Last time:
"I've got chills, they're multiplyin', and I'm losin' control, cause the power you're supplyin', it's electrifyin'," she sang in a deep masculine voice, mimicking John Travolta, then prepared herself to switch into a feminine one. "You better shape up, cause I need a man, and my heart is set on you...." And on she sang until the end, where she came to a sudden realization; the song described them almost exactly. Bulma could just see herself telling Vegeta, though she would ever consider taking him back, that he needed to shape up and prove himself to her before she agreed.
She sighed deeply, putting the movie back in its case and tossing it in the pile on the floor; she'd take care of them tomorrow.
****************************************************
"Tomorrow," Miss Higashikuni said delightfully, looking at the happy faces of her actors and actresses. "Tomorrow you will meet your Romeo!"
"Seriously!?" squealed the actress who would be playing Rosaline, Romeo's former lover. "We actually get to meet him tomorrow?"
"Yes, absolutely," answered the director. "He finally has the time in his schedule to come and rehearse with us. Hopefully you will all be comfortable enough with him that the play goes perfect."
"Why should that matter?" Bulma asked. "We're acting, right? We can act like we're comfortable."
"True, very true. But I don't want my actors and actresses to not like one another." She looked from one to the other, taking them in it seemed. "Ok! That's a rap for today. Tomorrow be here same time and be prepared to meet your Romeo. Especially you Bulma, your chemistry with him off stage is the most important. If the two of you have any ill feelings toward one another it will reflect in your performance, got ii?"
Bulma nodded respectfully, though rolled her eyes when she turned away.
When she was finally ready to go home, costumes hung in the dressing rooms, make-up washed off and reapplied so she didn't look like a hooker, she left the theater, ready for a warm relaxing bath at home before she had school the next day and then the dress rehearsal. She wasn't at all expecting anything to come between her and that.
"Bulma!" a voice called from across the parking lot. She looked up wearily, exhausted from the rehearsal.
"Rikyu!" she gasped, rushing over to him, suddenly not so tired anymore. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a project due tomorrow."
"Nope, I was wrong, next day."
"What're you doing here? How'd you get here?"
"I took a cab, I wanted to take you out, since we haven't been out in a while. I figured it's still early, you know?"
"Can I stop at home and freshen up some? I'm a mess."
"You look wonderful to me," he cooed, bringing her into a warm embrace. "But, if you insist, we'll stop there first."
"Where did you have in mind?"
"Oh, now that's a surprise."
*****************************************************************
"Oh Kami," Bulma whispered, breathing heavily. She hadn't expected this from Rikyu.
"I know," he sighed, taking her hand and kissing it lovingly.
"I can't believe I ate that much!" She looked down at the table at the all you can eat buffet he'd taken her to before she had her rehearsal. And they'd really eaten all they could. "How am I going to move to go to the rehearsal in a three hours?"
"Well, we can sit here and wait 'til you can," he laughed, reaching over and patting Trunks on the head. He giggled at the action, flailing his arms wildly.
"Thank you so much again for agreeing to watch him tonight, even if it is Thursday and Vegeta should have him. But he said he had something that he couldn't get out of."
"I'm more than happy to do it, you know I love this kid more than anything. Well, almost anything." He kissed Bulma's hand again, thinking how he was the luckiest man alive to have such a girl.
"Ah, remember my birthday last year?" she said out of the blue, the thought having just come to her.
"Of course. What a night we had in that cabin."
"I know. And you and Sorai climbing in bed with me. Who'd have thought I'd end up with one of you."
"Who'd have thought I'd fall in love with you."
There was a sudden silence that fell over them, and Rikyu fumbled to break it.
"And who'd have thought you'd ever be in a play," he said uneasily. Obviously it had been too soon for her to tell his real feelings. "But here you are, the lead, Juliet."
