DBZ-fan-JESS- As always, it's great to hear from ya! Thanks for continuing to read.
Lenk- Thanks for reviewing! Enjoy this chapter.
Forever-Ryoka- They'll get together eventually. Trust me. I'm the author, and I know! But don't expect it to happen for a few chapters yet. It's just not time yet. Patience, grasshopper! ;-)
Elvewin Darkdragon- Thank you for reviewing. I'm really glad you like this story. I hope you like this new chapter! Bulma will find out, and as for how, well, I'm afraid you'll just have to wait!
Kataan- Thanks! I'm glad you like Akira. I know it doesn't seem like she should be too important in this story right now, but she will be down the road. But that's my little secret for now! ;-) Thanks for the encouragement, and don't worry. I'll be continuing to write as far as I know! Thanks!
Hikari Heijin- I think Bulma and Vegeta fighting is what keeps us all coming back to them. We're just fascinated as to how these two people can be so in love an fight all the time. Or maybe it's just me. Don't know! Enjoy!
KarineD- Shucks! (blush) You're too nice to me! Thanks so much, and I know it's a little late, but I hope you had a good Christmas and New Year, too. Thank you!
Gothic Bulma- Thanks for reviewing. They'll get together in a couple chapters or so. Akira's just a side-character at the moment. She'll be more important later on. I just wanted everyone to have some background on the other characters that will be popping up later on, like Jayson (17), Krillin, Chichi, Goku, Marron, Karra, Arthos, and Akira. Etc…
SilverWing145- Thank you very much! I hope you like this new chapter!
The Warrior formerly known as Prince- Thanks! Enjoy the next chapter. I hop I can keep this interesting for everyone!!! ;-)
Tinuviel- Been a while. I hope you didn't go insane!! Enjoy!
Saiyans Forever- Thanks for reviewing!! Hope you like this chapter too!
Goddess Dragon of Ra- Yeah. It just seems so right that he's Italian for some odd reason. I don't know! Glad you like though! Thanks.
Sweetjex- Hey, you deserved those reviews. That's a very good story you have there, and under-rated. I really think you should have more reviews. Glad to help out with that! ;-) Yeah, I'm just using my own dorm experiences for this story. I like to keep things semi-realistic in a sense. I just made up that name Chad Hamilton, but it is very familiar. I hope it's not a character from some movie or show or another story or anything. It just popped into my head. I hope it' not a real person either. That'd be kind of odd! Thanks again!
Shades of Crimson- Ah, where to start?! You're always super cool to me. I luv you too, sweetie! ( hugz) It's great to know that other people think that feelings don't change on a whim like that. I try to keep it realistic! Glad you picked up on what Vegeta slipped into his pocket. It is important. ;-) Like I said in my rant. People have to read my stuff very carefully because I might put something in that seems small and inconsequential at the time, but later on it turns out to not be. Details!! Mu hahaha! Anyhow… Yeah, it's important! Krillin's little parts are going to be interesting too. At least I hope everyone will think so. His relationship with Marron is going to be very crucial. Same with Jayson's relationship, and June's. Akira as well! I hope everyone noticed that all those little things in the last chapter. The Victoria secret model the guys were eyeing up was Akira and so was the model in the magazine wearing the dress Marron picked out for her and Krillin's wedding. She's everywhere!! So, yeah. I guess I should get to the story now. Thanks so much. Luv ya! ;-)
Chapter 08: 'Yeah. Pretty Eventful!'
Vegeta, being the nice person that he was and with a little coercion from Bulma and June, allowed Jayson to stay the night in his room Sunday night since members of the opposite sex weren't allowed to stay overnight on class nights, plus Vegeta was the only one with a spare bed since Yamcha wasn't due back until Monday afternoon. Luckily enough, no one had any tests or major in-class projects to do, so they all skipped to hang out. They met outside the boy's dorm.
"Where do you guys want to go for breakfast?" Bulma asked them.
"How about we go to the café?" June suggested. "I can get us a discount since I work there, and their breakfast is really great."
"Sounds good to me," Jayson spoke up, linking arms with his sister and walking toward the main avenue of town across from the dormitories.
Bulma smiled and nudged Vegeta. "You're awfully quiet this morning. Didn't you and Jayson get along?"
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't have allowed him to stay in my room if I didn't think he was tolerable."
They walked side-by-side several feet behind the twins. "Then, what's wrong?" She asked, sincerely.
"It's nothing important," he told her, reaching into one of the many deep pockets of his baggy, black pants.
