Nate slaps Hugh on the arm. Hard.

"Ouch!" Hugh rubs his arm furiously. He hates Nate right now, but he knows he deserved that.

"You. Dick." Nate hisses. If he were a Pokémon, he would be using Mean Look right now.

Hugh wishes he had a sharp retort for that, but all he can do is nod sadly.

"I know," he mutters.

"How could you do that to her?" Nate runs his hand through his palm-tree like hair. "It wasn't her fault. You just don't realize how awful she felt! She's had those feelings for a while now, just like you have! She's tried to use every chance she got to spend time with you. And you? You reject her advances like the cold-hearted Klang you are. Too busy to see her. Every time you two get together, it's just another lie in your relationship. It's all a game to you, isn't it?"

Hugh is silent. Something tells him Nate isn't talking about Rosa anymore.

"ISN'T IT?" screams Nate.

"Calm down!" Hugh replies, panicked. Their next opponents are the Subway Bosses at the end of their 21-win streak, and Hugh doesn't want them to think that Nate isn't stable. Even though he probably isn't.

But Nate's words have got him thinking. Now that he looks back on it, abandoning Rosa after their first kiss wasn't the worst thing he did to her. What would Nate say if he heard what happened next?

"I just hope Team Plasma was worth it," says Nate cattily.

Hugh sighs.

"You're right," he says. "I'm a terrible person. I deserved that. I've been awful to her. If I could go back in time and undo what I've done, I totally would. In a heartbeat."

Nate is silent.

Hugh gives a bitter smile. "You just don't know how right you are," he says.


Two months ago

Hugh paced angrily on the shore. The Plasma Frigate was anchored just before him on Route 21. He couldn't believe it. After searching for so long…his target was right before his eyes.

After the fiasco that was his and Rosa's sort-of date in Undella Town, Hugh hadn't spoken to her much. His first task was to find the Lillipup that Team Plasma had stolen from the little boy in Undella. He hadn't succeeded, however; all his leads were dead-ends. He had run into Rosa in Lacunosa Town and together they fought Zinzolin of the Seven Sages and a grunt. (It seemed like Team Plasma followed her everywhere she went).

She had called him plenty of times during the two months between the kiss and now; sometimes he answered, usually he didn't. She kept saying she wanted to talk to him, but he didn't want to talk to her at all. They caught up again in Humilau City, where they both received their eighth badge. Hugh continued to avoid her. It had taken Team Plasma's reappearance in Undella Town to convince him that she was nothing more than a distraction – and he was very distracted. He decided he was going to spend the rest of his journey focusing on Team Plasma. Screw Rosa. He couldn't love her. There were more important things to worry about.

Rosa had found the Plasma Frigate and had immediately summoned him there. Of course, being the jerk that he was, he continued ignoring her. He was starting to feel guilty for his behavior, but his ego wouldn't let him stop. She told him she was going to heal her Pokémon and be right back, so he waited. He was tempted to break into the Frigate and finish them off himself, but he knew that would be stupid. There was no telling how many grunts were in there, or how strong they were.

"I'm back," said Rosa, emerging from the Seaside Cave. She smiled at him but he looked away.

"Let's go," He nodded at the Frigate.

"Wait," said Rosa. However, Hugh wasn't in the mood to listen. He jumped on the gangplank that Marlon, the Gym Leader of Humilau City, had put up and ran into the ship.

Immediately he was ambushed by a group of Team Plasma grunts. He called on his Pokémon. "Let's do this."

He and Rosa easily took on the grunts, who kept using the same combination of low-leveled Pokémon. Rosa kept interrupting him between battles, but he didn't pay any attention to her.

"I'm going to look for Zinzolin," he announced, once all the grunts had been dealt with.

"Hugh!" cried Rosa. "Can you at least look at me?"

"Later," he replied, his voice cold. He sped off to the end of the ship.

He knew he was being stupid, but he simply couldn't bring himself to talk to her. He had wasted so much time being with her and even thinking about her when she wasn't around. Precious time that could be spent tracking down Purrloin. Hell, even now he was wasting his time thinking about her when he could be enjoying the battle he was currently having with the grunt.

"Hugh!" Rosa was running towards him. Apparently she had just defeated the grunts on the other end.

She tapped on his shoulder, wanting him to turn around. He shrugged her hand off. Its presence on his shoulder brought back a flood of memories from two months ago, which he had no plans of visiting again.

"I'm going in," said Hugh, nodding towards the door. "Come on. We don't have any more time to waste."

"Hey!" cried Rosa, but she followed him in. They came across another two grunts.

"Hugh, I really need to talk to you," said Rosa urgently. The grunts sent out their Pokémon.

