I guess you could call this a redo of Again and Always… I wrote that over a year ago – It was my first Contest story, and I'd like to think that I've come a long way, so… :) Hope you guys like it, I've deleted Again and Always… Oh, and vote on my poll please :)
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The brunette sighed, slumping onto the park in defeat, burying her face in her hands. The sixteen year old stayed in the same position for the next few minutes as she reviewed what had just happened. Oh, yeah. She'd been beaten – again - and by Drew, no less – again. A small groan of annoyance slipped out of her mouth before she could stop it, and her blue eyes watered with unshed tears.
The fifth contest she'd entered, and the fifth contest she'd come so close to winning. But the fifth contest, she'd lost, and the third she'd lost to none other than her rival.
May didn't know what had gotten into her. Her appeals stunned the audience and the judges. The first battle round was always an easy knockout. But the finals… her thoughts just weren't there. They seemed to travel over to the other side, to the green-haired opponent who faced her, taunting her with that smirk she'd grown accustomed to over the years.
That stupid smirk, she thought savagely, resisting the urge to rip her hair from her head. That stupid smirk that made her head spin and her knees weak when it was directed at her and the thought infuriated her even more.
'You know, the best was always going to win, May, and yet again, the best was me.' The cocky voice floated into her ear, and the brunette whipped her head around so that she was facing her rival.
'I am not in the mood for this right now, Hayden!' she snapped, folding her arms and looking away. Drew rolled his eyes, leaning on the back of the chair.
'Calm down! Just because you lost to me – again, I might add – doesn't give you reason to snap at me. It isn't my fault you stare at me too much instead of focusing on the battle,' he replied smoothly, unfazed by her attitude. May's face flushed.
'I wasn't staring at you, and I was focusing!' she barked, avoiding his eyes. Of course Drew would get it right without even noticing.
'Right… I know I'm good-looking, but really, May…' he trailed off, smirking. She stood up, glaring at the green-haired teenager.
'Shut up! You don't even get it! You don't have off-days! You're just always perfect! But I'm not, okay! So shut the hell up!'
Drew raised his eyebrows, standing straight so that he was at his normal height, towering over her by around two inches. May avoided looking at his eyes, turning on her heel and beginning to walk away.
'Hey!' her rival called after her, pulling a rose out from behind his back and tossing is to her as she turned around. She caught it reflexively, letting a small smile fall over her facial features. Drew smirked lightly. 'You're not as imperfect as you think.'
He winked, turning around and strolling off, hands stuffed casually in his pockets. May remained glued to her spot, her jaw hanging. The crimson rose fluttered in her fingers, threatening to blow out of her hands, but the brunette hardly even realised. Compliments from Drew were rare, and she knew that.
Her jaw shut abruptly as she was reminded why she was grumpy at the green-haired teenager. Setting her mouth in a hard line, she stalked to the Centre. The room she shared with Solidad was empty when she walked in, and the brunette grabbed the nearest pillow, pelting it at the wall in frustration.
'Whoa, May.' Solidad's voice sounded from the entrance of the room. May turned sheepishly, anger dissipating as she turned to look at the pink-haired coordinator that stood in the doorway. 'You okay?'
'Yeah, I'm fine.' May flopped onto her bed, resting her chin in her palm and staring at the rose that now lay on the floor. Solidad followed her gaze, smiling knowingly.
'Drew?'
May looked up sarcastically. 'How'd you guess?'
Solidad gave her a sympathetic look. 'Look, May. You were great in that contest – you had me beat fair and square… what happened? Drew is good, but you're just as good as him. Why didn't you even put up a fight?'
'I… it's… I don't know how to say this, Solidad…' May trailed off, bottom lip trembling slightly. Solidad patted her back. 'It's just… he's always so perfect, and when I'm standing across the stadium from him, and he looks at me, I can't focus! It isn't just on the battlefield either, it's everywhere! He doesn't know what he does, which makes it worse!'
She ran a hand through her hair. Solidad bit her lip.
'And then… he just… ugh!'
Solidad smiled softly. 'He cares for you, May, and you know it,' she told her quietly.
