Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Change of Heart ❯ The Bet ( Chapter 2 )

He pushed the play button on the answering machine and slouched into a nearby chair, his arms folded, and his head cocked back.

There was one from Goku saying hello, one from Goten for Trunks, some for Bura from friends at school, a high-pitched one from Chi-Chi, desperately trying to find Bulma for ingredients in a soup, and another one for Trunks from a friend.

Vegeta stood up as the machine clicked off with a beep, and walked into the kitchen, hands stuffed in his pockets, shoulders in a stretch.

"Any messages?" Vegeta smiled.

"A few." She picked a pan out from a stack and pulled out a can of non-stick spray.

"For?" She questioned, spraying the pan thickly, coughing in response to the thick fume. She breathed in.

"Trunks, Bura, and one for you." She smiled. "Chi-Chi. Needing to know something about crab or lobster for her soup or something or other."

Vegeta opened the fridge and pulled out a coke. He sat down and opened the can in silence, while Bulma poured batter into the rounded pan.

"Crab." She said after length. Then, after he furrowed his brows she added, "For the recipe she was making."

He smirked.

Bura burst into the room with pale pink capris and a blue top that nearly matched her hair that was tied up in a messy bun with sunglasses. She slid into a chair and snatched up her orange juice, taking it all in one gulp.

"No pancakes or scones today, mom. Thanks the same." She stood up again. "Marron and I are going to head to the mall. I-" A honk came from the front drive, and Bura peeped out of the window. "It's her. Catch you later!"

"Have fun!" Bulma shouted to Bura's retreating back. Her answer was the door slamming, and the wind chimes as Bura traditionally brushed her hand through them on her way out.

"Don't you love her fond farewells?" Bulma said, hands on her hips, as she looked at Vegeta.

Trunks tripped into the room, cursing at the flip-flop Bura left in the doorway from the night before.

"Look at this!" He shouted. Bulma waved a hand dismissively. "I could have killed myself!" She turned on the stove fire. "Does anyone care?" He asked, exasperated.

"Trunks, you've never left anything lying around?" He pointed to his chest defensively.

"I've never left anything hazardous around. That girl could start a war with the things she leaves around!"

"What about the time you left-" Trunks lifted his hands.

"Alright, alright. I got it." She smirked to herself and continued cooking, listening to the news in the next room.

"I woke up early to make this nice breakfa-" She started. Trunks gulped some orange juice, and grabbed a granola bar.

"I'm gonna jet." He said before he could hear her speech of her working for the nice breakfast. "Gotta' get to work." He explained. He went out the door and was straddled on his bike before she could even say goodbye.

"Well, at least you're here to enjoy it, Vegeta." She smiled and looked around the room. Vegeta was gone. "Thanks!" She shouted. "I tried!" She slapped the dishtowel on the table, turned off the toaster, oven, and stove. After putting away the popular orange juice she left the room.

Bura opened the door to Marron's car and slid in the seat. She snapped on the seat belt and switched the radio station.

"Hey there, cutie!" Marron said as she put the car in reverse. "So which mall are we off to?"

"How about the new one? Haven't really been there before." She said with a shrug.

"Sounds great. We have to pick up Pan on the way, though." She said, turning down Garner St.

"You talked her into coming? That's great!" Marron laughed. "Seriously, why did she decide to come?"

"I talked-and talked, and talked-her into coming. It took some time, but I convinced her." She smiled. "I think Pan's always wanted to be one of the girls, just never knew how. Know what I mean?"

She slammed on her brakes as a cat ran in front of the car. Bura's sunglasses fell off with a scream, and Marron pushed against the wheel to brace herself with a, "Crap!" on her lips.

"You dumb cat!" She yelled.

Bura retrieved her sunglasses and put a hand over her mouth, giggling. Marron shot her a questioning look.

"I'm sorry." Bura said. "But I guess for some reason…" She giggled some more. "It hit my funny bone."

Marron started laughing too. The girls finally stopped giggling however, when they realized they were in the middle of the street, with several cars honking behind them. They exchanged looks, and Marron slid the gear into drive.