Bulma noticed he was back to wearing his normal clothes. He looked like one of those kids that belonged to the 'freaks' clique in high school. People she hadn't really hung out with. She had been a prep up until her senior year, when all her friends turned their backs on her. It struck her suddenly, that had they attended that same high school, she would have never talked to him, and it made her glad that they hadn't. Over the past month and a half; he had been there for her a lot. She couldn't imagine her life without him in it.
A dark blue envelope flapping in front of her face distracted her thoughts and brought her back to reality. She stopped walking and gave Vegeta a strange look. "What's this?" She asked him, taking it from his hand and opening it. Her eyes grew wide when she read it.
"You can use it whenever you want. You might as well go home for Thanksgiving or something," he told her and started walking. He wanted to avoid an emotional thank you.
Bulma looked up from the round-trip plane ticket through teary eyes at Vegeta's back as he walked away quickly, trying to catch up with June Jayson. She couldn't believe what he'd done for her. He'd bought her a plane ticket so she could go home and visit her family. It was more than Yamcha had ever done for her, she suddenly realized. 'So, that's what he was shoving into his pocket at the airport the other night!'
"Are you coming, or not?" Vegeta yelled over his shoulder at her giving her a disgruntled look.
'Just this once, I'll overlook your grumpiness,' she said mentally. She put the ticket safely into her small purse and wiped at her teary eyes before running forward to catch up with her friends.
(Change scene: Pennsylvania)
Chichi smiled happily as she held the phone to her ear and listened to her sister go on about how she was coming home for Thanksgiving and all the things she wanted do when she got back home.
"That's great, B. I can't wait, but how'd you get the money for a plane ticket? It's expensive to fly cross country."
"Remember my friend Vegeta, I've been telling you about?" Bulma's voice spoke excitedly.
Chichi frowned a little. "Yeah?"
"Well, he bought it for me. It's so nuts, Chi! I helped him out with a little problem he had with an ex-girlfriend, or ex-fiancé, I guess I should say," she laughed. "Anyhow! I'll tell you all about that some other time. I guess he was just trying to thank me for helping him out," she went on, completely forgetting about the little shopping spree he had taken her on Friday night.
"What's Yamcha think about all this?"
"Well, I'm not sure. I haven't talked to him yet. He went to the beach this weekend with his new friends. He just got back. We're going out to dinner."
"That's an awfully expensive thank you gift, B. Are you sure this Vegeta guy is just a friend?"
"Chichi!"
"Hey, don't yell at me. I'm just wondering. It seems a bit odd. You went to that school to be with Yamcha, yet all I hear you talk about anymore is Vegeta. Don't get made, little sis. I just don't want to see you and Yamcha break up over a misunderstanding because of this guy. It just seems complicated."
"Chi, it's not like that between me and Vegeta. He's a great guy, and I know it seems like a little much to you and me that he spent all that money," Bulma explained. "But his family is beyond rich, and it probably didn't seem like he was doing that big of a thing. He's use to throwing money around. I mean he spent like five or six hundred bucks on me at the mall Friday night."
"Oh, Bulma," Chichi sighed. "You can be so naïve at times."
(Change scenes: San Callisto)
Bulma stared at the wall in front of her as she heard her older sister sigh. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing, hunny. Just be careful with this guy."
"You make it sound like Vegeta's a bad guy. He's not, Chi," she defended. A knock on her door interrupted her, and she smiled. "I've got to go. Yamcha's here to take me out to dinner."
"Bulma, wait a sec."
"What?"
Chichi's voice became serious. "If Yamcha asks about the ticket, tell him I sent it to you. I wouldn't drag Vegeta into this. Yamcha might get really mad."
Bulma frowned. "I didn't even think about that," she muttered more to herself than to her older sister. "Thanks," she responded. Another knock on her door. "I've got to go. I love you, Chi. Tell Goku and the boys I love them too."
"I will. Love you too, sis. Have a good night."
"Thanks. I will. Bye!"
Bulma hung up her cellphone and turned to look herself over in the mirror quickly before answering the door. She was wearing a dress Vegeta had bought her when they had gone out with June this weekend at his parents' house. It was a plain tan color, and it came to mid-thigh. She had to admit that for a simple dress is really looked great on her.
She opened the door and smiled brightly at her boyfriend. "Hi, Yamcha!"
He smiled back, covering up his nervousness easily enough when he saw how pretty she looked. "New dress?" He saw her nod. "It looks great on you." He leaned forward and gave her a hug. "I missed you this weekend. You'll have to go with us next time we go off like that," he told her.
