Hi, it's been a while. A real while.
I'm not going to sugarcoat things; I've lost interest in writing for the longest while. But, maybe being stuck indoors due to what's happening right now made me feel like writing again. I dunno, but here I am. It's funny how long it took for me to write this one, as the last chapter I considered that this would be ready by the New Year. Technically, I'm not wrong, am I? Happy 2020, or rather, Not-So Happy 2020.
Disclaimer: I shouldn't do these anymore, really, but I still feel obligated. Pokemon ain't owned by me, and this story is rated T. That rhymed.
(POV: Amy)
What a day at the gym.
Wiping my forehead of the sweat using a towel with a sigh, I faced the punching bag again before I then began to throw punches at the sand-filled bag. I needed to keep myself in shape and more, after all, since the big school tournament is being prepared to happen very soon.
Luckily, with school putting everyone off for another week-long break, it's the perfect time to get lots of training in.
I'm definitely gonna need all this training. I need to get ahead of the others again, considering their feats as of late… I thought to myself, throwing a hard jab towards the bag's side as I began to take a proper stance and bounce in place, beginning to concentrate further. I couldn't help but growl to myself, gritting my teeth as I began to hit harder.
Hearing Francis get stronger, I suppose I could get behind, considering his skill level. But Tina, that grem who had just come to the school at the time? Beating down Aaron, regardless of help? It was just… impossible. Not to mention the handshake we had that time before.
I could feel one's strength just from a handshake, just 'cause it's a way for me to scale one's power beforehand. But her power then, it was shocking. It may as well have been where I was currently at, perhaps even more than that. And if Tina was that strong, there's no doubt that Francis was either shortly behind her, on the same level as her, or even more than her, which was just absolutely absurd to think about.
Not to mention the power Aaron now had. I battled him a little while ago as a gym assessment, and not that I would admit it to anyone, but I feel he's on a whole new level than the last time we butted heads. Francis and Tina are incredibly strong, and they've gone toe-to-toe with the Charizard. Again, something I wouldn't admit, but it's just so amazing how far they've come, and yet… It makes me so angry, because I thought I was the strongest in our school. My skills weren't supposed to be tested!
And then, the battle 'test' with Bryce happened.
I was, for the first time in a long time, being pushed. I had difficulty in attempting to take him down. I hated to admit it, but… I struggled. I really did struggle.
When Bryce managed to win via ring out, I was just completely blown away. I just couldn't believe it. But once that feeling went away, all I felt was the feeling of embarrassment. I was supposed to be the one standing tall, not the one who was down on the ground. This wasn't the ending I had anticipated, nor wanted. Not at all.
Fluke or not, losing stinks. I've trained so hard, and yet, I get surpassed by those around me.
It's… just… not… FAIR!
Suddenly, I bashed my fist against the punching bag with such force that the chains came loose, and it got sent flying across the room, hitting the wall in the process. Upon contact, the bag burst open, sand spilling out onto the floor. I panted hard, lowering my arm as I shook my head.
With the commotion, the owner of the gym, Jaxon, who was an Incineroar, came over to me. He crossed his arms, and shook his head in disappointment.
"Amy, c'mon!" the fire-dark type feline pleaded, sighing slightly, "This is the third bag you've broken today!" I sat down on a nearby stool, and put my face in my claws, letting out a sigh of my own.
"I'm sorry, mkay?" I replied, looking up at Jaxon. "I just have a lot on my mind."
"That doesn't matter! You're costin' me big bucks every time I gotta replace one o' these!" Jaxon scolded as he went over to the closet at the other side of the room, grabbing another punching bag and coming back over to fix it up in the place of the old one.
"I know, I know, and I'm sorry, okay?" I apologized slightly, getting up to help him. He shooed me away.
"And not only that, but you've been here literally since early this morning! It's nearly nine at night, meaning you've been here the entire day!" Jaxon was telling the truth. I was training here since the gym opened at six this morning. I've seen quite a few others come and go from the gym throughout the day, but I remained.
"I need to keep training, don't you understand?" I retorted, huffing slightly as I began to get annoyed. "I have new goals that need to be demolished, an-"
"Let me cut you off right there, Amy," Jaxon said, letting out a huff of his own as he finished fixing the bag into place. "You can only train so much, but you need a break. Please, go home. I don't want to see you here in the next three days at least." Hearing that made me emit a growl, which then caused him to click his tongue.
"Dammit, Amy! I mean it when I say it," the Incineroar stared daggers into me. "You either don't show up, or you show up and get banned from this gym forever." He stood up to me, while I couldn't help but shift to punch the guy, but I quickly stopped myself. That wasn't the answer to the issue, obviously.
"Ugh, fine!" I answered as I turned around as I seemingly lost the argument. "I'll rest for half the week, but then I'll be back to train more." Jaxon nodded, crossing his arms as he watched me go over to my bag to pack up and go change.
"You better, 'cause straining yourself further isn't gonna help with anything." Jaxon sighed, scratching his chin slightly. "And… remove those weighted bracelets, please. When I say 'rest your body', I mean every part of it." Damn, he knew about that too.
