A/N :P This chapter title may be slightly deceitful (or at least not what you were expecting) but I hope you all enjoy it anyway. :)

For my grammar concious readers. :P I'm sorry. My processor corrects a lot of my words. So usually when you correct me I DO already know what you are telling me but I overlooked it or it was changed automatically by my system. So sorry about that. I'll try to make this the last authors note concerning grammar for the story but please keep this in mind. Hopefully the content will make up for those errors. If I had time, I would fix them. I'm sorry. :P Thank you for your patience.

Please review, and thank you to those of you who do. :) I really appreciate the feedback on these chapters. I have a very busy schedule and taking time to write is hard to do. It is, and this is real, my reviewers who inspire me to keep writing. Without them I wouldn't continue to update. So thank you!

"I don't like it here."

Ash looked to Misty curiously. She was looking around the building (Drew's psychiatric facility) with a pinched expression.

Ash raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I don't know. I've just never really liked the idea of somebody getting inside my head. And this place is about nothing but that."

"They're helping people."

"I know. . . . I'm just glad it's not happening to me."

May sighed from a few feet away and Misty winced.

"I think it's good," May started quietly. "You have to care to work with people like this so much, day after day. It's a little scary. . . But they are helping people. I mean Drew-he doesn't talk about anything. You have to know him to know anything about him. His psychologist is getting him to talk and to do that he must be a good person because Drew doesn't open up to anyone." She smiled lightly. "I was a little nervous, but now I'm just kind of relieved. He's actually talking to someone. I'm really thankful . . ."

Ash and Misty stared, Ash calmly and Misty with something like pity.

"Well," Misty finally stated. "I guess you're right about that."

Two voices from across the hall stopped their conversation. May turned at Drew's voice and found him talking to a man with blond hair. The two shook hands and the man turned and spoke to the receptionist.

May smiled and stood.

"Drew!"

Drew turned to find May, Ash and Misty approaching, May ahead. She stopped before the two with a smile. For a moment Drew only stared at her, then remembering where he was he shook his head and turned to Victor. "These are my friends. Ash, Misty, and May."

Victor nodded at the receptionist in response and to end their short conversation and looked where Drew had directed.

Seeing the confusion and curiosity on his friends faces Drew explained. "This is my . . . my-"

Victor came to his rescue. "We meet a couple times a week."

Drew smiled a pained smile. "Yeah. That."

May's eyes showed recognition. "Oh! You're Doctor Vanrae!"

Victor's eyes switched from May to Misty. Drew wondered what he was doing before he announced. "You're May." Drew realized that he hadn't specified who was who and that Victor had been drawing conclusions. He mentally hit himself over the head while May nodded and smiled.

May's smile was contagious. Victor felt the corner of his mouth turning up. "Well. . . I've heard a lot about you."

May glanced at Drew, who felt his heart jump suddenly, a heat starting to come over his face.

"All of you really," Victor finished quickly, realizing what he had done.

Drew resisted the urge to laugh nervously and make a fool of himself.

"Nice to meet you." Ash placed his hand before May and shook with Victor.

"You as well." Victor glanced to Misty who gave him a smile (though slightly pained) and a nod. "Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I have another session in just a few minutes so I need to run an errand. Nice to meet you all." Victor smiled at Ash, Misty, and May in turn and switched quickly to Drew. "I'll see you next time."

Drew nodded and the three watched Victor go through a different door beside the receptionist's office.

There was a moment of silence. "So that's your-that's him?" Misty stated.

Drew nodded. "Yeah. That's Victor."

May looked to Drew in confusion, realizing that he had referred to Victor in the same way the last time they had talked about him. "You call him by his first name?"

Quickly Misty interrupted. "Why don't we go?"

Drew paused and stared back at May, then shrugged. "He's like that," he explained vaguely.

As May took in the comment she smiled. That was why Victor was able to get through to him. Because he wasn't uptight and stuffy (regardless of the way he radiated something, in a word, regal). He must have been talking to Drew like another person would instead of a doctor.

"I'm ready to go."

Ash sighed. "You weren't this uptight last time we were here."

Misty frowned. "I'm not uptight. Just ready." She glanced to Drew and thankfully Ash didn't say more on the subject. Misty didn't want to make the place out to be worse than he imagined it.

"Well, I'm done," Drew stated with a slight shrug.

