Exhale
Chapter 14: Time Will Tell
thatmoonsong
It was 3:30 in the morning, the vibrant orchestra of crickets from the nearby woods could be heard as I sat, leaning against the headboard of my bed. My balcony doors were open, letting a cool summer breeze wither its way around my lifeless bedroom. I contemplated whether or not I should try to go to bed. Sleep had evaded me over the last few days. My mind had weighed heavy as I waited to hear something from Dr. Sigh. My mother said it could take weeks, even months before they could begin to comprehend the unusual results. It was hard to believe at times. I am part alien after all, I thought, rolling my eyes at how absurd it sounded. I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. A breeze swept over me, bringing with it a whiff of honeysuckle, undoubtedly from my grandmother's garden.
I looked over at my awfully messy desk. It was apparent that my friends and family weren't the only ones that I had been neglecting these past few months. I made a promise to reorganize it tomorrow. Reaching over, I pushed aside a few papers and grabbed my laptop, pulling it over to rest on my blanketed lap. I flipped open the screen. The bright glare quickly made my eyelids feel much heavier than they did before. That's one way to put me to sleep. I clicked on my browser and immediately pulled up Capsule Companion, a social media website that had been founded by none other than my family's world-renowned company. It was by far the most utilized network in the world, even my father possessed an account. Admittedly, I had forced him to make one, though I had caught him checking it on his own from time to time. I had even managed to accumulate a few likes from the Saiyan warrior.
Squinting at the glowing screen, I clicked on my inbox and was surprised to see I had a friend request and message from… Paris? "What the hell?" I muttered, my voice broken and barely audible. I thought I had seen the last of her now that Goten was out of the picture. I hesitantly opened the message and began to read, not knowing what to expect.
Bra,
This is probably way out of the blue to you. I've been thinking a lot about Goten since we ran into each other last week. I know I already apologized for everything, but I wanted you to know that I really meant it. You were his best friend, so I'll understand if you want to delete this message and move on with your life. I know how close you two were, and I can't even begin to imagine how much hurt I have caused his family and friends, especially you.
This may sound incredibly stupid, but I'm going to say it anyway. If you need someone to talk to about Goten, I am all ears. I think we could both benefit from talking about everything that has happened. It might be therapeutic for the both us. I'm sure it's still a sensitive topic for you, but please know I never wanted it to end up this way. I really hope you'll consider my offer. I really can't say this enough.. I'm really sorry, Bra.
Sincerely,
Paris
My heart raced as I read over the message several times, trying to wrap my head around her words. Paris and I were never really friends, only acquaintances. She would have been the last person I would talk to about Goten, but the more I read the sincerity flowing through each word she had written, the more I wondered why we never became friends in the first place. I was too busy making her out to be a bitch that I never realized how caring she could be. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we talked. Goten would totally hate me tho- Oh, who am I kidding? He already does. I didn't have anything to lose now.
Especially you, I read over that line again. I wondered if she was subtly hinting that she knew my feelings for Goten ran deeper than just friends. My stomach turned at the thought of her bringing that up in conversation. How awkward would that be? But at the same time, it would be nice to get it off of my chest.
I typed up a brief, yet polite reply to Paris, letting her know that we could meet up today if she wasn't busy. I could use the distraction, I thought. My finger tapped against the touchpad as I accepted Paris's friend request. Curiosity got the best of me as I browsed over Paris's profile. The picture of her and Goten that I used to cringe at was no longer her profile picture. It had been replaced with a picture of her and Declan. It was clearly an engagement photo, her diamond ring glistening on her finger. Their radiant smiles looked like something out of a magazine.
I couldn't help, but feel jealous. All of my friends had been in serious relationships, some of those becoming permanent. They had all experienced the joy of being in love, and I had never even had a boyfriend. Everyone had always assumed it was because of my father, but Goten had been the real reason I didn't date.
