Chapter 14
"Welcome back!" cheers the group as the purple haired boy walks into the house.
Smiling at them, he exclaims, "I'm home!" He then goes around to greet everyone while also giving them hugs.
"You got really far this year!" Shay says to her brother who placed in the top 16.
"I'll get it next year!" Shane determinedly tells them.
"Where are you going next year?" Pam asks her son. He just got home but he's already planning for his next departure. Although she admires that about him, she is sad to see him leave again.
"Hoenn!" he enthusiastically announces. "The closest gym to Little Root Town is Petalburg, so I'm gonna train all summer to beat him once I arrive!"
"There's a reason people go back to him after they get 4 badges." May knowingly tells the boy.
"Well, I'll beat him for my first one!" he announces. May just gives him a knowing smile. Her father will calm down Shane's arrogance. She now frowns as she thinks about her father and her family. It's been two years.
"You should try to find Mirage Island!" Shay excitedly says.
"Mirage Island?" Shane curiously asks. "I heard that's just a legend."
Shaking her head, Shay points to May. "May's been there!"
"Then I'll find it!" Shane grins at the woman.
With it being summer, May has less meetings with the contest committee because construction has started for the new contest hall. She's since moved on from Drew's short stay on the island, and May's routine life has returned. Her and Kai have grown closer by sharing more happy stories about Brenden.
Currently, the Enbars, May, and Kai are grilling in the backyard for Shane's welcome home party. They do this every summer, and May appreciates how the Enbars always treat her and Kai like family. She watches as Kai battles Shane. The young boy always uses May's Pokemon when he battles, so he has great chemistry with them.
Soon, a huge gust of wind causes everyone to shield their eyes from the dust. When the wind stops, they look up to see a Flygon and a green haired man smirking at them. May's jaw drops slightly at him. She never expected to see him again, especially after Brianna picked up her call. Last May heard, Drew is still with the woman, despite claiming he doesn't like her.
"You came, Drew!" Shay excitedly greets the man. She had invited him because he called saying he'd be on the island today. The day just happened to be the same one as Shane's party.
"Thanks for the invite." Drew grins at her and ruffles her hair. He then looks in May's direction where he smirks at the woman with her mouth still open. "You're attracting flies, June." His comment shakes her from her daze while she now glares at him. Before she can yell at him, a thornless red rose is held in front of her face. "I said I'd visit."
Staring at the rose she took from him, May just nods, which makes him chuckle. Drew then greets the Enbar parents. Once he gets to Shane, he extends a hand to the older boy who he's heard about. "Shane, right? I'm-"
"Drew Hayden!" Despite being a battler, everyone knows of the famous people in their region.
With his trademark smirk and hair flick, Drew replies, "Yup. I'm a friend of Shay's." Shane now opens his eyes widely at his sister who is blushing. Since when did Shay become friends with Drew Hayden?
Drew makes his way to Kai. Kai has been avoiding Drew as soon as he arrived, but Drew wants to get to know Kai better. May cares about the boy, which means Drew does too. "Hey, Kai."
The boy nods without looking at Drew. Before Drew can engage in small talk with him, May calls over to him, "Grasshead!" Frowning from the name, Drew turns to face her. "Let's battle."
He then smirks at her while grabbing his pokeballs. "Get ready to lose again, April!"
"When I win, you better start getting my name right!" May releases Blaziken.
"When I win, you owe me an honest conversation." Drew calls out Flygon, and May gives him a confused look. Honest conversation? Why? "You also need to show me a new contest move!" he smiles at her as their Pokemon battle.
Furrowing her brows because she's trying to focus on the battle, May replies, "I thought you left, so I didn't come up with one."
He doesn't blame her for thinking he left since he never thought he'd be back here. Fortunately, Jasmine needed an errand to be done on Cianwood City, so Drew volunteered, leaving Brianna in Olivine City to help with the last of the relief efforts. "I'll be back, so show me next time."
