Chapter 3
Monday, 7 pm, May's home.
May was getting ready for her fake, phony or whatever-else-Drew-called-it date. She still couldn't understand how she fell for his trick. Now, she had to pretend that she is in love with him. She sighed, if this happened a year ago she would gladly play along with him, pretend that she is his girlfriend, but now she found this situation kind of a boring, irritating task that she had to get over with. Or at least that's what she told herself. She was in love with Drew since they were little, back then when they were still friends. Even when they drifted apart, May didn't give up on her feelings for him, but last year when he got together with Brianna, May decided that it would be better for her if she persuaded herself that she was over him. She found it easier to be in denial than be heartbroken.
The door of her room suddenly burst open and Norman entered his daughter's bedroom.
"Hey kid, me and your mother we're about to go to the movies, Max said he'll come too. Want to join us?" Norman just then noticed that May was already dressed up and all prepared to go out. "Are you going somewhere?" He asked her before she got the opportunity to answer his previous question.
"Yeah, I'm going on a date…" May said to him, but as soon as she saw her father's shocked expression she regretted it. "Well, it's not a date, date. It is a 'date'." She said making air quotes with her fingers. Norman however didn't seem to understand. May sighed, "It's more like a fake date."
"A fake date?!With who?" Norman said with a serious expression. Whoever was her date, he wasn't going to approve, even if it was fake. "I didn't know kids these days are faking their dates. What's the reason behind this, young lady?"
May was about to answer but the sound of Drew's car horn made her stop. "I would love to answer that, but I think that's my ride, I need to leave. Have fun at the movies!" She said to her father as she exited her room. May heard her father's voice calling her but she ignored him.
The brunette left her house and saw Drew, outside his car, leaning his back on it, waiting for her. He also was holding a red rose.
May approached him. "Hey." She greeted him. She didn't know what else to say to him, she found the situation kind of awkward.
"You look beautiful tonight." He said to her and handed her the rose. "For you."
May was wearing a black summer dress a purple leather jacket. She didn't want to look all fancy and well-dressed, but she neither wanted to look casual, like she looked every day. So she settled for a summer dress with a jacket. May didn't know how to take his first words, as a compliment or as an insult? It sounded like she was beautiful only tonight and all the other days she wasn't. Nonetheless, she blushed and accepted the rose. She loved flowers, especially roses. May brought the rose in her nose and smelled it. Its aroma was breathtaking. She was charmed by his actions. Drew always had his way with girls, he made them fall for him like dominos.
"Why would you do that? I mean, it's not like we're going to a real date." May said to him, a hint of disappointment was in her voice, but Drew didn't seem to notice.
"It might not be a real date, but that doesn't mean it isn't still a date." He said with a smirk.
May raised an eyebrow. "Really? Let me ask you something. Why do we even go on that date? It's not like Brianna will be there to see us."
"Believe me, she'll be there." He said to her.
"How do you know that?"
"Well…" he started saying as he opened the passenger's door for May to get in. "…How about you get inside the car and I'll explain everything while driving to our destination."
"To our destination?"She mimicked mockingly. May entered the vehicle. "Let me guess…it's a surprise?" She said to him with a fake thrilled expression.
Drew chuckled. He entered the driver's seat, he put on his seatbelt and begun driving.
Dawn was at her house talking with Misty on 'Skype'.
"I'm so sorry! If I haven't left the cafeteria to go search for May I would be there when you had the panic attack and I could have helped you. I'm so, so, so, so sorry!" Dawn apologized to her friend one more time. She felt bad that she wasn't there for her when she heard that her redheaded friend had a panic attack. When Misty had panic attacks, May and Dawn, were always there to help her. They knew how to deal with her panic attacks, Misty's father, being a doctor, had show them what to do in a case Misty had one when she wasn't at home.
"Relax, it was not your fault, and I had Ash's help so everything's fine. Don't worry, I'll survive." Misty said to her bluenette friend to comfort her.
"You had Ash hah? Mmm that's interesting!" Dawn said, a playful grin plastered on her face.
"Don't get any ideas Dawn Berlitz in that head of yours, I'm not interested in him."
"Yet! You're not interested in him yet! You have to admit he is cute, even though he stole your bike, which doesn't concern us right now."
"Well…he is okay, I guess. And, of course, my bike concerns us!" Misty said to her friend trying to hide a blush that was now on her cheeks. She cursed herself mentally cause of her blush.
"Stop acting like a child. It's okay if you like him. He is funny, kind and cute and I think you too would make a pretty couple!" Dawn clapped her hands in excitement.
Misty sighed. "Yeah, in your dreams maybe." She was now slightly irritated. She always became irritated when her friends started messing with her love life.
