Chapter 24: Back To School

It's New Year's Eve. The entire royal family is in the front yard of the castle with a fireworks display ready. It'll soon be time to set them off and welcome the New Year. The majority of Petalburg City is standing in front of the castle gates, waiting for the countdown. Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, boyfriends, girlfriends, everyone is here. And May is the one who will start the countdown.

"This is so exciting!" May exclaimed.

"Yeah. It's almost time for you to start the countdown." Dahlia said. "Better step forward."

"Right." May said. She took a few steps towards the large crowd of people. "Is everyone ready for the New Year?" May called.

There were a bunch of cheers from the crowd.

"Then say it with me." May called. "10! 9!"

Everyone joined in the countdown. "8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"

The fireworks went off. They exploded into beautiful pictures of Pokémon in the sky.

"Happy New Year!" Everyone cheered.

May smiled up at the fireworks in the sky. Beautiful Pokémon pictures exploding into lights. ("I hope this year...some things change.") May thought. ("Like that rule that I have to marry a Prince. Or maybe...I'll finally know for sure if I like Drew as more than a friend…")

"Hey guys! Happy New Year!" Dawn exclaimed.

It's the first day back to school after Winter Break. The gang is all in front of the school.

"Happy New Year." Misty said. "So, does anyone want to share some New Year resolutions?"

Everyone looked at each other, no one saying anything.

"Nobody?" Misty questioned.

"Fine. I'll say one." Drew said. "I'm positive I'll find the mystery girl this semester."

"You're still on that?" Gary questioned.

"Of course I am." Drew answered. "I can't get her voice out of my head. It's so beautiful. I'm sure she'll turn up this semester."

"Well, okay then." Misty said. "Anyone else?"

"I'll go." May/Daisy said. "This year...I will finally overcome my stage fright completely."

"Yay! That will be so cool!" Dawn exclaimed. "You can do it Daisy!"

"Thanks." May said.

"Welcome back everyone." Teacher Lisa said. She started walking to everyone and handing them a packet of papers. "Now, these papers are about the next school play that we'll do. Keep in mind that this play will be shown to the school after Spring Break, so we have plenty of time to practice. The first page of the packet has the list of roles that you can audition for. Let me know by Friday if you choose to audition for a role." She finished handing out the packet and walked back to the stage. "The last Friday of this month are auditions like it says on the second page of the packet. Now, just like we acted out Aladdin, this next play I've chosen is...High School Musical!" Lisa announced.

The class started clapping and cheering. Everyone loved when they could act out a Disney movie.

"Now, decide if you want a role in the play and let me know by Friday of this week!" Lisa said. She walked backstage to her office.

"Wow, another Disney movie." May said.

"I get the feeling that she's a huge fan of Disney." Drew said.

"I am too!" May agreed. "Disney movies are the best."

"So you're going to audition?" Drew asked.

May shook her head violently. "I never said that!"

"Well, I'm just saying if you like Disney movies so much…" Drew started. He smirked. "Then you can play Gabriella."

"The lead?! That's crazy talk! I mean, I got lucky when I got to play Jasmine, but now Gabriella?"

"I don't see the problem here." Drew said.

"The problem is that I still have stage fright!" May said.

"But do you?"

"What?" May asked.

"You keep saying that you have stage fright." Drew said. "But it goes away pretty quickly when you get on stage. I don't think you really ever had stage fright before."

"Well...I umm…"

"So what's really making you nervous to sing in front of people?" Drew asked.

"I guess you can say...it's a type of stage fright." May/Daisy said. "I'm afraid that people will judge my singing and say that it's terrible."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Huh?"

"You sang in the Homecoming play. You sang during the Homecoming dance. You sang during lunch on the Friday before Winter Break." Drew said. "And you still think people are still judging you?"

"Well...yes."

"They're not, Daisy." Drew said. "Everyone already knows how amazing you are when you sing. You make some people jealous!"

May blushed slightly.

"Listen, if you don't want to do this play, then that's fine." Drew said. "But I thought you said last time that you actually like theater."

May thought about everything Drew said. She smiled. "Well...if you want me to be Gabriella so badly...does that mean you'll be Troy?"

