Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z, any of the characters, concepts or anything else related to it. I acknowledge that Akira Toriyama has these rights. Please don't sue.
Warnings: None
Rating: PG13+
"In Places No One Will Find"
Chapter 2
Bulma carefully reviewed her choice of outfit, the dress was summery – knee length with a halter neck and a swirling design of white and shades of blue. She smiled before picking up a white bag and looking happily at the photograph on her dresser before smiling and walking out and down the hall, her heels sinking into the plush carpet pile as she did so.
Pausing at the door se called out to whoever was home, and whoever cared, that she was going out, before walking out, car keys swinging from a finger. Seconds later she was speeding down the highway, the radio turned up and the window down, so that the early evening air could rush in. She carefully parked her car, the parking spots at this place were tiny, but they did the best Italian food in the city. She walked in the front door and smiled at the waiter who escorted her to her table where Yamcha was already waiting. He smiled, it didn't seem quite right, but Bulma was sure that he would tell her everything eventually; he always did in the end.
They made small talk while they looked over the menus; Bulma carefully linked her foot with Yamcha's under the table, so that their ankles were linked. She smiled at him while he placed their orders, he could be such a gentleman when he wanted to. They continued to talk and nibble on the complimentary garlic bread as they did so. The main course arrived and they both giggled as they fed each other forkfuls of their dishes. Bulma was content at moments like these, and wondered often when she was with Yamcha how she coped when she wasn't.
When the plates were cleared away and the man in the corner had begun to play the violin they ordered desert. Yamcha looked at Bulma quietly for a moment before she asked him what was wrong. She was unnaturally nervous, she was never nervous around Yamcha, any man for that matter, so why was she now? He looked away for a moment before he cleared his throat and said,
"Bulma, the reason I brought you out here tonight was…"
Bulma's breath caught, he wasn't? He wouldn't have? Could he? Would he? He heart pounded and all the romantic scenes she had, like every little girl, grown up with involving romantic candlelit dinners at Italian restaurants flashed back to her and she was looking at Yamcha intently as he continued, hesitantly,
"…I wanted to talk about us."
Bulma's inner voice was squeaking ecstatically – he said the word "us"! She remained composed, however and smiled gently at him, indicating that he continue. She was going to make him do his spiel if he had gone to the trouble of preparing one, whether he would prefer to or not!
"I've been thinking lately that…" Yamcha looked at her, their eyes locked and in an instant Bulma knew that she didn't want to be with anyone else but him and was all but leaping out of her chair to embrace him. There was something wrong with his eyes, but Bulma barely noticed, assuming he was just nervous.
"…We've been together a long time now, and…"
Bulma was almost fainting, desperately trying to communicate with him to get it over with already – she already knew what her answer would be! Adrenaline flooded her veins in the tense moment of anticipation.
"Maybe we should see other people."
Bulma blinked and the waiter set down the chocolate mouse for dessert. Frustrated Bulma snapped inwardly, that wasn't how it was supposed to go! Maybe he forgot what he was meant to say…wait a second, did he just say…
"See other people?" Bulma said numbly. For the first time in her life ignoring the chocolate mousse in front of her, her eyes fixed on Yamcha. He looked at her and she saw finally, what she had been seeing in his eyes all night and never noticed, the note of regret in their familiar depths.
"Yeah, I mean, I love you, but…how do I know you're the one I'm supposed to be with if I've never been with anyone else?"
Because that's the way it goes! Bulma's inner voice screeched, on the verge of hysteria, despite what her external features displayed. Boy meets girl, they fall in love and live happily ever after! She literally felt her heart break then and there, looking at him across the table and the dessert. She simply nodded and Yamcha continued, puzzled that someone he knew to be so emotional was taking this so well,
"You understand, don't you? I love you, Bulma and we'll probably get back together when I realise what I've lost, but…right now I don't think it's the best thing…"
Bulma nodded again and began to stand up, Yamcha reached out the sentence imploring her to stay dying on his lips as she cut him off, saying, steadily,
"Thank you for dinner, Yamcha."
With that she picked up her bag, turned and left, even smiling for the waiter as she walked out the door. She held her composure until she reached her car and was inside. A lone tear trickled down her cheek, she hastily brushed it away before she turned the keys in the ignition and began to drive away. Another tear came, then another and another. Cruelly her mind began to fly through all the moments they had spent together, all the things that she knew about him, all the dreams she had had, and how quickly it had all fallen to pieces. Flying along the highway, tears being whipped away by the wind hurtling in her window, leaving only salty traces on her cheeks were they had been she sobbed,
"I can't believe he dumped me during dessert!"
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's a little longer than the last one and more happened, so I hope you're enjoying it! As always, reviews are appreciated – particularly those with advice and comments on my writing! Next chapter should be up soon.
