Hi there. Thanks a lot for all the support. I wish you a happy new year in anticipation - I hope no one is superstitious about it.

Kalebxdd is still my patient beta.

Chapter 34

It had kept snowing the whole weekend and Mount Paozu was coated in a dazzling white when Gohan left on Monday morning. He felt both a flaring hope and a deep fear at the prospect of going back to school and facing Videl. She'd thrown harsh words at his face and they had looped in his mind since that dreadful night, leaving him sleepless and freaking out. The mere memory of her speech was knotting his guts with the dread that she would never forgive him, but he was also secretly scared at the thought that she could be right about him.

He kept wondering if she could possibly stay away from him forever and he was conflicted about the answers. Some time, he just knew that he'd lost her once and for all and some other time he couldn't help but think that she'd only expressed her anger and confusion and that time would be enough to have her cool down.

Another question surging up in his mind once in a while was whether she would rattle on him, but as a matter of fact, he didn't really care. His first, nagging concern only revolved around her forgiveness.

He knew she had an inflexible nature and he'd spent the weekend seeking for the best way to coax her despite all the lies he'd told her, because she'd been right on that point, he'd become a liar. He'd never worded it this way before, but it was what he'd been for the past three years. A lie with legs. He would lie to anyone, anytime, without giving it much thought. It had turned into a natural thing like a necessary protection for him as well as for the others. Lying had become a habit so deeply rooted into his mind that he wasn't even sure he could still figure out what he really thought and what he really felt, as if his true self didn't really mattered. When he'd started school, he'd donned the costume of the polite, normal student with no problem and no anger whatsoever and it had stuck so well to his skin that he'd come to forget that it wasn't exactly him. Videl had known at first sight that it wasn't the real Gohan. She'd understood that he was actually hidden under all these layers of varnish and she had scratched. She had scratched until finding his chore. She'd forced the truth out of him and he'd never been as bare as he'd been with her, but as a result…

He was losing her. She'd called him a monster and maybe she was right. He'd thought about it a lot and he had realized he'd been drifting all these years. It had been a slow but relentless drifting. He'd almost defeated Vegeta. He'd also fought Freezer and he had killed Cell, but these fights were meant for protection. When there had no longer been any need for protection, he'd kept killing for retribution – although he hated to admit it - and he had to face the fact that he'd come to enjoy it. He'd fooled himself by thinking he was still somehow a hero, but he was no such thing. He was just an assassin, settling another's accounts and granting no mercy to his prey - A dreadful weapon indeed - and Videl would never love an assassin. Yet, the assassin was a costume as well as the student, made of pieces of his true self patched up together, and Gohan knew he could change. Then, Videl might take him back.

The snow in Satan City was nothing near the bright white coat of the countryside he had flown over. It was a grey mud growing into puddles of dirty water up and there. Only the lawns of the campus and the roofs of some buildings were still a shining white. The sky was crowded with thick clouds casting a bleak glow. Gohan made his way to the building where his classes were to be held with a heavy tread.

He didn't notice the special atmosphere in the school, nor the unusual excitement of the students chatting in the corridors. He walked with his head low and slumped into his seat as soon as he reached his desk. He couldn't help a glance at Videl's place two rows ahead. It was empty for now.

Only at that moment, did he realize the restlessness of the other students. "What the hell is on?" he muttered as Sharps showed up.

"God, Gohan, I can't believe you're asking this… You're really freaking," Sharp grumbled while sitting down next to him.

Gohan frowned in puzzlement and Sharp stared back at him with a kind of weariness floating in his eyes. "Can't you… I don't know… Just buy a TV or connect yourself once in a while? Videl has been under arrest since yesterday!" he hissed.

"What?" Gohan gaped in astonishment.

"The police is questioning her about Zhang's death. Know that guy? He was charged for a murder and wrote a book about it? Fuck, Gohan! Everybody gets crazy about the news! Thinking Videl is supposed to be your girlfriend, I feel like shooting you," Sharp sighed in defeat.

Gohan had frozen. He had spent his Sunday moping, but he'd missed a point. Videl had been the last person seeing Zhang alive and she had vanished after his murder, so it was logical for the cops to consider her as the first suspect, or at best a helpful witness.

