Christmas. What am I supposed to do by myself!?"
"I really wish I could, but someo- the weather is terrible. Communicating is out of the question."
Even he knows that he slipped up. It's another woman. Ever since mom died, he wraps himself around these women who are only after one thing.
And now he has chosen them, over me for Christmas.
I don't respond. He doesn't either. He hangs up the phone before I can beat him to it. It's true. The one day of the year I want him home the most and he isn't going to be there.
At times like this I really miss my mother. She used to make sure we were together whenever possible. She was the chef, and she made sure we sat down to dinner, and did things together as a family. If we were far from home she could truly make it feel like home.
Motions quick, I shove everything off the desk. A framed picture of us during one of his victories cracks and the picture slips out. A glass vase of dead flowers spills water all over the floor.
I don't care about the mess.
I pick up the phone and put it on its station for a connection. I'm feeling very selfish, and will probably get rejected, but I don't care. I dial Gohan's home number. The phone rings for a while.
No one answers.
I hang it up. They are probably out celebrating together as a family.
But the phone rings a minute later. I pick it up. "Satan residence."
"Hello, is this Videl?"Gohan questions.
"Hello Gohan. I know you just got home…" I say, my eyes on the broken flower vase.
"What's wrong?" he questions. I hear an excited cheer from his little brother in the background.
"I, uh, well, so my dad is going to be later than I thought. I was wondering if your celebrations are going to be later as well. Maybe we can practice for a little bit?"
He thinks about my words. "We have a few guests coming early. If your company isn't arriving early then please come over. Mom wouldn't mind-"
I can imagine those two locking eyes with each other, and her showing her approval.
"-and Goten has been begging mom to invite you over. Please do."
"Thank you Gohan," I say hesitantly, "I appreciate it."
He's silent for a second before he says, "anytime."
I hang up with him and grab my jacket. I leave word with no one. I take my heli-jet and take to the sky. The clouds are heavier the farther I go. Light flurries dust from the sky in the mountain region. When I touch down I watch the flakes on my windshield. Here in the mountains the snow is pure and beautiful. In the city, it just becomes a dirty, slushy mess.
I see a flash of orange and I see Goten in his usual attire, but no coat. He probably doesn't need it.
"Hey Videl!" he greets.
"Hi Goten," I greet as I jump down.
"Mom said you weren't going to come because you were going to celebrate with your family, but here you are. Is your family not around? Is your family dead like my dad is?"
"Goten, that's enough!" Gohan scolds. He's wearing his dark pants and a pull over hooded shirt. "You're asking too many personal questions, and you haven't even invited her in."
Goten looks hurt, but it disappears. He takes my hand and leads me into the house.
His questions hit too close to home. I give him a mustered-up smile, and shake my head. "My dad isn't home yet. That's my family, and until he is, I will wait for him."
"Okay!" he agrees, even though he doesn't understand the true meaning behind my words.
"I'm going to let mom know that you are here." He runs ahead. I walk with Gohan.
"Gohan, I don't tell people many things, but I'm going to tell you because I trust you. You've told no one that you are teaching me how to fly, so I know you won't tell no one what I am about to tell you."
"You have my word," he says.
We stand by a tree where there is garland tied around and around in one big circle. It must've been Goten. If he thinks it goes right there; like that, then it is perfect.
"My dad isn't coming home for Christmas." I can't even look at him when I say these words. I look down at my shoes and the hole trying to form on the right one where my big toe is. "He left me a message of where to contact him, and when I did he was talking too quietly. My dad isn't quiet; not in the least bit. We were arguing about him coming for Christmas like he always does and he let slip that he was with someone. As selfish as it sounds, who could be more important than me on Christmas? These women come and go, but family is the only one you have for life. I guess he doesn't see that anymore."
Gohan gets my attention with his hand on my chin. He makes me face him, even though I don't want to. I have tears in my eyes, and tears are not something strong people produce.
"He may not be there for you tonight, or tomorrow, but you have given him something to think about. He will come to terms with the mistake he's made, but you have to do one thing… forgive him, because he will try everything he can to make things right. Once he realizes his mistake, he will know that he will never make it again."
I move his hand away and wipe a tear from my eye. "Don't be so smart, Son Gohan." But I am smiling now, and I believe him completely. It has to be true.
"Lets go in," he says, it's pretty cold out he-"
My communication device goes off. It's my father. I look to Gohan. He nods. He walks into the house to give me the privacy I need. I push the button and my dad's voice comes out.
"Videl, where are you?" he questions.
"Just getting some air," I say bitterly.
"Okay, well I'll be home late tonight. I'm sorry. I don't know how I could've forgotten that family always comes first. Your mother wouldn't have ever let this happen. She was always good at keeping us together. Me, I guess I've forgotten. Never again! I'll be home for Christmas."
"Thank you dad. You don't know how much this means to me!"
"I'll be home soon. I love you."
"I love you too," I say before the line disconnects. The static did nothing to diminish the message.
I wipe more tears from my eyes. Gohan was right, but then again he reads every book; he must know everything.
I shake my head. I hurry up to the door just as he is about to come out.
"Smart alec!" I comment, "But you were right. He'll be home for Christmas!"
"Dads never break their promises." As he says this while leading me into the house, he looks to sky thinking of his father, and how he must've been a wonderful man.