I mindlessly scrolled through Paris's history. My heart skipped a beat when I stumbled across a few old pictures of Goten. It seemed that the majority of his pictures had been removed, and only a few remained. I clicked on Goten's profile. I had developed a habit of checking his profile each day since he left, looking for a sign that he had logged on, that he hadn't just erased us all from his life. But to my sadness, nothing had changed. His profile was still barren. He had rid his whole page of anything related to Paris before he disappeared, they were certainly history. The last thing he had posted was a picture of us from the trip to Las Vegas. We had just arrived at the hotel which undoubtedly called for a selfie. It was comforting to see that this picture has survived the purge.
I let out a defeated sigh as my mind was beginning to shut down. It was almost four in the morning and if I was going to possibly meet Paris later, I needed to get some sleep. I closed my laptop and laid it on my nightstand.
I nestled the blankets around my body as another cool breeze blew in through the window. I caught a glimpse of the moon shining brightly in the night sky. A distant memory played in my head from the night Goten and I danced on the hotel balcony. It had been a memory I wasn't supposed to remember. My eyes began to sting, but I was too tired to cry. I love you, Goten.
His kiss lingered in my head as I drifted off to sleep.
oOoOoOo
I knocked on Bra's door nervously. I hadn't seen her since last week at Trunks and Pan's engagement party. A lot had happened since then, and I needed to talk to someone other than Uub. I knew she could use the company after my parents had revealed to me that her test results were inconclusive. Knowing Bra, she was probably overwhelmed about the whole situation. She needed one of her best friends right now, and I really needed her.
"Come in!" she shouted faintly. I opened the door, and was surprised to see she was in good spirits. She was sitting at her desk, working on editing photos from a recent photoshoot she had finished. Even after all she had been through, she still found time to enjoy doing something she loved. Her blue hair was thrown up in a messy bun. She was wearing the oversized tunic and leggings she had bought on our last shopping trip. I smiled to myself, knowing I had talked her into getting that outfit.
"Hey! What brings you here unexpectedly?" she asked as she spun around in her chair. It was a pretty well known fact that I never dropped by unannounced.
"We need to talk is all," I said a little too seriously. I plopped down on her bed, making myself at home like I always did.
"Are you breaking up with me?" she asked sarcastically, a smile plastered across her flawless face.
"You know I only have eyes for you," I joked. I patted my hand on the bed, welcoming her to join me for some girl talk. I swallowed hard as my throat became increasingly dry. Man, I'm nervous.
"So what's up?" Bra asked, her tone more serious this time. Her eyes penetrated me as I thought of a way to start this conversation.
"Well, a lot has happened since last time I saw you, and I really need to talk to you. I just don't know how I want to say it."
"Relax a little, will ya?" she responded, giving my arm a playful shove.
"Well, it's just, uh, the thing is…" I struggled to find the words. Funny how the words escaped me after I had practiced a dozen times.
"Geeze, Marron. Are you pregnant or something?" she laughed wholeheartedly.
"U-uub told you?" I stuttered, becoming stiff.
"What?!" Bra asked. She was no longer laughing. Oh, crap. She was just kidding. "YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" she shouted.
"Bra, keep it down, ok? We haven't told anyone yet!" I replied in a stern, hushed voice.
Her eyes were almost bulging out of her head as she covered her mouth with both hands. She was just as shocked as Uub and I were when we found out. "Sorry," she whispered, her hands leaving her mouth. "I can't believe you're going to have a baby!" she added.
"I can't believe it either," I said softly, smiling at the idea.
"When did you find out? How far along are you? When are you due?" Bra spouted, her questions spewing faster than I could answer them. I laughed at how ridiculous she sounded. "Well?" she pressed.
"We found out three days ago when I took a home pregnancy test and it came back positive. We went to the doctor yesterday to be sure. It turns out I'm only 4 weeks, and I'm due in December," I answered excitedly. Telling someone about my pregnancy made it feel so surreal. I was going to be a fucking mom. Holy shit.
"Marron, I'm so happy for you," she replied, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. "I'm so happy I could cry," she said, her eyes glistening. "When are you going to tell everyone?"
