Happy Holidays everyone! :D

For those who have been on my bio, I wanted to say that I'm off my hiatus. I'm still a bit blocked, but I'm working on it. :)

On another note, I've made my blog public, so if you're interested in visiting it, go check out the link on my bio. :)

By the way, I wrote the first scene based on a manga page I drew, so be sure to check it out on my deviantart, my Twitter or my blog. I've been pretty inspired to draw for this story since I started writing it. :D

And now, enjoy the chapter!

Please Friendzone Me!

Chapter 4

So Lovely

His mask slipped as he left Videl on the rooftop. Gohan darted down several stories before slithering out of sight under the stairs. There, he leaned back against the wall with his head raised and heaved out a long sigh.

That girl had no idea how much she affected him, did she? It had taken everything he had to keep his cool. He still wasn't able to stop himself from leaning closer to her or touching her cheek.

Gohan ran a trembling hand through his hair. Still, he had managed to keep it together somehow. He made sure to reassure her that she didn't owe him anything, and that he would be okay whatever she decided.

He said that, but if Videl rejected him… Just thinking of the possibility made his chest throb. If that actually happened, Gohan knew it was going to hurt like hell. And getting over her? That was going to be one of the hardest things he would ever have to do.

But, Gohan knew he did the right thing. Just because he fell for Videl didn't mean she owed him anything. Even though she did like him back, if she wasn't ready to accept his feelings, he had to give her time.

He shifted his gaze sideways and massaged the nape of his neck; the heat on his cheeks increased, spreading on his whole face.

Yes, he did the right thing. He knew that.

But…

When the wind blew in her hair, making her pigtails and bangs sway around her face… The way she looked at him then, her big blue eyes glazing over, her lips parted slightly, and that deep blush streaked across her cheeks…

Unable to help himself, Gohan had tucked her rebel strands behind her ear. His throat had felt tight and dry as their gazes remained locked.

Gohan hid his crimson face behind his large hands, letting out a muffled groan.

She looked so lovely – I wanted to kiss her again!

The amount of willpower it took to keep himself in check… His urge to kiss Videl had gripped him so much harder at that moment; it was even worse now that he'd had a taste of her lips, that he knew what it was like and how… how absolutely electrifying it was to kiss Videl.

A lump rose in his throat as, without his consent, the vivid memory flooded his senses. The way she sank into his arms and pulled him closer. Her lips were the most exquisite thing he'd ever tasted, and when they deepened the kiss…

That explosion of sensations. His heart, going crazy, pounding hard against his ribcage as though it was trying to bust out. The feel of her soft curves, meshing into him as he held her all against him. Her scent driving him nuts. The way her breath hitched against his lips when he slipped a hand under her shirt to graze her skin ever so slightly.

Goodness… It had been so intense, so mind-numbing. Gohan felt faint just thinking about it. His hands quivered against his burning face. He lowered them and leaned his head back against the wall, letting his eyes slide shut.

He liked Videl so much. And, despite what he told her, he wasn't going to be okay if she didn't accept his feelings – at least not for a while.

He supposed the fate of his heart was in Videl's hands now.

Gohan swallowed thickly. Would he ever get to kiss her again?

God, I hope so…

The shuttle flew over a familiar island. Gohan's gaze was drawn past Videl to the side window while Erasa kept chattering away.

Huh. He hadn't realized they had been so close to Papaya Island at the time. Then again, he had actually never been to the Tenkaichi Budokai before. Gohan wondered if his father had noticed, back then, that they were so close to the place where he had fought some of his best battles and had become the world champion, when they set out to stop the cyborgs seven years ago.

"We're almost there!" Erasa chirped. "Gosh, I'm so excited! I can't wait for the exhibition – we'll get to see all kinds of artwork related to past tournaments in addition to photos and footage. Some former participants were real hunks too!"

Gohan leaned back against the seat and smiled. He planned to come back with his family and friends while the exhibition was still open. Everyone would be sure to enjoy it a lot too, especially since most of them were directly involved in the subject matter. He was going to take lots of pictures regardless.

"Attention, class." The teacher chaperoning the field trip tapped on her microphone several times. The chatters in the back of the shuttle lowered in volume but didn't quiet down completely. It seemed good enough for Mrs. Potts, however, who kept going. "We will be landing shortly. Please get back to your seats and fasten your seatbelts."

