RUMORS OF LOVE
Chapter Eleven: Are You The One?
Every single moment is a coincidence- Doug Coupland
Why don't you laugh as I cry- Unknown
Your eyes and ears may betray you but your heart will never lie-Unknown
"Where are May and Drew?" Leaf whispered to Paul and Dawn, who was struggling with her bikini top under her tank. Leaf didn't want to get caught talking while Shirona was talking.
Paul looked around. "Misty, Ash and Gary aren't here either." He gave Leaf a curious look when she made a face at Gary's name. Dawn poked him and gave him a look to not say anything. He looked back at the trail where he saw Drew and May walking towards them. "There they are."
Now let's see who comes after us. Drew lead May back to where the group was gathered at the base of the waterfall. He positioned himself to where it looked like he was listening to Ms. Shirona but his eyes were focused on the trail.
Dawn came up to them. "Where have you guys been?" Drew let May fill her and Paul and Leaf in as he continued to watch. It turns out somehow many people came after them. All of whom could potentially be part of the GTeam .
Ash and Misty came giggling and holding hands. Drew rolled his eyes and looked over them. There was no way they were the GTeam, especially with Ash's intelligence level.
Zoey came behind them. Drew thought it strange that a girl like Zoey who was basically a fitness guru took that long to hike the trail. She could be a possibility.
Next was Daisy angrily walking with an equally angry Gary behind her. Drew ruled out Gary but not Daisy. Daisy was always a possibility on the list of GTeam members. She was unpredictable. But he could deduce she was late not because she was in the cave but because of a fight with Gary. That still doesn't mean she isn't part of the GTeam.
Ash, Misty and Gary joined them as Nando came huffing and puffing. Drew rolled his eyes. He could see why Nando was late. But still there was the possibility he was faking so on the list he goes.
"That's it. Enjoy the falls!" Shirona and Roark clapped their hands, dismissing the students.
Dawn raised her eyebrows at Drew. Drew walked with her where everyone was getting in the water. They found a place to put their clothes and towels and Misty was the first one out of her shorts and in the water.
"Our plan is ruined," Drew told Dawn as he took off his shirt. He recounted how member of the GTeam were in the cave and how they know he brought his Roselia. "You know, maybe we were wrong and it isn't a boy and girl."
"How? We deduced from the style of the texts that one was more dramatic than the other. It's a guy's style and a girl's style of texting."
"Unless they are acting. Or their personality. I mean Zoey would never send a girly text, you know."
Dawn fidgeted with her bikini top under her tank to make sure it was okay before she took her tank off. "Then we need to find a way to collect everyone's text and compare styles."
Drew agreed. "That will be the next plan. Think of something. Also, what are you doing?"
"My bikini shrunk in the wash and I need to make sure it is okay before I go in the water."
"You could just go in with your tank top on," Drew suggested. Dawn looked appalled. "Or is that not the Queen Bee way?"
"People may think I'm fat and trying to hide it if I do that," Dawn told him before taking her tank off. "Perfect, for now."
Drew stifled a laugh. Only because the seriousness of Dawn's voice proved he would be attacked upon making a joke about it.
"Ready? Set. GO!" May called out as Misty, Ash, Paul, Drew, and Gary raced to the other side. Dawn was waiting at the other side along with Leaf to see the winner. As the five friends swam to the end, Leaf and Dawn watched carefully to see the winner. Misty and Paul were head to head. The winner would be slim. May cheered for Misty. A hand hit the edge and the winner was…
Paul, who smirked as Misty cursed when she reached the edge. Ash, Gary and Drew followed for a close third.
"Damn you Paul! One day I will beat you."
"Maybe someday. I doubt it though." Paul climbed out and grabbed his towel to dry himself and his shirt.
"WATCH OUT!" They all looked up to see Melody at the top of the waterfall, swatting everyone before diving and cannonballing down.
"That looks like so much fun!" Misty exclaimed.
"Let's go!" May grabbed Dawn who protested and Misty and Leaf giggled as they all went up. Misty went first, followed by Leaf. May grabbed Dawn's hand before jumping, pulling Dawn down with her!
"Shit!" Dawn screamed as she braced herself for impact. She folded her arms so her bikini top wouldn't be pulled out of place but the force from the water made it slip off completely! Dawn panicked and folded her arm and swam against the edge with her back facing everyone.
"Dawn's top came off!" Ursula announced upon seeing Dawn's top floating under the waterfall, bring unwanted eyes. People started laughing. Misty, May and Leaf came around Dawn to hide her.
"Shut up!" Paul shouted and he walked toward Dawn with her towel. Everyone quieted down immediately to avoid Paul's wrath. Paul got in the water to wrap the towel around Dawn. She told hold of the pink towel and wrapped it tightly around her before Paul picked her up bridal style, with her back facing everyone else and carried her to where their clothes were.
Ash and Gary were searching for Dawn's bikini top under the falls but had no luck. They got out and went to Dawn.
"There's no sign of it," Gary told Dawn. Dawn panicked.
Ash shook his head, "Where could it have gone?"
"But I need something to wear under this!" She picked up her tank.
Paul stood in front of her. "I have an idea, come with me." He led her in the woods and had her stand behind a tree. "Put the tank on," he instructed.
"What?"
"Just trust me. I'll turn around." Paul turned as Dawn put her tank on.
"Okay now what?" She asked Paul. Paul took off his black tshirt and handed it to her without turning around. "Are you sure about this?"
Paul stayed turned the other way. "Yeah, you need something to wear. Just take it. I don't mind."
Dawn took his shirt and smiled at his back. She turned the shirt and saw that it was his favorite. On the front, Veilstone University was written, the school where Paul would be attending in the next school year. She put it on and went around to face Paul.
"Thanks," Dawn blushed.
