Chapter Seventeen

I Wish We Could Stay in Our Little Bubble

They just lay there, in her bed, watching the shadows move on the ceiling from the shifting lights coming from outside the window as well as the bedside lamp. He had his arm around her. Her head was nested in the crook of his neck, and she played distractedly with his fingers. His other arm was tucked behind his head.

Gohan knew he would have to get up and leave soon, but, for now, the teen just wanted to bask in the afterglow with his girlfriend.

He smiled at the thought. He loved that Videl was his girlfriend. And, right now, that was all he wanted to think about. Right now, the complications around their relationships didn't exist. He exiled them outside of their warm, comfy little bubble. Right now, Videl was the only thing on his mind.

Gohan figured they may have jumped the guns, but, honestly, he didn't care. So what if they'd just started dating? He felt great. Incredible, really. Relaxed. Content. He wanted to hold on to that feeling.

Besides, they loved each other. Wasn't that the most important thing?

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, her voice hushed, as though she feared that speaking any louder would break this magical moment.

He kissed her temple. "About how much I love you."

She put her hand over her mouth and snorted in laughter. "Gosh, you're so corny."

He turned his head to her, and, to meet his gaze, she shifted her position to lie on her side against him and leaned on her forearm. Gohan smiled, his chest swelling at the sight of her beautiful face.

"What? It's the truth," he stated simply.

Her expression softened, and the corner of her lips curved into a loving smile. "Yeah, I know."

Pulling out his arm from behind his head, he put his hand on her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. His heartbeat picked up. He really did love her.

And then his stomach growled, effectively breaking the moment. Gohan took his hand and put it over his blushing face, averting his gaze. "Sorry." His throat tightened as he suggested the last thing he wanted to do. "I should probably get going…"

Videl sighed and agreed, but her voice was small and he could feel her reluctance as she uttered the words. It made him smile. Gohan rose slightly and leaned on his elbow, towering over her in the bed. He brushed away her bangs from her forehead, and Videl smiled back at him.

"Next weekend, I want to get away with you," she announced. Her smile grew into a smirk as she added, "I believe you mentioned the moon? I think that would be the perfect getaway place."

He chuckled. "I'll try to arrange that, then. Might take some time, though. Not sure I can get everything ready by next weekend."

"Then how about a deserted island? Would that make it happen faster? I can bring a capsule house."

He leaned in and nuzzled her neck. "Sounds good to me," he whispered, before planting a soft kiss where her jawline and her throat met. She let out a soft, closed-mouthed moan.

He loved how eager she was to spend time alone with him. He felt the exact same way.

Gohan sighed, his breath on her skin making her shiver against him.

He didn't want to go. He wished he could spend the night with Videl; he wished that they weren't teenagers, that they didn't have parents to worry about. But, alas, Gohan couldn't afford to get his mother mad at him, not when he absolutely needed her to agree to let him spend the weekend with his girlfriend.

He paused at the thought.

In hindsight, asking her that probably wouldn't go well either way. There was no way Chichi would agree to it when she still believed that her son was too young to… well, too young to do what he had just done with his lovely girlfriend.

He detached himself from her, towering over her once more, and took a moment to gaze upon her some more. His stomach growled again, reminding him that he hadn't even had dinner tonight, although he did get a big snack after school.

The reminder soured his mood. Gohan rolled over and pushed the covers aside, looking around for his clothes. It was like he could distinctly hear their little bubble pop. Reality was catching up to them.

x

Videl pulled on her sheets to cover herself, feeling a chill at the loss of his warmth. She watched him get dressed with a pang in her heart. She didn't want him to go.

But he couldn't stay the night, either. She lay on her side and hugged the covers close, letting out a quiet sigh.

But Gohan still heard her. He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. He had already put his shirt and pants back on. His eyes softened and he scooted closer to her, towering over her and running his fingers through her long raven tresses.

"Let's meet up at the roof again tomorrow before school."

Videl couldn't help but smile at his proposition. "I'd like that, yeah."

He bent down and kissed her ever so softly, the touch of his lips igniting the customary fireworks. He made her feel so breathless.

He was smiling when he pulled back.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she replied, her eyes softening. She touched the side of his face. "So much."

