Chapter 8

Cause…

Disclaimer- I own nothing!

Author's note-This chapter takes place before the story started and focuses mainly on Vegeta and Bulla.

How could everything change? We used to be so close. Everything was perfect for us. What did I do wrong, or was it me, was it you?

Something missing,
Left behind
Search in circles
every time I try

Bulla sat in her room looking at old tapes she found while she helped her mom clean out the shelf of movies in the living room. They were tapes of her family when she was still a child, and wasn't born yet. Her parents were downstairs arguing about something stupid from what she heard. Why didn't they just get divorced already? Her mother threatened to throw him out multiple times and it wasn't like her brother or herself wanted him to stay. He was always thinking about himself. He would do nothing for anyone when they needed help but he was cry when no one volunteered to help.

Bulla watched each tape trying to find something that could explain the change in his. She hoped to find the reason that she no longer looked up to her father as such a great man. Each tape showed smiles and laughter from both of them so what went wrong? She wanted to ask him, what happened to our relationship, and can it every go back?

I've been here before
I've seen you before

*flashback*

"Dad, Trunks is sick so mom can't come to the band concert so will you come." "It sounds like I don't have a choice." "Well, you see this kind of works out because for the spring we are doing all old rock songs that I know you listen to when working out, and I wanted to surprise you but…" Bulla was in the fourth grade and joined band, it was the first time she every really played an instrument and since she was given the chance she had to give it a try. She played the Clarinet and it wasn't bad, it wasn't her first choice but she still enjoyed playing. She got so much pleasure showing her parents all she could do, make them proud of all she could accomplish. That night as the band performed "We will rock you" and "Another one bites the dust." Bulla couldn't wait to see her dad's smile; she knew he would enjoy it so much. When she was done she ran up to meet him by the band room doors. The smile she had on could brighten even the darkest room. "So dad, what did you think, are you glad you came or what?" "Yea, it was great now come on lets go home." He gave his usual small happy smile which made her night. When they got home Bulla ran to her room to finish her homework before bed. While she finished her math homework she was unaware that tonight would be one of the last few times he would go see her.
*end flashback*

Bulla turned off the tapes, she couldn't watch anymore. She started cleaning her room in attempt to clean her mind from the memories. With the radio blaring and the dust swirling around her, she was able to forget the past, just like she had before. Bulla was halfway under her bed pulling out what was under it when something poked her hand. She gave out from underneath holding a blue ribbon. "Oh yea I almost forgot about this, go figure." It was a first place ribbon for her sixth grade science fair that was required by every student.

I can't escape winding down these halls
Hard to find a place where there are no walls
and no lines begging me to cross
only straight ahead better move along

Bulla couldn't stop the past from coming back. It always crept up on her; every little she did brought some thought of her previous relationship with Vegeta. A wave of release washed over her when Pan called and wanted to know if she wanted to play tennis with her because she was bored and felt like playing.

Bulla ran across court to hit the ball back, just making to the ball and in the lines. Another lucky shot, but then again that was how she played. In her mind she wasn't a good player, she was just a lucky one. They played for a few hours until they couldn't breathe anymore. Pan had to get home to help her mom so Bulla sat at the courts before she walked back home. On her way out she saw the sign reminding the men's team that the spring sports awards was next week and to remember it was semi-formal. "Man I am so happy I don't play a spring sport just one a year for me is too much."

Like Clockwork
I commit the crime
I pretend to be
everything they like

*flashback*

Once Bulla started high school everything changed. She was happier to be out of middle school, a place she couldn't stand, but it felt like her whole life was changing. Tennis was always a sport she enjoyed learning about so now that she was given the chance to play she took it. At the end of the season the school held a sports award for all the fall teams. Awards were given out to most improved, to most spirit. Bulla had no idea what to expect really since she had never gone to one so her and her parents got dressed and went. When it ended Bulla had a massive headache from sitting there for three hours bored out of her mind. As soon as she got in the car her father started bitching about how long and boring it was like it was Bulla's fault. "I'm so sorry dad that I took you out to something that I had no idea what it was like!" She noticed he was always fighting with her anymore. She could do nothing right it seemed. In tennis she would make stupid mistakes and would never play enough, or she would get yelled at by him for not serving like everyone else even though it was because she couldn't figure out how to serve the "right way" yet.