"Hey, no one's more surprised than I am about it. Believe me." She smiled gingerly at him, not outwardly nervous anymore about his pledge of love. She tried to overlook it, not be as shocked as she was, but to be honest, she hadn't thought about it, they were having so much fun. She couldn't imagine falling in love with him the way she had for Vegeta. She could love him, yes, she already did, always had. But the same way? That seemed impossible. And for him to love her that way? That seemed impossible as well, for she'd been there to see him mature into who he is now, saw him through all his fits and immaturities as she dated his brother. How could he love her when she thought he saw her as a sister? She decided not to give it much thought. Maybe it was just a saying or something about the mood that compelled him to say it or maybe he was the type of boyfriend that said it to all girlfriends. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think that they would ever part, that it would end, that she would leave behind her yet another who loved her devotedly and that she could not love back. She'd had that too much in the past, with Yamcha, with 17, with Izo, and not enough of the love for the other, not enough of Vegeta.
Hours later they arrived at the theater, Bulma's hands shaking as Rikyu held them before she went in. He'd be leaving before she found out, so all his support would have to come before and after she knew the actor for Romeo.
"It'll be fine," he assured her, urging her to go in. "Besides, you're going to be late if you don't hurry up."
"I know, but it's weird you know? I've gotten to know all the other people in the play, expect this one. I'm comfortable with everyone else, but not him, because I don't know who he is. It's hard when I have to pretend I'm in love with him when I'll only get to perform with him for a few weeks before opening night."
"When is that anyway? I'm going right?"
"Of course you're going, why wouldn't you be? It's in 17 days, exactly."
"Oh, counting down are we?"
"Can you blame me? I mean, I'll have an audience; I need to prepare myself for it. I've been acting out in front of my family lately, but I've always been comfortable around them."
"Well I'm sure you'll do fine. But hey, get going. I need to feed Trunks before he goes to bed. When do you think you'll be done, anyway?"
"Late," she sighed. "It's going to be awhile before we get started, seeing as we all need to get used to the new guy, see him in action before we act with him."
"Oh, I see. Well, good luck." He kissed her warmly, smiling when she smiled at the gesture.
"Thanks. Bye. Bye honey." She kissed Trunks atop his head, then shut the door, waving as they drove off.
By the time she got inside, she was so nervous she was shivering all over. Everyone was assembled on the stage, Miss Higashikuni with them, telling them something. Someone soon noticed Bulma and waved as she approached them.
"Where is he?" she asked when she saw no new face.
"Any minute," Miss Higashikuni sighed happily. "Oh, there he is, just walked in."
Bulma took a deep breath, wanting to appear normal to this person. A few of the girls on stage gasped, some whispered, obviously finding him more than attractive. She made herself akimbo, looking at ease, turning slowly to see the man who would be her lover, her Romeo. But when she laid eyes on him, she couldn't believe her eyes. No, it couldn't be, she was seeing things.
She smiled at him happily, dropping her arms to her sides.
"Izo," she said warmly, embracing him when he was within reach. "Kami, I haven't seen you in forever."
"I know," he sighed, holding her for as long as he could. "I've missed you."
"Me too. How have you been?"
"Oh, you know, same old. How about you? I hear you got into the Nozara Science Institute. That's wonderful. I heard it's really hard to get into."
"Yeah well, I can't help my love for science. Wh-"
"No, not him," the director snapped over their happy voices.
"What? Then who?"
Izo's eyes fell to the floor, his lips pursing as she looked behind him at the man he'd brought.
"No! No way!" she roared, glaring at the person who was advancing at them. How had she not seen him enter with Izo? "There is no way in hell I am doing this with HIM!"
"You know each other?" Miss Higashikuni gasped. "How?"
"Long story," she grunted angrily.
"No, actually it's quite short," said the Romeo in his usual husky voice.
"Shut up," she growled at him.
"Now, now, what's wrong?"
"You know damn well what's wrong! How could you not tell me this!? What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"Bulma!" yelled the director as she hopped off the stage. "What is the meaning of this? I will not have this kind of behavior among my actors!"
"Then get rid of him," she said under her breath. "And you?" She glared at Izo. "How could you? I thought you hated him."
"We, uh, we-"
"He's my other roommate." (Just to let you all know, Vegeta does have a room at his college, with Goku and Izo, but he's rarely there. He really only has it for when he needs to be at class early and can't get there in time from home. The same with Goku, so Izo is usually there alone. He and Vegeta stopped fighting after the first few months and became friends. Sorry about the author's note, I know some people hate them in between the story.)
