Without a soul
It had been nearly two years since that day. The day when Videl's heart turned to stone, the day when she decided to never love again. The day when she began to enter the darkness. Since that day Videl had moved far from the light and love her family and friends had once provided. Since that day Videl had gone to the dark life of the city where she now dwelled. New she had been reduced to a shell of her former self. Working in the local bar, where every crook came before entering or leaving Satan City, where Videl tended to their drinks. At just the age of 21, Videl had experienced more pain and sorrow than most people would have in a lifetime, or so she thought. That night at the bar Videl's life was about to change. At about 8:00 that night a mysterious man came into the bar. Walking up and sitting down on a bar stool he proceeded to order his drink. "Hey, what can I get you?" Videl asked as she dried her hands on a towel.
The man skimmed over the various bottles and cans that crowded the back wall of the bar. "Uh, just a bottle please." the man said.
"What kind?" Videl asked.
"Surprise me." the man answered as he placed his elbows on the bar.
"Alright." Videl said as she went to one of the refrigerators to pull out a bottle of beer she thought the mysterious man would like. When she came back with the beer and a bottle opener, Videl got a good look at the man's face for the first time. There was something familiar about the man, but Videl wasn't sure what it could be. Videl placed the bottle on the bar counter and popped the cap off. "Here you go." Videl said as she handed the bottle to the man.
"Thanks." the man replied.
"So where you from? I haven't seen you around here before and believe me there's no new customers without me seeing them. I know them all." Videl said as she began to wipe off a shot glass with a towel.
The man took a swig of his beer before answering. "Well actually I'm from the Mountain District, but I'm going to college in Satan City and living here in the suburbs. I turned 21 here not to long ago and decided to come down here for my first drink." the man said.
"Oh I see. You're one of them guys who pretends to act all sweet and cons us bartenders into giving a few shots on the house. Sorry mister, but you won't pull that crap with me. I've been working here to long." Videl said.
The man looked at Videl as if she were crazy. "No, I've really just turned 21 and I'm here for my first drink. I'm actually going to school to become a scholar." the man said.
"Oh, sorry." Videl replied.
Now feeling stupid, Videl went off to serve some other customers. After a few minutes later when Videl came back over to where the man sat he waved her over then pointing to his empty bottle. "Do you want another drink?" Videl asked.
"Yeah, another one of these is fine." the man said as he pointed to the bottle in front of him again.
Videl nodded and went back to get another bottle of beer for the mysterious raven haired man. She came back seconds later with the fresh bottle and set it down on the bar. Videl was about to leave, but then she heard a voice call. "Hey."
Videl turned back to the man she had just served the beer too. "Yes?"
"Hey, um, about earlier. We got started out on the wrong foot. Let's start over again, shall we?" the man asked.
"Whatever." Videl replied.
"My name is Son Gohan, nice to meet you." Gohan said as he extended his hand out over the bar.
Videl looked blankly at Gohan's hand and then at him. "Look buddy. I've got other customers here to serve. Are we done?" Videl asked irritably.
Gohan looked at the woman funny. "Yeah."
"Good." Videl said as she started walking away.
Before going away completely though, Videl looked back at Gohan. "Hey Gohan."
Gohan looked up form his beer at Videl. "The name's Videl. Feel free to come back anytime. I work every night from 7:00 till closing." Videl said, winking before walking to other end of the bar.
Gohan smiled before looking down at his watch. "Oh shit I'm going to be late for class."
Gohan hurriedly guzzled down his beer then scrambling out the door, but not before leaving a tip and a note for Videl. Videl watched as Gohan left the bar and then went over to claim her tip. When Videl saw the writing on the napkin she picked it up and read it.
Hey Videl,
Thanks for the beers. Here's some money for your troubles. I'll be back next Friday. Again thanks.
Gohan
Videl smiled at the letter that Gohan scribbled on the napkin. "Yeah right. I doubt I'll ever see him again, but hey, I can always dream." Videl said to herself.
"Hey Videl, baby. Can I get a drink over here or what?" asked a customer as he snapped his fingers.
Videl's smile faded only to be replaced by a scowl. "Sure Antonio. Only if you promise to stop calling me baby."
