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The Perfect Life – Chapter 3~*~ Flashback ~*~
"I can't believe I'm moving!" Pan stood in her bedroom doorway holding three empty duffle bags in one hand and two suitcases in the other. Her long black hair was tied up in pigtails and a red bandana covered the top of her head. Her red tee shirt and black caprice pants were the only clothing that wasn't folded neatly on her bed waiting to be packed. Fighting back the tears, she entered her room and started packing. The day was sunny and her best friend, Bra, wanted to go shopping but she had to decline for she needed to pack. Her boyfriend, Trunks, was waiting for her downstairs so he could help her carry her things to the car and into the new house. Her loving gramps, Hercules, brought her a house for her 21st birthday. It's a beautiful blue Victorian mansion with a private ocean side beach in the back. Fully furnished and everything. All she needed to do was pack her personal belongings and buy a few things on the way and she's all set.
Pan picked out one of her CD's and played it in her stereo. She knew this day would come someday. Some days she feared it. She feared going out on her own and fending for herself without her parents behind her every step of the way holding her hand. Then again, other days, she could wait to become independent and move out on her own and grow up like her mother the successful lawyer, or even her father the collage professor at Orange Star University. But now there was no turning back. '…mama whispered softly: Time will ease your pain. Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same…' Pan swayed to the music in the background as she tried her best to neatly pack her clothing. As she sat on her suitcases trying to get them closed, Trunks appeared in the doorway. "Your mom said to tell you she needed to run to the store." Seeing him seamed to sooth Pan's pain of moving from home. "Need help there?" Trunks smirked his gently loving smirk at her as he caught her eye. "Please…." Pan smiled a big grin and Trunks came and closed the suitcases with ease. He picked them up and started out the door as Pan stuck her tongue out. "Thank you baby!" She yelled after he was out of sight.
'…how can I help you to say goodbye? It's OK to hurt, and it's OK to cry…' The music continued to play as Pan went through her shelves and picked what she wanted to take, what she wanted to leave, and what was trash. She was planning on making three piles but only ended up with two – take and leave. Slowly she sorted the stuff she was taking into three more piles then began to pack. After replacing the stuff she was leaving back on her shelves, she took a break and sat on her bed. "Why am I scared? I've been preparing myself for this day for the past 3 months." She looked out the window at the sun that was starting to slowly set. A single tear fell down her cheek. She looked over into the corner next to her closet at the big yellow bear that had sat there ever since she brought it home. It was the bear she one that year she entered the WMAT. Its one of the few things she has that reminds her of her grandfather. She was leaving it, because her father had a field day getting it in the house and her mother had a good laugh when she saw Pan carrying it and Goku carrying Pan.
"Pan, almost ready? It's getting late! Not many stores are going to be open!" Trunks yelled up the stairs. Pan realized that really wasn't the reason he was rushing her. He was the president of Capsule Corp. and had to work tomorrow. '…time will ease your pain. Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same…' Pan decided it was time to pack her CD's and stereo. Everything else was packed. "Trunks…! Help…!" Pan was sitting on her bed when her purple haired, blue eyed Prince charming came walking into her room. "Thank you baby." Pan kissed him on the cheek then went to grab her stereo and handed it to Trunks. "Anything else you highness?" Trunks smiled which made Pan melt. "No that will do Sir Briefs. Get my carriage ready, I'll be down in a minute." Staring at the ditzy Pan for a minute, Trunks headed down the stars and out to Pan's car. Taking the last duffle bag, Pan packed her CDs and photographs. She went to reach for the last photo when she stopped to look at it. It was her prom picture taken by her father. Pan was standing in her long red dress next to Trunks who was in his black tuxedo. They were standing next to her mother's rose garden on the side on the house. The red roses and blue house made a beautiful background, better then the professional photos taken at the prom. Pan ran her finger along the 8 x 11 oak wood frame. No matter how much her father complained that Trunks was too old for Pan, he adored the fact that they went to the prom together. Trunks was only seven years older then Pan and she believed love had no age limit.
