Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Change Of Heart ❯ Confessional Outbursts ( Chapter 17 )

On the Friday morning of Trunks' birthday party-or celebration Bulma had called it when he commented that it sounded like there would be pony rides-Pan was behaving very differently than Bura and Marron.

She didn't have limitless appointments to have hair crimped, curled, styled, waxed, or even trimmed. She wasn't at a nail salon wondering which shade of nail polish would best fit her dress, or whether to have rhinestones inset into the fake nail tips. She didn't even have an appointment to have makeup done.

No, Pan was surfing the internet, chatting up with some online friends she had met at a book-reading postboard, and looking for any articles on the Nidokai martial arts tournament which date was still mysterious.

It was three o'clock, and Videl was flipping that Pan hadn't started doing anything. Finally, just to appease her mother, Pan had started painting her finger and toenails. She had decided on the palest, sheerest pink she could find, with shimmery glitter in it just like the skirt of her dress. She had already showered in the morning, but she began doing her hair with the help of her mother about five-thirty. Makeup was after that, and then she slipped on her dress. She refused to look in the mirror and slipped in her tiara and secured it with some pins.

Bulma-along with the dress-had gotten her some gorgeous "glass slippers". Made in a plastic, they glittered like diamonds, and looked like glass without the worry of cracking. She had thanked Bulma profusely, but wondered if Bulma was enjoying them more than she.

Once she was ready, she took a deep breath and turned to the mirror, smiling at her reflection, and twirling around slowly once. She grinned and grabbed her bag-a clutch purse, courtesy of Bulma's collection-and walked out of her room and down the stairs, half anxious, half nervous about the party-er, celebration.

Trunks gritted his teeth as his mother tucked, poked, prodded, and shoved him into his suit. Vegeta stood with his back against the wall, arms folded, and a smug smirk on his lips. He had his slacks and shoes on, but his jacket was slung over a chair with his tie, and his white shirt wasn't buttoned all the way up, and the sleeves were rolled up to below his elbows.

Trunks jerked, groaned, sighed, and furrowed brows while Bulma tried tying his tie several different ways. She bit her lip and tried to set free a finger that she had tied the knot around, loosening the knot in the process. Trunks groaned, but she flicked him on the chest while she attempted to set it right.

Bura stepped into the scene in her pale pink dress, eating a banana. Her dress was glittery all over, with a v-neckline and spaghetti straps. It was bias-cut, and the skirt hung loosely and draped to a small train in the back. He hair was swept up in a side-parted french twist, and she had cat-lined eyes in black.

"Bura," Bulma said while she peered at Trunks' tie. "I told you not to eat anything." Vegeta snorted and Trunks laughed. She hit him and shot a glare at Vegeta. "I'm serious, Bura. You're going to spoil all the good food." Trunks scrunched up his nose, remembering all too well what kind of food was served at these kind of get-togethers.

"But mother," Bura insisted. "do you really want me to eat all that unhealthy food. Caterer's don't care about fat grams and calories." Trunks turned his head around when his mother finished with his tie.

"Neither do you." She folded her arms with an angry pout and flung the banana peel in the trash. They started to argue, but Bulma shut them all up sufficiently, and told Vegeta to put on his jacket.

"Make sure you roll your sleeves down." She prompted. He took it well, unrolling his sleeves and buttoning up his shirt to boot. She handed him the dark blue tie out of the several about the room, and he slipped it around his neck and tied it.

Bulma opened the coat closet, pre-stocked with the evening's selections, and started handing a white fur coat to Bura, then got out a deep brown one for herself. Bura inspected the coat then looked at her mother. Bulma, already knowing her question, nodded. Bura grinned and started up the stairs two at a time.

"You're going to rip your dress!" Bulma yelled after her, placing a hand to her forehead. Trunks laughed.

"Now wouldn't that be funny." He stifled it to a smirk. "You know she'll be up there forever." He noted, and Bulma looked at him, then at the stairs.