Gohan looked at Erasa. "I'm sure you want your seat back."

She waved him off. "Don't be silly. I'll just go to yours." She stood and winked at him. "Let's all go shopping together after we're done settling in the hotel. We've got plenty of time before the exhibition."

Videl rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched upward. "Erasa wants to go shopping. What a surprise."

The blonde giggled. "And you don't?"

Videl shrugged. "I don't really care either way."

"Riiiiight. You can drop the act, Vi. You know you enjoy it too."

Videl smirked. "Maybe."

Gohan watched the two best friends banter with a smile on his face. "Shopping sounds good to me," he said.

Erasa was about to reply with something but Mrs. Potts urged her back to her seat and the bubbly blonde scurried away. Gohan let out a chuckle. Having friends his age sure was something else.

"Seatbelt, Gohan," Videl reminded him as she fastened her own.

"Right." He felt around his left hip for the hook; it was tucked in against the cushion. Gohan tugged at it, extending the belt until he reached the other side of his seat. Lowering his energy some more to avoid damaging the slot, Gohan took his time fastening himself. Better to be slow than to break something.

"You're not worried about the exhibition later?" Videl asked in a low voice.

He looked up and the clasp slipped from his grasp; the seatbelt immediately retracted back to the left side of his seat. He raised his eyebrows at his now empty hand. He supposed his hold had been a little too weak.

Videl snorted, laughing into her hand. "Geez, you can be so clumsy at times."

He gave an awkward smile and tried fastening his seatbelt once more. This time, the clasp slid into the slot with a distinct click.

"Um, what was it about me being worried?"

Videl leaned closer, raising a hand over the side of her mouth. Gohan felt his lips curve up as her sweet, fruity scent tickled his nose. She smelled really nice.

"Well, you told me you didn't want the others to know about your dad," she whispered. "And since he's definitely going to be represented at the exhibition, aren't you worried they're going to put two and two together?"

His eyebrows scrunched up in thought. "You think? Is it that obvious that I'm his son?"

"Yes. Definitely. Even if you didn't have the same last name – you look too much like him."

Gohan gave an awkward smile and scratched his hair. "I do, don't I? What do you think I should do?"

"I don't know if there's anything you could do. There's no way you can avoid it."

His shoulders slumped. "I guess I have no choice, huh? And I was so excited to see the exhibition, too…"

"It doesn't have to be a problem," Videl reasoned. "I mean, yeah, everyone's gonna buzz around you for a while, but it'll die down soon enough. And once it does, you won't have to worry about hiding who your dad is from the others anymore. You're a very honest guy, Gohan. I'm sure you'll be more at ease once the cat's out of the bag."

His expression softened as he gazed at his friend. The dread weighing down on his stomach all but vanished at her words. He couldn't argue with her logic: indeed, it would be nice if he could just be honest and didn't have to worry about letting his father's name slip by accident.

Videl had pegged him quite accurately despite having known him for just a few weeks.

"Yeah, that's true."

"You'll be fine. You'll just have to endure it until they lose interest in you." Videl patted his shoulder in sympathy. He nodded, and even though that didn't sound like fun, Gohan wasn't too worried.

After all, Videl knew firsthand what it was like to be thrust into the spotlight because of a famous father – and she had it much worse than he ever would. So if she said he was going to be okay, he knew he could trust her word on it.

Videl raised an eyebrow at the single suitcase Erasa had decapsulated on top of her chosen bed. Her blonde friend was never one to travel light. Was this really all she brought? Maybe she was going to unpack her bags one by one? Yeah, that had to be it. Even if the field trip was only for three days and two nights, and any normal person wouldn't logically need more than one luggage, Erasa was anything but the average traveler. Videl had honestly expected at least three big bags.

"Is that really all you brought for the trip?" She couldn't help the disbelief in her voice.

Erasa giggled. "Yup. I did bring a few empty suitcases because I knew we'd have time for shopping, though."

Videl smirked. Now that was the Erasa she knew and loved. She shouldn't have doubted her friend's passion for clothes and fashion.

