Disclaimer
The thoughts, feelings, and actions of the characters featured in this fanfiction are not in any way representative of me or my beliefs, nor do I condone anything they say or do. It's nothing more than a work of fiction.
Sunday, November 16th, Age 774
By the time Gohan got up the next morning, Videl was already gone. He assumed she was too consumed by guilt to face Chichi or Goten after what she'd done.
After Gohan and Chichi finished breakfast, Goten awoke and entered the kitchen. He quickly noticed that Videl was nowhere to be found. "..Where's Videl?" he asked, very confused.
"Um.." Gohan started, "she said she forgot about something she needed to do today, with her dad," he lied. "So she left early, but didn't want to wake you."
"Hm.. okay," Goten said, seeming to accept it.
Sorry, Goten, Gohan thought, you can't know the truth. Not yet, anyway.
Days passed, and Goten noticed Videl seemed more distant than usual. He could tell something was up, but he didn't know how to ask her what it was.
Wednesday, November 19th
Goten approached his mother, who was relaxing on the couch with a cup of tea. "Mom, I think something's wrong with Videl," he said as he sat next to her.
"..Well, I guess she has been pretty quiet lately, hasn't she?" Chichi agreed. "..I'm sure it's nothing serious, though. Just give her time," she advised.
Goten wasn't satisfied with this. "..But.. she doesn't seem like she wants to come over anymore. And when she is here, she acts like she wants to leave. ..Is it my fault? Am I doing something wrong?" he pondered.
Chichi put her arm around him and squeezed him gently. "What're you talking about? You've been a fine boyfriend. It can't be your problem," she reasoned.
"..But still. She's not acting normal, and I'm worried."
Chichi looked down at him, then took a sip of tea and leaned back. "..Goten, maybe now's the time for us to talk about an important part of romance."
"..What's that?" Goten asked.
"Heartbreak," Chichi said simply.
"..Huh?"
"I'm not saying that Videl isn't interested in you anymore. She's probably just got something else distracting her, and she'll be back to normal before you know it," she said, getting the best case scenario out of the way first.
"But," she continued, "you have to be prepared if it turns out to be worse than that. All relationships are like this. Sometimes, it just doesn't work out. I don't want you to get hurt if you end up breaking up with Videl."
Goten frowned at her. Chichi looked at him and laughed a bit. "What's that look for?" she asked.
"We're not breaking up. There's no way that would happen.." Goten said stubbornly.
Chichi eyed him a moment, then took another sip of tea. "You're probably right about that, Goten. But there's always a possibility that it won't go your way. And I want you to be ready for it, just in case. Okay?"
Goten still didn't accept it, but said "okay" anyway.
Thursday, November 20th
It was early in the morning, before school hours, and Chichi, Gohan and Goten were at the Orange Star Elementary School, to sign Goten up as a student. As they walked into the administration office to enroll him, they saw Erasa there with her parents.
Erasa? Gohan thought as he saw her. Why is she here?
He looked closer, and saw a little blonde girl around Goten's age standing with them.
Chichi approached the main desk and started talking business. "Hi, I'm here to enroll my son in this school.." As she spoke, Gohan gestured to Erasa and got her attention. Erasa looked very surprised and confused to see them.
The two of them stepped off to the side to talk. "What are you doing here, Erasa?" Gohan asked curiously. Erasa looked back at the little girl. "My sister Penny has been having trouble with a bully in her class for a while," she explained. "We're complaining to the office about it."
"Oh, so that's your sister then.." Gohan said, as if all was made clear. "Of course she's my sister!" Erasa said angrily, but in hushed a hushed tone. "Did you think she was just some random girl?!"
She huffed and crossed her arms. "So, why are you here?" she asked. "Well, my mom is signing my brother up so he can start going to school here." Gohan explained, confusing Erasa. "Wait.. where was he going to school before?" she asked.
"He was home schooled," Gohan said. "So was I, until I started going to Orange Star High." This surprised Erasa very much. "Seriously?! ..But.. you're such a straight-A student.."
"Yeah, my mom didn't go easy on me, that's for sure," Gohan said with a laugh. "..Well, it's a good thing your brother's gonna be going to real school now. It'll be good for him," Erasa said, looking at Goten. "Yeah, I agree," said Gohan.
Erasa looked back at Gohan. "..Hey, you mind if I.. talk to him? ..Alone?" Gohan raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "..Sure, but.. what about?" he asked. "About Videl, obviously. What else?" Erasa said.
Gohan shrugged. "Yeah, okay," he said, walking over to Goten. "Hey, Goten," he said quietly, getting his attention.
"Huh? What is it, Gohan?" Goten asked.
