Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Ain't It Funny? ❯ Bumps and Drinks ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Moon Star 
A new Monday at school... Bra, Karen and Goten are doing a project for their Interactions class. What is Ubb talking about with Karen?
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.02.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 244 | Status: Completed
A new Monday at school... Bra, Karen and Goten are doing a project for their Interactions class. What is Ubb talking about with Karen?
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.02.2004 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.2K | Visits: 244 | Status: Completed
Moon Star
This is a Goten and Bra fan fiction, don't like them, don't read this. Other original couples included.
Disclaimer : I don't own any of the DBZ characters.
Ain't It Funny?
Chapter 3 : Bumps and Drinks
The school was in a buzz.
Another new student had just joined and knowledge with rumors had spread like wildfire through the whole place. Bra hurried down the hallway toward her next class. From another side of the hallway her name was called. Many stopped to converse, and others just to see.
The girl who called continued to summon her with a wave. She had on the traditional school uniform with the powder blue skirt and sailor shirt. Her long dark blond hair flowed behind her as if air continued to caress it time by time again. What called attention was the hot pink streaks that traveled with it in highlights.
"Hi, we meet once again." Karen smiled at the silent girl.
The last Thursday both girl had meet inside a closet, hiding from the same person. Karen had been to start school the next day, but had been delayed by a personal problem. The weekend had passed and the next week had begun.
As it was still the beginning of the term, the classes had been rounded out for a meeting and the new student had been introduced. Most guys remembered her as the girl in the tight clothes and sunglasses of the week before. Some hadn't been present to know who it was, but those who did didn't know what to think.
"I hope we have some classes together then," Bra's eyes scanned the crowd lightly to see if she spotted the spiky black haired boy that passed the hallway everyday.
"Let's compare schedules then," Karen opened the agenda she held in her hand. "I just hope I can actually get with the program in this school. I'm sure all is pretty different from what I'm used to."
"All new schools are that way." They saw their next meeting ground and exchanged see ya's. The final bell was about to ring. Bra walked over to her classroom door as Goten sprung through the hallways in a hurry. Just in the nick of time to see Bra look in his direction and duck into her first class.
In the side Karen waved at him, gave an impish smile and turned toward her way. She had seen all she needed to see. This year might turn to be fun despite of what she had to confront.
* * *
Ubb and Marron swayed through the hallway crowds hand in hand. As they turned in the corner toward the next turn they had to take Marron stopped on her tracks focusing on someone. Ubb collapsed from behind her. She elbowed him and pointed in the direction of her inquiry.
"Doesn't that girl look like Shiron's vacation dancer?" She hissed under her breath to him.
"That's her."
Marron turned toward him, a frown on her face at his tone. She deliberately trailed her eyes over his expression examining everything in it's path. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked as she felt he was about to laugh.
"Something that is going to set lover boy a step or two off of his throne." Ubb serenely responded. "You wouldn't understand it if I tried to explain. The only one that can actually see the potential of disaster is Goten."
"Why him?" Marron watched the hallways for the familiar heads of her friends as they appeared for the class. "What does she have to do with Goten?"
"Absolutely nothing," Ubb placed a hand at the back of her neck and brushed it lightly with his fingertips. "It all has to do with the past."
"Give me something." Marron started to sound excited. "Shiron really needs something coming to him after what he pulled with Paris."
Ubb placed his arms around her waist as he saw the familiar head stand into view. Shiron appeared on view as he walked patiently toward the same turn where they were. His locker was just after the class, so he had to turn the corner to get his books.
Karen was actually looking at a map of the school that was at the back page of her agenda. She had an idea of where the class was as she had been shown four days before, but in this school you didn't loose anything with having some kind of guidance.
Looking down, she saw she had to turn a sharp right, and she did. In turn, Shiron was looking to the side waving at Ubb and Marron when he turned. He walked the same place everyday, so he turned automatically without seeing the impending collision.
She turned the sharp right, he turned the sharp left. At their hurried strides, their bodies hit and the wet floor didn't help matters. They stumbled and she grabbed him for support. Her agenda cluttered to the floor.
"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly, her voice a throaty murmur. It was an automatic response.
Shiron's ears picked up on the tone. His eyes opened and closed in surprise. "Don't worry about it."