"If you don't mind, I'd like to hear it from him!"
"Oh, come on woman, you're going to have to deal with this, so stop your whining. Yes, I am going to play Romeo with you on stage, in front of people, just get over it."
"How dare you come here and do this to me! You have no right!"
"I can do whatever I damn well please!"
"I won't do the play with him," she said informatively to the director. "I refuse."
"And why not?"
"She hates me," he sighed, as if she were doing this only to waste time.
"I have a damn good reason to!"
"What's that?" she asked, trying to calm her more than frustrated Juliet.
"The bastard cheated on me!"
"Oh, I see." She shot an angry glance at Vegeta to tell him she didn't approve, then turned back to Bulma. "But we can't find another in time, and I will not do this play without both of you. So, either you do the play, or it's canceled."
Bulma's heart sank. No, she couldn't have this put over her head.
"No, please, there has to be another."
"I'm sorry, but you both are just too good. You're going to have to overcome your hate for him for a few hours on stage on opening night. That's all I ask. Please, don't disappoint me and everyone else."
"But-But-But-"
"Please Bulma," came a few pleading voices of her fellow actors and actresses.
"But-"
"Please." Miss Higashikuni looked at her with puppy dog eyes.
"Fine," she finally caved, glaring at everyone. "But I'm not happy about this."
"Didn't think you would be," Vegeta said, smirking deviously.
"Oh shut up Vegeta."
"So that's his name," Miss Higashikuni sighed.
*****************************************************************
"Cut!" the director yelled over the booming voices of Bulma and Vegeta. Bulma glared down at her; she'd do the play, but she didn't say anything about being happy about with Vegeta there.
"What now?" Bulma hissed. Vegeta, surprisingly enough, was calm about the fact that she'd yelled cut over ten times for that scene.
"Your chemistry still. I don't feel it. I don't feel that burning love between you two."
"I can give you burning hatred."
"Bulma, please, at least try and work with me. What're you going to do come time for the performance? I can't have this on my stage, and I won't. You're agreed to do this, now do it well."
"You can't expect me to be easy about this the first day with him."
"I realize it's hard, but you have to overcome your demons, you have to love him on stage."
"I know," she sighed, looking down at her velvet emerald gown, with it's draping sleeves and low cut front.
"Ok now, from the top."
Bulma cleared her throat, looking wearily around as Vegeta did the same; his lines came first. He stepped around, grabbing her hand and kissed it tenderly, sending chills up her spine.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this." He still held her hand, gently rubbing his thumb in slow small circles. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." He went to kiss her lips, but she turned roughly from him, pushing his outstretched arms away.
"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much." He reached for her again, and again she pushed his arms away. "Which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." She put her hands together in prayer position to illustrate her meaning.
"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"
"Ay, pilgrim, lips they must use in prayer."
"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." She looked at him crossly; his words more insulting than his actions, but Juliet could not deny her attraction to this knew face.
"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged." He pulls her gently to him, slowly inching his face closer until their lips touched in a short, but passionate first kiss.
"Then have my lips the sin that they have took," she breaths, blinking her eyes slowly, allowing the ripple of pleasure to pass through her body.
"Sin from my lips?" He raised an eyebrow. "O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." He pulls her again into his powerful kiss, his actions quick and with great need; her knees began to weaken under her.
"You kiss by th' book," she sighs as their lips part.
"Madam, you mother-"
"Cut!" the director yelled, cutting off the nurse's line. "Oh Kami, my word, you two were wonderful. Where did that come from? That was pure passion!"
Bulma cast her eyes at the floor, slightly embarrassed at her words. She had felt what she was talking about, but no one need know she was doing more than acting. Her lips were wet from their kiss, but they felt like they were of fire. Her placed her hands on her stomach, taking a deep breath; the corset she was wearing was shortening her breath more.
"Vegeta, my boy, how can you project that kind of passion? How can you make it seem so real?"
