Chapter Fourteen – Bend and Snap

"You don't even know how much I needed that, Bianca." I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, sighing as the whole world lifted off my shoulders. "I have been so stressed trying to decide what I should do about this mess. Professor Oak and the other interns won't even look at me anymore. But, you know what… I feel good now. I just need to take things as they come!"

Bianca smiled, leading me back out to the main salon. "Well, that is the point of my dream eating sessions. My Musharna likes it, anyway," she added in a whisper, and I laughed. "But I'm glad you're feeling better. You're ready to take on the world now! And don't stress about N. If you think you should keep that promise, then keep it. Do what's right. You're someone he can trust!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, and that's more than what my team is doing. This is why I stick to Pokémon, Bianca. My Pokémon team trusts me more than my people team does…" I sighed once more, waving a hand. "They don't understand that I'm not going to betray someone's trust just to get a head start. They've been all over me about it."

"Including your friend, Hilbert?"

I crossed my arms. If anyone had been supportive, it had been Hilbert. He hadn't brought up my decision to keep N's information a secret since we fought about it; since then, he had been the only one to stick up for me whenever anyone tried to get me to talk. Professor Oak wasn't pleased about it, but he didn't say anything—something I attributed to Hilbert's snazzy new look. That had gone over particularly well.

"Well, actually, he's the only one not all over me," I admitted, and Bianca frowned.

"Oh, that's too bad…" I raised my eyebrows in surprise as she said this, and she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. When she composed herself and stopped laughing, she lowered her hand and added, "Whoops, I didn't mean to say that out loud. I'm sorry, Hilda, but I've seen the way he looks at you!"

My cheeks began to burn, and I cried, "Bianca!"

But on the inside, though I was definitely embarrassed, I couldn't help but feel assured by this comment. My stomach did somersaults, and my heartbeat picked up speed. But if I admitted anything to myself, that meant getting my hopes up. I had already been hurt by love once, and I didn't plan on doing it again.

"We're just friends," I told her.

She grinned, elbowing me. "I could use a friend like that," she joked, and I shook my head. That was probably the last thing she needed, too. The two of us were similar that way—we had both been hurt, but we were both strong. Even during the tough times, we kept going. Bianca continued her successful business with her Musharna, and I got an internship with one of the most well-known Pokémon Professors of all time. We didn't need men.

She walked me out to the lobby, and we giggled and made small talk together. I had to admit, it was nice that she was here in Kanto, too. Hilbert was great and all, but sometimes I just needed to talk to a girl. There was nothing like sharing feelings with a woman who understood exactly how you felt, and that was something that just could not happen with a man. I didn't know what I would do without her.

There was a tall, handsome man standing in the lobby as we walked in, and Bianca froze in her tracks. He was dressed in a green uniform, a hat covering his dark brown hair, and he couldn't have been more than twenty-five. He held a large box under his arm, and as we approached, he smiled and nodded at us.

"I've got a package," the delivery man said, and Bianca and I exchanged a look. She swallowed as she turned her eyes back on the man. "For a Bia—"

"Here she is!" I exclaimed, pushing Bianca forward, since she clearly wasn't going to move otherwise. She stumbled forward, walking hesitantly towards the delivery man. Well, so much for my inner monologue on not needing a man. Bianca was all for this guy. I didn't exactly blame her, but that was another story.

The delivery man held the package out towards her, and when she didn't reach for it, he set it down on the floor and smiled. "How are you doing?" he asked, but she didn't say anything. After a minute, he pulled out a little machine and a stylus. "The name's Joey. I just moved here from Johto, and this is my first delivery route. You're my first delivery ever."

Bianca nodded, but she didn't take the stylus from Joey. I stepped forward, pushing her forward a little, but she still made no motion for the pen. She was completely love struck! I suppressed a giggle, took the stylus from Joey, and signed for her. I couldn't let this go on forever, after all. I needed to talk some sense into her.

"All righty, then. You have a nice day, ladies," Joey said with a wink. He pocketed the little machine, turned on his heel, and strutted right out of the salon. I could see exactly where Bianca's eyes were staring because I was staring, too. They obviously made those delivery uniforms like that for a reason… for girls like us.

Bianca turned around and gasped, as though she had been holding her breath the entire time Joey was in the room—which wouldn't come as a particular surprise to me, actually. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe… that was love at first sight. Or at least serious attraction. Either one would suffice.

Finally, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She tried another time and failed again. By the third time, she finally found her voice. "Wow… that new delivery guy is in the top percentage of delivery men," Bianca managed to squeak, and I shook my head in disbelief. Unbelievable.

"So, talk to him, Bianca!" I exclaimed, and Bianca put her hands on her hips.

