Please Friendzone Me!

Chapter 16

Not a Date

Looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror, Videl smoothed out the fabric of her sundress. This was so unlike her. She should probably change into something else. She couldn't possibly meet up with Gohan looking like this. Sure, he would be the only one seeing her wearing this aqua green sundress with bubble patterns, so that was better than showing herself in such a girly outfit to the whole class.

And, no, this wasn't about Gohan. Not at all. Nope. Wearing a dress was just more convenient when going to the beach. She wore a lemon green two-piece underneath, and taking off the sundress would simply be easier than the long-sleeved shirt and pair of jeans that she just got out of.

She and Gohan agreed to go get ready for the beach before meeting up to leave together. The girl just wanted to be more comfortable. There was nothing else to it. That was why she had packed the dress in the first place. Although Videl hadn't been sure she would get to wear it, she figured she might as well take it on the field trip just in case.

It certainly wasn't because she wanted to catch Gohan's attention. Not in the least. She was trying to get over her crush on him, not do something stupid like, say… trying to seduce him or something. No way.

So, okay, she wouldn't mind if Gohan ended up admiring the dress. And her in it. That didn't mean anything. Nothing at all.

Videl zipped up her beach bag and let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. I'm pathetic… Why can't I just get over him already?

There was a knock on the window. Videl frowned slightly as she turned around. Her eyebrows shot up, seeing Gohan standing on the balcony waving at her, his usual easy smile on his lips.

And then his hand stilled and his jaw hung open while his eyes widened slightly, his gaze slowly traveling over her figure.

Gohan seemed to jolt out of it then and quickly looked away. He rubbed the back of his neck, his face bright red.

Videl wished she didn't care about how he reacted to seeing her in a pretty dress. She wished his awed stare on her didn't make her heart dance in excitement.

As she walked over to the glass door, Videl took in Gohan's change of outfit. He was wearing a pair of black and orange swimming trunks, a navy blue, short-sleeved shirt which he left open on a white tank top. She wasn't used to seeing him sport such casual wear, and Videl had to admit… Gohan looked unfairly good like this.

She slid the glass door open, smiling shyly at the taller boy, and tucked a few rebel strands of hair behind her ear. "You look nice."

His lips twitched in an awkward smile, his face still flushed as he met her gaze. "You… You too…"

He reached over and touched the edge of her wavy short sleeve between his thumb and index finger. "The fabric is soft…"

Videl felt the heat rush to her head. She swallowed thickly.

Why did this feel like they were going on a date?

He straightened up abruptly and looked away again, coughing into his fist. "So, um… shall we go? I figured I can just fly us to the farthest beach."

"Sounds good, yeah."

Videl stepped out on the balcony. A pleasant breeze rustled her hair and dress slightly, and she took a deep breath, the smell of the ocean filling her lungs.

"You really do look very nice," Gohan breathed out.

She met his gaze and her face heated up once more. The glint in his eyes… Sometimes, it was really hard to remember that Gohan only saw her as a friend, especially when he looked at her like this, making her feel as though she was the only thing he could see. As though he was utterly captivated by the simple sight of her.

When he looked at her like that… Videl felt beautiful. She could see that to Gohan, she truly was. And to be honest, she didn't dislike that feeling.

He cracked an awkward grin. "Anyway, let's go."

Gohan picked her up in his arms, carrying her like a princess this time, unlike earlier when he had held her around the waist.

"I figure you'd be more comfortable like this, especially since you're wearing a dress," he explained.

Videl gave a nervous chuckle, holding her bag against her chest. "Thanks, I appreciate the consideration."

"Of course."

Videl felt herself melt as Gohan flashed her one of his effortlessly charming smiles.

Would she ever stop feeling this way about this boy? Right now, it didn't even feel possible.

Videl hoped Erasa was right, that her feelings for Gohan would, in time, become a distant memory. This couldn't go on. She liked him way, way too much.

Gently, Gohan started levitating off the balcony. He continued his ascension, slowly flying higher and higher.

Videl looked down, watching the hotel, the island become smaller and smaller, and she mused how fortunate it was that she wasn't afraid of heights. She wasn't even scared to be flying with only Gohan's arms for support; she felt safe with him, and she trusted him completely. If anything, she felt the safest right here, in Gohan's arms, than she would anywhere else.

