White is feeling alone as Bianca and Cheren grow closer. She has no one to talk to…and she just wants to give it up.

…

Bianca giggled. "Cheren, you're so funny!"

White cast a half-glance over to the two beside her. It was a well-known fact that Bianca and Cheren were together, and quite happy with it. White was glad for them, of course. She liked Cheren as a friend, but ever since they'd announced they were going out, they were spending less and less time with her. White knew they needed time together…but it would be nice if they had included her more. For now, she just returned to her book, trying to ignore them.

"Let's head to my house," Cheren suggested. "I have a surprise for you."

"Really? Ooh, let's go!"

They both got up and headed off, Bianca clinging to Cheren's arm. White raised her head and watched their backs. They didn't even turn around to say goodbye. She bit the inside of her bottom lip and got up. She turned and went in the other direction. She just wanted to sit at home and sulk for the time being.

When she did get home, it wasn't long until the only one who listened to her problems showed up. She heard his giant wings beating the air. She contemplated getting up and going to her window, as he put his great red eye up to it. He'd tried putting his head in it before, but it didn't work out.

"Hello, Zekrom," she said dully.

/Hello, White,/ he replied. /How are you today?/

"I'm fine." She felt herself say it, even though she wasn't conscious of saying it. She'd said it so many times… White hated lying. She'd always hated lying, but now she found herself doing in five times a day. She bit her lip.

/Are you sure?/

"Yes…I mean no… I don't even know anymore, Zekrom…" She didn't turn around. She didn't want him to see her so unsure, so afraid… If he saw her like this, what would he do? Zekrom was a Pokémon. And more, he was considered a God. Yet here he was, chilling with a lonely little mortal girl like her. Why did he do this? Why did he stay?

/White…what's bothering you?/ The red eye blinked. /It's okay, you can tell me./

She shook her head. "No…I don't need to burden you with my troubles. I think I just need to be alone for now…"

What was she saying? That was the problem! She didn't want to be alone anymore. Or did she…? White didn't know. She didn't know what she wanted. It was all just a mass of gray, not distinct white or black. She couldn't tell truth from lies, or fact from fiction.

Zekrom hesitated. /All right then, but call if you need me./

He took his head from the window. White wanted to scream at him not to go, that she needed him now, but there was a lump in her throat. She couldn't make a sound. She just stood there, hands balled into fists, hearing his wing beats get farther and farther away until she couldn't hear them anymore.

She sat down on her bed and buried her face in her pillow, sobbing.

White didn't know how long she was there, drowning in her own sorrow, but she did know that at some point, the doorbell rang. She quickly sat up and fixed herself a little, smoothing her shirt out, then heading downstairs. She prayed it was N, at least, who she could talk to, or her mother back from shopping. Anyone but…

Bianca and Cheren.

White felt her heart take a nosedive to land somewhere down by her feet. There they stood. Cheren, as always, looked indifferent, and Bianca was grinning.

"Hey, White, wanna come to the movies with us?" she asked excitedly.

White hesitated. If she said yes, she'd be there, but they probably wouldn't take any notice of her…again. If she said no, she could spare herself the agony of sitting there for an hour and a half with people who hardly noticed she existed anymore.

"Sorry, but I have plans," she said, smiling sadly. "I'm actually going to pay my grandmother a visit later, I think. I don't know how long I'll be there."

"Aw, that's too bad," Bianca said, face falling. "Well, have a good time."

White shut the door, on the verge of tears. Of course. They didn't remember…that her Grandmother left the world four years ago. White put her back to the door and slid down it, drawing her knees up to her, sobbing.

…

Bianca made to turn around and walk away, but stopped when she collided with Cheren. She blinked quizzically. Weren't they leaving? White had plans, after all.

"Cheren, wha-?" she started to ask, but he held a finger to his lips. He nodded to the door. Bianca hushed herself, listening. There was someone crying behind the door…

White.

Bianca knew eavesdropping was bad, but she wanted to know why her friend was so sad. So sad that after she shut the door, she broke down…

Did White really have something else planned for the night…or had she just said that?

As they listened, White got up and left, presumably heading upstairs. Cheren waited a few moments, then reached down and discovered the spare key White always hid under the doormat. He unlocked the door and gestured Bianca in. Bianca wasn't sure she wanted to intrude, but felt it was in White's best interests and went in. Cheren shut the door behind her, and they both crept to the stairs and crouched on a few from the top. They watched White, but hopefully, she wouldn't see them.

