Monday arrived quickly and Videl rose with the warm and radiant sun that morning. Usually the morning hours were one of her worst enemies, her morning moods having caused several near-death experiences to her father and some of her friends. Yet this morning she felt better than ever, humming a happy tune as she swung her legs out of bed. During a refreshing shower her mind drifted off to what awaited her that afternoon.
Videl had been looking forward to her meet with Gohan during lunch time all weekend. Their brief encounter had been replaying in the girl's head constantly the past 2 days, causing her excitement to grow every time the reel replayed. Videl had decided to keep the news about the lunch on the down low, not wanting to have her friend Erasa go bonkers. The blonde would probably rattle on about Videl's 'date' for hours on end and the Satan girl just didn't feel like enduring that.
And Erasa would be wrong about that date. Videl didn't view her meet with Gohan as a 'date', more like a regular lunch with a friend. One should go on a date with someone they like, and Videl didn't like Gohan in that way. She didn't even need a boyfriend, the idea itself was ridiculous enough! Videl Satan on a date! And if it would ever even once occur that she would actually be out on a date, she would've chosen a more flattering location than the school cafeteria.
While she dressed herself in her trademarked and oversized white t-shirt accompanied by her black biking shorts, Videl let her mind drift off to the boy from the library. It would be ridiculous for her to think of Gohan as boyfriend material! Right? Although she had felt mesmerized when she locked eyes with his onyx gems. The twinkles of happiness in his gaze had managed to wipe all thought from her mind for several seconds.
Even though the crimefighter refused to call her lunch with Gohan a date she had to admit the she was looking forward to the teenager's company. He seemed like a genuinely nice person, not one of those money or fame-hungry vultures that usually tried to befriend Videl. They shared a love for literature so at least they had an icebreaker in case an awkward silence should fall on their conversation.
With a confident smile Videl slung her book bag over her shoulder and made a pit stop in the kitchen. After grabbing two slices of toast and telling her father goodbye, the girl ran out the door on her way to school. Today was going to be a good day.
"VIDEEEEEL!" Erasa's bubbly voice rang throughout the school hallways. Videl turned her head towards the source of the sound and was greeted by an overjoyed Erasa, her arms wide spread to suffocate Videl in a tight embrace.
"Hi Erasa," Videl replied as she returned the hug. Videl sweat dropped a bit as she felt her ribs crack slightly. Erasa's hugs were always deadly ones. "What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much," the blonde chirped happily. "I went out clubbing the weekend, so you know, the usual. What did you do for fun this weekend?"
Videl couldn't suppress a sigh from escaping. "I thought you knew by now Erasa, I go to the library every Saturday."
The school's biggest gossip queen merely rolled her eyes at the protest.
"Why do you squander your precious time surrounded by dusty old books? You should be out looking for a boy, Videl. An I don't think you will find anybody interesting between the dictionaries and the Reader's Digests."
Videl bit on her lower lip in an attempt to not giggle. Erasa should've come along with her last Saturday, she'd be pleasantly surprised.
The two girl walked towards their first classroom of the day, Erasa holding the longest end of the conversation. Videl had already zoned out and replied with the occasional "Yeah" and "Okay" as if she was flying on automatic pilot.
"So do you want to have lunch on the roof today?" Erasa queried, forcing Videl to tune back into the conversation. Videl stopped dead in her tracks, causing Erasa to a full 180 turning to her best friend.
"What's the matter, Vi?" Erasa asked, arching her brow in curiosity.
Videl sighed uneasily. This was the moment that she would be regretting the entire morning, but it had to be done.
"I can't come to lunch today, Erasa," Videl answered while casting her stare down at her feet, "I have different plans."
Erasa looked as if she had just seen pink elephants dance. After a few seconds the gears in her head started to turn and a light bulb started to glow. A menacing smirk crept over her face, causing blush a deep shade of red.
"You have plans with a boy, don't you?" Erasa giggled like a little schoolgirl. "You met somebody, didn't you?"
Videl felt her blush grow even more radiant. She uncomfortably tapped her foot on the ground and shifted her weight from one leg to another. It took every bit of courage that she had in her to give a small nod.
Erasa nearly shrieked in excitement and jumped Videl, immediately hooking her arm in her best friend's. Videl didn't like the curious glint that appeared in Erasa's eye as the blonde started dragging her along.
"Tell me all about him!" Erasa chimed. "What's his name? What does he look like? Where did you two meet? Did you feel any sparks flying yet?"