Once he was high enough, Gohan flew toward the beach, his speed matching that of a simple vehicle. The leisure pace allowed Videl to take in the beautiful view, and soon enough the girl forgot all about her worries as Gohan flew them over the ocean along the island.

"This is amazing," she breathed out, her eyes sparkling like the reflection of the sun on the waves below them.

"You'll be able to do that too soon," Gohan reminded her.

Videl beamed at him, and the handsome young man grinned at her in return.

"I still can't wrap my head around it," she chuckled. "How long do you think it'll take me to learn? How long did it take you?"

"Me? Oh, well…" He gave a nervous chuckle. "I've kinda always known how to use my ki, it came naturally to me. Though at first it would burst out from strong emotions and I couldn't really control it…"

"Because of your unfair advantage?"

"Yeah… I don't really know how long it would take for a normal person, even someone as talented as you, to learn how to use their ki. All of my father's friends had already mastered that skill by the time I was born, so it's hard to say how long it'll take you to learn."

Videl frowned slightly in thought, staring off at the island in the distance. "I see…"

She hoped it wasn't going to take her months just to learn how to sense ki. She didn't want to wait that long for Gohan to show her just how strong he was. It was hard enough having to delay her talk with her father for only one day, despite the fact that she was fairly sure she had figured out what he wanted to talk to her about.

"But I'm sure you'll be quick to learn how to control your ki," Gohan went on. "Maybe a day? A few days at most, I'd say. Depending on how receptive you are to your own ki."

She blinked at him. Only a few days? Well, that was way better than what she had imagined.

Did that mean that Gohan might tell her all about him that soon? If they started the lessons right away, she might even get her answers as quickly as tomorrow.

"Hey, look, the spot over there looks really nice," Gohan said, motioning ahead with his head. "And it's completely deserted. We won't be coming across anyone we know there, that's for sure."

Videl turned her attention to the shore, where a crescent cliff overlooked a secluded spot of sand. It wasn't easily accessible through normal means, except via air, and it didn't look like anyone had ever tried. Lush with nature, clean, untouched… What a perfect place to spend the rest of the afternoon.

Her cheeks tingled with warmth, and she bit her lip. It really did feel like she and Gohan were going a date…

He landed on top of the cliff, his sneakers making a slight scrunching noise on the grass, and gently set her down . Videl gave him a sheepish smile as his arms let her go, and she took a step back. Gohan beamed at her, before turning toward the ocean. He took a deep breath and stretched his arms out.

"What a view, huh?"

Videl looked to the horizon, a sense of peace swelling in her chest. The sky was bright blue, the sunrays contouring the few clouds that were lazily strolling about here and there, and the sea was a beautiful teal color. This view looked straight out of a postcard.

She felt Gohan's hand take hers and glanced at him with a soft smile. Her chest glowed at the glint in his eyes as he gazed into hers. Feeling the familiar pull tugging at her heartstrings, Videl let it guide her and stepped closer to Gohan. She leaned her head against his broad torso, closing her eyes as she snuggled up to him. In response, Gohan wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her close.

This feeling… His warmth, his affection, his gentleness… The way Gohan treasured her was so beautiful and pure. Videl smiled to herself. It made her so happy.

"Mmm… This is never getting old…" Gohan sighed, tucking her head under his chin.

Videl quietly agreed. It was hard to believe how much closer she and Gohan had grown since the beginning of the field trip. To think that before yesterday, they hadn't even shared a hug yet, and now it had become the most natural thing for them. They were getting more and more comfortable with one another, and their friendship kept growing deeper.

She was truly glad that Gohan was in her life. Sure, she could've done without her unwanted feelings for him, but those would pass in time, so it didn't matter. Having a friend like Gohan, however – someone who lifted her up, someone who was always there for her, someone who cherished her and who was always kind – that was something Videl would never take for granted. People like Gohan were so rare, and she was truly grateful that this little gem of a person had found his way to her.

"I think we should put some sunscreen on," Gohan mumbled against her hair, finally breaking the comfortable silence.