Scoffing slightly, I unattached the wrist braces I wore. They fell to the ground quick, gravity already taking hold of them. I began to train with weights on my body because I needed to be able to handle more weight on me, just so it allows me to not only lift more, but perhaps move and attack faster. They were only about 12 pounds per strap, but even then, it will most likely prove to have a difference in the end. I already felt lighter with them off.
"There, happy?" I asked with a shrug as I took my bag, and headed towards the changeroom. "Catch you later, Jaxon, sorry for the mess." I waved a claw as I left, and I heard him sigh once more.
"Yeah, yeah… g'bye, Amy."
…
The walk home was practically uneventful as hell, as per usual. My street sometimes had homeless running around trying to mug those who were unfortunate, but they were usually unsuccessful and got caught. They wouldn't even dare come close to me anyways, considering the fact that they should know to stay away.
Once I got to my small one-room apartment that I've rented for the longest time now, I slipped my key into the hole to unlock it. However, it wouldn't budge for some reason.
Looking confused, I tried to twist the key a few times again to make sure I was doing it right, and I soon was completely correct in thinking it wasn't turning properly. At that point, I was absolutely frustrated. Out of anyone who could have experienced this crap tonight, why did it have to be happening to me? I growled as I banged on the door, and that was then I noticed there was a note on it. Ripping it off of the door, I inspected it.
Eviction Notice for…. Amy Furaigon.
Your stuff has been moved to a storage unit, due to payments being inconsistent. The location of your apartment's belongings will soon be sent to you VIA your email for pickup. Sorry for the inconvenience.
-Mr. Ditkovish
I crumpled the paper into a ball and chucked it as far as I could. First I got kicked out of the gym, and now I was evicted from the place I call home?!
"Ugh, screw this!" I kicked the door as I yelled out loud, then stormed right off, not caring about making a ruckus. I didn't want to be here anymore. Not that it mattered, considering I didn't even live there anymore.
I don't need a stinkin' place to live anyway… I thought to myself, but even I knew I couldn't lie to myself. I definitely couldn't survive on the scraps out on the streets, it's just not the kind of life I would want.
Wait… maybe someone is willing to free up a room for me, yeah! Loving that idea, I took out my slightly cracked phone. Luckily, it had a bit of battery left in the tank. Turning it on, I went to my contacts to view my options.
The first contact to show up was Bryce, but I think he was trying to do some job hunting. Now wouldn't be a good time to intrude on his business.
The next one up was Francis, but he was busy, too. I think he mentioned in a group chat with everyone yesterday that he would be going up North for the week-long break for a training session with one of his dad's old friends or something. Regardless, no dice for him either.
Scrolling down a bit more, Tina's name popped up. Yeah, that's a big fat no. As prideful as that sounded, I don't think me and her would get along anyways, considering the fact that me and her sort of have rivalry. I know she'd want to give me a place to be sure, but… I don't think I know her enough for her to properly have me as a guest anyways.
Then, Alice's name popped up as I scrolled.
Out of our entire friend group, Alice always cared for us, no matter what. She always wanted us to be safe and sound, and always wished that we were taken care of properly in bad situations. Knowing this, she'd definitely be able to help me in my current situation. Hopefully she was around at this time. Tapping the 'call' icon next to her name, the ringing began.
Please pick up, please pick up…
"Hiya, this is Alice!" For once in my life, I didn't loathe Alice's chipper voice. Clearing my throat, I began to speak.
"Ah, heyy Alice, it's Amy." I said, continuing to walk down the sidewalk as I spoke into the phone, placing my free claw into my pocket. I heard a gasp from the other side of the phone.
"O-M-Goodness, Amy!" the peppy Arcanine shouted, causing me to wince a tad. "You never call me directly, what's up?" I sighed as I scratched the back of my head. Let's just get this over with…
"Let me just cut to the chase, alright?" I began, and began to think of words to say to just sum everything up. "I… ugh, to be completely blunt with you, I got kicked out of my place, and now I have nowhere to go. You think I co-"
"SAY NO MORE, COME STAY WITH ME!" Alice suddenly exclaimed with worry, shuffling and moving coming from her end of the call. "Stay there, Amy! I'll come to pick you up, and you'll stay at my place!"
"Alice, I… you don't even know wh-" Soon, a long beep sounded, making me realize that she had hung up on me. Giving up, I huffed again as I sat by the curb, and awaited her.
However, another vibration came from my phone, and it rung loudly. I picked up to immediately hear the voice of the fire type.
"Ah, oops, uh... where are you again? Forgot to ask, ehehe..."
…
Opening the door to the car, I climbed in, and was met by a familiar Arcanine behind the wheel. Her face sported a look of concern, while I sighed a bit.
"Alice, I-"
"Say no more, Amy," Alice immediately spoke up with a fretful tone in her voice, interrupting me. "You can tell me everything back at my place." Taken aback from her suddenly cutting me off, which wasn't like her at all, I sat down in the passenger seat and got comfy, not saying a word. Alice would usually wait to hear what everyone else had to say before giving her input, but it looked like she was really worried for me.
Once I shut my door, Alice stepped down on the gas pedal and drove down the street, eventually stopping at an intersection. "You weren't roughed up out there, were you? It's a bit of a hard world out there, on the streets…" she asked me, the same tone of voice still showing as she took a turn. I couldn't help but scoff.