"DAWN SWEETIE? I'M HOME!" Johanna cried from downstairs as she entered the house. She was out all day with her manager to arrange her new tour.
"YEAH MOM, I'M UPSTAIRS IN MY ROOM." Dawn said, she then turned her head towards the laptop again. "My mom is back, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow Mist. Bye!"
"Bye see yaa!"
Dawn closed her laptop and went downstairs to find her mother searching through the fridge to find something to eat.
"Bianca made chicken and salad. They are in the oven." Dawn informed her mother.
"Thank God, I'm starving, I haven't eaten anything since morning." Johanna opened the oven and took the platter with the food. She sat down to the table and started eating. Dawn sat beside her.
"So, what's going on with the concerts? When is the tour starting?" Dawn asked her mother.
"In a couple of months. We haven't decided on a date yet. I'm so excited about it. It won't be like the other tours!"
"What do you mean?" Dawn asked curious.
"This tour sweetie, it'll be a world tour!" Her mother's eyes sparkled with excitement. "It's my dream to travel around the world and sing, not only in Sinnoh and Hoenn. That's the reason I became a singer in the first place. Isn't it fantastic?" Johanna asked her daughter smiling, but Dawn didn't see eye to eye with her mother. If her mother was going on a world tour that meant she'll be absent from home almost all year. Dawn didn't want that.
"A world tour? You'll have to be travelling for months. I...I don't think is a good idea…" Dawn said.
"Sweetie I know I'm your only family here and if I leave it'll be difficult, but now we have Mike and Leaf. And they'll be more than happy to take care of you while I'm gone. Furthermore, an opportunity of a world tour can't be wasted, this tour will take my carrier to a brand new level."
Dawn nodded and asked her mother about her worries about others taking care of her. "When you say they'll take care of me, you mean I'm going to leave with them? Like, move in with them?" She really liked both Mike and Leaf, but she didn't know them much. She found it strange to leave under the same roof with her mother's boyfriend.
"Exactly. Don't worry, everything is going to be fine." Johanna made a pause for a few seconds and then continued, "You can always go to leave with your father in Unova while I'm gone."
Dawn let out a small sarcastic laugh. She shook her head. Her father, Ben, Benjamin, Pendragon, was a rich businessman who leaven in Unova since he was a child. He and her mother met when he was studying economics here in Sinnoh, while Johanna had just started her singing career. Love at first sight, that's what her mother called it, and it was until Johanna found out that Ben had impregnated a girl back in Unova. Then a month later, Johanna found out that she was pregnant too. Ben said that Johanna was the one he loved and stayed with her to start a family. Unfortunately, their happy ending wouldn't last for long. Joseph Pendragon, Ben's father, and also Dawn's Grandfather, didn't fancy his son with a girl that was singing to earn her leaving, he never liked Johanna. He thought that she would bring shame to his wealthy, well-known family. One day he got into his sons mind and persuaded him to come back to Unova. Dawn was then 3 to 4 years old; her parents got divorced and went their separate ways. When Ben returned to Unova reunited with the girl he had impregnated and married her, because his father wanted him to. Dawn had never seen her half sister. She only knew that her name is Iris and that they looked nothing alike. She had seen her grandfather only once when she was 16. He had come to take Dawn with him to Unova, she was after all his granddaughter and he couldn't leave her to grow up with a woman like her mother. Dawn was a Pendragon and she should have been with her rightful family, that's what he told her. Dawn rejected his offer and told him her only rightful family is her mother. After Joseph's departure from Sinnoh, she changed her name from Pendragon to Berlitz.
"Nah, I think I'm good with Mike and Leaf. I don't want to move in Unova, and I don't think he'll want me there either." Sadness was clear in her voice. Her father was always her spot of weakness. She loved him, she couldn't deny that. However, she stopped expecting affection from him years ago. He hadn't come to see her in years, which was harsh for her.
"That's nonsense. You know your father loves you and he would be glad to have you with him if you decided to move to Unova." Johanna said caressing Dawn's hair.
Dawn frowned. "Then why didn't he come to visit me all those years? It's like he forgot about me."
"He could never forget about you, but, sweetie, you have to understand that you father has a family there, he has a wife and a daughter, and he maybe didn't have time for a trip to Sinnoh that's all."
"Yeah…" Dawn said, she left the table and headed towards her bedroom.
"Goodnight Dawn." Said Johanna to her daughter.
"Goodnight mom."
Drew took May to a local bar-restaurant at the outskirts of the town. He knew that Brianna would most probably be there because that restaurant was owned by Serena's father. Serena and Brianna were best friends so she was there almost every night. Drew knew that even if Brianna wasn't there that night, Serena would tell her friend that she saw them together on a date.
