Last time:
She sighed happily once outside; the play was going wonderfully, she hadn't messed up once, even after spotting her parents, siblings, and Trunks in the audience. She hadn't seen Rikyu and wondered if he'd shown up. *Probably not* she thought bitterly. But that didn't matter to her now, she was busy with her play, she didn't have time to dwell on fights with her and Rikyu over stupid little things. She needed to get and stay in the mindset of Romeo and Juliet. She was Juliet, she was Juliet, she was Juliet.
"I am Juliet," she said aloud, taking in another breath of fresh air before going back inside.
**********************************************************
The play was going better than Bulma could have ever wanted it to. So far she hadn't forgotten or fumbled any of her lines; and as for her being afraid of the audience watching her, she took Yodo's advice, she pretended like they weren't there and it worked perfectly. She felt more like Juliet than she felt like Bulma.
They were halfway through the play, and Bulma had just finished a scene, the one where she finds out Romeo has killed Tybalt, so she has two short scenes to rest. But her next scene was the simulated sex scene, the one she'd been most worried about. She sighed deeply as Yodo came and sat beside her; she was in the next scene, but it was a short one, then it was Bulma's turn again.
"Nervous again?" she laughed, patting Bulma on the back; she was already dressed in her nightgown, ready for the five minute scene with no words, one that Miss Higashikuni had added to "spice things up".
"How'd you guess?"
"I don't know. Maybe the fact that you're sitting over here all alone and mumbling to yourself."
Bulma laughed at this; she had been mumbling to herself but only now realized it.
"Don't worry, you'll do just fine. It's only five minutes, you'll be done before you know it, and then you'll have your lines to occupy your mind."
"Yes, but the scene, up on stage, in front of everyone, h-"
"You'll get through it. Oh! My scene!" She hurried over to the curtain and mouthed, "Good luck," before disappearing on stage. She had a good five minutes before her scene, and suddenly wanted to talk to Vegeta about it, make sure he knew exactly what had to be done. And, as if sensing her need, Vegeta came strolling through the backstage, his shirt flung over his shoulder, hair gelled flat to his head, for obvious reasons.
"Vegeta!" she called, catching his attention just before he veered for the food table.
"Yeah?" He gave her a strange look, half annoyed for her interrupting his mission to get a snack before their next scene.
"Go ahead, grab something and come back here. I need to talk to you before our scene."
He groaned loudly; she'd been so fussy with that particular scene that it no longer enticed him when they practiced it. Quickly grabbing a raw bagel, he shuffled over to Bulma, plopping down on the floor in front of her.
"What?" he grunted, taking a huge bite of the bagel, crumbs falling from his mouth.
"You know what we have to do?"
"How many times are you going to go over this? Why can't you just go with it? It's not difficult."
"I know, but in front of everyone. My parents?"
"Yeah, they obviously know you're not a virgin. Unless your mother is such a ditz that she hasn't noticed Trunks yet."
"Shut up Vegeta," she spat, glaring at him. "Aren't you going to put that on?" She pointed to his shirt he still had over his shoulder; a baggy white tunic designed shirt with fake bloodstains all over it from his fight with Tybalt.
He rolled his eyes at her, pulling the loose shirt over his head.
"Vegeta! Bulma! Come on!" the assistant director yelled, motioning them over, looking frantic; she must have still been mad at what happened a few scenes back: one of the extras tripped on stage and instead of everyone ignoring them and going on with their lines, everyone on stage stopped talking until he was to his feet again.
Bulma took a deep breath and glanced over at Vegeta before walking out onto the curtained stage. She settled herself on the bed in the center of the stage, falling back onto its pillows, sighing deeply as she waited for the curtains to open. And as they did, she turned onto her side, away from the audience, listening for Vegeta's footfalls.
When he reached the center of the stage, she turned to face him, smiling broadly. She crawled from the blankets, melting into him as he wrapped his arms around her. They stood like that for exactly five seconds, as rehearsed, then Vegeta stepped back, pulling his bloodied shirt off, letting it fall to the floor. He kissed Bulma's forehead softly, then slowly pushed off her bathrobe, smirking at her, as his back was turned slightly to the audience. She wanted to glare at him, but would be seen by the audience, so decided to ignore it and focus on the scene.