"Of course I'm alright, Alice!" I stated with slight confidence, chuckling a little as I hid the frustrated and agitated mood I was in a few minutes prior to this. "I'm me, after all, so you should know I can always handle myself!"
"O-of course! I could never doubt you, Amy." Alice chuckled nervously, taking the time to carefully adjust the pair of glasses that saw on her snout while she drove.
For the past bit now, Alice got herself some new prescription glasses, as apparently her eyesight had seemed to have gotten bad or something. She said that the doctors told her it was because she was looking at screens way too much, to the point that it was somewhat unhealthy. And so, she has glasses now.
Not that it matters anyways, because she still looks pretty cute in them…
I stopped myself. Wait, don't I mean cool? Why the hell did I say cute?! For the past while now, I think, I've been starting to use language and words that I'd normally hear the others say, particularly Alice's vocabulary. Not sure why the Arcanine of all people would be influencing me, but I feel it's just cuz I'm hanging around them so frequently.
...that still doesn't explain why I basically just called her cute, however! I don't like her that way!
"Amy, you there?"
I heard her speak up once more, and when I looked over, she was staring right at me. We had stopped at a red light, so it gave her time to look at me directly.
"Yeah, sorry." I coughed, and within a second, the fire-type immediately offered me a water bottle. Surprised by her swiftness, it took me another second or so to take the water bottle in her paw. "Oh… thanks for this." With that, I twisted the cap off and took in the liquid. Once finished, I sorta huffed as I placed the bottle in a cup holder.
"Alice, you really don't gotta help me out, it's seriously fine. I could hold out here." I said, but she let out a huff of her own as she drove right through the intersection as soon as the light turned green.
"I do want to help you out, because it's what I do," she seemed to plead, glancing over at me quickly as she frowned. "You're my friend, a-and… friends help each other. Just leave it all to me, okay?" Normally, she wouldn't stutter like this, but she was. Especially during any speeches regarding friendship. Giving in, I sighed as I leaned back in my seat.
"Ugh, there's no arguing with you. Fine, I should really be thankful for you helping me out anyways, instead of fussing about it." I grumbled slightly, crossing my arms. Stopping the car at another intersection again, she looked at me with a soft smile.
"Not only that, but... " she started, sighing a bit. "Me and you never hang out outside of school, because you never want to. B-but I can assure you, you'll have a good time sleeping over at my place for a few days." Her smile turned slightly sad. What she said sorta hit me in the heart. It was true, after all, as I always insisted on not hanging out with her, let alone the group. Excluding the camping trip, of course.
But, I had better things to do, and she knew that! Whether it was training drills after school or at the gym, or even time to myself at my former apartment, I was almost always too busy to hang out with my peers.
Then again… the way that Alice spoke about how I never wanted to hang out with her. It shouldn't have hit me hard, but why am I feeling a pang of guilt in my heart? I thought to myself.
I mean, I cared, don't get me wrong. I just… maybe I'm not being a good enough friend. Alice puts in so much time to be with her friends, especially me, and I'm always pushing her away. It's rude, and it isn't what I should be doing.
"I-I mean, if you want your personal space, that's okay too. I could just leave you alone for the next few days, and give you a room that you need…"
Hearing Alice talk so disappointed and sad was just so unlike her. Disturbing, even, considering that everyone knew the Arcanine to be cheery 99.9% of the time. That was the final nail in the coffin for me.
"No, Alice!" I exclaimed, with a louder tone of voice than I expected. "Listen, let's see how a hangout together goes, okay? First time for everything, after all." This seemed to take her by surprise, as she halted at a stop sign slightly hard, causing us both to jerk forward a bit.
"Y-you seriously mean that?" Alice looked at me, small tears forming in her eyes. I couldn't tell if they were tears of happiness or were from her sadness earlier. Seeing her happy, for some reason, made me feel slightly warm. An effect she has on everyone, I think.
"Of course! I'm there for a few days anyways, so we have all the time to hang out together, aight?" I confirmed, and the small frown she sported turned into the biggest grin I had ever seen Alice muster. She then reached over to pull me into a tight hug, and I gasped in surprise.
"YES, THANK YOU! I won't let you down, this'll be the best first hangout gal sleepover for you ever!" Alice squealed slightly as she hugged me for a bit longer, then she readjusted herself in her seat once more and began to drive off, keeping the huge smile plastered on her face. I couldn't help but blush a bit.
I inwardly groaned, however. Girly things like these weren't really things that I did, not at all.
But, seeing Alice happy like this, as I said before, was satisfying to me for some reason. I wasn't sure why yet, but hopefully I'll find my reason, and one that isn't something dumb.
…
"So… this is your place?"
Alice's place was quite overwhelming. If anything, that was a softcore word to use, as her place was quite large for a teenager nearing the completion of high school. Granted, she still lived with her parents, unlike yours truly, but the place was nothing to laugh at. It wasn't a mansion, but it wasn't the kind of house I'd normally see on my old street. It was clear their family had a good share of wealth, and it was evident in the kinds of furniture, flooring, and other stuff that I saw thus far.
And I'm just in the front lobby… I thought, wondering how many rooms her place had.