May and Drew entered the restaurant side by side, he tried to put his hand on May's back, but she pushed him away.
"What are you doing?!" May asked startled by his unexpected move, she crossed her arms.
"Hugging my girlfriend?" He shrugged, a smirk plastered all over his face. Drew found her expression very amusing.
"Well, don't do that again." May told him. She was feeling kind of nervous.
"Why? Makes you feel uncomfortable love?"
May shot him an angry look, he shrugged again.
"Alright, alright! I'll shut it for now." Drew said to her while checking out the place.
"Good." She said and looked around the restaurant too. It wasn't that bad. It was friendly and cozy. The walls were painted a dark orange, almost brown, and they were decorated with old musical instruments. May liked it. She also knew that this place was owned by Serena's father, and that Brianna was here almost every day. Drew explained all of that while driving here. The brunette suddenly felt a hand on her back again, she was about to protest, but Drew beat her to it.
"Shh, look." He said and pointed with his head at the bar, which was at the centre of the restaurant. Brianna was sitting there talking with Serena, she turned her head and looked at them. "She's here and she's looking at us. Play along." Drew said and guided May to a table. They sat and turned their attention from Brianna to each other.
"OK. Now what? She saw us but that doesn't mean she'll think were a couple." May said.
"We'll have to make her suspect it. She knows that were on a date, now we have to give her the impression that things are serious between us." He winked at her.
May shook her head. "No…no, don't you even think about it. I'm not kissing you."
"Who said anything about kissing? I won't kiss you, unless you want me too, of course."
May kicked his leg, underneath the table. Drew winced and rubbed the spot of his leg that May kicked.
"I was just messing with you, there's no need to become violent." Just then the waiter came to take their orders, they ordered their food and then the waiter dismissed himself. "Now, give me your hand." Drew said to her as he extended his hand on the table.
"What? Why?" She asked him, however she gave him her hand.
He took it and started caressing it and then kissed it. He then glanced at Bianca. She had a surprised expression on her face, her mouth and eyes wide open. Drew smiled at himself and looked back at May.
May was looking at their hands, his on top of hers, she gulped, her heart started beating again like crazy. She glanced back at Drew.
"See? It's working. Look at her." He said smirking…again.
May looked at her. Well, now she was sure that Bianca thought Drew and her were a thing now, but what she wasn't sure anymore was why Drew wanted a fake girlfriend. Was it because he wanted Bianca to leave him alone, as Drew told her, or was it because he wanted to make Bianca jealous? May doubted his intentions. Drew looked way more amused by Bianca's reactions for a guy that wasn't still interested in his ex. May withdrew her hand from his and put it on her lap.
"What's wrong?" Drew asked her confused.
"I think you lied to me." May told him looking at her empty plate.
"What? Why lie to you? About what?" Drew asked, his left eyebrow slightly raised.
"About this." She said moving her hands all over the place. "I think you brought me here to make Brianna jealous, not to get rid of her."
Drew chuckled. "You really think that if I wanted Brianna jealous I couldn't find other ways than this? I don't think I ever gave you a reason to doubt me."
"Oh you did. Remember that one time when we were eleven, you persuaded me to steal our neighbor's soccer ball telling me that it was yours and that he took it from you. I was grounded for more than a month after that!" May said, a soft smile placed on her face as she remembered her childhood 'achievements'.
Drew laughed. "You still remember that? I had almost forgotten about it. You have to admit though, I was very convincing when I came to you with tears in my eyes, telling you about our bad neighbor that stole my ball." He said in a dramatic tone making May laugh.
"Yeah, or the other time when your dog destroyed my doll and you said Max did it. At first I believed you, but then I saw my doll in your dog's house. I told myself to never trust you again." May said letting out another small laugh.
"Well, technically, the truth is I destroyed your doll and then gave it to my dog." Drew said calmly.
"What?!" May asked him. She didn't know what to do, laugh about it or punch him.
"I remember you crying about that doll. You cursed my dog a million times, and to think that poor Baxter didn't do anything." Drew said laughing.
"I hate you!" May said laughing too. She liked talking with Drew about the memories they shared together, she was happy that Drew remembered them. The brunette thought that her childhood friend forgot all about those things when they drifted apart.
The time passed by very quickly. Drew and May were talking about their childhood memories they had with one another, they laughed about Brianna and talked about general things. When they finished their dinner, they reluctantly returned home. Drew parked his car outside his house and then walked May to her own. They reached her doorstep and said their goodbyes, but before he left May turned towards him.
"I…I had a nice time tonight." May told him. She was unsure if she should have told him that or not.
Drew turned to her and smiled. "Me too." He said and left for his house.
