Leaving your heart behind
Chapter Ten: "Dinner for three"
Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon…
Thank you time:
legolas liker: I'm really glad you liked this chapter too! Yes, poor Misty always being humiliated… But that's one of the things that makes the story more interesting right? Anyway, I hope you keep reviewing! ^_^
alexis: Yeah, I know, I'm really mean… But it's like you said, a cliffhanger is useful to keep the readers interested so… Well, Misty didn't kill Gary but she won't remain so calm in this chapter… ^_^ I'm still trying not to use OOC characters, but if you notice something please tell me and I'll try to fix it!
DBZGirl202: Thank you so much for review and putting me in your favorite authors list, I'm really happy! Well, I hope you like this chapter too and thank you again for the patience you had to read the whole story… ^_~
Shadow kat: Finally Ash and Misty together again (not in a romantic way… for now ^.^)! I guess that's why more people reviewed the story… Thank you for reviewing! Tell me what you think about this one!
Nozomi and Hotaru: Thank you so much! I'm really trying to improve and avoid just having dialogues between the characters… About Gary… I think you'll like this chapter too because he will definitely butt in even more… But this time Misty won't remain exactly "calm"… Just read and see! ^_^
Redroses: A new reviewer, thank you! Yeah, what most people had been expecting: a bit interaction between Misty and Ash! I don't really like May either, although I never saw the Houen series… I think Misty was a key character in the series and now May's replacing her… Oh well… If you find May or Max a bit OOC I'm sorry (oh, they won't be in this chapter yet)… ^_~
And finally, the story…
Gary had gone too far… He had, not discreetly at all, tried to show Ash that she belonged to him, when she herself didn't know to whom she indeed belong… He had no right to invade her privacy and to disturb that special moment of hers… Anger and shame filled Misty's confused heart.
"Anger, shame and doubt…" she thought mournfully.
The utterly surprised look that momentarily swept by Ash's face made her feel even more humiliated… She felt like her deepest secrets had been discovered, like her most inner feelings had been exposed…
Misty glanced over at Ash again. He was looking a bit uneasy, but tried to hide it with his wide smiles and cheerful words…
"You may fool him Ash, but I know you too well for that…" she thought to herself.
Did Ash feel betrayed? She did go out with his former rival, but Misty didn't even think that this could affect him in any way… But then again, she also didn't excepted him to re-enter her life so suddenly…
"Gary, what are you REALLY doing in here?" Misty said abruptly, resentment present in her every word.
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"They are dating… Misty and Gary are dating…" Ash thought astonished.
He didn't know why he was so amazed; Misty was a beautiful, kind woman that certainly deserved to be happy… Well, kindness was something a bit more difficult to find in Misty… But it did exist below her dangerous mood, and anyone that knew her, found in her a precious friend, like he did...
So, why did he feel like she had somehow let him down? Why was he feeling hurt? Was it because she was dating his past opponent, Gary? Was it because she hadn't told him about it and he felt excluded?
"Or is it simply because she IS with someone?" Ash was surprised by his own thoughts.
Yeah right, now he would say to himself that he was jealous of his best friend…Right, really funny… He had just lost his mind temporarily… Right?
Oh well… If they were really dating, and considering Misty's silence as a proof that they were, he shouldn't be there… They would want privacy and he already knew that three is a crowd… For a while he even tried to break the awkward atmosphere with some sad jokes but he quickly realised that it wouldn't work…
And then, when he was about to apologize to Misty and leave them quietly, she interrupted him unexpectedly and wasn't exactly thrilled when she spoke…
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He had done it… He was able to show Ash that Misty was already involved in a relationship, so he could go back to Houen and leave them alone… Oh, those cherry cheeks of her said it all: she loved him all right… Yes, so he probably should have been a bit subtler, but being dense as Ketchum was, he wouldn't have get it, so it was probably better this way… Ash's disoriented and uncomfortable look gave him slight satisfaction, and more importantly, gave him the reassurance he needed…
"Feeling threatened by him… Look at you're doing to me Misty: making me ask for help to that Brock guy and now making me fear Ash Ketchum…" Gary said to himself disapprovingly, trying not to laugh.
He really liked Misty, and this time he wouldn't accept anything but the first prize… Ash had a girlfriend right? So he should go back to her and to his pokémon and live a happy, simple life away from them… When had he become so jealous and possessive? Well, since he met a certain feisty redhead…
"Fortunately, it seems that, for once, Ketchum won't get on my way…" Gary thought, smirking.
Unluckily for him, that smile quickly disappeared when Misty finally gathered enough courage to speak…
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"Gary, what are you REALLY doing in here?"
Gary looked dumbfounded and managed to say: "I've already told you, I came here to buy you a gift for St Valentine's Day…"
"Liar…" Misty replied venomously.