"We're going to tell everyone in two weeks. We wanted to do something special and since everyone is gathering for Pan's birthday, we thought it would be a great time. Do you think Pan would mind? I want to ask her, but you know she can't keep a secret," I replied, not feeling very confident about the abrupt plan.
"She totally wouldn't mind, Marron, but I think you should tell her. I know she could keep it a secret. I mean, she kept her and my brother a secret for two months before everyone found out. She didn't even tell me!" Bra responded, still bitter from Pan's decision to keep her out of the loop.
"Yeah, you're right," I considered her suggestion, leaving a long pause. "Alright, but only if you come with me. I need some support," I asserted.
"Of course, you wanna go now? I can finish editing later, and I could honestly use a break from work," she harped. Seeing that Bra had returned to her cheerful, pre-Goten state brought relief to me, as well as the rest of her family and friends. She had bounced back just like I thought she would. I couldn't help but also notice how much she had matured in the last few months. She had shed herself of her childish charm and was becoming more sophisticated and independent. I tried to recall when I had done the same. It felt like it was just yesterday.
"Let's get this over with!" I said excitedly. Now that I had confided in Bra, I was feeling strangely confident about the endeavor. I gently placed my hand on my stomach as we got up to leave. This would be a new chapter in our lives, and I couldn't be happier.
oOoOoOo
"Hm, this would make a nice centerpiece," I said to myself. I had been glancing through the stack of wedding magazines that my mother had bought recently in an attempt to start planning my wedding. I placed a sticky note on the page to keep as a reminder and began to flip aimlessly through the magazine again. Man, where the hell am I suppose to start? Maybe I should ask Bulma to help me, she's the queen of party planning. I made a mental note to ask for her assistance later. This was just too overwhelming to do on my own.
There came a knock at the front door, which startled me from my train of thought. I looked down at my cell phone to see that it was barely 11am. "Now who could that be?" I asked myself. I peeked through the window as I made my way to the door and saw a glimpse of blue and blonde hair. I had just answered my own question. A smirk formed on my face as I opened the door. "Hey, you two! What a nice surprise," I said greeting them with a hug. I invited them to lounge on the couch with me like we did so many times before.
I leaned over and quickly straightened the mess on the coffee table. I hadn't realized how many magazines I had propped open during my quest for wedding ideas. "Sorry about the mess, guys. I may have gotten a little carried away this morning," I said, blushing from embarrassment.
"Ha, you know Bra will be ten times worse when her time comes," Marron giggled.
"The hell I will," Bra retorted, "I am not my mother's daughter." We laughed at her comment, knowing Bulma could be way over the top.
"So what brings you two lovelies here?" I asked, tossing my hair over my shoulder.
"Are your parents home?" Marron asked, avoiding my question.
"No, they went to the store, but they'll be back soon," I said, raising an eyebrow. "Why? Tell me what's up already?"
"Well…" Marron paused. She looked uncomfortable, making me aware that she was hiding something.
"She's pregnant!" Bra shouted, her hands immediately covering her mouth, knowing she was going to be in big trouble.
"Bra, really?" Marron grumbled, her hands crossing over her chest.
"I'm sorry! I can't take the suspense," she defended, looking guilty as hell.
I was speechless. I just stared at Marron, my mouth gaping open. Did Bra just say she was pregnant?
"I'm due in December," she added happily, resting her hand over her stomach. Yep. I gasped with realization.
"Oh, Marron. I'm so happy for you!" I couldn't contain my excitement. I jumped over to her and gently gave her a hug.
"Thank you. You and Bra are the only ones I've told, besides Uub of course," she disclosed.
"You have to tell everyone!" I shrieked. Thank Kami no one was home.
"Well, that's why I came over today. We were thinking about making an announcement at your birthday party when everyone is gathered, but I don't want to seem rude trying to intrude on your day-" I cut her off immediately, not giving her the chance to finish.
"Are you kidding me?! Screw my birthday party, you're having a baby! Of course, I don't mind," I squealed. I rested my hand gently on her stomach. "Hi, little baby. It's your favorite Aunt, Pan. I can't wait to meet you," I cooed.