Ash and Misty watched in amusement as May grabbed Drew by one of the arms and spun him around quickly, starting towards the door, letting out a quick giggle at his surprised expression.

Misty smiled. "They'll make a cute couple."

After a moment of silence, Misty looked at Ash curiously. It wasn't like him to have no response. She found him staring after the two of them thoughtfully. "What is it?" she asked.

Ash swallowed. "Nothing." Quickly he shook his head and gave her a half smile. "You're right."

A bigger smile followed, and Misty was much too flustered with the hand that suddenly found its way into hers to question his previous words.

"Fresh air!" May exclaimed, thrusting her hands into the air as they left the building.

Drew narrowly avoided the hand nearest him and sighed. "Yes. Air."

May glanced at him suspiciously. "Why so serious?"

Annoyed at the pun, Drew showed it in his expression and asked, "Why so curious?"

May sighed. "C'mon Drew. It's a beautiful day! Lighten up!"

Drew looked up to the blue sky and stated, "I don't know what the sky has to do with lightening up."

"You're just doing this to bug me."

"Guilty as charged."

May sighed again.

Behind them Misty spoke up. "May, want to go shopping? I have something I need to pick up."

Drew raised an eyebrow as May turned with light filling her eyes that was none to familiar. "You just finished saying that it was a beautiful day, and now you're going to spend it shopping?"

May pouted. Misty quickly filled in. "The weather doesn't affect shopping."

"Like it affects my attitude? Ouch." Drew rubbed his stomach and glared at May for the elbow.

"I'd love to," she stated with a smile.

Drew rolled his eyes. "Of course you would."

Looking over the three of them Ash shrugged. "Well if you're going shopping, I'm going home."

"You have to come."

Ash frowned. "Why do I have to come?"

"Because, who's going to carry everything?"

Ash mock-glared at Misty, despite the teasing tone. "Fine."

Drew looked at the three and sighed deeply. "Guess my mind is made up. Let's go." Drew turned and started toward the gate around the building prompting the others to hurry to follow.

May shook her head and ran after him. Such was Drew…

"What do you think?"

"Oh my gosh, it's so pretty!"

Drew sighed. Beside him Ash almost smiled but hid it well. Drew glanced at him. "Why aren't you as annoyed as I am?"

"I've had a lot of practice with this."

Drew rolled his eyes. "So have I." He watched May flitter around the outfit Misty was wearing. "I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

After a moment Drew took notice of a scuffing sound and looked down to find the sound coming from Ash's feet. He smirked. "Not as relaxed as you're making yourself out to be."

"Maybe not. . ." He watched as Misty responded to the positivity May was giving with a blush and glanced in his direction. He had come to realize over the last few years that Misty was in no way confident of her appearance. Though many would say it was a woman thing, Ash didn't think it was. There were plenty of girls who would pose in front of a camera and then act like they weren't pretty. Misty wasn't like that. She was honestly humble and nervous about her appearance. There were reasons for that, but they were unnecessary. As a child Ash had found it easy to just be a friend to her, especially considering that she was child too and though she was ready mentally to be a woman she wasn't quite there yet. It was easy to tease her as he would any other friend, even about her looks.

But now . . .

Drew raised an eyebrow, then sighed and shook his head. "Ah."

Ash blinked. Turning to Drew slowly he asked, "What?"

Eyebrow still raised he glanced over to Ash and didn't say a word, his expression of "really?" said it all.

Ash felt himself starting to blush. "What?" he stated again.

Drew rolled his eyes and looked back to the two. "Do I even have to say anything?"

Ash tried valiantly to hide the slightest of blushes. Still a bit flustered he muttered, "Yeah. Usually. You're not very good at biting your tongue…from experience."

Drew's expression blanked. "Sure."

Ash sighed. "You're right. This is tiring." He watched Misty place the outfit on a rack and call May. The two of them made there way around to the next one, just barely out of sight of the entrance where Ash and Drew stood. On instinct Drew began to lean but turned to Ash when he spoke, a slight smirk on his lips. "Want to run?"

Drew blinked, then realizing what Ash was suggesting he smirked and glanced back to the store, seeing the two still out of sight. "Won't have better timing."

Ash smiled back and nodded behind them. Drew followed Ash quickly as he left.

"Where did they go?"

"Hmm?"

"Drew and Ash."

May looked to the entrance to the store and sighed. "Oh well."