Sitting on her bed for the night, the raven-haired girl fiddled with the zipper of the sports bag serving as her luggage. She'd only brought a few sets of clothes and some beauty products, so she was already done unpacking. Her gaze didn't waver from the zipper as her brow creased lightly.

"Hey, Erasa."

The blonde looked over from the closet, holding a hanger with a pink and white sundress. "Hm?"

Videl sharply zipped the bag shut and raised her head to meet Erasa's questioning eyes. "I need your advice about something."

Erasa blinked. She hung the dress in the closet and went over to sit on her bed. "Okay. What's the matter?"

Videl gave a thin smile. "You don't have to stop unpacking for this. It's nothing too serious."

Her friend shrugged in response. "It can wait. I'm almost done anyway."

"Alright."

Her gaze shifted to the side for a few moments; she pinched her lips together.

"Alright," she said again, turning to face her friend. "I'm going to tell you a secret, Erasa." At that, the other girl's eyes lit up. "But, please, I don't want you to make a big deal out of it and overreact. Can you promise me that?"

Erasa fidgeted in place. She looked like a soda bottle you just shook and started to open before quickly twisting the cap shut again.

"I promise," she assured, limiting her reaction to a big grin.

Videl sighed in relief. "Alright, thanks."

"So, what's the secret?"

Videl looked away and bit her lip. This one time, she let herself react and a blush appeared on her cheeks. "I… have a crush on someone."

Silence met her confession. Cautiously, the raven-haired girl took a peek at her usually chatty friend. Erasa had her eyes wide open and was pressing both her hands on her mouth, as though to force the bubbles down the soda bottle even though they kept seeping out of the cap.

Videl let out a weary chuckle, her shoulders slumping. She almost felt bad for making Erasa promise not to overreact, but she was very grateful to her for putting so much effort into keeping her word.

"I know you're dying to know who it is…" Videl shook her head. "But that's something I can't tell even you, Erasa. Nobody can ever know."

Slowly, Erasa lowered her hands. She took a deep breath, exhaled, and then focused on her again.

"Why not? Are you embarrassed?" She smirked. "It's not Sharpner, is it?"

The joke had the intended effect: Videl snorted laughing. Erasa giggled along.

"He wishes." The raven-haired girl let out another sigh. "It's not that I'm embarrassed about who it is. But, I guess I am embarrassed that I couldn't stop myself from falling for him…"

"Aww, there's nothing wrong with that, Vi. If you like him, I bet he's a great guy."

Videl pinched her lips together, her face burning up. It felt good to open up to her friend. She was so grateful for her.

"Still, I don't…" She ran a hand over the nape of her neck, her gaze rising to the ceiling. "I don't like how it's making me feel." She shook her head. "I just want to get over this stupid crush and stop thinking about him all the time."

Erasa fell quiet. Glancing back at her, Videl saw her chewing on her lip. She shot her a questioning look, silently urging her to speak what was on her mind.

"Can you really not tell me who it is?" Erasa pressed on, leaning forward with her eyes twinkling. "Who's this guy? How did he catch your attention? Where do you know him from? Is he in our class? Or maybe he's an upperclassman? Or from the gym? How did you meet him?"

Videl shook her head. "I can't answer any of that. I'm sorry, Erasa. It's not that I don't trust you to keep the secret – otherwise I wouldn't be telling you about it at all – but I don't want anyone to know. I'm taking his identity to the grave."

Erasa slumped her shoulders. "Oh, well. Can't blame me for trying." She tilted her head to the side. "So, from what I understand, you won't pursue him? Then what do you need my help with?"

"I want to get over him," Videl stated. She clutched the bedding. "I want to stop liking him that way, but it's only been getting worse."

Erasa frowned deeply, a look that wasn't common on her usual cheery face. "But why? If you like him that much, don't you want to be with him?"

"No." Her tone was clear-cut, absolute; she left no room for argument. "I don't want to like him, and I don't want to be with him. But I don't know what I could do to get over him."

Erasa fell silent, her frown deepening. She got up and resumed unpacking her suitcase.

"I need your help, Erasa," Videl pleaded. "I don't know what to do. You've had crushes before, and you've moved on since then. What do you do when you're trying to get over someone?"