Vegeta lead her over to the bed, pushing her down gently and crawling on top of her. She pulled the sheer curtains closed, their silhouettes still visible to the audience. Once inside, all they had to do was move around for a few moments, simulating that they were having sex, but then, in the heat of the moment, that felt so real to her, Bulma pulled Vegeta's head to hers, kissing him passionately. He obliged immediately, wrapping his arms around her tiny back, still moving in the way they'd rehearsed so many times before.
"Vegeta," she whispered into the crook of his neck as their lips parted, her voice only loud enough for him to hear.
"Shh," he breathed, leaning in to kiss her again as the lights of the stage dimmed and went out. It would be exactly thirty-five seconds until they slowly dimmed back on, and then they would have their lines to say. No one would interrupt them in there for those few seconds; no one could see them.
Bulma looked up at him, straining her eyes in the almost complete darkness. When his features finally came into view, the lights began to come back on, slower than they'd gone out. Ten more seconds to their lines, but they were the last thing on Bulma's mind as Vegeta's face drew nearer once more, their lips connecting in another passionate kiss.
"Wilt thou be gone?" Bulma sighed as Vegeta reached over and pulled open the curtains. "It is not yet near day." Vegeta chuckled loudly, smiling down at her. "It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree. Believe me, love, it was the nightingale."
"It was the lark, the herald of the morn; no nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder East. Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops." He sighed deeply, still smiling down at her; Bulma could have sworn they were in her room, alone, just waking. "I must be gone and live, or stay and die."
They quarreled about the nightingale and the lark for a moment, until Romeo finally caved and said, "I have more care to stay than will to go. Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so. How is't, my soul? Let's talk; it is not day."
"It is," Bulma half sighed, half groaned, pushing off Vegeta's advances. "It is! Hie hence, be gone, away!……..O, now be gone! More light and light it grows."
"More light and light—more dark and dark our woes." He kissed her passionately, his hands up in her messy hair, as Hoshi, Juliet's nurse, entered hastily, looking rather frazzled.
"Madam!" Hoshi cried scoldingly.
"Nurse?" Bulma gasped, genuinely shocked to see her.
" Your lady mother is coming to your chamber. The day is broke; be wary, look about." She shuffles off stage, muttering to herself.
"Then, window," She stumbled out of bed, hurried to the large balcony doorway in the makeshift wall, the back view of the balcony, "let day in, and let life out."
"Farwell, farewell! One kiss, and I'll descend," Vegeta said, kissing her quickly before he climbed over the balcony's ledge and out of sight.
But they would not let go so easily; Bulma leaned far over the balcony, grabbing Vegeta's arm and pulling him up to her, telling him to write her, wondering when they would meet again.
"Ho, daughter! Are you up?" Yodo called, entering stage left, still in her robes.
"Who is't that calls?" Bulma asked, rubbing her eyes, appearing to have just woken. "It is my lady mother. Is she not down so late, or up so early? What unaccustomed cause procures her hither?"
Yodo smiled warmly at her, tilting her head to the side. "Why, how now, Juliet?"
"Madam, I am not well."
They converse for several moments, finally ending on a sour note as Lady Capulet tells Juliet she will marry Paris next Thursday.
"Now by Saint Peter's Church, and Peter too, he shall not make me there a joyful bride!…"
"Here comes your father. Tell him so yourself, and see how he will take it at your hands."
***************************************************************
"Here's to my love!" Vegeta cries, tipping a cup of poison into his mouth. "O true apothecary! They drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." He falls to the falls beside Bulma; dead.
***************************************************************
"What's here?" Bulma whimpers. "A cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them to make me die with a restorative." She leans over, kissing Vegeta's still lips. "Thy lips are warm!"
"Lead, boy. Which way?" The Chief Watchman's voice meets Bulma's ears.
"Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!" She grabs Vegeta's dagger from him-"This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die."-and stabs herself, falling roughing beside Vegeta.