"This is my place, yup!" Alice yipped slightly as she twirled a bit, heading towards the staircase. "At this time, though, I usually spend my time upstairs in my room. Come on, though, let's bring all your stuff up to the guest bedroom!" She began to run up the stairs, but I spoke up once more.
"Where's your parents, Alice? Wouldn't they get angry that you have a guest here?" I asked with a huge amount of curiosity, and she turned around to look down at me from where she was.
"I never really talked about it much, but my mom is an archaeologist, and she never really comes home often. Meanwhile my dad is an international lawyer, and he goes away every other month to do his work abroad." Alice explained, pushing the glasses on her snout back into place. I guess that's how Alice's family can afford a lot of this stuff. "Regardless, whenever I'm left alone in the house, they don't mind if I bring a friend or two over for sleepovers, as long as they don't mess anything up!"
"Oh? Has any of the others come over to sleep over before?" I asked, expected a yes from the peppy Arcanine, but I got a surprising no for an answer from her.
"N-no, you're actually the first person to sleepover here."
I suddenly felt bad for Alice. Despite being the kindest of our group and looking out for everyone as good as she does, she hasn't even been able to go to a sleepover with at least one of us? The sadness she had in her voice, it was just so unlike her, and that caught me off guard, too.
"O-oh, I see." I said on instinct, even though I felt I could have expressed my understanding in a better way. Regardless, she seemed to stow the sad feelings away as quick as a car could drive down a freeway over the speed limit.
"Anyways, let me show you your room!" She gestured for me to follow her up the staircase, and I did so, her steps having a quicker pace than mine, as if she were a child excited on Christmas morning.
She led me up to her guest bedroom, and it had what was to be expected; a proper bed, a small table off to the side, a tall lamp, as well as a few other things here and there. Only thing that made it stand out from something like a hotel room was that it appeared to be fresh and untouched, and most of the furniture in the room looked to be from expensive brands that I could recognise.
I placed my bag next to the bed, and sat myself down on the side of it. It was very soft, much softer than the bed I used to sleep on at my old place, in fact.
"Do you like it?" Alice asked, putting her paws together in hopefulness as she tilted her head. I gave the bed a few good pats, and I nodded to her.
"It's perfect, actually," I responded, trying to be polite for once, "It actually feels very comfy, and frankly, I'm just glad you gave me a place to stay on such short notice." With that comment, she smiled from ear to ear, seemingly back to her normal, giddy self.
"Ah, good!" Clapping her paws together, she then turned to leave. "I'll let you get settled for a bit, and I'll be in the room at the other side of the hall if you need me!" Thinking about it, I didn't get the chance to shower after my session at the gym…
"Actually, hold up Alice, I have a request." I spoke up, and she twirled on her foot to face me again, curious as to what I wanted to say. "Could I use your shower? And… ugh, borrow a change of clothes? All my stuff got possessed by freakin' storage people when I got evicted, s-"
"Yes, borrow the bathroom! Oh, and don't sweat, you can borrow some clothes! I can bring them to you after I prepare them for you!" She said quickly, before leaving the room. I was about to say another thing before she then came back, giggling nervously.
"Oh, and the bathroom is at the end of the hall. Forgot to say!" And with that, the Arcanine was out of the room quickly. I exhale, as she said that within a flash of a lightning bolt. Regardless, I got the good answers I wanted, so I got up to head to her bathroom down the hallway.
I found my way to it quickly, and upon seeing it, I was impressed.
It was easily a five star hotel-esque type of bathroom, and was the kind where you could bathe in peace. It had two sinks, as well as a good and sizable bathtub, and even had a showering stall off to the side, too, if bathtubs weren't wanting to be used. The toilet was, well, exactly how toilets were. The place was pretty spotless too, to my surprise. It made me think Alice loved to clean her entire house as a secret and hidden kink of hers or something.
Well… I haven't exactly been in a bathtub for a long time, so I may as well take this opportunity. I admitted to myself in my head, agreeing.
With that decision made, I turned the faucet to let the water out and clogged the drain with the cork, just so warm liquid could fill the tub. After all of today's events, I was deserving of a warm bath.
I awaited for the tub to fill itself up to a decent amount, and that's when I got out of my clothes and slid myself in. Upon doing so, I felt a rush of relaxing warmth go through my entire body. I couldn't help but sigh in bliss, smiling to myself as I laid back in the water-filled tub.
Sheesh, why the hell have I not been over to Alice's place before? This place rocks! I thought to myself, but after a second, I immediately took it back. I inwardly frowned at my mental comments. That's not how I should be thinking. Obviously, not only should I be thankful for Alice's kind gesture of allowing me to stay at her freakin' house, but I shouldn't be having the mentality of wanting to stay at one's place just because of the stuff they own.
Throwing me out of my deep thoughts once more, I heard a few knocks come from the bathroom's door.
"Amy? Do you want your change of clothes and towel given to you now, or later?" I heard Alice ask me from the other side of the door. That was a bit of a no brainer, in my opinion. I'd hate to get water dripping all over the wood floor in the hallway out there.
"Ah, sure! Come in!" I replied, still laid back in the bathtub. With that, she opened the door, and slowly made her way inside. In her paws was a big towel for drying, as well as a pair of clothes.
