The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret
--You--
Stupid Pan with her stupid inability to give straight answers. It was bothering Bra that Pan hadn't just said that she believed Bra didn't have feelings for Goten. Nooooooooooo. She had to say something ambiguous like, 'You're the sickest person I know.' Sick?! SHE was sick?! PAN was the sick one.
Bra was on her way to the library for her tutoring session. Alone with Goten in a tiny, almost soundproof room. She was really gonna be in for an interesting afternoon now. She entered the building and looked around the lobby for her teacher. He wasn't there. Maybe he was waiting for her in the study room they usually used. She went up the spiraling stairs to check. Still no sign of him. He was the one to remind her that they had to study today. So where could he be? Was he running late? If that were the case, it was a bad idea to keep Bra waiting. Being kept waiting was one of Bra's pet peeves.
But she would have to wait. The one thing in the world she would willingly wait for was this man. So she sat in the seat he usually occupied when she came into the library. She looked over at the newspaper he would have picked up while he waited for Bra to arrive. And she sighed. Would he even show up today?
The sound of the entrance opening got Bra's attention and she immediately looked up. There was Goten's smiling face. As he walked over to her, his dark eyes penetrated hers. She was lost in those deep, dark eyes of his. It was like she could see eternity in those eyes. She felt butterflies form in her stomach, but they weren't the bad kind.
How long had they been there staring at each other? She hoped it wasn't too long. She didn't want to make a scene. What if someone they knew saw them like this? The whole situation was so ironic. It caused her, a person who took pride in not caring what others thought of her, to pay attention to what other people might think of her actions. Love was supposed to be blind. Love was supposed to mean not caring what other people thought. Love was supposed to be sung from the mountaintops. At least that was what she was always told as a child. All those little romance stories her mother read to her as a little girl. Living happily ever after once you'd found the one you love, and having them love you too. It was all a lie. It was a living hell when you had to keep secret a feeling so strong.
Goten took Bra's hands and helped her to her feet. "Hey."
"Hello," Bra said, her mind dismissing all the negative. How could she be pessimistic when the one she loved was standing before her, giving her that absolutely alluring look? She smiled.
"You ready to get some studying done?" Goten asked, letting her go.
"Lead the way," Bra replied, trying her best not to bombard him with physical displays of affection.
The two ascended the spiral stairs and entered the first study room they came to. It was their usual room. They were the same two people. But there was now another temptation involved.
Bra took a deep breath. What was next now that they were alone? She stood in the doorway looking at the floor. Her mind had to see reason where her body would see otherwise.
"Um, Bra. Doorway," Goten reminded her. "Come on in."
Oh yeah. That. Bra stepped in and closed the door. She could feel herself becoming nervous. Why was she nervous? There was no discipline that she couldn't handle. She could fight. She was a wiz at school (except in history). Her social life had finally gone the way she wanted. Yet she was unnerved being alone with Goten.
"You're free to sit down," Goten told her. He gently took her hand and pulled her in front of the chair she was supposed to sit in. "You're shaking. Is something wrong?"
Bra kept looking at the floor. "No." She sat in her chair. Return of the timid flower. She hated being so shy when it came to him.
"Hey," Goten said, moving her short hair out of her eyes. "Loosen up or you're gonna explode over there."
Bra laughed a little.
"That's what I like to see," Goten said. "Now, what's bothering you?"
He'd touched her cheek and it sent an electric shock down her spine. Being touched would take some getting used to. No one was ever brave enough to touch her. "I was just thinking.... I mean...we're alone together.... And a lot of people have used these rooms in the past for certain...activities."
"I'm sorry?" Goten said.
"Well, that's what they use these rooms for. That's all I was saying," Bra said quietly.
Goten gave her a confused look. "I don't follow."
There was no way this guy could be this innocent. He was 24 years old, for the love of Pete. He had to know about things like this. It made her wonder if he'd ever even been with a girl before.
Bra blinked blankly. How could she break it down into something he could comprehend? "Are we gonna have sex?" Oops! She'd said that out loud, hadn't she? She blushed a deep shade of red.
"Wow...." Goten was finally enlightened. "You think that's why we're here? I thought we were just here to study."
A sigh of relief came from Bra. Surely any other guy would have taken advantage of this situation. Hell, SHE was even thinking of taking advantage of this situation. Goten was turning out to be a real gentleman. Or a real dufus.
"Right. Study," Bra said with a smile.
He opened his Teacher's Edition and began his lesson on Chapter 3.
- & - & - & -
--after studying--
She hadn't paid attention to his ramblings about whatever it was he was talking about. She cared nothing for history. She only watched his mouth move and fantasized about kissing it. They hadn't kissed since the night of the confessions at the gala. Maybe he had no interest in kissing her. Maybe he was waiting for her to kiss him.
She looked over at Goten, who was drawing a small map. He was trying to show her something, but she hadn't been listening, so she didn't know what it was.
"As you already know, the coldest part of Russia is this part here. Soldiers from other countries weren't used to the bitterly cold weather there, so they usually died before they could finish their invasion," she heard Goten blathering on.
Hmmmmm. She thought he was finished with their lesson.