May smiled to herself and got in her house. The lights were closed so she thought everyone must be sleeping. She was thankful about that because if her father was awake he would give her the third degree, and she didn't have time for that. She left her keys on the table next to the door and headed to her bedroom. She changed and went to sleep, thinking about a certain grasshead boy.
Tuesday, 11 am, School
Gary headed towards the P.E. class. The coach wanted the football team to be at the Gym to discuss about this year's practices and tournaments. He reached the Gym and got inside. Garry spotted Ash waiting with the rest of the team for the coach to come.
"Hey man." Garry greeted Ash as he sat next to him at the bleachers.
"Hey! I didn't see you this morning at History class." Ash said to his friend.
"Yeah, I skipped it."
"You're gonna get in trouble again." Ash warned him.
Garry shrugged. The coach entered the Gym and went to stand in front of everyone.
"Morning boys. I guess everyone is here so let's start." He said as he eyed everyone. "We all are thrilled about our last year's victory, we won the tournament and I'm proud of you, but this year things are gonna be different. We're going to compete with really good teams, great players that they also had won tournaments, so I'm making some changes to our team."
Everyone started looking at each other whispering about what the coach might change, they were all confused.
"I won't change the position you have in the team, Gary will still be your captain and Trip your co-captain, at least for now, however I am going to enhance the team and, of course, we're going to have more practices. I think 5 to 6 practices every week aren't bad." The coach said to the players.
"Coach what do you mean 'enhance'?" Garry asked the Coach in behalf of his team.
The coach was about to answer but the doors of the Gym burst open revealing a brunette girl running towards the coach.
"I'm sorry I'm late." Leaf said out of breath as she stopped next to the coach. She was running all around the school to find her Math's teacher to give him some papers that he told her to. Stupid Math's, she didn't even like that subject, yet she was late because of that.
"It's ok Leaf." He said as he gave her a nod. "As I was saying, I want to enhance the team and by that I mean I want new members so..." he said as he turned his face towards Leaf. "Leaf here will be on the team!" Everyone gasped as these words left coach's mouth. "At first she'll have to pass the trials and if she is as good as I heard she is, Leaf will be our new kicker."
"But, she's a girl!" One of the boys said surprised.
"Is that a problem to you Mathew?" Coach asked him. "I heard that this young lady can play better than you do so don't question why I picked her. If everyone has any other problems with that speak now, because I won't talk about it again." He said and eyed everyone. Nobody said anything else.
Gary rose from the bleachers, all eyes snapped at his direction.
"I don't want her in my team." Garry said to his coach. Of course he wouldn't let her in his team, especially after being slapped by her.
Leaf looked at him anger boiling inside her. Him again,she thought.
"And why is that?" Coach asked Garry, an eyebrow raised.
"I think the team is already good enough to win this year's tournament too, so I don't think we need any 'enhances', especially a girl that doesn't even know what football means. I'm the Captain and I choose who enters the team and who doesn't." Garry said and looked at Leaf with an angry expression.
Alright, that's it! I'm going to kill him! She told herself.
Trip rose from the bleachers too. "I, on the other hand, want her on the team if she is as good as you say coach." He turned to Garry. "And since both I and Coach want her in, she'll be in." Trip finished. He then turned to Leaf and smiled at her. She smiled too, at least not everyone there was an ass as Gary was.
Gary was furious with his teammate. "You can't be serious!"
"I am." Trip said. Garry would have attacked him, if not for Ash holding him back. These two always had a small rivalry between them, but Gary never thought Trip would do something like that to get on his nerves.
"It's settled then. I'll see you all tomorrow at practice" Coach said. "You're all dismissed." He turned and left the gym.
Leaf looked around her nervously. She was in a room full of boys that stared at her, that felt kind of awkward. She saw Trip approaching her. Trip, blonde hair, blue eyes, he wasn't bad. Leaf found him quite cute.
"Hi! I'm Trip Williams, the co-captain of this team." Trip introduced himself.
"I'm Leaf Green." She said to him.
"I guess you're new here."
"Yes, I am! I came from Hearthome city." Leaf informed him.
"Well, I'm glad you're at our school, and our team." He gave her a charming smile. Now, she understood why he wanted her on the team, he was trying to flirt with her. Leaf mentally rolled her eyes. Well, it's not like she didn't like it, but she didn't have time for boys.
"Me too." She said to him. Leaf looked at the bleachers, Gary was still there looking at her with hatred. Leaf gave him a mocking smile, it felt so good to make fun of him.
Garry left the Gym, Ash following his lead. They headed towards the cafeteria.
"What was all that about?" Ash asked his brunette friend.