"I-I don't think I have the right size clothes for you, Amy, especially when it comes to… other stuff, but hopefully you can manage with what I have here." The Arcanine said with a bit of nervousness in her voice. I shrugged a bit.
"Meh, don't sweat it. I don't really wear much when I sleep to begin with." I admitted, and she seemed to get caught off guard.
"O-oh, seriously? I-I mean, if you want to sleep how you usually do, then…" She seemed to trail off from there, making me think she was thinking about it all wrong.
"Hey, not like that!" I shouted slightly, raising an eyebrow. "The clothes are all good, don't sweat it! Literally just need a good shirt and shorts, and I'm good for the night!" This time, Amy tilted her head as she finally looked at me for the first time since she entered the room, for whatever reason she had to not do so.
"Erm… even your br-"
"Psssh, yeah, Alice. I don't need that. I actually don't wear one when I sleep. Not that it matters anyway, since I don't have much to show down there anyways."
"O-oh. What about your pa-"
"I'll just use the one I have with me for now, till I can get my stuff that's stored away in some storage unit somewhere."
"O-oh, okay."
Suddenly, it got a bit awkward, I think. I was here in the tub, while Alice was just standing there, glancing at me every now and then. Sometimes, when we would have eye contact, she would immediately look away. To me, she looked to be more redder than a normal Arcanine should be.
"What's with the lack of eye contact, Alice?" I asked a bit bluntly, and she seemed to jump the moment I said her name. The Arcanine put her paws together and giggled nervously.
"W-well, you see, I haven't really been in the same room as another when they're… you know?" She seemed to admit, and I tilted my head once again.
"You mean you've never been in the same room as another naked person?" With that blunt statement said, she seemed to get a bit flustered, I think? Normally, Alice doesn't get like this.
"G-geez Amy, you just had to go ahead and say it!" The fire-type finally admitted as she blushed a tad, seemingly embarrassed. In my opinion, by this age, I feel that you should have at least been around someone not dressed in the same room, either intentionally or unintentionally.
"...not even in changing areas? Like, the ones at school for gym class or even the separate areas to change at public swimming pools?" I questioned, and she seemed to blush even more from that question, confirming my suspicions regarding the topic. "If that's the case, then how do you even change or use the changerooms when we're at school? You would have seen a slip-up at some point!" She shook her head again.
"I just… a-avoid the crowded area until everyone has left, then I just quickly change while the place is empty is all." Alice muttered as she twiddled her thumbs and looked in any other place that wasn't me. With how Alice appeared now, I felt bad for 'interrogating' her just now.
"Well geez, I don't mean it as a bad thing! I'm just surprised you haven't been in the same room as another when they're nude!" I stated, shifting in the water slightly as I crossed my arms. "At least, till now. You're in the same room as me, and I'm clearly lacking clo-"
"I get it! You're naked!" Alice blurted out loudly, suddenly turning away from me completely, her back and tail now facing me. I got caught off guard. This was one of the rare times where Alice would raise her voice. The last time this happened when someone tried to go out with her, if I recall, and she kept insisting that she wasn't interested at all, and eventually just snapped on him. She was getting flustered at that moment, due to the guy's comments towards her. Thankfully, she managed to shoo him away.
To me, when she gets increasingly flustered in a quick amount of time, she tends to snap and raise her voice. I guess I went a bit too far with my questioning…
"S-sorry, I'll just go for the time being." Alice stated quickly as she looked like she was blaming herself for such an outburst, then rushed out of the bathroom before I could say anything. For some reason, something in me told me to call out to her, but the words never came out of my mouth. Why was I thinking so much about Alice lately?
I sighed to myself, laying back in the tub once more in an attempt to relax. Cool it, Amy. Whatever is happening, it's just you under a new roof and it's you finally worrying for your friends, as you should be. It's good for you, and everybody around you, too. I was doing a lot more thinking than I usually do about things like this, and I was definitely not used to it. I'll figure out what's going on with me soon, as well as to why Alice was acting slightly weird this evening.
After a while, the water went slightly cold, and it was about time for me to finish up. After a proper lathering of soap and rinse, I was out of the tub.
Once I dried myself off with the towel, I inspected the clothes that Alice let me borrow for the time being. The shorts seemed to fit okay, but her shirt was much bigger on me than I thought. It was a normal black t-shirt, and was about 3 times my size, so it ended up covering up so much to the point it even covered up the thin yet comfy shorts I was given. The shirt itself featured some decals on the front that were in a language that I couldn't understand, so it made me think it was from one of the various cartoons or animes that she was a fan of these days.
I did a bit of a clean up of the small messes I made in that bathroom, like leaving my other clothes lying on the ground, or wiping up any drops or puddles of water that managed to form anywhere around the tub or from when I was drying myself off. This way, Alice wouldn't have to clean up behind me eventually. Soon, I made my way back to the room that I would be occupying.
Walking in, I noticed there was a tray that had been placed on my bedside table. It had a cup of tea on it, from what it looked like, as well as a plate with a white cupcake on it. I was a bit taken aback, as it was yet another kind gesture from Alice. Just how kind could she possibly be to me?