Videl chuckled in amusement as they slowly pulled away from the hug. The way her blue eyes sparkled made his chest glow in a warm and peaceful light.

"Yeah, the sun's beating pretty hard huh?" she agreed.

She kneeled down by her beach bag on the grass and unzipped it, digging a hand inside as she looked for something – her sunscreen, no doubt.

While Videl was busy with her bag, Gohan couldn't help letting his gaze travel along her figure, marveling at the way her sundress outlined her lovely curves. The aqua-green color looked amazing on her, and the bubble patterns were a cute addition. The dress had short, flowy sleeves and a wide collar, showing off her slender neck and her shoulder blades. The fabric hugged her upper body down to her mid-waist, then it flowed gracefully over her legs, stopping a few inches over her knees. The white sandals Videl was wearing completed the look nicely.

Gohan forced himself to tear his eyes off her just as Videl stood, resisting the urge to stare as her dress followed the shift of her body. The last thing he needed was for Videl to notice how much she captivated him.

His face felt hot though. Gohan massaged the nape of his neck, still avoiding to look at Videl. He really hoped she couldn't see how flustered she was making him feel.

"I've got… the sunscreen." Her voice was slow, maybe hesitant or thoughtful.

Gohan heaved a dejected sigh. Of course she picked up on his weird behavior. Nothing went past this girl.

He finally met her gaze and tried to smile naturally. "Okay." He started slipping his short-sleeved shirt off his shoulders. "Would you help me put some on my back?"

He took off his tank top and sat cross-legged on the grass, showing his back to Videl. He quirked an eyebrow, distinctly hearing a loud gulp behind him.

"S… Sure," came Videl's reply, her voice small.

She kneeled down behind him. Gohan heard her open the cap of the sunscreen bottle, then she sprayed the misty lotion on several spots on his back.

"Oh, it's the spray kind," he commented. "That's pretty neat."

Videl didn't reply, but he did hear another loud gulp coming from her. Not thinking much of it, Gohan quietly waited for Videl to spread the sunscreen over his back.

His breath involuntarily hitched at the contact of her soft hand. Gohan felt the blood rush to his face as Videl slowly smeared the creamy solution all over his back, helping it penetrate his skin.

His heart was racing. He could feel his whole body burning up. Gohan swallowed thickly as Videl got closer to his lower back, touching him dangerously close to his tail spot…

Oh, crap… No, no, no… Not now!

Gohan hung his head in shame. How could he get a hard-on at a moment like this? If Videl noticed what was going on with him, she was going to be so creeped out.

He shut his eyes tightly and tried to think of something unappealing. Cell… Freeza… Reacum… My worst beat-ups… Vegeta did a number on me too back then.

The teenage boy let out a soft sigh as his crotch area cooled off. Good. He had managed to calm down before Videl could notice he got aroused by her putting sunscreen on his back.

"Alright, I'm done," she said, moving to sit beside him. "Will you do mine?"

Gohan heard some shuffling, and his gaze followed the noise. His lips parted and he held his breath as Videl grabbed the hem of her dress and lifted it up, slowly unraveling her incredible body.

She was wearing a lemon green two-piece. It wasn't as revealing as a bikini, but it still left little to the imagination. And Gohan couldn't stop himself from staring.

Her creamy skin, her curves, her toned muscles… Her shoulders, her chest, her stomach, her thighs…

Goodness, why, oh why was she so damn perfect? Was she trying to actually kill him?

"Gohan?"

He swallowed, his gaze drawn to her mouth as she spoke his name.

Damn it. He wanted her so much.

He must be crazy. She was the one driving him mad. How could he be thinking of Videl that way? Why couldn't he tame this wild desire bubbling up inside of him?

His damn hormones weren't making it any easier either.

"The sunscreen, Gohan?"

Her words took a moment to reach the comprehension part of his brain. Slowly, his attention shifted to her hand, which she was extending toward him holding the bottle of sunscreen.

"Oh. Right." He took it from her. "Sorry, I kinda spaced out…"

He had little hope that Videl wouldn't notice how red he looked, but Gohan was grateful when she didn't make any comment and simply turned around to show him her back, moving her pigtails onto her chest to get them out of the way.

