Secret Heart

Chapter 5

Gohan was depressed. The girl he loved hated him, thought that he was a coward and a macho, and to top it all, he had hurt her. She was certainly going to have a big bruise because of him. He would never be able to forgive it to himself.

He sighed. He should never have agreed to spar with her. Really, sparring with a human… What was he thinking? He really was an idiot.

There was a knock on his bedroom's door, which opened on Chichi. He remained lying on his bed, keeping his stare on the ceiling, his hands behind his head.

"Gohan, diner is ready." Chichi announced.

"I'm not hungry." He replied, not moving from his position.

This worried Chichi. She noticed that he seemed down since he got back. She didn't know what had put him in this state, but she was determined to find out.

She entered the room, and sat down on the edge of the bed. He still didn't move from his position.

"Gohan, what's wrong? Did something happen?" She asked.

He looked at her, and forced a smile. "Nothing's wrong, Mom, don't worry."

"Gohan, I am your mother. I know when something is wrong with you. Now tell me what happened to you."

He sighed. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is it about a girl?"

"Mom, I really don't want to talk about it. Please understand."

Chichi sighed, and got up from the bed. "Fine, as you wish. If you change your mind, I'll be there to listen to you."

He smiled, this time for real. "I know, Mom. Thanks."

It was hopeless. She hadn't talked to him all day. She hadn't even looked at him once. At this moment, he could kill for her to glare at him, like she would usually do.

The bell rang, announcing the lunch time, and Gohan decided to try an approach. He hurriedly put his things in his bag and got out of the class, waiting in the corridor that Videl came out in her turn. When she came out, she ignored him royally and walked past him like he didn't exist.

"Videl, wait!"

She continued to walk.

"Videl, please, talk to me! You can't keep on ignoring me eternally!"

She continued to ignore him, continuing to walk toward the cafeteria, while he followed her, desperate, trying to get her to talk to him.

"Tell me at least if you're still coming over this week-end!" He said.

This stopped Videl, and the students around them turned their attention toward them, interested.

"You're really crazy to shout that in front of everyone." Videl said, talking to him for the first time that day.

Gohan then noticed that everyone was looking at them, and blushed a little, embarrassed, rubbing his neck.

"Sorry…"

She looked at him a few moments, and then resumed her walk toward the cafeteria, ignoring him again. Gohan followed her.

"You didn't answer me." He said. "Are you still coming over this week-end?"

She stopped walking once again, seeming to hesitate.

"Yes." She said finally, before resuming her walk.

Gohan smiled. He would have all the week-end to get her to talk to him again. And he would succeed. He had to succeed. This situation was unbearable to him. He way preferred for her to glare at him suspiciously and to try to discover his secrets rather than to ignore him like she was doing.

He went to the cafeteria, too, and looked unconsciously for Videl. She was sitting at a table with Erasa and Shapner, and was discussing with them while eating. He went to sit at a table far enough from them and got his huge lunch from its capsule, starting to eat. Like every day, he attracted the attention on him, but he took the habit to ignore it.

Despite the distance, his good hearing perceived the conversation between Videl and her friends, while he continued to eat.

"Really, Videl, I think you're very cruel to the poor Gohan." Erasa was saying. "What he could have done for you to ignore him like this?"

"It's not your business, Erasa. I already told you a thousand times that I don't want to talk about it." Videl replied.

"Give it up, Erasa." Sharpner. "Why would Videl talk to a mountain boy like him anyway?"

"Shut up, Sharpner. You're saying that only because you're jealous that he's way cuter than you."

Gohan blushed when he heard that, but continued to eat, still listening to the conversation.

"You're joking, I hope? This mountain boy, cuter than me? Ha! I bet he never kissed a girl in his life!"

Gohan blushed even more, unconsciously thinking about his first and certainly last kiss with Videl. What he heard next made him spit the rice he was eating.