Shaking her head at him, May looks back at the battle. She's missed her playful banters with him. "Focus on the battle, grasshead!"
"Sure thing, September." he smirks as he watches her face heat up in anger. May makes it too easy to tease her. He's really missed her these past couple of months.
The battle ends with Drew winning again. He trains his Pokemon often because he doesn't want to be around Brianna. May doesn't train her Pokemon. She lets her students battle with them, but that's it. Again, she loses by 2 pokemon.
Groaning, May sits in the lawn chair and Drew sits beside her. "I leave tonight, so let's have this talk."
"Are you gonna be honest with me too then?" she inquires.
Shrugging, he smirks at her. "You lost the bet. Not me."
"I'll beat you next time."
"I look forward to it, July."
"Okay, grasshead!" fumes the woman who lunges at him.
Laughing, Drew holds her wrists back. "Calm down, November!"
"I'm gonna kill you!"
On the other side of the yard, Shane asks, "Are they dating?" His sister had informed him about what had happened while he was gone. Everyone was very amazed with the beautiful battle. May and Drew battle with style rather than brute force. It's what's expected from coordinators anyway.
"No. He's still with Brianna." Shay has been following Drew on the news again since he left a few months ago.
"It doesn't matter," mutters Kai. "He's gonna leave again."
"And come back." Shay knowingly tells her friend. She's spoken to Drew a few times, so she knows he cares about May.
"I don't like him." Kai states.
"Because you don't like sharing May?" teases the girl, making him roll his eyes.
"I don't want May to get hurt again when he leaves."
"Wait. So what are they?" Shane curiously asks the two.
"Friends." Shay answers with air quotes.
Because it is summer and Shane just arrived, May lets Kai sleepover at the Enbars. "Can I get a ride?" asks the green haired man as he and May walk out after bidding the Enbars goodbye.
"You have Flygon." She reminds him. The two had spent some time talking during the barbeque, but Drew was also catching up with everyone else while sharing journey stories with Shane.
Opening her passenger side door, Drew smirks at her. "He's tired from the battle."
Rolling her eyes, May sits inside and drives off with Drew in the seat beside her. "Where to?"
"Your place."
"No." She's alone and she doesn't want to risk them getting caught by the media.
"We need to talk, May." he says. "If I bring you to my hotel room, the media will really go crazy."
"And they won't when I bring you to my empty house?" she shoots back at him. May has been avoiding this serious conversation she owes Drew.
"Fine. Let's go to a public park or something." he suggests. It's summer, so the cool night air isn't too bad.
"Fine." Soon, they pull up to a school. "This is where I work." She tells him and gets out of the car.
Following her, Drew gazes around at the building and the blacktop. May leads him to the swings where she sits on one and he sits on the one beside her. The two swing for a bit before Drew asks, "Is there anything you don't wanna talk about?"
Scoffing, May says, "You're just gonna ask about them."
He shrugs. "Maybe? Maybe not?"
"I don't wanna talk about Kai or my family or why I quit coordinating."
"Well, I wanna know about Kai."
"No." insists the brunette looking over at him.
Drew slows his swinging down to look at her. "He's important to you, so he's important to me."
"You guys rarely talk." May knowingly tells him.
"But he's important to me." Drew repeats. "Why is he so important to you?"
Looking away, May drags her feet on the ground as the swing moves slowly. "Drew, please-"
"May." He sternly says. "This is my only question. I promise." He can tell that this is eating at her, and he wants to know why. He wants to support her and help her.
Sighing, May closes her eyes to keep her tears at bay. "He's my childhood friend's son." She takes a shaky breath. "He passed away a few years ago and left Kai in my care."
Many people know that the Maples and the Birches are good friends, so Drew isn't surprised to hear May was friends with Professor Birch's son. However, he didn't know they were close enough for the late man to entrust his son to her. Why isn't Kai with his grandfather, the professor? Drew did promise May he wouldn't ask her anymore questions, so he doesn't.