***************************************************************
"A glooming peace this morning with it brings," said Shimpei, who played Prince Escalus. "The sun for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; some shall be pardoned, and some punished; for never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
The curtain falls on the actors and actresses on stage, the cheers and clapping from the audience making it impossible to hear what Miss Higashikuni was trying to yell to them. But everyone got the gist and they all lined up behind the curtain, ready for it to re-open. When it did, there were more cheers, more clapping, more cat calls, and almost everyone was on their feet; a standing ovation.
"Woo! Bulma! You took the stage girl!" Bulma heard 18 scream from one of the rows close to the stage. She blushed furiously, trying to ignore her.
Miss Higashikuni, microphone in hand, called all the performers up, one by one, or in small groups, to receive their individual applause.
"Lady and Lords Montague and Capulet," she said, and two actors and two actresses went up, holding hands, and took a bow. "Mercutio." Anzai, who played Mercutio, skipped and jumped to center stage, welcoming the roar of applause that followed; he truly did a magnificent job. "And last, but definitely not least, the stats of tonight's performance," she took a deep breath, "my Romeo and Juliet!" Vegeta grabbed Bulma's hand tightly, leading her to the center of the stage; if the calls for Mercutio had been loud, then the ones for them were ear splitting. Vegeta stepped aside, bowing and holding his arm out towards Bulma, and again the theater erupted in cheers and clapping. Bulma could hardly keep from smiling and her face was blushing so furiously that she did the only thing she could think of; she wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and motioned to him, causing another uproar in the audience.
When the cheering had died down and people either took their seats again or began to leave, everyone was ushered off stage by Miss Higashikuni and her assistant director.
"I can't begin to praise you all for your performance," Miss Higashikuni beamed, tears welling up in her eyes. "Please, all of you, come to an after party at my house." She held up a box filled with flyers with fancy writing that basically said there was an after party for the play and where it was. "I'll expect all of you to come!"
"Can we come too?" Bulma looked around for a moment before her eyes fell on 18, Chi-Chi, Goku, Krillin, 17, and Sorai.
"Friends and family are welcome too!" Miss Higashikuni added gleefully in between mini conversations with some of her acting company.
"Bulma, you were amazing," Chi-Chi gasped, hugging her quickly, then turning to Vegeta. "And you." She poked him playfully in the chest. "I've never seen you so, so….mushy."
"Watch it Mau," he warned, though there was a definite hint of laughter behind his voice.
"Where's my little man?" Bulma looked around, searching for her mother with Trunks. She spotted them almost immediately and her mother caught her eyes, rushing over.
"Oh Bulma! I'm so proud!" She hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek, then handed Trunks over.
"Hey, can you watch him for me while I go to the after party?"
"Of course dear. Your father and I were planning on a quiet night in anyway."
"Ok, thanks. I'll bring him back to Vegeta's when I get home."
*******************************************************************
Bulma's head was spinning, as she glided through Miss Higashikuni's living room, with thoughts of the wonderful performance and how well she'd done. She flopped down on an over-stuffed couch next to Vegeta, almost spilling her margarita.
"I have to say," she said, leaning her elbow on the couch, turning to Vegeta, who was already starring at her. "You were brilliant tonight. I've never seen a better Romeo."
He sighed, tipping the remainder of his drink into his mouth. "You weren't as bas as I thought you'd be," he replied, trying his hardest to hold back a smirk.
"Oh shut up. I was amazing and you know it."
"What I know," he said in a husky voice, leaning closer, "is what happened behind those curtains on stage."
Bulma's heart leapt and sank in one swift motion, causing her to choke on her breath; she'd forgotten completely about that and only now did she feel a pang of guilt as she remembered Rikyu, who was undoubtedly sulking at home. How could she have kissed Vegeta like that? Sure, she could tell herself over and over that it was only acting, but there was no need for kissing when behind the curtain; she had cheated on Rikyu.
"Vegeta, I-"
"No need for an explanation woman," he sighed, obviously not happy with her reaction, though he had expected it. "I won't tell your moronic boyfriend. What happened is between you and myself. It's not my job to clear your conscience."
"Vegeta, I'm sorry, I mean, I-er-I didn't mean to-well, actually I did-that's not the point-Vegeta-"
He pressed his fingertips to her lips, silencing her. "I leave it up to you to take things from here. You know where I stand," he said heavily, as he stood and ventured for the buffet on the far side of the room, leaving Bulma in a whirl of emotions.
