Two: Jumping to Conclusions
I come to you with my arms wide open. You fall into my embrace, but I still cannot believe you are here. Amazing how time can change us all and I believe it when I look at you. Your smile enlightens like the thousand stars in the night sky, but you are still that friend who left us behind. I followed you through all these years, and having you back I have to hold back the tears.
You laugh and joke like you have been there all the time. You steal away my breath as you show me that we can still be. Old friends to the end, that's what we are. But now something is wrong. I feel different in the pit of my gut that I am not doing something I should. I feel the heavy pressure on my shoulders of guilt when I think of you in ways I never did before.
While you were away, I met someone who stole my heart. She was my world, my soul, my strength. I thought she was my everything. And then there's you.
-Trunks Briefs
Trunks rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he looked between the two contracts that laid on his desk. He hated this part. He could never tell which one was better. He hadn't had a day off in forever and with this new contract signing, there would be no way to leave until he made a decision. Sure it sounded simple, but if he made one error then his company could lose millions of dollars.
Finally after ten minutes, he flipped a coin and decided on the first one.
"I placed all of my future on one coin." He said as he flipped the coin between his knuckles. "You better be right." The phone on his desk rang and he answered it in his usual monotone voice. "Briefs."
"Boxers."
His mood immediately lightened and he smiled and sat up straight in his chair. "Pan?"
"That's what my momma calls me." He laughed at her joke. It was like old times. "What are you doing?"
"Just going over these builder contracts." He said as he lifted up the paper he just signed, going over the fine print again to be sure.
"Oh. Well sorry to bother you."
She sounded disappointed and Trunks caught onto it quickly. "Are you okay Pan?"
"Yeah, I just forgot that you were a busy president now and never mind, I shouldn't have bothered you."
"No it's okay. Honestly. I'm not that busy." he lied. He still had to go over the construction papers, the lab workers' files, the plans of the newest idea, and the meeting to improve stocks. Damn his secretary quitting. "What were you going to say?"
"Oh well, I just remembered I used to call you all the time when you were vice president. Now that you're the big man I guess you'll be more busy than ever. I'm sorry I bothered you. I'm just bored to death since everyone is busy at their jobs. Well got to go. Bye." She hung up and Trunks listened to the dial tone.
They did use to chat on the phone while he was at work years ago. He use to be able to get off early when his mother was still boss. But now, like Pan had said, he was the big man and right now he couldn't leave early because they had to go over the new contractors.
"Trunks?" In the door way was his mother and former president of CC, Bulma. She walked over to his desk and sat down in the chair in front. "Are you okay? You look a little pale."
"I'm fine Mom. Work is a pain in the ass. Pan's only been here for a week and I still haven't spent that much time with her. She must think I'm ignoring her." Trunks rubbed his temples and loosened his tie.
Bulma frowned at him. "I don't think she thinks that of you. Have you already decided on a company?"
"Yeah." He handed her the contract and she looked over it.
"Well, you already did so much. Why don't you take her out somewhere?" Bulma smiled. "She hasn't been to the beach in a long time, take her there. It used to be her favorite place."
"But Mom, what about these files and the-" Trunks began but Bulma put up her hand to silence him.
"Didn't you say that you weren't going to become a workaholic like me?" She smiled again. "I'll handle these. I need something to do while I'm still avoiding your father." Trunks chuckled and jumped out of his seat.
"Thanks Mom. Call me if you need anything." He kissed her cheek and rushed out the door. Bulma laughed.
"No matter what, it will always be little Panny and Trunks." She went over in her head what she just said. Pan and Trunks. The two were each others shadows; you couldn't leave without the other. Maybe they were also soul mates. Bulma looked at the pictures on his desk. There was one of him and Clarrissa and one of him and Pan when she was sixteen. She picked them both up and studied them. "Which one of you Trunks is the happiest?"
Pan bit her lip as she watched Trunks read over her first draft over the story she was beginning to write. She didn't know why she was so nervous; she already knew he would say he loved it because that was the kind of person he was. But it did make her feel warm when he approved her and praised her.
"This is amazing Pan." He said as he flipped over to the second page. "I never knew you could write like this." He smiled at her and she felt the blush come up on her cheeks. The more she tried to hide it, the more she felt herself go redder.