"Bura, hurry up!" She called, and Trunks knew he had gotten somewhere with his mother. Bura appeared into the living room once more, this time with a small fur wrap around her shoulders, acting like just a part of the dress.

They left through the front door where a white limousine awaited them.

Pan came into the living room, and Gohan stood up from the couch. Videl walked in from the kitchen, wearing a dark blue dress, and smiled, brandishing a camera and pointing to the fireplace.

"Let me get a picture of you." She said, popping some film in. She posed Pan and looked through the lens, counting off three with her fingers. There was a flash, and Pan stood in a brief daze until the doorbell rang. Pan squeezed her eyes shut and smiled before dashing off to answer it.

She slid her fingers around the doorknob and pulled it open. Larkin was standing with his back to the door, arms folded, head tilted to the side. He turned and gave a complimenting grin.

"You look wonderful." He said, taking her hand and having her twirl slowly. "And I feel underdressed." Indeed he didn't. He had a black shirt and tie, with a crisp black suit and polished shoes. His jet-black hair fell over his brow in an almost untidy way, but Pan liked it that way. She shook her head.

"No you aren't." She smiled. "Come in." She led him into the living room where Videl was helping Gohan straighten his suit. Gohan, turning his neck from side to side to loosen the ties hold, picked up his jacket and slipped it on.

"Ready to go?" He said with a trademark Son grin, and he helped Videl with her coat. Larkin cleared his throat quietly, and Gohan looked at him with a friendly arched brow. Larkin smiled.

"If it is alright with you, Mr. Son, I was planning to take Pan separately. I have a limo outside." Pan raised her eyebrows up and down at her father, making sure Larkin didn't see, and Gohan beamed.

"Of course." Larkin gave a sort of short, not quite bow, and offered Pan his arm. He led her outside where a sleek black limo-almost as sleek and dark as his suit-awaited them.

"Oh, Larkin, you didn't need to-" He interrupted her with a shake of his head. She raised an eyebrow and he helped her inside.

"It was the least I could do, I'm honored that I could take you." She smiled sweetly, and the chauffeur drove off towards the Rodregun Hotel.

Trunks' feet were getting tired. He had been standing in he same position, the same spot, for what seemed and eternity, greeting people with handshakes, smiles, and trying to make every greeting sound personalized.

He shook the hand of a lady he was certain he'd greeted before, then shook his head to the side, tossing his hair out of his eyes. He looked across the room at his mother, and she widened her eyes at him and nodded her head towards the door. He looked curiously to it and then his jaw dropped.

Pan swept into the room graciously with Larkin, but at the moment Trunks didn't notice-or care about-Larkin Scott. She had a smile that was friendly and inviting without being overbearing, and they both were directed customarily towards him. He shook Larkin's hand, all the while staring at Pan, and then she gave him a hug. Larkin said something to him, but Trunks wasn't paying too much attention-his eyes were on Pan. He returned a smiling, silent, response, but it was apparently the response Larkin expected. Darn the formalities of social greetings!

"You look great, Pan." She smiled back and said thank you. "Have you-" But his words were interrupted. A girl with thick black hair and wispy bangs came into the room with a red dress slinking over her curves. Her sequined dress was strapless, with a small slit in the middle of the neckline. She had a matching clutch purse, and a rhinestone belt that hung over her hips.

She walked over to Trunks and took his arm, her insanely high heels making her almost his height. She squeezed his arm and turned to Pan and Larkin, clueless as to what thoughts were going through Pan's mind.

The girl from Tin'aco smiled, and Pan swore she saw a glittering flash of light spark from them. Bleached, she reasoned. That was the only explanation for how drastically white they were. Pan leaned forward and touched Trunks arm, finding it hard not to swell up with tears.

"I guess I'll see you around tonight." She said with a smile, then walked away with Larkin. He wanted to stop her from walking away, but was helpless in that matter. He took his arm away from Selena, excusing himself legitimately, and went towards the door.

He let out a deep breath as he left the hotel, looking around for any sign of Goten. He straightened his jacket and looked around again.

