Author's Note: Hi people! Wow, it's been some time since I last updated. I've been super busy lately. I hope you're still with me though! I skipped over a few years, but I plan on putting a few flashbacks throughout the remainder of this story, just to further strengthen and give more incite on the relationship between Trunks and Charisma. I think you will like it :) At least, I hope you do. ^^; Enjoy!

Chapter 10:

High School

The numerous different charms clanked together like a wind chime as Charisma lifted her wrist to adjust the bracelet. She smiled as she quickly counted each and every charm. She giggled proudly and finished putting on her orange vest.

"Charisma, Misa is here!" her mother's voice called from downstairs.

"I'm coming!" Charisma shouted back as she added a few finishing touches to her long, wavy hair. Charisma grabbed her backpack and ran down the stairs toward the front door.

"Aren't you going to have breakfast today, dear?" Kaylei asked her daughter.

"I'll eat at school, Mom," replied Charisma as she opened the door.

"Hi, Charisma!" Misa energetically waved at her friend. "Are you ready for the first day of school? Can you believe we're in twelfth grade already?"

"Yeah," Charisma replied as she stepped out the door. "Just a few more months until graduation…and it feels so soon, doesn't it?"

"It sure does," Kaylei said from behind them. "You're all so grown up already…" Kaylei's eyes began tearing up dramatically. "My only daughter is ready to graduate high school! I'm getting so old…"

Charisma blushed but smiled as she walked over to her mom. "Please, Mom…"

Kaylei patted Charisma's back. "I'll be okay…"

"Where's Dad, anyway?" asked Charisma.

"He had some important meeting with his colleagues. I think he said something about some break through discovery…I don't know. I really don't know anything about all this scientific stuff."

"Oh…well, we'd better get going." Charisma began walking off with Misa. "See ya later!"

"Good bye, Mrs. Mayol!" waved Misa before Kaylei waved back and disappeared into the house. "I'm so excited!" Misa said to Charisma. "We're almost done!"

"Yeah," replied Charisma. "What are you planning on doing after high school?"

Misa put a finger on her chin and thought about it. "I really don't know…Most likely, my parents will send me to college. What about you?"

"I'm not exactly sure, either. I really haven't thought about it much."

"You're lucky, though, Charisma. Your parents have a lot of money, so you don't even have to worry about being poor or anything, even without college."

"I suppose…but I really want to do something with myself. I don't just want to mooch off my parents forever, you know."

"That's true…" Misa sighed and looked up at the sky. "…So this is what it feels like to be an adult, huh?"

Charisma laughed at that statement. "We're not adults yet, Misa. I'm not even seventeen yet. We've still got lots of time to be young."

As the girls rounded a corner, they noticed two boys coming out of the Capsule Corp house. "Hey, you guys!" Misa called to them and began waving ecstatically.

Charisma ran over to the boys. "Hey, are you guys ready for school?"

"Yeah, we were just about to head out," Goten told her.

"I'm so happy you get to attend this year, Goten," Misa said happily. "We're really going to have fun this time around!"

"I am the life of the party, aren't I?" Goten said arrogantly with a smirk.

"You sure are," Charisma giggled and turned toward Trunks. "What about you? Don't you think it's great that Goten gets to go to high school with us?"

"Yeah, it's cool," agreed Trunks. "I'm just not really sure how Goten even got advanced to twelfth grade, though…"

"You know how my mom is," Goten informed his friends as they began walking. "She is determined in making me as smart as Gohan is. But I don't know…I really hate studying. I'd much rather go out and have some fun."

"Same here!" Misa said. "But it's important to start working really hard this year if you want to get into a good college…"

"I'm not going to college," Trunks said. "I'm supposed to inherit Capsule Corp from my mother anyway. There isn't a point in me going…"

"Aww!" Misa whined with disappointment. "That means none of you are going to college with me, huh?"

"I might go," said Charisma. "I'm not sure yet, though. But I just might…"

"I hope you do. I don't want to be alone."

Charisma looked over at Trunks and gently nudged him on the arm with her elbow. He looked down at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Charisma said softly. "I just think this uniform looks really nice on you, but you don't look too happy."

Trunks turned his head to the other direction in an attempt to his blushing cheeks. "I'm not exactly as enthusiastic about school as you are."

