The bell interrupted her thoughts. Grinning, she hurried to pick up everything and ran to the door, impatient to be in his arms again. But just when she stepped out, someone called out her name behind her.

- What is it? she asked, still smiling.
- I... I have to tell you something.

It was Laita, a quiet but nice girl. She never said a thing against Bulma (at least for what she knew) and the purple haired girl liked her. But that day, Laita seemed nervous and her brown eyes were looking at anything but Bulma.

- Well, tell me!

Bulma's smile was already more impatient, a little bit annoyed.

- It's Yamcha... finally said Laita. He...

She sighed, gathering her courage. Bulma frowned.

- I saw him with another girl.

Laita cringed even though no scream was ruining her ears yet. After a little moment, she dared looking up at the ogther girl and was a bit scared to see she was perfectly calm.

- There's tons of girls in the school. Of course you'll see him with...
- But they seemed very close!

Bulma's mind raced to a conclusion. Yamcha + other girl + close + Laita isn't the foolish liar type of girls =...

- Who?

Her voice rolled like a low thunder.

- Huh... A girl in his English class... Pecan...
- Pecan? Very well.

Bulma left immediately, her pace a little bit faster, her fists clenched. "Calm down, Bulma... Stay calm until you're sure... Maybe he was just helping her and..." But anger was blinding her, so much that she didn't notice people running out of her way, their widened eyes starring at her fearfully.

Finally she arrived at his class. As promised he was waiting her, but he wasn't alone. A girl with long, wavy blond hair and a charming smile on the lips was laughing with him. Bulma held back a scream. "He can't help it if she's like that... Calm..." But she didn't like the way his eyes were, shinning and locked on that girl.

She was approaching them, refusing to let her instinctive anger take the control of herself, willing to keep her happiness intact, when he caressed the girl's cheek. A simple touch, very short, but he'd done it, with his best smile and she giggled.

- Bulma, hi!

Yamcha walked to her, lovingly kissed her on the lips. "Bastard" thought Bulma as she forced a smile.

- Who is she? she asked, trying to sound natural.
- A classmate of mine, Pecan. Pecan, Bulma, my beloved girl.

Bulma glared coldly at the blond girl who was smiling to her. "Is she mocking me or what?! I could just scratch that make up layer off her face..."

- Are you ok?

She shook her head, smiled to Yamcha.

- Yeah, just a little tired. Can we go now?
- Sure...

He put his arm around her shoulder, casually saluted Pecan.

As they walked to the exit, Bulma couldn't stop her mind from showing her, again and again, how his hand, the same that was holding her shoulder right now, had brushed another girl's face.

The persistent silence was getting uncomfortable. Yamcha nervously gave a look at Bulma. She was starring at the TV, her eyes as cold as ice. Yet she didn't behave like she usually did when angry. She was calm, smiled to him... But her smile was different somehow... It even started to scare him.

But since he couldn't find the smallest reason she could have to be upset, he thought it was probably a "woman thing" and focused on the movie.

Physical education class took place in the gym during the winter and the teacher, a nature and huge spaces lover, wasn't really enthousiasm about it. Result: the students were pretty much doing nothing, or nothing serious. That day was no exception. Depressed by the grey layer of clouds over the city, the teacher proposed a "free period", which meant to do whatever one wants to do. Usually, the students would sit down and talk, or even leave, but for once, a volley ball game was organized properly.

Bulma served first and didn't seem to see Yamcha's smile to her. Instead, she winked back at another guy. Yamcha shrugged and wondered how fast he could allow himself to go if he wanted to win yet to be "normal".

A few minutes later, Bulma ran into that same guy. Yamcha didn't like the way she smiled as apologizing, but he couldn't tell why. "Just a smile." He thought her eyes were shinning too much, but it was probably the excitation of the game.

But as the match went on, the little feeling within him grew, each time she would smile to that other one. When she giggled at a joke he made, Yamcha smashed the ball a little too strongly and a nice hole was created in the floor. Bulma raised an eyebrow at him.

- Calm down, Yamcha. It's just a game.

"Why does it sound like she's making fun of me?" He sighed. The past weeks had been so great. Why couldn't it last?

The match continued on another field. It was now obvious that Bulma was flirting and Yamcha didn't know what to do. "If it was me, she'd rip my head off but... I can't do that..."

- Watch out, Brief!

The warning came too late and Bulma's eyes shut close before the ball would hurt her. But it never did. Someone had stopped it just in time...