"You read my poems before." She muttered.
"Yeah, but they were nothing like this." He skimmed through the pages again. "You could seriously get this published Pan."
Pan frowned. "Don't be mean Trunks. I really tried hard with that one." she pouted.
Trunks looked up from the paper and saw her sulk. "I'm not kidding Pan. This is simply amazing. You writing talents could easily make you to the big tops. In fact, I'm going to schedule this to a publisher."
Pan's jaw dropped. "Are you serious?" Trunks smiled and nodded. She yelped in glee and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Trunks! Thank you! Thank you!" She kissed his cheek. "I love you so much!" She hugged him tighter as Trunks just stood there. Finally he cleared his throat.
"Um, we should get going though. You did say you wanted to go to the amusement park." He said as he pretended to look for his coat.
"Right, you go ahead and get in the car. I'll be there in just a minute." She ran up to her room and shut the door. She covered her mouth with her hand and honestly felt like crying.
"Aw stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" She slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand. How could I say something like that to him? It just popped out! What do I do now? Say I'm sorry? No, that's stupid. She moved over to her vanity and saw that she was blushing like she expected. Get a hold of yourself. He just thinks that you meant it in a friendly way. She dusted herself off and held her head up high as she opened the door. I hope….
Trunks opened his car door and climbed into the driver's side. He saw in his mirror that he had paled at her words. When she said those words, his heart did flips in his throat. He had to stop himself from saying it back to her. He could've said that he meant it in a friendly way, but no matter what it would still be awkward.
He took a breath to calm her nerves. "She's Pan. Only Pan." He told himself. She just meant it as friends. We both have lovers….lovers….Finally it clicked in his head. Pan has a lover! He shook his head. "Stop going crazy! So what if she does? You got yours and she doesn't belong to you."
He watched Pan shut the door behind her and climbed into his car on the passenger side. Except this time she had on jeans and a Chinese blue belly shirt. Also looking at her shirt he realized how large her chest had got. He immediately rid himself of the thought, but it was still strange to see Pan like this. When had she become a woman? She used to be short and flat-chested. Now she was tall, slender, big breasted, flat stomach, and nice figured. She had completely matured while she was gone.
Trunks wasn't sure if he could trust himself anymore.
Clarrissa opened the door to Trunks' house and sat down on the couch and then turned on the giant screen television to her favorite, Oprah. She had a busy day at the modeling agency and her feet were killing her. If she felt bad, imagine how Trunks must be. She decided to make this night special, but first she needed to know when he got off. She picked up the phone on the inn table and dialed in his number.
It rang a couple of times before it was answered by someone she didn't recognize. "Capsule Corporations. Trunks Briefs' office." Did he get a new secretary?
"Um, is Trunks there?" She asked the person.
"Claire? Oh hi sweetie. No, he left early today. I'm filling him for him today." Now she knew who it was. Bulma, Trunks' mother.
"Oh, well thank you. Do you know if he's on his way home?" She asked as she picked at her perfect teeth in the hallway mirror.
"I think he took Pan out to the beach." Clarrissa stabbed her gum with her manicured nail and it began to bleed.
"Shit!" She cursed and rubbed her tongue over it.
"Are you okay?"
"Uh, yeah, I just cut myself." She looked at her bottom row of teeth which was now pink from the newly opened wound. "Well if you see him tell him I called." She hung up without saying goodbye.
She walked over to the couch and propped herself back on it to continue with her Oprah Winfrey Show. Maybe she should wait for Trunks with his surprise. She jumped up and headed to the bathroom.
She emerged out in black lingerie. A strapless bra, a laced see-through thong, silk leg covers, and a see-through satin laced robe. She had all the latest, sexiest, and expensive lingerie that she just recently modeled; and if this didn't make him horny nothing would. She sat on the couch in a sexy pose with the robe open.
An hour passed. Then two more. Finally she decided to call his office again, but only to have Bulma tell her that he still wasn't back yet. Then she called his cell, but only got his voice mail. Called his beeper. He never called back. The phone in his limo. No answer. The phone in his back office. Nothing. She even called his house phone but then remembered she was using it.
