Hey everybody. I had a little trouble with this chapter because my MOTHER deleted it…again. I am soo pissed off, but it's okay, I got it done. Well, here it is.
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Disclaimer: I don't own it.
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Chapter 17 – Surprises
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Bulma stared at her reflection in the mirror, it looked like she was aging more and more every day. The dark circles under her eyes were becoming more and more perceptible every day.
She glanced down at her slightly bulging stomach. She knew it wouldn't be long until everyone knew her situation.
She ran her hand over her somewhat swollen abdomen, marveling at the life growing inside her.
She felt so…different, so…fat, even though the small addition was hardly noticeable. She noticed how her shirts didn't hang quite the same way, and her pants fit differently.
She took a deep breath, reminding herself that everything was normal; to just relax, and exited the bathroom, grabbed her bag, and exited the room.
She was pleasantly surprised to find her father sitting at the breakfast table with her mother, reading the newspaper.
"Good morning," she mumbled, placing a bagel into the small, silver toaster.
"Good morning, honey," her mother replied with a smile.
" Morning dear," her father replied, not looking up from the paper in front of him.
Bulma was somewhat startled as the bagel popped up, but she grasped it, snatched her keys off the counter, muttered a good bye to her parents, and went to leave.
She glanced out the window and saw Vegeta pulling up in his car. She'd forgot, he was supposed to pick her up today.
The thought also came to her that he didn't know that she was pregnant, but she pushed the thought from her mind; she would tell him later…today.
She dropped her keys into her bag and opened the door, stepping out. She climbed into the car without saying a word.
He glanced at her, noticing her silence, but didn't say anything as they started off toward the school.
She was almost too eager to exit the car as she climbed out before the car had even come to a complete stop.
Vegeta stared at her retreating form, there was definitely something different about her.
Bulma found Chichi and 18 waiting for her near her locker.
"Bulma, we need to talk," Chichi glared.
"I—I was just about to say the same thing…what's up?" Bulma asked, noticing their shady demeanor.
"Why don't you tell us," 18 suggested, crossing her arms.
Bulma gave them a weird look, "What are you talking about?"
Chichi looked at her, giving Bulma one of her we're-not-stupid looks. "Your mom called us, Bulma. She told us everything."
Bulma's gaze shifted to the floor.
"Why didn't you tell us?" 18 questioned.
"I…I don't know. I—I was scared… I'm still scared. I didn't know what you would say," she admitted, staring at her shoes.
"B, we're your friends, we want to help you," Chichi said softly, encompassing her friend in a hug as her eyes started to fill with unshed tears.
"I know, I just…"
"It's okay, B, we're here for you," 18 said with a smile, patting her friend on the back.
"Why don't you go to the bathroom and clean up," Chichi suggested, wiping a stray tear from her friend's cheek.
"Yeah, we can't have you going around school like this," 18 smiled.
Bulma giggled, "Okay. Thanks guys." She dashed off toward the bathroom.
After washing her face and re-applying her make-up, she exited the small bathroom. She started down the hall, but ran into Vegeta.
"Vegeta, we need to talk," she said quietly, leading him to a vacant classroom.
"What, woman?"
She took a deep breath, trying to get up the courage to tell him what she knew he had to know.
"Vegeta, I—I…"
"You…what?"
"I…"
He was growing impatient, "What? Just spit it out!"
"I'm pregnant!" She finally blurted out. There she had said it. He knew. But for some reason, she didn't feel any better.
He crossed his arms, obviously not taking her seriously.
"You're pregnant?"
She nodded. "Yes."
He glared at her, "…Who's the father?"
She closed her eyes briefly, inhaling heavily, "You are."
She watched his entire demeanor change as the realization sunk in. He was going to be a father.
They were both silent for a moment before he turned away, "I don't want it."
Her eyes grew wide and she prayed she hadn't heard what she thought she had.
"What?"
He looked at her, his eyes showing no emotion, just a cold, endless void.
"I don't want the kid."
Tears began to fill in her eyes once again, but she fought to hold them back. She couldn't believe what he was saying!
He turned away once again, "I…we are too young to be having kids, woman. We're not even out of high school. We both have a great future in front of us—"
"No, you have a great future in front of you!" she exclaimed. "Have you even thought about what I wanted to do?"
He shrugged.
The tears began to run down her cheeks as she spoke. "What, you thought that you'd be this great, famous football player, and I would just be a cheerleader all my life? That I would just follow you all my life?"
He glared at her and opened his mouth to speak, but she continued speaking.
"You are so… egotistical, Vegeta, I swear! You don't even care about me, do you? Well, I'm going to have this baby, whether you want it or not, and if you can't be man enough to accept that, and be a father…" she paused, looking straight into his eyes.
"…Then maybe you should just go."
He recognized something in her tone that he wouldn't…couldn't argue with.
He walked to her and gave her one last, lingering kiss before exiting the room.
She watched him walk out of the room, tasting the salty tears as they plunged from her golden cheeks. She wanted to stop him, wanted to reach out and touch him, but she knew she couldn't, or maybe…just wouldn't.
She pushed the door open and glanced down the deserted hallway, looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found.
She walked down the hall, wiping the tears with the sleeve of her shirt. She reached the end of the hall, and pushed the door open as the sunlight streamed through.
She walked down the steps and remembered, Vegeta drove her to school. She contemplated what to do before pulling her cell phone from her purse.
It rang a few times before she heard a harsh whisper.
"Bulma, where are you?!"
It was Chichi.
"I—I'm outside. Chi, I want to go home," she sniffed.
"Okay, I'll be out in a sec."