After wiping a tear from her eye, Pan put the picture back on the empty computer desk. Her computer was sitting in the back seat of Trunks' car ready to be brought to its new home. She started out her room when she stopped and turned around. She looked around the room as a few more tears escaped her eyes. She put an empty hand up to her mouth to try and stop the crying. She saw her childhood flash before her eyes. She saw the happiness, the pain, the joy, and the sorrow. She saw herself growing up faster then she realized it, and she saw some things that just faded away with time. One of her cats, Piper, rubbed up against her leg. The white domestic angora female cat with the one spot on her head meowed as if to say good-bye. Arwen, Piper's brother, the cat with the two spots on his head crawled out from under Pan's bed and rolled around playing with a small piece of string he managed to find. "Pan?" Trunks called up the stairs when he saw her standing there. "I'm coming." Pan smiled and blew her cats a kiss good-bye. Before leaving, she left a note to her parents saying good-bye and warning that the cats were in her room. Kissing her finger and touched the paper. Dakota, her Chow-Chow Golden Retriever mix female dog was sleeping on the sofa when she went to the door. "Dakota outside!" The orange dog woke up and practically jumped threw the closed door. Closing the door behind her, Pan sighed and walked over to where Trunks was leaning against his car. She threw her bag into her car and kissed her boyfriend on the lips as a thank you. The look in his eyes made Pan smile. "Yes Trunks, I'll be fine, It'll take time, but I'll move on and so won't my pets and my parents." She smiled and jumped into her red Porsche. Starting the engine and driving away, Trunks followed behind her in his silver Porsche. Heading off onto a new life, a new independent life.
~*~ Flashback End ~*~
Pan opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. She did not realize she had fallen asleep until she looked at the clock that hung on the wall. "Oh my God! Its 9:45! Trunks will be here any minute to pick me up!" Pan was about to go run to her parent's room, when she saw the red outfit hanging on the closet door. Closing the room door, Pan changed out of her clothes and threw them on the bed, along with her hat. After dressing quickly, Pan ran across the fall and looked in the full-length mirror. It was a beautiful red pants suit with an oriental top. Walking back into her room, Pan noticed the red snow heel boots. Slipping them on, she went back to the bathroom to use the mirror to put in the ruby star earrings and matching ruby star chocker. "Trunks will love it." Pan turned around to see her father standing in the doorway smiling and wearing his winter coat. He was taking her mother to the New Years festivals. "Oh and, now is the chance to find out." Gohan moved to the right as Trunks appeared in the doorway with his winter jacket on and his hands in his pocket. He smiled at her, which made her melt. Just then she realized her hair was still a mess and quickly excused herself and ran to find her mother in her room. "Mom! My hair! And Trunks is here!" After Videl closed the door of her room, Gohan and Trunks looked at each other and tried not to laugh. They were all very good at keeping this secret from Pan. Usually Pan can detect when she is being left out of something. But this time she is the only one in that house, besides the pets, that does not know about the upcoming surprise.
A few minutes later, Videl opened her door and walked out wearing black dress pants and a heavy coat. She took Gohan's arm and they walked down stairs. Since Pan was going to lock the door, her parents headed to the festivals early, or so she thought. Her parents were actually heading for Capsule Corp. where they were going to meet Bulma, Vegeta and Bra. After a few hesitated minutes, Pan emerged from her mother's room, wearing a short white fur coat and her hair up in a neat bun with a simple red rose. "Wow, you look…beautiful Pan." Trunks was lost for words. This wasn't just one of those typical comments that boys throw out at their girl to make them happy. Pan was stunning. As they headed out to the car, Pan locked the house and handed Trunks her car keys. Trunks decided to walk since he was going to need to drive Pan back to her house and she would need her car. With a simple pat to his pocket to check for that object that scared him half to death, Trunks opened the door for Pan then got in himself and drove to town.
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Darn! Don't you just hate it when it ends like this? Bummer. Guess you'll just have to wait.