She leaned back onto the soft couch cushion, trying to free herself from the thoughts of how she would act around Rikyu now, knowing what she'd done. She was a cheater now, just like Vegeta had been to her. She was everything she hated, but she didn't feel guilty in the way she knew she should. Sure she was guilty for hurting Rikyu if he ever found out, but for having done it? No, not in the least. She would do it all over if she had the chance, there was no denying that. But what did that mean then? Would she have to end things with Rikyu because of what she'd done with Vegeta? Or would she just continue on with him, her conscience weighing her down little by little until she cracks? She shook her head furiously; No, she didn't have to be guilty, it was the play's fault, she was caught up in the acting and got swept away. But painfully, in the back of her mind, she knew she was wrong; she had cheated on Rikyu.
Hanging her head in shame, Bulma proceed to the bar where she planned on getting hammered to forget her sorrows.
**************************************************************
Bulma awoke the next morning with the worst hangover in history. She opened her eyes, looked around, then flopped her head back on the pillow when she saw Chi-Chi passed out next to her; she must have brought her home and stayed too, or something, Bulma didn't know, and quite frankly, she didn't care.
Finally, after much debate, Bulma pulled herself out of bad, grabbed her cordless phone and shut herself in her bathroom. Slowly she dialed a phone number, waiting for someone to answer.
"Hello?" came a groggy voice at the other end.
"Rikyu," she sighed, slumping down on the closed toilet seat. "We need to talk…."
***************************************************************
---Chapter 14! Hey! What'd everyone think of that? Kami has Bulma done it this time. But hey, it's good, right?-for Vegeta anyway. Poor Rikyu though (I liked him), and poor Bulma-she'll hate herself now L Oh, and sorry its so short, but I didn't want to continue just yet-I love cliffhangers :D
REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Reviews=More Chapters)
Next time: Wait and see :P
Note: Please, please, please tell me if I made any errors or spelling mistakes. I'm a dumb author (heehee) and I usually don't spot stuff like that until it's way too late. THANKS!
She sighed happily once outside; the play was going wonderfully, she hadn't messed up once, even after spotting her parents, siblings, and Trunks in the audience. She hadn't seen Rikyu and wondered if he'd shown up. *Probably not* she thought bitterly. But that didn't matter to her now, she was busy with her play, she didn't have time to dwell on fights with her and Rikyu over stupid little things. She needed to get and stay in the mindset of Romeo and Juliet. She was Juliet, she was Juliet, she was Juliet.
"I am Juliet," she said aloud, taking in another breath of fresh air before going back inside.
**********************************************************
The play was going better than Bulma could have ever wanted it to. So far she hadn't forgotten or fumbled any of her lines; and as for her being afraid of the audience watching her, she took Yodo's advice, she pretended like they weren't there and it worked perfectly. She felt more like Juliet than she felt like Bulma.
They were halfway through the play, and Bulma had just finished a scene, the one where she finds out Romeo has killed Tybalt, so she has two short scenes to rest. But her next scene was the simulated sex scene, the one she'd been most worried about. She sighed deeply as Yodo came and sat beside her; she was in the next scene, but it was a short one, then it was Bulma's turn again.
"Nervous again?" she laughed, patting Bulma on the back; she was already dressed in her nightgown, ready for the five minute scene with no words, one that Miss Higashikuni had added to "spice things up".
"How'd you guess?"
"I don't know. Maybe the fact that you're sitting over here all alone and mumbling to yourself."
Bulma laughed at this; she had been mumbling to herself but only now realized it.
"Don't worry, you'll do just fine. It's only five minutes, you'll be done before you know it, and then you'll have your lines to occupy your mind."
"Yes, but the scene, up on stage, in front of everyone, h-"
"You'll get through it. Oh! My scene!" She hurried over to the curtain and mouthed, "Good luck," before disappearing on stage. She had a good five minutes before her scene, and suddenly wanted to talk to Vegeta about it, make sure he knew exactly what had to be done. And, as if sensing her need, Vegeta came strolling through the backstage, his shirt flung over his shoulder, hair gelled flat to his head, for obvious reasons.
"Vegeta!" she called, catching his attention just before he veered for the food table.