At his voice, she tensed, her head snapped upwards and both stared at one another.
"It's you." Both stepped back awkwardly.
"What are you doing here?" Shiron asked her as she bent to retrieve her agenda.
"I just transferred," she answered simply, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Great," Shiron's hands brushed hers fleetingly, remembering the night at the discotheque were he had meet her. "I'll enjoy seeing you here."
Her eyebrow shot up. Shiron smiled easily at her inquiry. "See you around." He waved back as he continued to stroll toward his locker. Karen followed him with her eyes, a small smile gracing her lips.
"You can bet on it." She turned and continued to the class she knew would really spice things up today.
On the other side both Ubb and Marron just continued watching as slowly students filed into the class. Bra sauntered in a minute before Shiron which had taken his time to get his things together. Goten was running toward the class as late as usual and the bell rang.
"What just happened here?" Marron asked as both walked toward the class, their backpacks hung loosely on their backs.
"The first tick of the time bomb."
"Just give me a clue as to what is going on?" Marron pleaded as they both quietly slid into their seats at the right front corner of the room.
"You remember when I told you once of Mai. The girl that always hanged around with Shiron, Goten and I while we were in middle school?" Marron nodded, recalling what he had told her of the good old days that had been. "Well, KM aka new girl real initials were K.M.M. aka Mai."
Her eyes rounded in surprise. Marron's head shot all around the classroom were everyone seemed to be in their same places.
Shiron was at the back, talking placidly with the popular girls of the school. Two rows before were Bra and Karen, talking to one another as Goten had taken the vacant seat beside them.
"She's the one?" she couldn't help asking.
"Yeah."
"And she's the same girl that Shiron spent that weekend with this summer?"
"The one and the same."
Her eyes zeroed in on them. "He didn't recognized her."
"No, but neither did Goten." Ubb rubbed his hands together as he turned toward the front of the classroom. The teacher had finished taking role and was walking to the front of the desk with the sheet in her hands.
"I figured it out because of a slip she had last Thursday when Trunks and I helped her with some papers." His eyes went to his girlfriend's for a second before he continued. "I'm betting the reunion won't be sweet."
The teacher cleared her throat at the students who quieted down.
"I have a name on the role sheet which seems new. We have a new student here." She cleared her throat and focused her eyes on the paper. "Will she come forward to introduce herself to the class?"
Karen stood up from her place with an encouraging smile from Bra. She stepped into the front of her class and released the breath she had been holding.
"My name is Karen Martin and I transferred in from Spain." The teacher gave a nod at the information. "I'm 16 years old, a junior and I love to get involved in school activities."
The teacher, Ms. Kreamer, smiled benignly toward her. "We have several students in this class which are involved in the school's planning of events. I'm sure many of them would love to get you stringed up for all the things that go around here."
Karen's eyes sought out the familiar places in the room while she heard the teacher. In a corner was Ubb, a hand resting on another desk where a blonde was sitting watching her curiously. At the back she saw Shiron who winked at her.
"You can go back to your seat Karen," Ms. Kreamer said toward her and walked behind her desk. Class was about to begin.
"Today is our project day class," she announced brightly. "Open project with groups of two to four. Let's see where this takes us then."
* * *
"Has no one ever told you how handsome you are, Goten?" Karen almost swallowed her tongue as she clamped her mouth shut to stifle her laughter. Goten in turn was turning a soft pink hue as she batted her eyes at him.
Karen turned her gaze at Bra who was smiling at their exchange. Karen winked to Bra in secret before she turned toward the advancing figures.
Ms. Kreamer had left the rest of the period to let her students pair up in groups and discuss their themes. They were to present in a week in which they would have to fill out papers and make their research. It was the first big grade for the semester and the only project that would require groups.
Ubb and Marron waltzed toward the group hand in hand. Ubb lifted his hand in greeting to Goten, and placed his hand in Marron's shoulder.
"Hey Goten," he turned toward Karen and Bra. "Hi girls," he smiled before introducing Marron. "This girl here knows everything, so if you have a question that needs answering, just ask her."
Marron exchanged greetings and sat down to business. "What are you guys going to do the project about?"