"Everyone sits down, now. Quiet!" the voice of the teacher boomed all of a sudden as he entered the room.

The students were slow to obey and sit still, but silence eventually fell on the room.

"I'm well aware that most of you have good reasons to be upset and concerned, but for now, I want you to do your best to focus on my class," the man resumed while walking through the students, picking up some phones impatient teenagers had tried to hide to follow Videl's misfortune.

The teacher walked back to his desk and locked the phones in his drawer before turning to the students with stern eyes. "Now is time for the war of 50," he claimed by snapping his book open.

Gohan was sitting stiff in his chair, unable to listen to anything about the damn war. He was obsessed with the idea of joining Videl. The thought that she could be locked up in a stinking cell in his place was unbearable. He was also wondering why no one had come for him yet although the police was questioning her since the day before. To him, it could only be the sign that Videl hadn't told anyone about him. Despite the way he had hurt her, she still chose to be somehow loyal to him and it drove Gohan even crazier.

He leaned toward Sharp. "Where is she now?" he whispered.

"At the central police station, I guess. What does it matter anyway?" Sharp shrugged in reply.

Gohan assumed the central police station was the building where he'd killed the guy during the Savior's ball. The place had looked like the location of the most important police units where the biggest cases were investigated.

Gohan stood up abruptly, scratching loudly his chair on the ground and breaking off the quietness of the class. The teacher interrupted himself and gave him a puzzled gaze.

"Sir, I need to go to the medical bay," Gohan claimed. Leaving no time for an answer, he rushed to the door and exited the room, despite the teacher's objections.

He ran as fast as he reasonably could to get out of the building and sought a deserted place in the campus before taking off. He went back to running as soon as his feet were back to the ground, a block away from the police station. He recognized the entrance he'd watched endlessly a few weeks before. A small crowd was gathered outside the front door. The people were restless and trying to glance inside the station and Gohan pinpointed them as eager journalists waiting for more news from Videl. He had already seen some of them besieging Sharp's house after Preston Misk's death.

Gohan had no second thought fighting his way through them and he was successful to sneak inside the police station behind a cop's back. Storming through the main door, he found himself in a wide hall and stopped dead. He stood there panting for an instant, trying to figure out where to head and what to do now.

Against all odds, he found Videl standing a few meters from him at the reception desk. She was holding a cardboard box and next to her, her father was talking to a policeman. Hercule was standing with his back to Gohan but Videl was turned in his direction and she saw him at once.

Her blue eyes widened at the sight. She had a pout, but she made no move to go to him. He didn't dare to walk closer either. He felt confused as he realized the police was releasing her.

Some people were wandering around them, but nobody was paying them any mind, or took note of their silent interaction. Videl's mouth formed words without sound. She wanted to tell him something but he was too numb to read on her lips, although she repeated the message. Hercules eventually leaned to her. "Come on, honey. We're going home now," he announced with relief in his voice.

Satan was too focused on his daughter to notice Gohan. He guided her on her way to the exit, oblivious of the two teenagers' eyes locked on each other. Gohan even had to step back as the Champion and his daughter almost bumped into him. Videl seized the opportunity to shove him. "Get the fuck out of here," she grumbled before walking further in her father's wake.

Satan hadn't seen anything, eager to deal with the reporters waiting behind the door. Dazzling flashes were triggered as soon as the Champion cracked the door open. Gohan heard his loud cheerful voice claiming that Videl was clear and somehow a collateral damage in Zhang's case.

The door closed and Gohan lost sight of Videl now standing on the sidewalk next to her father.

So, she hadn't confessed anything about him. Gohan had no idea what sort of bullshit she had sold to the cops, but it wasn't about him. If anything, her behavior was an obvious sign that she didn't want him to be caught. Gohan couldn't say if her decision made him happy or sad though.

"Can I help you, young man?" a voice asked, snatching him out of his musing.

Unnoticed from him, a man had come closer and was now standing right in front of him. Except for the gun in his belt and the badge pinned on his filthy sweater, he looked nothing like a cop. He actually looked rather weird with too long hair and unshaven beard. His faded blue-green eyes were studying Gohan in suspicion though. "I…Huh… I think I'm at the wrong place," the young man stammered.