- Thanks Ya... Kyosuke.
- No problem, my lady, charmingly replied her protector, sending back the ball.

Bulma smiled, completely ignoring her boyfriend.

- Keep playing without me, she then said. Kyosuke, mind walking me to the bench?

He offered his arm, she took it and they left the game, like they didn't notice everyone was looking at them, shocked. They all knew Bulma was still with Yamcha... Suddenly, every single eye was on him, excepted of course for Bulma and Kyosuke's. But he didn't care.

His Bulma... She was flirting with someone else... Had he missed something or what?

His mind fell as she played with Kyosuke's hair, her light laughter coming to his ears like a knife would stab his heart. She used to play with his hair that way... It sure didn't help when Kyosuke put a piece of her hair behind her ear. And the way she was smiling to him...

It was too much.

After Yamcha had run away from the gym, Bulma had noticed how everybody was looking at her : with pure disgust and scorn, thirty times worse than ever. Suddenly she realized she'd gone way too far.

Ignoring Kyosuke's confusion, she left the gym as well, changed into regular clothes in a cold sort of torpor. Yamcha wouldn't forgive her now... She knew him, how he cared, how he loved her... "I ruined it all, this time."

Tears rolled freely on her face as she drove her air-bike away from school. She'd only wanted to take her revenge... It hurt so much to see him with another girl... And Laita had said...

But she knew Yamcha would never cheat on her. "Why can't I ever trust him?! I want to! And I always do stupid things... I'm so sorry, Yamcha!"

- Hi, Yamcha! Already back? Where's Bulma?

Oolon and Puar looked at Yamcha crossing the room without a word, a sign or even a look. His eyes were darker than ever, his expression absent.

When he'd left, the two morphic animals looked at each other.

- Maybe he failed an exam, said Oolon, shoving another piece of chocholate into his mouth.

Puar sweat dropped. Yamcha didn't care about school... Only one thing could bring him so down. Bulma.

It had started to snow, but Bulma barely noticed. She hated herself for being so hard to Yamcha. "I love him, why do I have to hurt him all the time?!" She always had been impulsive, jealous and unthinking, but it was the first time it really bothered her.

As she headed toward Capsule Corporation, she refused to hope he could forgive her. She didn't deserve it.

Usually, a fight with Bulma meant intense training. But that time, Yamcha wasn't angry. He was terribly hurt, just thinking she didn't love him anymore and wouldn't even tell him. And it was worse when he thought she could have been acting like that on purpose to hurt him.

After a moment, laying on his bed and starring at the ceiling in the darkness annoyed him. He had to move, but didn't feel like training.

He got up, put on his coat. A long walk outside would clear his mind. Being in her house hurt too much.

Bulma sobbed as turning her air-bike into a capsule. It was over with Yamcha. She'd messed with him for the last time. Maybe he loved her, but it couldn't be at the point of forgiving anything, even thought she cruely regretted it.

She imagined his face when she'd taken Kyosuke's arm. "How could I've been so stupid?!" Her cries doubled as she opened the door.

She froze there, her eyes locked on Yamcha. Obviously he was going out... She read surprise in his eyes, then sadness. He looked down and didn't move.

Bulma's chin started to tremble violently. He was hurt, because of her. She wanted to apologize, but no word came to her mouth. So she stood there, snow slowly melting in her hair, small drops trickling down her forehead.

It seemed to last forever. Bulma couldn't look away from him, couldn't move or say a thing. Yamcha kept on looking down, silent and immobile as well.

Finally, his jet-black eyes came back to hers, as deep as the sky during a star less night. She wished they still had that gentle light she loved... It was her fault if it was gone now... She sobbed, breaking the heavy silence.

His hand rose in the air, softly wiped the tears from her cheeks. She felt his fingers caressing her wet, messing hair.

- I'm sorry, she whispered, her voice torn with despair and hope.

Slowly, his lips drew a smile.

- I know. I love you, Bulma...

Her eyes widened, but her relief was total when he added:

- I could forgive you everything, you know.

She found herself held tightly by his arms as he kissed her forehead. Tears kept from falling from her eyes, but they were relieved and happy. "Oh Yamcha... You're too good..." She vowed to never hurt him again, though a mean voice in her head laughed, saying she wouldn't be able to not do so. She ignored it, focusing on the kiss he'd offered to her lips. If he loved her enough to forgive her... Then she would never hurt him again.


Chapter 7
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