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" Goten asked her.
"Honestly, no," Bra said. She wasn't going to lie to this man. What would she do that for? "I'll never appreciate history."
"Oh, come on. You just have to find something you like about it," Goten told her. "I'm sure if you paid attention more, you'd really enjoy some parts of it."
Bra shook her head. There was nothing about history that she could possibly enjoy. She never tried to enjoy it before. Why start now? She just gave Goten a doubtful look.
"Okay then. Think about this for a second. Your dad always used to tell you stories about when he first came to Earth and the time he spent on Vegeta, right?" Goten recalled.
Bra gave a nod.
"Well, that's history," Goten said.
How stupid did Goten think she was? She knew what history was. She cocked her head to the side and gave him an I-know-that look.
Goten smiled. "A few years ago that might have shocked you." He just looked at her.
"I'm not a little girl anymore, you know," Bra told him.
"That's pretty obvious," Goten said.
He took her hand and looked into her eyes. Bra could already see that this would be her biggest weakness with him. Those eyes. She felt as if she might suffocate under his gaze. There was something in his eyes that she had always admired. Even during their childhood, it was there. It's a certain fire to which she found herself attracted.
Goten interrupted her thoughts. "And now it's time to get down to some real business."
Oh, boy. Here it comes. She wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but it made her very nervous to hear him say it. And seeing how they were alone together, it could only mean one thing....
"Let's go spar," Goten said, hopping to his feet. He gathered his things. "What? Aren't you coming?"
Bra just sat there, astounded. Goten truly was just a simple kinda guy. She'd known it from the beginning. She wasn't sure why she thought things would suddenly change. She smiled. It was this very simplicity that she had grown to know and love about the big lug. There would be plenty of time for other things. All she had to concentrate on now was spending time with the man she loved without worrying about emotions being confused. She finally stood to leave.
"Oh, and Bra?" Goten whispered. "I didn't tell you what I told you at the gala just so I could have sex with you. I want us to take our time with this. And when the time is right, maybe we can move to the next step. ONLY when the time is right. Okay?" He took one of her hands and kissed it.
Bra looked surprised. So he wasn't as naive as she thought. Maybe he just pretended not to know what she was talking about so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable throughout the study session. Whatever the case, it made Bra smile. Surely she would never find another man like him. "Okay."
--End You--
--Okay, so that episode wasn't the greatest. Give it a little time to get revved up and ready to move. Because once it starts going, I have a feeling that it's gonna start making less and less sense.
--Thanks for reading this episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. And thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming. Let me know what you liked and what you didn't like. I appreciate constructive criticism.
--You--
Stupid Pan with her stupid inability to give straight answers. It was bothering Bra that Pan hadn't just said that she believed Bra didn't have feelings for Goten. Nooooooooooo. She had to say something ambiguous like, 'You're the sickest person I know.' Sick?! SHE was sick?! PAN was the sick one.
Bra was on her way to the library for her tutoring session. Alone with Goten in a tiny, almost soundproof room. She was really gonna be in for an interesting afternoon now. She entered the building and looked around the lobby for her teacher. He wasn't there. Maybe he was waiting for her in the study room they usually used. She went up the spiraling stairs to check. Still no sign of him. He was the one to remind her that they had to study today. So where could he be? Was he running late? If that were the case, it was a bad idea to keep Bra waiting. Being kept waiting was one of Bra's pet peeves.
But she would have to wait. The one thing in the world she would willingly wait for was this man. So she sat in the seat he usually occupied when she came into the library. She looked over at the newspaper he would have picked up while he waited for Bra to arrive. And she sighed. Would he even show up today?
The sound of the entrance opening got Bra's attention and she immediately looked up. There was Goten's smiling face. As he walked over to her, his dark eyes penetrated hers. She was lost in those deep, dark eyes of his. It was like she could see eternity in those eyes. She felt butterflies form in her stomach, but they weren't the bad kind.
How long had they been there staring at each other? She hoped it wasn't too long. She didn't want to make a scene. What if someone they knew saw them like this? The whole situation was so ironic. It caused her, a person who took pride in not caring what others thought of her, to pay attention to what other people might think of her actions. Love was supposed to be blind. Love was supposed to mean not caring what other people thought. Love was supposed to be sung from the mountaintops. At least that was what she was always told as a child. All those little romance stories her mother read to her as a little girl. Living happily ever after once you'd found the one you love, and having them love you too. It was all a lie. It was a living hell when you had to keep secret a feeling so strong.
Goten took Bra's hands and helped her to her feet. "Hey."
"Hello," Bra said, her mind dismissing all the negative. How could she be pessimistic when the one she loved was standing before her, giving her that absolutely alluring look? She smiled.
"You ready to get some studying done?" Goten asked, letting her go.
"Lead the way," Bra replied, trying her best not to bombard him with physical displays of affection.
The two ascended the spiral stairs and entered the first study room they came to. It was their usual room. They were the same two people. But there was now another temptation involved.
Bra took a deep breath. What was next now that they were alone? She stood in the doorway looking at the floor. Her mind had to see reason where her body would see otherwise.
"Um, Bra. Doorway," Goten reminded her. "Come on in."