"I've suggested diplomacy of European countries." Karen spared a glance toward Goten who was conversing to Ubb about practice before continuing. "My father is an ambassador of Spain so I know most of the info."
"I know some of the daughters of ambassadors from around the world as they went with me to the private school in England."
Bra shrugged. "I'm sure I can get some of their mothers and fathers to send a video conference. All we needed was someone with electronically know-how." She motioned to Goten. "Hence the whiz with computers that has agreed to work with us."
Both Ubb and Goten turned to them from their conversations. "It's an interesting project to do, that's for sure." Goten slipped his pen from his hand toward his backpack. "And all I have to do is stand in front of one computer and pull data." He crossed his arm behind his head. "It can't get any better than this."
"Just who thinks of a class called 'Interaction'?" Karen asked them.
"I've asked myself that question since I've entered this class." Bra answered as she wrote names on a sheet of paper.
Marron volunteered to answer. "The class has to do with how humans interact in different places and different people. On the first week we started school, Ms. Kreamer made us to a family tree to see just how far we could go into our families' histories. The things that many people here found out about their families really raised a lot of questions."
A sheet made it's way toward Bra's desk. She wrote their names on the sheet and passed it toward Marron who wrote her name down with her group.
"So you guys are group nine and we are group ten."
"This is a nice reunion." Shiron appeared behind Karen's chair. He placed a hand on her ponytail and trailed the hair to it's tips. "It's been a long time since all of us have been in the same corner together."
Ubb sat down at an empty chair by them and waited for Marron to sit on his lap. He wasn't going to get in the middle of things.
Goten flexed his fingers as he placed his hands on his desk. Bra continued writing names down on her sheet of paper and without looking up greeted him. "How are you today Shiron?"
"I'm fine Bra." He braced his arms on the shoulders of Karen's chair and leaned forward. In this position he was in front of Goten, his head leveled with Karen's and with a turn of his head he could press his nose to her neck.
"I see you've acquainted yourself with all of my pals Karen." His face was turned toward hers as he spoke. She in turn turned her body so she could have her face in front of his.
"It's a surprise that these are your friends." She leaned forward a little bit to get closer. "I suppose that's why you don't seat yourself with them."
"True," he straightened, pulling at her hair.
"It's obvious that you know Karen, Shiron," Marron linked her hand with Ubb's. "When did you guys meet?"
"It was about three months ago," Karen shook Shiron's grip from her hair. "We got together one night and then we split."
"Shiron," someone called from the back of the room.
He gave a final tug on Karen's hair before releasing it. "I'll see you girls at lunch." He turned and left, his hand waving. "It was nice being in your vicinity again Goten. It seems your homicidal tendencies are at an end." His laughter diminished as he went farther.
Bra watched from her seat as Karen took her hair in her hands and gently started braiding it from the top.
"You'll have to tell me the full story later, when is just us girls." Marron gave a pointed glance at both guys and laughed. "I'm really interested in that little charade."
Karen shook her head as she smiled. "There's not much to tell. But hey, I'll tell you what you want to know if you are still interested later."
Bra spent the last minutes of class keeping an eye on Goten. He was someone who she really couldn't explain. By the little display with Shiron, she knew that they weren't on speaking terms it seemed, but they had been friends. As Shiron hadn't paid any attention toward her, she guessed that he had transferred his attention toward Karen.
There were just too many things going on for her to analyze now. She needed to talk with Pan tonight. She needed to find out where she was to get her brother to normal.
There were way too many problems in her life to go over in just a few days.
"You seem deep in thought of all a sudden Bra," Goten whispered across his desk. His pen was back in his hands. "What's going on in that head of yours."
She was glad his smile had returned. He was cheerful again.
"A lot of things," she replied. "But nothing important." She placed the paper on one of her notebooks. "We need to make a schedule to get together to put this project together in time. Now, what are we actually doing?"
* * *
Karen sat at the second floor of the cafeteria where all of the teachers ate their lunch. She sat at the corner where she could watch the whole cafeteria. Her eyes scanned for all of the people she recognized from her day. Everyone was scattered along. She saw it all from above.
The first person she had looked for had been Shiron. He sat at a table full of girls whose faces where completely covered with make up. From her place she could make out their laughter, or their shrill sounds. She couldn't see the difference. The guys kept on laughing at their own jokes.