She kissed his cheek. "Yeah right. Me hang out with a bunch guys all weekend. I think not," she told him in a joking manner. She turned to close her door and make sure it locked. "Okay. I'm ready to go."
Yamcha let his left arm wrap loosely around her waist as they walked toward the elevator. "So how was your weekend? What'd you do?"
Suddenly, Bulma thought about the end of her conversation with Chichi just a minute ago. She wasn't so naïve that she didn't know her boyfriend would get upset that she went and spent the night at Vegeta's parents' house even if June was with them. She was going to have to lie to him, and she hated the idea of it, but she didn't want to start anything because she didn't feel she had done anything wrong. It's not like she had kissed Vegeta or anything. The closest thing she'd done was hold his hand and give him a hug in front of Alessa to make her jealous. She'd slept in a different room, too.
'Absolutely nothing wrong,' she told herself. "I went shopping Saturday night with June since she came back early from her trip. Then, her brother Jayson called her up and said he was flying in this weekend, so we talked Vegeta into driving us down to LAX to pick him up," she lied.
"Sounds eventful," he said as the elevator doors slid open.
Bulma nodded, looking down at the floor as they stepped inside. "Yeah. Pretty eventful," she mumbled.
(Change scene)
"I wish my father owned a record store," Jayson enviously. He walked down the heavy metal section, picking up a CD he'd been searching for. "God, I'm in heaven!"
Vegeta laughed and opened a box on the counter. "Pick out a couple. You can take it as payment for helping out tonight," he told him.
Jayson's eyes lit up. "Works for me!" He started flipping through CDs. "So, what was up with Bulma at breakfast this morning?" He asked. "She was all giddy and kind of mushy," he added the last part with a scrunch of his nose.
"Must be because he boyfriend was taking her out tonight," Vegeta muttered, pulling the packing slip out of the box and examining everything thoroughly.
"Oh man, you want her bad," Jayson teased, laughing loudly. Vegeta sent him a deadly glare, but he ignored it. "I don't blame you. She is definitely hot." He picked up another CD. "What'd you think of the new Dillinger Escape Plan album?"
"It's not as good as the old stuff, and we're just friends. I don't want her," he grumbled, pulling out a stack of new CDs.
"Don't be an idiot. You like her. I can tell. June's filled me in on how that Yamcha guy treats her, and if you ask me, it sounds like you've got a shot with her. Go for it."
Vegeta ignored the comment and continued to pull out the new inventory. "Can you just put these out?"
(Change scene)
The blond girl placed the coffee pot back on the counter and picked up her notepad quickly. It was a busy night. She hadn't even had a chance to take her fifteen-minute break yet, and it was almost nine—closing time! She heard a tap behind her, and groaned quietly. 'Must be someone wanting to pay their check,' she thought aggravated. June took a deep breath and smile before turning toward the person. The room seemed to spin slightly, and she reached out to steady herself by grabbing a hold of the cash register.
"What are you doing here, Chad? I told you to leave me alone."
"I know," he replied. "I just wanted to tell you how sorry I was. I made a mistake, June."
She glared out the window, refusing to look at him. "Is that all you came here for because I have customers waiting and you're holding up the line," she shot back angrily.
Chad frowned and reached over to take her hand in his. For some odd reason, she didn't fight him. He raised her hand and kissed her palm gently before placing it back on the counter. "I'm sorry, Junny," he whispered using that damn pet name he'd had for her since they were childhood friends. It always hit her hard when he called her that.
She watched him hang his head and walk out the door as she blinked back the sting in her eyes. Why'd he have to show up at her work like that and do this to her?! An angry customer slammed down his check and crossed his arms.
"This all very touching," he mocked. "But some people have places to be."
June shook herself from her daze and grabbed the check. "Sorry, sir," she muttered, quickly punching numbers into the register. "$24. 78."
(Change scene, Philadelphia)
"What about the cream colored napkins and the pastel pink?" Marron's mother suggested, holding the two against each other to show how they offset each other nicely.
Marron smiled and nodded happily. "Oh yes! What do you think, Krillin?" She turned to her fiancé and gave him an expectant look.
The poor guy just smiled nervously. "Oh gosh, Mar. I don't know about these kinds of things. Whatever you want to do is fine by me," he told her, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Oh, Krillin! You have to have some say in this, sweetie."
"The only thing I have to say is, I don't want to wear pink," he told them.
Mother and daughter chuckled. "You're not going to have to wear anything pink, Krillin," Marron assured him.