Taking a bite from the cupcake and sitting down on the bed, I once again put myself into deep thought. Ever since I got picked up by Alice earlier in the evening, she hasn't been herself. It was abnormal for her to be so stuttery, let alone nervous, as she was never like that at all around our group. Why was she like this now?
Or maybe the better question to ask is why was she acting this way around me?
The answers to these questions were not on my mind. Unable to think of a good, logical answer to these questions, I finished the cupcake in frustration. The flavour was vanilla, which happened to be my favorite. Sugary sweets, however, weren't a part of my 'diet'. Still, I was okay with consuming sweet for now, especially after working so hard with my training earlier today. Pretty much deserved an unhealthy snack.
Checking the tea, it seemed to have cooled down significantly and I ended up downing all of its contents quickly. Just like the cupcake, it was a good tasting tea, and I made a mental note to ask Alice where she bought her tea from.
Eventually, I laid down properly on my bed and stared at the ceiling. It was quiet now, with no noise around whatsoever. Not a sound. This was what I was used to when it came to me living alone.
At least, what I was used to. Almost all of my evenings and nights were spent in silence, and they were always uneventful. That's just how it was, since I wasn't exactly fond of having a roommate. It's why I lived alone.
Though, maybe I'm just used to being alone. Being here, in a place that wasn't my own, alongside another person nearby, this was pretty new. Sleepovers weren't exactly my thing, but I guess it's another first for me.
Speaking of which, I would have expected Alice to come check in on me after my bath a little while ago at this point. But alas, she hasn't. My guess was that she was still feeling a bit awkward after our previous conversation. As much of a good idea it would be to just leave her alone this evening, perhaps it would be a good idea to pull a page out of the Arcanine's book and check up on her. Something in my gut told me to do so, and it kept nagging at me.
Eventually, I gave into the feeling, and I found myself getting up to head over to her room.
Making my way over to her room's door, I gave it a few good knocks. With that, I heard shuffling come from the other side of the door.
…
(POV Change: Alice)
I yawned to myself. Normally, I don't get tired when I read books this late, but the novel I was reading was simply exquisite!
Either way, it helped get rid of the weird state I was in beforehand. Reading books helps me forget what exactly was ailing me and allows me to enter a new world of wonder and adventure. I needed it, especially with all the bad thoughts plaguing me throughout today.
It's just not possible. It can't happen!
I shook my head again, huffing to myself. I have a book I'm supposed to be reading here, and I shouldn't be letting the bad thoughts win! I told myself that in my head, but they continued to linger. For some reason, my strategy of getting relaxed and getting rid of the bad thoughts was not working this time.
Ugh, this is just useless! Stop thinking about the possibility of Amy being even remotely interested! It… it just won't happen!
That's what has been plaguing my mind all evening. I don't wanna admit such a secret, but it's true; I have a massive crush on Amy. It's been this way for a long time, and I'm unsure of why. Maybe it's the way how confident and tough she is, with how she just doesn't back down from a fight and seems unafraid of anything in her path. Maybe it's because I really dig how she acts like she doesn't care, but really does care.
I just really like how she is, and I can't help it… but there's just no way she likes me back!
Suddenly, I was thrown out of my thoughts as I shifted my head upwards from my book upon hearing a noise. A knocking came from the outside of my bedroom door. Nobody else was home except Amy and I, so it had to be her. I gulped as I placed my book down. Was I really ready to talk to her again? Especially after such an awkward moment earlier on…
More knocking came from the door. I let out a quiet sigh, and got up, dreading to see Amy again so soon after such an embarrassing moment. I was really hoping she didn't come to see me because she wanted to leave.
I opened the door, and there she stood. The Flygon looked like she was about to knock on my door a third time, as her arm was raised and ready to knock. She wore the clothes that I delivered to earlier change into, but it was clear the t-shirt she wore was a size too big for her, unsurprisingly. It's because I'm clearly not as fit as her, which is another reason why she wouldn't take interest in me…
...Stop it, Alice…! Focus!
"A-ahem, hey! Is, uh, something the matter?" I asked quickly, putting my paws together as I put a smile on my face, even if it was a nervous one. The dragon type seemed to frown, and let out a sigh.
"Could I come in? I wanna talk. Nothing bad though." Amy spoke as she crossed her arms, but seemed to quickly add that last part about it not being bad, as if to reassure me that nothing was wrong. She's really gotten good at reading faces.
"Oh yeah, sure! Sure, come in!" I opened my door fully as I let her into my room, trying to stow my nervousness with my normal peppiness in my voice. The Flygon walked in and stopped to stand in the middle of my room, taking the place in. I quietly gulped, as I felt the dragon type was judging me as she inspected my room.
Oh Arceus, she's judging me. She's definitely judging me. She's probably looking at my vast anime figure cabinet over there, or my posters that I have hung up, or even th-
"Cute room."
I blinked. Did… Did I really just hear Amy right? "P-pardon?"
"E-erm, did I say cute? I meant cool, obviously! Hah, you wouldn't actually catch me calling something 'cute'…" Amy's voice trailed off to a quiet tone as she finished that sentence, which was super unlike her. The Flygon then moved to huff as she seemed to let out an abnormally nervous chuckle while she pulled a chair out from my nearby desk and sat in it, crossing her arms. I tilted my head in slight confusion, considering the fact this wasn't how she normally acts.
