Chapter 4: Staying Over
Drew took the damp washcloth and dabbed it on May's scrape. May hissed in slight pain from the sting. Rapidash neighed angrily at Drew.
"It's okay, Rapidash." May said.
Rapidash backed up and just glared at Drew. Drew cleaned the blood off of May's leg. May watched as Drew put the washcloth down and grabbed the bandage, ripping it open. Drew took the small tube-like item and unscrewed the cap.
Drew looked at May's eyes. "It might sting a bit more."
"Just do it." May said.
Drew squeezed the tube directly above May's wound and some clear cream-like substance came out of the tube and onto the scrape. Drew used the tube to smear the cream over the entire wound. He then closed the tube and put it in the first aid kit. He peeled the bottom of the bandage, revealing the sticky part of it. He lined it up above the scrape and pressed it on, covering the entire wound. He rubbed it, making sure there's no wrinkles in the bandaid.
"All good." Drew said, backing away.
May looked at the bandaid and then at Drew. "Thank you." She said.
Drew nodded and took the first aid kit back to his bathroom. He came out in a minute and he sat down on the bed next to May.
Rapidash nuzzled his head into May's hand, May petting him. "I'm okay, Rapidash." May said. "Thanks to Drew."
Drew smiled. Rapidash backed away from May and walked over to Drew. Drew reached his hand out and Rapidash put his head up against it. Drew pet Rapidash. "You trust me now?" Drew asked.
Rapidash backed away and glared at Drew.
May giggled. "Not completely, I guess."
"That's fine." Drew said. "At least he's starting to."
May looked at Drew and stared into his eyes from the sideways view that she has. She's starting to see that...maybe Drew doesn't want her to himself. She blushed slightly and looked around Drew's bedroom. It's pretty roomy and big like her room back at the castle. She frowned, remembering the past.
Drew looked at May and his expression turned serious. "Hey. Are you okay?"
May looked at Drew and gave him a fake smile. "Yeah. I'm fine. You've been so nice to us, so why wouldn't I be fine?"
"I don't know." Drew answered. "But you seemed down right now."
"Oh. It's nothing really." May said. "I appreciate the help with those men and my wound, but I think we'll get going now." She said, standing up.
"What? You can't." Drew said. May looked at Drew in confusion. "I mean...you both are free to stay here while your leg heals. You wouldn't want to go riding when your hurt, right?"
"But...I don't want to be a bother…"
"You won't be." Drew said. "Please. I suggest you stay to let your leg heal."
"Well…" May looked at Rapidash who just gave her a look that tells her to decide for both of them. May looked back at Drew. She smiled. "I guess a few days can't hurt."
Drew smiled. "Okay. I'll go show you both to a room that you'll stay in." He stood up and led May and Rapidash out of his room.
They went down the hall and entered a bedroom that's actually the one right next to Drew's. "Wow…" May breathed, looking around the room.
"You both can stay here for as long as you need." Drew said.
"Thank you, Drew. Considering how mad you make me sometimes, you've been really nice to us today."
"I'm a nice guy." Drew said. "Just make yourselves at home and I'll actually come get you for breakfast in a bit."
"Ohh...right…" May said. "I completely forgot that we haven't eaten yet."
Drew smiled. "I'll come back in 10 minutes." With that said, he left the room.
May sat down on the bed. "Rapidash, why do you think he's doing this?"
Rapidash looked at May in confusion.
"I mean, why is he letting us stay here? It kind of feels like there's some other reason besides my leg healing that he's letting us stay."
Rapidash neighed. May sighed. "You might be right. That's probably the only reason, but he's shown great kindness to us. It just seems...strange for two people who barely know each other to be that nice right off the bat." Rapidash neighed in agreement. May smiled. "And he also let you enter as well. Now that's beyond normal kindness."
10 minutes later…
Knock knock knock.
May looked at the door and saw Drew standing in the doorway. "Breakfast is ready." Drew said. "Coming?"
May looked at Rapidash. She looked back at Drew. "Do you have Pokémon food too?"
"Of course I do. I wouldn't forget about your friend there. So, coming?"
May nodded and stood up. "Let's go, Rapidash." May and Rapidash walked to Drew, leaving the room. They followed him to a dining room.
May saw two plates of pancakes on the table. "Ooh! Smells good!" She rushed to the table. "Did you make these?"