He faltered for a moment, his voice catching in his throat. It had seemed real because it was real.
"Good acting," he said finally, pulling his voice as close to monotone as he could get it.
"Kami, it is good. Now Bulma, you were just as good, believe me, but....How should I say this?....You were-"
"Hesitant," she offered.
"Yes, a little too much. I agree that Juliet is very hesitant with Romeo, for it's their first meeting, but she's also very curious, very intrigued by this man. And she's very, very young, so her emotions fuel her, make her decisions, not her logic."
"So, less hesitant, but not so much that she seems like a whore?"
"Exactly," Miss Higashikuni laughed, looking down at her script. "Ok, you two can take a break for a moment, I need Gregory, Sampson, Abram, Benvolio, and their attendants. Act I, Scene I."
Bulma exited stage right, pulling her blonde wig off and setting it on the vanity that was used for last minute check-ups on make-up and hair. She took a long, deep breath, wishing she could get out of her corset sooner. It was no use for her to sit, it would only feel tighter, for her posture wasn't exactly acceptable. She wanted to lie down while she waited, but she didn't know how long that would be, plus there so nowhere but the floor. She leaned against the nearest solid wall, one that wasn't a makeshift, trying not to think about the trapped feeling that the garment gave her.
"I didn't think you had the courage to go through with it," came Vegeta's voice from behind her.
"Through with what?" she sneered, still beyond angry about what he'd done.
"Kissing me, I thought you'd collapse under pressure and leave."
"And what, have fifty people on my back about canceling their play? I don't think so. I can handle these few days with you."
"Well that seems logical enough, seeing as we have a child."
"Are you done now? I'd like to be alone before I have to see you again out there."
"Why does this bother you so?"
"Because Vegeta, I left you for a reason. And that reason was not to see you all the time."
"Granted," he sighed. "Can I make a suggestion?" His anger with her was mounting; that she couldn't just accept this for what it was was infuriating him.
"What?" He was about to speak when she cut him off. "If you say that us being together again would solve everything then I WILL leave this play."
"Image me as...." He took a deliberate breath. "....as Rikyu." The second the words left his lips he regretted them, but he'd said them, and there was no taking them back. Bulma looked at him in utter shock. For one, she would have never thought of it, and two, she would never think Vegeta would, let alone suggest it to her.
"I-I never thought of that," she admitted, smiling weakly at him. "For what it's worth....I was impressed by your performance."
He nodded and turned away, retreating to his own area of back stage.
*************************************************************
Vegeta's car pulled into his driveway at quarter to 11:00. He got out, only glancing back to see Bulma scurry across the lawn to her house. Izo had been dropped off at the college earlier.
Bulma slammed the door, a little harder than she meant to, upon entering her house. Rikyu was asleep on the couch, Trunks in his playpen beside him. Shirosama was in the chair next to him, lazily watching TV, flipping through the channels. Her other siblings were no doubt in their rooms, her parents still out.
"How was the rehearsal?" Shirosama asked, turning from his channel surfing.
"Fine."
"How'd you like the guy that's Romeo?" he yawned, dropping the remote on his lap.
"He was....he was....fine," she lied, reaching into the playpen to pull out a sleepy Trunks.
At that moment Rikyu stirred, looking sleepily up at Bulma, smiling.
"There you are." She kissed his forehead, brushing back his hair that was in his eyes. "How was it?"
"Fine."
"And Romeo?" She laughed to herself; deja vu.
"He was....tolerable."
"What's his name?"
Just then Trunks began to cry, and Bulma let out a deep sigh; he'd saved her.
"Well, I better get you home so I can get him in his crib."
She smiled warmly at him, but couldn't help but feel guilty as they walked to the car; she hadn't told him the whole truth. How would she keep this from him if he was going to the play?
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---Chapter 12! Yay! Wee! Woohoo! I liked that, a lot. How'd you like how I made it seem like Izo was Romeo? Heehee, I thought it was funny. I was actually going to change my mind and really have him as Romeo, but that would ruin all my other plans for the story. So I kept it as is.
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Reviews=New chapters)
Next time: The play?
