"Thanks for walking me home, Paris." Smiled Misty as she turned to open her front door.
The evening air was warm against her fresh skin and chlorine soaked hair. Misty had been training for hours and was happy to finally be home. She grasped the door handle but was stopped short by Pairs pulling it shut.
"Misty... Have you made your mind up yet?" Paris asked leaning closer to her face.
"Uh...look." She stammered then looked at her water-prof watch "Hey it's 6 o'clock. I better get in for dinner."
Misty slipped past his reach and ducked inside her front door. Paris banged his fists on the door in defeat. He wanted her so bad and even more now since he asked her out a few days earlier. And how could she deny him he thought. He looked at his reflection in the Gyms tinted windows. He was athletic, tall and his green eyes could burn a whole in the ozone layer.
"I'm home!" Misty shouted throwing her mint colored towel on a chair as she made her way to the kitchen.
"You are so late." said Violet crunching on a carrot stick. She leaned over the tiled island dipping another carrot stick in ranch dressing.
"So how was practice?" asked Lilly while she sliced a tomato for their salad.
"Well....ya'know. It was practice." replied Misty as she took a carrot stick and looked away.
"Like Oh my gawd. Ya'know who was here today?" squealed Violet
Misty raised an eye brow "Who?"
"It was Brock." Interrupted Daisy pinching Violet in the back "He said that he's happy you're putting the water show together for him and Joy."
"Nuh-uh!" Violet tried to say but got pinched once more "Ow!"
"Enough ladies. It's time to eat." Daisy said "We've all got a big day tomorrow."
The sisters groaned and moved their dinner out to the back yard pools and warm summer night air. Tomorrow at sunset the Cerulean sisters would be performing for 100 guests and their best-friends Brock and Joy. A wedding by the sea in the main ball room of an art deco styled hotel. They would do a synchronized water waltz at Dugeon's Palace's main stage before the reception.
After dinner Misty bid her sisters goodnight and climbed the stairs to her room. She undid her blue hair tie shaking away the remaining water from the ginger tresses'. It was still early but her body was so worn out from the week of practicing for Brock's wedding, her own graduation performance and college entrance exams that she was to tired to shower.
Misty staggered over to her bed collapsing into the soft sky blue sheets. She sat back up kicked off her sandals and striped down to her pink panties and bra. Every star burned brightly in the warm evening sky. Just as her body started to settle, clinking sounds echoed from her balcony window.
"Misty!" a voice loudly whispered from below. It called again, "Hey carrot head!"
Misty's heart jumped along with her as she dashed to the balcony to see that it was Ash. She looked down quickly, realized she was in her panties and grabbed a stray shirt from a near by chair. She pulled it over her head then leaned over the railing. Ash grinned up at her innocently with his arms crossed.
"What are you doing here you idiot? It's kinda late to be out don't ya think?" she hissed
"Well I didn't mean to be so late. Can we talk?" he asked
Misty hesitated thinking "How dare he do this to me!" She scowled at him and replied "Get to the front door and i'll let you in."
Her feet pit patted on the cement floor as she dashed down the stairs to the front door. She cracked the door a bit looking for the trouble maker she called her best friend. He trotted around the side of the gym waving to her as she frowned and waved back urging him to hurry. He slipped in and the two of them snuck up to her bedroom.
Ash walked in ahead of her stopping to admire the photos on her cork board. Misty with her schools swim team, with a few friends at what looked like a birthday party and one in the center, her, him and Brock before they parted ways so many years before.
"Well?" she questioned shutting the door behind her silently.
"Happy birthday." he replied still looking at the photos.
"Thanks." Her cheeks flushed as she pulled wet strands of hair from her eyes.
Ash looked as innocent as ever in his tattered league hat, blue jeans and black chucks. Misty watched him search his pockets as he pulled out a small velvet box. They both looked down at it catching each others eye on the way back up. Ash's smile gave Misty chills all along her back to the bottom of her spine.
"You're 17 this year, right?" he asked taking a step toward her. Misty nodded quickly clutching her hands to her face.
Ash opened the box to reveal a silver chained poke'ball. He walked over to her stopping just inches from her face. His breath was shallow and warm against her almost bare chest. Never had they been this close before. Ash brought his arms around her shoulders to connect the necklace around her.
"So...how have you been, Ash?" Misty asked breaking away from his grasp.
Ash, taken aback replied "Fine I guess. I got 3rd place at Indigo last week."
"Yea, I heard." she laughed nervously avoiding his gaze. "It's really late. I'm really busy tomorrow so..."
"Yea me too. I'm the best man and all. I should..." Ash said looking toward the door.
"Goodnight." She said curtly.
Ash strode to the door but was stopped by a small pale hand. Misty grasped his collar pulling him into a tight embrace. He felt as if he would explode if they stood there any longer. Her fingers ran through his wild ebony hair pulling at the nape of his neck.
"Thank you, ash." She whispered heavily into his ear grazing her lips against his neck. She could feel him tremble through her thin shirt.
Ash slipped into the hallway skulking down the concrete stairs and out the front entrance. Misty watched him until the very last moment, collapsing into her sheets with nervous pleasure. All this time and he decides to surprise her in the middle of the night with a belated birthday gift. The clock was nearing eleven and tomorrow was her first public performance. She closed her eyes that night and dreamt of the future.