Antonio shook his head. "Yeah whatever, now how about that drink."
"Hold your pants Antonio." Videl said as she went over to the heavyset man.
Later that night as Videl left the bar she counted the money she had collected in tips for the night. "Only two zenni from Antonio, that bastard, 9 drinks and only two zenni. Cheap ass. Next time I'll let him get his own drink." Videl said as she stuffed the zenni into her pocket.
She then looked at the fifty zenni that Gohan had given her. She then looked at the note that he had written her. Videl smiled at the thought of the young man. "He sure seemed nice. Oh well, I'll probably never see him again. He'll probably forget. Oh well, I can always hope that he comes back and leaves another good tip like this. By would that be something." Videl said to herself.
Videl then went to her car and got in. She tried starting it, only to hear it spit and sputter. "Ugh, this damn thing. Please start." Videl pleaded as she turned the ignition again.
After several more tries and curses later Videl finally got the thing to start. "Finally." Videl muttered.
On the way home Videl couldn't seem to stop thinking about Gohan. "He looked so familiar. Like I've seen him from somewhere before, but where?" Videl asked herself as she continued to drive through the fog of the early morning.
When Videl got home she locked the car doors, not wanting anyone to steal the car, but like anyone in their right mind would steal the hunk of junk anyway. Videl walked up the cracked, slanted steps to the run down apartment room that she lived in. When Videl got to her front door she cursed. "Damn those little bastards. They had to graffiti the door again, next time I see then they're going to wish they had never laid eyes on my front door." Videl said as she unlocked her door and walked in.
Videl turned on the light, which let the dim living room. Videl took her shoes off and sat down on the old, moth eaten couch that she had seen on a street corner the day she had started renting the apartment about two years ago. The couch was in disarray. It contained everything from juice stains to cigarette burns on it, still it served as the nicest piece of furniture in her house. Everything else was tables and stools. Videl got up to turn the TV on. When nothing but a snowy whit screen came on Videl cursed again. "Ugh, this damnation of a TV. Damn this night. Nothing has gone right. Well almost nothing." Videl said to herself.
Videl then tried adjusting the rabbit ears on the back of the television. When the picture started coming in, but was till a little fuzzy Videl hit the side of the TV with her fist. At that the picture finally came in clearly. Videl sighed and stumbled back over to the couch. Videl lay down and covered herself with the light blanket that was draped on the back of the couch. Videl started watching the TV. After about half and hour Videl began to yawn. Videl looked over at the clock on the cracked filled wall. "3:00 a.m. Well I guess I should get to bed." Videl said as she got up to turn the TV off.
Videl turned off the light and felt her way down the narrow hallway to the only bedroom in the apartment. Videl turned on the light and stripped down to her under garments. She then pulled on and overly large old T-shirt. She climbed into the slat broken bed. As she did the bed creaked under the new weight as if was about to break in two under all the pressure. Videl covered up with the paper-thin sheet and hole eaten quilt that she had since the day she left two years ago. Fluffing up the mostly flattened pillow Videl finally settled into the warmth and comfort of the old bed. She fell asleep later that morning, thinking of what life would be like without the life she was living.
Gohan arrived later at his dorm room that night. He had been out till 3:00 in the morning with night classes and studying, that and talking to his mother for half and hour on the phone. He told her of the events that had crossed his path that past week. Of course he didn't tell her about his first beer at the local bar, or the bar in general. As Gohan climbed into his dorm bed Gohan couldn't help but think what life would be like if he had a place of his own. Even better yet, a special person to share that place with. Gohan's thought then turned to Videl. "She seems nice enough, but if I go back there she probably even remember who I am." Gohan said to himself.
"What was that dude?" Gohan heard a voice ask.
"Nothing Jasp." Gohan replied to his roommate.
"Ok, whatever. What man." Jasp said.
"Night Jasp." Gohan said as he heard his roommate walk to his own room.
Gohan snuggled into the warmth of the clean crisp sheets and heavy quilt, letting his head sink deep into the plump pillow. Gohan fell asleep later that morning. His thoughts of a life he dreamed often about. However, little did he know that life would include the one person he least expected.
Don't let me die hereThere must be something more
- Evanescence