He smiled at her, kissed her forehead, before turning away once more to finish putting on his shoes.

She wished he could stay, but she understood that he couldn't. Even her, if her father found them like this, and even despite the fact that he had long lost her respect, she would still get in big trouble if he happened to walk in.

But ever since last Friday, after her date with Reece and the revelation that ensued, Mr. Satan was keeping out of her path, so Videl wasn't worried.

They were still teenagers, after all. They depended on their parents, whether they liked it or not. Even if Videl had a bad relationship with her father, she still needed him to provide for her ━ no matter how much she resented the way he got the means to be her provider.

Much too soon, Gohan was ready. Holding the sheet to her chest, she rose in a sitting position. He came back on the bed, cupped her face, and they kissed one more time.

"See you tomorrow," he whispered, his breath tickling her lips. Their foreheads pressed together, Videl kept her eyes closed as he stroked her cheek. She would never get tired of his touch.

"See you tomorrow…"

He stood and went towards the balcony. The image of him then, standing by the glassdoor with his hand on the open frame, made her breath hitch. He was looking back at her over his shoulder, while the lights from the city and the bedside lamp gave him an enchanting glow, outlining his strong build, his handsome features… And his smile, his eyes were so gentle, so full of love.

Videl felt her heart swell. She took a mental picture of Gohan, of that very moment, of how it made her feel, making the wish to always remember that beautiful vision of the boy she loved.

LIAR LIAR LIAR LIAR…

In big, uneven letters, glued from cut bits of newspaper articles, Hercule had received a whole page full of the insulting word. He stared at the paper, his hands shaking slightly, his face white as a sheet. This was not the first letter he'd received, hinting that somebody knew. Hercule feared that this would not be the last he would hear from the sender, or that it would stop at letters, for the matter.

He swallowed audibly. Maybe it was some kind of sick joke? It didn't look like one, that was for sure. But who could have figured the truth? Could it be the doing of people who had actually accomplished what he claimed to have done? Could it be the golden-haired kid who had been the last person to have fought Cell? That boy certainly looked like he had the upper hand against the monster, and if he would have to guess, Hercule figured that the kid had to be the one who finished off Cell.

But why would he have waited years before making himself known? Why would he send letters, when he could simply confront Hercule and show the world that he was the superior fighter? What was his goal? Did he want money? His credit back?

Was it really the kid though?

Somehow Hercule doubted that the brave child who had fought a monster like Cell with everything he had, who had never tried to take back the credit he deserved, who didn't even seem to care about it; that someone who seemed genuinely selfless would do something so low as to send threatening letters.

There were times when Hercule wished he'd shut his mouth on that fateful day. Sure, he loved the fame, the glory, the money, the attention, the fans, the women throwing themselves at his feet… But the price seemed too high sometimes. To be constantly on alert, to have the threat of being found out looming over him… And now, those letters…

But, most of all, Hercule regretted losing his Videl because of his lie. He always felt that she must have known. Their relationship had deteriorated ever since he'd come back from the Cell Games. His daughter could always tell when he was lying, after all; no wonder she figured him out from the get-go.

A foreign thought occurred to him. But… No, Videl wouldn't do that to him. Would she? Yeah, she did say she was ashamed to be his daughter, but sending letters to scare him wasn't something she would do… Right?

Could he really say that he knew his daughter anymore, though? Besides, she could have told one of her friends. Maybe they were the ones who send him those dreadful letters.

Hercule felt a dry lump form in his throat. It couldn't be Videl's doing. It was impossible. Unthinkable. But what if she hadn't kept the truth to herself? What if someone she knew was the culprit? He hated that he couldn't even trust his own daughter. But he only had himself to blame…

His hands shook slightly, making the paper he was holding rustle. His eyes followed the hallways that led to the kitchen, where Videl should be taking her breakfast at this time, and then he looked back at the letter. A few days ago, he had gotten one that assured that he "won't get away with it", and Hercule feared that those weren't empty threats, that the perpetrators were serious.

And he couldn't let the truth come out. No matter what. Never mind him, but Videl would suffer from it, and that was something Hercule couldn't ever allow. She had nothing to do with his mistake; her only crime was to be related to him. More than anything, Videl deserved a better father, and if he couldn't be that parent, Hercule could at least make sure her future was secured, that her life wouldn't be affected because of his bad choices.