"Then my job here is done," he replied, standing up from the table and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have to go over to the office anyhow. I forgot some of my paperwork I need for that presentation next week."
"The one in LA?"
He nodded. "Yep. I'm not looking forward to traveling there, but it's a top client for the firm. If everything works out, I could get a promotion."
"That's fabulous, Krillin," Marron's mother spoke up.
Marron grinned. "He's being modest. They're talking about making him a partner."
"Well then! He'd better hurry is butt over to the office and get those papers."
"I'm going!" Krillin laughed and picked up his keys and jacket. "I'll be back in an hour," he shouted from the main hallway. "Remember, I'm not wearing pink!" The door closed behind him.
(Change scene)
Goku walked in and kicked his work boots off by the door. "Chichi! I'm home," he called out.
Gohan came running into the kitchen and jumped into his father's arms. "Daddy's home!" He yelled excitedly.
Goku grinned and ruffled the young boy's hair. "Were you good today?" He asked as he put the boy back on his feet.
"Yes, sir," he replied. "Granny let me help make cookies."
Chichi walked in carrying a sleepy Goten in her arms. "Ah, good your home. I need you to run to the store."
Her husband gave her a blank look. "But, Chi, I just got home. Why didn't you call me?"
She glared at him. "Because you let your cellphone go dead again. I couldn't get a hold of you, and I couldn't go myself because my car wouldn't start."
"The cars broke again," he groaned.
She nodded. "Unfortunately."
Sighing, Goku reached down and grabbed his boots. "Take my truck to the store. I'll go see if I can find out what's wrong with the car this time."
"Thanks, hun."
(Change scene: Tokyo)
"He flew in from New York just to see you," Natalia whispered into Akira's ear.
The silver haired beauty kept her eyes glued to the other model posing for the photographer in front of her. "That's nice."
Natalia's mouth dropped open. "He's one of the biggest actors in the world, Kir, not to mention probably the hottest, and all you have to say is 'that's nice'?!"
Akira nodded. "Yep. Hey, why don't you go get his autograph or something? Make him feel like he didn't waste a trip across the globe."
"You're being snobby," she protested. "He's gorgeous!"
"Then go ask him to get a cup of coffee with you. I'm not interested."
Her agent shook her head. "You're mental. Any normal girl would be falling all over themselves if a guy flew around the world to ask them out, but oh no! Not you."
"I just think it's a little desperate and pathetic of him. He called me, and I told him I wasn't interested. So, what's he do? He shows up at my photo shoot," she whispered back angrily. "I have a job to do here, and I certainly don't have the time to date some stupid movie star."
Akira happened to glance across the room to where Arthos was sitting. She narrowed her eyes when she saw him checking out the other model. "And bloody hell, just look at this!" She pointed out to her agent. "Oh that makes a good impression, buddy," she said a little louder. "Come all this way to ask a girl out. Act like a bloody stalker, and then start eyeing up the next best thing when you don't get your way! How typical of a guy!"
Arthos Ries, having heard her tirade glanced up at her. "What'd you say, sweetheart?"
The disbelieving look on her face turned to pissed in a matter of seconds. "Sweetheart?!" She stood up and snatched her cellphone from Natalia. "What a complete asshole!" She then stormed out of the studio.
Arthos walked over to Natalia. "What is her problem?"
"I don't think even Freud would be able to tell you that one," she joked.
The actor sighed and walked out of the studio in hopes of catching the model he'd wasted the longest break in his current movie-shot to ask out. It didn't take him long to find her. She was pacing back and forth in the deserted hallway taking on the phone with someone. She didn't notice him at all, so she went on talking as if she were all alone.
"I don't know what to do, mum! He came all the way from New York to ask me out according to Natalia, and I don't even know what to say to the guy," she explained frantically. "He's gorgeous! What do I saw to him?"
Arthos smirked and leaned back against the wall. This was really wrong, eavesdropping and all, but at least he knew she was just as flustered around him as he was around her.
Akira stopped and placed her hand on her hip, listening intently to whatever it was her 'mum' was telling her to do. "I can't do that! I just made a complete ass of myself in there, right in front of him!" She looked up and finally noticed him standing there. A scared expression spread over her face and she let out a little gasp.
Arthos walked over confidently and took the phone from her. "She'll have to call you back. Thanks." He hung up her phone and looked at her. "Bloody hell, just look at this," he joked, throwing her earlier comment back at her and perfectly mimicking her British accent.
