Winning the Love of the Handsome Skater
Chapter Thirteen: Girlfriend
Ten or so minutes later, Bulma had gone back to school, failing to convince Vegeta to follow her example at doing the same. He claimed that, even after her heart-melting confession (or at least she saw it as such), he needed some time to himself and to get some fresh air, so he stayed in the tree's company for a while.
Lunch was a good twenty minutes over and her next class had begun already. There was no use in going back to class. So the heiress just decided to go and spend some time walking around the halls and… well, thinking things over.
She couldn't help but wonder what her relationship with Vegeta was now… After she told him that she liked him; no, that she was interested in him; did that change anything? It wouldn't have if he had not kissed her afterwards, would it? Did it change anything now? To her, it changed almost everything… She had been completely sincere with him… Did that even mean anything to him? She couldn't help pondering such things as she strolled down the empty corridors, content to have the only noise penetrating her ears the sound of her steps echoing throughout the hallway.
Subconsciously, she let herself think whether or not she was to be considered Vegeta's girlfriend now… She giggled at the thought, imagining them walking together towards school as they usually did even now, yet with her having her hand around his waist, while he had one of his sinewy arms over her shoulders, wrapped securely to keep her close to his warmth-emitting body. She smiled at the silly fantasy. Even if she did become Vegeta's girlfriend, she knew well enough even now that he wouldn't be the type to show public affection for his girlfriend. She had talked to him in the bus about it before. She snorted. He needed a slight attitude change, she mused.
As the girl stared out the window at her 'prince' beneath the beautiful tree, she smiled to herself. She'd known since the moment she saw him first that there was something special about him… He was special… She wanted to get to know him; she wanted to be his friend, his lover, his girlfriend, his best friend… The One who he can always trust with anything. She giggled against herself again. She thought that there was no use of that stupid 'competition' now, because in her eyes she had already won…
But, as we all know, things and decisions like that are not taken so hastily.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
The rest of the day Bulma spent with her friends, and actually she didn't even manage to catch a glimpse at Vegeta the whole time of the remainder of the day. She had frowned at that fact. He wasn't avoiding her, was he? She sure hoped not. So, deciding to just leave it be and see how things progressed tomorrow, she just laughed and talked with her friends, letting herself drift off to dreams that had a little next to everything to do with the dark enigmatic teen that night…
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Tuesday, lunch…
Bulma plopped her books next to her seat at the edge of the bench and flashed her friends a wide smile. ChiChi's eye brow quirked up at the expression the lavender haired girl was giving them. She just shrugged it off; deciding that she probably finally got herself laid and dismissed the topic completely, taking out her lunch box. It had taken her an eternity to get those ready, really… They deserved all her due respect…
"What's with you?" Juu asked her friend, taking a bite of her sandwich, not really caring about the answer.
"I feel that it's a nice day today," Bulma answered cheerfully, taking out her lunch too. Goku landed on the table soon enough after, carrying his heavy tray with him. He looked at Bulma for a second too before giving her one of his trademark toothy grins.
"Hey, B! You seem cheerful today!" He took a bite on the sinewy-looking meat. ChiChi grimaced at him and shook her head. He was acting like such a savage every now and then that it was just dejecting… He would simply never learn…
"Yup! It's a good day today!"
"How'd you decide that?" Krillin inquired, getting himself involved in the conversation. Bulma's blazing azure eyes turned to him.
"Well, my mom and dad said they'd let me to have the whole compound for my birthday and they won't be there to bug me the night of it! They said they'll spend the previous day, a whole day, with me and me only! How am I not to be cheerful, darn it?" She grinned from ear to ear. Her friends, never being the ones to know about how rarely her parents were actually home just raised their eye brows at her and resumed eating. Bulma was just hopeless every now and then…
"Whoa, some event you have there," a familiar deep masculine voice mocked, as the owner sat in front of her across the table. Bulma just grinned widely and nodded. He did too, a strange expression crossing his features for a fragment of the second before whipping his head back behind him. "What's taking you so freaking long, wench? Move your ass faster if you don't want me to famish!" He snapped at a girl behind him.
Bulma's eye brows narrowed as she noticed Marron approaching them with difficulty, trying to balance too many plates at a time, as well as a wide tray that was quite filled with food. She took one step at a time, looking really concentrated at the dishes, as if parting her gaze would knock them off.