"I know that. You've never been…but you're so smart. I wouldn't be gloomy if I were as smart as you."

Trunks smiled at her and shook his head. "I guess, but I really don't see the point in going to high school if it's not even necessary. I'm going to inherit Capsule Corp no matter what."

"Is that what you're worried about?" asked Charisma. "You're worried about handling the company…but you're not supposed take over for another couple of years, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but I'm really not looking forward to it. Don't tell my mom I said that…"

"I won't," Charisma giggled. "But you shouldn't be so sad about it. I think it'll be fun. I know it'll be a lot of work, but you can do it. I've told you before that you're really smart. You can do it. Besides, in a few years, you'll be ready."

Trunks stared down at her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Charisma nodded her head.

"…I'm thinking about having you work for Capsule Corp as well when I inherit it."

"Really? Like what kind of job?"

"I'm not sure yet," he replied. "But you're really good at finance. I think you'd be a great accountant."

Charisma clapped her hands happily. "So you're guaranteeing me a job?"

"I can't exactly guarantee it, but I'll do what I can."

Charisma giggled happily and smiled up at him. "That sounds great. I really hope so. It would be great for us to work together, you know. We do a lot of things together. It would be wonderful!"

Misa smiled to herself as she silently overhead the conversation. Goten noticed the look on her face. "What are you smiling about?" he asked. Misa shook her head.

"Oh, nothing…" She turned to look back at the two friends. "We're going ahead, if you guys don't mind."

Goten gasped and looked at her. "We are?"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

Goten stared at her for a few seconds before shrugging. "Sure! Jump on my back. I don't know where the school is so you'll have to show me." Without another word, Misa jumped on Goten's back. Goten smiled at the two friends before taking to the sky.

"Sometimes I wonder what goes on between those two," Trunks commented.

"Don't tell Misa I told you this, but she just broke up with her boyfriend a few days ago," Charisma informed Trunks as they continued walking together. "You know Goten…he can smell a broken heart from a mile away and he's probably trying to make a move on her." Charisma shook her head with a smile. "But I doubt he'll get very far."

Trunks chuckled at that statement. "I don't trust Goten, though. Let's follow them and see what happens."

"All right," Charisma agreed. "Let's go." She ran a few feet and was about to take off before Trunks called out to her. She turned back around to stare at him.

"Your uniform looks really nice on you, too, Charisma," he said softly. Charisma blushed and smiled at him.

"Thank you!" She turned around and took to the sky. Trunks watched as she flew up a few feet before flying off, too.

The four friends arrived at Orange Star High School within a few minutes. They eventually caught up with each other and entered the large building together.

"This place is huge, and the girls here are beautiful!" Goten gawked at a few female students as they made their way to the main office.

"Don't get lost now, Goten," Charisma said, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him along. "I know this is your first time in a public school, but please don't make it so obvious. The seniors and even the sophomores will tear you apart."

"I highly doubt that," said Trunks. "It'll be the other way around…"

Charisma thought about that and realized that it was true. Goten wasn't some nerdy and frail teenager. He really didn't like martial arts as much as he used to when he was a child but he was still a half-Saiyan and occasionally trained with his father.

"Would you look at that line?" Misa said as the four friends made their way to the main office. "I really don't know why they don't simply mail out schedules. It would be much less of a hassle…"

"I guess we have no choice but to stand here and wait," Trunks said, leaning against a wall and crossing his arms.

"There are a lot of new students this year," Charisma said as she studied the crowd with her eyes. She noticed a dark haired boy standing across the room by the principle's office. He looked up and smiled at her warmly. Charisma blushed but waved and smiled back.

Trunks narrowed his eyes, unbeknownst to everyone around.

Charisma was startled when Misa suddenly nudged her playfully. "Oh my, Strawberry! Someone's got a crush on you already!" she giggled and patted Charisma on the shoulder.

Charisma shook her head. "What are you talking about?" she demanded. "He was just being friendly!"

"No such thing!" replied Misa slyly. "Just watch…wait and see, he'll eventually find you in the halls and want to start a conversation with you. Then he'll ask you for your number and for your homeroom number…and then he'll walk you to class and…"

"Okay, I get the point, Misa!" Charisma covered her ears.

Goten was too busy looking at his fellow female classmates to notice anything else. He turned to Trunks to say something but was surprised when he saw the look on his friend's face. "Trunks…what are you looking at? What's wrong?"