"Don't panic. Don't panic." She told herself as she paced the room, biting her nail. He had been gone for four hours and it was now pitch dark outside. What could he be doing with Pan for that long? She stopped and gasped. Definitely not that!
Her paced quickened. "Don't panic! Don't panic! He doesn't like her! He likes me! He loves me!" She felt tears well up, but she would not let them fell for her dignity and for the fact that her mascara wasn't water proof.
Then she saw headlights pull up in the driveway through the blinds in the window. She got into her sexy position again and opened her robe. She heard laughter on the other side of the door as he opened it.
The only problem was he wasn't alone.
Pan was behind him laughing until she saw Clarrissa on the couch. She immediately shut up and bit her lip. Trunks felt a heat rush over his cheeks embarrassed, but it was nothing on how Claire felt. She immediately jumped off the couch and covered herself up the best she could with the see-through satin robe.
"Oh Dende! Claire, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you would be here!" Trunks defended as he draped his jacket over her small figure. She looked back from him to Pan, who was lookig at the door to give them privacy, back at him with murderous anger rising in her rosy, freckled cheeks. Pan felt her ki sky rocket and knew it wasn't safe to be here. It already looked horribly wrong.
"Um, I think I'm going to go Trunks. Thanks for everything. See you tomorrow." She opened the door and shut it behind her before she flew off. I hope I didn't ruin things.
But deep, deep inside her, she hoped that she had. Now she mentally punched herself for being so selfish.
Trunks looked at the door to Clarrissa. "Baby, it's not what you think."
She had her arms crossed and her foot tapping and a murderous glint in her eyes. "Four hours," she said with no emotion in her voice. Trunks knew this meant she was definitely pissed. Finally the angry yelling emerged. "I waited here half naked for four hours for you! And what were you doing! Having your way with her instead of with this!"
Trunks gaped at her. "You think me and Pan-! Like I said before, she's just a friend!"
"What the hell could you possibly do with her for four hours! She can't be that good on all fours!" she yelled.
Trunks balled his fist and bit his lip in anger. If she was a man and insulted Pan like she did, he would've hit her. But this was his girlfriend that had just witnessed something that even he would think was suspicious. So he couldn't blame her for getting angry, but all honesty he didn't do anything.
He took a calming breath and lowered his voice. "We went to the amusement park. Then we went to her parents' house for dinner. Last night you told me you weren't getting off work until late so I didn't expect you to be here. Again, there is nothing going on between Pan and I."
She blinked at him with tears on the rim of her eyes. "You promise?" She pouted. He smiled and nodded. She smirked seductively. "Then you wouldn't mind having this?" She let the robe fall and modeled for him in sexy poses.
He watched her and was about to sweep her off her feet, but then he yawned loudly and was hit with a double dose of tiredness. "Not tonight honey, I'm tired." He walked into his bedroom and began to change for bed.
She stared at him with her jaw dropped and her eyes wide. The nerve of that man! Here she was giving herself to him, and all he had to say was ' not tonight'! Clarrissa balled her fist.
Pan Son just became public enemy number one!
Pan stepped on her parent's house and opened the door. She sat her coat on the rack and was about to shout that she had arrived, but heard shouts and grunts coming from her parents room.
Pan's face contorted into a gross one and then she flew out the door and into the sky. Good thing she didn't arrive too early or she would've caught them on the couch. And she wasn't going to listen to that all night; but where could she go?
Obviously not Trunks'. She wasn't even going to try Goten and Marron's. Bra perhaps, but Bra was working late today and Pan didn't want to be a burden. She didn't know if Bra wanted to come home with Pan on the couch after a long day.
Uub has his own place. Maybe he'll let me stay with him for the night. Pan crossed her fingers and flew towards his house that he built himself.
She jumped in front of his house that looked a lot like her grandmother's hut. She knocked on the door and crossed her fingers hoping that Uub would be home and allow her in.
To her fortune, he opened the door and was still in his gi that meant he mustn't have been too busy. She heard the television in the background.
"Hey Pan. Is something wrong?" Uub asked her. It would be strange to see one of your friends show up at your house out of nowhere in the middle of the night.