White sat by her window, looking devoid of all emotion. She looked empty and frail. The window was open, and she stared out it with blank eyes, apparently waiting for something. She turned away after a few seconds, staring at the floor.

"It's…this is…" She muttered something else they couldn't hear and clutched at her heart. "It hurts so much… Why do they do this to me…? They don't even know I'm there anymore…" She put her face in her hands. "I…don't understand…"

Bianca was getting a horrible feeling about what White was mumbling to herself about. The conversation was oddly…striking.

"They aren't my friends…" White was saying. "They can't be the Cheren and Bianca I knew from so many years ago…from last month, even!" She took the pillow from her bed and put her face into it. They could still hear her voice, though. "If those were my real friends, Bianca would've dragged me out by the ear and said 'Sorry, but now's not the time to have other plans, White!'"

Bianca put her own face in her hands. "That's what I should've done," she whispered. "Oh my God, I've been so indifferent…"

"And Cheren…he wouldn't have let me just shut the door… he would've put his foot there and grinned, then Bianca would drag me out…"

Beside her, Cheren had looked away. He stared down into the depths of the darkness of downstairs, feeling awful. Hearing it from White, even if she didn't know they were hearing it, put everything into perspective. They had been treating her with the cold shoulder, hadn't they…?

A loud thudding came from outside, causing both of the hide-aways to look up. White sat up, still holding her pillow close to her, but waiting expectantly. A large black dragon landed outside and put its muzzle in through the window.

/White, are you quite sure you're all right?/ Zekrom asked, concerned.

She ignored his comment and threw her arms around his nose, sobbing. "Zekrom…it's just…"

/Shh,/ he said, sounding sympathetic. /It's okay…I'm here for you, White./

Bianca was beyond feeling guilty, she was downright miserable. Cheren decided now would be a good time to leave, so as quiet as they could, they both crept downstairs and exited the house. Cheren replaced the spare key and looked over to Zekrom, who had whatever of his face that would fit jammed in White's window. He couldn't hear what she was saying, but Zekrom's thoughts were still broadcasting into their heads.

/It's all right, White…I'm sure they never meant to leave you out./ He blinked. /Why don't you just tell them how you feel? Bianca and Cheren strike me as the type who will listen and compensate./ Apparently, White said no, because when he spoke again, his voice held a twinge of annoyance. /White, you can't be serious about this. I know you're upset, but there's no reason-!/

"You don't know how I feel!" White shouted, causing both Cheren and Bianca to jump. "No one does! I'm all alone in this stupid world. Maybe I will go and see my grandmother. Maybe I will just…kill myself."

Her voice had dropped to a quiet whisper, but somehow, Cheren and Bianca still heard. Their blood turned to ice and their limbs to stone. What White had just said…she was joking, right?

/No, White, listen to me…there's no reason for you to do that./ Zekrom moved his head a little. /What good will ending your life do?/

"…Nothing, I guess," she mumbled in reply.

/Exactly…now, please…come have some fun./ Zekrom winked down at Bianca and Cheren, showing that he'd known they were there the entire time. He gestured with a hand to the door, and made a rapping motion. Cheren took the hint and knocked.

Upstairs, White quickly dried her tears and headed downstairs. She prayed it wasn't who she thought it was…

And then it was.

Before she could react, Bianca threw herself at her, wrapping her arms around White's neck. White staggered back a few paces, bewildered.

"You have no idea how much I'd miss you if you were gone," Bianca sobbed.

"Wh-wha…" White looked over to Cheren, who also came up and gave her a hug. "What are you guys…?"

"Don't ever scare us like that again," he whispered in her ear.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded, then it dawned on her. "Then…you guys…"

/Heard the entire thing,/ Zekrom finished simply from outside. /Come now, White, what good will ending yourself do now?/

Bianca pulled away slightly, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "Come on, White, let's go!" She beamed and grabbed White's ear and started to drag the girl out.

White didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So, she did both. She let herself be pulled along by the two, and knew that things would get better if she just hung in there.

She knew, and so did they.

…

I had this flash of major depression yesterday and decided to write this. Remember, killing yourself isn't the right way to go… No matter what you might think, there will always be someone who will cry when you're gone…even if you don't think so. 3