Chapter 1

"If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character...Would you slow down? Or speed up?" – Chuck Palahniuk

'If you were here today, what would it be like?' May Maple stared towards the gray stone before her to the green haired man sitting beside her. His eyes were closed, showing her he was deep in thought. May's eyes traveled back towards the grave stone before them Amy Shlock it read, 1991-2007.

May's eyes fell on to the roses that sat patiently on the soft dirt before Amy's grave. Drew's roses, all of the roses belonged to Drew.

'I can't be angry, I can't be jealous of a dead girl.'

But no matter how many times May told herself that, no matter how much she wanted to believe it, somewhere deep down inside of her; something knew she was wrong. She was jealous of a dead girl.

Not the dead part though, May could never find herself being jealous of someone who was dead, she had too much to live for, she had a daughter to live for. So, no, it wasn't the dead part. She was jealous of how much time Drew gave this dead girl, how much roses he lay on before the stone.

I love you, May.

The young brunette turned away from Amy's gravestone. She still hadn't understood why she followed him up here, why every time Drew came to visit, she'd come with him up to Amy's grave to pay respects. May closed her eyes trying to remember Amy's face, but nothing came up. She hadn't known the girl very much except that she was the reason she and Drew broke up many years before.

"Done."

May opened her eyes and looked towards her boyfriend, "done?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Drew stood up and lay another rose by Amy's grave. Most people who lost loved ones visited them once a year, the day they died. Drew visited Amy once a month. Before, when Hope was born, Drew promised to not let May be the only parent. At first he visited every weekend, but then his mother needed him at home. So he began to visit May every other weekend, and then that hadn't went well with Norman, so now Drew visits once every month. Whenever he came, he talked a bit with May and played with Hope before leaving the door and heading out to visit Amy.

Was she that important to him?

Drew smiled as he turned back to face May, "Okay, now I'm done."

"Are you sure?" May asked as she stood up. "You usually take longer."

Drew shrugged, "I guess I didn't have much to say."

May could see the hurt that covered his green eyes then, it wasn't there for long, and she could tell he didn't want her to see it; but she could. Drew was still feeling guilty over Amy's death.

I'm supposed to help.

"It's not your fault," May said as she walked over to Drew.

"Huh?"

"Amy's death," May explained. "It's not your fault." The young brunette wrapped her arms around her boyfriend.

"I know, I know," Drew's smile returned. "I wasn't thinking about that exactly."

"Then what were you-?"

Drew slowly pulled himself away from May. "I was…. I was…. Well," Drew scratched the back of his head. "I'm not sure you want to know."

"Of course I want to know!" May said. "What are you hiding, Drew?"

"I," Drew hesitated. "Well, I guess you should know." He took in a deep breath. "You know the PCA, right May?"

"Well, yeah of course. The Pokemon Coordinators Association, I know them. They take care of all the contest leagues in the world."

"Yeah, well they," Drew looked towards Amy's grave. "They asked me to become a judge."

"Oh, hey, that's great!" May shouted. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? That's awesome!"

"So you're not mad?" Drew asked.

"Why would I be mad?"

"Because… er… I won't be able to see you, Hope, or…" Drew motioned towards Amy's grave. "Until Thanksgiving."

"Thanksgiving?!" May spat. "Drew, that's more than two months away! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking maybe it was about time I helped support you and Hope." Drew answered with honesty.

"Drew, if I wanted you to help support Hope and me, I'd ask. You don't have to throw yourself at the first job opening there is. Hope and I are fine living with my parents."

"Yeah, but for how long?" Drew asked. "I mean, May, every one of our friends either live with their girlfriends or boyfriends or live alone. But none of them live with their parents. And mine, well, my parents say I can move out and I want to. And if I get this job, just think, if I do, we can move in to someplace of our own."

"Drew!" May punched her boyfriend's shoulder lightly. "You idiot, do you think my parents would actually let me live with you when we're not even married. They'd kill me."

"True."

"But, we could," May said, her hopes rising. "We could, you know, get married."

"No way," Drew laughed. "I mean I love you, May. I really do, and I know you're probably ready for it and all, but I'm not. I am so not ready for marriage."

"What's the difference?" May asked. "What's the difference between your plan and marriage?"

"When you marry, you take on so many new responsibilities and all. And," Drew groaned. "Okay, so I don't know the difference, but I'm not ready, that I know."

"Fine," May huffed. "Are you going to take the job?"

Drew closed his eyes for a bit, thinking. He opened them again and stared across the blue sky that lay before them. Returning his gaze to May, he gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, I think I will."

The young brunette looked away from him, she had hoped he wouldn't say that, she had hoped beyond hope, prayed he would say no. Prayed he would say she was way too important.

Does that mean I'm not important?

"May? Say something, please?" Drew pled.

May ignored him and continued to look over at her shoes when her cell went off. She looked down at it to see who it was.

Ash Ketchum- (556) 987-4432

"You're not going to take that, are you?" Drew's voice rang through May's ears. At first, she hadn't wanted to answer, at first she was going to let it ring and just call Ash back later, but because of what Drew had said, because of how he said it…

He doesn't care about me.

"May?"

"I have to take this," May said walking off in order to gain privacy.

Drew kicked around in the dirt for a bit. "Well, tell me this," he said finally.

May turned to look at her boyfriend.

"Are you mad it me?"

May stared down at her cell phone as Ash's name blinked several times on it, awaiting for her to pick up. It was the last day of summer vacation, it was Labor day. Tomorrow would be the kick off of the new school year, Hope, at age four, would be attending her first day of Poke Academy. Tomorrow would also be the kick off to the new Pokemon training season. Misty was probably at home, getting ready. Norman was anyway. Ash was no doubt at Misty's, spending this lovely day with her. Tracy, Max, Sakura, and Casey were at an Electabuzz game. Max was entering his second year of Montgame tomorrow and Sakura was entering her first. Casey was a member of the PMA (Pokemon Master Association) so she had to deal with organizing the Pokemon league cups and keeping tabs on the gym leaders. Ritchie was at Pallet helping Gary pack forschool. Gary was going to college in North Pettleburg starting tomorrow and would do three years before being able to become an official Pokemon Professor. And Jane was helping Brock take care of his sibings and help the ones who would become trainers get ready.
Everyone was getting ready for the next day, Drew would go and become a stupid pokemon judge and what would May do? Watch TV.

Am I really that worthless?

"May?"

May began to walk away from Drew again. "Yes," she said, answering his question. "I am mad at you."

End of chapter 1