"Ask Paul." Gary said and continued walking down the corridor. Ash stopped on his trucks confused. What Paul had to do with any of this, Ash couldn't understand. He decided to not follow him to the cafeteria, he knew he wasn't going to make Gary talk to him so he didn't bother. Ash turned around to leave but he bumped into someone.
"I'm sorry." He said as he caught the person he bumped into before she fell. He then looked at the person in front of him, it was Misty.
"Misty." He said to her. Misty looked up at him, she smiled.
"Hey, Ash! I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. I was checking some answers about a test..." She said as she pointed the book she was holding.
"Don't sweat it, I wasn't looking either." Ash told her and she nodded.
There was a moment of silence, both just staring at one another awkwardly.
"So..." They said both of them in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.
"You go first." Ash said to Misty.
"Alright, I wanted to ask you if you still…if you still are going to give me a ride to the Public Pool this afternoon." Misty asked him.
"Of course I am."
"And then drive me back home…?" She continued.
"And then drive you back home." He confirmed.
"Perfect!" She said excited. Ash raised an eyebrow amused by her reaction. "I mean…Yeah, nice, OK." Misty said and looked at her feet slightly embarrassed, but then she looked back at him again. She cursed herself, she was never shy with boys, why was she acting that way in front of him?
"I should probably get going my friends are waiting for me inside…" She said as she pointed at the cafeteria. "Bye see you later." She left him and entered the cafeteria doors.
Misty entered the cafeteria, she found May and Dawn sitting at a table. She sat at the chair next to Dawn's.
"Why the hell is your uniform pink?" Misty asked her bluenette friend confused.
"Didn't I tell you yesterday? My mom put it in the laundry with colorful clothes. God! Why nobody pays attention when I'm talking?"
Misty laughed and shrugged, she turned her attention to May.
"So, how was your 'fake' date?" Misty asked May. Her voice a little higher when saying the word 'fake'. Misty and Dawn giggled.
"You think this is funny hah? You don't know what I've been through yesterday." May took a bite from her chicken sandwich.
"That bad? I though you, at least, would have fun." Misty said to the brunette curious about what happened yesterday.
"Well…" She said while chewing. "It wasn't that bad. We had a nice time and all, and-"
Misty and Dawn made disgusted faces. "Eat first, then talk. You're disgusting!" Said the bluenette. May gulped giving them an irritated look.
"Do you have any plans for the afternoon? My mom and I will go visit her record company and I was wondering if any of you would want to come."
"I can't, I have practice this afternoon." Misty told her bluenette friend.
"Me neither, I have to babysit Max! Ughhh."
Dawn sighed. "But Paul would be there and I can't go alone. I'll feel better if you would be with me."
"You'll be fine! It's not like he bites. We'll come next time." Misty reassured her.
Dawn nodded and continued eating her salad. Kevin Sinji, father of Paul Sinji, is the owner the best and most popular record company around Sinnoh. Dawn's mother had been a member of that company since her very first album. That's where Dawn met Paul for the first time. Dawn didn't want to go alone, without one of her friends, there. Leaf was her last resort. She hoped at least her new brunette friend would come.
This afternoon, Misty's home.
Misty grabbed her bag and left her house to wait for Ash outside. After a couple of minutes she saw a silver BMW turning right in the corner and stopping in front of her. Ash was the driver so she got into the car, taking the shotgun.
"Hi!" She greeted him. "Thanks again for giving me a ride. I owe you." Misty told him as she entered the car.
"Nah, you owe me nothing. In addition, I think I owe you a bike." He said as he took off.
Misty smiled and nodded. "Well, if you put it that way…"
Nobody said anything after that. Misty was looking outside the window while Ash turned up the volume of the music. From time to time, Misty glanced at the boy next to her, who was driving. He was looking at the road never turning to look at her, but Misty didn't mind. She was observing him without him noticing which was a good thing for her. Misty found Dawn's words replaying on her mind, 'He is cute, kind and funny. It's ok if you like him.', 'Stop acting like a child.'
Dawn was right, Ash was all this things, he was funny, he was kind and he was very handsome, and even though Misty knew him for only 3 days she was already interested in him. Damn it, Misty thought, this wasn't supposed to happen.
The car suddenly stopped and Misty turned to look at Ash confused.
"Why did you stop?" She asked him.
"Because we're here." Ash told her but she looked more confused. "At the pool." He told her.
Misty looked outside the window. She facepalmed herself mentally. Perfect, Misty told herself, now he'll think you're stupid.
"Oh Yeah." She told him while exiting the car. "Practice ends around 7 o'clock. Thanks again." She closed the car's door and headed inside the public pool.
Francesca just entered the pool right after Misty. Misty smiled, today she wasn't late and she even came before Francesca.