Drew smiled. "If I'm Troy, will you be Gabriella?"

"Hey! I asked you first!"

Drew looked away from Daisy and smirked. "First is the worst."

"Well, well, well...second isn't too great either!" May finally said.

Drew glanced at her. "Really? That's your comeback?"

May crossed her arms and looked away from Drew angrily. "Hmph!"

"So, I guess that's settled." Drew said. "We'll audition for the lead roles."

May didn't respond. She just nodded.

"So now, I have something to ask you." Drew said.

"Hm?" May glanced at Drew, still angry.

Drew smirked and pulled out a rose. He held it out to May.

May looked at the rose and her anger disappeared. "What's that for?"

"Obviously you." Drew said. He flicked his bangs with his free hand. "To calm your anger down."

May's eyebrows furrowed. She yanked the rose out of Drew's hand and looked away from him. She didn't say anything. She just smelled the aroma of the rose and she blushed.

"So, what I wanted to ask you was where do you live?" Drew asked.

May/Daisy glanced at Drew. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because we're friends." Drew answered. "And all you've told us is that you live in this city. But I'm sure the whole gang wants to know where you live, so we can visit you sometime."

May looked back at the rose. "I'm sorry. I can't tell you where I live."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because.

"Because isn't an answer." Drew said.

"Well, it's my answer." May replied.

"Daisy...I can tell that you're hiding something. Besides where you live."

"I thought you said you'd drop it."

"That was then. This is now." Drew said. He reached out and turned her head to face him with his index finger. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Drew asked, anger building up.

"Because I'm scared to!" May yelled.

Riiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg!

May snapped Drew's hand away from her and she stood up. She started walking away.

Drew stood up and watched her exit the theater. ("Daisy, what are you afraid of?") He thought.

"May, why do you look so sad?" Dahlia asked.

May is currently staring into a full-length mirror. "Drew almost found out who I really am."

"But why are you sad about that?"

"Because I had to hide it from him once again." May answered. "And I yelled at him that I'm scared to tell him what I'm hiding and then I just left before he could say anything."

"You're scared that he'll be mad at you for keeping a secret this big?"

"Yeah…" May answered sadly. "I mean, we're good friends and for me to keep lying to them…..it doesn't feel right."

"I hear you."

May placed her hand on the mirror. She continued staring at her reflection.

(This song is "Reflection" from Mulan.)

"Look at me." May sang. "You may think you see who I really am. But you'll never know me. Every day it's as if I play a part, now I see. If I wear a mask, I can fool the world. But I cannot fool my heart."

"Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me?" May sang. "When will my reflection show who I am inside?" She slowly dropped her hand to her side.

"I am now in a world where I have to hide my heart." May sang as she walked away from the mirror and towards the balcony. "And what I believe in, but somehow I will show the world what's inside my heart and be loved for who I am." She walked onto the balcony and placed her hands on the railing.

"Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me?" May sang. "Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Must I pretend that I'm someone else for all time? When will my reflection show who I am inside?" May walked back inside her room and started walking to her bed.

"There's a heart that must be free, to fly." May sang. "That burns with a need to know the reason why." She sat down on her bed. "Why must we all conceal what we think and how we feel? Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide." May turned her gaze to her bedside table. There's a vase on it with one single red rose. "I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time. When will my reflection show who I am inside?" May sang as she reached out and gently took the rose out of the vase. She pulled it to her, in front of her chest.

She looked down at it. "When will my reflection show who I am inside?" She sang softly, finishing the song.

"Still perfect…" May muttered.

"What's perfect?" Dahlia asked.

"The very first rose Drew gave me." May answered. She put the rose back in its vase. "It was from back in September that I received that rose from him, and...It's not dead by now."

"That's true…Why do you think that is?"

May looked at Dahlia and smiled. "I think it's a sign. A sign that...It was fate that Drew and I met. Maybe...we're meant to be together."

"So you'll tell him about your identity?" Dahlia asked.

May's smile faded. "I can't. Not yet at least. But...I know I'll tell him eventually. I can't keep this secret from him forever. Or any of my friends."