Guess who's drunk again? Lol. Cmon. We're under a stay at home order. Of course Ima video call my friends and drink with them. College is fun! Enjoy this chapter. Next chapter should be a fast forward, but IDK. I'm drunk, remember?~

Chapter 18

Leaf wakes up to feeling a weight on her waist. She curiously opens her eyes and realizes she is in Gary's room. The brunette blushes as she sees she is naked and she turns around to see he is too. In a panic, she rushes away from him, which results in her landing on the ground naked. The thud wakes him, so he sits up to look in her direction.

As if realizing the same thing, Gary quickly looks away while tossing her the blanket since she is completely naked on his floor. "What the fuck happened?" he exclaims. She wraps herself up while he quickly throws on his boxers.

"You kissed me last night!" Leaf manages out.

"Weren't you sober? Why didn't you just leave?" he worriedly shouts. The two still can't look at each other. They are too embarrassed.

"Things happened! I don't know!" Leaf shuts her eyes tightly as she mentally curses herself for allowing her desires to take over.

"You need to go, Leaf." his cold tone shakes her from her thoughts and she looks at his bare back. "I'll call you a cab, but you need to go."

"You can't treat me like one of your hookups, Gary!" she feels the tears gloss in her eyes, but she will not cry. Not now.

"I'm not, Leaf! This is awkward! We're supposed to be best friends! What the fuck!" he runs a hand through his hair.

"Best friends?" She angrily gasps. "You mean like we've been this past month?"

"Oh! So you decided to sleep with me because I wan't hanging out with you guys anymore?"

"That's not what I'm saying! Why can't you ever take responsibility for your actions! You're the reason for your accident! You're the reason we're not friends anymore! You're the reason this happened!" she chokes back the sob. Not yet, Leaf, she tells herself.

"Whatever. Now, it's ruined." he sighs sadly. "You made it easier to leave you now."

"What?" Leaf can't help but let her voice crack. Leaving her?

"I'm gonna study in Sinnoh or something. I'm leaving this fucking town and this fucking region, and I'm never coming back."

Her eyes gloss over at this. Yeah, Gary's an asshole and he's hurting right now, but she really doesn't want him to leave. She still wants to see him around. She still has feelings for him. "What if I said I like you, Gary?" The thought of losing him for good makes her confess. She can't let him go. Not like this.

After a few minutes, he coldly says, "Don't. All I am is a burden on you. And I don't see you in that way. Last night was a fucking mistake."

She takes a deep shaky breath, but she won't let herself cry. Leaf quickly puts her dress back on and walks out of the room. If Gary wants to be like this, if he wants to wallow in his self pity, then she will let him. Gary doesn't even turn to look at her as she walks to his door. "Bye, Gary." she softly says before leaving.

Once she is outside, she calls Misty; however, when the redhead picks up, all Leaf can do is cry as she walks away from Gary's house. "Leaf! What's wrong? Where are you?" Eventually, Misty manages to figure out Leaf is near Gary's house. She is there in 10 minutes but about a block away since she doesn't want Gary to see her crying.

As soon as Leaf gets in the car, Misty hugs her tightly. "I'll take you to my house so you can shower and wear some of my clothes. We can tell your parents you slept over at my place, okay?" still sobbing, Leaf nods and Misty drives off.

Later, when Ash arrives, Leaf tells them that Gary wants nothing to do with them anymore. He doesn't want to be with anyone. She left out the part where they hooked up, but Misty suspects otherwise. Oblivious Ash is just angry at his best friend for doing this to them as he comforts Leaf.

"I don't get it! We've been friends since we were 5!" Ash angrily exclaims.

"A lot has happened to him. We should just give him space." Misty suggests.

Leaf shakes her head. "He's not coming back. I know Gary. He won't come back." Tears still fall from her face.

"I'm gonna go talk to him." Ash tries to stand, but Leaf grabs him with pleading eyes.

"Don't, Ash. Please. Don't."

Frustrated, he groans and sits back down. "Fine, Leaf! We'll let him go! But I'm only doing this because you asked!"

"Ash!" Misty angrily yells at him for blaming Leaf when she is already down.

"No, Misty. He's right. It is my fault." Leaf gives them a weak smile. "It's all my fault. I should've never pushed him. I made him dream, and then it was crushed."

"He crushed his own dreams, Leaf! He shouldn't have been driving drunk!" Ash says. "Look, forget him! We don't need him! We've been fine without him this past month, and we will still be fine." He then stands up and Leaf gives him a worried look. "I'm not going over there. I'm going to the park." and he storms out. Whenever Ash is upset, he plays basketball to clear his mind and burn off his emotions. It's what keeps him cool headed while also giving him a great workout.

Misty moves next to Leaf as she hugs the very upset girl. "It'll be okay, Leaf. We're here for you." This just makes Leaf cry more while she thinks about all the times it used to be Gary who comforted her.

6 Weeks Later

"Yes! We're finally done!" Ash exclaims happily.