"Yeah?" He gave her a strange look, half annoyed for her interrupting his mission to get a snack before their next scene.
"Go ahead, grab something and come back here. I need to talk to you before our scene."
He groaned loudly; she'd been so fussy with that particular scene that it no longer enticed him when they practiced it. Quickly grabbing a raw bagel, he shuffled over to Bulma, plopping down on the floor in front of her.
"What?" he grunted, taking a huge bite of the bagel, crumbs falling from his mouth.
"You know what we have to do?"
"How many times are you going to go over this? Why can't you just go with it? It's not difficult."
"I know, but in front of everyone. My parents?"
"Yeah, they obviously know you're not a virgin. Unless your mother is such a ditz that she hasn't noticed Trunks yet."
"Shut up Vegeta," she spat, glaring at him. "Aren't you going to put that on?" She pointed to his shirt he still had over his shoulder; a baggy white tunic designed shirt with fake bloodstains all over it from his fight with Tybalt.
He rolled his eyes at her, pulling the loose shirt over his head.
"Vegeta! Bulma! Come on!" the assistant director yelled, motioning them over, looking frantic; she must have still been mad at what happened a few scenes back: one of the extras tripped on stage and instead of everyone ignoring them and going on with their lines, everyone on stage stopped talking until he was to his feet again.
Bulma took a deep breath and glanced over at Vegeta before walking out onto the curtained stage. She settled herself on the bed in the center of the stage, falling back onto its pillows, sighing deeply as she waited for the curtains to open. And as they did, she turned onto her side, away from the audience, listening for Vegeta's footfalls.
When he reached the center of the stage, she turned to face him, smiling broadly. She crawled from the blankets, melting into him as he wrapped his arms around her. They stood like that for exactly five seconds, as rehearsed, then Vegeta stepped back, pulling his bloodied shirt off, letting it fall to the floor. He kissed Bulma's forehead softly, then slowly pushed off her bathrobe, smirking at her, as his back was turned slightly to the audience. She wanted to glare at him, but would be seen by the audience, so decided to ignore it and focus on the scene.
Vegeta lead her over to the bed, pushing her down gently and crawling on top of her. She pulled the sheer curtains closed, their silhouettes still visible to the audience. Once inside, all they had to do was move around for a few moments, simulating that they were having sex, but then, in the heat of the moment, that felt so real to her, Bulma pulled Vegeta's head to hers, kissing him passionately. He obliged immediately, wrapping his arms around her tiny back, still moving in the way they'd rehearsed so many times before.
"Vegeta," she whispered into the crook of his neck as their lips parted, her voice only loud enough for him to hear.
"Shh," he breathed, leaning in to kiss her again as the lights of the stage dimmed and went out. It would be exactly thirty-five seconds until they slowly dimmed back on, and then they would have their lines to say. No one would interrupt them in there for those few seconds; no one could see them.
Bulma looked up at him, straining her eyes in the almost complete darkness. When his features finally came into view, the lights began to come back on, slower than they'd gone out. Ten more seconds to their lines, but they were the last thing on Bulma's mind as Vegeta's face drew nearer once more, their lips connecting in another passionate kiss.
"Wilt thou be gone?" Bulma sighed as Vegeta reached over and pulled open the curtains. "It is not yet near day." Vegeta chuckled loudly, smiling down at her. "It was the nightingale, and not the lark, that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear. Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree. Believe me, love, it was the nightingale."
"It was the lark, the herald of the morn; no nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks do lace the severing clouds in yonder East. Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops." He sighed deeply, still smiling down at her; Bulma could have sworn they were in her room, alone, just waking. "I must be gone and live, or stay and die."
They quarreled about the nightingale and the lark for a moment, until Romeo finally caved and said, "I have more care to stay than will to go. Come, death, and welcome! Juliet wills it so. How is't, my soul? Let's talk; it is not day."
"It is," Bulma half sighed, half groaned, pushing off Vegeta's advances. "It is! Hie hence, be gone, away!……..O, now be gone! More light and light it grows."
"More light and light—more dark and dark our woes." He kissed her passionately, his hands up in her messy hair, as Hoshi, Juliet's nurse, entered hastily, looking rather frazzled.