"It's so happen that yes. Believe that he kissed our dear Videl."

Gohan nearly choked on his rice, and hit his chest to let it pass.

She had told her!!

As for Sharpner, he had jumped from his chair, knocking it over, and exclaimed: "WHAAAAATT??"

Gohan couldn't see it, because her back was to him, but Videl was as red as a tomato. She kicked Erasa under the table.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Erasa said.

"You idiot! You weren't supposed to shout it on all roofs!"

"You mean it's true??" Sharpner cried. "You really kissed him??"

"Will you shut up? Do you want all the school to know it?" Videl hissed.

Sharpner put the chair back in its place and sat down, pouting.

"I can't believe you kissed him!" Sharpner said, more quietly this time, but Gohan heard him very clearly.

"First, he's the one who kissed me, not the opposite."

"The nerves of that guy! How dare he kiss MY Videl?!"

"How many times do I have to repeat that I'm NOT your Videl, Sharpner? I never was and will never be. So stop dreaming."

Sharpner crossed his arms, pouting once again. Videl rolled her eyes, and then turned toward Erasa, her eyes heavy with reproach.

"And you! You really can't keep a secret! Remind me to never confide in you again!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Videl, it came out on itself… And anyway, we can tell this to Sharpner, can't we? He's our friend in forever."

Videl sighed, and then turned toward Sharpner. "Can I trust you? You're not going to tell anyone, are you?"

"Of course not!" He replied. "As if I'd want that to be known! The only one who has to right to kiss you is me!"

"Will you stop dreaming, already? I would rather kiss Gohan again than you!"

Wha… What did she say? Gohan thought, all red.

Videl realized too what she had just said, and blushed intensely. She tried to catch herself.

"Forget what I just said. Forget all of this straight out. As for me, I've already forgotten it."

The two blonds nodded, and they continued to eat in silence. Which didn't last long.

"Hey, Videl, I've wanted to ask you," Erasa started.

"What?"

"What happened to your jaw?"

"Hey, that's true." Sharpner said. "I also asked myself."

Gohan immediately felt guilty. It was him who did that to her. He really blamed himself for hurting her.

Videl's watch beeped at this moment, preventing her from responding to her friends. She responded instead to the police chief, who informed her of a hostage situation at the bank.

"I'm on my way." She cut the communication, and got up from her chair. "I have to go."

"Be careful, Videl!" Erasa said, always worried when her friend went to fight criminals.

"Kick their ass, Videl!" Sharpner shouted after his friend, who was already running toward the cafeteria's exit.

Gohan waited a few moments before standing up in his turn, putting what was left of his lunch in its capsule, and also ran toward the cafeteria's exit.

He climbed the stairs four by four, until he arrived in front of the roof's door, which he opened hurriedly. Taking a rapid look around him to make sure he was alone, he pushed the little red button of his watch, becoming the Great Saiyaman. Not wasting any time, he took off toward the bank. He passed Videl's yellow Jet Copter, waving his hand at her. This angered the girl. How the hell did he always know when the police called her?

She still suspected Gohan, especially since she knew that he could fight. But how was he able to hear the call of the police? He was way too far from them to be able to hear anything.

Maybe I'm wrong, in the end. She thought. Maybe he's not Saiyaman… I have to make sure.

They landed in front of the bank, which was surrounded by dozen of police's cars. Videl got out of her Jet Copter, and the police chief received them, more than relieved to see them. He explained the situation to them. Five men were holding up the bank, and when the police showed up, they decided to take the customers and the employees hostage, saying that they would kill them if the police tried anything.

"It would be better if I go there alone." Saiyaman said. "I'm faster; they won't see me coming."

"No way!" Videl protested. "It's my job; you don't have to get involved! I don't need your help!"

"Videl, it's dangerous, and the lives of innocent people are at stake. It's really not the time to refuse my help."