In any case, Hercule had to find out who was sending the letters, and, as much as he despised the mere idea of asking her, he had to know if his daughter had anything to do with it. However unlikely it seemed to him, he needed to at least cross her out of the list of suspects.

x

Sitting at the counter in the kitchen, her eyes heavy with sleep, she stirred the black beverage in her mug, waiting for it to get cooler so she could finally take a sip of the much-needed caffeine.

Putting her elbow on the counter and holding her chin in her hand, Videl smiled stupidly as images of last night sailed gently in her mind. Moments with Gohan were always a treasure, but last night had been so much more special. She had never trusted someone so completely before. She knew that she had Gohan's heart without a single shred of doubt, just like he had hers. And, last night, they had shared the most magical moment together. They may have gone too fast, but it hadn't felt that way to Videl at all. The moment had felt just right. She had felt her love for him swell to the point of overflowing, and she knew that Gohan had felt the exact same way. She had wanted him, had wanted to possess him, to feel him closer, to lose herself in him…

She took a sip of her coffee, which was finally at the right temperature, and sighed in content. Despite everything, despite all the complications around her relationship with Gohan, Videl felt incredibly lucky that he was in her life. She could only hope that when the time would come to tell the truth to Erasa, her friend could forgive her and maybe even understand why she had felt the need to lie about her feelings.

Her mood soured at the thought and Videl's shoulders slumped. But she quickly took a hold of herself, shaking her head to shoo away her problems and focus on the good things. Today, she didn't want to worry about the future. She wanted to enjoy the now and not let anything else ruin her mood.

But that would prove to be more difficult than anticipated: her father entered the kitchen. Videl averted her eyes and decided to ignore his presence, focusing on drinking her coffee.

But Hercule cleared his throat, obviously trying to get her attention. Her lips pursed in annoyance.

"Not now," she requested without looking at him. "I'm in a good mood so, just, leave me be."

A long silence followed, and Videl continued to drink from her mug, making a point not to look at her genitor. Eventually, she heard a deep, resigned sigh.

"As you wish…" he conceded, and then he left without another word.

Videl shut her eyes tightly, pushing away the aching feeling in her chest, and focused on her memories of last night. She saw Gohan's gentle smile, his adoring eyes. She thought of how sweet and caring he had been when they made love, and the memory made her skin tingle. It had felt so incredible to be intimate with him… And, most of all, it made her feel so much closer to him, and that one feeling cleared away all the negative ones.

She recalled the beautiful image of him just before he left, and her chest felt lighter. She thought of their plan to meet up on the roof this morning and her smile widened.

The girl sighed dreamily. What would she have done without that wonderful boy?

This may not be the way they had planned to meet up in the morning, but Gohan figured that any time he saw Videl was a treat ━ even if it involved fighting the scums of the city.

He'd arrived after her, seeing as she'd rushed to the drug store as soon as she got the call from the police while he'd still been on his way to the city. Sensing her energy flare up, Gohan had powered up and reached her in record time.

But they were only three, and Videl was more than capable of handling herself without his help. Despite that, Gohan decided to show himself anyway, if only to fight crime side by side with his secret girlfriend ━ something they never really got to do before, for that matter.

While Videl was fighting inside the drug store, Gohan landed on the roof of a building nearby and quickly discarded his satchel and his high school pin. He was wearing a plain, long-sleeved white shirt and brown pants today. Usually, he would take off his shirt and show up as Saiyaman wearing the tank top he had under his shirt, but he had only started doing that so that Videl's clever eye wouldn't make the connection between Gohan the high schooler and Saiyaman the superhero.

Therefore, the Super Saiyan didn't bother taking off his white shirt and rushed in to offer his unneeded help to the beautiful crime-fighter. Unlike his previous interventions, however, Gohan didn't take care of the criminals in a matter of seconds like a gust of wind that would knock them out.

Videl had just delivered a powerful punch that sent one of the guys crashing in some aisle full of mouthwash bottles. They tumbled on him and some of them broke open from the impact, and the masked robber groaned and made a face while he tried to get up.

But at that moment, a golden-haired man appeared before him.

