25. Birthday
"Happy birthday!"
I barely walked into my house on my way back from shopping before my parents were shouting this at me. My dad was holding a small wrapped box, and my mom was balancing a birthday cake on her hand.
They ushered me into the house and gave me practically no time to take off my shoes before sweeping me away into the kitchen. My mom lit the eighteen candles on my cake and pushed it towards me.
"Make a wish."
I squeezed my eyes shut like a child and extinguished the tiny flames to my parents' terrible singing.
26. Presents
"Open your gifts, May."
My parents gave me a few small presents: a bracelet, a new bag, some clothes. But they saved the one my dad was holding for last.
"It's nothing much," he insisted.
And it wasn't really, but it was special to me. It was a new gym badge case, one of those fancy ones for really dedicated trainers. To an ace trainer, it probably wasn't much. But I loved it.
"Thanks, Mom! Thanks, Dad!"
"Ah, no, it really isn't much," my dad assured me once again.
My mom sniffled. "We just can't believe our baby is eighteen."
27. Wishes
It was funny that my dad brought it up without even knowing my wish.
"You could be the next Champion, May," he told me, and I knew he believed it. "The rate you're going…"
But it was just a dream for me, something that wasn't totally realistic. "Nah," I shrugged. "It's one thing to try to go for eight gym badges…"
"You know who the Champion is?"
"Some rich kid from Rustboro, I heard," my mom interjected.
"Well—"
"It's fine. If I meet him, I meet him; if I don't, I don't."
"You will." My dad grinned. "You will."
28. Good Intentions
Wally was a good kid, so I felt bad for his parents that he had to be shipped off to live with their relatives. It wasn't like me; I chose to leave.
They had good intentions, though, so I could respect their decision. But I couldn't help but feel like an unplanned liaison between them and Wally. Yet another job for which I hadn't signed up.
"How was he when you saw him? Good?"
"Mmm," I hummed in response, and his parents exchanged a glance. Didn't they talk to his aunt and uncle? "He's fine. I'm sure he'll be okay."
Author's Note: It would have been funny if I posted this chapter tomorrow on my birthday (ah, but I'm not turning eighteen). I already have the next chapter written (and a couple after that), so I probably will still update tomorrow, anyway, even though I said I might not. It depends on if I turn on my computer tomorrow or not, haha.
Anyway, thanks for everyone who has read up to this point! I hope you're liking it!