She'd been watching him for some hours now. He kept on looking at the doors looking for someone. She didn't know who. When Goten had passed through just moments before, he had smirked in challenge but quickly glanced away giving an air of no importance toward him.
She wondered what had happened there. Three years before they had been the best of friends. Ubb, Goten and Shiron had been completely inseparable. She wondered what had broken it all up.
Right behind Goten, Bra had appeared from the cafeteria line. She was greeted with a flirty smile from Shiron, but Karen could see that she was used to it. She merely smiled back and focused all of her attention toward Goten who was leading her to a table where Marron, Ubb, and the guy she recognized as Trunks were sitting down.
She caught Shiron watching not Bra but Goten as he sat down. Just a fleeting second, but she could swear that something had passed through his face.
She reached down for a carrot and popped a piece into her mouth. It crunched slowly as she kept looking around the place. Who would have thought that she would be back to the town once again? She smiled at Shiron's reaction when he found out.
And he would, just after the presentation...
"What are you doing up here?" Ubb appeared from the stairs. "Why don't you sit down there with us?"
"Just admiring the view." She answered, slipped her backpack from the chair next to her and waited for him to sit down.
Ubb sat down, reached for a potato chip and got swatted in the progress.
"Hey," he protested, grinning as he popped it in his mouth.
"Just like old times," Karen sighed. "You're still picking after everybody's plate when eating."
He shrugged. "I like old habits."
"You would." She settled into silence as she watched down toward the cafeteria once again. Ubb in turn watched her own reactions and expressions.
She focused on Shiron once again. He was still looking for someone it seemed. The seat beside him was still empty as he refused to put his bag down on the floor.
"He's looking for you." Ubb reached for another chip to find that they were all gone.
"Don't think so." She plopped the last one on her mouth.
"I do." Ubb smiled, shaking his head. "I still can't believe that you were that girl this summer."
She laughed. "No one recognized me." She looked down at her hands and touched her hair. "And I haven't changed that much."
"Maybe it's because we never expected to see you again." Ubb propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "Shiron was spit mad with your break up letter."
"I figured that out when I called his mother two weeks later." She muttered under her breath.
"But you are here now." He waited a beat before calling her. "Mia."
She turned towards him and lifted her eyebrow.
"You two take these drinks." Ms. Kreamer put them on the table smiling. "I'm glad you've made some new friends on your first day Karen." She turned and left.
Both lifted their cokes and drank.
"When did you know?" She asked. "I'm curious to see when you figured it out."
"When we were carrying those bags for you four days ago." Ubb shrugged. "You gave your name to Trunks as Karen M. Martinez."
"Oh, the ending thing."
"That would give you away to anyone who knew you."
"True," she rolled her drink before taking another sip. "Just who is that guy?"
"Trunks? He's Bra's brother." He explained.
"Things just get better and better." Karen stirred her drink and looked down once again. "Bra and Goten seem to be interested in one another."
"Many guys are interested in Bra," Ubb said. "And Goten is one of them."
"Why doesn't he make a move though?"
"It has to do with a past relationship that he's still working through." Ubb skimmed through the explanation.
"A reason, but not a good one." She propped her left elbow on the veranda as she caught Shiron's eye. He looked up to where she was. She couldn't stop her heart from speeding up at the eye contact. He still had that effect on her. She hadn't been able to outgrown it, it seemed.
She waved from her place, Ubb shaking his head and moving his drink from side to side.
"I'm wondering," Karen placed two fingers on her lips and blew Shiron a kiss from her place. He put his hands forward and seemed to catch it in his hands and placing the knuckle on his lips. Karen laughed and turned to Ubb once again. "Just what happened between Shiron and Goten?"
"I think that's better if said by one of them." Ubb shifted uncomfortably at her narrowed eyes. "Let's just summarize by saying that it was a someone."
Her head bobbed in understanding. "A girl." She looked toward Goten's table. He was discussing something with Bra with much intent. They were both avid participants. She glided back toward Shiron who had a girl she knew as Alana right beside him where his backpack used to be. Alana had a hand on his thigh and he didn't either mind or cared.
She looked back and forth, a smile curving her lips.