"I see today you're on time. That's good. I hope you'll always be on time from now on." Francesca told her as she put her things in coach's locker.
"Yes coach I won't let you down." Misty said and started undressing, her blue-black swimsuit was revealed as she took off her t-shirt and shorts.
"Who was the boy that brought you here?" Francesca asked. "Your boyfriend perhaps?"
Misty was taken aback by her question, she didn't expect Francesca to ask her something like that. "Umm no, just a friend, I don't have a boyfriend."
"And you shouldn't want one. Your purpose is to enter the Nationals and that must be the only thing in your mind. Everything else will just distract you." Her coach said and grabbed her whistle.
Misty reluctantly nodded.
"We'll start with 10 laps." Francesca blew her whistle and Misty started running around the pool thinking about what her coach just told her.
"Thanks again for coming with me, I don't know what I would have done If you didn't come." Dawn said to her brunette friend. Dawn and Leaf were seating outside Kevin's office, Johanna was inside having a meeting with him and other members of this company.
"It's not a big deal, besides, I always wanted to see a record company. You know, especially the rooms that they record the songs. The microphones the instruments and all the machines they have here. It's really cool." Leaf said.
Dawn nodded "Wanna go have a tour around the floors?"
"Of course!" Leaf said excitedly. "But what if your mom finishes her meeting and doesn't find us here?"
"Don't worry about that. These meetings take a lot of time, we'll be back before she finishes. Now let's go see the record studios, they're on the next floor." Dawn grabbed Leaf's arm and dragged her inside the elevator.
"You didn't tell me why you didn't wanna come here alone." Leaf told her bluenette friend as they entered the elevator.
"Well, my mom always drags me to these kind of meetings, she believes that I'm her good luck charm, but it's boring when I'm alone. I want someone to keep me company while she is inside the meetings. Moreover there is this boy here, he is the owner's son, and I don't want to be left alone with him." Dawn said a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.
"Why? Is he bothering you?"
"No no! It's not that. Most of the times I'm the one bothering him and when I'm alone with him things get awkward and even though I really like talking to him I try to avoid it."
"So you like him…!" Leaf said making Dawns blush even more scarlet.
"Yeah, you can say that."
"Who is the lucky guy then?" Leaf asked her friend smirking.
Dawn was about to answer but the elevator stopped signifying that they reached the 4rth floor. As the two girls exited the elevator they came face to face with a tall purple-headed boy.
"Umm hi." Dawn said to him. Paul frowned, he turned his back and went back to his desk. Dawn sighed.
"What an ass! That guy is really weird, everybody at school talks about him, about how cold and stoic he is. Now I see why they say these things. Isn't he also the one that was with that Garry idiot the other day?"
"Yeah…they're friends." Dawn said looking at Paul's direction. Leaf heard sadness and disappointment coming from her friend's voice.
"Hey, what's wrong with ya?" The brunette asked worried about her friend. Then she put the pieces together, the Company, the guy Dawn liked, Paul being there. "Oh my God! That's the guy you like?" Dawn nodded. "But how? A girl like you likes a guy like him?" Leaf couldn't believe that a girl can fall for that kind of guy, let alone Dawn who was the exact opposite of him.
"He wasn't always like that." Dawn informed her friend. "Come on the lets go see the studios."
Leaf nodded and didn't push the subject more even though she had some questions. The girls headed towards the record studio, they passed Paul's office and entered the room. The brunette was impressed by the record studio. It was a big room with many machines. In front of the machines was a glass wall that separated the room in two small ones. Behind the glass there was a microphone and a piano. The walls were decorated with photos of artists that had recorded songs in this room, there were also photos of Johanna. Both Leaf and Dawn sat at the chairs in front of the machines.
"Look, this button here starts the recording, while this one stops it. These in the middle are for controlling the sound, the speed and the depth of the music. These ones…" Dawn said pointing at the buttons in front of Leaf, "are for playing music of already recorded songs. You decide which song you want from this little screen there and you push the right button. That's what I know from these machines. I don't know what the other buttons do."
"You know pretty much everything about these." Leaf told her friend.
"Well, technically it's like I was raised in here. Especially when I was younger my mother and I were always in here. She had to write and record songs for her albums, and she couldn't leave me alone at home so she brought me here every day. Nowadays I don't come much often."
"Mmm so you know and your mothers song by heart huh?" The brunette asked.
"Most of them yeah I know them. Why?" Dawn asked curiously, Leaf chuckled.
"Because you'll sing for me!"
"What no!" The bluenette shook her head.
"Oh come on. Your mother says you have a marvelous voice and I want to hear it." Dawn shook her head again. "Just one song, please! Do it for me, you future stepsister!"