Gohan gulped. Her back looked so sexy.

Okay. Focus. Now's not the time to get too excited again.

He sprayed her back before setting the bottle aside, then used both his hands to spread the lotion over her skin, hoping he would be done faster this way.

He ignored the electricity at the contact of her beautiful skin, or how smooth it felt, and how toned and slim she was.

It wasn't fair. How was he supposed to keep a clear head when her body heat was so close and she was barely wearing anything?

"There. Done," he breathed out, before scooting to the side, putting some much-needed distance between them.

"Thanks," Videl replied, barely above a whisper.

Gohan was still too embarrassed to look at her. Without a word, he picked up the sunscreen bottle again and sprayed it on the rest of his body. When he was done, he put it back between him and Videl – but she chose that precise moment to grab it from his hand, and a spark ignited on his skin when her hand brushed his ever so slightly.

His face flared up. This was ridiculous. Why was he reacting so strongly at such a simple contact when they'd been holding hands and hugging all day?

Gohan decided to pretend nothing weird was going on and proceeded to rub the lotion on his body. Next to him, he heard the pshtt pshtt pshtt of Videl spraying the sunscreen on herself. He clenched his fist, bottling down the urge to glance her way while she spread the creamy solution all over her beautiful skin.

He was way, way too attracted to this girl. She was going to be the end of him someday.

Gohan shook his head sharply, trying to clear his mind. Looking to the horizon, he supposed a good dive in the sea could help him cool off.

"How about we go for a swim?" he suggested to his friend. He wasn't ready to glance her way just yet though.

"Sounds good. That's why we got all the out here after all, right?"

He cracked a smile and took a glimpse of Videl out of the corner of his eyes. His heart did a weird thing in his chest when her expression softened as she met his gaze. His face felt hot and tingly.

Gohan looked away and cleared his throat. He really needed to cool off.

He got to his feet. "How about we dive in the sea from up here?"

Videl stood as well. "I figured that was why you landed on the cliff."

Gohan chuckled at the matter-of-fact way she said that. She sure was something else, that girl. He liked that she wasn't afraid at all at the idea of jumping from so high up.

She walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. Gohan watched her with a smile. Nope. Definitely not afraid.

He came up to her level, feeling the last of the tension ease off his muscles, and took her small hand in his much bigger one. Videl flashed him an adorably sheepish smile, and Gohan melted at the sight. He gave her hand a light squeeze, and Videl squeezed back.

"Together?" he asked.

She nodded. "At the count of three."

Gohan's eyes lit up and he grinned playfully. "Three!" he shouted and jumped from the cliff, pulling Videl with him.

She squealed in surprise but it soon turned into a gleeful laugh. Gohan caught a glimpse of her lovely expression just before they splashed into the sea.

The cool water enveloped his body. It felt nice and refreshing, like sinking into a bunch of fluffy pillows. Gohan was still smiling as he saw the blurry image of Videl underwater, the lack of pressure slowly pulling them up.

They were laughing when they emerged to the surface.

"You caught me by surprise!" Videl said, more a statement than a reproach.

"That was the point, yeah!" he replied, beaming at her.

Their laughter calmed down, but they were still grinning at each other. Still holding Videl's hand, Gohan intertwined their fingers. The color on her cheeks seemed to redden while she flashed him a sheepish smile.

"The water feels nice," he said softly, swimming a little closer to Videl.

"Yeah… But I kinda need my hand to swim, you know?" she remarked with an awkward laugh.

"Right…" Reluctantly, Gohan let go of her hand.

"How is your hair still spiking up even when it's wet?" Videl asked, observing the strange phenomena with quirked eyebrows.

Gohan chuckled, running a hand through his thick locks. "It's a little less spiky now though, isn't it?"

Videl snorted out a laugh, muffling the noise into her hand. "I guess!"

The two teenagers were lying on a blanket they'd set on the sand by the shore, letting the sun dry them.

They had a lot of fun in the sea, racing each other and playing all sorts of water games. Gohan felt a lot better now. Even though now and again, he still found himself staring at Videl's gorgeous figure, only clad in her two-piece (because really, how could he not?), he was getting used to seeing her in such an attire.