Misty sighed and looked back to the clothes rack's her hands slowing on the fabric. She almost laughed as a thought occurred to her. "You know, I think Drew's a bad influence on Ash."

May looked up with an only slightly offended expression. "What do you mean?"

Misty shrugged with a smile. "Just saying that walking off in the middle of something is a very Drew-like thing to do. Like this morning."

May frowned and looked back to the rack in front of her. "That's kind of funny considering how Ash is." She smiled. "I'm willing to bet that it was Ash's idea."

Misty paused to consider this then sighed and shrugged. "Guess it's just a man thing."

May stifled a giggle. "Oh, look at this!"

Misty nodded as May lifted the dress. "Pretty," she agreed.

May watched Misty in confusion. "Are you done?"

"Um . . . yeah, actually. I think I'm finished."

May blinked. "And what you needed to pick up?"

Misty shrugged and looked down to the rack intently. "I'm. . . I'm good."

May stared in confusion. "Okaaay."

Misty half rolled her eyes.

"Why are we here?" May asked, realizing there had been something else behind Misty's actions.

Misty shrugged and looked away uncomfortably. "To shop."

May sighed. "Alright, don't tell me." She began to go through the rack just a bit faster then before.

"It was . . . a test? Kind of…"

May blinked and looked up. "A test? What do you mean?"

Misty looked up at her nervously. "I guess I just wanted to see . . .what his reaction. . . would be." She stated it nervously, aware of how ridiculous it sounded.

"Oh! The dress?"

Misty nodded, a slight blush starting.

"That was really pretty."

Misty shrugged back. "Yeah, well. There wasn't really any reaction so I guess I know what that means. The same as when we were kids, nothing has changed."

May frowned, beginning to understand where Misty was coming from. They had never flat out talked about Misty's feelings for Ash, but it wasn't hard to see that they were there. "You don't think anything has changed?"

"Has it?"

May looked down to the clothes. For a moment her hand stayed on a sweater. There was a snag in this one… "Ash isn't like that," May started. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Misty tried not to roll her eyes for fear of being rude. "Ash is like that. I've known him for a long time and I've seen those reactions to other girls… time and time again."

She sighed.

"Don't you think… that's kind of unfair?" May asked nervously.

Misty looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Well… I mean, you're in a store. And you're shopping…. And he's a guy. You probably shouldn't expect the same reaction to when you're on like, a date or something."

Misty blinked. "But what's the difference really? I'm not trying to make him say anything, I just think that if… if something was there, wouldn't he notice…even now?"

May paused. "I don't know." For a moment she thought and then a light lit. "Oh! Like Drew. Take him for example."

Misty nodded.

May blinked then frowned.

Misty giggled. "Forgot what you were going to say?"

May humphed. "I had a point to that."

Misty laughed. "Yeah, I think I know where you were going with that. Drew's kind of uptight."

"Not really."

Misty looked at May in surprise.

"He's uptight about his past but not really anything else. It's easy for him to insult people or respond quickly and he's really good at everything he does and isn't afraid to admit it. He's very open really, just not about his innermost thoughts. And I think Ash might be that way a little bit too."

Misty smiled despite herself. "Ash is actually pretty open about his feelings. Sometimes…" she looked down, subconsciously running her hand over the fabric before her. "He's almost the opposite of Drew. Sometimes he actually underestimates himself. Always in the moment… and then he pulls through and you learn pretty quick that you can always count on him because even when he does underestimate himself he still keeps trying. It's easy to tell him that he'll pull through. It's easy to support him because he always does."

A moment later Misty felt May's eyes on her and looked up.

"You love him, don't you?" May asked quietly.

Misty's mouth opened in a small gasp that even May couldn't hear. Emotion clogged her throat and she ducked again. A nervous laugh started. "I-I realized a long time ago that it was pointless. I don't mean that in a cruel way-I just, I thought maybe something might've changed. That now that we're grown up it would be a little different." She swallowed. "I don't think I can do this much longer. It-It hurts too much." May heard the emotion Misty tried to swallow at the end of her sentence. "Maybe that's why I did that today. I'm so overwhelmed that I'm doing stupid things. It's ridiculous, you're right. I just… I just wanted to try-I wanted some indication. But I don't think it'll ever come and if I could just let go of this. If I could just move on…" Quickly she raised a hand and May watched in obvious surprise as Misty wiped at her eyes. "But I can't. I don't know what to do."

