Chapter One:Humilau Holiday.

Roxie's POV

I sighed as the swimmers swam yet another lap. Me and my family were, at present, in the Humilau City Gym, watching the Unova Championships. The swimmers were excellent, I have to admit. Eight of them, in one lane each, gliding through the brilliant cerulean water like birds across the azure blue sky. It was truly amazing… But there was one contestant that caught my eye.

These graceful fish were… how old? Fifteen and Sixteen? Yes, that's right. But he was twelve, or at least he looked it. What's more, his tanned fingers touched the wall first. Had that kid just won the Unova Championships? The crowd roared.

The Humilau City Gym Leader's name was Fynn. It was her son, Marlon, who had just won the Unova Championships! I was totally lost at that moment, lost in the void between time and space, deep in thought. It was my father's call that dragged me from my trance.

"Roxie! We're leaving! We've been asked to take care of Marlon for a night. You never know, you two might become really great friends!"

I grinned from ear to ear. I was going to stay with Marlon! He was so damn cute… Maybe this was my chance to tell him what I really thought of him, how much I believed that we were right for each other. Then again, we were only twelve, for Arceus' sake!

I dragged my violet gaze from the television screen and heaved myself up out of my chair. After rolling my shoulders and stretching vigorously, I followed my parents outside of the stuffy Gym Lobby and out into the sun. The golden rays warmed me to the core. In Virbank City, the only weather we got was rainy, humid, shit. Here in Humilau City, the sun was always shining and it was never too cold to go for a deep in the sparkling ocean.

The Unova Institute of Sports was just a short walk from the Gym and I was absolutely loving the excitement and nervousness that was slowly bubbling up deep inside of me. Soon enough, I found myself outside the massive complex. After checking in at the cafeteria on the first floor, we walked down a long hallway and outside into a large courtyard, where the elderly were enjoying the late afternoon sun and a cup of green tea beneath the cloudless sky.

After crossing the tea gardens, we came to the complex which had the swimming pool and arena inside. Marlon would be inside! I mentally screamed.

I pushed past my parents to get inside and as I crossed the border line between the tea gardens and the swimming complex, I was hit by a wave of disgusting chlorine stench. I gagged and shrugged it off before I walked further inside and the aroma only got stronger the further I ventured.

I was almost dying from the scent now. In Virbank City, all you could smell was mud, sewage and other shit. I definitely was not used to this. That was when I received a soft tap on the shoulder. Green-faced, I turned around. My face immediately turned from the sickly shade of green it had been to a shade of bright crimson. It was Marlon. And man, did he look hot wet!

I gasped and quickly wiped the shocked expression off my face. "Y-you must be Marlon?" I stuttered.

The tanned boy smiled warmly and grinned with amusement. "Yes, I am. You're Roxie, from Virbank City?" He replied cockily.

"That's right. You'll be staying overnight with me and my family tonight. I'm sure you'll have a great time."

Marlon laughed like he had been containing it for quite a while and it had just suddenly burst out. "You don't have to hide anything, dudette. I can see through your little "Virbank" act."

"W-what?" I hissed through clenched teeth and gagged yet again.

"You like me, little dude. I'm not totally dumb. Looks like somebody doesn't like chlorine too much? Or would you rather smell the sewage?"

I must be really bad at hiding things, because he just saw through my posh act. And he saw my chlorine phobia. "How did you know?! And no, I don't particularly fancy the shitty stink of chlorine, thanks." I bit back.

Marlon grinned from ear to ear. "I know everything. Chill your face, let's get outta' here!"

He lead the way outside of the chlorinated complex and out into the soul-warming Humilau sun. His tanned skin turned to a radiant golden in the sunlight. Was this my chance? I had known Marlon for a long time, roughly since I was six, as we always came here on holidays to try and get away from the Virbank shithole.

This was it. I had a good feeling that right now, Marlon would lose his bloody cocky attitude and learn to love. Learn to love me. "Marlon, I don't know how to say this but… ever since you won the Unova Championships… I've really begun to like you. I just wanted you to know how I feel about you and all and, well… I know we're only twelve years old and stuff but… Will you go out with me?"

I did it! Marlon smiled a smile so warm that it could have melted the Humilau City sun. "Roxie, I've liked you for a long time, ever since I met you and I saw your ability to play the guitar and all… Yeah, you know what I mean. Yeah, dudette, sure."

For the first time in my whole life, I felt like my small heart was going to burst. Marlon loved me. "I love you, Marlon. I always have."

With that, I rested my head on his damp shoulder and together, we watched the sun turn the azure blue sky to a radiant orange as it dipped lower in the sky, and eventually disappeared. The most beautiful hours of my life had come to a close as the sparkling stars began to spot the night sky and the sun went to its bed. Tomorrow, the sun would begin the most beautiful day of my life. And I hoped it would never end.