"Hilda, who are you kidding? I can't talk to guys like that!" She sighed, flopping down in one of the lobby chairs. I sat down beside her, touching her arm as she held her head in her hands. "I'm not like you. I'm shy, I'm boring, and I'm not very smart… I don't have anything to offer a… a gorgeous man like that."

She stood back up as soon as I opened my mouth to retort, and I settled on sighing instead. Well, if she was going to act like that, then—yes—she had nothing to offer him. But I knew Bianca! I knew the type of girl she was, and she had a lot to offer Joey the Delivery Guy. She just needed a shot of confidence, just like Hilbert.

Oh, I so had this covered.

She bent down to pick up the package, cradling it in her arms as she snapped back up. I gasped, jumping to my feet and pointing at her. She stared at me, her eyes wide, and I squealed excitedly. I could tell she didn't know whether to squeal with me or send me back for another dream eating session. The latter was probably her first choice.

"Bianca—you have the most perfect bend and snap I have ever seen! You are a complete natural at it!" I announced, and she continued to stare at me as though I had multiple heads. "Oh, come on, Bianca, you have to know the Bend and Snap. It's only the most vital weapon that we girls have in our arsenal against straight men."

"Bend… and snap?" she repeated, setting the package down on the counter. "Hilda, you're joking."

I shook my head. "Not at all. Watch this." I picked up a pen from the counter, tossed it on the ground, and gasped in fake surprise. "Oh no, I seem to have dropped my pen. Okay, so then, Bianca, all you have to do is bend..." I ran my hand along my leg as I bent down to pick up my pen, keeping my legs perfectly straight. Then, I grabbed my pen, bouncing back up. "And snap! It leaves men defenseless."

"Well, Hilda, that's easy for you to say… My track record with guys isn't exactly great, if you haven't noticed," Bianca hissed, and I put my hands on my hips. "Don't give me that look—you know it's true. I screw it up every chance I get. I'm lucky that Stoutland forgave me for that. You know I can't do this."

"Just try it," I said—not a plea but a demand.

She crossed her arms. "No."

"Bianca."

"Hilda."

"Try it."

She sighed, rolling her eyes and dropping her arms back to her sides. Then, sticking her tongue out at me, she bent down the same way I had, then shot back up with her hands on her hips. She shot me a look, clearly annoyed with me, but I just smiled; that was good. If Joey didn't like that, then he had to swing for the other team.

"Oh, girl, you're looking sexy," one of the other girls that worked at the salon said as she entered from the main salon. She waved at me, a familiar face in the last several months, before glancing at the package on the counter. "I'm going to guess… the new delivery guy started today, didn't he? He's fine?"

Bianca groaned, sticking out her lower lip. "More than fine…"

"Well, you can get him with that move." The salon girl winked, grabbing the package and returning to the main salon again.

"Wait… you think… well, maybe… maybe it might work," Bianca finally agreed, and I squealed and clapped. She could see reason! "I mean, if it doesn't involve talking, then how bad could it be? And if it gets his attention, then I'm bound to feel better about talking to him, right? Not to mention that the worst that could happen would be for him to reject me."

I nodded. "Exactly, in which case there are more guys out there waiting for you."

"Yeah, I—"

"Hello, ladies."

Bianca froze again, staring at Joey as he reentered the salon. He smiled that same dazzling smile, and for a minute I worried that Bianca might be lost to it once more. But she smiled back at him, although that was all she could manage. And once he strutted his way towards us again, I knew she was gone.

"Did I happen to leave my stylus here?" he asked, and I glanced around. Oh, crap. I had forgotten to hand it back to him after I signed for the package. And the pen that I had used for my bend and snap must have actually been his stylus… which meant that it had to be around here somewhere. Did I put it back on the counter?

Ah. There it was.

Now was the perfect opportunity for Bianca to utilize her new strategic weapon for getting Joey's attention. Grabbing the stylus as stealthily as I could, I handed the stylus to Bianca, whispering, "Do it," in her ear. She glanced back at me, holding the stylus in her hand before turning back to Joey and continuing to smile.

Then, as though it was the clumsiest thing in the world, she let the stylus fall from her hand. It hit the ground with several clicks as it bounced.

"Oh, I've got it," Joey said, just as Bianca began her bend. He leaned down, too, and I winced—because I knew exactly what was coming.

Well, it turned out that the worst that could happen was actually Bianca breaking Joey's nose.

Author's Note: Okay, if you don't know what movie/musical this is after this chapter, then I feel I can safely say that you have not seen it. Because everyone (and I mean everyone) who has seen it, even if they've only seen it once, knows what the bend and snap is. So, if you have no clue, then I will no longer argue that you have seen this movie. XD

Recognize Joey, anyone? ;) I'm sorry, I had to do it. It was literally perfect. He's in the top percentage of delivery men! My goodness, I'm so pathetic, ahahahaha.