Trunks jumped slightly and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"You look really mad," explained Goten. "…You look like you're ready to blast someone or something…"

"I'm not looking at anything. What are you talking about?"

Goten decided to not drag the conversation on, knowing that he would not succeed in getting an explanation from Trunks. Goten knew for sure that Trunks was upset about something, anyway. Maybe it was just because school was beginning all over again.

"Charisma, look over there!" Misa suddenly exclaimed, brimming with excitement. "Is that who I think it is?"

Charisma turned her head to that direction and smiled. "Yes, Misa! That's Lise!"

"Lise?" repeated Trunks.

"Yeah, don't you remember her?" Misa explained. "We were in the same classes until ninth grade. What do you think she's doing here?"

"She must've transferred from that other high school," said Charisma. She grabbed Trunks by the arm and dragged him to her spot. "Hold our place, will ya? I have to go say hi!"

Before Trunks could protest, the two girls were already on the other side of the main office. "Girls…" he muttered.

"Hi, Lise!" Misa and Charisma called out to the girl jovially.

The brown haired girl turned around and squealed with delight. "Charisma! Misa! It's been a long time!"

"It sure has," replied Charisma. "How's it been? Why are you here?"

"I transferred here from Birch High," Lise explained as she felt the softness of her new uniform's orange vest. "I didn't really like it there very much. I ended up getting involved with some really mean girls and they ended up turning against me. They spread some really nasty rumors around the school about me and I couldn't stand to be there anymore. I thought things might be better here."

"That's awful…" Misa said sympathetically but smiled. "At least you're here with us. Nothing like that will happen here…and those Birch uniforms aren't as pretty as these, either, unfortunately for them."

Lise laughed and put her arms around her friends. "I definitely agree with that. I'm so glad that you're both still here. I remember you girls had told me before eighth grade graduation that you were planning on coming here. I should've come here, too."

"Don't worry about that," Charisma said, putting her arm around her old friend. "Be happy that you're here at all. We're gonna have some fun this year."

"GIRLS!" Trunks bellowed with a deep red face. The three friends turned to see Trunks and Goten just a few people away from the front desks. "We can't wait forever! Hurry up or you'll lose your spots!"

Charisma and Misa simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"We'll see you later," Misa told Lise. "I hope we'll be in the same class!"

"Me, too!" Lise agreed. "See ya!"

"Don't you girls ever get tired of talking?" Trunks mumbled as the two girls took their places in the line again.

"Don't you ever get tired of being a pain in the booty?" Charisma retorted and turned away from him. "You really can be sometimes…"

"Look who's talking!" he grumbled, crossing his arms.

Misa just giggled at the two and looked over at Goten to see him gaping at another group of pretty female students.

"Goten, you're drooling! That's gross!" she blurted.

"WHAT?" Goten spun around to look at Misa and wiped away a small trace of saliva from the corner of his mouth. "…Uh…this is not what you think it is!"

Misa put a hand over her lips as she laughed. "Sure it's not…"

"Finally, we're next!" Charisma happily clapped as she made her way to the first front desk. The four friends quickly received their schedules and headed out to the crowded hallway. They immediately compared classes with each other.

"We're all going to have gym together," Misa announced. "But that's about it."

"I think I'm pretty lucky compared to the rest of you," Charisma declared contentedly. "I get to have each class with at least one of you. For my first class, Calculus, Trunks and I will be together. Then next class, Chemistry, Goten and me. After that, Literature with Misa, and then this one class when I'll be alone. And after that, I have gym with all of you. Yay!"

"I have one class with both Goten and Trunks," Misa said, looking up at the two boys.

"Lucky!" Charisma replied before turning to the boys as well. "What about you guys?"

"I have one class with you, Charisma," Goten explained as he studied his schedule. "Then that one with Trunks and Misa. After that, I'm all alone until Phys. Ed."

"I'm the same," Trunks said. "We'd better get going, Charisma…our class should be starting soon."

"Yeah," she agreed. She turned to her other friends. "You should show Goten to his class, Misa. We wouldn't want him getting lost or distracted by another pretty girl."

"That's a good idea," Misa giggled and grabbed Goten by the arm. "We'll see you guys at lunch!"

Chapter 11 is on the way so look for it soon! Please review! :)