"I've got chills, they're multiplyin', and I'm losin' control, cause the power you're supplyin', it's electrifyin'," she sang in a deep masculine voice, mimicking John Travolta, then prepared herself to switch into a feminine one. "You better shape up, cause I need a man, and my heart is set on you...." And on she sang until the end, where she came to a sudden realization; the song described them almost exactly. Bulma could just see herself telling Vegeta, though she would ever consider taking him back, that he needed to shape up and prove himself to her before she agreed.
She sighed deeply, putting the movie back in its case and tossing it in the pile on the floor; she'd take care of them tomorrow.
****************************************************
"Tomorrow," Miss Higashikuni said delightfully, looking at the happy faces of her actors and actresses. "Tomorrow you will meet your Romeo!"
"Seriously!?" squealed the actress who would be playing Rosaline, Romeo's former lover. "We actually get to meet him tomorrow?"
"Yes, absolutely," answered the director. "He finally has the time in his schedule to come and rehearse with us. Hopefully you will all be comfortable enough with him that the play goes perfect."
"Why should that matter?" Bulma asked. "We're acting, right? We can act like we're comfortable."
"True, very true. But I don't want my actors and actresses to not like one another." She looked from one to the other, taking them in it seemed. "Ok! That's a rap for today. Tomorrow be here same time and be prepared to meet your Romeo. Especially you Bulma, your chemistry with him off stage is the most important. If the two of you have any ill feelings toward one another it will reflect in your performance, got ii?"
Bulma nodded respectfully, though rolled her eyes when she turned away.
When she was finally ready to go home, costumes hung in the dressing rooms, make-up washed off and reapplied so she didn't look like a hooker, she left the theater, ready for a warm relaxing bath at home before she had school the next day and then the dress rehearsal. She wasn't at all expecting anything to come between her and that.
"Bulma!" a voice called from across the parking lot. She looked up wearily, exhausted from the rehearsal.
"Rikyu!" she gasped, rushing over to him, suddenly not so tired anymore. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a project due tomorrow."
"Nope, I was wrong, next day."
"What're you doing here? How'd you get here?"
"I took a cab, I wanted to take you out, since we haven't been out in a while. I figured it's still early, you know?"
"Can I stop at home and freshen up some? I'm a mess."
"You look wonderful to me," he cooed, bringing her into a warm embrace. "But, if you insist, we'll stop there first."
"Where did you have in mind?"
"Oh, now that's a surprise."
*****************************************************************
"Oh Kami," Bulma whispered, breathing heavily. She hadn't expected this from Rikyu.
"I know," he sighed, taking her hand and kissing it lovingly.
"I can't believe I ate that much!" She looked down at the table at the all you can eat buffet he'd taken her to before she had her rehearsal. And they'd really eaten all they could. "How am I going to move to go to the rehearsal in a three hours?"
"Well, we can sit here and wait 'til you can," he laughed, reaching over and patting Trunks on the head. He giggled at the action, flailing his arms wildly.
"Thank you so much again for agreeing to watch him tonight, even if it is Thursday and Vegeta should have him. But he said he had something that he couldn't get out of."
"I'm more than happy to do it, you know I love this kid more than anything. Well, almost anything." He kissed Bulma's hand again, thinking how he was the luckiest man alive to have such a girl.
"Ah, remember my birthday last year?" she said out of the blue, the thought having just come to her.
"Of course. What a night we had in that cabin."
"I know. And you and Sorai climbing in bed with me. Who'd have thought I'd end up with one of you."
"Who'd have thought I'd fall in love with you."
There was a sudden silence that fell over them, and Rikyu fumbled to break it.
"And who'd have thought you'd ever be in a play," he said uneasily. Obviously it had been too soon for her to tell his real feelings. "But here you are, the lead, Juliet."