"I'm doing my best here, Veggie-chan…" The blonde-under-cover whined with her shrill annoying voice, causing Vegeta to wince and cover his ears with his hands.
"What the—" ChiChi began only to have Vegeta chuckle, gaining her attention back from the idiotic blue haired girl. The dark eyes of the teenage girl narrowed dangerously.
"She's so easy to manipulate, I couldn't resist." He explained himself. ChiChi huffed at him, and lifted her chin up and away from him. He was such a loser in her eyes… Yes, she hated Marron too, for the idiotic wench had tried to seduce Goku continuously when she first saw him (she wouldn't stop complementing his well-built chest and his skills in skating (as if she had ever seen him skate, ChiChi huffed mentally) and rubbed herself against him; poor Goku had no idea what she was doing and offered her to buy her a board too so she could skate with them), but using her so blatantly because of her inferior intelligence was just… Repulsing.
Vegeta on the other hand just dismissed ChiChi's act of disgust. Well, she was not exactly his idea of a good person either. Kakarott had never been really weak himself – he had managed to save Vegeta in random situations that he would otherwise have difficulty with many opponents… But just by the voice of the harpy, stupid Kakarott would cower and do everything she wished. The boy wrinkled his nose up at the thought. It was really disgusting how she controlled him about everything he did! He wouldn't even breathe if that wasn't ok with her… Truly despicable…
Before she could trip over and drop everything over the unsuspecting-looking Vegeta, the boy grabbed all of the dishes and placed them in front of himself, leaving Marron to collapse on the tiled floor in the cafeteria. She smiled sheepishly up at him.
"Thanks." She muttered.
"You're welcome." He chuckled. Was she so stupid not to even see that she was being blatantly used? And she was thanking him? Bulma shook her head.
"That's really low…" She muttered, gaining the teen's attention. He just glared at her and kept eating. Bulma also narrowed her eyes at him but kept her cheerful demeanor as she began discussing with Krillin and Juu what he birthday party would be.
Vegeta's ears invisibly perked up when he heard the certain word. Birthday. He looked up to lock his eyes with the happy-go-lucky expression on the woman's eyes. He smirked mentally at it. So, she was turning eighteen on the twenty-first of November eh? That was not even three weeks away from now. Then he suddenly remembered the other thing and grimaced. He always hated this time of the year…
"Hey…" A voice greeted the table unconvincingly. All eyes looked up to meet a pair of emerald ones. There were bags under her eyes… Vegeta narrowed his eye brows at her. He wasn't really in the mood to deal with stupid Hailie… "I see that you told them?"
"I haven't. And I don't plan on doing it." His voice was stern, leaving no place for complaint. Bulma wondered what he was talking about, but didn't have much time to do so as Hailie strolled down over to him and embraced him over his shoulders, leaning into him from behind the bench.
"I'm quite sure she'd like to know…"
"I don't care what you think," he hissed, but still didn't push her away. And that fact in itself angered Bulma beyond belief. The nerve of that bitch!
"Does that mean that I can give you what I have—"
"No, it means anything but that." He hissed venomously again and this time, to Bulma's pleasure, he shrugged her violently off of himself and glared daggers back at her. "I have told you a million times that I hate that and I don't believe a bit in it. Besides, I don't want to touch anything that you have bought…" He snorted.
"Are you going to share with us what exactly you have been talking about?" Juuhachi inquired after Hailie huffed and went away. He shook his head and continued to eat.
"Oh, come on, Veggie-head, you know you can trust us…" Marron said seductively, leaning in to rub his shoulders. He hissed and jerked himself away.
"Damn it, woman!" He snapped at her, his onyx eyes sparking venom as he glared her way. What do you want to do, kill me? Don't touch me!" Marron blinked strangely at him.
"What did I do?" She questioned quietly, reaching out to his shoulders again, only to have him pick his dishes and get up.
"Leave me be, witches! Damn it… One can't eat a fucking lunch around here at peace…" The spiky-haired teen muttered, making his way towards the exit. He'd return the plates later. Juu stared after him then at Bulma's pissed expression, then she decided to go join him outside. She needed to talk to him, face-to-face.