Dawn laughed. "Future stepsister? I think you're rushing things."
"Not me, my dad. Nevermind, now go on the other side of the room and sing a damn song."
"Alright I'll go. Though first we have to choose a song…" Dawn said looking for her mother's songs on the screen.
"You know my favorite from your mother's is the one named 'Don't you worry child'. You know that?"
"Of course I know that. 'Don't you worry child' it is then." Dawn said and headed to the other side of the room. "Oh and don't let anyone get inside this room."
"Yeah I won't. No need to worry." Leaf said mimicking Dawn's voice. The bluenette laughed and put on the headphones. Leaf pushed a button and the music started playing. Dawn took a deep breath and started singing.
There was a time, I used to look into my father's eyes
In a happy home, I was a queen I had a golden throne
Those days are gone, now the memories are on the wall
I hear the sounds from the places where I was born
Up on the hill across the blue lake,
That's where I had my first heart break
I still remember how it all changed
My father said
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
There was a time, I met a boy of a different kind
We ruled the world,
Thought I'll never lose him out of sight,
We were so young
I think of her now and then
I still hear the songs, reminding me of a friend
Up on the hill across the blue lake,
That's where I had my first heart break
I still remember how it all changed
My father said
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!
See heaven's got a plan for you
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry child
See heaven's got a plan for you
Don't you worry, don't you worry now
Ooh ooh ooh ooh!
Ooh ooh ooh ooh!
Ooh ooh ooh ooh!
Leaf was clapping like a crazy woman on the other side of the room. Dawn laughed at the sight in front of her. She put off the headphones and looked at her friend again. However this time her gaze fell on the door and she froze. Paul was there leaning on the wall, he heard her entire song. Dawn gulped. Now what? She asked herself.
Paul was seating oh his desk thinking about the conversation he had with his father earlier. The Company was going from bad to worse and he had to do something.
Flashback
Paul entered his father's office. He said he wanted to talk to him about something important.
"Son, you came. Seat down we need to talk" Kevin said to his son.
"What is it?" Paul asked.
"We have a big problem. Two of our clients broke their contracts with our Company this week, as you already know, but today another one decided to change Record Companies. We lost some of the most well-known artists, we can't let that happen anymore. If they all leave, this Company will go bankrupt. So, I want you to help me find new clients and new talents. You're school is full of children of celebrities, children that have nice voices. Also, we need a Business Company to sponsor us. That's what this Record Studio needs. Can I count on you?"
Paul thought about it. They indeed were in a crucial position. If another artist left the company then they were doomed. But, how could he possibly find new talents for this Company? This will take him time. On the other hand, he didn't want to see his father's work go down. Paul's dream was to inherit and run this Company himself, after his father's retirement.
"Alright, I'll see what I can do." He said to his father.
"Thank you son." Kevin said. Paul was about to leave but Kevin stopped him. "One more thing, today Johanna Berlitz is coming for an agreement about her new album. Her daughter will come too, I want you to keep her company for as long as we're inside the meeting." Paul frowned. "Johanna is now the most well-known artist we have in the Company, we can't afford to lose her too, so we'll treat her and her daughter well."
Paul just nodded and excited the room.
End of flashback
Paul rose from his chair and went towards the elevator to go see what the short idiotic bluenette was doing. To talk to her was the last thing he wanted to do, but he had to do it for the sake of his father's Studio. As he reached the elevator he bumped into two girls. The short, idiotic bluenette and a friend of hers.
"Umm hi." He heard her say but he didn't greet her back, he just frowned.
Now that the girl had already company he wasn't obliged to talk to her. He turned his back and went to his desk again. He heard the girls whispering behind his back, but he didn't pay attention to what they said. After a couple of minutes he saw them entering the Record Room. He thought of stopping them but then he changed his mind. If he stopped them they'll start whimpering and he didn't want to deal with that. He sat at his desk thinking a way to solve his father's crisis. Paul knew that Drew's father could sponsor them, one problem solved, but how was he going to discover new artists and then persuade them to make an album at his father's Company. The Company needed new artists but this task was quite difficult. Paul sighed.
Just then he heard music playing inside the Record Room. He groaned, the girls most probably were messing with the buttons. Paul went to see what was going on when he heard Dawn singing. He opened the door and got inside. Then he leaned on the wall, hands crossed. The short idiotic bluenette had a mesmerizing voice, he'll give her that. But, of course she had, she was after all her mother's daughter.
Paul then had an idea, he took his phone and started recording the song for his father to listen to it later. When the song ended he put his phone back into his pocket, but he didn't left. He saw the bluenette staring at him and he stared back at her. Some minutes ago Paul thought that Dawn Berlitz only had beauty, but now he discovered that this girl had also a very beautiful voice. That intrigued him to know more about her, however he pushed those thoughts at the back of his mind.