"I'm fine, but I was wondering if you could do me a favor," she said with pleading eyes.
"Sure, what do you need?"
"Do you think I could stay at your place for tonight? My parents are busy and everyone else is already asleep." She smiled at him and he saw her shiver.
"Sure, come in." He stepped aside for her to step through. This definitely looked like Chi-chi's old house. He had a kitchen, a living room, but only one bedroom that she guessed was alright with him since he lived by himself.
"Thanks Uub, I'll try not to be a burden." She gave him a hug and he went to get her some pillows and blankets.
Pan slept on the couch after an hour of watching black and white oldies. Uub already went to sleep. Pan told herself that she needed to call Trunks in the morning and make sure that everything was alright between him and Clarrissa. She would hate herself if it was her fault they broke up.
"Pa-an. Pa-an." Pan's eyelashes fluttered as she heard someone whisper her name. "Wake up Pan-chan."
This time she woke up and looked around. She didn't recognize where she was until she remembered she was at Uub's. She rubbed her eyes and stared at a blurry figure on the edge of the couch. She got her eyes into focus and saw that the blurry figure was Trunks.
"Trunks? What are you doing here?" Pan sat up. She looked out the window and saw that it was still night time. "Is something wrong?"
Trunks smiled and shook his head. "No Panny. I just wanted to see you."
Pan raised an eyebrow at him. "Whatever it is I didn't do it."
Trunks laughed. "You didn't do anything. I just want to show you something. Come with me." He held out his hand and Pan took it.
"We can't wake up Uub." She said as he led her outside. She shivered even though she didn't feel cold.
"Don't worry. Nobody will see us." Trunks led her to the woods. Pan followed him because he had a good grip on her hand. It didn't hurt, but it felt as if they were super glued together. Why had he led her here?
Finally when they were deep in the woods, Trunks stopped and turned around to face Pan. Pan blinked at him and looked around.
"Why did you bring me here this late?" She looked at him wearily.
Trunks stepped up to her. Somehow he became a lot closer than what she remembered. He ran his hands through her hair and brought it up to his nostrils and sniffed her scent. "So beautiful. I've dreamt of this night for a long time."
Pan shivered, but was unable to move. She felt Trunks rub his hands down her backside and squeeze a little. "W-what do you mean?"
Trunks smirked deviously. "The day when you finally became mine." Pan tried to gasp, but her heart contorted and she couldn't breathe. The ground seemed to be spinning. "I've wanted you Pan, for as long as I laid eyes on you. And I know you want me." Trunks grabbed her shoulders and furiously kissed her lips. She pushed him back, but he kept going after her.
"Stop," she tried to tell him. "No more. Stop. I said no!"
"Why? I know you want me. I've seen the way you look at me. Desire's in your eyes. I can fulfill that desire." Trunks ran his hand down his her stomach and stopped at the rim of her pants. Then he slowly slipped his hand under the zipper.
"I said no! Stop it!" Pan fought against him, but he grabbed her wrists.
"Pan! Pan! Snap out-"
"Let me go! I'm warning you! No!"
"-of it! Pan! Wake up!"
Goten was trying to get her flailing hands away from her. Pan was still asleep and she was flailing her arms shouting 'No!' Finally Goten shook her a little and Pan snapped back into reality.
Her eyes were wide and had tears stained on them. She looked fearfully at Goten, then to Bra, Marron, and Uub. All were staring at her terrified of what happened. Pan panted for breath and swallowed. She was white as a ghost.
Pan looked up and gave Goten a false smile. "I'm okay Uncle Goten. I just fell asleep watching a scary movie. You know, had a nightmare."
"Pan, are you sure you're alright?" Bra asked, her voice below a whisper.
Pan nodded. "Yeah, but I am going back to my house for a well deserved shower though." She got up from the couch and it took her several minutes to get her legs working again. "Thanks for letting me spend the night, Uub." She smiled at him and took off in the morning sunshine.
"What happened in her nightmare?" Marron asked, watching Pan disappear in the distance.
Goten bent down to her pillow and placed his hand over it. "That was no ordinary nightmare. Pan was really scared that time. I could feel it."
Uub frowned at them. Maybe having Pan spend the night wasn't such a good thing.