"We'll just see what we have to do about this."
~
Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
And you can't move on even though you try
Ain't it strange when you're feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh I wish this could be real
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Took long, but hey, that's life.
Hope you liked it...
Moon Star
This is a Goten and Bra fan fiction, don't like them, don't read this. Other original couples included.
Disclaimer : I don't own any of the DBZ characters.
Ain't It Funny?
Chapter 3 : Bumps and Drinks
The school was in a buzz.
Another new student had just joined and knowledge with rumors had spread like wildfire through the whole place. Bra hurried down the hallway toward her next class. From another side of the hallway her name was called. Many stopped to converse, and others just to see.
The girl who called continued to summon her with a wave. She had on the traditional school uniform with the powder blue skirt and sailor shirt. Her long dark blond hair flowed behind her as if air continued to caress it time by time again. What called attention was the hot pink streaks that traveled with it in highlights.
"Hi, we meet once again." Karen smiled at the silent girl.
The last Thursday both girl had meet inside a closet, hiding from the same person. Karen had been to start school the next day, but had been delayed by a personal problem. The weekend had passed and the next week had begun.
As it was still the beginning of the term, the classes had been rounded out for a meeting and the new student had been introduced. Most guys remembered her as the girl in the tight clothes and sunglasses of the week before. Some hadn't been present to know who it was, but those who did didn't know what to think.
"I hope we have some classes together then," Bra's eyes scanned the crowd lightly to see if she spotted the spiky black haired boy that passed the hallway everyday.
"Let's compare schedules then," Karen opened the agenda she held in her hand. "I just hope I can actually get with the program in this school. I'm sure all is pretty different from what I'm used to."
"All new schools are that way." They saw their next meeting ground and exchanged see ya's. The final bell was about to ring. Bra walked over to her classroom door as Goten sprung through the hallways in a hurry. Just in the nick of time to see Bra look in his direction and duck into her first class.
In the side Karen waved at him, gave an impish smile and turned toward her way. She had seen all she needed to see. This year might turn to be fun despite of what she had to confront.
* * *
Ubb and Marron swayed through the hallway crowds hand in hand. As they turned in the corner toward the next turn they had to take Marron stopped on her tracks focusing on someone. Ubb collapsed from behind her. She elbowed him and pointed in the direction of her inquiry.
"Doesn't that girl look like Shiron's vacation dancer?" She hissed under her breath to him.
"That's her."
Marron turned toward him, a frown on her face at his tone. She deliberately trailed her eyes over his expression examining everything in it's path. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked as she felt he was about to laugh.
"Something that is going to set lover boy a step or two off of his throne." Ubb serenely responded. "You wouldn't understand it if I tried to explain. The only one that can actually see the potential of disaster is Goten."
"Why him?" Marron watched the hallways for the familiar heads of her friends as they appeared for the class. "What does she have to do with Goten?"
"Absolutely nothing," Ubb placed a hand at the back of her neck and brushed it lightly with his fingertips. "It all has to do with the past."
"Give me something." Marron started to sound excited. "Shiron really needs something coming to him after what he pulled with Paris."
Ubb placed his arms around her waist as he saw the familiar head stand into view. Shiron appeared on view as he walked patiently toward the same turn where they were. His locker was just after the class, so he had to turn the corner to get his books.
Karen was actually looking at a map of the school that was at the back page of her agenda. She had an idea of where the class was as she had been shown four days before, but in this school you didn't loose anything with having some kind of guidance.
Looking down, she saw she had to turn a sharp right, and she did. In turn, Shiron was looking to the side waving at Ubb and Marron when he turned. He walked the same place everyday, so he turned automatically without seeing the impending collision.
She turned the sharp right, he turned the sharp left. At their hurried strides, their bodies hit and the wet floor didn't help matters. They stumbled and she grabbed him for support. Her agenda cluttered to the floor.
"I'm sorry," she apologized quickly, her voice a throaty murmur. It was an automatic response.
Shiron's ears picked up on the tone. His eyes opened and closed in surprise. "Don't worry about it."
At his voice, she tensed, her head snapped upwards and both stared at one another.
"It's you." Both stepped back awkwardly.
"What are you doing here?" Shiron asked her as she bent to retrieve her agenda.
