Ghost From the Past

Sports Car

CHAPTER 6

( A memory comes back to Pan while she's sleeping.)

I never did make it to the hair appointment Bulla made for me on graduation day.

I was waiting at the crosswalk when I spotted Uncle Goten, holding hands with his girlfriend across the street. The light turned green and other people started to cross, except for me. I was busy waving my hands and shouting to get my uncle's attention. Ever since my family moved into that tiny apartment, I didn't get to see my uncle very often.

Uncle Goten heard my voice and turned his head in my direction. He waved back at me with the giddy exuberance of a little boy. Valese shook off his hand, offended. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. How could she not recognize me as Goten's niece? She was a guest at three of our family dinners for crying out loud!

There were only a few seconds remaining before the light turned red and traffic resumed. Most of the horde had already crossed, and I ran to catch up.

I didn't see the huge wad of gum on the ground until I stepped in it, and lost my shoe.

"Pan!" Goten urgently shouted as I stopped to pick up my shoe. Bulla's shoe, one of the only pairs of shoes that didn't have a high heel, which she insisted that I borrow because it would "make her proud."

It was then I realized that the speeding sports car wasn't going to stop for me. In his mind, I should've already made it to the other side of the street, if I wanted to stop and die over a lost shoe...then that was my problem.

Probably a veteran when it came to mowing down dogs, cats, and teenagers in his red sports car of death, the man pushed his foot down hard on the gas pedal, eliminating my chances of jumping or flying out of the way.

I covered my face and screamed, dreading the pain that was sure to come once the car hit me. I wasn't a strong, brave half-Saiyan warrior like my Dad or Uncle. I was a teenaged girl who went to school and slept with a night light, and only fought weak humans at my Gramp's dojo. That car was going to take me straight to Otherworld.

Someone familiar flashed in front of me, shielding me from the explosion as his ki blast hit the front of the car. Black smoke and flames filled the air. The people closest to us were knocked off their feet from the blast, and further away people screamed hysterically as they ran for safety.

"Are you hurt?" Trunks asked, taking his eyes off the black smoke and flames long enough to look me over. The light from the flames gave his skin a dark glow. His eyes were sharp, emotionless and absent of their usual mischievous twinkle. For a second I was unsure of who he was.

I rose to my feet with the gracefulness of a newborn lamb. "Vegeta?"

"Tsk. Don't be stupid," Trunks said, sounding more like the brat-Trunks I know. The muscles in his outstretched arm bulged, and I realized another ki blast was forming in his palm." Answer me. Are you hurt, or not?"

"N-no," I replied while patting down my head, chest, and thighs." No, I'm fine. I'm not hurt at all, not even a scratch."

The ki forming in his palm vanished and he lowered his arm.

Goten, being the kind-hearted guy that he was, rushed to help the driver out from his car. The guy was bruised, bloodied, and semi-unconscious. Goten gave Trunks the same look my dad gives me when I've done something very, very wrong.

Trunks couldn't care less about Goten's morals in that moment. Squeezing my upper arm tightly, he led me back in the direction of my home and away from growing crowd of people gathering around the wreck.

"What were you thinking?" Trunks roared, turning into a lonely alley and throwing me up against a brick wall. He pressed his fist against the wall, near my left cheek, trapping and intimidating me at the same time." You could have died back there! Why didn't your fly or jump out of the way? Why do you have to be so stupid all the time?"

"I'm sorry," I whimpered, still emotional over my near-death experience." It happened so fast...I didn't know what to do."

"I'll tell you what you don't do," Trunks growled, the tip of his nose touching mine as he glared into my eyes. His own eyes were flashing a glowing green with every other word he spoke." You don't just stand there like an easy target, and give up and wait for someone to rescue you. Because guess what, Pan? I wont always be around to rescue you!"

"I didn't ask you to save me," I reply, pushing him away. He stands his ground and doesn't budge more than a few inches. My fear is forgotten as I glare at him, hating him for all the bad things he's done to me over the years. One act of kindness doesn't erase his history." How did you know where I was? Were you following me?"

Trunks doesn't get annoyed and leave in a huff like I want, instead he studies me for a moment, and with a cockiness I detest, says," Yeah I followed you here. It's a good thing I did, too."

When a guy is being creepy, gross, and won't leave me alone, I usually play the Dad Card." I'm going to tell my Dad you're stalking me." I cross my arms to appear more confident than I feel. If Trunks wanted to play the Dad Card, he'd win. His dad is more psychotic and scary than most.

Trunks smirks. " Your Dad should be on his knees thanking me after today."

Crap he's right. I uncross my arms and mutter a quick "yeah, thanks."

"Thank you isn't going to be enough," Trunks whispers, gently gliding his thumb over my lower lip. He frowns, puts his hands in his pockets, and walks away, leaving me alone in the alley, my head swirling with unanswered questions.

What was that about? Has Trunks followed me more than once, and why? Doesn't he hate me? Shouldn't he want me dead?

My knees buckled, and I slid down the wall. The smell of smoke and screaming sirens could be heard all around, but it was Trunks' whispering voice that lingered with me, making my skin prickle and my heart race.

I touched my lower lip and wondered, for the first time, "Does Trunks...like me?"

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