So, this is the second chapter. I'm not really happy with it, plus Paul is a bit out of character. Thanks to the kind reviews for the first chapter and sorry this one is a bit shorter and not really good. Still, I hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. ( :c )
Chapter 2
Dawn stepped out of the front door and smiled at the sight of the white, puffy snow that reached up to her ankles. Winter made even a big busy city, such as Veilstone, look like a picture from children's storybooks. The bluenette loved this season, and not only because her birthday was then. It was cold, but still incredibly beautiful.
Cold, but beautiful.
As she reached school she saw some of her classmates in the yard, throwing snowballs at each other, just like little kids. When it came to such innocent games, Dawn was pretty childish too, so when she saw May and Zoey trying to push each other in the snow, she couldn't resist the temptation. Her two best friends still hadn't noticed her, which was, of course, an advantage. She snuck up from behind May quietly and then gave a loud yell, tackling her to the ground. The brunette tried to keep her balance by grabbing Zoey's hand, but caught the redhead unprepared and like a domino all three girls fell in the snow, laughing madly.
"Guys, as much as I like lying around in the snow, could you two get off me now?"
"Sure, Zoey." May replied, grinning, as she kicked Dawn off her and helped the redhead up.
"Ouch, what was that for?!" The bluenette complained, getting back to her feet and dusting the snow off her clothes. However, they were a little wet and Dawn shivered, wrapping her arms around her chest.
"Are you cold? Here, take my jacket."
The girl looked behind her and saw Lucas smiling kindly at her.
"Thanks, but I'm okay. Let's go inside, where it's warm." Lucas nodded and walked away, a slightly disappointed look on his face, as the three girls entered the school's building.
"Aww, seems like you have an ad-mir-eeer!" May said in a sing-song voice.
"What? Lucas? We're just friends."
"Yeah, right." Zoey snorted. "Dawn, he clearly likes you. Can't you see it? He saved you from Conway at the party the other day and now he offers you his jacket?"
"Guys─ "
"Admireeer."
"I really don't think─"
"ADMIREEEEEER!"
"MAY, SHUT UP!" Dawn shouted, earning glances from other students in the hallway. She closed her locker and leaned her back on it, thinking whether what her friends were suggesting was true.
"You're now wondering, aren't you?" Zoey chuckled. "Seriously, it's so obvious, I can't believe you haven't noticed it before."
"Well, I… Even if he does like me, I don't feel the same way. Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, but just…as friends." Dawn answered quietly, realizing how terrible that sounded.
"Don't feel guilty." Zoey smiled at the bluenette. "We're teenagers, such situations are typical."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Dawn looked at the floor, but after a few seconds a smirk appeared on her face and she added. "Like you're one to talk about being oblivious. Haven't you seen how Kenny blushes every time you speak to him?"
"Kenny?" Zoey asked surprised as a faint blush crept up her cheeks. "You think he likes me?"
"I've known him for ages, I know he likes you."
"Ah, young love." May sighed as she looked up dreamily. The bell rang and got her out of her trance. "Okay, time to go to claaaass!" The brunette chirped happily as she skipped a few feet ahead of the other too, who exchanged glances at their friend's odd behavior. 'Since when is she excited to go to class?' the blunette wondered.
"What's with her?" Dawn questioned Zoey in a hushed voice, so that May wouldn't hear. That wasn't really necessary, the brunette was currently humming a happy tune and didn't seem to take notice of anything around her.
A knowing smirk spread across the redhead's face. "While you were dancing with Lucas at the party, Drew asked May to dance. She said yes. They looked quite comfortable in each other's arms."
These news didn't really shock Dawn. Whenever May and Drew argued you could practically see sparks flying between them. Dawn smiled.
'Maybe soon they'll finally admit their feelings for each other.'
"Don't you think lunchtime is the best time of the day?" May asked between bites of her king-sized cheeseburger. Dawn watched her best friend with amusement as the brunette ate like she has never tried food before.
"You sure love stuffing yourself, June." May's head turned around and she glared at a familiar green-haired boy.
"Shuw up, Shrew." The brunette said, her mouth full with food.
Drew just smirked and sat at their table at the cafeteria. "So, today you're going to Paul's house, right Dawn?" The bluenette nodded, biting her lip nervously. "You're nervous, eh? Don't worry, I'm sure he won't bite your head off." The boy gave a laugh and stood up, turning to May for a second. "Keep that eating routine and by the next party you won't be able to fit in a dress." With that said he walked away, before the brunette could throw herself at him. She realized what he meant and shouted angrily after him, but he didn't look back and kept walking.
"Do you know how mad Drew's making me?" May said, punching what was left of her burger furiously, probably imagining it was Drew's face.