Gohan leaned in. "I think that girl is interested in you," he whispered, pointing to Erasa. "She asked to talk to you alone. You should see what she's all about," he said. He figured a harmless joke like this wouldn't make Erasa too angry.
"..What?" Goten asked, feeling unsure. "Just go talk to her," Gohan said, giving him a nudge.
Goten found himself sitting across from the attractive blonde teenager in the empty waiting room.
"It's about time we have a chat, kid," Erasa said seriously.
Goten looked puzzled. "..Sorry, miss, but I have a girlfriend already.."
Erasa face-palmed. "I'm not flirting with you, you little twerp!" she shouted in disbelief and annoyance.
"You're not?" Goten asked. "But my brother said you seemed pretty interested in me."
"Sheesh, that Gohan. What kind of image is he trying to give me?" Erasa wondered out loud, before looking Goten up and down. Though, I can kind of see what Videl sees in him now. He's really cute, Erasa thought, before snapping out of it and shaking her head. Different kinds of cute! Different kinds of cute.
Goten broke the silence. "So, what do you want then?" he asked, reminding Erasa of the situation. "..I just wanted to talk to you," she said, before realising how long it had been since their first meeting. "Don't you remember me? We met on your.. date.. with Videl. In the mall."
Goten suddenly remembered. "Oh! I forgot. You're Videl's best friend, Erasa," he said as it all came back to him. Erasa would've been flattered he remembered her name, but the words "best friend" echoed in her thoughts. "..Well, I used to be," she said regretfully.
"..Huh?"
"..Look, kid," Erasa started, getting back on topic. "I don't know why or how you and Videl are back together, but it needs to stop. If I can't convince your brother, maybe I can convince you."
"..You want us to break up? ..Why?" Goten asked, confused.
"Because, she's a danger to you. Trust me, you don't wanna get involved with her," Erasa warned. Goten didn't get it. Videl, a danger? And why was Erasa telling him this? "Aren't you her friend?" he asked.
Erasa sighed. "..We.. we had a falling out."
Goten tilted his head. "What's that mean?"
"We aren't friends anymore. It's her fault. She shouldn't be doing this to you," Erasa said with a hint of disgust in her voice. "..So take my advice, and stay far away from her."
"I couldn't do that! I love Videl!" Goten exclaimed with pride. He was getting tired of hearing these discouraging comments. He wasn't about to let anyone talk him out of dating the love of his life. "..Besides, we're getting married the day after tomorrow," he told her.
"What?" Erasa asked reflexively, before she had time to process what she'd heard.
Then it sank in.
"..Wait, WHAT?!" she shouted in disbelief.
She then remembered where she was, and covered her mouth for a moment in embarrassment. But really, marriage? What was that about?
"Getting married? You?" Erasa asked. "You're just a kid!"
Goten nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's not an official wedding, just a pretend one. Sort of," he said, scratching his head. "But we're gonna have a ceremony, and rings, and everything!" he said excitedly.
Erasa pinched her nasal bridge, unable to cope with the idea that Goten's mother, standing right outside in the hall, was allowing this to happen. But she knew she wasn't going to get anything done just by reacting all of the time. She needed to take the initiative.
"Goten, tell me something," Erasa said. "How many friends do you have?"
Goten thought about it. "..Hm.. friends? ..Two, I think.."
Erasa slumped her shoulders and looked at him with pity. Wow.. that is.. pretty sad.
"What about it?" Goten asked.
"So.. you've always been alone like that?"
"..Alone? How do you mean?"
"With only two friends. That's not exactly normal, you know," Erasa informed him. "When you start school, you'll see what I mean. ..Listen, it's really important for you to hang out with people your own age. For, like, your emotional growth, or something," she said, surprised by her own choice of words.
This struck a chord with Goten. It was true that he felt something special when he played with Marron or Trunks. He felt like he belonged.
"In fact, I bet that if you found a girl your own age to be with, you wouldn't be interested in Videl anymore," Erasa ventured.
"That's not true," Goten was quick to say.
"..Well, I guess you'll find out once you start school," Erasa said, looking out into the hall. "It looks like my family's ready to leave, so I gotta go."
She stood up from her seat and looked Goten in the eyes. "But listen. I was serious about Videl being dangerous. Not because she's a bad person, but because she's an idiot," she said frankly. "She'll probably end up hurting you because she doesn't understand her limits. ..You'll know what I mean when you're older."
"And remember this," she said. "You're only seven once. There's so much more to being a kid that you haven't experienced yet. You should really try acting your age before you throw your childhood away by 'marrying' Videl," she said with a shake of her head. "See ya, kid."
Goten felt the impact of Erasa's words as she walked out of the room and rejoined her family.
He watched as Erasa spoke with her little sister.
To be concluded in Chapter 8
