I'd like to thank all of those who reviewed! You know who you are and I applaud you. Its been awhile, I know, but get this :I'm on Spring Break!!! w00t!!! No school to del with for a whole week...anyway...I've finally gotten over my HUGE writer's block. It was so bad I hanged Vegeta's role so it could fit with the ideas I was getting. So anyway, enough with my annoying blabber, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: Don't look at me...

Chapter 3: Fresh Start

Vegeta woke with a loud crash in the hallway. Making him jump to attention. More like fall to the floor, hitting his head in the process. Rubbing his forehead and his tired eyes, he opened his door to see what was going on, from the looks of it, he didn't want to know.
His father and his new found lover were in the hallway, busy with a heated make-out session. Practically half-naked. They didn't know Vegeta was standing there until he made himself known. "Could you do that in your room? People are trying to sleep or have places to go in the morning..." Vegeta's soft growl made the couple freeze in mid-kiss. Vegeta didn't wait for their response before he went back into his room and flopped back on the bed.
Ever since his mom died, his father had taken to picking people off the streets and taking care of his needs. Always in the middle of the night so Vegeta wouldn't see, even though e already knew. Vegeta lifted his tired his tired eyes to the clock to see it was 3:15. Grumbling, he closed his eyes, only to open his eyes again. *Dammit! They could at least try to be quiet!* Giving up, Vegeta put on a pair of jeans and shirt, leaving the house to walk until his father finished with his whore.
He went to a park and sat in the grass, wet with dew. Unable to keep his eyes open, he fell asleep.

********

Vegeta woke up to feel something prodding his side. When he sat up, it stopped. "Are you okay mister?" Opening his eyes, the sun blinded him a moment before he looked at the kid. He seemed a little over the age of four. "What time is it?"
Of course that was a dumb question to ask a four year old, who only cocked his head as if Vegeta was speaking a foreign language. Shaking his head, he stood, leaving the kid standing there, his mother going over to him to take him back to the playground.
Vegeta opened his front door, no one was home, that he was sure of. His father left a note telling him what needed to be done around the house and whatnot. A regular Sunday morning.

************

Bulma made her way through the mall, not looking for anything in particular, just window shopping really, when she bumped into someone she least expected. "Hey, watch where your goin'."
Bulma looked at the tall figure, he looked so much different now then he did last time.
"Hi Yamcha, what are you doing here?" He cocked his head at her, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Bulma?" Obviously she looked different too. He transferred to a new school sophomore year, so they didn't see each other every day. "Yeah, its me."
"Wow, I haven't seen you in awhile." Bulma wondered why he wasn't being mean.
"Yeah, so, what are doing?"
"I was meeting someone here..."
"Oh, a girl?"
"Yeah..." Yamcha blushed a bit. Bulma just grinned. "Look Bulma, the way I treated you wasn't fair and I realized that after awhile. You have to understand that the whole thing to me by surprise and ...."
"Yeah, I know, your sorry. How about we start new? Forget the whole thing..." Bulma sighed, she figured she should start new with Chi-Chi too. The only thing was though, her rejection hurt more than Yamcha's .
"Alright..." Yamcha scanned the crowd of people for his date, still finding no sight of her. Slumping his shoulders, he brought his eyes back to Bulma. "To tell you the truth, I haven't had a decent date after you, they always stand me up or leave me for someone else. I don't know what I do wrong, it just happens." Yamcha's voice seemed distant and Bulma felt the need to change the subject fast.
"How about we go get something to eat while you wait for her?"
Yamcha gave her a smile and nodded and they went off to the food court.

**********

Yamcha's date didn't show up, even after waiting for three hours for her. Yamcha all but sighed and left Bulma to herself saying he needed to get home. Bulma felt sympathy for her ex-boyfriend, he used to be such a happy person, but now, he seemed old and distant. Depressed.
Bulma went home thinking about her situation with Chi-Chi, she missed her company and her mother-like ways that seemed to affect her too. When she got home, she went straight for the phone. Dialing up a number not quite forgotten, even after all these years. After about the third ring someone picked up. "Hello?"
"Chi-Chi?"
"Yes?"
"It's me, Bulma."
There was hesitance on the other line, but Bulma waited patiently. "Hi..."
"What's up?" She sounded like they talked everyday and nothing went wrong between them.
"Umm...nothing. Bulma, what's this about?"
"I think we need to put everything to the side, you know, make a fresh start." Bulma talked casually, but in the inside she had butterflies in her stomach. On the other line, it was quiet. The type of quiet you think in, but not totally silent.
"I was wondering when you'll say that," Chi-Chi said, a cheerful tone in her voice.
They talked for hours, filling each other in on all the stuff they missed. Chi-Chi didn't even hesitate to squeal happily on how good 18 and her hit it off. Bulma was content that their friendship was back, but both knew they weren't exactly best friends again. They still had their own secrets they kept over the years and neither bothered to question them.
Finally hanging up, Bulma took a huge sigh, things on her conscience lifted from her, but others were still weighing heavy and they weren't exactly the best things to carry around. More like bad bad memories that she would love to forget, but keep to herself.

