Ah! School's in 4 days!!! So I'm trying to suck up all the summer I can, although it's feeling like fall outside. Sorry for all the Gohan bashing in this chapter and last (it's not that much, but it's necessary). Thank you everyone who reviewed last chapter, please read and review this one too!

To: Piroko Ryu- thanks for your emotional review... I'm not sure if this chapter will please you, but I hope you like it! And don't worry so much about Gohan and Videl, they'll be alright... oops I said too much, oh well.

When Videl walked into her classroom the next morning she noticed Gohan had changed from his usual seat.

'Of course he would.' She thought bitterly, sitting down in her usual spot.

She ignored Erasa and Sharpner's questioning looks throughout the class and instead tried to lose herself in her thoughts.

'I wish my stupid watch would ring so I could get out of here, I can't any other way, the teacher's right there.' She thought to herself.

She suddenly thought of something that might work, she hadn't tried it since middle school but it was bound to work. She raised her arm.

"Yes Videl?" the elderly teacher asked her.

"I'm feeling ill, may I go to the nurse's office please?" She asked, sickeningly sweet.

She saw alarm on the man's face and at once she knew that he was thinking 'if Videl's complaining about it, then it must be serious'. She had to try hard not to laugh at this thought.

"Of course, Videl."

"Thank you." She said, leaving the room with one last sharp glance at Gohan.

Gohan still felt cold from that look Videl had sent his way. She hated him now, he knew. He hadn't expected her to just up and leave first class. He had thought that she would calm down over the course of the day, but now... she was going home so angry and then she would find the letter he had left her, what would that do to her mood? He didn't want to think about how that was going to affect her now.

As soon as Videl got home she went to her father's private gym, she knew that today he would be at a photo shoot so she had the whole gym to herself. She ignored all of the other punch bags and went to her own punch bag, she had it specially made so it would withstand the force of her hits, unlike the other ones. Good thing too, she had a lot of anger to let out on this thing. She threw all her strength into pummelling the bag, and soon found herself forgetting Gohan. She went on like that until her breath drew ragged, and all of her energy had been expended.

Trembling slightly, Videl made the way to her room, collapsing on her bed. She opened one eye and saw something on her bedside table. It was a letter. Who could have left her a letter, today of all days. The maids had the day off since her father was away and she could manage by herself. All the doors were locked when she got home so... Videl's eyes snapped to the open window, the silken drapes fluttering against the wind.

'Gohan.' She thought, gingerly picking up the letter.

Tapping the sides of the envelope, she looked at the lettering of the single word on it: Videl. She debated with herself about whether she should open it or not. Finally after a few minutes, curiosity overcame the irritation that had resurfaced. Tearing open the envelope carefully, she withdrew the letter it held.

"Dear Videl,"

'Oh, I get a dear, do I?' she thought, but at the same time she was happy that he had written her something.

She read on.

"I hadn't told you this story after defeating Phate, though I should have at the time. This is what he told me. This is the story of your mother's death."

Eyes widening, Videl read on. She let the paper drop and fell to her knees in her new found sorrow.

Gohan ignored the motorists honking at him as he ran across the street, that didn't matter, he had to get to Videl quickly. What had he been thinking? Sending Videl a shock like that, so suddenly and so informally as in a letter? It was his own fault for being a coward. He sped up, ignoring the stares of passer-byes.

"Ah! What am I doing?" he said to himself aloud, prompting only more stares and disparaging remarks.

He stepped into an abandoned alleyway and changed into Saiyaman. Going rather faster now, he reached Videl's house within a minute of leaving. Removing his helmet, he cautiously looked into the window, maybe she hadn't read it yet? His gaze fell upon a form, Videl.

'Too late...' he thought with sadness as he saw her shoulders shake with her sobs.

Before he could contemplate whether it would be better to leave her alone, he found himself entering her room. Videl paid no mind to him but just kept crying. He kneeled down on the carpet and encircled his arms around her. He felt her tense at his touch.

"What are you doing?" she asked him coldly.

Gohan gave her a tissue, which she dabbed at her face, but the question stood. He sighed, looking at her sadly.

"I'm sorry about this... just telling you this in a letter, I should have told you in person and I think you need someone to comfort you at a time like this." He explained, admitting his wrong.

Videl pushed him away and stood up.

"Thank you for telling me this, it's something that I had wanted to know since I was a child, but..."

She looked down at him.

"But," she said, more resolutely. "A girl needs her boyfriend to comfort her, not some sympathy spewing self-pitying asshole who thinks his emotions are more important than hers."

"So, just leave me." She finished, tears over spilling onto her cheek, this time, silently.

Her words hadn't affected him, because maybe they were true, so he stood up and went over to her.

"Videl, I know you, you don't need a boyfriend to get through this," he started.

He took hold of her hands.

"But it's always easier with a friend." He said, smiling at her, this hadn't been in his plan, but this might be a good thing for them.

Videl had an urge to kiss him right then, it was the oddest thing to think right as he proclaimed them friends. She laughed despite the tears still in her eyes.

"I can't believe you're so corny." She said.

He dropped her hands and opened his arms.

"Aren't you supposed to be mourning? I'm here now." He said.

Closing her eyes, she hugged him. She was sure, had he not been there, she would have been feeling much worse than this. This feeling wasn't so bad.

Please read and review! Oh and if you get the chance, go read 'Teal eyes', it's and extremely good Gohan and Videl story and it's worthwhile!