He doesn't understand.
Every time he sees that group, he always scans for her. But why? She was with that boy, acting like they were close friends. Paul has always respected that, yet he still scans for her.
Maybe because she isn't stupid, maybe because she's bearable? He did have a conversation with her a couple of times, alone. But she always went back to her group with that smile, acting like nothing happened between the two of them.
Of course, Paul didn't care then, and why should he care now? But here he is, scanning for her, hoping that the smile she wears isn't for his opponent, but for him.
But why does he care so much? After all, she shows no feelings for him and vice versa. So why does he care so much?
Maybe its because of that smile, the smile that makes him feel better. Maybe, just maybe.
With this new thought in mind, he called out his Pokemon. Pretending that the cheers from the overly peppy girl was for him, he smiled.
Maybe he won't lose against his rival. Maybe the cheers from her are actually for her. Maybe Paul actually likes Dawn.