Drew smiled. "Yep. Me living alone here, I learned how to cook."
May sat down at the table. "Sounds cool."
Drew sat down at the spot in front of May. "Rapidash, your food is right there." Drew pointed.
Rapidash stood next to May and bent his head down, eating from the food bowl that's on the table.
Drew looked at May. "Go ahead and eat."
May took her fork and started eating the pancakes. Drew soon started eating after her.
"Are they good?" Drew asked.
"They're great! Homemade pancakes are the best!"
Drew chuckled.
"Drew?"
"Hm?"
"Living here...in this big mansion…" May started. "Does it ever get lonely? Without friends or family?"
Drew froze for a moment before answering. "It does all the time. You see...my parents are a big reason that I wanted to leave home so badly and live on my own."
"Really? Why?"
"They just...would treat me like I can't handle myself on my own. I'm nineteen now but when I was eighteen, I just decided that I'd leave somewhere else, away from them, and show them that I'm not some little kid. They do visit me every so often and I usually always hate those days."
"Is that why you pleaded for me to stay?"
Drew blushed. "Well...I wouldn't say that I pleaded for you to stay...I just...wanted to make sure you feel safe, and...I want your wound to heal. And I also know that those guys that hurt you won't ever be coming here, because of the security system."
May gave a small smile. "You...want to protect me and keep me safe?"
"I...umm...did I say that?"
May nodded and giggled. Drew's face turned more red. "I'm glad knowing that you won't hurt me like those guys did." May said. "They put ropes around Rapidash's neck. What was that about?" She continued eating.
"They were wanting to steal him." Drew said. "They were bandits that probably wanted him for their getaways. They must've come across you both in the forest and saw an opportunity because you two were asleep."
May sighed. "Maybe you were right. I can't handle myself out here. I mean...Rapidash is the only Pokémon I have."
Drew stared at May for a while. "At first," he started. "I honestly thought you were homeless." He admitted.
"Homeless? Me?"
"That's what I said, June."
May glared at Drew.
"So umm...that was at first, when I first saw you two in that flower field." Drew continued. "And that's why I went to you. I wanted to see if you might've needed some help with money problems, thinking you didn't have a home of course."
"That makes sense."
"So...just to clarify...you aren't homeless?"
May shook her head. "Well, actually...umm…" she turned her head and looked at Rapidash. Rapidash gave her a look that told her that it's her decision on what to say. May looked back at Drew, but her gaze was focused on his plate of pancakes. "You see...um…"
Drew was waiting for an answer from May, but none came. She had shaken her head and then said "well, actually" which confused Drew. But the silence now feels awkward to both of them.
Drew could see that May's arm with the fork in it was shaking. He noticed the expression on her face is sad and she might even be a little scared. Scared of what though? That's what Drew is curious about. But he already admitted that he wants to keep her safe, so he'll try his best to do that.
"You know what? Just forget I asked that question." Drew said.
May looked up at Drew. "But why?"
"I can see that it made you feel a bit uncomfortable. I'm sorry for asking."
"No, no, no." May said quickly. "It's fine. I'm fine."
"If you say so." Drew said. "You don't have to answer that though. Tell me only if you want to. And it doesn't have to be soon. It could be never if you want. Just...don't worry about it."
May smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Drew. It's just...if I feel up to it sometime in the future, then I'll tell you. Thanks for understanding."
Drew nodded. "No problem." He continued eating his food. May soon continued eating after Drew.
Drew is in his room. May is in hers with Rapidash laying down on the floor. May had received a complete tour of the mansion by Drew of course. Drew ended up cooking something for lunch and dinner also. The entire day was exciting for May. It's now nighttime.
May is staring up at the ceiling. "I wonder if Drew and I are actually friends now. Or if we could be."
Rapidash neighed softly.
"Yeah...I don't even know if he considers me a friend. And earlier today at breakfast...he said that he wanted to keep me safe." She blushed. "Does he know that I'm the Princess?"
Rapidash neighed softly.
"I don't know either." May said. "I wish I did. If he knows though, he definitely would've mentioned it, so...I'm just going to assume that he doesn't know."
Rapidash neighed softly in agreement.
"And he can't know. You're right." May said. "We'll continue playing it safe. And whatever you do, make sure that he doesn't touch the saddlebag. He can't see the tiara."
Rapidash affirmed.
"Alright then. Good night, Rapidash. See you tomorrow."