"Hey, no one's more surprised than I am about it. Believe me." She smiled gingerly at him, not outwardly nervous anymore about his pledge of love. She tried to overlook it, not be as shocked as she was, but to be honest, she hadn't thought about it, they were having so much fun. She couldn't imagine falling in love with him the way she had for Vegeta. She could love him, yes, she already did, always had. But the same way? That seemed impossible. And for him to love her that way? That seemed impossible as well, for she'd been there to see him mature into who he is now, saw him through all his fits and immaturities as she dated his brother. How could he love her when she thought he saw her as a sister? She decided not to give it much thought. Maybe it was just a saying or something about the mood that compelled him to say it or maybe he was the type of boyfriend that said it to all girlfriends. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think that they would ever part, that it would end, that she would leave behind her yet another who loved her devotedly and that she could not love back. She'd had that too much in the past, with Yamcha, with 17, with Izo, and not enough of the love for the other, not enough of Vegeta.
Hours later they arrived at the theater, Bulma's hands shaking as Rikyu held them before she went in. He'd be leaving before she found out, so all his support would have to come before and after she knew the actor for Romeo.
"It'll be fine," he assured her, urging her to go in. "Besides, you're going to be late if you don't hurry up."
"I know, but it's weird you know? I've gotten to know all the other people in the play, expect this one. I'm comfortable with everyone else, but not him, because I don't know who he is. It's hard when I have to pretend I'm in love with him when I'll only get to perform with him for a few weeks before opening night."
"When is that anyway? I'm going right?"
"Of course you're going, why wouldn't you be? It's in 17 days, exactly."
"Oh, counting down are we?"
"Can you blame me? I mean, I'll have an audience; I need to prepare myself for it. I've been acting out in front of my family lately, but I've always been comfortable around them."
"Well I'm sure you'll do fine. But hey, get going. I need to feed Trunks before he goes to bed. When do you think you'll be done, anyway?"
"Late," she sighed. "It's going to be awhile before we get started, seeing as we all need to get used to the new guy, see him in action before we act with him."
"Oh, I see. Well, good luck." He kissed her warmly, smiling when she smiled at the gesture.
"Thanks. Bye. Bye honey." She kissed Trunks atop his head, then shut the door, waving as they drove off.
By the time she got inside, she was so nervous she was shivering all over. Everyone was assembled on the stage, Miss Higashikuni with them, telling them something. Someone soon noticed Bulma and waved as she approached them.
"Where is he?" she asked when she saw no new face.
"Any minute," Miss Higashikuni sighed happily. "Oh, there he is, just walked in."
Bulma took a deep breath, wanting to appear normal to this person. A few of the girls on stage gasped, some whispered, obviously finding him more than attractive. She made herself akimbo, looking at ease, turning slowly to see the man who would be her lover, her Romeo. But when she laid eyes on him, she couldn't believe her eyes. No, it couldn't be, she was seeing things.
She smiled at him happily, dropping her arms to her sides.
"Izo," she said warmly, embracing him when he was within reach. "Kami, I haven't seen you in forever."
"I know," he sighed, holding her for as long as he could. "I've missed you."
"Me too. How have you been?"
"Oh, you know, same old. How about you? I hear you got into the Nozara Science Institute. That's wonderful. I heard it's really hard to get into."
"Yeah well, I can't help my love for science. Wh-"
"No, not him," the director snapped over their happy voices.
"What? Then who?"
Izo's eyes fell to the floor, his lips pursing as she looked behind him at the man he'd brought.
"No! No way!" she roared, glaring at the person who was advancing at them. How had she not seen him enter with Izo? "There is no way in hell I am doing this with HIM!"
"You know each other?" Miss Higashikuni gasped. "How?"
"Long story," she grunted angrily.
"No, actually it's quite short," said the Romeo in his usual husky voice.
"Shut up," she growled at him.
"Now, now, what's wrong?"
"You know damn well what's wrong! How could you not tell me this!? What the hell is wrong with you!?"
"Bulma!" yelled the director as she hopped off the stage. "What is the meaning of this? I will not have this kind of behavior among my actors!"
"Then get rid of him," she said under her breath. "And you?" She glared at Izo. "How could you? I thought you hated him."
"We, uh, we-"
"He's my other roommate." (Just to let you all know, Vegeta does have a room at his college, with Goku and Izo, but he's rarely there. He really only has it for when he needs to be at class early and can't get there in time from home. The same with Goku, so Izo is usually there alone. He and Vegeta stopped fighting after the first few months and became friends. Sorry about the author's note, I know some people hate them in between the story.)