But Erasa didn't say anything in response. She lifted her open suitcase from the bed, dropped it unceremoniously on the floor by the closet, and kneeled down. With a sharp tug, she opened a drawer, grabbed a fistful of underwear from her bag, and shoved them inside.

"Erasa, please. I don't know what to do. You're the only one who can help me."

"I just don't get it!" the blonde snapped before jumping to her feet and slamming the drawer shut with a kick. Videl flinched. "You finally found someone you like, and you'd rather just throw it all away? Why?"

Videl pinched the bridge of her nose. "Because," she uttered out, her voice hoarse, "he makes me feel so… weak. I feel like a pathetic mess when I'm with him. I can't even make my own heart stop racing like an idiot when he's around. I can't control anything. He's got way too much power over me, and I hate it. I didn't ask for this. I don't want… I don't want to feel this helpless anymore."

"Oh, Videl…" Erasa rushed to her and hugged her tight. "Is it because…? Does it make you think of that time?"

The raven-haired girl let the side of her head rest on her friend's shoulder as she hugged her back. "Yeah… I mean, it's nowhere near as bad, obviously, but it's a pretty strong reminder."

"I get it. I'm sorry for judging you too quickly." Erasa gave her a strong squeeze before pulling back. She held her by the shoulders, looking deep into her eyes. "I'll help you however I can."

Videl let out a long sigh, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you. What can I do, then?"

Erasa held her chin. "Hmm, let's see. It would help if you could avoid him as much as possible. You know what they say: out of sight, out of mind."

Videl shook her head. She couldn't say that she still wanted to stay good friends with her crush. That would be a dead giveaway seeing as Videl only had so many friends.

"Not an option."

Erasa opened her mouth and looked like she wanted to say something, but then she clamped her lips shut and her face scrunched up. Videl cracked a small smile. Erasa likely meant to ask her more about her secret crush. Her consideration was heart-warming.

"Okay. How about trying to pick on his flaws? How long have you liked him? If it's still the early stages, then as time goes on you might find some things about him that really irks you. Like, remember Penn? At first, I thought his habit of fist-bumping for pretty much any reason was cute, but that quickly got on my nerves." She rolled her eyes. "The guy would fist-bump me even for getting him froyo. And that one time I just picked up his eraser? Like, seriously, dude, at least make it special or something."

Videl laughed. She did remember the Fist-Bump Guy. He'd been nice enough, but his little habit did get old pretty fast.

"Does your crush have any annoying habits like that?"

Crossing her arms, Videl gave it some serious thought. She supposed Gohan's worrywart nature could be a little annoying, but the fact that he was aware of it and even apologized for it kinda just made him more endearing. That wasn't going to do.

Was there anything else? Videl's whole face scrunched up deeply. Forget annoying habits, did Gohan even have flaws besides that one thing? She supposed he had a temper, but he normally had it under control. Except for that one time with the bully, she had never seen Gohan so much as raise his voice.

Maybe his habit of scratching his hair or rubbing the back of his neck? Could that eventually get on her nerves?

Videl sighed and slumped her shoulders. No way. It just made him look even more adorable. That wouldn't do either. She massaged her temples.

Erasa laughed heartily. "Seriously? You can't even think of a single thing about him that you don't like?"

Videl puckered her lips. "It's not funny. I probably just don't know him well enough."

Erasa shook her head in amusement, her broad smile never wavering. "Alright, so that's a no-go. Then, I guess your only option is to get him to reject you. Or at the very least, to friendzone you."

Videl perked up. Now that was something she could do. "How would that help?"

"Simple. Once that door is closed for good, you won't have any lingering hope that it still could happen with him, and you'll be able to move on."

"So, I'll be getting closure. I like that."

The light in Erasa's baby-blue eyes dimmed. "Are you sure about this? Won't you regret someday that you wasted your very first crush?"

Videl looked to the side, playing with her left pigtail. "If I'm being honest… I don't know. I might, in years to come maybe. But, right now, I hate that he affects me so much. I just want these feelings gone."

"He sure did a number on you, huh?"

The enamored girl covered her face with her hands, hiding her bright blush. "God, you have no idea."

