Finally! It took forever to bring this chapter to you. I hope you enjoy it. It's a preview of what is coming to the Valentine's Ball at school, some things are about to get too uncomfortable for Trunks, and, wait, does Goten know something is going on? This for you my dear readers, and I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 3

Oh Goten

Day two after the first time he had that dream: he was in panic. Trunks knew now for sure that he had lost the picture, only he wasn't sure when or where. Finally that night the shadow of an idea crossed his terrified mind: maybe Goten had it.

The whole picture was just… impossible. 'No, he doesn't have it, no' he kept repeating to himself. 'Maybe I just dropped it somewhere at school…' for some reason, the idea that someone else picked it up wasn't better. If anyone at school got to see the picture, not only Goten might suspect something about his feelings, but both their lives would turn into hell. He was nearly vomiting when he arrived to school that morning. Looking pale and feeling dizzy, he walked fast making his way to his locker, and taking his books faster than necessary, he rushed to his classroom.

He looked every now and then over his shoulder, waiting for someone to make a remark or a comment on that picture. But no one ever did. They just kept asking if he was ok, if he needed a doctor, and in the case of most girls, if he needed to be taken home, and a nurse to take care of him. Little by little, he began to relax on the matter, noticing that no one knew about that dreadful portrait.

But there was someone he had not faced yet, and if he knew about it… the idea was unbearable. How would Goten react to such thing? The picture itself was harmless; what could actually ruin their relationship was the fact that Trunks carried the picture with him. If Goten had seen the picture in Bulma's album, he would have laughed. But this was not the case: Trunks had it with him, meaning he stared at the picture every now and then, meaning perhaps something else…

"Trunks!" yelled Goten behind him.

Trunks froze. His face was pure white now, with a strange mixture of red and green every here and there. His stomach moved to his throat, and his heart beat didn't know whether to stop or go faster. Trunks, trying to put himself together, took a deep breath, and slowly turned to face Goten, who was smiling as usual.

"Hey are you ok? What's wrong? You've been sick like the whole week! Have you seen a doctor?" Goten asked, for as soon as Trunks turned, he could see that his friend had not sleep properly, and that he was turning to an unhealthy green color. "You should go home!" Goten continued.

"I'm fine" Trunks mumbled. That wasn't quite what he expected; Goten was acting normally, and had a genuine concern look on his face. Trunks sighed 'so he doesn't have it either… or if he does, it seems he would not tell'.

"I'll go talk to the principal, wait here" wait what? He didn't catch that last part. Goten had been speaking all the while Trunks wondered about the picture, and now Goten was gone. He returned a few minutes later, the principal next to him.

"Mr. Briefs. I've been told by your friend here and your teachers the past few days that you are not well. Are you ill?" The principal asked.

"It's nothing I'm fine"

"Really? Because you don't look ok" the principal, who was a very tall, scary man, looked down at Trunks, wondering if it was only a treat for Goten to miss school. After a few seconds of examination, he took a deep breath, and, convinced that something was actually wrong with one if not the best of his students, he made his choice. "Mr. Son, I don't like students missing classes for nothing, but I will grant a permission this time (even when it has to be for you) yes! Take Mr. Briefs home, or the doctor if possible if their parents are as busy as you claimed. I'll talk to your teachers, take care of yourself Mr. Briefs" The principal left. The bell rang, everybody got in the classrooms. When the hallway was finally empty, Trunks became aware of his situation.

"Goten, really, I'm ok"

"Not buying it pal" he answered with a big smile on his face "let's take you home"

And then he placed his left hand on Trunks shoulder, and his right hand on his forehead. Trunks blinked, and within a second, he found himself inside his house, in the living room to be precise.

"Goten! When did you learn how to teleport!" he asked in surprise.

"I asked my father to teach me. In that way, I can go home and steal some food from my mom during lunch time! Isn't that great! Nothing beats my mom's food!" Trunks chuckled, that was so typical of Goten.

"What's going on?" asked a voice behind him.

"Uncle!" yelled Goten. Vegeta made a face, he wasn't yet used to Goten calling him like that, especially when Gohan just called him Vegeta.

"Shouldn't you be at school?" he asked, arms crossed, and a severe expression on his face, while he examined his son's face "are you ok?" he asked, finally aware of the unhealthy color his son had, and coming closer.

"He is kinda sick uncle Vegeta, so I asked for permission to the principal to take him home".

Vegeta turned to look at Goten, "Thanks" he mumbled, turning to his son. He placed both his hands on Trunks shoulders, carefully examining his white and green face. "Maybe I should call your mother"

"No dad, really, perhaps I just need to rest, you know that…"

"You!" called Vegeta to Goten, making the boy stand still "can I trust that you would put him to bed?"