"Good bye, high school!" Misty agrees as they walk out of their last exam.

"Now, we just need to make it through graduation." Leaf tells them.

"The good thing about graduating here is that the school is small, so graduation will only be like an hour." Misty laughs.

"Yeah. They always add a lot of speeches and stuff just to make it longer. The actual walk is like 5 minutes." the boy chuckles.

"I can't wait to get out of here for good!" the brunette says.

They haven't talked to Gary at all, even though they have seen him in school, but everyone just avoids each other. At the ring ceremony for the basketball championship win, Gary didn't talk to Ash and Leaf. When graduation comes, Delia is sad she can't get a picture with Gary in it, but it's mostly because he is not at the graduation ceremony, and neither is his family. Leaf, Ash, and Misty leave the graduation ceremony with promises of hanging out a lot this summer before they go their separate ways.

"Hey, mom...dad." a hesitant Leaf with puffy pink eyes approaches her parents in their room. Despite being strict parents, they love their daughter immensely, so the two quickly engulf her in a hug as they sit her on their bed.

"What's wrong, Leaf?" her dad asks with concerned eyes. The girl just continues to cry more as she places something on the bed. Mrs. Green gasps and Mr. Green closes his eyes as he sighs. "What do you want to do, Leaf?" he quietly asks her.

"You can get rid of the baby and no one will know." her mother tells her, but this just makes Leaf cry more.

"I'm keeping it." she manages to say.

"Who's the father?" her dad angrily asks, but all Leaf does is shake her head. She won't tell them. She can't tell them. Gary's already decided he wants nothing to do with her, so he doesn't need to know about this.

"I want to live in Johto with Silver." the teen finally says.

"But college, Leaf." Her mother insists.

"You guys never listen to what I want! I just want to go away!" Leaf screams.

"Fine. You'll be going there." Mr. Green glares at her. "We're not supporting you though."

"What?" Mrs. Green exclaims as Leaf gives her father a sorrowful gaze.

"We never raised you to be like this. We always tried to do what is best for you, but then this happens, Leaf." He sighs as his eyes gloss over. "We'll give you your college fund money, but that is it. I'm sorry."

"Honey!" Mrs. Green cries; however, Leaf just stands up and wipes her tears as she sniffles back anymore from escaping.

"Thank you, dad, mom." She gives them one final tearful smile before running to her room.

1 Week Later

Misty and Ash haven't been able to reach Leaf all week. They are worried so they go to her house, but are informed that she has moved away.

"Where? Why?" Ash pleads. He just lost both of his childhood friends in the span of a few months. What is happening?

Mrs. Green gives Ash an apologetic look. "She didn't want us to tell anyone where or why. I hope you will respect her wishes, Ash and Misty." she then takes a shaky breath as her eyes tear up. "I don't think she will ever come back."

Misty squeezes Ash's hand as his head drops in defeat. First Gary, and now Leaf, and he has no idea why! Why are his friends leaving him? Why won't anyone talk to each other? It's just so frustrating and he doesn't know why! He runs off to the car and Misty quickly bids the Greens goodbye before following him. As soon as she sits in the car, Ash angrily reveses out.

"Ash, slow down!" But he ignores her.

Flashback

"Good job, Ash!" laughs a man as he tosses a 3 year old Ash a rubber basketball. Ash throws the ball into the little hoop over and over again. "You're really good at basketball, buddy! You're gonna be a star!" He picks up Ash and hugs the toddler close before holding Ash next to the rim to dunk the ball.

1 Year Later

"Why don't you play basketball, Ash? You love it." Delia asks her young son. She had brought him to the park because he has been sad about his father leaving. Ash won't do anything and he barely eats. She knows he loves basketball and hopes it will get him feeling more lively again.

He shakes his head as he looks down at the new basketball his mom had gotten him. "I only play with dad."

Delia sighs while she holds onto the ball and sits next to her son. They might as well enjoy nature if he doesn't want to play.

About 20 minutes later, a little girl with brown hair approaches them. She smiles at Ash and extends a hand. "I'm Leaf Green! What's your name?"

The boy hesitantly extends a hand to her after getting an approving nod from his mother. "I'm Ash."

Leaf then greets Delia as her parents walk over and apologize for their outgoing daughter. "It's okay! It's nice making new friends." Delia laughs.

"Is that a basketball? My cousin Silver plays basketball!" the girl's eyes light up as she notices the ball in Delia's hand.

"Yes it is. Did you want to play with it?" She asks the girl who vigorously nods. Delia smiles and hands her the ball.

Leaf then grabs Ash's hand and drags him off the bench. "Let's play, Ash!" she exclaims while her parents sit next to Delia and watch. Soon, Ash is teaching the girl how to shoot the ball and dribble. Delia smiles while she thinks about how she is glad they came to the park today. Leaf is really making Ash himself again. She then grins when she spots another child joining them and all three children blissfully play.