Shopping may not be Gohan's favorite activity, but going to clothing stores with friends his age wasn't the same as the family outings at the mall. In those instances, Gohan would usually just stand aside and watch his mother wrestle other women in the battle for the best items at the best prices, which she obviously always won. Chichi also chose for him and his brother what to go try on and neither of them ever protested, whether they liked her personal preferences or not.

Well, Gohan didn't mind, really, and he usually liked the clothes his mother would buy him well enough. Still, getting to choose from the racks himself was a new experience for the teen, and hanging out with his friends from school in a clothing store made him feel so normal. He could get used to this.

"So, Gohan, how's your roommate?" Erasa asked without looking up from the hung clothes on a circular rack. "Who'd you get, for that matter?"

"Booker." Gohan paused between two shirts, his brow furrowing. "He doesn't seem to like me, though. He was glaring at me a lot while we were unpacking."

"He's probably jealous 'cuz you get to hang out with us." Sharpner picked a pair of torn jeans and added the item to the pile on his left arm. "I mean, you even got on Videl's good side. You have no idea how many have tried before you."

Gohan raised his head to look over at the girl in question, who was examining a white sneaker with black streaks. "Were they really that bad?"

"Maybe not," Erasa said. "But you're the first person who's shown absolutely no interest in meeting Videl's dad."

Is it my fault? Gohan wondered, observing the pigtailed girl. If I hadn't let Mr. Satan take the credit for killing Cell, would Videl have had an easier time making friends?

"I don't need more friends anyway," Videl stated, unknowingly discarding his worries. She put the pair of sneakers back on the shelf and looked up at him with a smirk. "I didn't really mean to get close to you either at first. It kinda just happened."

Gohan cracked a smile as he held her gaze. "It kinda did, didn't it?"

"It's a shame you don't have a nice roommate though." Erasa frowned at Sharpner while hugging her pile of items of clothing "You should've roomed with Gohan! It's his first field trip ever, that's the least you could've done!"

"But I always room with Pencil on field trips!" Sharpner raised his spare hand in defense. "Besides, it's not like Gohan's gonna have to spend time with him. We've got way too much fun to have to stay cooped up in our hotel rooms – he'll just see Booker when they go to sleep and a bit in the morning."

"Yeah, Sharpner's right," Gohan said with a smile. "And it's good practice for dealing with difficult people. You don't always get along with those you have to see every day. I imagine it's a lot more common once you're an adult."

"Is everything a teachable moment for you?" Sharpner snickered. Gohan chuckled along.

"It's called being mature," Videl gibed with a playful smirk. "You should try it sometime."

"But where's the fun in that?" Sharpner bantered along.

Gohan cracked a smile. These two always had entertaining interactions.

"Well, I've got fifteen items already," Erasa said, counting the pile on her left arm. "Wait, no – sixteen. What about you guys?"

Sharpner quirked an eyebrow at her. "Are they even gonna let you in a changing room with so many items?"

Erasa shrugged. "The store's not too busy, I'm sure it'll be fine. Besides, I can always charm my way in," she added with a wink.

Gohan scratched his hair. "I've got two items so far."

"Only two?" Erasa walked over to him to check what he had picked. She frowned and shook her head. "This won't do, Gohan. This shirt looks too bland. And don't you have enough dress pants already? Don't you want to try something new?"

"Well, um…" He gave an awkward chuckle. "I'm not really good at that stuff. I don't usually care much about clothes."

"Oh, trust me, I've noticed." Erasa laughed good-naturedly, patting his shoulder. "How about you let me help you then? Oh, we should get you a makeover!"

He scratched his hair. "Ah, I don't know about that… But I could use some help either way, yeah."

"Alright! This is gonna be fun. First, put those back on the racks, and trust me on the rest. I'll choose a few types of outfits for you to try on, and you can tell me what you think. Sounds good to you?"

Gohan cracked a nervous smile. The glint in Erasa's eyes wasn't too reassuring, but he supposed she knew what she was talking about. It could be interesting to see what kind of outfits she'd choose for him, too.

"Alright. But what about your pile of items?" He motioned to it with his gaze.

"Oh, you're right." She darted to the tall, blond boy and shoved the clothes she was carrying in his arms. "Look after these for me, will you? Thanks a bunch."