They pulled onto Liarosa Dr. and passed a couple lights. Soon, trees were in view instead of the city's buildings, and the two girls were singing with the radio.

Marron slowed down at the sight of Gohan Son's house and pulled into the driveway.

With a honk of the horn, Marron slid deeper into the seat and folded her arms. Bura dug into her purse for a compact, and brushed the spongy make-up pad over her cheeks and nose.

They both looked up at the sound of a door opening, and Gohan and Pan came out. She jogged over to the car and opened the back door.

"Hey, girly!" Bura called from the front seat as Pan sat down. "How're you doin'?" Pan smiled.

"I'm doing good. You guys?"

Marron held up her hand. "Great." Gohan walked over to the girls' car and leaned in Bura's window.

"Your dad home, Bura?" She smiled.

"Yeah he is. You need him?" She raised an eyebrow and her mouth cracked open slightly.

"Yeah, I'll go see him now. Just checking. Catch you later, girls. Don't be too bad at the mall." He grinned. "Unless that's your goal." He winked and Marron pulled the car out of the drive.

"Your dad's hot, Pan." Bura said. "Seriously. I mean, he's cute, and he's awesome. I'd like to see my dad say what he just did. And wink." She laughed. "Yeah, I'd like to see that." The girls all smiled at the thought, and Marron turned up the radio.

"We're going to Hilshire Mall, Pan." Marron said over the speakers. "The new one on Twelfth St. That ok?"

"Yeah, sure. I don't care." Marron nodded.

Bura turned up the volume even more, and they blasted their way towards the city. Marron opened the sunroof, and suddenly the wind overtook them on their way to the Hilshire Mall.

Trunks braced himself as he walked into his office, awaiting secretaries to follow him in, explaining the next problem that he knew would happen. He let out a deep breath when only Claire, his first secretary, came in with a single black folder.

She sat it on his desk, and stepped back, smoothing her navy blue suit. He picked it up and looked through it. Nothing out of the usual. He smiled.

"That's it. You may go." She nodded and turned on her navy pumps, but she stopped at the door, a hand touching the frame lightly.

"There was a message for you, Sir. From a David Ranier I believe was his name. Would you like me to call him back?"

He slid his tongue over the bottom of his right front teeth as he usually did when in thought, mouth open, and closed it and opened it again with a smack.

"Yeah, that would be great." She gave a nod, and left the room. The door slid shut behind her, and within moments his phone gave a beep.

"He's on the phone." She said through the phone's intercom. He turned his chair to face the phone and pushed a button.

"Connect it, Claire." There was another beep, and Trunks said, "Hello?" There was a chuckle on the other line, and Trunks would have known the caller before anyone had told him.

"Trunks! The business man!" The caller, Dave, said with an obvious smile in his tone. "How you been?"

Trunks laughed. "Not the best, but I don't want to talk about that now. Man, it's been a while since I heard from you, how was your stuff abroad?"

"As good as school can go. Still can't speak any of their language, I'm glad to be back. I tried calling a couple days ago, but you were on a business trip?"

"Yeah. Hey, what are you doing today?" Trunks said, pulling out his binder and inspecting the papers inside.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to meet up for lunch?" Trunks fiddled with the phone cord, and flipped up his computer screen.

"Sure, some ritzy place I'm guessing?" He laughed again, and Trunks returned it.

"Not necessarily."

"Great! How about the Italian place in the new mall? Definitely nothing fancy, but there's this girl that works there and I-"

"Say no more." Trunks returned. "About one-thirty?"

"Bura! Pan! Wait up!" Marron had had an embarrassing problem with her car, or more likely, she was being ditzy. Pan and Bura had taken that chance to escape and head towards the entrance before her, hiding the fact that they were with her.

She caught up with them, and grabbed Bura's arm, gasping for breath.

"I had to run all the way down the row," She pointed at her feet. "in these shoes!" She winced, and leaned on Bura for support.

"Wow, doesn't this mall look so wicked?" Bura exclaimed. "I can't believe I haven't been here since it opened."