At the other end of the table, Bulma could barely believe what her eyes were seeing. After all they have talked about; he was still flirting with other girls, clearly… First Marron, then he let Hailie hang herself on his neck… Unforgivable, she mused to herself and just shrugged the topic off. Maybe she just let herself think way too highly of everything he did, when it actually meant nothing to him… Silly her, again… To believe that he cared that much… He had to be an idiot not to be physically attracted to her, or blind for that matter. But there was nothing else… Nothing of what she was feeling towards him…
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Juu found the person she had been looking for near the cafeteria doors after he had inhaled his food and trashed the plates onto each other in the pile of dirty others such. He was in haste for the exit, but she would follow him out too.
"Why did Bulma seem so happy at first then when she saw you she went in a subtle fit? I know her well, Vegeta; don't try to lie to me." She pushed her luck as she chased after the broad-shouldered teen. He didn't pay heed to her words; he continued strolling down the hall with hands in his pockets, not really thinking where he was going.
"I've got no idea what you are talking about." He answered curtly and clearly. He wasn't about to get rid of her that easily, she mused darkly to herself with a sly smirk on her expression.
"You honestly have got to be kidding me. First of all, you know well enough that I'm halfway out of that… um, competition of yours. You know I ain't really interested… Second, Marron has never really been of your interest. She's too loud for her own good and too stupid for that matter as well. I don't really see what you could possibly see in her. Which leaves only Bulma and Hailie in; and by the way you act towards the latter little bitch I can say we already have a winner. What are you waiting for?" He put his steps to a halt and turned around sharply to face the blonde who was looking just as intensely at him.
"Stop acting as if you can control me or my actions. I will do with my life whatever I want to!" He informed her angrily, planning on storming off towards somewhere. Anywhere but from here, with her. He needed some more time to think to himself… Yesterday had not been enough for him, obviously.
"I can't tell you what to do with your life, but when it concerns a friend of mine, it's my duty, as a friend, to try to knock some sense into you." He held his actions again and chuckled, his back to her.
"Oh, how so? Since when did you begin to care so much for the woman so dearly yourself, eh?" He asked mockingly, turning back around to her again.
"It's not just her, you moron." His eye brow twitched at the way she had referred to him. The nerve of that woman… "Look at yourself! Look at your hands! Look at your eyes in the mirror! I see the way you two look at each other! I can already tell! You're destined to be together!" She smiled at that. "Why are you being so stubborn about it?"
"I don't want a girlfriend right now, or needing one for that matter." Vegeta answered coldly, looking away.
"I see you had a hard time with that Hailie chick… But she's nothing like Bulma from what I know…"
"Since when have all of you begun trying to set me and the woman up?" He asked, on the defensive now. Juu just laughed full-heartily at that.
"It's so obvious. You two are made for each other… Why do you continue this nonsense? There is no use… The only thing you can do is drive Bulma away." She informed him darkly. "Just so you know, Vegeta… No matter how horrible of a person you might've been back in your past, or what has happened to you… She will understand… Everyone from the gang quite understands anything you serve them… Trust me, I know well…"
Cocking an eye brow at her last statement, Vegeta just shrugged it off, making his way out for some fresh air. He needed to think things over… He needed to know what the woman meant with "liking him for whom she saw in him"… He needed to know why it actually touched him that much every time he thought of it again… He needed to figure out why he felt so at ease whenever around her… He needed to beat it out of himself again. He grimaced. He hated to battle with his mind. It always got him headaches and he would never be able to understand the woman… She was such a complicated creature for him to truly understand… Yes, she was easy to read… But that had nothing to do with the matter now!
Growling, he tried to shake himself off of those stupid thoughts. He hated Bulma for the affect she had on him. She so much reminded him of Hailie that it was nearly painful…
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Next Week…
It has been a week since Juuhachi had her little conversation with Vegeta. And he still hadn't done what she had advised him to. And it didn't look like he was going to… Bulma's hopes had completely dropped and she was back to her sarcastic gloomy-looking self. The others had no clue what was going on when Marron continuously tried to massage Vegeta, but he just refused her to get any closer to his body. Then, the next moment, he was completely at the mercy of Hailie, who knew exactly where and how to touch to make his stiff muscles loosen… Well, that is, until he would notice it was her.
Marron had tried to make him some lunch herself and to bring it to school, but since she had no idea how to cook, her rice had been rock-hard and impossible to chew, and her soup was quite made of tar… Or so it tasted, if anything.