"Excuse me?" Bra objected, cocking an eyebrow. "I think you mean, Aunt Bra," she challenged, smirking for my amusement.
"We'll let the baby decide when it gets here," I declared, being very matter-of-fact.
"Game on, Pan," she accepted. Marron laughed at our envious behavior, and we finally caved in, agreeing we both could be the favorites.
The sound of a car door could be heard as the excitement dwindled down among us. How amazing it was that there would be a baby joining our close-knit group. It was wild to think how close are families were. They had developed this strange bond over fighting enemies and defending the world numerous times. It was no surprise our families were beginning to join too.
I looked at Bra and studied her as she distractedly began to look at one of my wedding magazines. She always looked so damn beautiful even when she wasn't trying. I had been secretly jealous of her growing up. Uncle Goten would be stupid if he let her get away. I shook my head slightly. He really was an idiot for leaving.
The front door opened and my parents walked in with several grocery bags in hand. "Hello, girls!" my mother greeted cheerfully. "Nice to see some familiar faces around here. Are you guys helping Panny plan her wedding?" she asked.
"Not exactly, we were just dropping by for some girl talk," Marron offered without revealing her secret.
"Well, we'll leave you girls alone then to talk," my mother winked, before turning back to me. "Oh, and Panny. Before I forget, you got this in the mail today. There was no return address, it's probably just junk," my mother explained, handing me the worn letter. I listened as my parents' voices disappeared down the hallway to the kitchen while I studied it.
I looked over the envelope curiously. The handwriting looked strangely familiar. "That's weird," I said aloud.
"Well, open it," Bra urged. "Maybe it's a ransom note" she teased dramatically.
I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Yeah, okay," I responded. I took the envelope, nudging my finger under the flap to tear it open. I took the letter out, placing the torn envelope on the coffee table. Bra was quick to snatch it up and examine the handwriting. She never could leave things alone, she had to pry. "Panny," I started to read, but quickly stopped, not needing to read the letter to know who it was from. I looked up wide-eyed and shocked. Bra's face was drawn with realization as she looked at the address on the envelope. She knew it was Goten's handwriting, her face said it all. Of course, she would know, I thought.
Marron stared back and forth between Bra and I. "Did I miss something?" she asked.
I swallowed hard. "It's a letter from Uncle Goten," I divulged, though Bra already knew.
"Wow," Marron gasped. None of us could have foreseen this.
"What does it say?" Bra asked softly, her voice shaking ever so slightly. She would undoubtedly be the most affected by what the letter revealed. I silently cursed myself for opening it in front of her. Great job, Pan, I thought.
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Bra?" I inquired, concerned for my best friend.
She nodded her head, "I want to know. Go ahead," she declared.
I pinched the letter between my fingers and took a deep breath.
Panny,
Wow, I really have no idea where to start. I know you're probably pissed as hell that I left without saying goodbye and I know you're going to tear me a new one. Please, don't hate me for it. I was walking home from work yesterday and I saw the announcement in the newspaper that you and Trunks were engaged. I couldn't believe what I was reading, Trunks finally did it. I'm really sorry that I wasn't there. I would have loved to see your face when he proposed.
I've settled into a stable life here. I have an amazing job and even have my own apartment. I'm making it on my own and it feels great to be independent for once. Please tell everyone that I am alive and well, I know they must be worried sick, especially Mom. I'll be home for Christmas, I promise you that, Pan. Tell everyone I love them, and please give Bra the other letter.
Love,
Uncle Goten
"Other letter?" I asked aloud. I flipped the letter over, but there was nothing there. What was he talking about? I watched as Marron grabbed the envelope that Bra had been studying and peered inside. Fumbling around with the discarded envelope, she pulled out a smaller piece of paper that had been stuffed inside and held it delicately in her hand. Sure enough, Bra's name was written across it.
Marron and I traded stares before looking at Bra. She didn't look excited like I expected, her face expressionless. Marron timidly handed Bra the folded paper as if it would break in her hand. She didn't instantly reach out and grab it, she was not sure of this herself. "I don't think I can read it," she said nervously. She took the paper in her hand and stared at it before trying to give it back to Marron.
