The Play
Her face clearly showing her disgust, Videl stared at the… thing… she was supposed to wear. It was bad enough that she had been chosen by her classmates to play in this stupid play, but now this? No, no way. There was absolutely NO WAY she was going to wear that!!
"You don't have a choice, you know." Her supposedly best friend reminded her, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "You're playing the role of Princess Angelica, and this," She showed the costume, "is what she wears."
Videl turned to glare at the blonde. "And why would she wear something like that?"
"Because that's how I wanted her to be clothed."
"You call those clothes??"
Erasa sighed. "Just put them on. I have to see if they fit you."
"I don't care! I am not wearing that!"
Erasa decided that it was time to use her best weapon: the puppy dog eyes. Her eyes filled with tears, her lower lip started to tremble, as she put on her best puppy dog face.
"Pleeaaaaase…"
Videl bit her lip. It was so hard to resist her when she put on that face. In the end, she gave in.
"Fine…"
Her face becoming cheerful again, Erasa jumped in joy. "Perfect! I'm going to check on Gohan then, to see if his costume fits him. See you at the rehearsal!"
And she was out of the room, leaving Videl to stare blankly at the closed door. She then looked at the costume she had to wear, and sighed.
"Great. Just great."
--
"Okay guys, we're going to rehearse the scene where The Black Knight saves Princess Angelica." Erasa, the stage director, announced. "Now Videl, please take this bathrobe off."
"Why?" The black haired girl questioned, crossing her arms. "It's only a rehearsal, there's no need to be already dressed in our costumes."
Clad in his Black Knight costume, Gohan wondered what could be so bad about Videl's costume so that the girl didn't want to be seen in it.
"Because I need to see how yours fits you." Erasa replied, annoyed.
"Couldn't you see that when we're alone?"
"Just take this bathrobe off Videl, NOW!"
"FINE!"
She took the bathrobe off and threw it angrily at her stage director, who took it right in her face. Her annoyance disappeared though when the clothe slid off her face and she saw Videl in the costume she'd designed herself.
Gohan was thankful he was wearing a mask, because that way, no one could see his crimson face, or where he was looking. He swallowed, trying with all his might to avert his eyes, but he couldn't help but stare.
Just like everyone else in the auditorium.
Her anger fading, Videl realized that everyone was staring at her in a dead silence, and her face flared up. She looked down at herself, mentally cursing Erasa for making her wear this damned costume.
It was all white, with golden borders. The top looked like a bikini's one, showing way too much cleavage to Videl's liking. The skirt was diagonally cut, being long on one side and short on the other. She was wearing a few golden bracelets on each wrists, as well as a golden necklace. White sandals adorned her feet, the laces going up to her knees.
"You look AWESOME, Videl!" Erasa exclaimed, being the first to recover. She smirked. "Don't you agree, Gohan?"
Finally managing to avert his gaze from Videl to the ground, Gohan stuttered an incomprehensible reply, making everyone laugh, which made him blush even more.
Videl wasn't in the mood to laugh, however.
"Shut up and let's get started, already!!" She shouted.
"Right." Erasa said, although she was still chuckling. Seeing Gohan stuttering and blushing was just too funny. Eventually, she calmed her chuckles then exclaimed:
"Okay everyone, let's get started!"
--
"We have to WHAT?!"
Erasa sighed. She knew they wouldn't agree to that.
"You have to kiss." She repeated.
"But we can't!" They cried, in perfect sync once more.
"It's in the script. You have to."
"I disagree!" A blond boy suddenly exclaimed, standing up from his seat.
"Sharpner, shut up." The stage director ordered. "This is not your business."
"Of course it is! I can't let nerd boy kiss my girlfriend!"
"Will you stop dreaming, already?" Videl cried out from the stage. "I'll never be your girlfriend, Sharpner!"
The long haired teen sat back in his seat, pouting. Erasa shook her head at him, then turned back to the two on the stage.
"Start playing the scene." She told them tiredly.
"NO!!" They cried again.
"Okay, don't kiss now, but you'll have to during the representation. Now start playing the scene, without kissing."
The two dark haired teens were relieved that they wouldn't have to kiss this time, but during the representation… They won't have a choice.
They will have to kiss.
--
Opening the curtains a little bit, Gohan looked nervously at all the people who came to see the school play. He gulped. He would have to play in front of all these people? He wasn't feeling very reassured.
He then spotted his family and friends in the audience. Even Vegeta was here. He wondered briefly with what Bulma threatened him to make him come. Or maybe he just came to embarrass him.
And then, he spotted a tall figure leaning against the wall at the end of the auditorium. His eyes widened.
Piccolo??
"Why aren't you in your costume? The play is starting in ten minutes! You have to hurry!"
The young Saiya-jin turned to Erasa, who looked very nervous. He understood why; after all, she was the one who wrote the play, directed it, and designed the costumes, and there were a lot of people in the audience. There was a lot to be nervous about.
"Right. I'll go change now." He said, not wanting to upset her.
"Hurry up!"
--
Chichi was very excited. Her eldest son was the leading man in his school play; she couldn't wait for it to begin. She just hoped that he wouldn't embarrass himself. He could be so clumsy at times.
The auditorium darkened, and the curtains opened. Chichi got her camera ready: it was the beginning of the play.
--
Erasa was relieved. The audience seemed to like the play so far, and the actors were playing their parts perfectly.
It was now the scene she had been waiting for: the scene where The Black Knight and Princess Angelica kissed, played by Gohan and Videl.