All in all, both Hailie and Marron have been offering themselves on a silver platter for him just to take. Instead of shaking them off or taking one of them, Vegeta just enjoyed toying with their feelings, along with Bulma's in the process, using them to do his job. Bulma was quite getting tired of waiting for him to pay any attention to her… She wasn't some cheap girl that would just let herself be there for him whenever he liked her to be around. He guessed quite wrong if that was what he wanted of her…
Yet she was not about to voice her thoughts. She'd just pull away and let him have his fun, if you could call making idiotic creatures do as you wish "fun".
Little could Bulma know what debates have been led in the teen's mind. He wanted to go to her and ask her out, but… He just didn't feel ready to go out with her… He didn't want to be with her, yet wanted it at the same time. He was confusing even himself with such thoughts. He either wanted one or the other! He had to choose… So, he decided to stay at a safe distance from her powers that made him turn weak and vulnerable again… He hated feeling weak. That woman was no good and his pride knew so too… But why wouldn't his heart let him at peace?
Even though the teen could not find inner peace, everything had been fine up to the point when Yamcha returned in the picture…
At lunch, on Monday, the damn funk had pulled her away from the table a few sets of tables behind, so they could "speak in private". Vegeta's eyes narrowed at them as he watched intensely the interaction. He didn't like the fact Yamcha was around her right now. Slapping himself mentally, the boy tore his gaze away from the pair, assuring himself he didn't care. When he took a sneak peak over his shoulder and finding the scum bag hugging her closely, he felt his blood boil again and he had to clench his fists to refrain from hitting something… or someone…
"You should just go and talk to her." Hailie's voice rang in his ears as the girl sat herself next to him, gaining the attention of the table to herself again. "Don't look at me like that. I'm here just to talk to him, not you." She snapped at them, missing ChiChi's incoherent curses and Juu's mumbling under her breath.
"Don't try to tell me what to do…" He hissed beneath his breath.
"I'm just guiding you towards your happiness, darling." He laughed at that, making her face falter. "Don't behave like that… Just because I blew it doesn't mean I don't know what will make you happy now."
"What's that? Hailie backing down a challenge?" The dark haired boy mocked, looking at her in the eyes. Her heart stopped when for the first time in such a long gap he had finally looked at her without the boiling hate in his beautiful onyx eyes… How she wanted that desperate look in his eyes to be directed towards her, not the new girl. She was far more than just competition… But that was a different topic. Right now, at hand was her man's sanity.
"I'm not backing down anything." She hissed dangerously. "Just listen to me this once! I know what the blonde told you too! And I saw you making out with her…" The last sentence she whispered so only he would hear. "Just go and talk to her."
"I don't plan on doing that."
"You can't forever dwell on my past mistakes, Vegeta…" She leant in and tried to capture his lips in a quick lip lock, but he dodged her masterly, giving her the best scowl he could muster. He was quite good at it too. Smiling slightly, the girl pecked his cheek quickly instead and stood on her legs, making her way away from the table full of people that loathed her for her simple existence. "She's not me, Vege-chan…" She muttered, before she disappeared into the crowd.
Vegeta watched after her, thinking. She was right… No one else would ever be like her, ever again…
And if he didn't act upon it, he would repulse the only creature that had ever even tried to care for him after Her… He was supposed to be more mature now… He certainly didn't act like it!
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Meanwhile…
Bulma glared at Yamcha. He certainly didn't think she had forgiven him did he? Her glare didn't have the same effect on him now, though. He seemed more certain of himself, not cowering back for a second. Did it happen so he had grown a spine?
"Bulma… I wanted to talk to you since forever now, but you seemed so close to the bastard that I really couldn't catch you alone, and—"
"You needn't explain yourself, Yamcha." Bulma shook her lavender haired head at him. "I don't really want your excuses, because I don't really care anymore…"
"Bulma…" He began again, looking away from her. "I know I have never been what you truly wanted… With your short temper, and I mean no offence by that," he defended when he noticed her sour glare in his direction; "and your feisty nature, you need more of a counterpart than someone you can easily order around… I will lie if I say I never truly loved you, as I am sure you have too, but it's just that… You weren't for me and I wasn't for you… Never truly been…" He smiled apologetically.
By the time, Bulma's glare had softened.
"And you decided to show me that you didn't want to be my boyfriend any longer by cheating on me? You're quite original, have I ever told you that before?"
"You're more sarcastic than usual…" He chuckled and so did she. "No, Bulma, it is just that… Well, I was just scared… I didn't know what to do, how I was going to continue seeing you, but not really feeling the way towards you that I should… We just never had the spark, you know…" He said uneasily, the tension in him rising with each and every second. Bulma laughed full-heartily and hugged him closely.