Paul bit back a smile. "It looks good on you. I should take a picture as blackmail."
They started walking back to the waterfall. "You wouldn't dare. Veilstone University and USV are rivals are you know it!"
Dawn sat on the bench as Paul rejoined the others in the water. She fiddled with his shirt. They were going to be graduating soon. She had committed to the University of Sinnoh at Veilstone or USV for short and Paul was going to the nearby rival Veilstone University. Paul had gotten a battling scholarship. Dawn has applied as well for coordinating but was placed on the wait list. No one knew. And she wasn't going to tell anyone. May was going to USV as well and would kill her if she knew Dawn was secretly hoping to get into Veilstone University. If she got in, she could see Paul more. She watched her friends in the water. How quickly, they would be going their separate ways. Her and May to USV. Leaf to Elite. Misty to University of Kanto at Cerulean City. Drew was going to Twinleaf College of Coordinating. Ash to the Battling College at Pallet Town. And Gary was accepted into the Sinnoh Institute of Pokemon Research.
This was all the time they had left because they went on to make their lives.
She looked back at Paul. She had always liked Paul more than she would care to admit. She may never see him again and her feelings for him were a secret and would stay a secret.
Phones around them started to chime and Dawn picked up Drew's phone. Dawn smiled because this time PG was on point. Paul was her hero. But could he be the one?
Looks like Paul is Dawn's hero! How cute are they? – PG
"Come on everyone! Back to the buses!" Shirona shouted as they went back down the trail. It was starting to become dark. As they traveled back, Gary sighed as Leaf was ignoring him. Obviously she hadn't seen the text but how could he make sure that she see it without becoming annoying?
He heard a cough beside him and May was there. She has caught up and that's when Gary knew how to get Leaf to see the text. "Hey May, make sure you check your phone on the bus."
"Hello to you too Gary. Why?"
"Nothing really, just something you might find interesting." And with that Gary left a bewildered May.
-BUS 1: FRIDAY-
"Do we have to sit like we did on the way here?" Ash asked Roark.
Roark sighed. "As long as there isn't another fight, I don't care.
Ash smiled and sat with Misty while Drew and Gary sat next to each other. Dawn sat in the seat behind Misty and Ash.
May was getting ready to join Dawn when Leaf pushed her into the seat in front of Gary and Drew. "May, sit with me!"
"But my bag…"
Leaf grabbed May's bag. "Here you go."
Finally Paul climbed in and saw the only seat with his friends was next to Dawn who beckoned him. "Paul, come sit."
As Paul made his way, Drew smirked at him. "Yeah Paul, go sit." Paul scowled at Drew as he sat down. Dawn smiled at him.
May and Leaf watched from their seats and giggled at the two. They were so meant to be.
Gary pulled out his phone. "Drew play Battle Troops with me."
At Gary's voice, May remembered. She looked in the bag for her phone. She saw a small piece of paper, opened it, and put it in her pocket before turning on her phone.
There she saw all of PG's texts for the day, including the one about Gary and Leaf. She passed the phone to Leaf, who read the text with scrutinizing eyes.
From behind them, Gary was losing the battle to Drew because his attention was on Leaf reading the text that May easily took the bait for. Now if he could only get her reaction…
"BAM GARY I WIN!" Drew cheered as he defeated Gary's last Pokemon in the game. Gary stared at the screen as his Blastoise was defeated, in a state of shock.
Leaf and May looked back at Drew who was basically dancing in his seat because that was the first time he had ever beaten Gary. Leaf looked at Gary who gave a sheepish look to the audience Drew had attracted. His eyes caught hers and he smiled at her. Leaf gave him a small smile in return.
May rolled her eyes at Drew. "Shut up Drew! You only won because Gary was probably sleeping!"
"Oh yeah Maple? Do you want to battle? I'll take you down!"
"OH IT'S ON HAYDEN!"
Dawn laughed at her friends as Paul shook his head. She bit her lip as she leaned forward to look at Drew and May closely, putting her hand lightly on top of Paul's. She didn't actually care about May and Drew; she just wanted to subtly flirt with Paul. Paul stiffened as he looked at her with a small look of shock. Dawn just laughed, continuing to act like she was interested in May and Drew. She sat back, her hand still on Paul's and looked at him with a bright smile.
He did something that shocked her. He took her hand in his. Feeling bold, she intertwined their fingers. Paul just leaned back and closed his eyes but Dawn could see he was amused by her antics. She just smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes as well.
Misty turned around to see the two and smiled. She took out her phone and took a quick picture. It was so cute! Definitely one for their future wedding!
-HOTEL: FRIDAY-
You are invited to join the team of PG
May just stared at the piece of paper in her hand while Dawn was in the shower. A number was listed below to be texted if she was interested.
Why would PG choose her? Was this a trap? Would could have done this?
But then it dawned on her. "Hey May, make sure you check your phone on the bus." Gary was the one who wanted to make sure she saw this. Does that mean that Gary is PG? It made perfect sense. PG never sent anything bad about Gary around and even the only bad thing about Gary so far was sent by Daisy or Ursula or whoever but PG fixed that for him very quickly.
That had to be it. Gary was PG. Was he? She had to know.
She texted the number.
TO:PG
FROM:MAY
It's May. I'm in.
She pressed sent and held her phone close to her heart. She had to know. Suddenly the water in the shower stopped and she pushed her phone under her pillow. Dawn came out with wet hair wearing black shorts and her USV shirt. In her hand was Paul's Veilstone University shirt.
"Are you hugging Paul's shirt?"
Dawn blushed almost twenty colors of scarlet. "WHAT? OF COURSE NOT!"
Somewhere in the hotel, a certain person was sitting with another person in the café when their phone chimed.
"It's May. She took the bait."