"Madam!" Hoshi cried scoldingly.
"Nurse?" Bulma gasped, genuinely shocked to see her.
" Your lady mother is coming to your chamber. The day is broke; be wary, look about." She shuffles off stage, muttering to herself.
"Then, window," She stumbled out of bed, hurried to the large balcony doorway in the makeshift wall, the back view of the balcony, "let day in, and let life out."
"Farwell, farewell! One kiss, and I'll descend," Vegeta said, kissing her quickly before he climbed over the balcony's ledge and out of sight.
But they would not let go so easily; Bulma leaned far over the balcony, grabbing Vegeta's arm and pulling him up to her, telling him to write her, wondering when they would meet again.
"Ho, daughter! Are you up?" Yodo called, entering stage left, still in her robes.
"Who is't that calls?" Bulma asked, rubbing her eyes, appearing to have just woken. "It is my lady mother. Is she not down so late, or up so early? What unaccustomed cause procures her hither?"
Yodo smiled warmly at her, tilting her head to the side. "Why, how now, Juliet?"
"Madam, I am not well."
They converse for several moments, finally ending on a sour note as Lady Capulet tells Juliet she will marry Paris next Thursday.
"Now by Saint Peter's Church, and Peter too, he shall not make me there a joyful bride!…"
"Here comes your father. Tell him so yourself, and see how he will take it at your hands."
***************************************************************
"Here's to my love!" Vegeta cries, tipping a cup of poison into his mouth. "O true apothecary! They drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die." He falls to the falls beside Bulma; dead.
***************************************************************
"What's here?" Bulma whimpers. "A cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them to make me die with a restorative." She leans over, kissing Vegeta's still lips. "Thy lips are warm!"
"Lead, boy. Which way?" The Chief Watchman's voice meets Bulma's ears.
"Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger!" She grabs Vegeta's dagger from him-"This is thy sheath; there rust, and let me die."-and stabs herself, falling roughing beside Vegeta.
***************************************************************
"A glooming peace this morning with it brings," said Shimpei, who played Prince Escalus. "The sun for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; some shall be pardoned, and some punished; for never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."
The curtain falls on the actors and actresses on stage, the cheers and clapping from the audience making it impossible to hear what Miss Higashikuni was trying to yell to them. But everyone got the gist and they all lined up behind the curtain, ready for it to re-open. When it did, there were more cheers, more clapping, more cat calls, and almost everyone was on their feet; a standing ovation.
"Woo! Bulma! You took the stage girl!" Bulma heard 18 scream from one of the rows close to the stage. She blushed furiously, trying to ignore her.
Miss Higashikuni, microphone in hand, called all the performers up, one by one, or in small groups, to receive their individual applause.
"Lady and Lords Montague and Capulet," she said, and two actors and two actresses went up, holding hands, and took a bow. "Mercutio." Anzai, who played Mercutio, skipped and jumped to center stage, welcoming the roar of applause that followed; he truly did a magnificent job. "And last, but definitely not least, the stats of tonight's performance," she took a deep breath, "my Romeo and Juliet!" Vegeta grabbed Bulma's hand tightly, leading her to the center of the stage; if the calls for Mercutio had been loud, then the ones for them were ear splitting. Vegeta stepped aside, bowing and holding his arm out towards Bulma, and again the theater erupted in cheers and clapping. Bulma could hardly keep from smiling and her face was blushing so furiously that she did the only thing she could think of; she wrapped her arms around Vegeta's neck, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and motioned to him, causing another uproar in the audience.
When the cheering had died down and people either took their seats again or began to leave, everyone was ushered off stage by Miss Higashikuni and her assistant director.
"I can't begin to praise you all for your performance," Miss Higashikuni beamed, tears welling up in her eyes. "Please, all of you, come to an after party at my house." She held up a box filled with flyers with fancy writing that basically said there was an after party for the play and where it was. "I'll expect all of you to come!"
"Can we come too?" Bulma looked around for a moment before her eyes fell on 18, Chi-Chi, Goku, Krillin, 17, and Sorai.
"Friends and family are welcome too!" Miss Higashikuni added gleefully in between mini conversations with some of her acting company.