"Where the heck is he?" He said to no one but himself, and brushed a hand quickly through his hair. He saw Krillin, 18, and Marron drive up, followed by Gohan and Videl. Marron ran up to Trunks and gave him a hug.

"Happy birthday!" She smiled. "You are getting old." They laughed and Gohan walked up to Trunks. "I'm gonna go scope out the food." Marron said with a grin, and walked inside with her parents.

"Hey, hey." Gohan said, and the two clasped hands. "So how are you?" Gohan asked, and Trunks knew he really meant it. Trunks smiled. It was fake, and Gohan knew it instantly. He shrugged it off though, knowing Trunks would never tell him what was up, and said his goodbyes before going into the hotel.

Trunks stuffed his hands in his pockets as a chill breeze ruffled its way past the hotel. He saw Goku get out of a car and open the door for Chi-Chi, then he saw Goten get out of the back seat. He grinned and trotted down to meet them. Goten shut the door and smiled as his friend ran up to him.

"Haha, don't be too excited to see me." Goten said with a mock-stuck on himself tone. He grinned, and waved his mother and father to go ahead in. They smiled at Trunks, wished him happy birthday, and obliged to their son's wishes.

"You kidding? You're my only salvation." Goten laughed, and they fell into step together going back to the hotel.

"So it's been that bad?" Goten asked, opening the door and leading the two of them inside. A good-sized crowd had gathered now, and several reporters were strewn about here and there, talking to their cameras about the future heir of Capsule Corporation.

"Just boring pretty much. Glad you're here, besides, who else am I going to make fun of things with?" The two laughed and started disappearing in the crowd.

Pan tried not to yawn as she watched people twirl around on the ballroom floor. Larkin had disappeared a few moments before, and she was stuffed to the hilt with food, having nothing better do to at the party. She tapped her feet to the music under her full skirt, and saw that Trunks and Selena were dancing. She shook her head and got up, deciding she wanted some more punch. She took her glass and asked the server to pour her some, then Larkin poked her from behind. She twirled around to catch his smile.

"Want to dance?" He asked, nodding his head towards the floor. She smiled, gulped her punch down in one gulp-to which he smiled with a slight chuckle-and went out on the floor with him.

"You look down." He said, taking her hand and grasping her waist. "What's wrong?" She tilted her head to the side as they started to move.

"I don't know what you mean." She smiled. "I'm fine, Larkin." He twirled her in step with the music. They brushed past Trunks and Selena, and Pan felt a twinge of jealousy swirl through her.

"I'll find out what's wrong with you yet, Miss Son." Larkin said and she gave him a cute, prissy expression.

"Hey, Marron." She smiled back as he attempted to pick up a sushi with a toothpick. She shook her head at the try and handed him a fork.

"You know, it works so much better if you use this." He grinned a kind of awkward, cheesy grin and tried it. She returned to watching people dance. A few moments later she looked over her shoulder. His plate was now empty, and he was getting something to drink. She turned her head back towards the floor.

"Goten?"

"Yes?"

"You're dancing with me." He put down his glass and empty plate. She turned around towards him. She smiled at his cute expression. A look reminiscent of a confused and curious Goku was on his face, and he was absentmindedly straightening his coat.

She took his hand and led him to the floor.

Trunks helped Selena put on her black velvet jacket. She turned around and grabbed his arm.

"I'm so sorry I have to leave so early." She looked at the party down the hall. "Really, I should stay." Trunks shook his head and smiled.

"It's fine, I may dump the party myself." She smiled. "You go, and tell your friend I hope she gets to feeling better." She looked at him. "Now go." She grinned and gave him a peck on the cheek before disappearing out the door.

Trunks put his hands in his pocket and sighed before feeling a hand on his shoulder. He swiveled around to see Gohan. He took his hands out of his pockets and gave a quick grin.

"So what's up? I may be wrong, but I don't think you were too disappointed that she had to go." Trunks leant his head to one side.

"The you'd be right." He gave a thoughtful smirk. Gohan slung an arm over his shoulder and the two started walking down one of the hotel's halls.

