Disclaimer-DB/Z isn't mine. Mrs. Fronzack is my teacher. Nyquil and Special K are trademarks of their respective companies.
In The Hallways
Goku sat at his desk, his head leaning on his fist. He was limp, his fist bringing up the skin on his cheeks so that his teeth showed. His eyes looked glazed over, and pretty soon he would start drooling.
Thus is the boredom of Algebra II, September 12th, 2003.
Goku had never been any good at Math; when he was younger, he could barely count past 25 correctly. When he had skimmed the classes he decided to take Algebra II, because if he'd gone since Freshmen year he'd have gone like this: Applied Mathematics I, Applied Mathematics II, Algebra I, and then Algebra II. One of the boys in the next dorm over to his, named 17, was taking Advanced Placement Computer Science.
Jealousy was not in Goku's nature, but there was an exception to every rule.
"Mrs. Fronzack?" he said, raising his hand.
"Yes, Goku?" Mrs. Fronzack said.
"Can I go to the bathroom?"
"5 minutes."
"Thanks." Goku got up and started to leave, grabbing the pass as he went. Maron looked up and glared at him. Why hadn't she thought of that? (A/N: I think we all know why)
Bulma stared at the door. Chichi had looked at the clock and bolted straight out of Business Mathematics. What was wrong with her?
"Bulma…do you know why?" their teacher asked.
Bulma shook her head. "I'll go find her."
Bulma got up and took a hall pass before her teacher could protest, and headed for the girl's bathroom.
Goku tossed the bathroom pass up and down, taking his sweet time and enjoying the freedom of the hallways. Anything was better than the Nyquil, the gagging-coughing-why-oh-why-is-the-room-spinning medicine called Algebra II.
He stopped suddenly. He was hearing something. While his Math skills were low, he had exceptionally good hearing. He started to follow the sound through the hallways. Sometimes it grew louder, sometimes softer. Finally, he turned the hallway into the Visual and Performing Arts corridor.
There she was. A girl he didn't recognize was sitting on the floor against the lockers, hunched over. Her arms were drawn tightly around her knees, and her face was buried in them. She looked like she'd been crying.
"Um, hello?" Goku said.
She looked up and he got a shot of her face. Her eyelids were red and her face tear-streaked. She was sniffling.
'God, she's cute,' Goku thought. "Are you okay?"
Chichi sniffled, wiping her face with her sleeve. "No."
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Chichi looked up at him. She'd heard once that it was easier to talk to strangers than to loved ones about personal things, because they were slow to judge. And she wanted so badly to tell someone…
"Today's the day my mother died."
"I'm sorry."
"And it's my fault! I was this tiny little thing…but so was my mother. She lost so much blood because of me. The doctors told her that she was too weak to have a child, that she should've gotten an abortion. But she refused. 'I want this baby', she said, 'and I aim to have it'!"
She paused for a breath. "She stayed in the hospital for three weeks. She was given blood by the second but it wasn't enough. She died. And it's MY FAULT!!" She shrieked the last words.
"Oh, my God." He put his hand on her back. "I'm so sorry."
"And now I can't stand today. I hate this whole month, and August, especially the 23rd. I hated the doctors who couldn't save her. And I hate myself most of all!"
"It wasn't your fault."
"Yes, it was. She died because she was pregnant with me. God, I should've been an abortion." She buried her face against her knees again.
Goku took her chin in his hand and lifted her face. "Don't say that. Don't ever say something horrible like that. Your mother wanted you to live so much that she gave you her own life. Don't disrespect her memory like that."
Chichi looked up at him with sorrow-filled eyes. She pulled her face free and wiped her eyes.
"I mean, I don't even know where my parents are," he continued. "At least you know that your father's here and your mother's in Heaven."
Chichi wiped her nose with her hands. "Sorry to be such a bother to you," she said.
"Hey, it's nothing." He smiled at her. "While we're on a roll, can you tell me your name?"
"Chichi. Chichi King."
"That's where I recognize you! I'm Goku Son. We have Lunch and Gym together, don't we?"
"Yeah, I think so," she said. She sniffled. "So, you don't know your parents?"
"No. Grandpa—my adoptive one, that is—took me in when I was a baby."
"I'm sorry."
Goku grunted softly.
"I'm sure you'll find them."
Goku shrugged, then looked at her again. "Why here? Why not the bathroom?"
"Where do you think Bulma would look?"
"Bulma?"
"A friend of mine. And, well, this section is closed in 5th period, so I could be alone."
"Chichi King!" Goku and Chichi looked towards the end of the hallway where an agitated blue-haired, blue-eyed genius stood, arms akimbo with fists on hips. "There you are! What is the matter with you? You up and leave BM like a bat out of Hell!"
"BM?" Goku asked.
"Business Mathematics," Bulma explained, glancing at him, and then doing a double take. "Do I know you?"
"Maybe. Goku Son ring a bell?"
Bulma gasped, covering her hands with her mouth. "Goku! Goku, it's me, Bulma! Remember? We were 11, I got lost and wandered into your yard…"
"Oh my God, Bulma!" Goku hugged her. "Man, I didn't know you went here!"
"1st year here."
"Me, too. What's your dorm?"
"G-1."
"I'm in B-1."
"Chichi here is my bunkmate," Bulma said, taking Chichi's arm and helping her up. "But I see you've already met. Now, Chichi, mind telling me what all this is about?"
Chichi shook her head. "I told it once. I won't tell it again."
"So, you tell a guy you've known for 5 minutes, but you won't tell me?"
"5 minutes!?" Goku yelped. "Crap! Mrs. Fronzack is going to kill me! Chichi, Bulma, I gotta go."
"OK."
"See ya."
Chichi grabbed his hand before her left. "Please," she whispered. "Don't tell anyone what I told you."
"I won't." Goku waved and walked away.
Bulma turned back to Chichi. "You got the great Goku Son to keep his mouth shut? You must be something special to him, Chichi."
"I've known him for 5 minutes. And you know I don't believe in meant to be."
"Chichi King, you are attracted to Goku and you know it!"
"Well, he seems really nice…and very sweet…and he ain't too bad-looking."
"'Hello Mr. Man-with-the-buns-and-the-perfect-calves'," Bulma said, imitating a commercial for Special K. (A/N: The cereal)
Chichi tried to smother a smile but failed.
"Well, at least he's nicer than this jerk I met in the hallway. This kid was skipping class. He ran into me and yelled at me to watch where I'm going!"
"Who was it?"
"I don't know. Some short kid with spiky hair and a tail like Goku's. (A/N: *Knowing smiles*) Now, let's get back to BM. Mrs. Fronzack's worried about you."
Chichi allowed herself to be led to Business Mathematics.
Suddenly, she couldn't wait till Gym the next day.