"You don't have to read it right now, Bra. No pressure," I replied assuringly. Pushing her to face what he had to say would not help. She wasn't ready, and I doubt she would be for awhile.
Bra nodded her head and Marron agreed. She stuck the letter in her bag as I decided to change the subject. "So what are you guys doing today?" I asked, not really caring what was on their agenda. Bra's phone alerted her to a message and she quickly checked it. She looked somewhat stunned, but I didn't question it.
"Uub and I are hanging out tonight at my place. We have a lot to discuss obviously," Marron grinned. She's barely pregnant and she already glowing, I thought.
"I bet. I promise I won't say a word. I'm really glad you told me," I confessed. Marron smiled at the remark and hugged me. We separated and noticed Bra was in her own world, tapping away on her phone.
"What about you, Bra?" I probed. Bra's stare finally left her phone long enough to acknowledge our presence.
"Huh? Me?" she asked. Marron and I chuckled at her bewildered reaction.
"Yeah, you. What are you doing tonight?" I asked again, making sure she heard me this time.
"I'm actually meeting Paris today," she said as if it was no big deal.
"Come again?" I asked. I must have misheard her. I could have sworn she said Paris.
"Paris wrote this long apology to me on Capsule Companion, and she asked if we could meet to talk about things," she admitted, watching our reactions for approval.
"Are you serious? Do you remember what she did to my Uncle?!" I snapped, becoming defensive.
"Do you remember what he did to me? Or do I need to fucking remind you?" she jabbed. Her look softened when she realized how hateful her words had come across. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you," she apologized, waving her hand through the air as if it would erase the words from our memories. "I just thought that it would help talking to her, like it would help me move on," she sighed.
The room fell quiet as I thought it over. "No, you're right," I confessed. "You guys need to hash it out, I understand."
If there was one thing I learned about Bra the past few years, she was good at keeping things to herself. She had fallen in love with my Uncle, and I hadn't even noticed. How many times had I talked about the girls Goten dated in front of her? I hadn't even recognized how much I was hurting her by doing so. If this was her way of having closure, I needed to support her. I owed her that.
I quietly wondered to myself if she would even read Goten's letter. I wouldn't blame her if she threw it away. Deep down I knew that's what she wanted to do, but I also knew she was dying to feel a part of him again, even if it was just a lousy apologetic letter.
oOoOoOo
I waited patiently outside of a popular coffeehouse in the heart of West City. The evening air filled my lungs, and fireflies began to light up the park in the distance. It was already 10 minutes past 7, and there was no sign of Bra. I wouldn't blame her if she didn't show, I had no right to be bitter. I had dug myself into this predicament months ago.
I lamely stirred the spoon around my coffee cup, my eyes falling on my glimmering diamond ring. It was a reminder of why I gave up mine and Goten's relationship, he and I just didn't have that connection anymore. I often wondered if he was only settling, he had to have sensed it too. Maybe one day, I'd get the chance to ask him, though I knew it would be a long time coming.
"Sorry, I'm late. I lost track of time," Bra announced, taking a seat across from me. There was something different about her, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. She seemed confident, yet worrisome.
"It's alright. To be honest, I didn't think you would show," I expressed genuinely, not trying to be smug.
She pursed her lips slightly and responded, "To be honest… I thought about not coming." She frowned as if she was disappointed in her actions.
"What changed your mind?" I asked.
"I needed someone to talk to, someone other than my friends and family. It's like they walk on thin ice around me, trying to be careful what they say and how they say it ever since…" her voice trailed off, but she continued. "If there's one person who wouldn't tiptoe around me, it would be you. You and I have nothing to lose here."
I listened as she spoke the truth. She was the youngest of the group which undoubtedly led to her being treated as such. "I understand. There are some things better said between strangers," I said, "or whatever we are." Bra nodded in agreement. "Have you heard from Goten?"