"I bet he is." Dawn muttered quietly to herself, smirking slightly.
Dawn tapped her foot nervously as she waited for Paul in front of school. Finally, she saw him walking out of the entrance and she began waving her arms and yelling at him. "Paul, hey Paul, over here!"
He noticed her and face-palmed at her vivacity. Slowly walking over to her he hissed with a scowl "Would you stop yelling? You look like a stupid cheerleader." No longer so nervous, Dawn just stuck out her tongue at him childishly.
"You know, I used to be a cheerleader. It's not as bad as people think it is. And cheerleaders aren't superficial sluts as everyone say." Paul made a grimace and replied "You said you used to be one, so there must be a reason you've quit." He wasn't asking her of the actual reason, just making a statement, hoping it would end the conversation. Well, wrong move. He was having a conversation with none other than Dawn Berlitz, so it didn't go the way he wanted it.
"It was just too tiring for me, with all the extra stuff I attended. I had to get up very early and come up with new routines. Now that I think about it I can't believe how I managed with all of the exhaustion."
"You had to come up with new routines? That means…you were the captain?"
"Yeah…" Dawn replied, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I'm happier now, plus Ursula is doing a great job with the team."
"I thought you two despised each other?" Paul asked, his curiosity surprising even himself. 'Quit gossiping! It's nothing like you!'he mentally scolded himself, but apparently the bluenette didn't mind his prying, because she continued talking.
"We do. Well, actually she began all this rivalry a few years ago and started treating me like crap. Before that we were getting along just fine, we even used to hang out together – Ursula, Kenny and I. I have no excuse – instead of trying to find out what was wrong I just fought back and it all went downhill from there." Dawn sighed. "Oh, well, can't turn time back."
They had reached Paul's house. On the porch there was a man in his twenties with hair, similar to Paul's, but a bit darker. He smiled as he acknowledged the two teenagers. Coming closer, he held out his hand to Dawn and said "Hello! I am Reggie, Paul's older brother."
The girl pleasantly smiled and shook his hand. "I am Dawn. We are working on a project together."
"Oh, is that so?" Reggie smirked at his brother who pushed the door open and grumbled "Let's get to work."
Dawn followed Paul up the stairs and to his room, looking around at the furniture and the family photos. She stopped as she noticed a picture of a violet-haired woman, hugging her two sons and smiling happily. The photo was probably taken five years ago. The bluenette came closer to the picture to take a better look at it. 'She looks awfully familiar… Where do I know her from?'
"Are you coming?" Paul's irritated voice startled Dawn and she turned around to see that he was already in his room and was looking annoyed. Apparently she had been standing like that for some time.
"Sorry." She smiled apologetically and hopped in the room. It was tidier than she had expected it to be, but it was no big surprise, having in mind that Paul was pretty organized when it came to school. It appears the same goes for his room.
"So, how do we begin?" She chirped and took a seat on the ground, leaning her back on the wall and tapping her chin thoughtfully. "How about we ask ourselves some questions and then try to put it up together as a representation?"
"Fine with me."
"Great! So…um… what to ask, what to ask…" An idea occurred to Dawn. "That woman on the picture…she's your mother, isn't she?"
Paul nodded, slightly frowning. "What does that have to do with the project?"
Ignoring his words, the bluenette continued "She is a coordinator, right?"
"Yes, she's won the Grand Festival twice. Why do you care?"
Dawn just shook her head. 'I must have seen her on TV.'
"Can we continue now?" Paul growled, irritated by the girl's doze off.
"Sure." Dawn sweat-dropped.
They had been working on the project for a while when the bluenette stretched her arms above her head and yawned loudly. "I think it's enough for today."
Paul stared at her for a moment, then his gaze travelled to the window. It was getting dark.
"You should be going. I'll drive you."
"O-oookay." Dawn said, yawning once more.
The drive to her house passed in silence."Good night!" Dawn got out of the car and as soon as she reached her bed she collapsed on it from exhaustion, even though it was pretty early.
"Dawn, we're having guests tonight, so dress up appropriately!" Johanna told her daughter, who had just arrived home from school. It was Thursday and Dawn couldn't wait for the school week to be over. The announcement that they were having guests caught her by surprise.
"Who are they?"
"A very good friend of mine, whom I hadn't seen for quite a while and her sons. You'll be nice to them, right?"
"No need to worry, mom! I won't embarrass you."
"I never thought you would. Now go get ready."
Half an hour later the doorbell rang and Dawn went downstairs to welcome the guests. Her jaw dropped when she saw that they were none other than Paul, Reggie and the woman from the picture, obviously their mother.
"Ah, hello, Dawn!" Reggie greeted and smiled widely as he stepped in the hallway.