**************

Bulma trudged through the halls of school with a grumpy look on her face. She almost refused to get up that morning, even as the alarm screamed in her ears. It wasn't until after her mother's happy voice annoyed her so much she got up just for her.
Chi-Chi latched onto her arm and gave her a warm smile. "Morning Bulma!" Bulma's expression lightened up as looked at Chi-Chi.
"Morning."
"It feels better to be friends again. I wasn't exactly happy with myself treating you like dirt."
"Yeah, I'm even on Yamcha's good side again. He looked like he needed it."
"He's been miserable, to tell you the truth," Chi-Chi said, lowering her eyes. "He doesn't exactly get along with everyone at his new school."
Bulma felt that sympathy grow more as she heard this. She let that go to the back of her mind, she'll take care of that later.
As they were walking, Chi-Chi attached to her arm, they earned a few stares and the topic to the whispers in the hall. You'd think it was against the law or something. When Bulma saw 18, they steered their way to her.
"Hiya 18!" Chi-Chi said brightly, waving to her. 18 had to take a double take as she saw the sight before.
"What's going on?"
"Me and Chi-Chi decided to put everything behind us and become friends again..." Bulma grinned. 18 smiled and hugged them.
"It's about time. I don't have to bear with the pressure of being on both sides anymore," 18 grinned and put the rest of her stuff away.
"So 18, are you and Bulma gonna go steady?" Bulma blushed bright red.
"Chi-Chi!"
"What?" Chi-Chi looked confused at her blushing friends.
"You can be so clueless sometimes," Bulma muttered.
18 put on a thoughtful look on her face before shrugging. "It depends..."
Bulma glanced at 18 with confusion before she was nudged by Chi-Chi. "What?"
"I think you two should, you'd make a good couple," Chi-Chi all but gushed. 18 and Bulma looked at her in confusion. She seemed enthusiastic about the whole idea. "Since when have you been supportive about this?"
"Well, you said we can start new, and I've accepted the fact about your sexuality. I think you two should go out. Really, I do," Chi-Chi looked sincerely at the two who both were confused about her new change of thought. Yesterday she would've been totally be against it, but now she was all for it.
"Maybe Chi-Chi, don't keep your hopes up," was all 18 said before she went to homeroom.
Chi-Chi smiled and dragged Bulma towards her locker. Which was next to a tired-eye Vegeta. He glanced at the two girls before he opened his own locker. "Hi, Vegeta."
He took another glance at Bulma before nodding his acknowledgement. She grinned and took her attention back to Chi-Chi, who was smiling slightly at him. He shoved his stuff in his locker, slammed it shut and walked off. "Not very talkative is he?"
"No, Goku doesn't seem to like him. He said that the 'new kid' didn't know his place here, or something," Chi-Chi frowned.
"No offense Chi-Chi, but your boyfriend is a prick."
"He's really nice though."
"Sure to his friends, and I'm guessing you too." Bulma muttered.
Chi-Chi huffed and grabbed her stuff. "Well, see you, got to get to homeroom." With that, she walked off, leaving Bulma to hurry to class when that tardy bell rang.

**********

Vegeta felt miserable. His head pounded from a major headache and he was dead tired. He was kept awake again by his father and didn't fall asleep until him and his girl left. His head pounded harder as the tardy bell rang, making him wince. Just then Bulma came rushing in, hair flaring behind her as she rushed to her seat. The teacher asking if she had a note behind her. Vegeta glanced at her, before he closed his eyes to rest his aching head and eyes.
"Hi Vegeta!" Vegeta winced before he looked at the speaker. It was Shiji once again.
"You again?"
She giggled. "What are you doing after school?"
"Not you." He heard Bulma giggle quietly.
Shiji went silent before her voice lowered. "I could give you a good time..."
"That's the most sluttiest thing I have ever heard." Shiji frowned. She turned around and seethed in her seat. *Finally, some rest.*

******************

Apparently, Shiji had told her recent fling about the things he had said about her. Well, after school he had a meeting with the guy. More like his fist connecting with Vegeta's jaw. Ending with the guy on the ground moaning in pain.
Shiji quickly ran to him, cradling the fallen guy's head. Whispering sweet, comforting nothings. After viewing that disgusting sight, he walked off. Only to bump into Goku, who saw the whole scene. Vegeta looked into the bigger teens eyes before walking past him, noting the look he had after witnessing the fight. Vegeta could only anticipate the day he got jumped.

******************* A/N: YES!!! A new chapter! This chapter was hard to get going because, well, the writer's block was still in effect as you probably could tell in the beginning. From NCJVJ, I was told to have 18 and Bulma to continue to go out. Seeing how this is a V/B fic (seems like it'll be a long one too...) I dunno what'll happen with it. Suggestions from you, the readers, would help a lot. Email me at monkeyonastick34@aol.com for your suggestions. But right now, you review it! Tell me what you thought, and if you don't I'll hunt you down!!! Just kidding...or am I? Oh well, just review!