"When did it open?" Pan asked, smiling as she gazed over the entrance. Marron stopped, and knelt down to adjust her shoes.

"About a month ago." Marron pulled herself up by Pan's arm, and the three of them entered the Hilshire Mall.

Bura giggled with delight at the beauty boutique, her personal favorite kind of store, Marron gasped at the sight of the expensive, run-way fashion shoe store, her personal weakness, and Pan sighed, overwhelmed by the sure size of it.

At four stories, the mall was exquisite. Balconies of whitewashed wood lined each row of stores, Sunroofs made the entire roof, and at every five or six stores the higher floors opened up to where there was an octagonal space on the first floor with a large clear-water fountain. The whole mall was based on pale turquoise, blue, pink, and ivory. It was gorgeous.

Bura snatched both the girls hands and led them up the escalator to the third floor beauty boutique.

She squealed and put both her hands over her mouth as she stepped in. Name brand makeup lined the left wall of the first room, and elegant bath products line the right side. The next room held both perfumes and essential oils, luxurious bath towels with designs and monograms, and personalized makeup in a small room off of that one.

Bura raced to look at everything, and Marron and Pan exchanged glances.

Trunks strolled casually into the mall, and gave a small whistle. This place really was huge. He scanned for any Italian restaurants, and he caught one called Shichanni's on the second floor. He hopped on the escalator, and poked around the tables, looking for Dave. Trunks smiled. A guy with blonde hair-definitely Dave-was waving casually while he sipped a raspberry smoothie.

"Glad you could make it, Mr. Business." He joked when Trunks sat down. Dave waved for a waitress, and a redhead in a black mini and a white short-sleeved button up shirt came over, an apron slung on her hips, and a tablet in her hands.

"And what can I get you guys?" She said with a smile, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"A Shichanni's spaghetti, with a `Dew." Dave said, looking at Trunks. Trunk's was looking over the menu, and he looked up at her.

"Uh, the Sicilian pizza with spinach and mushrooms."

"To drink?" She prompted.

"Dr. Pepper." She smiled, slipping the tablet and pen into on of her apron pockets and picked up their menu's.

"It'll be just a second, gentlemen." After she left Trunks smiled, leaned forward on his arms folded on the table, and shook his head.

"Is that her?" He asked. Dave smiled, and Trunks knew the answer. "Yeah, she's cute. Where'd you meet her?"

"Wait, `she's cute'? What do you mean? She's more than cute, she's, well, she's cute. But more of a cute than you meant. I see her around a club I go to, and I usually come in her every so often." Trunks laughed.

"So, has she discovered you're stalking her yet?" He joked. Dave shook his head this time.

"Seriously, dude, she doesn't think that. I just casually see her around. Nothing huge."

Trunks smiled. "Ok, I got you."

Bura gave a squeak and picked up some fitted khaki's. Marron shook her head, and Pan sunk into a nearby chair.

"Bura, we've been here since before eleven, and it's now one-forty five. And I still haven't been to my shoe store." Marron said, more of a reminder, not quite a complaint.

"Ok, ok." She said, putting back the khaki's. But I want to come back and try them on, ok?"

"Sure, now let's head on to my shoe store!" Marron picked up her bags off the floor and trotted out of the store, refreshed at the thought of going to the store she's wanted to all morning.

"Where is it?" Bura asked, her and Pan catching up with Marron. "I mean, what floor?" Marron looked around for an escalator.

"It's on the first, right by the main entrance." She looked around a second longer. "There!" She exclaimed, pointing to an escalator marked `down'.

They hopped on and situated themselves against the railing, examining their bags. Pan smiled; Marron was excited about this next store.

They came to the end of the ever-moving stairs and jumped off. Marron darted the way of the shoe store and gasped upon her entry.

"Cimaro's!" She exclaimed before disappearing into the large, four room, store.

Trunks smiled and looked up from his pizza. He saw two guys by the escalator he was sure he knew. He tapped Dave.