Videl could merely roll her eyes. This was going to be a very, very long day.
Videl exhaled, trying her best to shake off the nerves. She reached for the door handle, but a sudden feeling of hesitation prevented her from bringing it down. The girl wanted to slap herself in the face and tell herself to pull herself together, to man up. It wasn't like her to get so incredibly nervous over something so small and unimportant. It was all Erasa's fault with her overexcited chit-chatter about Videl's lunch 'date'. If that blonde gossip machine would've just kept quiet for every once in awhile Videl probably would've been sinking her teeth in a sandwich already. Sighing once more the girl brought the door handle down and stepped into the school cafeteria.
Hundreds of students had gathered to devour their lunches. Videl had to supress a groan as her eyes started scanning the room. In the far left corner she managed to get a glimpse of a head full of jet-black hair. The petite crimefighter felt her heart rise and her legs started to move as if she were on automatic pilot. She zigzagged through the maze of students and couldn't help but smile when she halted behind the boy that had kept her mind occupied for the past two days. The spawn of Satan tapped her 'date' on his shoulder, causing him to turn his head.
"Hey you!" Videl chimed happily.
"Hey you!" Gohan replied as he rose from his seat. A huge smile adorned the teenager's face as he started to search through his book bag.
"Here you go," Gohan said as he handed Videl a book, " Just like I promised."
Videl gave the teen a quizzical look as she took the book from his hands. it wasn't until she read the words "A woman enters the doctor's office" that she remembered Gohan was supposed to give her a book today.
"I was thinking," the boy's voice caused Videl to rip her stare loose from the book's cover. " the weather is absolutely gorgeous today, so how about you and I go have lunch outside? It's way too crowded in here anyway."
"Fine with me!" Videl complied before following Gohan out of the school cafeteria. As the two teens made their way outside the raven-haired girl tried her hardest to come up with an ice-breaker, not wanting an awkward silence to cast its shadow over their conversation. But every time Videl looked up at her 'date' all words left her. Something about Gohan's presence nearly left her out of breath and shut off her capability to think.
Goddammit Erasa, why did you have to go and screw with my brains like that?
The two exited the school and stepped onto the huge field of grass on which several students were enjoying their meals as well.
"So what did you think of the book?" Videl asked, finally being able to force a few words over her lips.
Gohan gave a chuckle. "Well, it was a very good read. That was for sure," he laughed as he lowered himself to the grass. "The author did a very fine job at portraying the main character like a total ass. I considered the book to be a alight and breezy read but I was quickly proven wrong."
"How so?" the girl queries when she copied the boy's actions, allowing the soft grass to provide comfort.
"Well," the other teen answered while rummaging through his bag. "The last fifty or so are an emotional roller coaster." Videl watched Gohan take a capsule out of his bag and activate it. Seconds later several big lunch boxes were lying spread out in front of the black-haired boy. The Satan girl could only watch as Gohan seemed to consider this a light meal.
Videl shook her head to forget the temporary distraction. "And you are probably way too tough of a big boy to enjoy a bit of a tearjerker?" she giggled in amusement.
"No, quite on the contrary!" Gohan chuckled in reply. "I love myself a good sobfest every once in awhile!" the black-haired boy then played Videl a smile that made her insides swarm with millions of butterflies. The girl nearly felt herself melt when she noticed the joyous sparkle in the boy's onyx eyes. The way they twinkled in happiness mesmerized Videl yet again, just like they had done just two days ago.
"Videl?" a male voice snapped the girl with the pigtails back into reality. "Are you okay? You seemed a bit zoned out just now."
The first thing her cerulean eyes saw were Gohan's pitch-black gems staring back at her in concern. Videl shot up and immediately directed her gaze at the leaves of grass beneath her, letting her raven locks fall over her face in an attempt to hide he fierce blush creeping over her cheeks.
Shit! Shit! Shit! Videl inwardly cursed, why did I have to go and do something so incredibly stupid? I know for sure that I made a giant ass out of myself! He probably isn't the oblivious type either, what the hell would he be thinking right now? Damn him and his pretty eyes!
Videl had to pause at that last mental remark. Did she really just call his eyes pretty?
"Videl?" Gohan's voice rang once again. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"
Slowly but surely the petite crime fighter felt her cheeks cooling down. She raised her head back u and gave a reassuring smile.
"Yeah, I'm fine," the girl lied. "It's just a bit of headache."
Gohan sighed in relief. "Thank god, you got me worried! I guess that's what happens when a pretty girl looks like she's about to faint."
