a/n: So I'm finally updating this story. I hope you still remembered what happened in the first chapter! I have high hopes for this story. I've decided to make this fic decently but satisfyingly short. I'd say maybe 5 to 7 chapters? But too soon to tell just yet haha. Enjoy!!

Scattered Images
Part II

That is the sound of chirping birds. Not the afternoon traffic.

That is the distant sound of the ocean waves. Not the distant sound of sirens from cops or the ambulance.

Pure, bright sunlight. Not the ones covered by clouds of smoke and pollution.

"Well, well, well. Look who's finally awake," A masculine voice greeted from the right of me, near the balcony window of my room. "Snow white herself."

I rolled my head to the side, finding a black haired boy my age with his usual half smirk aimed at me.

"Afternoon to you too, Vegeta."

"Nightmares?" He raised a perfect eyebrow as his dark eyes took in the scene of books half opened laying around the floor, pencils broken in half, empty DVD cases, a cup of unfinished coffee, empty chocolate wrappers, and me pulling myself up in a safer position than half my body dangling off the edge of the bed with sheets twisted around my waist and legs.

"Had to go save the world again."

He "hmm"-ed.

I stumbled my way into the bathroom in my room, splashing cold water on my face and taking care of my personal hygiene.

"How'd you get in here anyway?" I poked my head out from the bathroom to see he's attention on my computer.

Quickly turning back to the mirror to brush out my hair I was mildly surprised to see that I didn't look half as bad as I thought I would.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I'm one of those people that could pull off looking great even without combing their hair and with one end of their shirts tucked up. But considering the fact that I've only had two hours of sleep last night doing homework, organizing the schedule and budget as a class president, then waking up at 6am to sneak out of the house for a forbidden driving test isn't exactly you're typical Saturday morning in California (or anywhere else in this world for that matter).

"You're grandfather." He glanced at me as I stepped out of the bathroom, "Ok let's go."

I stared at him.

"What?" A truly confused look graced his features. Not something you see often.

I frowned down at what I've been wearing since 6am: my white shorts and a dark brown t-shirt which is wrinkled from this afternoon's nap.

"You look fine."

Males, completely no sense of fashion.

Without any warning, he launched up from the seat and grabbed my hands before dragging me out of the room. And without any warning my face started burning as my foot automatically followed him matching his steps.

What's wrong with me? It's not like this is the first time Vegeta's held my hand. Ok, so this is the second.

The first one was when the football he threw almost hit me if I hadn't tripped over a pot of dirt in the front yard at that exact moment. He had jumped over the fence that separated his lawn from mine only to find me spawn across the ground in a daze and offered his hand to pull me back up from the bed of flowers I was crushing.

And I distinctly remember my face being flushed at that time just like now, except that time I can blame it on the sun and how embarrassing I looked on a pile of freshly planted flowers that I was crushing with my enormous rear end.

Vegeta's black Acura was parked at the same spot he parked it last night on my driveway. If it weren't for Krillan standing watching for Roshi (my grandpa) to return at his always unpredictable hours, and Vegeta to make the house seem like it has been occupied with me studying and attempting to make dinner, and Goku for teaching and offering up his Honda for me to drive, and Juu and Chi's moral support I never would have gotten my license in two days.

I can barely remember how my life was like before she appeared in it.

Bulma Briefs, I mean.

What did I do during the summers back then? What did I do during my free times? Did I ever laugh as much as I do now?

Remembering the day when I first met her wasn't hard even though it seems like it's been years since then, and not actually 2 months ago.

It was Kakkarote (aka Goku), my little brother Genii, and me at the back of my house that was throwing the football back and forth.

The kid, my brother being at the age of 12 had gotten quite fast and tall over the course of the last school year. I, being an older brother, the eldest son of the family, who wishes nothing more than to raise another strong healthy family member, tested his abilities. Sadly to say that I've once again overestimated him because as I let the ball sail threw the sky, I realized shortly afterwards that he missed his chance to catch it and the ball was already sailing towards the fence- and over it.

I ran after the football, jumping over the fence to old man Roshi's side that's when I found her. Sitting there on the flowerbed, pale smooth skin in a summer dress that hugged her perfect figure. Her wavy blue hair reached to her lower back, back then.

She looked up and smiled, those startling deep blue eye met mine.

That day my heart stopped beating for a full second before starting up again in a completely different pace.

I think that day I was reborn.

So a full month went by with the three of us running up and down the streets of the neighborhood bring hell on earth to many people as well as heaven to some.

She amazed me, captured every moment of my attention. One second she would be climbing up trees, telling ghost stories, and digging through garbage bins with 'Goku' and me. The next second she would be next to my mom learning how to bake cookies and clean the house. Then she would be playing sword fights using crooked wooden sticks with my brother and father.

Then came Juu, Chichi, and Krillian back from their vacation in Europe. For the six of us the beach became our second home, we would spend days swimming and surfing and nights filled with bonfires.

Her smile was addicting. She fascinated me; she's brave, smart, funny, and absolutely beautiful. From what I've seen so far in life, if a girl was beautiful they're complete bitches. If they're smart, they're usually nerds that can't hold up a decent conversation. But she is completely different, I couldn't keep my eyes away from her even when she was playing dress up with Chichi and Juu, or having an eating contest with Krillian and 'Goku'.