With everything bad that was happening to her nothing could prepare her for the hurt she felt when she had the winter and spring concert for her chorus class. When she got ready to go to her dad sat in the kitchen and said he wasn't going because he wasn't sleeping right and those things were boring to him. Bulla was pissed as she walked out to the car with her mom, but she didn't let it get to her.

I've been here before
I've seen you before

She forgave him in her mind and moved on. As the year processed she got further and further from him.

Bulla sat on her computer and uploaded pictures off of her digital camera. She had so many from the past few months that it was taking forever. While she waited she organized the folders that were holding the files of her pictures. She had hundreds of pictures from parties, to concerts, to trips and even simple hangouts. One folder was from the talent show freshman year.

Pan and Marron decided to enter together, both wanted Bulla to join them but Bulla loved doing it by herself. The music hit her in a way she couldn't describe to others. The exact way she danced to something changed every time so counts and things were hard for her. For weeks after school and homework Bulla worked on a dance, the song changed consistently from day to day. Two days before the audition, to make sure your act was okay to go on, Bulla picked her song. "Welcome to my life." By Simple Plan. That song always spoke to her; it was the perfect choice for her right now. The audition went well and she was ready to continue practicing it, adding little things to enhance the lyrics that just had to stand out.

Finally the night was upon he, her mom was excited to go, and even Trunks was willing to go. Bulla had a spring in her step that couldn't be stopped. Her mom drove her to the school because Bulla had to be there an hour early so everything could be double checked before the show started. "Bulla, I just want to wish you good luck out there, and don't be surprised if your father doesn't come." "What! Why, what's his excuse this time?!" "He says he's not trying to relive his teenage years through his kids, like I am." "But you're not, you're supporting me, I mean it's not like I'm doing this because you want me too, I'm doing it because I want to!" "I know, and you're right, but I'm just saying." Bulla got out of the car and slammed the car door, pissed and fighting back tears. By the time she got backstage with everyone else she was calmer and joking around.

The show went well for her and her friend, neither placed but it was so much fun. When Bulla got home Vegeta was sitting on the couch relaxing. "So how did it go?" Bulla stormed passed him and ran to her room; she could never forgive her father for this. He hurt her so badly he could never make it up to her. "What's her problem?" He looked up the stairs, "Honestly, Vegeta what do you think?"

Days later Bulla still hardly spoke to him. She wanted nothing to do with him anymore. He tried to joke around with her and try to get her to laugh but she would turn around and walk away. "What is your problem, Bulla?" "What is my problem, are you seriously going to ask that?! Fine if you want to know I'll tell you! My problem is you!" "Hey remember who you are talking to!" "How could I forget? But you wanted to know, you are an ass okay, you really don't care that you crushed me by not coming to support the other night!" "Fine, I'm sorry, okay, is that what you wanted to hear?!" "No, it isn't I cannot and will not forgive you!" Bulla turned and ran to her room. She was shaking with anger as she knocked everything out of her way. Now that he knew she hoped deep down that it would reach his icy heart but she already knew it never would.
*end flashback*

Bulla stopped looking at the pictures and sat on her bed. She cried at all the horrible memories that were flooding her mind. The pain she had felt then, for all those times, at all the different reasons, ripped back open. Her chest, her soul ached with pain that she couldn't escape from any longer.

And I trade everything for this
And I trade everything for this
Why do I read the writing on the wall
Why do I read the writing on the wall
I won't lose my place in line
I've been here too long and I've spent too much time
I won't lose my place in line
I've been here too long and I've spent too much time

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This chapter started badly but I hope it got better, any questions just ask. The Song was These walls by Trapt. I don't own the song or band.