"It's alright, Yamcha. You're forgiven." She told him. "You've been long since forgiven."
"Because my freeing you let you see different horizons?" He asked as he let go of her and his luminous smile made her cheeks blush a bit and her eyes subconsciously dwelled on a certain skater on her table, who was currently engaged in a conversation with her now 'mortal enemy', or so her friends had labeled Hailie. The girl watched a while longer with clenched fists how the insolent creature had leant in for a kiss but Vegeta had been fast to pull away. Her blood boiled when she watched in horror how the idiotic girl kissed his cheek and pulled away, rendering him into a stiff position, staring after her.
Yamcha's eyes followed her line of vision and he smiled sadly.
"Yes, that's exactly what I meant." His voice startled Bulma out of her train of thought, which consisted in painful way to put an end to Hailie's miserable existence. She huffed and gathered herself together.
"All of you seem so sure that we are meant to be. But so far he has shown nothing that should confirm such a statement. Besides, what makes you so sure that we can even fit?"
"Of course you fit, Bulma." He told her light-heartedly. "Both of you are aloof, self-centered and short-tempered." Bulma's furious expression snapped towards him in an angry manner. How dare he say such a thing to her? The nerve! Her glare softened when she saw he was just kidding and she smiled too.
"Well, yeah! We're practically made for each other by your reasoning." Both of them laughed as they approached the table. The rest of the time at school, Vegeta glared their way, trying to burn a hole in Yamcha's skull just by looking at him. His tries were futile and completely ignored, to the teen's utter irritation…
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
That night…
Bulma stood on the railing to her balcony, looking down to the dark lawn beneath. The sun had long since set, and she still couldn't find herself at peace and go to sleep. It was a cold late autumn night and she was clad in a nightie made by some very thin fabric that did next to nothing to help her cold skin covered with goosebumps. But she didn't plan on going back inside now. She wasn't in the mood of sulking, and the heat inside was suffocating her right now.
She wanted to scream. Badly. She wanted to yell at the ignorant idiot until he got deaf. He had continued avoiding her the past day as well… Yesterday he had been in an extra sour mood and had yelled at her for no particular reason, making her blow up as well… It was a stupid fight really, but it wasn't really that what bothered her… it was the fact that everything that held meaning for her he always seemed to oversee… That was just… cruel. And he didn't even do as if he knew what she was talking about! He continued behaving like a victim, even around her, and it was pissing her off, since he was far more than just strong enough to defend himself and his interests! Yet he was not a man enough to face his problems or her, and face the fact that they were just supposed to be together by now. She didn't need to doubt this – he felt the same jolt run though him too every time they shared a kiss, every time they were at a close proximity… He couldn't lie to her about it, she could see it in his eyes… She could feel it in his caress…
She looked at the sheet of paper in her hand and unfolded it. It was the sheet with the results from his fortune telling game. She looked at the red. She knew that he knew she was going to read it… She had told him not to hold back and if he wanted her not to announce it over the table, she wouldn't. She knew how nosy her friends could get, and how superstitious they could get with those games. Did she believe them? She flicked the little piece of paper between her fingers. 'Red: You' she re-read it for the hundredth time. Was it really so? Could it possibly be?
Her ears perked up when she heard her sound system turn on and a dark melody echoed throughout the empty compound. Her parents have gone off to a meeting tonight. She was all alone in the huge house… She couldn't help but feel scared by who was there with her. Then she listened carefully and recognized the song… It was one that had haunted her dreams ever since her trip back home from Eastern City, so that meant…
"Without you… I am mute… Without you, raped and nude…" A husky voice that she recognized all too well whispered in her ear and a strong male figure hugged her from behind, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Now she recognized the song. She had heard it probably when she had been asleep on Vegeta's shoulder on their way home. She blushed at the thought but shook herself off of it and wringed herself around to glare at him in his grasp, glaring up at him. He was smirking down at her. "A friend of mine liked to say that anyone who enjoys such a dark melody is twisted…" He smirked strangely at her and she pulled away from him, startling the teen. "What?" He asked.
"Why are you here? How did you get inside anyway? I closed and locked all doors before I went to sleep! Get out!" She yelled at him and tried to push him out, yet any physical attack towards him was more than useless – he was a few dozen times stronger than her. Scowling down at her hostile behaviour, Vegeta grabbed her by her waist and held onto her, finally throwing her down when he reached her queen sized bed. "What are you doing?" She yelled as if there was no tomorrow.