The man gulped. "Oh sh━"

His curse was cut off by a powerful punch to his stomach, and the hit was enough to render him harmless as he curled up in the soaked floor and whimpered in pain.

Behind him, Gohan could sense that the action had paused, most probably because of his appearance. As he turned around, he smirked when he saw Videl take advantage of the distraction his arrival had caused to jump and sweep her leg around in a devastating roundhouse kick that struck both of the men still standing.

And those two were out as well. Videl's whole face lit up when their eyes met, and Gohan's lips twitched as he tried to force down the stupid grin he'd had since last night. He wanted to run to her, wrap his arms around her, nuzzling her neck as he breathed in her scent, basking in her presence.

At that moment, the police force broke through the entrance and scattered around to apprehend the law-breakers as well as help the civils.

See you on the roof, Gohan mouthed to her, and Videl nodded her head once, doing a poor job of hiding her excited grin, before turning away and rushing out.

They probably wouldn't have much time together before class, but it was always better than nothing.

Meeting up with Gohan every morning was definitely a great way to start the day. They didn't get to spend as much time as they had planned, but the brief yet intense makeout session had definitely been worth waking up extra early. Videl felt like she was walking on a cloud, and her legs were like Jell-O.

She loved that boy so, so much. She loved how he could make her feel ━ how he was the only one who could make her feel that way.

When she got to her classroom, however, Videl's mood soured. She couldn't help the resentment from tightening her chest as she caught sight of Erasa on her seat and she was reminded of what happened before Gohan came to see her in her room.

She knew it wasn't the other girl's fault ━ if anything, Videl was the one to blame here. She was the one who lied to her friend, she was the one who didn't stop her from asking Gohan out, and she even encouraged her, hoping it would help her move on if Gohan could reject her properly. But the situation got out of hand and turned out even worse.

To think Erasa had kissed Gohan ━ her Gohan. The mere thought was making her sick.

Videl pursed her lips. She hated that she had let it happen. She hated that she'd let her fear and cowardice get the better of her when she should've come clean to Erasa from the start.

The blonde was leaning her chin in her cupped hands, looking at the ceiling with a faraway look on her face. Videl did her best to look neutral as she took the steps to join her in their row.

"Hey, Erasa."

The other girl turned a lazy gaze on her, and then she let out a deep sigh. Videl frowned as she took her seat next to her.

"What's the matter?"

Another deep, heartwrenching sigh. "I think I ruined my chances with Gohan."

Not like you ever had one, Videl couldn't help biting back, resentful despite herself and against reason. "What do you mean?"

Erasa leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. "I did something really stupid."

Damn right you did. But Videl felt bad about her inner snide remarks when Erasa turned distressful eyes at her.

Her throat tightened. She was such an awful friend.

"I… I knew he wasn't over you, he told me clearly, and I even insisted that it wasn't a date even though I was hoping it could be… We had a really nice time. He was so sweet… And then I ruined everything." Erasa let out yet another deep sigh. "After he walked me home I… I kissed him goodbye."

Videl pursed her lips tightly, refraining from reacting to that bit of news. But, inwardly, her blood was boiling.

She hadn't got all the details from Gohan. She hadn't known that Erasa had maintained that it wasn't a date, that Gohan had been completely honest about his feelings… And yet Erasa still made a move on him, discarding how Gohan felt, even after he told her he wasn't over her best friend…

"I… I'm sure it's not that bad," Videl uttered, forcing herself to look the part of a good friend, for want of being one.

Erasa didn't answer, staring into space, her head lowered. Videl felt a pinch in her chest as her eyes welled up with tears; the blonde was quick to brush them away with the side of her hand.

"It is. It's bad, Videl. Not only did I take advantage of him, but…" Erasa trailed off and took a sharp breath.

Videl frowned in wonder. "But what?"

"It's just… The kiss. It wasn't… it should've been more… I don't know." Erasa's shoulders slumped in defeat. She leaned forward, her crossed arms against the desk, and let her chin rest in between them. "It was so weird. I kinda… didn't feel a thing."

"Like drinking cold milk?" Videl couldn't help quoting Gohan from last night.

Erasa perked up and straightened herself, looking back at her. "Yeah, exactly. How did you know?"