"Who are those guys?" Dave dropped a meatball and looked around. Trunks pointed him in the direction of the guys.

"I dun-" He squinted as they neared, and a grin crossed his face. "It's Cedric and Connor." He said excitedly. "Hey! Cedric, Connor!" He shouted, holding up and arm.

"You serious?" Trunks asked, tilting his head to the side. He recognized them as they got closer, and he grinned too.

"Hey guys." He said, eyeing their change from surf shorts and tee's to khaki's and polo's. They looked a lot different, older too.

"If it isn't Mr. Capsule Corps. himself." Conner said with a smirk. Conner had always liked Trunks a little better than Cedric. Yeah, Cedric and Dave were more alike come to think of it. Conner was more like Trunks.

Trunks brushed off the remark. "Just Trunks, guys. I get too much flattery already. Sit down."

"Ooh. Maybe we should say cocky instead?" Conner said, sitting down. Cedric followed, and they both ordered drinks.

"So, how is the business?" Conner asked, opening a straw and poking it through the ice of his coke.

"I guess you could say pretty good. I'm still earning the ropes." Conner smiled, he understood. He had taken over his father's business about three months ago himself. An advertising business with a big reputation in this city, and several other branches strategically around the world.

"Are you pocketing some money, Trunks?" Cedric asked, leaning forward on his folded arms.

Trunks laughed it off. "Oh, yeah. Big bucks. Found a quarter on my office floor the other day." The guys laughed.

"Doing any gambling with your own money, Trunks? You could get some big bucks there. I doubled my money on a bet the other day."

Trunks raised an eyebrow. Conner wasn't the gambling type. "No, not much." He smiled. Conner shook his head.

"You should. You could get lucky. Way lucky, my friend."

"That's not really my thing." Conner laughed and leaned in closer.

"Scared of losing, Mr. Company Pres.?" Trunks looked at Conner. He could sense the teasing dare he had sent, and he didn't feel like backing down, especially with a new big business under his wing. Not to mention a bigger paycheck now.

"No, not at all."

"Then prove it." Conner said suddenly.

Trunks pride burst near exploding, something definitely from his father, and he couldn't back down…to anything.

"What do you want me to prove?" He said casually, picking up his piece of pizza and biting at the edge.

Conner looked around, obviously thinking. He looked over behind him, over the balcony and smiled.

"There's this girl that you know, Pan Son, she's right there." He nodded his head in her direction, just outside the shoe store with Bura and Marron, and Trunks looked. "Tomboy if I've ever seen one." Anger flowed through Trunks at the small insult, although he would have to admit it to himself anyway, and he stifled it. "You turn her into a drop dead gorgeous girl worth dreaming about, and you'll prove it…and then some." Trunks slid his tongue over the bottom of his teeth.

"All right, what's the wager?" Conner raised an eyebrow thoughtfully at length, then smiled.

"Two `mil." Trunks stifled his shock in his expression, and kept it inward. Two million? He thought. That's insane. "Of the Capsule Corps. money." Conner added. "If you can, Degraid Advertising owes you. If you can't, well then your company owes me. You know the drill."

"Two million?" He repeated. He kept himself calm; something he'd had a lot of experience with during fighting. "That's it?"

Conner sensed the dare Trunks sent him. "No, Pan Son's job."

"What do you mean?"

"Pan applied for a job at Degraid, something she's been working hard for." Yes. Trunks knew. This was Pan`s dream job. "If you can't do it, then she'll lose her job the second you fail. For now, I'm hiring her."

Trunks' money was one thing, but the businesses? And Pan's job would be on the line-her dream job!-he couldn't do it. But Conner was looking at him, he was daring him, and Trunks had too much of his father's pride.

"Piece of cake, Conner." He smiled and stood up. He lied a twenty on the table-more than enough-and grabbed his bomber jacket. "I'll see you guys later, but I got to get back to work."

With that he left the mall and jogged to his bike. Turning the key he revved the engine, the gunned down the street, mad at himself for betting so much because of his stupid pride-His father's pride that had caused so much danger for so many in the past.