She sighed before answering. "He wrote me a letter," she revealed with a slight roll of her eyes.
"What did it say? If you don't mind me asking, of course. I don't want to pry," I assured her.
"I, uh, didn't read it actually," she provided, shifting nervously in her seat. Why wouldn't she read it? I thought. I didn't have to ask as she responded, "I don't think I want to know what it says." It became quiet, the occasional laugh or clinking of plates could be heard from inside the coffeehouse.
"This may be a personal question, and you don't have to answer, but being on the outside looking in now, I don't know how I didn't see it before." I paused briefly. She looked at me peculiarly. "You're in love with him, aren't you?" Bra quickly adverted her gaze, nervously brushing her hair behind her ear, a rosy blush illuminating her pale cheeks. "I know I can be a bit of an airhead at times, but I'm not blind, Bra." There was a long pause as she thought about whether she wanted to answer the question.
"It won't hurt me, ya know? I don't love him anymore. You can tell me," I disclosed candidly.
"Yes, I love him," she acknowledged, not making eye contact with me. How awkward this must be for her, I thought. Here we are, never having had a serious conversation in our lives, and now she was telling me her deepest feelings about the man that I once loved. It was only fair if I was honest as well.
"I knew he loved you… when we were dating," I confessed.
"What are you talking about?" she asked curiously, her eyes finally meeting mine.
"I think it was one of the reasons why I started drifting away from him in the first place," I allowed. "We were watching a movie late one night. We were cuddled on the couch and he had his arms wrapped around me," I began. She winced at the mention of us being intimate, which further proved I was right. "Halfway through the movie, he fell asleep and started mumbling your name," I laughed as I continued. "He thought I was you." I watched her carefully. She was having a hard time believing it as did I at the time. "At first I thought I was just hearing things, but it happened a few more times after that, even declaring that he loved you. He didn't speak to me the way he spoke to you when he was dreaming. I don't even think he remembered those dreams."
"I had no idea," she replied. This was going to take awhile for her to process.
"I never told him about it, if you're wondering," I confided to her. "I was jealous of you, Bra, and I think he knew that. I was always trying to avoid hanging out with you."
"Well, I think I avoided you as much as you tried to avoid me," she laughed, shaking her head. "He had to beg me just to go out to eat with you guys. I hated being the third wheel." I nodded at the remark, though I did not mention that I often felt the same.
Our talk carried on as we discussed everything from my relationship with Declan to Bra's plans for her career. There were so many things that I didn't know about Bra. If only I had given her a chance, I thought. Reflecting back on the past, it all seemed so ridiculous now.
I took a sip of my coffee. "I wish we would have done this sooner. I wish I would have gotten to know you better, before everything happened."
"Well, it's never too late," she said willingly, a grin forming on her face. I nodded in understanding. A grumble from Bra's stomach erupted. She placed her hand over her flat abdomen as if to silence it.
"You Saiyans and your stomachs," I chuckled.
"Tell me about it," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I think that's my cue to head home for dinner."
"Yeah, I need to meet up with Declan soon anyway. It was nice talking with you, Bra," I thanked her for coming.
"I'm glad I came. We should do it again sometime, Paris," she suggested. She stood up, and whisked her bag over her shoulder.
"I would like that," I concurred while drinking the last sip of my coffee before parting ways.
"Oh, and Bra," I bellowed, before she got too far. She twirled around, her bright blue eyes piercing mine. "You should really read Goten's letter," I proposed. She responded with a forced smile and a wave of her hand.
Never in a million years did I think I would ever admit this, but Goten and Bra would make a cute couple. I smiled at the thought of them ending up together. He'll come to his senses soon. I'm sure of it.
oOoOoOo
"Come on, Goten. You can do better than that!" Max taunted as he dodged my attack. I had to admit that the guy was pretty good. For only being a human, his reflexes were extremely developed. He had trained his whole life, but was not interested in being the next Hercule. He just enjoyed doing what he loved and teaching it to others.