Bulma waited, but Chichi didn't come out. Her phone rang and she picked it up.
"Chi?"
"Bulma, I'm sorry, but the teacher won't let me out of the class, but I called Goku, since he was already out of the classroom, he said he'll take you home."
"Thanks, Chi. You're the best." Bulma smiled, despite her tears.
She sank down onto the steps, flipping the small phone shut, waiting for Goku.
In a couple minutes, the doors opened once again, and he stepped out.
"Bulma, are you okay," he asked, placing a large hand on his shoulder.
She nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's just go."
He walked with her to his car and they both got in.
She pulled down the visor and gazed at her disheveled reflection. Her eyes were red, and there were thick, black lines of mascara on her cheeks. She tried to clean herself up as much as she could.
She leaned back in the seat, and Goku spoke up.
"What are your parents going to say when they find out you've skipped school," he asked.
She shrugged, "My dad probably wouldn't like it, but he's at work, and my mom…well, I don't know, she'd probably understand."
They pulled up to her house in a short time, and she carefully, exited the car.
He walked around to help her up the steps.
She was about to walk inside, but she turned back to him. "Goku, would you mind staying with me, just for a little while?"
He smiled, "Sure."
She opened the door and called to her mother, but found she wasn't home.
She sat down on the couch, loosing herself in the soft cushions. Goku sat down beside her, placing an arm around her shoulders.
"So…are you gonna tell me what happened?"
She sighed, and began to relay the day's events. He was very understanding, and she was grateful for that.
She was crying again as she told him, "He…he didn't want the baby!"
Goku hugged her as she cried on his shoulder, soaking his shirt.
Once her sobs subsided, she cracked a smile, glancing at the large, dark spot on his shirt.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
He shrugged, "It's okay."
She wrapped her arms around him, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"You're such a great guy, Goku. Chi's lucky to have you."
He shrugged, "Yeah, well…I'm lucky to have her."
Bulma glanced at her watch, "Well, you'd better get going, don't want to miss another class."
"I don't care about class, Bulma…I care about you."
She smiled, "Thanks, but…I think I'll be okay for now."
He gave her one last, quick squeeze before standing and walking out the door.
Bulma sighed and laid her head against the back of the couch, closing her eyes, just for a minute.
When she awoke, the doorbell was ringing. She stretched her arms and yawned, before rising to answer it.
She was surprised to find reporters, seemingly thousands of them, with video cameras, microphones, and flashing cameras.
They all fought to jab their microphones in her face, all shouting different questions.
"Bulma," one of them said, "Is it true that you're pregnant?"
She knew she couldn't hold them off, so she decided to answer a few of their questions…just a few."
She sighed, "Yes."
That brought on a whole different line of questioning.
"Who's the father?" was one of the most common.
She thought about telling them, knowing it would make Vegeta's life hell, seeing how he hated reporters.
"He…that is information that I do not wish to divulge." She replied, coolly.
"Do you plan to keep the baby?" A woman asked.
She contemplated that for a moment; the thought of not having the baby hadn't even crossed her mind before Vegeta had said something.
She lifted her chin and said, "Yes."
They heard a car drive up, and Bulma was relieved to see it was Chichi and 18.
The two girls waded through the sea of microphones and cameras to the front door.
Chichi cast Bulma a warning look before shouting out to the reporters, "I'm sorry, but that will be all for today, and with that, she closed the door.
Chichi immediately turned her attention to Bulma, after locking the door, of course.
"Bulma, what were you doing talking to those reporters? You shouldn't be stressed, it's not good for you."
She rolled her eyes and yawned.
"You should get some sleep, B," 18 said.
Bulma nodded and ascended the stairs.
When she woke up, her mother was back. She sat down at the kitchen table, and relayed the story of the day's events, for the second time.
Her mother grasped her hand across the table. "He…he didn't want the baby?"
Bulma nodded, "Yup. He said we're too young to be having kids, and that we had a future."
"Well, Bulma, you do have a future," Chichi replied.
Bulma shook her head, "That's not what he meant. He was talking about him. He has a future. That's what he meant."
18 shook her head, "What an ass."
"Yeah, really." Chichi said with disgust.
Bulma was quiet for a long time.
"I…I thought I loved him."
Her mother shook her head, "I tried to tell you, Bulma, but you were just so intent on being with him…"
She glanced at her mother, a look of confusion on her face. "You sound like the voice of experience."
Her mother glanced out the window, "Well…I am."
The three girls looked at her.
Bulma squeezed her hand, "Mom…are you okay?"
She nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek, "Yes, but…it's a story for another time."
She stood, "I need to fix dinner."
Chichi looked at Bulma, an amused expression on her face, "So Bulma…have the cravings started yet?"
Bulma thought for a second before replying, "Umm…not really, though I wouldn't mind a piece of cake right now."
18 and Chichi looked at each other.
"Cake?" 18 asked skeptically.
Bulma nodded, patting her stomach, "Yup. I'm eating for two, now."
Chichi rolled her eyes, "What does that have to do with eating cake?"
Bulma shrugged and smiled, "I don't know, but it sounded good at the time."
They all giggled and Chichi looked at the clock.
"Well, B, we'd better get going. Are you coming to school tomorrow?"
"I don't know, I'm still thinking on that one."
Chichi and 18 both hugged their friend before walking toward the door.
"We'll come by tomorrow, okay, B?" 18 asked.
"Sure. Bye guys!"
They each bid her a goodbye and walked out the door.
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Well, what didja think? Good? Bad? Other? Well, review and let me know what you think. If you have any ideas, let me know! I'd love to hear from you guys! Until next time…buh bye!