"S-so, aha, about earlier… I-I'm sorry for yelling and stuff, and-"
"Hey. Don't go beating yourself up for that, alright? Don't apologize, 'cause that's what I'm supposed to be doing. My bad, shouldn't have pressed on about that topic, I guess." The Flygon wasn't really looking my way, keeping her arms crossed and all, but she was still trying to be as sincere as possible, evident in her serious tone of voice. Still, I was slightly taken aback, since it isn't too often where you'd have Amy say something then take it back afterwards.
"O-oh, I mean, it's okay, really… I guess we're both at fault in a way, ahaha…"
"Mhmm, but as long as we're cool now, that's all."
And just like that, things got quiet between us again. I sat on my bed, my legs dangling off the side while Amy sat nearby in my desk chair, arms crossed. Once again, an awkward silence was prominent between us.
"So, before you rushed over to pick me up off of the street, what were you up to?" The Flygon suddenly spoke up to break the silence.
"Oh, earlier?" I stumbled to speak, not expecting a question from the dragon type. "I wasn't doing much, just… watching some stuff online, it's no big dea-"
"Anime? You mean anime, right?"
"Er, y-yeah! How did you… oh, right, never mind, haha…" I didn't expect Amy to interrupt me and pretty much fill in the blanks. Watching stuff online? It's obvious that I'd be talking about anime, even without directly referencing it at all. Still, at this point, I would have been a bit offended if she didn't guess I was watching anime.
"Ah… well, would you wanna, y'know, do that?" Amy asked, with a slight amount of hesitation. Was she asking to watch anime with me?
"Um, you mean watch anime?" I asked to confirm my small suspicions and be completely sure of what she wanted to do, and she gave me a simple nod. I couldn't help but grin. "Okay, sure! Let's watch some anime!"
I hopped off my bed and turned my TV on, and grabbed a few cords to connect my laptop to my television. Glancing over, I noticed Amy raise a brow in slight confusion.
"Oh, these? I like to plug my laptop in and show my screen on my bigger screen! A better watching experience!" I quickly explained as I finished connecting the cords, and Amy nodded in understanding, not saying anything else.
Once done, I plopped myself back onto my bed and realized the Flygon might be uncomfortable in the desk chair she currently sat in, considering my history of sitting in that same chair and feeling the same way.
"Hey, um… come sit on my bed, it'd be more comfier!" I stated, albeit starting out a bit nervously, while I shifted to one half my bed and I patted the free space next to me with a paw. She blinked, and went to speak up to probably turn my offer down, and I pouted a bit.
"Take it from an anime-watching expert like me, Amy; you should be comfy when binge watching stuff, so c'mon! I-It's not like I'll bite or anything, too, ehehe…"
The Flygon stood up from the chair, and crossed her arms again, huffing as she rolled her eyes. However, her face softened and a small smile appeared quickly after. "Alright, alright… fine, I'll do that. I feel like you'd basically share beds in sleepovers anyways, heh."
The ground type came over and sat herself down on her side of my bed, shifting herself to get presumably comfy and cross her legs.
"Sooo? Better than the chair, right?"
"Yeah, yeah, guess you're right. But hey, c'mon, it ain't about me sitting on your bed. Let's watch some anime already!" Amy's enthusiasm for this was surprising, considering how she'd only have this kind of energy when doing something related to working out or battling.
"A-ah, alright! Let's get to watching! We'll, uh, start from the beginning!"
…
The first few minutes were quiet between us. But, as the first hour went by, she began to show signs of actually enjoying what she was watching.
A few hours later, she was getting quite enthralled by the plot of the anime we were watching. I was glad she was entertained, most likely because of the characters fighting more than the ongoing drama-filled plot, but still entertaining to her nonetheless.
"Did you see that wolf? Yeesh, he got into a real bad fight with that tiger there!"
"Oh my goodness, I know right?! And then that deer gets involved between them?"
"Pffft, yeah! Like damn, didn't think he'd have the guts to actually stand up to the tiger!"
The fact that she was sharing her thoughts about the show was a compliment within itself, since she doesn't share her thoughts very often with anybody. That, and be anything but nonchalant.
Soon, the current episode we were watching finished, and while I reached for my laptop to prepare the next episode for watching, Amy quickly grabbed my device before I could. "Heh, let's watch another, aight? Might be late, but who cares, I'm having fun."
I was a bit taken back, but I giggled a bit in response.
"A-ah, sure! But, Amy?"
"Hmm? Sup?"
"I, um… I wanna thank you for all this." I started, putting my paws together as I smiled shyly for a moment, "For actually going out of your way to hang out with me here, so you'd make me happy about having a sleepover here. It's very unlike you, but… I think it's very nice of you to do." With that, now it was her turn to be a bit surprised by my comments. The Flygon placed the laptop down, and rubbed the back of her head.
"Pffft, I mean, I wouldn't do this if I felt it wasn't worth it, right?" Amy shrugged as she relaxed where she sat, scratching her chin a bit. "Honestly? I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy watching the stuff you'd watch, or even having a sleepover. It's been… more freakin' fun than I thought it'd be! Really makes me wish I actually came around to hang out with you sooner, because I'm just now realizing how fun it is to be around you." I think my heart began to beat five times faster, since she was really complimenting me here. I wasn't sure how to respond, especially since I ended up starting to blush and stutter in a response.