May watched Misty try quickly to wipe at the other eye. When it became apparent that she was fighting a loosing battle, May walked around the rack and took Misty by the arms. Looking around the room May dragged her to a fitting room away from prying ears while Misty fought to control her tears and shut the curtain behind them.

Misty's voice hitched on a sob as they sat in the room. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine." May was well aware that Misty didn't like crying and someone else seeing her cry was on a list of things she usually tried to avoid (unlike her who cried at many things and recognized it as something she needed to do to release tension).

Another choked sob came from Misty as she furiously wiped at her eyes. "I don't know why I'm crying. It's not like it's a big deal. It's-It's so stupid."

May realized then, the similarity between her and Misty. She thought of herself, sitting beside Drew as a child and remembered Drew's words from only a few days before.

"You're always like this. You apologize even when you did nothing wrong. …you'll just keep exhausting yourself because you put yourself last every, single, time."

"It's not stupid." When Misty shook her head she went on, "Misty, you're in love. And-And it kind of sounds like you've been in love for a long time." The hitched sound that reached her ears gave May indication that she was right. "And you gave up…" Misty stiffened. May was aware that it was because of her words but still the thought filled her with sadness. "You gave up on him loving you back but you still love him. You're still his friend. You still support him, even though he doesn't love you back. You're not stupid. You're strong."

Misty chocked on another sob and gave in completely to the tears. May quickly sat beside her and hugged her, regardless of the fact that Misty was pulling on herself rather than responding.

"It's not impossible. It could still happen. You said it. You've grown up. And come on, you were right. Doing this was ridiculous." Misty chocked on a laugh. "Ash isn't like that Misty. We're shopping and he's going to leave us to it, but I bet if you were on a date and you were dressed up then you would get a compliment, and he would mean it, because we both know that he's like that. He doesn't lie." May shook his head. "It's both a gift and a curse."

Misty's laugh was tempered with tears. The laugh quickly gave way. "I'm not asking him on a date. I don't-It would ruin everything."

May pursed her lips. "Okay, how about this. I set you up on a date, then you can't get blamed if it ends up that he really doesn't like you back. He doesn't even have to know that you like him."

"No!" Misty blushed and May watched in surprise. "That would be weird."

May stared in shock. "What do you mean? Are you saying that you want to be with him but you don't want to go on a date because it would be weird? Don't you realize that's the way towards being a couple?"

Misty shifted.

May sighed. "It's no wonder you're not together! Gosh, it's not Ash at all."

Misty glared at the floor. "Stubborn boy."

May rolled her eyes. "Fine. I won't do a thing…"

Misty blinked and looked up at her. "What is that tone?"

May stared. "What tone?"

Misty looked at her suspiciously. "You had a tone when you said that."

"There was no tone…"

"There it is again!"

"Look!" Misty backed up in shock as May came very close to her face and stated boldly. "You told me how you feel so I'm going to help you. I want to help you. Isn't it worth the chance that he doesn't like you to get these feelings out?"

Misty looked away nervously. "Well-"

"Of course it is! I'll be very careful, I promise."

Misty looked back to her warily. "Well…" Taking in May's expression she sighed. "You can't tell him what I said."

"Of course," May stated with a smile. She leaned back, then taking in Misty's current demeanor she winced. "Are we done shopping?"

Misty laughed. "I'm-I need a minute. If you want you can shop while I…get myself together?"

May smiled. "Sure." As she left the room she glanced back in and stated. "You get yourself together and I'll work on getting the two of you together in the meantime." May giggled at the blush and pulled the curtain shut.

May turned with a smile some feet away and came up short before Drew. Her eyes widened. "Oh!" Quickly she took him by the arm and dragged him away from the fitting room, whispering. "Did you hear?"

Drew looked pointedly to his sleeve which May let go of quickly. "Yeah," he answered boldly.

"Oh." She looked around. "Where's Ash?"

Drew swallowed.

May's eyes widened. "Did he hear?"

Drew hesitated then sighed. "Yeah, he did."

"Oh no."

Drew stopped her as she turned back to the dressing room. She was surprised when Drew grabbed her arm. "May." She looked back at him and saw a hint of worry. "He didn't hear all of it."

May paused. "What did he hear?"