Videl simply shrugged. "So the kiss was bad. Maybe Gohan's just not the one for you."

If Gohan couldn't properly reject her, then maybe it was time for her to take the matter into her own hands. Granted, it would be simpler if she could just come clean and tell everything to Erasa, but now was not the time for that. Telling the truth would go so much smoother if Erasa was already moving on with another guy instead of still being hung up on Gohan.

"But…" The blonde trailed off, the look of a lost puppy on her face. She sighed once more, hanging her head in defeat. "Maybe not…"

Videl felt it was too soon to rejoice: she knew her friend. While Erasa may have admitted it, the reluctance in her tone was thick. It was obvious that the other girl was still hoping things could change, that if she had just one more chance with Gohan, they could still make it work somehow.

She needed to get Erasa a new boyfriend, Videl decided. Like, actively. She couldn't just wait for Erasa to move on. With the way things were going, it could take ages for her to start fresh with someone else.

Where was Sharpner when you needed him? If he were here, he could have introduced his jock friends to Erasa. Well, Videl knew some guys from the sports clubs she often partook in as her afterschool activity. Surely, a bunch of them would be interested in a great girl like Erasa, right?

The situation was too serious to wait for things to resolve themselves on their own. Videl couldn't take the lies and the hiding things anymore. She wanted her best friend back ━ she wanted to tell her everything. And most of all, she wanted to be a good friend again. She wanted their relationship back.

To think, she had lost her virginity last night, and she couldn't even tell her best friend about it.

He stood staring at the front door, waiting for Videl to come home. The incriminating paper was once again in his hold.

He was waiting for much longer than anticipated. Shouldn't Videl be long home by now? Glancing at the fancy clock hanging on the wall, Hercule frowned at the time. What was she doing out so late? He usually gave her space because he knew that she was smart and responsible, but had he been too lenient? She did go out on a date with that nobody last Friday…

But the memory made his throat close up. Hercule shook his head sharply to discard the image of the look of betrayal on his only daughter's face. His gaze fell on the piece of paper in his hands. Was he right to suspect her? Shouldn't he look elsewhere for the culprits?

But how could he be sure that Videl hadn't confided in someone, who then would have told someone else and so on until a bunch of people ended up knowing the truth about the Cell Games?

The front door was finally pushed open, and Videl's broad smile immediately fell when she saw him standing there, obviously waiting for her.

Beads of sweat gathered on his temple as he watched her wordlessly. His heart started beating erratically at what he was about to do, and he questioned himself yet again, was it really necessary to ask Videl?

"What? What is it?" she asked, her tone harsh. She crossed her arms as she gauged him, her eyes cold.

Unable to say it, he stepped towards her and handed her the paper. Videl gave him a suspicious look before taking it from him and looking at it. She pales, her eyes widening.

"Wha… What is this?" she whispered, looking left and right restlessly, as though fearing to be overheard.

"I've been getting a few of those in the past couple weeks," he explained. When she looked back at him, he continued in a serious tone. "Videl, have you told anyone?"

"Of course not!" she sputtered indignantly. She gritted her teeth and squinted at him in anger. "How can you think I have anything to do with… something as despicable and cowardly as these letters? I work for the police, you know."

Oh, yes, he did know, and he'd never approved of this little extracurricular activity of hers. Videl was the most stubborn person he'd ever known, however, and no matter what he said she'd never listened to him.

She probably thought he wasn't worth listening to. There were times when he agreed.

"I had to ask you, just in case," he said, feeling uneasy under her accusatory glare. "I had to make sure you didn't tell anyone."

She lowered her head, observing the repeated word that filled the page. "Why would I want to say to anyone that my own father is a big fraud," she whispered, her voice laced with hurt. She let go of the despicable letter, letting it fall at their feet.

Hercule tried to reach out to her, to touch her shoulder, but Videl flinched away from him, and then she ran past him. "Leave me alone," he heard her whisper hoarsely as her rapid steps up the stairs and away in the corridor became more and more distant.

He stood there, staring at the front door, feeling more miserable than ever. He picked up the letter that Videl had dropped and frowned as he observed it. The repeated word seemed to be screaming at his face what a terrible father he was.

August 23, 2021