In fact, with how she was talking, thoughts began to flood back into my head… however, they weren't negative; it was just one question.
Was she interested in me?
"H-hey, um… can I ask you something?" ...Alice, what are you doing?! Don't do this now! At this point, it was as if my mouth and voice were doing things on their own.
"Huh? I mean, sure, if it's real important, sure." The dragon type turned herself to face me, crossing her arms as she seemed to have her ears open. Don't do this. There's no coming back if she says no!
"Do you, um… like… me…?" Game over, Alice. You actually said it. Now she's going to hate you.
"Eh? What kind of freakin' question is that, Alice? Of course I like you!" ...I don't think she gets the question.
"N-not like that! I mean, y'know… I like you…" I blushed harder as I gripped my bed sheets tight, avoiding the dragon type's stare. This was a terrible idea...
"...huh. I think I finally understand it now." Suddenly, the Flygon unexpectedly speaks out, but doesn't say what my thoughts were telling me she was gonna say. "For the past while now, I've been feeling real strange whenever I'm around you, and it was really off the charts for the entire time today. I think I figured out what's ailing me." Amy let out a sigh as she then laid back on my bed, putting her arms behind her head. Her voice sounded as serious as it could get, and yet, her tone was soft. Soothing even. What was she talking about?
"S-something has been… ailing you?" I asked, slight nervousness in my voice. She let out a sigh, then let out a chuckle as she shifted her head to look at me.
"I think I like you, too." Amy straight up said that bluntly, and I ended up going wide-eyed in surprise while she kept up her small explanation, "You have quite the influence on me, after all, considering how much of your darn cutesy vocabulary is now being used by me and all that crap, hah…"
She admitted it. She actually feels the same way!
"A-ahaha, oh Arceus, I see…! Wait a sec, would that mean that we're…?"
"What, dating?" Amy scoffed as she crossed her arms and sat upright again. "Pffft, guess so, but I wouldn't count on tellin' anyone yet! Kinda embarrassing…"
"O-oh, that's okay! I understand… b-but ahh hey, should we kiss now or somethi-"
"N-no!" The Flygon suddenly exclaimed, causing me to jump a bit, but upon realizing she was a bit loud, she quickly started to rephrase herself, "E-erm, what I mean is, it's a bit too early for that… I'm, ahem, still trying to comprehend the fact that I'm attracted to you and stuff, so give me some time, alright? I, uh… wanna make this work, not even gonna sugarcoat it, hah…"
I ended up pouting a bit inside, but then I realized that she actually wanted to try and make things work. I couldn't help but yip in happiness, and give the dragon type a huge hug.
"Gosh, okay okay! L-let's make it work out then, whatever you'd like!" I happily exclaimed as I clinged to the Flygon, and I heard her let out a small and slightly inaudible grumble, but soon found myself to be held close to her as she put her arms around me to have me in a cuddling position.
"Hahah, aight then, so you wanna head to bed now?"
"This early? Let's freaking watch more anime together!"
"...good answer, 'cause I would have gotten real mad if you didn't wanna watch more tonight! Gotta keep this darn sleepover going!" Amy stated bluntly with a hearty laugh, and I ended up giggling along with that comment.
Amy reached over to press a few keys, and we got to watching immediately, each other closely embracing one another. No awkward feelings at all, surprisingly.
Well… at least to me. Maybe Amy was much better at masking her feelings that I would be.
And that's that chapter. I wasn't initially going to go down this path to be honest, but I just felt like it. At this point, who cares? I'm writing whatever comes to mind, and I suppose this story is what I'll use to put my creativity to the test. Or something like that, I don't know anymore.
I'm not sure what I should say anymore. Make sure to wash your hands? Leave a review if you enjoyed this chapter? I'd just be happy if anyone enjoyed what I create for once, if anything.
For real though, if you happen to stay behind and actually be reading this, please stay safe out there. These times are crazy and stuff. Y'all who actually read these after and before chapter messages from me deserve an extra something… like a tiny bit of extra chapter content.
~DF
(POV: ?)
...Lines of weeds criss-crossed the cracked parking lot of the Seashell Motor Courts. The flaking paint on the buildings had chalked to a pastel pink on walls covered with graffiti. Many of the windows had been smashed out. Where the sign had been, atop rusting steel posts, only the metal outline of a seashell remained…
The book I was reading. It was exquisite. Exquisite enough to be able to read this late in the night.
I heard a small thump sound from the other room. I stifled a small chuckle while I took a sip from my teacup.
It's been nearly a day… That boy spent 20 hours on the floor with those weights on. Bon chagrin…
Suddenly, however, a slow knocking came from my wooden door. Lifting my head up, I blinked and raised an eyebrow in slight curiosity as I looked over. "Ah, you may come in!"
There was a brief pause. What sounded like a grunt and a huff came from the outside of my door, before it finally opened. There he was, slumped over slightly from the weights, but standing up nonetheless. He was covered in sweat and was panting heavily, but his stare to look right at me was unfaltering and unwavering.
"...H-hey, ah… C-Could I get something to eat, please…?"