"I just transferred," she answered simply, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Great," Shiron's hands brushed hers fleetingly, remembering the night at the discotheque were he had meet her. "I'll enjoy seeing you here."
Her eyebrow shot up. Shiron smiled easily at her inquiry. "See you around." He waved back as he continued to stroll toward his locker. Karen followed him with her eyes, a small smile gracing her lips.
"You can bet on it." She turned and continued to the class she knew would really spice things up today.
On the other side both Ubb and Marron just continued watching as slowly students filed into the class. Bra sauntered in a minute before Shiron which had taken his time to get his things together. Goten was running toward the class as late as usual and the bell rang.
"What just happened here?" Marron asked as both walked toward the class, their backpacks hung loosely on their backs.
"The first tick of the time bomb."
"Just give me a clue as to what is going on?" Marron pleaded as they both quietly slid into their seats at the right front corner of the room.
"You remember when I told you once of Mai. The girl that always hanged around with Shiron, Goten and I while we were in middle school?" Marron nodded, recalling what he had told her of the good old days that had been. "Well, KM aka new girl real initials were K.M.M. aka Mai."
Her eyes rounded in surprise. Marron's head shot all around the classroom were everyone seemed to be in their same places.
Shiron was at the back, talking placidly with the popular girls of the school. Two rows before were Bra and Karen, talking to one another as Goten had taken the vacant seat beside them.
"She's the one?" she couldn't help asking.
"Yeah."
"And she's the same girl that Shiron spent that weekend with this summer?"
"The one and the same."
Her eyes zeroed in on them. "He didn't recognized her."
"No, but neither did Goten." Ubb rubbed his hands together as he turned toward the front of the classroom. The teacher had finished taking role and was walking to the front of the desk with the sheet in her hands.
"I figured it out because of a slip she had last Thursday when Trunks and I helped her with some papers." His eyes went to his girlfriend's for a second before he continued. "I'm betting the reunion won't be sweet."
The teacher cleared her throat at the students who quieted down.
"I have a name on the role sheet which seems new. We have a new student here." She cleared her throat and focused her eyes on the paper. "Will she come forward to introduce herself to the class?"
Karen stood up from her place with an encouraging smile from Bra. She stepped into the front of her class and released the breath she had been holding.
"My name is Karen Martin and I transferred in from Spain." The teacher gave a nod at the information. "I'm 16 years old, a junior and I love to get involved in school activities."
The teacher, Ms. Kreamer, smiled benignly toward her. "We have several students in this class which are involved in the school's planning of events. I'm sure many of them would love to get you stringed up for all the things that go around here."
Karen's eyes sought out the familiar places in the room while she heard the teacher. In a corner was Ubb, a hand resting on another desk where a blonde was sitting watching her curiously. At the back she saw Shiron who winked at her.
"You can go back to your seat Karen," Ms. Kreamer said toward her and walked behind her desk. Class was about to begin.
"Today is our project day class," she announced brightly. "Open project with groups of two to four. Let's see where this takes us then."
* * *
"Has no one ever told you how handsome you are, Goten?" Karen almost swallowed her tongue as she clamped her mouth shut to stifle her laughter. Goten in turn was turning a soft pink hue as she batted her eyes at him.
Karen turned her gaze at Bra who was smiling at their exchange. Karen winked to Bra in secret before she turned toward the advancing figures.
Ms. Kreamer had left the rest of the period to let her students pair up in groups and discuss their themes. They were to present in a week in which they would have to fill out papers and make their research. It was the first big grade for the semester and the only project that would require groups.
Ubb and Marron waltzed toward the group hand in hand. Ubb lifted his hand in greeting to Goten, and placed his hand in Marron's shoulder.
"Hey Goten," he turned toward Karen and Bra. "Hi girls," he smiled before introducing Marron. "This girl here knows everything, so if you have a question that needs answering, just ask her."
Marron exchanged greetings and sat down to business. "What are you guys going to do the project about?"
"I've suggested diplomacy of European countries." Karen spared a glance toward Goten who was conversing to Ubb about practice before continuing. "My father is an ambassador of Spain so I know most of the info."
"I know some of the daughters of ambassadors from around the world as they went with me to the private school in England."