Sharpner rolled his eyes but didn't object. Erasa beamed at Gohan and clapped her hands. "Alright, let's get started!"

The boy scratched his hair, not quite sure he made the right move agreeing to this. He glanced over at Videl, who was snickering in her hand at his expense. He cracked a grin. Well, he supposed he might as well have fun with it.

This was bad for her heart.

The black turtle-neck Erasa had Gohan try on looked so good on him. It wasn't too fitted and outlined his muscular frame in a subtle way. The blonde handed him a brown blazer to go with it, and he was also wearing beige chinos pants and a pair of brown oxfords.

The style wasn't too different from what Gohan would usually wear, but it suited him so much better. Videl was having trouble holding her poker face in place. That guy was just too damn attractive.

"So, what do you think?" Erasa smoothed out the sleeve of the jacket. "Do you like it?"

Gohan shifted from side to side as he looked at his reflection in the full-length mirror. "Yeah, it looks good. And I like that you kept it simple."

"Of course. I know what I'm doing. Even if something more casual or even flashy would look great on you too, I know it wouldn't be your style."

"You still look like a nerd though," Sharpner said with a smirk, crossing his arms. "But at least a better-dressed one."

Gohan chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"What about you, Videl?" Erasa asked. "What do you think? Gohan looks great in this outfit, don't you think?"

The boy in question glanced her way with a sheepish smile. Videl couldn't help looking him up and down again.

"Y-Yeah. You look… I mean, um… it suits you." She hated that she couldn't control the quiver in her voice. She needed to go back to her happy place pronto.

He beamed. "Thanks. I think so too."

"Go try on the other outfits I picked for you!" Erasa urged him.

He chuckled good-naturedly and went back into the changing room, pushing the curtains closed behind him. Erasa plopped down on the ottoman next to Videl.

"I swear, Gohan's way too hot." She let out a long sigh. "It's really too bad he's not into me."

Videl gave a dry smile as she watched the blush on her friend's face. She wished Erasa wouldn't be so obvious when showing her interest in Gohan. She knew she was being unreasonable, but she couldn't help the way she felt. And could anyone really blame her? What girl would want to hear her best friend gush about the boy she liked?

Everything Erasa picked for Gohan looked amazing on him, but he chose only a few of his favorite outfits to take to the register. He would rather not use all of his allowance on clothes only.

Erasa was up next in the changing room, having fun parading in the outfits she tried on while her friends sat on ottomans and enjoyed her little fashion show.

She pushed the curtains open one last time and stepped out with a golden, strapless dress that hugged her figure nicely.

Sharpner whistled. "Man, you look hot, 'Rase."

She smirked. "I know, but thanks." The short-haired blonde swayed her hips suggestively and gave Gohan a flirtatious look. "What do you think, Gohan?"

The boy simply kept smiling. "It looks nice on you, yeah."

Erasa sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Thanks…"

Gohan frowned slightly and tilted his head to the side. Did he say something wrong?

"Well, I'm taking everything. Who's up next in the changing room? Videl or Sharpner?"

"Videl," the blond boy replied right off the bat, a sneaky smirk on his lips as he looked over at the raven-haired girl. "And I've got a few suggestions for you to try on if you'd be so kind."

Videl made a face. "Not this again. I'm not your damn Barbie doll."

"Aww, come on, Vi," Erasa chimed in. "It's just for fun. I picked out a few outfits for you too, and I'm curious as to what Sharpner got for you."

"Better not be something vulgar." Videl crossed her arms and gave the long-haired boy a pointed look. He rolled his eyes in response.

"That was just one time, and it wasn't even that bad. A mini-skirt isn't vulgar. Geez. Will you give me some credit? I've got a pretty good fashion sense, y'know?"

"You did pick out some nice outfits for me," Gohan chipped in.

"See? Even Brains agrees."

"I mean, it won't hurt to just try them on, right? Please?" Erasa pleaded, her hands joined, looking at her friend with puppy eyes.

Videl sighed. "Fine… But don't expect me to come out wearing something outrageous."

Sharpner laughed. "Have some faith." He walked over to her and handed her a pile of clothes. "Try these on first, will you? I really wanna see how they look on you."

