Little later than usual. Got to go to horseback today. :D And, for those of you who find that egoshipping fills your insides with lead, keep in mind that words are chosen very carefully, and subtext should be there if you look.

"So, the dance is getting closer," May said, leaning against Drew's locker and batting her lashes at him as best she could.

He nodded. "Yeah, so's the first school contest."

She was off the locker in a flash, shouting at him rather excitedly: "Don't think you're going to win, Drew! There's no way I'm letting you win! I'm going to beat you just like I did last year!"

"You don't have to let me, May, I'll do it on my own." He smirked.

"Oh yeah? Well…well don't count on it!"

She spun away, walked down the hall, then sadly looked up to the ceiling and mouthed, "I hate me."

"Are you gay?" Misty accused suddenly.

"I'm pretty sure I like girls, but you never really know. Everyone always wonders in the back of their mind, don't they? Doesn't matter, I think girls are pretty and I wouldn't hate making out with one so I would say I'm probably straight. Why?"

"So you're sure you're straight?"

"As sure as I can be." Ash shrugged, trying to focus on the book.

She huffed a big breath, then released it slowly, then spoke to him in her very quick, very nervous, very distracting voice: "Because sometimes I show up dressed up for dates with Gary and you've never said anything, never looked at me or anything. So if you're not gay it has to mean I'm ugly."

"Or I could just not be interested," he muttered.

"You're a guy! If it has boobs you've got to notice it unless it's hideous like I am!"

"No, that's not really it. Some guys just aren't-"

"Just tell me I'm ugly."

He slammed his book shut with a growl and a blush, spinning to her. He grabbed her tight by the shoulders, sure she was looking him in the eyes. "Okay, when I notice things like you're not wearing a sports bra on date nights and wear normal girl bras or you hike up your skirt when it's warmer, I'm not going to stare and I'm not going to point it out because my mother taught me better. Do you want me to wolf whistle?"

She broke free of his hold with a faint blush and a happy giggle. "Nope! Just knowing you've looked is enough for me. Your first report card is coming up. Are you excited?"

"Why? Don't care about school." Then, ironically, turned back to his schoolbook.

"Sure you do. You got all excited when you got your first A."

"But this is different. Report cards aren't exciting. You can see them online, anyway, so it's not like it's anything new. I know how I'm doing."

"You've never gotten a great report card," she argued. "It's a lot more fun then, trust me."

It was the perfect kiss. His lips were soft and cupped her own perfectly, not putting too much or too little pressure as he held her close. And it was snowing, just small little flakes lighter than feathers fluttering elegantly around her head. His hands were warm and soft and she melted into him like the snowflakes on her cheeks. It was perfect, he was perfect, and she was warm.

"Misty, I've never seen you like this!" May giggled. "You're all dreamy! You haven't raised your hand once in class and you didn't even try in gym! You just stare off blankly and sigh every once in a while. Everyone's talking!"

"And changing bets," Melody said, walking by with a skip in her step and a wad of cash in her pocket.

"I don't care. It was like a scene from a movie. It was the single most romantic thing that's ever happened to me and I'm not ever letting this feeling go." She sighed, clutched her books to her chest, and gave a happy twirl in the middle of the hallway. "Oh, I can't wait to ride my bike today. It's going to be incredible."

"It's getting a little creepy, actually. It's Disney fairytale turned real, fell in love in five seconds creepy. Could you snap out of it for my sake?"

"Nope."

"Come on, it can't be that good of a kiss."

"Good enough for me! It's my first real kiss, not spin the bottle or a dare or a test or anything. An honest to goodness kiss. That's magical."

"You're so bipolar."

She giggled. "It's magic."

"I have a huge test tomorrow! Focus! Stop being all girly and weird!"

"Jealousy doesn't fit you, Ash. Get yourself a girlfriend."

He growled under his breath and picked up a pillow, then proceeded to beat her with it. She was screaming, he was screaming, and it all continued when she attempted to get away. He chased her into the hallway with the deadly pillow, attracting attention from many of the other boys until she spun around and began to wrestle with him. After a few seconds of rolling on the floor, Ash broke away. Misty immediately picked up the pillow and went after him.

That was the first play fight, and it was more than enough to take the kiss off her mind.

"May, you need to get up the courage to do this!" Misty said, shaking her by the shoulders. "I believe in you."

She was hyperventilating just badly enough that a boy passing by shoved his empty brown lunch bag into her hand as he continued on. She looked at it for a moment, then decided it was probably best not to breathe into it in case it had held something weird before and blurted, "No. I can't. This is grade grubbing and all the kids are going to laugh at me. Maybe you don't care about your reputation but I have hopes and dreams! Contest winners and girls who have boyfriends aren't grade grubbers! I can't ruin my life for an A."

"An A against an A-," Misty corrected. "This is very important, May. This is half a grade difference. You need this. Once won't hurt."

"My reputation will be shot."

"But you'll have an A!"