Oh yeah. That. Bra stepped in and closed the door. She could feel herself becoming nervous. Why was she nervous? There was no discipline that she couldn't handle. She could fight. She was a wiz at school (except in history). Her social life had finally gone the way she wanted. Yet she was unnerved being alone with Goten.
"You're free to sit down," Goten told her. He gently took her hand and pulled her in front of the chair she was supposed to sit in. "You're shaking. Is something wrong?"
Bra kept looking at the floor. "No." She sat in her chair. Return of the timid flower. She hated being so shy when it came to him.
"Hey," Goten said, moving her short hair out of her eyes. "Loosen up or you're gonna explode over there."
Bra laughed a little.
"That's what I like to see," Goten said. "Now, what's bothering you?"
He'd touched her cheek and it sent an electric shock down her spine. Being touched would take some getting used to. No one was ever brave enough to touch her. "I was just thinking.... I mean...we're alone together.... And a lot of people have used these rooms in the past for certain...activities."
"I'm sorry?" Goten said.
"Well, that's what they use these rooms for. That's all I was saying," Bra said quietly.
Goten gave her a confused look. "I don't follow."
There was no way this guy could be this innocent. He was 24 years old, for the love of Pete. He had to know about things like this. It made her wonder if he'd ever even been with a girl before.
Bra blinked blankly. How could she break it down into something he could comprehend? "Are we gonna have sex?" Oops! She'd said that out loud, hadn't she? She blushed a deep shade of red.
"Wow...." Goten was finally enlightened. "You think that's why we're here? I thought we were just here to study."
A sigh of relief came from Bra. Surely any other guy would have taken advantage of this situation. Hell, SHE was even thinking of taking advantage of this situation. Goten was turning out to be a real gentleman. Or a real dufus.
"Right. Study," Bra said with a smile.
He opened his Teacher's Edition and began his lesson on Chapter 3.
- & - & - & -
--after studying--
She hadn't paid attention to his ramblings about whatever it was he was talking about. She cared nothing for history. She only watched his mouth move and fantasized about kissing it. They hadn't kissed since the night of the confessions at the gala. Maybe he had no interest in kissing her. Maybe he was waiting for her to kiss him.
She looked over at Goten, who was drawing a small map. He was trying to show her something, but she hadn't been listening, so she didn't know what it was.
"As you already know, the coldest part of Russia is this part here. Soldiers from other countries weren't used to the bitterly cold weather there, so they usually died before they could finish their invasion," she heard Goten blathering on.
Hmmmmm. She thought he was finished with their lesson.
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" Goten asked her.
"Honestly, no," Bra said. She wasn't going to lie to this man. What would she do that for? "I'll never appreciate history."
"Oh, come on. You just have to find something you like about it," Goten told her. "I'm sure if you paid attention more, you'd really enjoy some parts of it."
Bra shook her head. There was nothing about history that she could possibly enjoy. She never tried to enjoy it before. Why start now? She just gave Goten a doubtful look.
"Okay then. Think about this for a second. Your dad always used to tell you stories about when he first came to Earth and the time he spent on Vegeta, right?" Goten recalled.
Bra gave a nod.
"Well, that's history," Goten said.
How stupid did Goten think she was? She knew what history was. She cocked her head to the side and gave him an I-know-that look.
Goten smiled. "A few years ago that might have shocked you." He just looked at her.
"I'm not a little girl anymore, you know," Bra told him.
"That's pretty obvious," Goten said.
He took her hand and looked into her eyes. Bra could already see that this would be her biggest weakness with him. Those eyes. She felt as if she might suffocate under his gaze. There was something in his eyes that she had always admired. Even during their childhood, it was there. It's a certain fire to which she found herself attracted.
Goten interrupted her thoughts. "And now it's time to get down to some real business."
Oh, boy. Here it comes. She wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but it made her very nervous to hear him say it. And seeing how they were alone together, it could only mean one thing....
"Let's go spar," Goten said, hopping to his feet. He gathered his things. "What? Aren't you coming?"
Bra just sat there, astounded. Goten truly was just a simple kinda guy. She'd known it from the beginning. She wasn't sure why she thought things would suddenly change. She smiled. It was this very simplicity that she had grown to know and love about the big lug. There would be plenty of time for other things. All she had to concentrate on now was spending time with the man she loved without worrying about emotions being confused. She finally stood to leave.
"Oh, and Bra?" Goten whispered. "I didn't tell you what I told you at the gala just so I could have sex with you. I want us to take our time with this. And when the time is right, maybe we can move to the next step. ONLY when the time is right. Okay?" He took one of her hands and kissed it.
Bra looked surprised. So he wasn't as naive as she thought. Maybe he just pretended not to know what she was talking about so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable throughout the study session. Whatever the case, it made Bra smile. Surely she would never find another man like him. "Okay."
--End You--
--Okay, so that episode wasn't the greatest. Give it a little time to get revved up and ready to move. Because once it starts going, I have a feeling that it's gonna start making less and less sense.
--Thanks for reading this episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. And thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming. Let me know what you liked and what you didn't like. I appreciate constructive criticism.