Chapter 1: The Night They Met

May finished up her cheer for the Coordinator's Club with a fantastic dance that she had spent most of her free time for days trying to perfect. Ash stood nearby, watching the event that marked the near-end of May's days with her club. She was moving the autumn, only a few months away, right after the searing summer which was soon upon them. Ash smiled wider and clapped as the crowd cheered for the exuberant brunette. His cheering was almost inaudible, as he was outnumbered by many strange faces around him whistling and applauding just the same.

"Let's hear it for the beautiful cheerleaders for the Coordinator's Club!" a male voice echoed through mounted speakers in all corners of the stadium. The audience gave another good roar and then the ovation slowly died down into silence, then clamor of conversation as the cheerleaders retreated into the ganging room inside the stadium. Ash, along with everyone else in the crowd began to exit the stands. The dark haired boy hadn't the shred of a clue where to meet May at, so he put his cap back on his head over his wild hair, and he began searching for her outside around the building.

Ash wandered all around Lilycove City until he finally spotted her from afar, walking with her fellow cheerleader, Dawn.

"May!" Ash raised his hand high and shouted out to her. May's head cocked to her right, nearly as fast as a starly's. The girls began to walk towards Ash as he stepped toward them. "Found you." he said with a grin. "That was a great performance. You were both great!"

"Thank you." They both replied and a boy appeared as if from out of nowhere.

"May, I saw the cheer, good job. It seems you have been practicing."

"Drew!" May exclaimed and she embraced him. Drew was May's boyfriend. Until that moment Ash had only known him by how May talked about him from time to time. That night they had finally met, and Ash found himself to suddenly be quiet and drained of energy. Dawn was happy to see Drew as well, and the green-haired gentleman shifted his attention to Ash.

"Drew. Happy to meet you." He extended his hand to the Pokémon trainer who in turn shook Drew's hand.

"Ash, Pokémon trainer." There was a slight dismalness in his tone of voice, but Drew and the girls paid no mind to it.

Dawn spoke, "I need to head on home now, or my mother will kill me! I was supposed to be on my way there as soon as we got changed. Bye May!" She waved and walked off, quick paced.

A part of Ash wished he could go home, and he could, but before coming to the stadium to watch May perform, the two were hanging out at May's house. He planned to spend a little more time with her after this. Now that Drew had arrived, there was no certainty in any plans any longer.

May looked up from her boyfriend's stomach and asked, "Can we eat now?" her stomach even growled immediately after the question! It was good timing.

Drew just smiled and nodded. "Mhmm. What about your friend?"

Ash tuned in just then. He has been thinking of things and was not paying much attention. "What was the question? What about me?" the boy inquired.

May giggled lightly and explained to him that Drew was taking her to eat. She added in, "You can join if you want." She said it in a sort of timid fashion for some reason. It was cute and hard to say no to, but Ash declined.

"That's fine," he insisted with a fake smile. "You two go eat. I'm not very hungry, haha." He chuckled lightly, lying. The guy was a bottomless pit, always hungry! "I'll just wait at your house until you get back."

"Okay!" her voice chimed, suddenly cheerful, yet you could pick out a sense of disappointment in it somewhere. May hooked her arm in Drew's and they turned and began to walk away. Drew seemed so tall compared to May. He was taller than Ash took, which to him was a little intimidating.

Ash took slow steps as he walked in the direction of May's house, no emotion on his face. He was thinking again.

About an hour to an hour and a half had passed and May and Drew entered the front door of the house. Ash was sitting in the kitchen, having small conversation with May's younger brother, Max. "May, you're home! It's about time." Max said.

"It's only a little past ten," Drew pointed out. "So it's only been about an hour or so."

Ash remembered that soon, his curfew was going to catch him and just like Dawn's, his mother will not be very happy. He was a bit disappointed that he waited at the house, talking with Max and now that May was home, he had to leave. "I actually have to get home…." Ash said, looking down at the floor of the kitchen.

May's eyes widened a bit as she realized something was wrong. "Ash," she walked over to him and questioned him, "Is everything alright?" May pulled off his cap so she could see his face.

Ash looked up at her and into her eyes. May's features were outstanding to him! Her looks were only bettered by her exciting and caring personality. He sat in that chair, frozen for a moment, capturing the concern in her eyes with his. Many things were rushing in Ash's head at the time, and he regained focus on what was going on around him. Just past May was Drew. He was leaning against the refrigerator with his arms crossed, a look of concern on his face. Drew seemed like such a nice guy, yet….Ash felt a childish for him.

Ash stood up, smiled, and claimed, "Everything is fine. I need to get home though. Drew, it was nice to meet you!" His smile only got bigger, the more he lied, pretended. He walked past the taller "perfect" boy and went out the door, leaving his hat in May's hands. She watched him leave, and it only saddened her, the way he had acted that night because she knew. Ash had acted very immature just then, but May knew the reason why….and it hurt her as well.