* * *

"You're an idiot." Trunks stood at the window, looking outside onto the grand back lawn. He nodded.

"I know."

"Seriously…you are." Trunks leant his head against the window and banged it a couple times. "You don't deserve her-"

"I know."

"You're an idiot." Trunks nodded. "So what are you going to do about it?" Trunks turned around to face Gohan. "Then I suggest you get moving." Gohan folded his arms and smiled, sinking back into the leather chair.

Trunks found Pan on a stone terrace leading into one of the larger gardens. She was leaning on her arms, resting them on the railing, gazing over the different pools, fountains, and small waterfalls that were dotted countlessly around the lawns, the stars twinkling their reflection in them like numerous tiny diamonds.

His shoes clicked on the stone, and she turned around.

"Hi." She said, and neither her expression nor her tone was distinguishable. "The party getting too boring for the birthday boy?" He couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or just funny in a nice way, so he just gave a multi-purpose smile back. He stepped closer and opened his mouth to speak, but she did so first. "What, sick of Selena already?" His mouth dropped, apparently the birthday boy comment had been sarcastic. That or she thought his smile was cocky. Probably the latter, most everyone thought he was cocky most of the time.

"What was that for?" He found himself saying, and she folded her arms and looked at him, one eyebrow raised.

"I thought you didn't like Selena? I thought that you said Selena was just one date, that you hadn't talked to her for a while." He opened his mouth to argue but she cut him off again. "Hey, Trunks, I don't care, I have no reason to care. But…I do care that you didn't tell me the truth. Why did you lie to me?" Again he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. After a few seconds of silence, he finally got up some courage to cross a Son woman.

"First off, I didn't-"

"Lie? You know…that's funny. Really funny there, Trunks."

"I didn't." She raised an eyebrow sarcastically, like a mother knowing that her child was lying about something they didn't do. "And, well," He suddenly realized he was coming across weak here. Too weak. He swallowed and folded his arms. "didn't you say the same for Larkin Scott?" He lower lip dropped as if a weight had been tied to it.

"But I-" Trunks held a hand up, a Vegeta attitude surfacing.

"You said the exact same thing in the elevator as I did. You said you and Larkin were `nothing'. Nothing, you said."

"I asked him to leave." She said quietly, and her expression changed to something morose. Now Trunk's-for the second time-jaw dropped. "He told me tonight that a specialty school in China offered him a full-ride scholarship if he worked with their department in New York." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "He accepted. It's a martial arts school, and they want him to work at their school in New York." She gave a weak smile. "He's been trying to get in for a long time." Once again she looked thoughtful. "He asked me to go with him and I-well…I couldn't." Trunks jaw was still lowered, and he closed it slowly.

Trunks slowly thought about his intended words to her, his words of telling her how he felt about her. Telling her all about it and bringing it out in the open. It never occurred to him that she might have feelings elsewhere, with someone else. She seemed hurt, crushed, and he couldn't say anything now except…

"I'm sorry, Pan." She gave him a pleasant smirk. "Really, I…" Pan suddenly got a determined, fuming Chi-Chi expression as his words drew to silence.

"And he expected me to just pick up everything and go with him, like one of those cheesy chick-flicks." She started pacing. "Did he ever think I had obligations? Responsibilities? Things I might want to finish…like school?" She folded her arms and stood still, blowing out a breath. Trunks smirked, the real Pan was coming out. Not the made up, working at being someone different, Pan, the real, genuine Pan. Complete with Goku eyes and grins, and Chi-Chi's renowned temper.

"Why is this the worst night of my life?" She pleaded, an innocent, hurt Goku expression present, Chi-Chi's rage obsolete. "First Larkin does that to me, and then you show up with that, that thing from Tin'aco's." She started pacing again.

"Pan," Trunks started. "I told you. She doesn't mean anything to me." But she wasn't listening. Trunks unfolded his arms and she stopped pacing, her back to him. Then she turned around to face him, and at the same time they both shouted at once.

"I only brought her because I couldn't have you!"

"Do you know how much that hurt me?"