"Let's battle," replied Hugh, sending out his own Pokémon. Rosa did the same.

"It's really important," she insisted. The opposing team's Seviper hit his Pokémon hard. Hugh gritted his teeth.

This was so Rosa. To try to distract him again while he was dealing with Team Plasma. Hugh felt his rage reaching close to the surface.

"Does this look like a good time?" he barked. The two Plasma grunts snickered.

Rosa's Pokémon, which had evolved to its final form since she got it from Bianca, hit the Seviper angrily in revenge. "When is a good time for you?" she shrieked. "You've been avoiding me for, what, two months now! And there's also the fact that you just can't seem to face me! I – dammit, Hugh, JUST LOOK AT ME!" She screamed the last part out loud.

The Pokémon stopped their battle to stare at her. The Team Plasma grunts just stood there, stunned. Hugh froze. He didn't quite know what to say. Slowly he turned to face her.

At first, he almost didn't recognize her. Rosa's soft brown hair was lank and dull. Her buns hung sadly by the side of her head. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears. There were dark circles under them. Her cheeks were sunken and hollow and the corners of her mouth were turned downwards.

The same mouth he'd so passionately kissed two months ago…

Anger burned up his insides. He turned his attention back to his Pokémon. "Hey!" he roared. "Stop stalling and hit back! Get ready!"

Rosa stood quiet beside him. Her Pokémon had decided to go ahead without waiting for instructions from her. It was doing quite well by itself. Hugh could hear her choke back a few sobs. Remorse filled his heart. What was wrong with him?

He shook his head. No time for angst now. He had to beat these punks quick and find Purrloin.

"Hugh," said Rosa quietly. There was an edge in her voice, one he had never heard before. "I'm about to say something really important. And I want you to listen to me."

Hugh recalled his Pokémon. Rosa stood there expectantly, waiting for his attention. However, he just released his elemental monkey, ignoring her.

"Fine." She gritted her teeth. "Even if you aren't going to listen, I'm going to say it anyway. We've been best friends for years, Hugh, and you're one of the most important people in my life. You've believed in me and made me strong – and my Pokémon, too. You always make me smile and I love that I can be myself around you, you know?"

"Are we seriously listening to this now?" The two grunts rolled their eyes.

Hugh had to agree. All the drama Rosa had been causing all this time was just to praise him? He was flattered, but it didn't change things. He still didn't want to get near her.

"Yes. Yes you are." she replied. Hugh could feel Rosa smiling beside him. He missed that smile. The smile that would light up days of long and arduous training and instantly make everything better.

"Anyway," continued Rosa. The four Pokémon continued their battle, oblivious to Rosa's feelings. His Unfezant and Rosa's Pokémon were mercilessly attacking the lone Drapion belonging to the grunt. "Lately, I've realized that I've been feeling so strongly about you – stronger than a friend should. I've been thinking about you a lot. Even when I shouldn't. You're always on my mind. And I care about you so much, you wouldn't believe. I guess what I'm trying to say is – I love you, Hugh."

The grunts stared at her, their mouths open. Their last Pokémon fell to the ground with an agonizing cry. They quickly recalled the Pokémon and scurried away, muttering something about barriers.

Meanwhile, Hugh had turned to stone. Rosa's words kept ringing into his ears over and over like a Chatot's cry.

I love you, Hugh.

She loved him. Rosa loved him, just like he loved her. Maybe as much as he loved her. Maybe more.

Fireworks were exploding in his stomach. He was happy. Unbelievably happy. He felt like all his dreams were coming true, all at once.

Then he remembered. This was the same girl that had prevented him from saving that little boy's Lillipup. The same girl that had thrown a wrench into his plan to find Purrloin. In other words, his biggest distraction.

His rage bubbled over the pot and splashed onto the stove.

"Hugh," Rosa had recalled her Pokémon and was now patting his Unfezant's head. "I know you-"

"Shut up," he growled. "Just shut up."

"What?" said Rosa. He could feel the hurt in her voice.

"I'm on a mission," he said. He held out his hand and his Unfezant flew towards him. "To find my sister's Purrloin. Along the way, I'm going to take care of Team Plasma. I'm going to finish them once and for all."

He turned to face her, his eyes blazing. "I don't care if you love me. It doesn't make a difference to me either way. To me, you'll always be nothing but a distraction." A beautiful, pretty-smelling distraction.

Rosa was astounded.

"You take care of this," he nodded at the barriers before them. "I'll be on the other side, kicking more Team Plasma butt. I'll be back if I need to. Not otherwise. Not for you. Do you understand?"

There was no reply. He recalled his Pokémon and stalked out of the room.

Little did he know that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.