Drew sighed, pulling his hand back and placing it in his pocket. "We were looking for you and someone told us that you had gone to the corner and that "the skinny red-head was crying."" Drew rolled his eyes. "Misty's wrong. Ash was there. Instantly, before I could even get there." Drew paused. "Then he left."

May blinked. "Just like that?"

Drew nodded. "I don't know what he heard."

May frowned. "That's… That's weird."

Drew nodded. "It was obvious to me what you were talking about…"

May frowned. "You listened in?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, one of my…one of my friends looked upset over it so…" Drew shifted uncomfortably. "I wanted to know."

May sighed. "We need to find him."

"…I don't think we should."

"Why not?"

"I mean, I don't think that both of us should.

May blinked. "Just…Just you?"

Drew nodded. May recognized how much Drew had changed where his friends were concerned. Though still nervous she nodded. "Okay. Just, will you tell me whether or not he likes her?"

Drew stared at her for a moment then shook his head. "That's his business."

May frowned. "You never would have cared before."

"That's different. If Ash is going to tell me something in private then I'm not going to tell you. Observing is something we both can do without betraying trust."

May let out a breath of frustration. "Fine. Look, I'll come with you and if he needs to talk to someone alone, I'll leave. Deal?"

Drew tried not to smirk, but it was hard with her standing there frustrated. There was something about that expression that got him every time. Even May had noticed that he sometimes purposefully pushed it out of her. But now wasn't really the time.

Drew nodded and turned to leave. May raised her hand to ask him to wait, then realizing it was pointless she ran back to the dressing room to inform Misty she would be right back and raced to follow him. Mentally she winced. Misty had been right about Drew leaving upbruptly.

"Why don't we try-"

Drew raised a hand and pointed down the corridor.

May blinked. "Where?"

"Through the door."

May squinted and finally made out the form of man wearing the colors Ash had dressed in, sitting on a bench outside the long hallway. "Well that works."

Ash looked up when the two reached him and smiled a vague smile. "Hey May."

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Heh." Ash raised a hand and shifted the hat on his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

May frowned and sat. "Oh. Okay."

Drew noticed the slightly uncomfortable look Ash was giving May and spoke up. "May, I think Misty probably needs your help right about now, considering you have her wallet."

May realized that Drew was right (May had held onto both their money as Misty was changing), and stood warily, glancing back at Ash. "Okay, um. See you in a minute?"

"See you," Drew answered as Ash nodded. May scowled at Drew as he answered for Ash and made her way back into the store.

As she disappeared Drew turned back to Ash. "I heard them talking."

Ash shifted.

"What did you hear?"

Ash let go of the rim of his hat and sighed. "Nothing important."

Drew sat beside him and looked up to the blue sky. As May had mentioned earlier, it was still a beautiful, warm day. Drew could smell grass and flowers from somewhere nearby. As they sat he glanced off to watch a group of kids, one of which had fallen and was picked up by friend before catching up.

"Really?" Drew asked vaguely glancing away towards the children.

Ash nodded. "It's good."

"Then why did you leave?"

Ash sighed again. "Drew, you don't usually-why do you care?"

Drew smiled a bit. "This is what friends do."

Ash turned, finding Drew still staring to where the kids were running together. This was something Ash had been gently trying to convince Drew of for some time. For him to be sitting here, actively being a friend, was something Ash knew he should respond to if they wanted to stay friends. He sighed and looked to the sky. "It's Misty."

Drew smirked. "That much I gathered."

Ash glanced at him. "Do you want to know or do you want to make fun of me?"

Drew frowned still staring off. "Can't I do both?" Hearing the sigh Drew rolled his eyes. "Sorry. Keep going." Finally turning back to Ash he saw the skepticism. "Really. Go."

Ash looked to the ground. "It's a little… It might sound weird."

"You like her."

Ash looked back to Drew in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised. I've known for a long time."

Confusion covered Ash's face. "How long is a long time?"

Drew shrugged. "The last couple years at least."

Ash stared.

Drew almost laughed, realizing what the stare meant. He almost voiced it but realized that Ash would almost instantly shoot it down. Instead he waited for Ash to say it himself.

"How…How can you have known that when I only just realized…a while ago…"

Drew smirked. "Sounds like a part of you knew it before your head did."

Ash's brow came together. He wasn't sure how to feel about that sentence. Somehow it made him sound stupid. "I think I would know if I liked her."

Drew looked away. "It's not like that."

Ash blinked. "What do you mean?"