Bra shrugged. "I'm sure I can get some of their mothers and fathers to send a video conference. All we needed was someone with electronically know-how." She motioned to Goten. "Hence the whiz with computers that has agreed to work with us."
Both Ubb and Goten turned to them from their conversations. "It's an interesting project to do, that's for sure." Goten slipped his pen from his hand toward his backpack. "And all I have to do is stand in front of one computer and pull data." He crossed his arm behind his head. "It can't get any better than this."
"Just who thinks of a class called 'Interaction'?" Karen asked them.
"I've asked myself that question since I've entered this class." Bra answered as she wrote names on a sheet of paper.
Marron volunteered to answer. "The class has to do with how humans interact in different places and different people. On the first week we started school, Ms. Kreamer made us to a family tree to see just how far we could go into our families' histories. The things that many people here found out about their families really raised a lot of questions."
A sheet made it's way toward Bra's desk. She wrote their names on the sheet and passed it toward Marron who wrote her name down with her group.
"So you guys are group nine and we are group ten."
"This is a nice reunion." Shiron appeared behind Karen's chair. He placed a hand on her ponytail and trailed the hair to it's tips. "It's been a long time since all of us have been in the same corner together."
Ubb sat down at an empty chair by them and waited for Marron to sit on his lap. He wasn't going to get in the middle of things.
Goten flexed his fingers as he placed his hands on his desk. Bra continued writing names down on her sheet of paper and without looking up greeted him. "How are you today Shiron?"
"I'm fine Bra." He braced his arms on the shoulders of Karen's chair and leaned forward. In this position he was in front of Goten, his head leveled with Karen's and with a turn of his head he could press his nose to her neck.
"I see you've acquainted yourself with all of my pals Karen." His face was turned toward hers as he spoke. She in turn turned her body so she could have her face in front of his.
"It's a surprise that these are your friends." She leaned forward a little bit to get closer. "I suppose that's why you don't seat yourself with them."
"True," he straightened, pulling at her hair.
"It's obvious that you know Karen, Shiron," Marron linked her hand with Ubb's. "When did you guys meet?"
"It was about three months ago," Karen shook Shiron's grip from her hair. "We got together one night and then we split."
"Shiron," someone called from the back of the room.
He gave a final tug on Karen's hair before releasing it. "I'll see you girls at lunch." He turned and left, his hand waving. "It was nice being in your vicinity again Goten. It seems your homicidal tendencies are at an end." His laughter diminished as he went farther.
Bra watched from her seat as Karen took her hair in her hands and gently started braiding it from the top.
"You'll have to tell me the full story later, when is just us girls." Marron gave a pointed glance at both guys and laughed. "I'm really interested in that little charade."
Karen shook her head as she smiled. "There's not much to tell. But hey, I'll tell you what you want to know if you are still interested later."
Bra spent the last minutes of class keeping an eye on Goten. He was someone who she really couldn't explain. By the little display with Shiron, she knew that they weren't on speaking terms it seemed, but they had been friends. As Shiron hadn't paid any attention toward her, she guessed that he had transferred his attention toward Karen.
There were just too many things going on for her to analyze now. She needed to talk with Pan tonight. She needed to find out where she was to get her brother to normal.
There were way too many problems in her life to go over in just a few days.
"You seem deep in thought of all a sudden Bra," Goten whispered across his desk. His pen was back in his hands. "What's going on in that head of yours."
She was glad his smile had returned. He was cheerful again.
"A lot of things," she replied. "But nothing important." She placed the paper on one of her notebooks. "We need to make a schedule to get together to put this project together in time. Now, what are we actually doing?"
* * *
Karen sat at the second floor of the cafeteria where all of the teachers ate their lunch. She sat at the corner where she could watch the whole cafeteria. Her eyes scanned for all of the people she recognized from her day. Everyone was scattered along. She saw it all from above.
The first person she had looked for had been Shiron. He sat at a table full of girls whose faces where completely covered with make up. From her place she could make out their laughter, or their shrill sounds. She couldn't see the difference. The guys kept on laughing at their own jokes.
She'd been watching him for some hours now. He kept on looking at the doors looking for someone. She didn't know who. When Goten had passed through just moments before, he had smirked in challenge but quickly glanced away giving an air of no importance toward him.