And he loved spending time with her. They had a lot of fun already, but the afternoon was only beginning, and they still had plenty of time before they would need to join their class on the field trip.

The atmosphere between them was comfortable and pleasant as they lay there in the sun. The waves crashing onto the shore, the song of the seagulls, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees around them… How could one not feel completely relaxed in such a scenery?

Not to mention, the presence of the wonderful girl lying by his side. Just feeling her next to him made his heart swell with warmth. He was so happy he got to spend the day with Videl like this.

Some time later, Videl sat up. Gohan opened his eyes and, unable to resist, let them roam on her incredible curves while the unsuspecting girl looked out at the horizon.

She brought her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees.

"Gohan, what did you say to my dad?"

Her question made him blink. He sat up in turn.

"It's really best if your dad gets to talk to you first, Videl," Gohan said softly. "I'll tell you everything soon, but this particular thing, your dad needs to be the one to tell you."

She turned to look at him, her deep blue eyes boring into him. It felt like she was trying to read his mind.

"Is it about Cell?"

Gohan's jaw hung open. Did she just…? How could she…? When did she…?

"H… How…?" he bumbled. Did Videl actually read his mind?

"How I figured it out?" she completed the question for him, and Gohan nodded dumbly. Videl sighed and turned toward the ocean once more, hugging her legs and resting her chin in her arms. "To be honest, I've always had my doubts that my dad actually killed Cell, and after our spar, it became increasingly hard to pretend that a mere sixteen-year-old wasn't stronger than him.

"Then you showed me you could fly and told me about ki, confirming that it was all real and not just some magic tricks like my dad always said. And I know you weren't worried about my dad challenging you. You said I've already surpassed him, but you're ways ahead of me, so you're obviously ways ahead of him too. And since you know Cell and the fighters weren't using any tricks, I figure that's how you know my dad couldn't have possibly killed Cell.

"But you didn't want to show him up in front of his daughter, so you asked to talk to him alone, and that's when you showed him that you were stronger than him and told him you knew about Cell so he'd back out of challenging you.

"Lastly, I doubt he decided to tell me about Cell all on his own, so you likely said to him that you planned to tell me everything about yourself but that I should hear the truth about the Cell Games from him."

Gohan swallowed thickly. Videl had figured out pretty much everything, down to how his talk with Mr. Satan went, almost to the dot. The one detail she was missing was that he actually was at the Cell Games and killed the monster himself. If she had known he could change his appearance at will to blond hair with teal eyes, or even that such a feat was possible, Gohan had no doubt that Videl would've put two and two together just like she did for the rest.

"Or did I get anything wrong?" she asked, observing him. It sounded more rhetorical than an actual question though. That girl knew she was right, and indeed she was.

What should he do? It wasn't supposed to go like this. Mr. Satan should be the one to tell Videl about Cell. She was old enough to know the truth now, and Gohan had wanted to give the man the chance to come clean with his daughter. He hoped that this way, their bond wouldn't suffer too much from all these years of deception.

He hadn't expected Videl to figure out everything by herself.

What now?

"Aren't you going to say something?"

But Gohan couldn't get his voice to work. He swallowed. Should he just tell her everything? But if he revealed to her that he had been at the Cell Games, he would have to explain to her just how that was possible seeing as she only knew him with black hair and eyes, and he had planned to show her his full power only once Videl learned how to sense ki.

He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. If only Videl could've just waited until tomorrow for her dad to tell her everything himself… Patience wasn't that girl's strong point, huh?

"Look, Videl…" he started, but he wasn't sure how to continue that sentence. He ran a hand through his hair.

She crossed her arms. "Why can't you just say it? I get why you'd want my dad to be the one to tell me the truth, but we're here already. I know I'm right anyway."

Gohan sighed again. "I just… wasn't planning for this. You were supposed to talk to your dad first, and I wanted to teach you how to sense ki before I explained to you my role in all this…"

Videl shifted on the blanket to face him fully, her eyes dead serious.

"Do it now, then. Teach me."

January 22, 2023 (hey, it's my lil' bro's birthday! :D)