"Do whatever you want, just don't get in my way!" She said. "Anyway, I think that the safest to get inside is to get in by the roof. I could go there with my Jet Copter, but the noise would warn them that I'm coming, and they could take it out on the hostages…"

"I can take you there, if you want." Saiyaman offered.

She looked at the super hero. "You mean… by flying?"

"Yes. They won't hear us coming if we go there by flying."

"Alright, I accept your help. Take me to the roof."

Gohan came closer to her and carried her in his arms, ignoring the redness of his cheeks. Videl wrapped her arms around his neck, blushing too.

"Ready?" He asked.

She nodded her head, and he took off. Videl saw the ground move away from them, and instinctively, clung a bit more to the hero's neck, making him blush even more. He tried to calm his heart's beating, without much success. Finally, after what appeared to him like an eternity, he landed on the roof, and put Videl on the ground, holding back a sigh of relief. Having her so close to him was truly torturing.

As for Videl, she would never admit it but she regretted to not be in the Great Saiyaman's powerful arms anymore. She had felt so good in his arms… Protected. Strangely, she'd had the same feeling while she had been in Gohan's arms, when he took her to the infirmary…

She shook her head, and concentrated on the hostage situation. The roof was glassed-in and they could see what was happening inside. Like the police chief told them, there were five men with hoods covering their face. The hostages were sitting on the floor, seeming terrified.

Videl opened the window, making as less noise as possible.

"Well, I'm going in." She said, before jumping inside.

The noise of her landing attracted the burglars' attentions. Videl didn't waste any time and punched the closer one, then continued with a knee on his neck. He collapsed, knocked out.

"Kill her!!" cried one of them, seeming to be their leader.

The three others rushed toward her. She was waiting for them, in her fighting stance.

Still on the roof, Gohan looked at Videl as she took care of the criminals, a small smile on his lips. He loved to see her like this; fighting, determined, that fire burning in her eyes. He found her even more beautiful.

Seeing that his men were losing against the girl, the leader took out his pistol. But it disappeared from his hands the moment after.

"What the…?"

"Is this what you're looking for?" A voice behind him said.

He turned round, and found himself in front of the Great Saiyaman. This one crushed the pistol in his hand. The burglar's eyes widened. The hero then disappeared before his eyes, and then it was all black.

Gohan turned his attention toward Videl, who was still fighting. He knew that she didn't like it when he helped her, so he decided to not interfere in her fight. She was doing well anyway.

One of the criminals decided that he had enough, and took out his pistol, pointing it at Videl, who froze.

"Aren't that smart now, are you?" The bandit said.

The two others imitated him, pointing their pistols at the girl. This one felt trapped, and clenched her fists. It was then that Saiyaman appeared in front of her.

"Don't worry, Videl." He said. "I won't let them hurt you."

Videl didn't know why, but she suddenly felt her cheeks warming up. Why the hell am I blushing, now?

"Pff!" One of the burglars said. "Let's see what you can do against this!"

They shoot at them, but Saiyaman caught all the bullets without troubles. After a while, they were out of munitions, and stopped shooting. Saiyaman opened his hands, and all the bullets dropped on the ground.

"What is this guy made of?!" One of the bandits said, frightened.

He didn't have the time to wonder about it long because he was knocked out by Saiyaman, along with his accomplices

Videl crossed her arms. "You could have left me one."

He rubbed his neck. "Sorry…"

She narrowed her eyes when she saw him rub his neck. Gohan does the same thing… She thought. I have to know if it's really him!

The hostages got out of the bank, leaving Videl alone with the Great Saiyaman.

"Well, now that my work here is done, I will be going." He said.

"Wait!" Videl said.

He turned toward her. "What's it?"

She came closer to him. "I wanted to thank you for saving me."

That's a new thing. Gohan thought. Usually she yells at me when I save her, saying that she didn't need my help.

She came even closer to him. "Thank you…" She murmured.

…Before kissing him.

To Be Continued…