Now as an 17 year old it doesn't take long to realize that she's a real jewel and that with someone like that around you, it's not hard to start falling for her. Which leads to the current situation, the real problem. Telling her.

I'm a straight forward guy. I don't like to beat around the brush. But with her it's always different.

I stretched, my stomach content with the food I just had. A lazy smile stretched across my face.

"You're never going to stop smiling about getting your licenses are you?" Goku laughed as he turned his marshmallow over the fire.

We were gathered at the beach; a bonfire was set up, the sun was about to set, everything was simply beautiful.

"Nope." My smile widened.

Juu nudged me, following her gaze I saw a pretty girl with long dark hair and tanned skin stop in front of Vegeta, blocking his path back to where we were. The bikini she wore was green which complimented her skin.

"She's that girl that pushed me down in the parking lot on the first day of school right?"

"She's also the girl that is known as Vegeta's ex." Juu replied.

"So? Vegeta has a lot of exes doesn't he?" I muttered taking a drink from my water bottle. There was a feeling sinking in my chest. One that I'm not familiar with: Jealousy?

"No. He only has about two or three."

"I think you should have clarified the fact that by 'exes' it meant the girl's he slept with and not just dated." Chichi stated sitting down across from me and Juu on the wooden log in front of the fire.

"He's not a virgin?!" I couldn't help the surprise leak from my voice. The feeling was sinking even deeper. I shifted my legs, letting my bare feet dig into the cool sand. I know the guy is popular in school but still, I thought he always hung out with Goku, Krillan, Chi and Juu. With that much amount of time hanging around friends who would have time dating?

A masculine laugher came from the side. I shifted my eyes away from the pretty girl and Vegeta who were in a conversation near the shores to Raddize, Goku's older brother by a year.

"Vegeta? Virgin?!" He was laughing so hard tears where starting to come out the corner of his eyes. "Don't ever change Bulma. I love you the way you are now: naïve and innocent."

Closing my slightly agape mouth I kicked some sand at him with my foot.

"I'm not naïve!" I pouted defensively.

"And defiantly not that innocent." Juu teased, a wicked twinkle in her eyes, remaindering her clearly of all the mischief they had already caused in school.

"Where are you going?" Goku asked seeing me brushing myself off, he just came back from getting more drinks from the car. He raised a slight eyebrow at Juu, Chichi, Krillan, and Raddize laughing their heads off.

"Field trip to the washroom." I threw over my shoulder leaving the laughing crowd behind me. My eyes scanned the beach; it was covered with people, mostly teenagers. Most of them had already started a bonfire themselves before the sun completely set. Some of them just wanted to enjoy the night sky.

I couldn't take my eyes away from the sunset as I made my way towards the direction of the washroom.

I gasp tripping over something, closing my eyes and getting ready for an impact I felt nothing but strong hands supporting my weight as I leaned toward, my body slamming into a muscular chest. I blinked my eyes opened, looking up at Goku.

"Goku? How'd you get here so fast?" I asked incredulously, glancing back to where our bonfire was in a far distances.

"I flew." Goku smirked, his brown eyes teasing. "Apparently you were so fixed by the sunset that you didn't look up at the sky."

Slapping him lightly for teasing me, I looked down to where my foot tripped. It was a beach towel, someone left their beach towel here a long time ago, now it's all black and I can barely make out the picture on it.

"So are you going to the washroom or what?" Goku quirked a perfectly angled eyebrow up at me.

A smile spread across my lips as I narrowed my eyes at his well built figure. "I don't believe I have to anymore Goku Son."

I watched as he lowered his soft brown eyes to his shirt where I was looking just a few seconds ago. Two small hand prints made out of BBQ sauces was clearly placed on his chest, where I had placed them when I was falling to steady myself.

"Bulma." There was a threatening tone in that voice, his tall figure loomed over me

A lopsided grin was already covering my face as I turned and sprinted as fast as I could, his voice trailing dangerously close behind me.

Running with all my strength towards the bonfire (my self proclaimed "safe zone") and with adrenalin pumping through my veins, I glanced forward barely squeezing in a squeal of surprise through my giggles as I tried to stop myself before running straight on into Vegeta.

I gasped, all the air in my lungs were knocked out of me as my body rammed into Vegeta's chest. From my dazed state I could feel Vegeta's warm hands gripping my arm and back to steady me. I suppose it's was only natural that my body wasn't able to knock over Vegeta's massively strong one, even if I was running at least 40 mph.

"Vegeta!" I choked out between breaths trying to warn him of an oncoming missal named Goku. His face was emotionless and unreadable but in this proximity I can see his concern for me as he scanned me for any injuries.

From the second I turned my head to where Goku was running full speed unable to stop inches away from us, it was like playing a slow motion movie.

Strong arms jerked me around and all I felt was Vegeta's chest as I felt my whole body went flying down a few feet away from where we were standing. Strong warm arms wrapped tightly around my waist and head as we went sailing through the air.