"Egocentric…" Gary answered, narrowing his eyes.
"That's it, I guess I better go now… Thanks for your help Misty, but I'm lea…" Ash started but Misty quickly retorted "STAY!!!", grabbing his arm furiously.
Gary looked infuriated and spat out bitterly "I can't see why Ketchum here has to stay… Doesn't he have a girlfriend to look after?"
Misty bit her lower lip, trying to keep her voice down and the vicious pain away.
"Yes he has… Something you won't get THAT soon…" she replied triumphantly.
Gary frowned deeply but quickly managed to think of a way to conquer Misty's fiery heart…
"Let's forget about this Misty… I will make up to you for that lousy first date… Will you have dinner with me?" he asked passionately.
Misty remained silent for a moment, looking at him puzzled. Should she do it? God, now he was able to persuade her so easily… When did she get so soft??
"I can't Gary, I'm here with Ash and I won't leave him alone… He asked for my help, I can't just abandon him…" Misty replied, choosing to keep her heart safe from more disturbing feelings… At least for that night…
"Coward…" she thought cynically, looking down to avoid Gary's hopeful eyes.
Gary looked at her deeply, trying to know what she was thinking but he found that impossible... In one last effort to be with her, he said recklessly:
"Ash can come with us!"
"Bad move Gary, really bad move…" he cursed himself immediately, the moment he said it.
"Oh, I don't want to bother, really… Don't worry Misty, I'll just go to the hotel in my car, and if you don't need a ride, we can meet tomorrow…" Ash said politely.
"Oh god, this is ridiculous… I'm so in the wrong place…" he thought, feeling his heart strangely heavy.
"Guilt and shame, obviously…" Ash said to himself, trying to dismiss those awkward emotions.
Misty, on the other hand, was looking at the two men in front of her, switching her gaze from one to another, pondering what to do.
"Leave this center right away would probably be the best choice, but I can't do that…" she said to herself.
"Decline Gary's invitation… He would ask why… He would realize something's wrong and I don't want him to know how confused I am… I don't want to talk about my sorrow again… I just want to bury it and forget all about the time when I was broken…" she thought sadly.
"Ok Gary, I'll go…" she finally answered, trying to ignore the fear that was already settling in her poor heart.
"I'll be heading home then…" Ash said, smiling weakly and scratching the back of his head.
"Yes, please… I can't handle with my screwed up feelings if you're together in the same table for the whole dinner…" Misty thought desperately, her eyes at last showing her anxiety.
Misinterpreting Misty's apprehensive eyes, Gary thought that she didn't want to be alone with him… And although it did hurt a bit to know that, he decided to take this chance and try to change her feelings towards him…
"And if that takes Ash Ketchum to be with us through the whole dinner… Than be it!" he thought confidently.
Ash looked at him uncertain, remaining quiet for a while.
"No Ash, you're going with us! I'm sure you'll love this Italian restaurant… I found it when I was searching for you… for Misty's gift I mean!" he corrected quickly.
"Please Ash, just for this time, leave me alone with him… Let me deal with my feelings… Please let me by happy… Let me just try…" Misty thought dreadfully, looking at him nervously.
Seeing Misty's pleading eyes, Ash finally made his decision. Yes he would go… She needed him, she needed his support, and he could tell that by the look in her eyes…
"All right then! Actually, I'm quite hungry… Can we go now?" he asked cheerfully.
"WHAT???" Misty screamed in her head, sending a death glare to both boys, leaving them completely bewildered.
"Don't you like Italian food?" Gary asked surprised.
"Oh, let's just go to the damn restaurant!" Misty yelled angrily.
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There it was… The place of her torture…
Misty looked at the small, chic Italian restaurant, with dismay. She had to find strengths that she didn't have to survive that night, and she had to find them fast…
Gary opened the door, letting Ash and her enter. The room was filled with marvellous, delicious scents that surrounded Misty, and some little decorated wooden tables gave the restaurant a cosy, pleasant look.
The waiter promptly approached them waiting for some sort of indication that could help him in his task.
"Table for three…" Gary replied calmly, hiding his indignation with a small smile.
"Unfortunately…" Misty said under her breath.
"What did you say?" Gary asked curiously.
"Nothing…" Misty answered, matching Gary's fake smile with one of her one.
Finally done, I hope you like it! Another looong chapter… Do you prefer shorter ones? ^.^
I think I had another review that I didn't thank in this chapter… It's because I can't view it… Yet.
Anyway, I'll put it in the next chapter ok? Thank you for your kind reviews so far… ^_^
Oh well… Sorry for this, but I had a little thing to ask you… I wrote another fic "Love is too banal" but no one review it… I don't know if I should upload a new chapter or not, so… *coughs nervously* Would you mind taking a look at it and telling me what you think? Sorry for the advertising… I'm so pathetic… -_-
Cosmik