"Yes of course"

"I'll be back as soon as possible with your mother" Vegeta continued, staring at Trunks with a look that made the kid uncomfortable. Most times Vegeta didn't even care about Trunks health, or that's what he made him believe. But there were times when Vegeta would just stare at his son, not saying anything, but scanning. Trunks didn't like it, it was as if his father suddenly read his mind and knew what the problem was. Those moments were followed by a private conversation between both his parents, and finally a talk between his parents and himself; those conversations were usually his mother and his, but Vegeta was always in the room, talking occasionally. This was one of those times. Vegeta turned to stare at him for the last time, and then excused himself to leave, leaving the two boys alone in the living room… the same one in the photo…

"Goten really… you don't have to stay and miss school because of me"

"Oh would you hush that? It's nothing, relax!"

"But…"

"But! Be no buts"

"Alright…" Trunks mumbled.

Next thing he knew was that they were both walking towards his bedroom. He was feeling really uncomfortable by now, since his parents would return at any moment, and he was alone with Goten until then. 'Could this be… a good moment to tell him?' he asked to himself.

"Now put on your pajamas, I'll go to the kitchen and bring you a tea or something" Goten gave him that smile again, you know, the one that melted girls and made Trunks shiver…

"Yes… thank you" he said with a shiver going up and down his spine.

Trunks got into bed as fast as he could. He felt horrified by the fact that he was alone at home with Goten taking care of him. 'Oh Goten, if only I could…' he mumbled.

"You could what?" asked Goten, coming inside again.

"Goten!" Trunks almost jumped to the ceiling of his room. He didn't felt Goten approaching.

"Ahm… eh… whe… where is the tea?" that was the best he could do.

"Your mother arrived, she said she would bring the tea. She is speaking to uncle as we speak, though I'm not sure what about"

"Oh…" that wasn't good news at all.

"But you didn't answer my question. What were you saying?"

"Oh… ahm… It's nothing. I was just… you know… thinking aloud. Nothing important, really"

"You were… thinking aloud…" said Goten,not really buying it.

"Yes"

"Thinking aloud… about me…"

Oh crap. He did say 'Oh Goten' at the beginning of his sentence so…

"Yeah…"

"So… what is it?"

'Ok, be cool man' Trunks thought to himself 'take a deep breath, you can do this… think about something dammit!'

Goten was staring directly at him. His always bright smile turned now into a serious frame around his eyes, and he sat very close to Trunks, which caused him troubles to breath.

"I… I meant… I was thinking… something like… 'Oh Goten if only I could…' you know" Goten's face hardened a bit more "You see… I'm getting to it… What I meant to say is… 'If only I could… talk… to girls… like you do…" Trunks turned to look at Goten with an almost pleading look. He prayed again to whatever God could hear him for Goten to bite the bait…

"That's it?" asked Goten, with a kind of disappointment tone in his voice "That's quite silly Trunks, girls love you a lot!"

"Yeah but… you know… it's mostly about… money…"

"Don't be ridiculous they like you for who you are… wait! I know what this is about!"

"You do?"

"Yes! This is about Helena! I heard she is going to the ball with you. Do you really like her like that? She seems nice!"

Trunks had a deep breath. That sounded like a more plausible explanation for his later behavior. But before he could answer, his parents entered the room.

"Trunks, are you ok darling?" said his mother getting close to him.

"I'm fine"

"No he is not!" answered Goten "he is being weird lately"

"We can handle it from here" sounded Vegeta's voice "Go home"

"But…" began Goten.

"It's ok, Goten, go home." Said Trunks from the bed.

"Fine, but I'll call you later to check on you. Bye Bulma, bye uncle!"

"Why does he call you by your name, but calls me 'uncle'?" asked Vegeta to his wife.

"Do you really want to talk about it now?"

"Sorry" he continued.

"Mom, I'm fine, really, I need to rest that's all"

"No" said Vegeta "we need to talk"

"About what?" Trunks could see that his mother made an attempt to speak, but Vegeta raised a hand against it. Vegeta never took the leadership in a parent-child conversation. Something must have been very wrong by now…

"About this" his father said, handing over a piece of paper to Trunks.

Trunks stared in horror that dreadful piece of paper. It was his lost photo.

"And also… about your feelings for Goten" Vegeta stated.

'This is not happening, I'm dreaming… wake up, wake up, wake up'

But he didn't wake up.

Did you like it? I hope so! Next chapter will have answers, and this time, for sure there will be a ball… maybe some kissing? I don't know! Let's keep those reviews to come! See you soon!