Chapter 1: Losing You

Ash: 16

Misty: 16

Serena: 15

Clemont: 15

Bonnie: 12

Serena put her boots on quickly, racing through the Pokémon Center and toward the door. Only Bonnie was there, having fallen asleep waiting in a chair. Where were the others? She went to Ash's room and knocked, but there was no answer. Opening the door, she found he was gone. What could he possibly be doing?

As she began to walk down the hallway she heard Ash's voice.

"...I can't believe this... Are you serious!?"

He sounded like an excited little child. Serena peeked through the doorway to see Ash talking to an orange-haired girl through the PC.

(Who is that?) Serena thought to herself, suddenly filled with jealousy. She loved Ash, although didn't have the courage to tell him. Miette was already bad enough, and now this girl!?

"I'll have to tell everyone the news," Ash said. The girl laughed softly, blushing.

"Tomorrow at 5, OK? Don't forget!"

"I won't!" Ash replied happily, before blowing a kiss to the screen.

"I love you, Mist."

"I love you too, Ash."

Serena walked away quickly before she could hear any more. She was choking on the air she was breathing, and tears were swelling up in her eyes so fast that everything was blurry within a few seconds. She ran to a random room and running inside, slamming herself against the wall and beginning to sob.

Clemont ran out of the bathroom, dropping a shoe he was trying to put on, and ran to Serena.

"Serena! Why are you crying? What happened!?"

Serena took a moment to regain breathing ability before wiping her eyes and coming clean.

"I saw Ash... He was talking to some girl... And he loves her...! Now I can never tell him how I feel!"

She began to sob again, tears hitting the for with a -plop, plop, plop-. Clemont, at first, stared down at her, unsure of what to do.

And then he did something that Serena never imagined a person like Clemont would do.

He sat next to her. And he hugged her, letting her squeeze him, cry on him. After a few minutes of bawling, she wiped her face, getting her hands wet with tears.

"Thank you, Clemont," she managed to choke out.

"I think I'm OK now."

Clemont nodded slowly, hiding his red face from her.

The next day Serena and the others were waiting at the airport for the girl, who's name was found out to be Misty. Ash was trying his hardest to sit still, Bonnie was petting Dedenne, and Clemont seemed to be staring off into space.

(He doesn't love me... Ash doesn't love me...)

Serena couldn't think about anything else. The man she loved was in a relationship with someone she didn't even know...

Until now.

Ash suddenly leaped from his chair, running. Serena looked up to see Misty running to him just as fast. When they met Ash pulled her into a long kiss. Serena looked down quickly, hiding the tears that instantly swelled up in her eyes.

Bonnie quickly followed, smirking and giggling, and Clemont hesitantly stood up and began to walk over. Serena managed to fight back her tears and slowly follow, purposely staying behind. Bonnie was already chatting, and Clemont was introducing himself. Ash was smiling wide, holding Misty's hand tightly. Serena wanted to tackle them down to the ground, or run far away and never come back. But she had to stay calm. She couldn't leave her friends, even if one of them was a traitor. Even if one of them would never love her. Even if one of them made her want to cry every time she looked at him.