"If you don't mind, I'd like to hear it from him!"
"Oh, come on woman, you're going to have to deal with this, so stop your whining. Yes, I am going to play Romeo with you on stage, in front of people, just get over it."
"How dare you come here and do this to me! You have no right!"
"I can do whatever I damn well please!"
"I won't do the play with him," she said informatively to the director. "I refuse."
"And why not?"
"She hates me," he sighed, as if she were doing this only to waste time.
"I have a damn good reason to!"
"What's that?" she asked, trying to calm her more than frustrated Juliet.
"The bastard cheated on me!"
"Oh, I see." She shot an angry glance at Vegeta to tell him she didn't approve, then turned back to Bulma. "But we can't find another in time, and I will not do this play without both of you. So, either you do the play, or it's canceled."
Bulma's heart sank. No, she couldn't have this put over her head.
"No, please, there has to be another."
"I'm sorry, but you both are just too good. You're going to have to overcome your hate for him for a few hours on stage on opening night. That's all I ask. Please, don't disappoint me and everyone else."
"But-But-But-"
"Please Bulma," came a few pleading voices of her fellow actors and actresses.
"But-"
"Please." Miss Higashikuni looked at her with puppy dog eyes.
"Fine," she finally caved, glaring at everyone. "But I'm not happy about this."
"Didn't think you would be," Vegeta said, smirking deviously.
"Oh shut up Vegeta."
"So that's his name," Miss Higashikuni sighed.
*****************************************************************
"Cut!" the director yelled over the booming voices of Bulma and Vegeta. Bulma glared down at her; she'd do the play, but she didn't say anything about being happy about with Vegeta there.
"What now?" Bulma hissed. Vegeta, surprisingly enough, was calm about the fact that she'd yelled cut over ten times for that scene.
"Your chemistry still. I don't feel it. I don't feel that burning love between you two."
"I can give you burning hatred."
"Bulma, please, at least try and work with me. What're you going to do come time for the performance? I can't have this on my stage, and I won't. You're agreed to do this, now do it well."
"You can't expect me to be easy about this the first day with him."
"I realize it's hard, but you have to overcome your demons, you have to love him on stage."
"I know," she sighed, looking down at her velvet emerald gown, with it's draping sleeves and low cut front.
"Ok now, from the top."
Bulma cleared her throat, looking wearily around as Vegeta did the same; his lines came first. He stepped around, grabbing her hand and kissed it tenderly, sending chills up her spine.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this." He still held her hand, gently rubbing his thumb in slow small circles. "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." He went to kiss her lips, but she turned roughly from him, pushing his outstretched arms away.
"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much." He reached for her again, and again she pushed his arms away. "Which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss." She put her hands together in prayer position to illustrate her meaning.
"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"
"Ay, pilgrim, lips they must use in prayer."
"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do! They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." She looked at him crossly; his words more insulting than his actions, but Juliet could not deny her attraction to this knew face.
"Then move not while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged." He pulls her gently to him, slowly inching his face closer until their lips touched in a short, but passionate first kiss.
"Then have my lips the sin that they have took," she breaths, blinking her eyes slowly, allowing the ripple of pleasure to pass through her body.
"Sin from my lips?" He raised an eyebrow. "O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." He pulls her again into his powerful kiss, his actions quick and with great need; her knees began to weaken under her.
"You kiss by th' book," she sighs as their lips part.
"Madam, you mother-"
"Cut!" the director yelled, cutting off the nurse's line. "Oh Kami, my word, you two were wonderful. Where did that come from? That was pure passion!"
Bulma cast her eyes at the floor, slightly embarrassed at her words. She had felt what she was talking about, but no one need know she was doing more than acting. Her lips were wet from their kiss, but they felt like they were of fire. Her placed her hands on her stomach, taking a deep breath; the corset she was wearing was shortening her breath more.
"Vegeta, my boy, how can you project that kind of passion? How can you make it seem so real?"