Drew shrugged. "Sometimes you can start to like someone then not remember exactly when it started." Ash remained silent. "Which means, to me, that you can have feelings for someone without knowing it."

Ash stared then slowly turned back to the ground. "Guess that's pointless now though," he muttered.

Drew frowned. "Why?"

Ash rubbed his palms on his pants. "If you overheard them I would think that would be obvious."

Drew's annoyance began to come back, but he tried to stifle it. Some still made it through when he spoke. "What I overheard was Misty breaking down because of you."

Ash's eyes widened. He turned quickly to face Drew. "Because of me? What are you talking about?"

Drew stared. "She was talking about you," he said plainly, as if explaining to a child.

"But…But May said she was in love. And then that she was a friend…" Ash paused.

Drew raised an eyebrow. "And you're assuming that friend is someone else?"

Ash opened his mouth to respond then shut it. After a moment he opened again. "Well…I'm supposed to assume it's me? I mean…why me?"

Drew rolled his eyes. "When you're in love it doesn't matter."

Ash looked at him. "But really, why would it be me? What are the chances-"

"It has hardly anything to do with chances. You two are around each other twenty-four seven."

Ash blinked and swallowed. "You really . . ." He looked at the ground. "You think it's me."

Drew stated bluntly, "They said your name."

Ash instantly blushed, eyes focused intently on the ground, even more embarrassed that he could feel himself blushing.

Drew smirked. "Obviously you've liked her longer then the last little while for this kind of a reaction."

"Quiet..."

Drew laughed. Sitting back fully against the bench he stated, "So ask her out."

Ash was silent for a moment, still staring at the ground. "I can't do that…"

Drew looked to him in confusion. "Why not?"

Ash shrugged. Then seeming to realize something else he backtracked and muttered. "Why do you think she was crying?"

"From what I gathered it was because she liked you. And something to do with noticing her dress."

Ash stared in confusion. "What dress?"

"I don't know. The one in the shop I guess?"

Drew and Ash stared at each other for a moment.

"Seriously?" Ash asked.

Drew laughed. "Such is the mind of a woman."

Ash laughed then shook his head. "So…think I should?"

"What do you think?"

Ash paused. "I think…I wouldn't mind trying. But we've known each other for such a long time. It might be weird."

"Weird is worth it."

Ash sighed. "What if you misunderstood? What if I ask her and she likes someone else and it just complicates everything? I don't think…" Ash's expression took on a severely troubled expression. "I don't want to loose her as a friend. Having her not know is better than loosing her."

Drew watched Ash carefully. "Trust me. I didn't misunderstand."

"Misty, are you okay?" May asked gently.

Misty looked back at her. "Oh. Um…I'm okay."

"Okay." May sighed.

"What's wrong?" Misty asked, seeing her expression.

May wondered what she should do. Should she tell Misty or keep her mouth shut? What would she want Misty to do if the situation were switched?

"Ash…Ash overheard us."

May instantly felt the tenseness from the beside her. Turning to look she found Misty with wide worried eyes. "He…He did?"

May nodded nervously. "Not all of it, but part of it. Drew told me."

Misty stared. She could feel her bottom lip shaking. "What did he hear?"

May shrugged. "I don't know. Somewhere near the beginning, I'm assuming."

Misty frowned. "The beginning?"

"Drew said…Drew said he left."

Misty swallowed. "O-Oh."

May frowned. "Are you alright?"

Misty nodded quickly. "I just feel a little light." She turned and sat on a nearby stool, raising a hand to her forehead. "He knows," she whispered. "And he left."

May frowned. "We don't know what he heard."

Misty shook her head, a look of acceptance on her face. "We barely talked. How can you misunderstand that? This is it. He left." She dropped both hands to her lap. "I've got to stop living in this fairy tale. I can't do this forever."

May watched on worriedly. "But we don't know what it means. He could still like you."

"He doesn't like me."

May's eyes widened at the words.

Misty looked up with a pained smile. "He doesn't. I'm not being negative. For once I'm being honest with myself. I've got to stop waiting for something that's never going to happen. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to him. I should be able to feel happy for him if he likes someone and instead all I feel is this…jealousy. All the time. And it's so pointless."

May watched in a nervous sort of horror as Misty stood. "I've got to let him go."

May pursed her lips. "Okay," she whispered.

She was a woman, and she knew when enough was enough.