She wondered what had happened there. Three years before they had been the best of friends. Ubb, Goten and Shiron had been completely inseparable. She wondered what had broken it all up.
Right behind Goten, Bra had appeared from the cafeteria line. She was greeted with a flirty smile from Shiron, but Karen could see that she was used to it. She merely smiled back and focused all of her attention toward Goten who was leading her to a table where Marron, Ubb, and the guy she recognized as Trunks were sitting down.
She caught Shiron watching not Bra but Goten as he sat down. Just a fleeting second, but she could swear that something had passed through his face.
She reached down for a carrot and popped a piece into her mouth. It crunched slowly as she kept looking around the place. Who would have thought that she would be back to the town once again? She smiled at Shiron's reaction when he found out.
And he would, just after the presentation...
"What are you doing up here?" Ubb appeared from the stairs. "Why don't you sit down there with us?"
"Just admiring the view." She answered, slipped her backpack from the chair next to her and waited for him to sit down.
Ubb sat down, reached for a potato chip and got swatted in the progress.
"Hey," he protested, grinning as he popped it in his mouth.
"Just like old times," Karen sighed. "You're still picking after everybody's plate when eating."
He shrugged. "I like old habits."
"You would." She settled into silence as she watched down toward the cafeteria once again. Ubb in turn watched her own reactions and expressions.
She focused on Shiron once again. He was still looking for someone it seemed. The seat beside him was still empty as he refused to put his bag down on the floor.
"He's looking for you." Ubb reached for another chip to find that they were all gone.
"Don't think so." She plopped the last one on her mouth.
"I do." Ubb smiled, shaking his head. "I still can't believe that you were that girl this summer."
She laughed. "No one recognized me." She looked down at her hands and touched her hair. "And I haven't changed that much."
"Maybe it's because we never expected to see you again." Ubb propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "Shiron was spit mad with your break up letter."
"I figured that out when I called his mother two weeks later." She muttered under her breath.
"But you are here now." He waited a beat before calling her. "Mia."
She turned towards him and lifted her eyebrow.
"You two take these drinks." Ms. Kreamer put them on the table smiling. "I'm glad you've made some new friends on your first day Karen." She turned and left.
Both lifted their cokes and drank.
"When did you know?" She asked. "I'm curious to see when you figured it out."
"When we were carrying those bags for you four days ago." Ubb shrugged. "You gave your name to Trunks as Karen M. Martinez."
"Oh, the ending thing."
"That would give you away to anyone who knew you."
"True," she rolled her drink before taking another sip. "Just who is that guy?"
"Trunks? He's Bra's brother." He explained.
"Things just get better and better." Karen stirred her drink and looked down once again. "Bra and Goten seem to be interested in one another."
"Many guys are interested in Bra," Ubb said. "And Goten is one of them."
"Why doesn't he make a move though?"
"It has to do with a past relationship that he's still working through." Ubb skimmed through the explanation.
"A reason, but not a good one." She propped her left elbow on the veranda as she caught Shiron's eye. He looked up to where she was. She couldn't stop her heart from speeding up at the eye contact. He still had that effect on her. She hadn't been able to outgrown it, it seemed.
She waved from her place, Ubb shaking his head and moving his drink from side to side.
"I'm wondering," Karen placed two fingers on her lips and blew Shiron a kiss from her place. He put his hands forward and seemed to catch it in his hands and placing the knuckle on his lips. Karen laughed and turned to Ubb once again. "Just what happened between Shiron and Goten?"
"I think that's better if said by one of them." Ubb shifted uncomfortably at her narrowed eyes. "Let's just summarize by saying that it was a someone."
Her head bobbed in understanding. "A girl." She looked toward Goten's table. He was discussing something with Bra with much intent. They were both avid participants. She glided back toward Shiron who had a girl she knew as Alana right beside him where his backpack used to be. Alana had a hand on his thigh and he didn't either mind or cared.
She looked back and forth, a smile curving her lips.
"We'll just see what we have to do about this."
~
Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
And you can't move on even though you try
Ain't it strange when you're feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh I wish this could be real
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Took long, but hey, that's life.
Hope you liked it...
Moon Star