The ring of the office phone caught me off guard, allowing him to land a punch in my torso. Although it didn't hurt, it was enough to knock me to the ground unexpectedly. "You've got one heck of a throw, Max," I said, brushing myself off as I stood up. It had been awhile since I was even remotely challenged. Heck, I wouldn't mind sparring with Vegeta right about now. He never went easy on me.
Max went over to grab my duffel bag and tossed it to me, knowing I had my water bottle and gear inside. He plopped down next to me and chugged his water. The building had closed hours ago, and it was just the two of us as we burned off some energy. I reached into my bag and pulled out the bottle I was looking for. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something fall to the floor. Max picked it up and began to examine whatever it was. I then realized what he was looking at. It was the photo of Bra that I took with me everywhere. I had never once talked about her to Max. He knew there was something that had driven me away from West City, but he didn't know who or why.
"Wow, she's beautiful," he commented, looking over her picture. "Who is she? Your girlfriend?" he asked, I could tell he immediately regretted it from the way he reacted. There had obviously been a reason he never met or heard of her.
I gulped down the last of my water, wiping away the droplets that were trickling down my chin. "Her name is Bra. She was my best friend before I left home," I explained.
"She lives in West City then?" he asked.
"Yeah," I replied. I was purposely being short with him. Was I ready to talk about what happened? I was afraid I would still feel resentful towards her, but I wouldn't know if I never tried.
"You never talk about her," he specified. Guilt suddenly washed over me. There was a lot Max didn't know about me, and we had become close friends in the short time that I worked here.
"It's a long story," I replied, thinking he would drop the topic. He didn't.
He thought for a minute before speaking. "I've got time, Goten," he offered sincerely.
I hesitated, taking a deep breath. Well, here goes nothing. I went on to explain the story in its entirety. I told him about Paris cheating on me, Bra telling me the truth, and even the huge falling out we had before I left. Talking about it made me see everything in a whole new light. The grudge I had held was no longer there, and then realization was finally beginning to set in. I, Son Goten, had royally fucked up.
"You've been keeping this to yourself the whole time?" he asked, appearing stunned. I reflected upon his question.
"I didn't have anyone else to talk to. You're the only one I know here in the city, and I couldn't possibly dump all of this on you."
"You should have told me sooner. I can already see a load off your shoulders, man," he conveyed.
"Yeah, I guess so, but it just never seemed like the right time," I answered honestly. I came with a lot of baggage.
"So when do you plan on going back home?" he asked.
"I want to go back before Christmas, but working here has been so great. It's scary to think I would give all this up," I replied.
"It sounds like you don't have a choice, Goten. You have everything you need back home. You couldn't possibly give this girl up for a job," he persuaded, holding the picture of Bra in front of me. I stared at the picture in his hand and slowly took it from him.
Of course I couldn't give her up. I had fallen in love with her.
oOoOoOo
I opened the drawer of my nightstand and pulled out my journal, placing Goten's letter neatly inside its pages. I had given up writing in my journal years ago, but often used it to write when I couldn't sleep. I stared at the letter protruding from the journal and thought about what it would say. There were two frightening scenarios that played through my head. His letter could either reveal that he loved me or that he didn't. I wasn't mentally prepared to hear either one. I had finally gotten to a good place, and now here I was with a letter that could potentially change everything.
As I thought back to Pan's letter, I remembered the most important detail. Goten would be home for Christmas, which was 7 months away. My stomach turned while I sank down into the sheets of my bed. I didn't want to see him again. He had gone from feeling like my best friend to a stranger in a matter of months. Having to confront him would be so uncomfortable. There were so many words that needed to be exchanged between us before our relationship could go back to the way it was.
I carefully placed the journal inside my nightstand drawer, my decision final to read his letter later. I already had enough worry plaguing my mind because of my health. I didn't want to worry about this too.
"Relax, Bra. Everything is going to be okay," I quietly encouraged myself. I would get through this, with or without Goten. Right?
Only time will tell.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. I will try my best to update by next weekend. Thank you to everyone who continues to read this story even after I abandoned it years ago. I promise I will finish it this time.