Dawn approached him and asked, "What are you doing here?" Then the brunette also looked at him. Before Dawn talked to him the brunette didn't notice he was in the room too.
Paul shrugged and said nothing, he continued staring at Dawn. The girls exchange glances and then the bluenette asked him again, "You heard me sing?"
Paul rolled his eyes, that girl had a nice voice but was still stupid.
"What do you think?" He asked her, and then saw her blushing. Paul couldn't understand why she was embarrassed or even ashamed of her voice, little did he know that that was not the case.
"You shouldn't be ashamed of you voice, it's beautiful and you should know that." He said to comfort her in a way. Paul saw her biting her lip. He found the bluenette strange, she always was full of confidence from the little that he knew her and now she was acting self-conscious.
"Thanks." She finally said to him.
"So, you're interested in becoming a singer?" Paul asked her.
"Umm no." He looked at her confused. "I mean yeah I like singing, but I don't like being a singer. It's somehow complicated, but I hope you understood." She said while playing with her hair.
Paul nodded and left the room with the girls behind.
Ash and Misty were in Ash's car, he was driving her back home.
"I wanted to ask you, why do you ride a bike and don't drive a car?" Ash asked the redhead. Misty turned and looked at him an eyebrow raised. "I mean, you are almost 18, you can have a license, so why not? Are you maybe one of those ecologist girls that ride bikes and are vegetarians?"
Misty laughed. "What no. I'm not ecologist and definitely not vegetarian."
Ash let out a sigh of relief.
"The truth is that I want to learn how to drive, It's just that I'm…I'm afraid of driving."
Now was Ash's time to laugh. "You're afraid of driving? Really?"
Misty nodded embarrassed; she shouldn't have said that in front of him.
"How is this possible?" He asked her.
"Well, I'm afraid that I'll crash or hit anything. Not only that, I don't have someone trustworthy to teach me the basics. My sisters, even though they have licenses, are brainless. I can't trust them."
"I'll teach you how to drive then."
Misty looked at him questioningly. "Why would you do that?" She asked him.
He shrugged. "I don't know. You want to learn, don't you?"
"Yes, but-"
"It's settled then. I'll be your teacher, you don't know how lucky you are." He said and winked at her playfully.
Misty chuckled, "Yeah, whatever you say."
They both looked at each other and laughed.
Later that night.
Paul left his desk and headed towards his father's office, the meeting was over and Johanna with her girls had left. He entered the door and sat at the chair in front of his father's desk.
"You know son, I think I taught you how to knock the door for a reason." Kevin said to his son sarcastically.
Paul didn't reply, he took out of his pocket his phone and searched for the record he kept of Dawn's singing. He found it and placed the phone on the desk.
"What are you doing?" Kevin asked Paul.
"Listen." He said and pointed at the phone.
The record started playing and Dawn's voice echoed in the room.
Kevin looked at the phone in awe. When the song finished he looked at his son curiously.
"Who was that?"
"Johanna's girl, the short bluenette."
"Dawn? But how? Where did you hear her sing?" Kevin asked in disbelief.
"Today, she was at the Record Room with her friend and she was singing. When I heard her I recorded it, I thought you might want to hear this."
"And you thought right. That's exactly what we need. Think about it, her mother is already a celebrity and if Dawn made a contract with us then 'Sinji Records' we'll be advertised. Publicity will help us financially."
"She isn't interested in becoming a singer, I asked her." Paul said as he crossed his hands.
"You asked her?"
"Yeah, I thought exactly the same think you do now, that she'll help the Company, but she doesn't want a singing career."
"Well, we'll have to persuade her. Actually, you'll have to persuade her." Kevin said as he rose from his chair.
"How am I supposed to do that?"
Kevin put a hand through his grayish hair. "Befriend her, flirt with her, I don't know. I just want her to make a contract with us. I'll try to persuade her mother. Understood?"
Paul nodded and excited the office. Now he had to befriend the short, idiotic bluenette and persuade her to do something she didn't want to. He found her position far more worse than his.
I know it's a late update but I couldn't make it sooner. I didn't have internet connection so I couldn't upload. The song that Dawn is singing is not other that the 'Don't worry child' from Swedish House Mafia. Of course I don't own anything about that song. However I put the female version of the song which is a Cover by Beth. I don't own anything from the cover either. We learn a lot more about Dawn's Past in this chapter, and try to remember it. Her father and his family will play an important role in this story. Also I have some questions about the length of my chapters. Should I keep them like that? Or should I make them smaller? Please answer me in your reviews. Till next time, have a nice day/evening-Nandia