"You should learn how to relax, woman." He chuckled at her, climbing on the bed after her. By the time he managed to, she had pulled herself against the bed post with her bent knees tightly against her chest.
"Look who's talking…" She muttered. "Leave me alone! I'm not one of those wenches that will throw themselves at your feet and do whatever you want just to please you!"
"I know." He smirked. "That's why I'm here."
"Excuse me?" She was taken aback by his answer. She had a whole tirade ready. She had replayed it over and over in her mind so many times that she was ready to give him an earful at any time that he actually decided he was ready to get it. And now he had so rudely interrupted her and she forgot all thought. Damn him for his evil powers over her… He didn't play fair! "What is that's playing on my stereo? Care to elaborate?"
"That's one of my favourite songs, woman," he smiled in his own twisted way at her. She gulped at the look in his eyes. She wouldn't be able to resist much longer if he kept looking at her that way… So sure, so secure, so… at ease.
"All those things that you have played while I was there are—"
"Are really holding some sense, as you have probably noticed." He leant down to kiss her neck. She pushed him away after a lot of hesitating. She did all in her might not to stare lustfully at him, trying to veil the need for him that hid in her eyes, seeded deeply in her core.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'd advice you to leave now…" She said and pulled back.
"All your friends have been attacking me verbally, trying to tell me how I am actually supposed to ask you out already, how perfect we are together and such shit…" He muttered, seating himself next to her in a similar stance. "I hate having people telling me what to do."
"Then why are you here?"
"For the nineteen years of my life, I have never before been put into a situation such as this one when being stubborn about something others say I should do would lead me to insanity…" He smirked distantly at his legs. "Without you I am mute… Without you, raped and nude… Without you, no, while you are the one can hurt me like you do…" He sang softly to her following the rhythm impeccably, obviously after hours of keeping it on 'repeat'. How is it that she had just noticed how beautifully his voice sounded when he tried to have it out gently, slowly… She smiled.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He stood still, looking at her for a while. He couldn't just blurt it out! And he couldn't say it properly either. Coming here had been a mistake…
"I told you to be sincere…"
"What?" He quirked an eye brow. She gave him the paper note crumpled in her balled fist. He unfolded it and looked at it. "What about it? I was sincere. I never say things I don't mean, woman; remember that."
"How am I to understand you, Vegeta, when even your actions are polysemantic? How am I supposed to know what you mean when in one minute you do something and in the next – its complete opposite! You kiss me, you listen to me bearing my soul for you, and then you just flirt with the first tramp that comes into your line of vision. I have no idea what to think anymore, Vegeta! Do you like me or not? I'll put it simply as that. Why are you here in the first place! Get out of my head, get off of my bed!" She screeched at him.
"I need you." He said lowly. She blinked a few times, looking weirdly at him. What was that? She must be hearing things… As if reading her mind, Vegeta repeated himself, "I need you." She blinked stupidly some more. "Liking is not something that I care about. I liked Juuhachigou; I liked Launch; I liked Jessica… I liked many girls, I have been physically attracted by many and many were attracted to me. But you said it yourself – they all liked who they saw – the well-known skater, the friendship or any kind of relation to whom would bring them fame that they would otherwise never obtain. But you're different… Different than the different Hailie had once been… I was scared at first; I would be hurt again, my instincts shouted at me. But…" His expression cleared completely, turning unreadable to Bulma. He pulled back and looked at her in the eyes. "I do believe that if you never give it a try you'll never know. Maybe we could be soul mates? Maybe not, or maybe so? Who knows? I'm not the coward type anyway." He chuckled.
"You're saying what I think you are, aren't you?" She muttered at him. She was well aware what he had just said was the most equivalent thing to a love confession she would get out of him today, or any other day. It was really touching, really touching truly…
He sighed in irritation. She was being slow tonight, he scowled lightly. With a sigh, he decided that tonight he was in the mood of putting up with her whims… Just this once…
"Will you be my girlfriend—" He hesitated for a moment. She would at least scold him if he called her 'woman' now… Besides, he had to admit to himself that was not quite… err, proper for the occasion… "—Bulma?"
The girl smiled widely, showing her lined up white teeth, latching herself onto his neck, seizing his lips into a passionate kiss.