When he hears sniffling, he gazes back at her to see her eyes are still closed as her head hangs low. Getting up, Drew takes a step close to her where he picks her up from the swing to hug her tightly. "Thanks, May."
Being in his arms reminds her of the times she would lose contests and he would console her years ago. He's a lot taller and more muscular now, but he still smells like roses. She hugs him back tightly while crying into his chest. It's been years since she cried over Brenden, which is why she avoids thinking about his death. Why did she even agree to tell Drew? She could've lied. But then Drew actually visited like he promised, so she felt the need to follow through with her words too.
"Kai's lucky to have you." whispers Drew to the sobbing girl in his arms. He's missed touching her and hugging her. He's missed her. He really doesn't want to leave tonight, but he knows he has to, else Brianna will threaten him again.
After some time, May's cries have slowed down and she pulls away, much to Drew's dismay. Keeping her gaze away from him, she says, "Sorry, Drew."
He grins at the woman. "You shouldn't apologize for your feelings, May." She had told him the same thing months ago.
This makes May giggle, and she looks up into his warm emerald eyes. "When's the next time you'll be here?"
Sighing, Drew honestly replies, "I don't know."
"Call me when you do." the hopeful woman says.
"Make sure you have that contest move ready for me next time I'm here." Groudon, he loves her sapphire eyes. They're always so beautiful, especially in the moonlight.
Flashback
"I'm scared, Drew!" cries the 13 year old girl as she clings onto his back.
"The ghosts are in Pokemon Tower, May." The 14 year old boy knowingly tells her. After waking up all of Pokemon Tower, May has been traumatized by the friendly ghost Pokemon. Currently, she and Drew are camped out on the route west of Lavender Town. She's in her own sleeping bag, but she's pressed against his back. Although Drew loves physical contact with May, it's too dangerous for the teenage boy.
"But what if they followed me? I did piss them off." she worriedly asks.
"They weren't mad. They wanted to play." However, May was too scared, so she ran off before realizing the Pokemon just wanted to play.
Groaning, he turns around to face her where he sees her scared blue eyes. "I'll protect you from them, okay? Just go to sleep already." Drew highly doubts he'll have to protect her from the harmless ghost Pokemon. Nevertheless, he and May do have a long day of traveling tomorrow, and Drew is exhausted from their adventure today. There are a lot of stairs in Pokemon Tower. Plus, May being this close to him is making it very hard for him to sleep.
"Thanks, Drew." he's happy to see her eyes look more relieved. She's softly gazing into his emerald orbs, and Drew finds himself inching closer to her. Groudon, this has happened before, and he's always dreamed of actually going all the way. However, something always interrupts them, which Drew is grateful for, though he also gets upset.
For example, right now, May's stomach growling shakes him from his daze and he quickly turns his back to her again. Her sapphire orbs are too dangerous since they always mesmerize him. "You're hungry again?" he exasperates.
"I'm always hungry! You know that, Drew!" she exclaims in embarrassment as she also turns her back to him. She's thankful for her stomach, else she almost kissed her best friend. Although May has wanted to kiss him for some time now because he's her crush, she won't. She doesn't want to ruin their relationship, so she'd rather have him as a friend than a stranger.
Flashback Over
"I should go." Mutters the man who quickly backs away from her. He almost kissed May again! Groudon, Drew! What is he doing? It's only going to bring more trouble for her if he keeps seeing her, but Drew can't stop seeing her. He always wants to be with her because he misses her. Because he's drawn to her. Something about May makes him happier and lights a fire in him. She's like an addiction to him.
Checking her pokenav to hide her blush, May notices the time. "It's late, Drew."
He calls out Flygon who is now well rested. "See ya later, June!" Drew yells as he flies off. May can't help but smile at the sky until she doesn't see him anymore. She can't wait for his next visit, and she will train her Pokemon for his return. She hasn't felt this passionate about training in a long time, but she loves it. Drew always ignites a passion in her.