All that Videl could think was Oh shit, not again! as the blush she had just managed to brush off rocketed right back in its place.
What the hell is wrong with me?
"No really, I'm dead serious!" Gohan laughed. "Goten is probably the most hyperactive kid on this entire planet. He has the attention span of a housefly!"
Videl giggled at the other teenager's cheesy joke. "He probably sees you like some sort of a role model, a big brother is certainly something to look up to."
"Oh, you have no clue," Gohan chuckled. "the kid absolutely adores me! Sometimes I think that he's waiting right by the door every single day until I get home, almost like a loyal dog."
"Well he sounds like a dream." The girl smiled. Her and the black-haired teen had already spent forty-five minutes of their hour-long lunch break chit-chatting and enjoying each other's company. Videl had gotten to know Gohan a little better. She now knew what a banshee his mother could be when she got pissed off and how his little brother Goten was probably the best guard dog that anyone could ever wish for. He on the other hand was now aware that Videl lived in a mansion the size of a small city and that her father had an even lousier morning mood than her.
As the two continued their talk they failed to notice the two people heading in their direction. A fit of giggles from Videl's end was cut off when a tall and broad figure blocked her sun. The girl looked up to see a big head full of platinum blonde hair just slightly reflecting the sunlight, the owner looking at the scene before him with his arms folded in front of his chest.
"Sharpener?" Videl asked quizzically. "What are you doing here?"
The blonde gave a scoff before replying. "I heard that you were out on a date and I was checking up to see if you were out with a real man. But I can see now that he is nothing compared to me," the teen spat. "I still can't understand how you can pass up someone like me for someone like… that!" Sharpener exclaimed while gesturing at Gohan.
Sharpener had always been a proper reason for Videl to blow her fuse. The girl got up from her spot in the grass, a vein in her temple pulsing dangerously.
"No Sharpener, we aren't out on a 'date'!" Videl hissed through gritted teeth. "Gohan here is just a friend and we were out having lunch together. So why don't you go ahead and beat it before I start beating you?"
Gohan jumped up and tried to throw himself in between the two arguing fighters.
"Come on guys," he tried to talk things over, his onyx eyes betraying that he wanted to avoid confrontation. "There is absolutely no need to fight! Videl, if we want to have the rest of our lunch in peace we can just go sit somewh—"
"Shut up, Nerd Boy!" Sharpener yelled before giving Gohan a hard shove to his chest. The boy from the library fell to the grass and winched slightly when his back made impact with the ground below.
"Videl doesn't need some stupid nerd to hang around her all day!" Sharpener mocked arrogantly. "She needs a real man and you just don't seem to make the cut."
Videl ignored Sharpener's boasting and sank through her knees to check on Gohan.
"Are you alright?" she asked, concern clear in her voice.
"Why don't you go ahead and scram already!" the blonde hollered with a content smirk.
The crimefighter shot to standing teen a menacing glare, causing a small terrified shudder to run up and down his spine. He stare of thunder quickly depleted when she helped the boy on the ground back to his feet.
"Come on Gohan, let's go." Videl tried to still the situation.
"Yeah, beat it, Brains!" Sharpener continued his insults.
"Don't listen to him!" Videl assured her new friend. "He's an ass, he doesn't know any better."
Gohan casted his eyes to the grass below his feet. "No Videl, it's alright." He said as he took a step away. "I know when I've overstayed my welcome." He then walked away from the two other teenagers without looking back, not responding to Videl's pleas for him to stay, that he shouldn't let be chased away by Sharpener. Seconds later the boy had disappeared from sight, leaving Videl with jus Sharpener and he brewing anger.
One of the most angry looks that the world had ever seen formed on the girl's face when she turned to the stupid oaf responsible for the scene just seconds earlier. The broad kid immediately held his hands up in defense, but he was too late to avoid Videl's fist flying at his face. A sickening crunch was heard as his nose cracked open under Videl's fist, streams of blood flowing over his jaw. He yelled in pain as he let himself fall to the ground.
"Thank you very fucking much, Sharpener!" Videl screamed at the figure rolling in grass. "You just had to go and let that giant ego of yours get in the way, didn't you? How many times do I have to make myself clear? I don't want you as my boyfriend, never, ever, EVER! So what you can is take that giant arrogance of yours and shove it up your ass! Cause you know what? You and me, it ain't gonna happen!"
Videl had to suppress the urge to kick Sharpener in the ribs as she stomped off angrily.