'Sure has a funny way of showing it,' she grumbled, frowning. Solidad sighed.
'May, Drew does care for you. And I happen to know you have a thing for him. So what's stopping you?'
May remained silent. 'I don't see how you know that. Drew and I are rivals. Rivals, Solidad. He doesn't want anything more, and I don't want to mess up our…' she thought for a moment about the status of their relationship, 'friendship…'
Solidad grumbled, standing up and pulling the brunette up beside her and pushing her toward the door. 'He's in his room!' she said simply, closing the door. May stood gaping at the wood for the next few moments before walking down the hall, coming to a halt outside the door she knew as Drew's.
The brunette took a deep breath raising a fist to knock on the door. The entry swung open before her knuckles connected with it, and her blue eyes widened in shock as she faced her equally shocked rival. He smirked.
'Hey, May,' he greeted. May gulped slightly, smiling as well.
'Uh… Solidad told me to come and talk to you…' she trailed off. Drew's eyebrow raised in question.
'Well, I was just going to train Flygon some more, but I guess it can wait,' he said, pocketing the pokéball he had been holding and inviting his rival into his room. 'What does Solidad need you to talk to me about?'
'Uh… well… I'm, sorry about snapping at you earlier…' she trailed off, sitting down on the chair by the desk. Drew sat on his bed, leaning against the wall and watching her. Drew shrugged.
'You were just angry. You did lose, again. What's gotten into you lately?' he asked curiously. May frowned. The two had gotten past all the lies, and much as Drew still teased her, the two were friends. Friendly rivals. May held back a tiny whimper at the thought, and yet she knew that the coordinator who sat opposite her had noticed her tremble.
'I… uh…' she took a deep breath. Drew sent her an impatient glance.
'Seriously, May. I do want to train Flygon.'
The brunette gulped, closing her eyes briefly. 'You.'
He frowned, puzzled. 'What are you getting at?'
'You've gotten into me lately!' she exclaimed, staring at her knees, which were now pulled to her chest. Drew leant his head against the wall, looking at the ceiling.
'I don't get it, May. What've I done to make you bad at battling?' he questioned, emerald eyes piercing hers. May pursed her lips.
'Everything, Drew! You just look at me, and my knees go weak! And yet I you don't even care, so I get pummelled in battle against you, because I can't stop thinking about how good you look when you're concentrating like that, and…' The brunette's face was crimson as a tear slipped down her cheek.
Drew's eyebrows furrowed as he stood, coming towards her and grabbing her hand, pulling it so that she stood up, facing him.
'…you just don't realise how perfect you are, and how much I wish I was like you, because you're amazing at everything you do, and–' her rambling was cut short as the teenager placed a finger on her lips, bringing his face close to hers.
'May… I meant what I said earlier. You're nowhere near as imperfect as you think you are.' A sob escaped the female coordinator's mouth. He smirked lightly, tilting his head closer to hers so that his minty breath blew on her nose. 'May, you're amazing, and you don't even realise it. Stop doubting yourself!'
Drew moved his finger from her mouth. May stood there, tears still rolling down her cheeks, face flushed as his arms wrapped around her frame. Hesitantly her hands lifted and she returned the hug, burying her face in his shoulder.
He smirked, stroking her hair fondly. The brunette pulled away, smiling slightly.
'Sorry about that…' she choked, biting her lip. Drew's smirk broadened. 'I don't know why I–'
Drew cut her off once again, pressing his lips to hers for a quick second. 'Don't apologise. You're close to perfect – just go with that.' He pulled away from her, smirking. She gaped at him.
'Uh… okay?' she squeaked. Drew chuckled.
'I'm going to train Flygon, now. I'll see you around.' He pulled the pokéball out of his pocket, turning and leaving the room.
'Yeah…' May breathed, bringing her fingers to her lips. 'I'll see you around.'
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Yeah, yeah… okaaay :) So, read, review, enjoy, voila! I think Drew was slightly out of character here, but who cares? Pointless, OOC fluff is my specialty. And you know it! ;)
Tell me what you think, and as I said above, please vote in my poll!
~EeveeTransformed~