"I have an A!"

"You have an A-, there's a difference, dammit. Get your A."

"You're a psycho."

"Yeah, a psycho with an A in every class," she muttered, twisting her head around.

"Why are you looking around like the police are after you?"

"Report cards came out today. Ash might hug me."

May snorted. "So? You're fine with being touchy."

"I have a boyfriend. It's inappropriate."

She snorted again. "But pillowfights are a-okay."

"Who's number is this?"

Dawn looked over, grinned, and began to swing her legs under the bench she sat on. "Nope, don't know! I'm just a stupid frosh! You'll have to pick it up if you want to know!"

"You know who it is?" she accused.

"Do I? Doesn't matter. You have to figure it out for yourself. Best answer, it could be important. Probably is important, like a dead relative, but what do I know? I'm just a stupid frosh!"

"Hello?"

"Hey, Misty, why are you trying to avoid a thank you? If you didn't want a hug you could have said."

"Ash? How'd you find out…how'd you get…" She shook her head, looking around as if he was spying on her in the bushes. "What's going on?"

"Dawn gave me your number and everyone knows everything about you. You're like the main character of a soap opera." He switched into his best soap opera announcer voice, which sounded like his voice, only lower: "This is Goldenrod High, where one girl makes her stand against the world. Will the cute best friend Ash pass his midterms? Will the ugly Gary ever stop being a complete ass? Find out next week on Goldenrod High!"

"You're so friggin' dead it's not funny," she spat as the blue haired girl. "Ash, I've got a boyfriend. You can't go around hugging me."

"But the whole pillow fighting thing is okay? Really, Mist, we wrestled. I probably got further with you than Gary did."

"Don't call me Mist. And the pillow fight was just as friends and it'll never happen again," she hissed, blushing.

"I don't know, Misty, if you're going to accuse me of being more than friendly I might have to act like it."

"Shut up! You know what I meant by it!"

"Nope. Don't think I do. Explain it, teacher. That's what you're here for!"

She growled, practically hearing the obnoxious little smirk sure to be on his face. "Okay, you obviously don't mean anything by it and it was dumb of me to think so. Please don't hug me so nobody gets the wrong impression."

"No problem, but the nickname stays."

Click!

"Hey, Kenny!" Dawn chimed with a giggle, waving as she walked by. "I like the way you're standing, looks cool."

"I am cool, Dee Dee," he retorted loudly. He wasn't, and everyone knew because he'd been standing with his hand against his locker for about an hour. It had been glued there, and no one was going to find out from him if his pride had anything to say about it.

"Midterms at the end of this quarter, Ash, you really need to buckle down to pass them."

"You know what else is this quarter?" he said, standing on his spinning chair and spinning rapidly. Pikachu was on his shoulder, and she couldn't help but marvel at the mouse's strength and balance to hold on with ease. If she could cling to him like that without hurting him, there must have been some decent training. She didn't get much a chance to ponder it, because he snatched up her hand and tugged her to her feet, trying to get her in the spirit. "It's the competition! Big battles! Real prizes! Oh mean, this is going to be so cool! You'd better battle hard, Mist. I'm going to face you in the finals!"

"What did I tell you about calling me, Misty?" she scolded. It didn't matter, he was too busy spinning, Pikachu clinging tight to his shoulder, smiling her mousy smile. "Come on, Ash! We've got to study this! You'll never pass if-."

"Who needs to pass? I'm going to be a pokémon master! Pokémon masters don't need to know math!" he shouted, sounding very much like he was ten.

"They do if they want to do their taxes right!" she snapped.

"You can do my taxes for me. I'd pay you loads."

"And I'll run off with all your money."

"No you won't. I trust you. You won't take anything once your get your bike money back."

She rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't want me doing your taxes anyway."

"Yeah, you do kinda suck at math. Maybe I'll hire Brock." He stopped spinning, face flushed with excitement. "So, studying right?"

"I don't get it. I'm dating the hottest guy in school and everyone wants me to go for Ash. Why can't they mind their own business or just let me be happy?"

"Jealousy." Gary grinned. "You really think I'm the hottest guy in school?"

"You know you are. You don't need me to boost your ego." She punched his shoulder lightly. "Stop acting all surprised and explain to me why my life is suddenly so riveting."

"Because you hang out with Ash," he said carefully. "He's…interesting. I guess. You hang out with him which makes you interesting. He's special in the good way."

"You're special too," she protested placing herself in front of him and taking up both his hands. "Gary, you can be a jerk sometimes but…but you're smart and funny and sweet and handsome and…Mew, Gary, you're so fantastic! I'm happy with you, I really like you, and I don't know why nobody else can see that you really can be a good guy." She sighed. "Damn it, I sound sappy. Ignore everything I just said."

"I like you sounding sappy." He pecked her lips softly.

She smiled and kissed him back, warming up her insides like hot cocoa. They dropped the kiss, and walked down the street hand in hand.