"Bulma, you were amazing," Chi-Chi gasped, hugging her quickly, then turning to Vegeta. "And you." She poked him playfully in the chest. "I've never seen you so, so….mushy."
"Watch it Mau," he warned, though there was a definite hint of laughter behind his voice.
"Where's my little man?" Bulma looked around, searching for her mother with Trunks. She spotted them almost immediately and her mother caught her eyes, rushing over.
"Oh Bulma! I'm so proud!" She hugged her tightly, kissing her cheek, then handed Trunks over.
"Hey, can you watch him for me while I go to the after party?"
"Of course dear. Your father and I were planning on a quiet night in anyway."
"Ok, thanks. I'll bring him back to Vegeta's when I get home."
*******************************************************************
Bulma's head was spinning, as she glided through Miss Higashikuni's living room, with thoughts of the wonderful performance and how well she'd done. She flopped down on an over-stuffed couch next to Vegeta, almost spilling her margarita.
"I have to say," she said, leaning her elbow on the couch, turning to Vegeta, who was already starring at her. "You were brilliant tonight. I've never seen a better Romeo."
He sighed, tipping the remainder of his drink into his mouth. "You weren't as bas as I thought you'd be," he replied, trying his hardest to hold back a smirk.
"Oh shut up. I was amazing and you know it."
"What I know," he said in a husky voice, leaning closer, "is what happened behind those curtains on stage."
Bulma's heart leapt and sank in one swift motion, causing her to choke on her breath; she'd forgotten completely about that and only now did she feel a pang of guilt as she remembered Rikyu, who was undoubtedly sulking at home. How could she have kissed Vegeta like that? Sure, she could tell herself over and over that it was only acting, but there was no need for kissing when behind the curtain; she had cheated on Rikyu.
"Vegeta, I-"
"No need for an explanation woman," he sighed, obviously not happy with her reaction, though he had expected it. "I won't tell your moronic boyfriend. What happened is between you and myself. It's not my job to clear your conscience."
"Vegeta, I'm sorry, I mean, I-er-I didn't mean to-well, actually I did-that's not the point-Vegeta-"
He pressed his fingertips to her lips, silencing her. "I leave it up to you to take things from here. You know where I stand," he said heavily, as he stood and ventured for the buffet on the far side of the room, leaving Bulma in a whirl of emotions.
She leaned back onto the soft couch cushion, trying to free herself from the thoughts of how she would act around Rikyu now, knowing what she'd done. She was a cheater now, just like Vegeta had been to her. She was everything she hated, but she didn't feel guilty in the way she knew she should. Sure she was guilty for hurting Rikyu if he ever found out, but for having done it? No, not in the least. She would do it all over if she had the chance, there was no denying that. But what did that mean then? Would she have to end things with Rikyu because of what she'd done with Vegeta? Or would she just continue on with him, her conscience weighing her down little by little until she cracks? She shook her head furiously; No, she didn't have to be guilty, it was the play's fault, she was caught up in the acting and got swept away. But painfully, in the back of her mind, she knew she was wrong; she had cheated on Rikyu.
Hanging her head in shame, Bulma proceed to the bar where she planned on getting hammered to forget her sorrows.
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Bulma awoke the next morning with the worst hangover in history. She opened her eyes, looked around, then flopped her head back on the pillow when she saw Chi-Chi passed out next to her; she must have brought her home and stayed too, or something, Bulma didn't know, and quite frankly, she didn't care.
Finally, after much debate, Bulma pulled herself out of bad, grabbed her cordless phone and shut herself in her bathroom. Slowly she dialed a phone number, waiting for someone to answer.
"Hello?" came a groggy voice at the other end.
"Rikyu," she sighed, slumping down on the closed toilet seat. "We need to talk…."
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---Chapter 14! Hey! What'd everyone think of that? Kami has Bulma done it this time. But hey, it's good, right?-for Vegeta anyway. Poor Rikyu though (I liked him), and poor Bulma-she'll hate herself now L Oh, and sorry its so short, but I didn't want to continue just yet-I love cliffhangers :D
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Next time: Wait and see :P
Note: Please, please, please tell me if I made any errors or spelling mistakes. I'm a dumb author (heehee) and I usually don't spot stuff like that until it's way too late. THANKS!