"Does that mean 'yes'?" He joked, lying beneath her.
"Of course it means yes, silly!" She scolded him, but couldn't hold her serious expression for too long. She had waited for him the whole week to ask her out! They were truly made for each other, in her opinion. The more she dwelled on it, the more she was sure it was true… Her friends have always been right about their little 'accusations', why would they be wrong now? Then, for a part of the second, she remembered what he had said just a few seconds ago. "Did you say 'nineteen'?" Vegeta's ears perked up.
'Dang! She noticed… And here I thought I'd slip…'
"When was your birthday?" She asked him interested. "You're a Scorpio too?" She inquired interestedly and straddled his hips. "Come on, you can tell me! My birthday is soon too!"
"So I noticed. It doesn't matter…"
"It matters to me! Come on, tell me when your birthday is, V-chan!" She tried to tickle him, but it was useless. He wasn't ticklish. And he was far stronger than her. He flipped her over and before she could realize it, he was the one on top. She giggled.
"I'm not ticklish, woman… And I hate my birthday. It is no celebration date for me…" He said darkly, grief swimming among his onyx orbs. Bulma regretted asking. But still had something in mind… "So, are you pleased now?"
"Nope." She answered blatantly with a smile on her face, radiating joy. "But I will be if you stay with me tonight… I was getting really lonely around here. And when's our first date going to be?" She asked excitedly. He smirked at her.
"How does Friday after school sound? We could ditch a class or two if you like…" He smirked evilly. That would surely get him some more detention. Not that he was going to attend it anyway… His girlfriend giggled again. It wasn't as annoying as he thought it would be. He had always hated it when girls made that sound… But with her… Things were always different when she was around…
"It sounds wonderful…" She leant over him and went to fetch some covers for them while Vegeta stripped out of his t-shirt and baggy jeans, left only in his navy boxers. Bulma soon climbed in the bed and rested her head against her man's chest. It had been so long since she first wanted to be in that position… And for once in a week or so, she slept at peace…
x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Her current boyfriend had no such luck. He woke up in the middle of the night, his whole face covered in cold moisture. His breathing was labored and his eyes were wide with shock. He couldn't shake off the dreaded feeling… His past was haunting him again… He couldn't breathe from the pressure of his dream and the impact it still had on him. He never really dreamt… He was only reliving memories… And it would forever be that way, he knew now…
Noticing that the calm creature beside him hadn't stirred as he had thrown her off himself, the boy began rubbing his face with his hands furiously. Had he cried?
'…'
The thought repulsed him, disgusted him with himself, his weakness that had caught up with him in his most vulnerable state – sleep. How would he continue to live with those dreams? Would they haunt him forever? How was he supposed to be a sufficient person if he could not control himself? How would the woman trust him if he didn't trust himself? Did he even want her to trust him? Was he trust worthy? Did he deserve her to care so much for him?
'…'
He couldn't help wondering what it was that she was expecting of him now… Would she want him to be the one to freely show affection like her other boyfriend before him had done? Did she expect to change him? Did she want to change him before even knowing him? Would he let her know him?
So man questions swam through his mind in such a short period of time… He needed to calm himself down, but he couldn't… He couldn't stop himself from trembling… He was weakening… It was truly disgusting… He was weak… What woman would want a weak boyfriend? He wasn't weak-willed! He would show all of them that he was capable of existing in this world, even if it wasn't meant for him. Out of stubbornness, he would live on…
But how much time would he be able to hold everything inside before he went literally insane? He knew that his thoughts and complexes would only bring madness at the end… He hadn't really told anyone anything about his problems since… Since two years ago, almost three now. He wanted to find his inner peace again… He wanted to rest and to feel relieved when he woke, and not to have his sleep interrupted by nightmares, ghosts chasing him through time…
He curled near the end of the bed and tried to call for more sleep. He had to try his best… The woman needed him now… She was weaker than him… Or so he liked himself to think… But for now, it was a calming thought… Someone needed him… A slight smile graced his lips for a second before it perished into nothingness. Someone needed him…
His eyes closed, his consciousness surrendering to the darkness that consumed the room… Some time during the cold autumn night, Bulma's warm body had inched closer to the warmth he was emitting, embracing him from behind, and miraculously ceasing his constant shudders… If only he would've known who his guardian angel had been he would've never been so baffled by the affect the girl had on him…