"Wrong place to do what?" the cops insisted coldly.

"Wrong place to lodge a complaint for… Someone stole my bike."

The man folded his arms and gave Gohan a skeptical gaze. "Your bike, huh? We don't investigate robbery here, go to your usual police station," he finally replied.

Gohan nodded and stammered embarrassed thanks, but he could still feel the cop's wary eyes locked on him as he turned around and walked out the hall. He was almost relieved to bump into an amazing crowd when he exited the police station. People were now swarming the sidewalk. Fans had joined the reporters and they were all eagerly trying to catch a glimpse of the Champion and his daughter. Gohan was hardly able to make out Satan's unlikely mane among them. He deemed it wiser to stay unnoticed and returned to the school.

When he was back to his desk, Sharp tried to question him about his run away from the History class. He hadn't bought the medical reasons Gohan had given the teacher and wanted to know what he had been up to. Gohan insisted he had only felt bad though.

The news of Videl's release had gone public by then, but the general cheer couldn't soothe his bitterness. He couldn't figure out why Videl hadn't just denounced him. She'd said he was a monster. She'd also said that she would never have fallen for him if she'd known who he really was and these words had hurt him badly. Denouncing him would have been a logical move and yet, she hadn't told anything. In a way, he would have liked it better if she had. Then, he might have had an opportunity to pay his debt implying a hope of forgiveness. However, she had denied him that possibility. Furthermore, her angry eyes when she'd seen him at the police station and her annoyed voice as she'd ordered him to get away had made it clear that she was definitely mad at him. What the hell was he supposed to do to be forgiven? Should he surrender to regain her interest?

"Man, you're still moping. I thought you'd be at least happy," Sharp mumbled.

Gohan slowly looked up at him. They were now eating, seating opposite of each other. Sharp stared back at him with a slight frown. Gohan expected sarcasm from his friend, but Sharp kept silent with his spoon hanging over his yogurt while scrutinizing his friend with a hint of concern. His eyes drifted down to Gohan's untouched dish, and he sighed. Yet, he didn't bring himself to speak and just resumed his own meal. Gohan was inwardly grateful to him for repressing any comment or any question.

Erasa was missing that day, so Gohan and Sharp had found themselves eating alone. Since the fight with Joon, Sharp no longer had as many friends as he used to. Gohan suspected that the guys Sharp had been hanging around with had grown estranged from him after they had figured out that Sharp had come to enjoy his company. Gohan was aware that he wasn't very popular in the school. Most students considered him as a conceited genius while those who would have gladly befriended him were wary of Sharp by his side. Sharp and him were actually an odd match and it somehow left them apart. They mainly had interactions with the other students through Videl and Erasa, so when the girls were away both boys were alone.

"Are you done?" Sharp asked by throwing his empty yoghurt pot on his tray.

Gohan nodded and pushed his full plate away.

"Then, let's go out. I need a cigarette."

Gohan absently followed his friend up to their usual spot behind the gym. It was still cold, but a dull sun had somehow been able to break through the clouds. Its light caused the thick snow covering the lawns to glimmer and it resulted into a dazzling brightness.

Sharp cleared the snow off the bench and sat down to start rolling a cigarette. Gohan leaned his back against the wall of the building in front of him and watched him do silently. When he was done, Sharp eventually looked up at him and lit his stick. "So?" he asked while puffing out the smoke.

Gohan knew exactly what the question meant. So. A single word to ask Are you sad? Did you have a fight with Videl? However, Gohan didn't feel like explaining anything and he just shrugged.

"I won't even ask you what happened, I know the mess already, but you could at least be happy to see her free," Sharp grumbled.

"Her release was to be expected. She's innocent after all," Gohan growled.

Sharp arched his eyebrows into a frown. He looked somewhat shocked, and Gohan became aware that his tone had hinted he didn't care. He wanted to add something, but nothing came to his mind.

"Fuck, Gohan, you and I do know she's innocent. Still, you realize that cops don't exactly work that way… Anyway…That story is weird," he sighed in annoyance.