(Change scene)
Bulma walked into her dorm room to find it empty. It was going for eleven. June should have been home by now. She reached into her purse and noticed that she had left her cellphone turned off during her date with Yamcha. She checked her messages. There were two: one from Vegeta and one from Jayson. They were at the student center with June.
Bulma turned right back around and walked out the door. She was surprised at how quickly she made it to the student center considering she was wearing high heels. She knew she would be in for a lecture from Vegeta, too, for walking around campus late at night dressed the way she was, but she didn't care. Something was obviously up with June, and she needed to get there to. She needed to be there for her new friend!
They were upstairs, in the faithful spot where Bulma had first met Vegeta the night she moved in. Jayson was sitting on the couch holding his twin sister while she sniffed and cried against his shoulder. Bulma looked over at Vegeta as if to say 'what's going on?', but he just shook his head slowly and looked back at June for a moment before motioning Bulma toward the stairs.
"What's wrong with her?" Bulma whispered.
"That moron ex of hers showed up at her work. I don't know exactly what he did, but she's came into the shop just before we closed up and was freaking out," he spoke softly.
Bulma closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. "What an asshole," she said. She opened her sapphire eyes and locked gazes with Vegeta. She gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek, something he wasn't expecting. "You're a saint. I know how you hate putting up with crying females," she told him. "I'll take her back to the dorm. You guys can go back to your room."
He shook his head. "We were going to stay at Nappa's tonight since my roommate is back in town." He glanced at the twins. "And I don't think you're getting those two apart tonight."
"Will Nappa care about all of us crashing as his place?"
"He's not even there. Went to Seattle for the week, remember?"
"That's right," she replied, feeling stupid for forgetting, especially since Nappa had asked her and Vegeta to look after his dogs while he was gone. "Let's go."
(Change scene)
Nappa's house was small, definitely not what Bulma had expected. Nappa, the brawny, tattoo-covered, leather-wearing, hardcore looking guy lived in a tiny white house with flowers surrounding his porch and a picket fence. It was laughable. Vegeta was obviously reading her mind when he saw the humored expression on her face as they pulled up. He smirked.
"Lena's doing, of course," he told her, referring to Nappa's girlfriend.
The foursome got out of Vegeta's care and walked toward the house. As soon as Vegeta opened the door, two giant Dobermans came barreling toward him. He cursed and pushed Bulma behind him as they jumped up on him.
"Damnit all! Get down," he commanded, trying to push them down gently. "Freeza! Cooler! Down."
The two hyper active dogs very reluctantly did as they were told and sat down in front of him, wagging their stubby tails enthusiastically. Vegeta stepped into the house and waved the others inside. June eyed the dogs suspiciously.
"They won't bite, will they?" She asked Vegeta.
"They don't bite. They're just super hyper," he growled. He locked the door behind them and flipped on the lights. He pointed to the left. "Living room is over there. The kitchen and bathroom are to the right."
Jayson took June into the living room, and they sat down on the couch while Bulma followed Vegeta into the kitchen. She opened a cupboard and looked inside. She had the munchies for some reason. She felt something fury against her leg. It was the dogs. They were looking up at her wit their big black eyes and their tongues hanging out of their mouth. She laughed and patted them on the heads.
"What do you guys want, huh?" She spotted treats on the tope shelf and reached up for them, but she was about two inches too short.
Vegeta walked up behind her, brushing up close against her backside. He reached up and pulled the bag down handing it to her, not realizing that his other hand had unconsciously fallen to the side of her slim waist to steady her because he had scared her by coming up behind her. Bulma half turned toward him. They were pretty close, she noticed since they bumped noses. She laughed slightly and leaned back against the counter a little, but neither of them moved for a while. They just stood there and stared until Jayson walked in and caught them.
He mentally smiled as he saw them move apart quickly, startling the poor dogs. "June needs a drink," he said.
Vegeta nodded dumbly and walked over to the fridge. "What does she want?"
"Water's fine."
Bulma straightened her dress. "I'm going to go sit with June." She left as quickly as she could.
Jayson chuckled. "Sorry I interrupted, but I thought you didn't want her," he mocked.
Vegeta slammed the glass down on the counter. "Get the damn water yourself. I have to let the mutts out," growled.
(End Chapter)
Ah, another chapter down! This one was pretty easy to write. I was surprised how quickly it all came to me. I must be getting my mojo back! Haha sorry… Anyhow. I really hop ya'll liked it. I thought it was a fun chapter. Lots of stuff happened, more to come as well!
Next time!!!
I'm probably going to skip forward a little again. Possibly to right before Thanksgiving.
PANDORA ;-)