"Johanna! I am so happy to see you! It surely has been a long time!" The bluenette watched as the two women hugged each other and started chatting enthusiastically, catching up for the time they haven't met up.
The purple-haired woman drew her attention away from the hostess for a moment to greet Dawn.
"I am very happy to meet you. Actually, I think I have seen you when you were little, but I doubt you remember that." 'That's where I remember her from. Of course! She and my mom are both top coordinators, they surely were friends. Close ones as well. "Anyway, as I understand, you and Paul are classmates, right?"
She nodded and shot Paul a glance, but he was looking blankly at the wall. The bluenette sighed.
As dinner went by, the two women weren't paying much attention to anything but themselves, as they talked and talked, on and on.
"So, do you think we'd be able to finish the project tomorrow?" Dawn asked Paul in an attempt to make a conversation. He just shrugged and took a gulp of water.
She sighed. "What's your favorite color?"
"Black."
"Do you like reading?"
"Yes."
"What music do you like?"
"Why do you ask so many questions?" He groaned in irritation.
"I am bored." She replied simply. "It could also help us with the project."
"We already have all the information we need. No reason for useless chit-chat, right?" He glared at her with that cold eyes of his.
She shivered under his gaze and pulled her eyes away from him. "R-right." Why was he being so cold? Would it hurt him to just be friendly? 'It's just the way he is, I guess.' Mental sigh. 'Well, we're almost done with the project, so I won't have to put up with him much longer.'
Dawn continued her mental monologue. 'It hasn't been as bad as I had expected. I was lucky getting a clever partner. I hope we have an 'A'."
Johanna and Violet (that was the name of Paul and Reggie's mother) came back from the living room, where they had been looking at old photos. "It's time for us to go now. Jo invited us to come over tomorrow night as well. We have so much to talk about!"
Reggie and Paul exchanged looks at their mother's enthusiasm and just shrugged. They headed towards the hallway, getting ready to leave, but Dawn's high-pitched voice stopped them. "I almost forgot! Paul, I want to show you the sketches I made and you need to tell me if they are good enough for the project."
"Sketches?" He raised an eyebrow. Before he could say another word, she dragged him up the stairs to her room, obviously excited.
"We'll be right back, it won't be long." She yelled at the others over her shoulder.
Dawn entered her bedroom and grabbed a stack of papers, spread across her messy desk. She looked a bit embarrassed at the appearance of her room. It was untidy, some clothes thrown on her bed and notebooks on the floor. The bluenette bit her lip and handed the papers to an expectant Paul.
He looked at them impressed by what he saw. There were plenty of drawings all connected somehow to him or her. On one there was him, looking at his notebook with his usual scowl. His Torterra getting ready for battle. Her Piplup bouncing up and down happily with a poffin in his hand. Dawn smiling, her arms wrapped around May and Misty. And many others.
Paul was left speechless by the detail of the drawings, by the way they looked so real. "When did you draw all this?" He finally asked, his gaze unable to move from the sketches.
"Yesterday and today at school." She replied. After a few moments she added nervously, shifting from foot to foot. "So, um, are they any good? Should we include them in the project? I mean, we won't if you don't want to, I just thought it would make it more interesting and…um, yeah…" She finished her sentence uncertainly.
Paul finally looked away from the drawings in his hands and to Dawn, who was looking shyly at the floor. "They're pretty good. We can add them to the presentation." Her eyes shot up to his, lighting up with surprise and joy. He spoke again "How did you draw my Pokémon? You've never seen them."
She shrugged "I saw you compete in the Sinnoh League last year. Of course, I didn't know you then, but recognized you when you moved to our school. I did a little research and found some photos and that's where I saw your Pokémon." She suddenly looked alarmed and a little afraid that he might be angry at her for researching him.
She shot him a glance, but he wasn't looking angry at all. Instead Paul was looking at her with astonishment at the interest she had shown towards his life. For the sake of the project, of course. He stared at her, emotion leaving his eyes and the stony indifference taking its place once again. She just stared back at him, trying to read his expression. Nothing. Just cold eyes in an onyx black colour.
Cold, but beautiful.
"We'll finish the project tomorrow, then?" She asked.
He nodded and they headed back downstairs.
As the two teenagers worked in silence, gluing some drawings and pictures to a big board, the boy's eyes darted to the bluenette, who was biting her lip in concentration. She was cheery, so happy, sometimes really annoying, with such a big smile, confident, at the same time shy, popular, but not a drama queen. She was being friendly towards him, even though she didn't know him at all; even though he was pushing everyone away. She threw so much effort into a school project, not just writing down some information about him, but actually being interested in the details. All these thoughts flickering through his mind for a second, he just shook his head and continued working.
'Reggie did ask me to make at least one friend. Maybe I can keep that promise.'
