Secret Heart

Chapter 17

The following morning, at school, Videl was still thinking about what had happened at the mall. She, Satan Videl, the biggest tomboy in the world, had bought a dress. And why is that? Because Gohan had told her she was gorgeous. That was all it took to convince her.

Placing her forehead against her locker door, closing her eyes, the girl groaned. Now, she will have to go out in public wearing a dress. A dress! It was all Gohan's fault, and of those stupid feelings she had for him!

"We need to talk, Videl."

Hearing the voice of her blonde friend, the brunette straightened up and turned toward her. Erasa didn't look happy, which was rather unusual with her, who was always in good mood. Videl frowned.

"Something's wrong, Erasa?"

"There's something I'd like to know," Her friend began, ignoring her question. "Why do you always refuse to go shopping with me?"

Videl tensed. Could it be a coincidence that Erasa was asking her this question only a day after she had gone shopping with Gohan and his family? Little chance.

She sighed. "You wouldn't happen to have gone to the mall yesterday, by any chance?"

Erasa preferred to not tell her that she had been following them. "Yes, and I saw you with Gohan and his family, and you were shopping!"

"Look, Erasa…"

"You owe me a shopping outing!" The blonde suddenly declared, interrupting her.

"Huh?"

"You owe me a shopping outing!" She repeated. "You went with Gohan, I don't see why you wouldn't go with me!"

"But I hate shopping! And you know that!" Videl protested.

"Well you did go shopping, yesterday!" Erasa retorted.

"But that's because I needed a new outfit for a special event! It's not the case now, so I don't see why I would go shopping again!"

Erasa looked at her friend, her eyes narrowed. And then she smirked.

"Fine, if you don't want to, we won't go shopping." She said, her smirk still present.

"Good!"

Erasa's smirk widened. "But I will tell Gohan that you're in love with him."

Videl widened her eyes, blushing intensely. Ho… How does she know?

But then she recovered, and opened her mouth to protest, only to have Erasa beat her to it:

"Don't even try to deny it; I know you're in love with him." She asserted.

"And how could you know?" Videl questioned, crossing her arms.

"Well, first, he kissed you several times, and he's still alive. If an other guy would have only tried anything of that sort with you, he would already be dead and buried."

Videl blushed, looking away. "It doesn't mean anything."

"True, it doesn't necessary mean that you love him; just that you love his kisses."

She blushed even more. "You're really talking… nonsense…"

"How about we ask the opinion of the person concerned?" Erasa suggested, still smirking.

"You… You wouldn't…" Videl said, a look of horror on her face.

"You think so?"

"I'm warning you, Erasa, if you tell him I'll-"

She was cut off by her friend, who was looking behind her: "Oh, hey Gohan! We were just talking about you!"

"You were?" The young man asked, approaching, while Videl froze on the spot.

"I'd like to have your opinion about something. Do you think Videl is in l-"

"NO!!" The young black haired girl exclaimed suddenly, covering Erasa's mouth with her hand, stopping her from keeping on.

Gohan blinked. What was going on?

Videl laughed nervously, her hand still over Erasa's mouth. "Err, forget it, it's not important."

He blinked again. "Uh… Okay?"

The bell announcing the beginning of class chose this time to ring.

"We'll join you at once, Gohan." Videl said, still not moving her hand. "Go ahead."

"Uh… Yes, okay." He said, a bit uncertain. "See you in class, then."

Videl made sure that Gohan was far enough to finally remove her hand from her friend's mouth.

She sighed. "You won… I'll go shopping with you…"

Erasa grinned. "Awesome! We could go to the mall after class, what do you think?"

"I would rather go next week." Videl said. "But you must not say anything to Gohan!"

"So you finally admit that you're in love with him?"

"I'm not admitting anything! I just don't want Gohan to imagine things! That's all!" She defended. "Well, let's get in class now."

As the two friends were walking toward their class, Erasa already imagined herself at the mall with Videl, trying on all kind of clothes, shoes, accessories… while Videl was thinking of a way out of this shopping outing.

But there was nothing she could do.

Gohan looked down at the girl in his arms, as he flew toward his house. Videl seemed upset for quite some time now. Even during the flying lesson of yesterday, she hadn't been very concentrated. Was it because of the dress she would have to wear tomorrow, during the party? It really suited her, though.

But Gohan was far out. If wearing a dress bothered Videl, it was nothing compared to having to go shopping with Erasa. That was Hell. She didn't have a choice though. She didn't want Gohan to know that she had feelings for him.

You really are an idiot. A voice in her mind said. You love him, and you know that he loves you too; what are you waiting to be with him?

She didn't know what to answer. And it angered her. All this was seriously starting to anger her, in fact. She looked up at Gohan, under his Saiyaman's helmet, and frowned. It's your fault. She accused silently. If you hadn't come to high school, if I hadn't met you, if you weren't so kind, so handsome, and so irresistible, I wouldn't have to struggle against all these feeling I have for you.