He faltered for a moment, his voice catching in his throat. It had seemed real because it was real.
"Good acting," he said finally, pulling his voice as close to monotone as he could get it.
"Kami, it is good. Now Bulma, you were just as good, believe me, but....How should I say this?....You were-"
"Hesitant," she offered.
"Yes, a little too much. I agree that Juliet is very hesitant with Romeo, for it's their first meeting, but she's also very curious, very intrigued by this man. And she's very, very young, so her emotions fuel her, make her decisions, not her logic."
"So, less hesitant, but not so much that she seems like a whore?"
"Exactly," Miss Higashikuni laughed, looking down at her script. "Ok, you two can take a break for a moment, I need Gregory, Sampson, Abram, Benvolio, and their attendants. Act I, Scene I."
Bulma exited stage right, pulling her blonde wig off and setting it on the vanity that was used for last minute check-ups on make-up and hair. She took a long, deep breath, wishing she could get out of her corset sooner. It was no use for her to sit, it would only feel tighter, for her posture wasn't exactly acceptable. She wanted to lie down while she waited, but she didn't know how long that would be, plus there so nowhere but the floor. She leaned against the nearest solid wall, one that wasn't a makeshift, trying not to think about the trapped feeling that the garment gave her.
"I didn't think you had the courage to go through with it," came Vegeta's voice from behind her.
"Through with what?" she sneered, still beyond angry about what he'd done.
"Kissing me, I thought you'd collapse under pressure and leave."
"And what, have fifty people on my back about canceling their play? I don't think so. I can handle these few days with you."
"Well that seems logical enough, seeing as we have a child."
"Are you done now? I'd like to be alone before I have to see you again out there."
"Why does this bother you so?"
"Because Vegeta, I left you for a reason. And that reason was not to see you all the time."
"Granted," he sighed. "Can I make a suggestion?" His anger with her was mounting; that she couldn't just accept this for what it was was infuriating him.
"What?" He was about to speak when she cut him off. "If you say that us being together again would solve everything then I WILL leave this play."
"Image me as...." He took a deliberate breath. "....as Rikyu." The second the words left his lips he regretted them, but he'd said them, and there was no taking them back. Bulma looked at him in utter shock. For one, she would have never thought of it, and two, she would never think Vegeta would, let alone suggest it to her.
"I-I never thought of that," she admitted, smiling weakly at him. "For what it's worth....I was impressed by your performance."
He nodded and turned away, retreating to his own area of back stage.
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Vegeta's car pulled into his driveway at quarter to 11:00. He got out, only glancing back to see Bulma scurry across the lawn to her house. Izo had been dropped off at the college earlier.
Bulma slammed the door, a little harder than she meant to, upon entering her house. Rikyu was asleep on the couch, Trunks in his playpen beside him. Shirosama was in the chair next to him, lazily watching TV, flipping through the channels. Her other siblings were no doubt in their rooms, her parents still out.
"How was the rehearsal?" Shirosama asked, turning from his channel surfing.
"Fine."
"How'd you like the guy that's Romeo?" he yawned, dropping the remote on his lap.
"He was....he was....fine," she lied, reaching into the playpen to pull out a sleepy Trunks.
At that moment Rikyu stirred, looking sleepily up at Bulma, smiling.
"There you are." She kissed his forehead, brushing back his hair that was in his eyes. "How was it?"
"Fine."
"And Romeo?" She laughed to herself; deja vu.
"He was....tolerable."
"What's his name?"
Just then Trunks began to cry, and Bulma let out a deep sigh; he'd saved her.
"Well, I better get you home so I can get him in his crib."
She smiled warmly at him, but couldn't help but feel guilty as they walked to the car; she hadn't told him the whole truth. How would she keep this from him if he was going to the play?
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---Chapter 12! Yay! Wee! Woohoo! I liked that, a lot. How'd you like how I made it seem like Izo was Romeo? Heehee, I thought it was funny. I was actually going to change my mind and really have him as Romeo, but that would ruin all my other plans for the story. So I kept it as is.
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Reviews=New chapters)
Next time: The play?