--
The audience looked on as The Black Knight easily defeated the bandits who had attempted to abduct Princess Angelica. Scared, the bandit retreated, leaving the Knight and the Princess alone in the stage.
Videl approached her partner, and began to say her lines.
"Yet again you save my life, Knight." She smiled. "Thank you."
"It is always a pleasure, Princess." Gohan, as The Black Knight, replied.
"If you will grant me my wish…" Videl continued. "Please, take off that dark mask and show me the true face of my savior."
The audience was silent as the Princess and the Knight stared at each other for a moment, not saying a word. And then, The Black Knight smiled sadly.
"I apologize, Princess, for I can not grant your wish." He gently took her hand and kissed it. "Goodbye, dear Princess." He turned to leave.
"Might you be Allen?" She suddenly said, stopping him. She walked closer to him, but he didn't turn around. "Long ago, he left this land to fulfill his dream and explore the world; might you be him?"
The Black Knight didn't respond, which made the Princess smile, now certain that she was right. She moved in front of him.
"If you have not forgotten about our childhood promise…" Videl did her best to hide her nervousness as she continued, moving closer to Gohan. "Then please… Please, show me on these lips."
Gohan closed his eyes. He didn't want it to happen like that. If he kissed Videl, he wanted her to want it, not to be forced to. But… he couldn't let everyone down. They had all worked so hard to prepare that play; he just couldn't let them down.
He felt her hands on his shoulders, and opened his eyes, seeing her nod at him to continue.
"You're sure?" He whispered, so that the audience wouldn't hear him.
"Yes." She whispered back. She took a deep breath, "Kiss me."
He placed his gloved hands on her slender waist, pulling her a bit closer to him, then he leaned down, while she reached up, both closing their eyes, and their lips met.
YES!! Erasa thought, overjoyed. They're kissing!!
Chichi had tears in her eyes, as she recorded the first kiss of her not so little boy anymore. Children grew up so fast…
As for Mr. Satan, he was too shocked to react, and eventually fainted. The audience was too busy watching this so romantic scene to notice.
Some time passed, but the two young actors were still kissing, seeming to have forgotten about the audience, the play, and everything else. There was just him and her. Nothing else.
After a long while, the two finally broke the kiss. They didn't move, staying in each other's embrace, eyes still closed, panting.
"Forgive me, Princess Angelica!" They vaguely heard someone whisper, still in their own world.
"Forgive me, Princess Angelica!!" They heard again, a bit louder this time. It was then that they remembered about the play, and they abruptly opened they eyes.
Gohan cleared his throat. "Forgive me, Princess Angelica. This was not supposed to happen."
"Why?" She asked. "Have you forgotten about our childhood promise? That we will marry one day?"
He pulled away from her, immediately missing her warmth. Then, he breathed in deeply. "Your father did not like us being so close, and ordered me to leave this land… I could not disobey the King's order, so I left…"
"Allen…" She said, holding back tears.
"I can not keep that childhood promise, Princess… Please forgive me." He turned to leave, taking a few steps, when he heard her call him, her voice broken by tears. He stopped, clenching his fists.
"You must forget me, Princess."
"Allen… Please…"
"Goodbye… Angelica."
The Princess watched her Knight leave her, unable to do anything to stop him. She fell on her knees, crying.
"Why…? Why have you done this to me, Father? I… I love him."
The curtains fell, signaling the end of the scene, and the audience applauded, touched by this scene. Some were even wiping their tears.
--
"Wow! That was such a great play!"
"I loved it! The actors were so good; they looked like they really were in love!"
"I loved the kiss scene. So romantic, and yet so sad."
"Allen just couldn't allow that other guy to marry his Princess. I'm so glad he decided to fight the King to win her back."
"He was just so cool when he defeated all the King's men! And when he took his mask off to show the King who he really was… He's so handsome!"
"That last battle with The Black Knight and the King was really amazing!"
"Their love was so beautiful. I'm so glad they end up together at the end."
"Damn, I ruined my mascara…"
--
Finally, the play was over, and she could get rid of this damned costume. Ah, her own clothes. She felt so much more comfortable in them. Doing her hair in a quick ponytail, Videl got out of her changing room.
"Aww… You already changed…"
Videl turned to Erasa. "Why should I keep this costume? The play is over!"
"But it suited you so well!"
"Well, don't expect me to wear it again any time soon. I hate it."
Erasa rolled her eyes, as the two best friends made their way to the 'after-play party' that was taking place in the gymnasium. They met Gohan on the way, back in his own clothes as well, only he was going the opposite way.
"Where are you going, Gohan? The party is this way." Erasa said, pointing the right direction.
"I know." He replied, keeping on walking. "That's why I'm going that way."
"You stop right here!" Videl said, caching his arm. "If I have to go to that freaking party, then you sure as hell are going too!"
"But Videl…"
She ignored him, and started walking toward the gymnasium, dragging him with her. Erasa followed them, and a smirk slowly tugged at her lips.
"By the way," She began, still smirking. "You guys sure seemed to enjoy that kiss."
The two dark haired teen stopped abruptly, and the girl immediately let go of the boy's arm, both having a face as red as a tomato, if not redder.
"L-Let's go to the party." Gohan said.
"Y-Yeah." Videl replied.
They began to walk toward the gymnasium again, still blushing. Erasa followed them, her smirk still present.
It was just an act. Videl told herself. That kiss didn't mean anything. She glanced at Gohan, who's face was still as red. She smiled slightly.
One day, maybe… You'll really be my Knight…
The End