"I'm sorry about our daughter." Mrs. Green apologizes sheepishly.

Delia shakes her head. "No. If anything, I should thank her."

Flashback Over

They make it to the Oak house in one piece; neither of them have seen the house since Gary's birthday party. Without even waiting for Misty, Ash storms out of the car and bangs heavily on the front door. Eventually, the door swings open and an annoyed shirtless Gary is there. He gives them a surprised look.

"I thought Leaf told you guys to leave me alone?"

That question earns him a punch from Ash. Soon, the two teens are wrestling in Gary's living room as they throw punches at each other. Fortunately, Gary's wrist has healed enough by now, but it is in a soft cast. Misty pulls Ash off of him to avoid injuring either boys more.

"What the fuck, Ash!" exclaims the auburn haired boy angrily.

"Leaf's fucking gone!" Ash can't help but cry. He had to endure the past few months without Gary and now he's lost Leaf. He hasn't felt this alone since his father left.

Gary looks surprised as he asks, "Why?"

"I don't know! You must've said something to her, you asshole!"

The brunette runs a hand through his hair as he takes a deep breath. "Well, I'm leaving too, so it doesn't matter." If Misty wasn't there, Ash would've fought Gary again. "See yourselves out." Gary mutters as he walks up the stairs.

"You need to make this right, Gary!" Ash yells. "We need to find Leaf!" The sound of Gary's bedroom door shutting makes Misty drag her boyfriend out of the house. She decides to drive while he just cries into his shirt next to her. Ash is angry and he's hurt. They're supposed to be the Quad Squad forever! They're supposed to be going to school together and planning visits with Misty. Parties and basketball. Everything they've been doing since they were 4!

Once they pull up to her house, Ash has calmed down enough to just silently look out the window. He calmly says, "Let's break up."

Misty gives him a confused look, but his chocolate eyes when he turns to face her show he is serious. "Why?" she manages to ask as a lump forms in her throat. It can't just be because of Leaf leaving.

"I'm going to the army."

"But you have a full ride basketball scholarship!" the redhead insists. There's no reason for Ash to just quit on his life too.

He shakes his head sadly and holds her soft hands in his. "I can't play, Mist." Tears escape his eyes as he chokes out the words. "I can't play without them."

"Ash, you have me! You can still play!"

"I can't, Misty." he sniffles. "I can't. Not without them. We've done everything together since we met. I just can't look at a basketball again." She watches as tears drip off his chin. "I can't be here anymore. I'm going to the army."

"Okay, well, we can still be together! I can do long distance!" she insists. Sure, his life plan just changed, but that doesn't mean her feelings for him have.

He shakes his head again and looks into those cerulean green eyes he loves. "I'm so sorry, Mist. I can't make you wait for me. I can't have that burden of someone waiting for me." He closes his eyes as more tears come out. He's watched his mother wait for his dad to come back all these years. Ash can't do that to the girl he likes too. "Please let me go, Mist."

She is now crying too, especially as she feels his warm hands on hers. Misty doesn't want to leave him. She wants to be with him and help him get through this, but that look in his eyes when he opens them again. The pleading and the pain. All the hurt that he's speaking just through those eyes. They tell her that she needs to let him go. As the tears stream down her face, Misty says, "Okay, Ash. It's over."

1 Month Later

The blanket of the night lays on Pallet Town as Gary approaches the blacktop. To his right is the playground and parking lot. On his left, is a big open grassy field. There are also public bathrooms behind him, but he is only focused on what is in front of him: 4 basketball courts. One court is smaller and has 7ft hoops rather than the standard 10ft. Gary walks onto the court.

Flashback

"I'm gonna be a basketball player when I grow up!" Ash exclaims as the 8 year olds take a break in the shade. "Then I'll be famous and my dad can find me!" The friends had just finished a few games of basketball, but the intense summer heat makes them take many water breaks, which also results in many bathroom breaks.

"I'm gonna be a coach!" Leaf smiles. "I'm too small to play, but I'm really smart! My mommy and daddy say so!"

"What about you, Gary?" Ash asks the last boy.

The auburn haired boy grins at his friends. "My family is famous, so I have to be too! I'll be the best basketball player in the world!"

"No way! I'll be the best one!" Ash objects.

Leaf giggles. "Let's play and see who will be the best!"

The boys glare at each other and each one smirks. "Let's go!" They shout as all three head back to the court.

Flashback Over

Gary shoots the basketball and it bounces off the far right of the rim. He sighs as he goes to get the ball. How can he be the best player when he can't even shoot on a 7ft hoop? He only kept playing because he wanted to spend time with his friends, but he doesn't even have them anymore.

Once Gary gets the basketball, he slowly walks back to his car. His flight to Sinnoh is tomorrow, but he wanted one last look at this shitty town. The best thing he got from it were two great childhood friends, but it even took that from him. He'll be fine being alone; he's used to it. Yeah, it's a good thing he's leaving and never coming back.