"Please, Drew? You're the only one left!" May stood before the vidphone, giving Drew a sorrowful look through the screen. "Everyone else is busy or has to go somewhere. Two Rainbow Passes, Drew! The Sevii Islands!"

The green-haired Coordinator sighed. "May, I told you nothing good would come out of winning those Passes."

"Well, nothing good will, unless you come along with me," his rival said adamantly. "My parents aren't letting me go unless I bring someone else, and you're the only one left."

"Max?" Drew offered.

"Helping Dad with the gym," she said flatly.

"Ash? Brock?"

"Ash's spending his summer with Misty; Brock's keeping an eye on his siblings."

"Gary, Tracy, Dawn?"

"I barely even know them!"

Drew mustered up his courage for the next one. "...Harley?"

There was a long silence. "You honestly think I'd trust him enough to go on a two-week trip with him?" came the disgusted response. "Besides, he's busy acting in horror movies."

Drew muttered something unintelligible, then said, "Look, your parents barely even know me."

"They know you well enough. You are a famous Coordinator, after all," she said pointedly. "You're just trying to find an excuse, aren't you?"

"No, I'm-- You're not going to let go of this, are you?"

And she wouldn't, he knew. Of course, there was no reason why he should care, but the truth was that he did.

"No," cheerfully.

"Arceus damn it," he muttered to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Sure. So are you coming or not?"

Drew sighed again, heavily. "I don't know. It's not like I really have the time, being a 'famous Coordinator' and all," he added with a tinge of resentment.

"Drew, there aren't any upcoming Contests for the next two months! Two weeks out of two months," she pleaded. "I've wanted to go to the Sevii Islands for forever!"

"No, I really don't think--"

And then May unleashed her greatest weapon.

"N-no, May, not the puppy eyes! Not the puppy eyes!"

~roses~

So it was settled then. May was going to the Islands, and she was dragging him along with her.

Dammit, she always gets her way. Drew fell back heavily onto his bed and sighed. I honestly don't know why I keep letting her do this. The last time she made me do something for her, I ended up with Harley for a full day. A shudder. Never want to go through that again.

May, May, May. He knew that he liked her - even Solidad and Harley were aware of it. She was the only one who could force him into the most embarrassing of situations, make him scream at others in frustration, and force him to realize just how much of a fool he was sometimes. She brought out both the best and the worst in him, and he wasn't too sure himself how he felt about it.

Innocent, naive, cute, awkward, quirky, sweet, silly - everything that she was - all of it - was somehow attractive. Appealing.

Adorable.

"Oh god. I did not just think that."

Drew rolled over and smothered himself with a pillow. Adorable? It was so un-Drew-like of him that he nearly gagged. Someday he'd have to deal with it. Not now, though.

He sat up and stared blearily at his suitcase, open at the foot of his bed. Empty. Just like his head should be.

With a sigh, he stood and proceeded to pack it.

~roses~