"Miss Bulma," Clarisse came over to me. "Your parents say they can't come home t'night. The weather forecast says there is some upcoming storms. Airports' closed. You better get in too."
I said nothing.
"Miss?"
"Leave me...please..." I managed to say. Clarisse stood there for a moment, looking at me.
"Looks like rain," she said, looking at the gray clouds which are starting to cover up the quarter moon. "Miss, please, we don't want you to get sick,"
"I don't care! Just go!" I cried. She seemed taken aback but she simply bowed and left. I was alone again...all alone. Just me, nobody else. I looked at the ground. Pretty soon, the bermuda grass was soaked in the rain Clarisse had predicted. It poured down on me mercilessly, beating down on my fragile skin, tearing into my hair and stinging my eyes...but I didn't care. I was wet from head to toe...I didn't care. The strong winds could blow me away for all I care! I don't care anymore! I don't want to feel the same hurt as this ever again! When's Laria going to come?! As if she heard, I saw her slowly emerge from a distance. I squinted my eyes to see clearly, since the visibility in these kinds of downpours are awfully low. But it wasn't Laria...it was Vegeta. He too, was soaking wet and was sloppily walking toward me. His head was bent down, his steps slow and groggy. How long had he been out in this weather? He raised his head, a look of surprise written all over his face upon seeing me. I immediately sensed that he had no intention to be here...to see me, sitting all alone in this stupid bench, with my clothes pasted to my body. We stared at each other, neither of us saying a word. To my surprise, Vegeta suddenly took off his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders. I was astounded. He offered his hand...and I took it. We were both silent and I didn't understand it...how could I just have taken his help like that? After what he did to me? When we entered the house, everything was as silent as we were. The power was out, and only candles lit our large living room. The old style chandelier was also lighted with candles lined on its rings, giving the room a sort of yellowish, old century look. I felt Vegeta take the jacket off and place it on a coat rack.
"Power lines are dead," he started, "and so are the telephones. Transportation is at a halt. We're in for a big one..."
I understood that he meant the storm. I didn't want to look at him...and yet I did. I can see he still has that sad look on his face...or was it guilt?
"The slaves have retired to their quarters two hours ago...before the storm hit," he continued. So who lit the candles? Vegeta?
"The candles..."
"Nice touch, isn't it? Found a lot in your storage facilities. Looks so much like my own castle..."
"How long have...have I..."
"You sat on that bench from sunset 'til midnight."
Midnight?! That's how long?! No wonder none of the servants called for me! They sleep at nine, an hour after I should be sleeping. I felt Vegeta's prying eyes looking at me up and down. I felt queasy.
"You need to take a bath or you'll get sick...one of your slaves have prepared a bath for you before she retired," he slowly treaded up the stairs, his shoes making sickening 'SLOPS' everytime he takes a step. True to his words, I found my bath tub filled to the rim when I got to my bathroom. The water had gone cold...but not too cold. I took off my clothes and slipped into the foamy water. I looked up at the shadows on the ceiling, formed by the candles in the whole of the room. I was upset at the thought that Vegeta had come into my room and lit all these candles in almost every corner...but I could see that he made sure nothing would catch fire. I had rinsed the shampoo from my hair and was about to get out when I heard a scream...a loud scream...and it's coming from Vegeta's room! What could possibly have happened to him?! Hurriedly, I put on my bathrobe. My hair was still wet and so were the soles of my feet...but I have to get to Vegeta! He was still screaming! When I got into his room, which was also lit with candles, he wasn't there!! Oh no! He's in the bathroom! Disregarding my manners, I pulled open his bathroom door. There he was...sprawled on the floor, screaming...and stark naked! I wanted to run away, but he needs my help!
"My eyes! My eyes!!!" he kept shouting. He had shampoo in his eyes! I had warned him about that! Quickly, I took a dipper and filled it with water, which I immediately washed over his eyes. I rubbed on his eyelids to get rid of the stinging remnants of the shampoo.
"Vegeta! Vegeta! Are you okay?! Vegeta!" I shook his shoulders as he lay on the wet floor, his eyes closed. He blinked and squinted his eyes and soon, got them into focus.
"Bulma..."
"Yes, I'm here. I warned you about the shampoo, Vegeta!"
He sat up and I immediately felt so embarrassed, sitting in front of him in my skimpy bathrobe when he was naked! I turned my head away.
"Bulma..." he spoke softly. I'd never heard him use that tone of voice before. There was some intensity to it. And then...his hand was quickly on my shoulder, running down to my arms...to my hands. I looked into his eyes...there was something in there that I hadn't seen before...nor do I recognize that sparkle in his beautiful, dark eyes...or was it just the candle's flickering light that made them sparkle like that?
"Vegeta, I..." I was silenced when he put his finger on my lips. Before I could react, he was kissing me. I tried to resist...tried to hate him for toying with my feelings. I wanted to slap him...to fight him off but I didn't do it. His kisses put me on fire...burning my passion which had long been asleep. I never felt this way in my life. A mixture of emotions clouded the room. We didn't speak. We just kissed, hugged, cuddled each other, never having second thoughts of what was happening. When our lips separated, I wanted to cry out and ask for more... but I needn't say it. As if he were reading my thoughts, he carried me to his bed and gave me more...so much more. His touch was gentle...slow...and romantic. His lips trailed a line from my neck, down to the valley of my breasts and to my flat abdomen. Our soft moans were muffled by the downpour. I would occasionally giggle, seeing his tail wag back and forth like a dog's... but his ready kisses silenced me, telling me not to mind his tail and focus my attention to him. Finally, he entered and I uttered a small cry. I was no longer my parents' baby girl...not just another girl of sixteen...I was a woman. I had lost my virginity to the right person...my future husband...my lover, Vegeta. His rise and fall were accurate, passionate and loving.
"Bulma..." he whispered to my ear, as he clung to me and rained kisses on my neck and lips.
"Vegeta..." I grabbed onto his hair as I too, clung to him...almost for dear life. He had loved me after all...if not, he wouldn't be taking me like he was now. He had claimed me as I did him. We reached our peak, and Vegeta shuddered. We fell back on Earth, after having a taste of Heaven...back into Vegeta's soft mattress. Vegeta lay on top of me for awhile, catching his breath as I waited for my heartbeat to slow. We separated and almost immediately, fatigue swept over us, making our eyelids too heavy to keep open...