Videl grimaced at garments in her arms. Gohan tilted his head to the side. Now he was getting curious about what Sharpner had picked for Videl. The girl usually wore comfortable outfits, mostly simple shirts with jeans or leggings. He wondered what she would look like in different kinds of attires.

She trudged into the changing room, yanking the curtains shut behind her. Sharpner grinned, crossing his hands behind his head.

Erasa sat down next to Gohan, still wearing the golden dress. He gave her a smile.

"It's fun, isn't it?" she said. "We should do this more often."

"I wouldn't mind," he replied. "But I think my wallet would."

They chuckled at the joke.

"What do your parents do for a living anyway?" Sharpner asked him.

"Oh, um… We have a farm. My mom manages it. I help out whenever I can, too."

"That's a pretty good workout." Sharpner nodded in appreciation. "Makes sense. Speaking of, how'd you get into martial arts?"

"Oh yeah, I've been wondering about that too," Erasa chimed in. "Videl said she couldn't even touch you when you two sparred. I still can't believe you outmatched her. She's at pro level, you know?"

Gohan scratched the back of his head, an uneasy chuckle slipping out of his lips. He supposed that question would be easier to answer after the exhibition later today. He could just tell them about his father now, but the boy wanted to enjoy his last hours out of the spotlight if possible.

"I, um…"

The curtains were flung to the side, saving him the trouble to come up with a plausible answer. The three friends turned their heads in unison as Videl stepped out of the changing room.

Gohan's lips parted; his breath hitched.

"I can't believe you made me wear a dress," Videl muttered, glaring at Sharpner.

He grinned. "You gotta admit, you look amazing. And it's not vulgar or outrageous, is it?"

"I guess… It's a little short though."

"Well, you've got great legs. You should show them off."

Erasa clapped her hands, stars in her eyes. "I think you look fabulous! Great job, Sharpner!"

Gohan finally remembered to breathe. The thin-strapped dress was light blue, complimenting the color of her eyes. The top hugged her figure elegantly, highlighting her thin waist and showing just a hint of cleavage. The bottom of the dress was short and wavy, flowing gracefully with every motion of her perfectly-shaped legs.

He swallowed thickly; he couldn't stop himself from staring. She just looked so… lovely.

Gohan wasn't blind – he was aware that Videl was a very pretty girl. So was Erasa, for that matter. But, for some reason, the bubbly blonde wasn't able to catch his attention in this way no matter how good she looked in her new outfits. Perhaps it was because he was used to seeing her in girly and pretty revealing attires, whereas he had never seen Videl like this before. The simple dress certainly did wonders to bring out her natural beauty.

But was it really just the dress? This wasn't the first time he found himself staring at Videl. Like that day at her gym, when he'd just walked out of the locker rooms and caught sight of her in the middle of stretching… The way she moved had been so entrancing, and he couldn't ignore how slim and toned her figure was; her leggings had hugged her legs and hips snuggly while she moved her supple body from pose to pose… That time, too, Gohan had been rooted on the spot, unable to look away.

His heart pounded as Videl glanced his way. Their eyes locked. His face was heating up. He swallowed. His body was reacting in very strange ways. Was it maybe his teenage hormones acting up? That would make sense… Yeah, that had to be it. It was just his hormones responding to the sight of a beautiful girl.

He needed to stop staring at Videl like that though. She just looked so lovely, and that dress suited her so well…

Sharpner snickered. "I think we lost Brains."

Erasa pouted, crossing her arms. "No fair. I wanted him to stare at me like that."

Summoning all of his willpower, Gohan finally tore his gaze away from Videl. He coughed into his fist and kept his hand over his mouth and nose, hoping to hide the bright blush on his face.

"I, um… I-I didn't mean to stare. Sorry. I think, um… I think I was caught a little off guard. I, uh… I mean… I-I never saw you in a dress before. It… um… suits you. You… You look really nice, Videl."

That was quite the understatement, but the boy supposed it was best to keep his exact thoughts for himself. He wouldn't want to make things awkward with Videl. Well… more awkward, anyway.

Her voice was small as she replied, "Thanks…"

Sharpner cracked up. "I guess even Brains' a hot-blooded guy after all! Who knew?"

December 24, 2021