Gohan bit his lips and kept silent. Sharp didn't unlock his eyes from him though. He tilted his head, likely expecting an answer that didn't come. "It can't be that bad, I mean between Videl and you. I'm sure you'll fix it. You match too well, believe me," he eventually claimed.

"You think so?" Gohan whispered in dejection.

"I know it. She can be somewhat hotheaded, but she'll come down. Just give her a week."

Gohan nodded but he wasn't as optimistic as Sharp. Sharp didn't have a clue anyway. He was living in a normal world and he had no chance to suspect the whereabouts of Videl's resentment.

Sharp had been back to school for over two weeks and Gohan was helping him catching up with the classes. He wasn't doing bad so far, even though Gohan still doubted he would ever be up to the exam of next year. Gohan had never seen Erasa at Sharp's again. He'd been dying to ask his friend about his relationship with their blonde friend, but just like Sharp had sensed Gohan's will to have him stay out of his business, Gohan had felt Sharp wasn't willing to tell him about his business with Erasa - If there was any business to talk about at all.

Videl was back at school the next day. Her cold glare and the way she ignored Gohan's begging glance were obvious sign that she had definitely made the decision to break up. The final blow was that she wouldn't even keep faking they were simple friends like they always have pretended when at school.

Erasa was still sick and missing and Videl didn't hesitate to break what had been their routine since the first day of school by eating her lunch apart from Gohan and Sharp. Sharp stood naturally by Gohan's side. He was confident that everything would be back to normal soon enough. That drama would at worst last a week.

At the end of the afternoon, Gohan couldn't take it anymore though. The day had been awful and there was no way he would be able to stand Videl's attitude for the rest of the year. The grief was a constant pain. Yet, it was an unfamiliar aching, nothing near physical pain, more like the feeling that tomorrow would be of no use. Things couldn't end that way.

Videl had spit all her anger and he could understand why she was mad at him and why she had felt like rejecting him in the first place. She was hurt, but he couldn't believe that leaving him behind made her feel better. Certainly, he wasn't an angel, but he wasn't a monster either. Anyway, he was ready to be whatever she wanted him to be. He just had to know what it was. Another thing was that she hadn't denounced him and that fact looked like a sparkle of hope. He might still stand a chance to get her back. Either way, he had to fight back. He couldn't just give up. He'd never given up even in situations far more hopeless.

Their last class ended quite late that day and Gohan knew Videl had her baseball training. He rushed to the stadium in order to wait for her at the entrance of the locker room's building. He posted himself on the porch. The thick night allowed him to melt in the shadows as the only light was a lantern hanging above the door and casting a weak glow. He went unnoticed by the base-ball players walking by him to join the entrance. Videl was the last one to show up. She ran to the door without noticing him, but she froze her hand on the doorknob when he called her name.

"Videl," he said while grabbing gently her wrist as to prevent her from opening the door.

She frowned but didn't try to pull away from his touch, or to enter the building. "What do you want?" she asked in a voice he had expected dryer.

"You didn't tell them anything, did you? Didn't tell the police about me," he whispered in a tone close to disapproval.

"You know I didn't. If I had, we wouldn't be talking about it right now," she growled.

He sighed and withdrew his hand from her wrist. "Thank you, but… why did you do that?"

She let go of the doorknob and turned to him. Despite the twilight, he caught a hint of confusion in her eyes. It was swift though and Gohan wondered if he'd seen well in the dim light as she was back to her hard glare and fuel mood in a split second.

"Why I didn't tell anything? Because I'm certainly the most stupid person in the world, I guess. I don't want to hear about it anymore," she snapped.

"Videl, I –"

"Shut up, Gohan. You're gonna lie again," she cut off.

"You have to believe me, Videl. I've never been as true as I was that night," he objected sadly.

"You mean when you said you killed Cell at the age of nine, for example? The only things I can believe about you are the things I can see with my own eyes and what I saw that night was you killing Zhang," she retorted.

The words hit him hard and he ran short of argument. He lowered his head ruefully. At some point he sensed her making a faint move toward him, yet after a silent while, she just opened the door and disappeared inside the building. She had spoken quickly, with harshness and annoyance, as if she were in a hurry to get rid of that moment with him and that thought was enough to have Gohan's heart shatter in pieces.

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