Feeling the girl stare at him, Gohan looked down at her again. He then noticed that she was glaring draggers at him.

"Everything's alright, Videl?" He asked, somewhat nervous under her glare.

"No, nothing's alright!" She exclaimed suddenly. "And it's all your fault!"

Gohan blinked, although she couldn't see it because of his helmet.

"My fault? What did I do?" He asked, confused.

"You…!" She stopped; she certainly couldn't tell him the reason! That because of his natural charm, she had fallen head over heels in love with him! Why on earth did she have to open her mouth? What was she going to answer, now?

"You made me buy a dress!" She finally said. "And I hate dresses!"

So it's really because of the dress. Gohan thought.

"But it suits you so well." He said. "And anyway, I never made you take that dress, all I did is say that you were…" He stopped, blushing. He still couldn't believe that he had told her so easily that she was gorgeous. But seeing her in that so pretty dress, he had been unable to think correctly.

Videl blushed as well, lowering her head, thinking about what he had told her that day, the way he had looked at her, the way he had smiled at her. She sighed, and laid her head on the young man's shoulder, surprising him, and making him blush a bit more.

"It's okay." She said softly. "It's not every day that you meet Bulma Briefs, after all. I can do an exception, just this once."

Gohan smiled, looking at her with tenderness. I love you.

Since Bulma's party took place the following day, and to not waste any time, Videl was spending the night at the Son's, so they could go to Capsule Corp together. Only, Videl wasn't very reassured; last time she slept in that room, she'd had a very embarrassing dream, which was still making her blush when she thought about it. She didn't know if it was the room the cause of that dream or if it was because she had seen Gohan shirtless that day, but Videl wasn't reassured.

So here she was, in front of the door of the guest room, not managing to decide herself to enter.

This is stupid. She thought. It's not a room that going to influence what I'm going to dream. And I don't have any other place to sleep, anyway.

You can always sleep in Gohan's bed… murmured this annoying voice that didn't seem to want to get out of her mind. The dream you had the other night could come true, besides…

The young girl's face took fire. She shook her head frenetically, her eyes shut tightly, wanting to get rid of this more than disturbing voice from her mind.

"Videl?"

She opened her eyes abruptly, almost jumping. She turned her head sharply toward the young man who just spoke to her, her eyebrows raised in surprise. She thought he was sleeping by now.

"You're not sleeping?" She asked.

He raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I could tell you the same thing. It's been some time that I'm sensing you in front of this door; why you're not entering?"

"Uh…" What could she answer? In the end, she decided that her best solution was to escape.

"For nothing, goodnight!" She said, before entering the room hurriedly, closing the door behind her.

Gohan blinked, staring at the place where Videl had been standing a few seconds earlier.

"O…kay…"

It was finally the day of the party. Videl couldn't wait to be there. She was going to meet Bulma Briefs, the most intelligent woman in the world. She even bought a dress for this occasion, which, knowing her, was a real miracle.

I wonder how she is? Videl thought, brushing her long hair, getting ready for the party. And I wonder if I'm going to meet her mysterious husband? Nobody knows who he is, or what he looks like, and it's wasn't from lack of trying. There will also be all of Gohan's friends; I wonder who else I'll meet?

She placed the brush on the dressing-table in front of her, and looked at herself in the mirror. Videl had to admit that the dress suited her, even though she would never, ever, say it out loud.

"You're ready, Videl?" Chichi asked from behind the door of the guest room.

"Yes, I'm coming!" The young girl replied.

One last glance at the mirror and she exited the room. Chichi smiled at seeing her.

"You're very pretty, Videl." She complimented. "Our friends will love you."

Videl smiled back at the woman. "Thank you, Chichi."

"Well, let's go now. The boys are already outside, waiting for us ."

Videl nodded, and they walked toward the front door, then they went out, attracting the attention of the two brothers who were waiting for them outside.

"Woah! You're super pretty, Videl!" Goten exclaimed.

"Thanks Goten." She replied smiling.

As for Gohan, he was speechless. Sure, he had already seen Videl in that dress, but seeing her like this, the sun being reflected on her hair, the light breeze making it dance, and this beautiful dress that suited her so wonderfully… She was… simply…

"Gorgeous." He breathed.

At hearing that, Videl blushed, while Chichi gave a satisfied smirk. She knew that convincing Videl to wear a dress would be a good idea.

"So, um…" The daughter of Mister Satan began, to change the subject. "How are we going there, by the way?"

"Bulma lent us her faster Jet for this occasion. It should take us about an hour to arrive there."

Chichi got a capsule out of her purse then threw it, creating a cloud of smoke. The noise seemed to wake Gohan, who had been staring at Videl dreamily, in a 'trance' like state. He saw the Jet appear and, coming to his senses, said:

"I'll pilot."

Goten's face reflected his relief. His mother piloted just like she drove, and even though they would certainly have arrived to Capsule Corp a lot faster had she been the pilot, Goten would rather not risk his life pointlessly.

To Be Continued…