What Happened Last Chapter: What they didn't know was that right now, a pesky camera man was busy videotaping the whole scenario.

"This is going...to be the talk of the Hoenn region." he grinned mischieviously, looking back into the camera...

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CHAPTER 5: Found Out

Brendan and May pulled away from their almost-eternal kiss, looking deep into each other's eyes. Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. Brendan immediately jerked his head up for a sign of any intruder. So far...nothing. What just happened? Was there someone watching them?

Brendan ignored the thought and looked back at May. May and Brendan were suddenly not in the mood, so they just stood there, hands entertwined, for a while. Finally, May was too embarassed to speak as she buried her face in Brendan's shirt. "It's okay, May." he told her, not knowing what was wrong.

"Well,"spoke May, looking at Brendan in a whole new light. "Do you want to go back to the Fanclub? They're probably wondering where I am now." She grinned. "I mean, they are obsessive people, sorry to say."

"Sure," yawned Brendan in reply. "I'm tired, and there's only about a week until you get the gym and get the chance of a lifetime to beat the Elite Four."

"Well...I don't know if I'll beat the Elite Four. I-I hope I win, at least I hope." stammered May. "W-What if I lose against them? Everyone will hate me!"

"No, nobody will hate you, even if you fail. You have supporters everywhere you go. And you WILL beat the Elite Four, you've trained, and you have the determination. You believe in your pokémon. Once you set your sight on something, you won't give up until you achieve your goal."replied Brendan, wiping away a tear that was creeping down May's pale face. He then smiled. "Believe me, I know. I'm your neighbor and I know about you more than anybody else."

"Thanks." smiled back May, with one last sniff. They walked back to the club together, careful not to divulge their newly found secret as the stopped holding hands.

Unfortunately, Brendan and May's secret was out within seconds. Everyone all over the Hoenn region had obviously nothing to do at the moment and so, they watched television. Watching the PokéNews, they found out that May and Brendan, childhood friends and rivals,were finally together! Just like in a fairy tale! That's what everybody wanted, and expected, of course.

But life doesn't always work out that way.

On PokéNews, a newscaster was discussing the weather, and moments later, the weatherman's program was interrupted by a newscaster who was smiling devilishly, looking at the screen, staring at more than 1000 faces live.

"It has been known for about a few minutes that May Maple, the next Pokemon champion and Brendan Birch, Professor Birch's son, are a couple. For those who asked for proof, please see the next few moments of footage we have newly acquired."

The next clip showed Brendan and May talking, then leaning into each other and kissing. May's mother fainted, May's stepfather was busy at the gym to notice (as always). Brendan's father winced as he stared at the television screen, but he was also quite pleased with the pair anyway. May and Brendan? It was bound to happen.

So, when May and Brendan arrived, the news was already playing. The group of boys who told Brendan the advice winked knowingly, and all the girls were squealing in extremely high pitched noises. All the windows in the house instantly broke.

"So you and Brendan are a couple!"
"Oh my gosh, that is sooooo cute!"
"Don't you mean kawaii?"
"I know!"
"It's the same thing anyway."
"How was it like?"

May was overwhelmed with a bunch of faces, eagerly waiting for her to tell them what they wanted to hear: Yes, Brendan and I are a couple. Yes, aren't we cute? Now lets go have a bottle of pop and gossip and talk about myself all day long!

But she said the opposite. "Um...no...we're...we're just friends!" she smiled nervously.

One of the girls, however, replied, "We KNOW about your relationship. It's best if you get it in the open."

May raised her eyebrows. "Any proof?" she asked.
All the girls pointed to the television silently. "I REPEAT!" the television screamed. "BRENDAN AND MAY ARE A COUPLE! SEE THIS FOOTAGE FOR THE 10432th TIME!"

May saw T.V-self blushing and kissing Brendan. Who did this? It was not even five minutes ago that it happened and it was all over the news. What would her mom say? Probably nothing, but she would faint, thought May. She played the events over in her mind. The news played that footage 10432 times? These people had no life. Really.

Her real self was now timing with her television self blushing as the news played it for the 10433th time, while all the girls gushed and surrounded her. "You cannot hide from the FAAAANGIRLS!" they squealed as May escaped from the club and out the door, into the pouring rain.

The rain had an instant affect. One minute she was dry and miserable, the next she was wet and miserable. Heck, she'd prefer being wet and miserable if it meant being alone right now. She looked at the figure next to her who was standing in the rain in silence. His clothes were soaked too, his hair that was usually spiked, was now flat. His arms were spread out, taking the full affect of the rain. But he was not smiling. "Hey, Brendan..." May started.

Instantly, Brendan was jerked to reality. He glared at May. There was an awkward silence between them,but he interrupted the silence by saying, "...So you think you just use me?...Like a tool?"

"What do you mean?" May was oblivious and puzzled.

"Who else could have known about us? You knew this was going to happen, didn't you? You just wanted to be even more famous than you are now to get more attention! You USED me!" he nearly screamed at her.

"Y-you've got it all wrong!" shouted May. "What about you? I bet YOU were just jealous that I was famous and planned to become famous by kissing the "Champion-to-be", didn't you?" she accused.

"Are you turning this around so you can look like the victim? I KNOW it was you who told the press! And I'm not jealous!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." May scoffed, unbelieving.

"And how dare you accuse me of trying to get famous because of the LIKES OF YOU." he emphasized. "You celebrity-loving brat!" he spat.

"No," she replied cooly, turning from him. "You're the one who was jealous. I got all the attention, while a computer pokemon geek like you wanted to steal it away from me. Well, your plan backfired!"

Brendan made no comment.

Deciding to be the one in charge, May continued. "I've hated you, ever since the first moment I saw you. I know that I don't like you, and that you don't like me. Just like a few years ago when we were rivals. Just forget everything that happened since a few weeks ago. Just get out of my way and out of my life!" Her fists were now clenched, angry tears like a river down her pale face. She knew that Brendan was using her, and he was accusing her of the same thing! How dare he!

"So we've broken up?" asked Brendan, not really in a questioning tone but in a knowing, angry tone.

"You bet." said May through clenched teeth. "Starting tomorrow, we're rivals again. Clear?"

"Clear as crystal." replied Brendan smoothly, ready to leave.

"See you later, much later." were May's last words before she dashed into the forest, leaving Brendan in the clearing before he could react. She ran blindly through the trees, tears falling, until she felt like she couldn't run any more and her sides were aching. May had to get away from Brendan, away from him and away from all the pressure.

May looked around the forest. She had to find a place to stay for the night. After a few minutes of searching, she found a nice little clearing to set up camp. She took out a few pokeballs and opened them, releasing her trusty pokemon. "You're all I have left," mummured May to her pokemon. Her Beautifly looked at her with big, round, sad eyes. May turned from her pokemon's eyes, for she felt guilty every time she looked at them.

May pulled out raw berries from her bag, too tired to cook, and gave some to each of her pokemon. She waited until they were all fed, happy, and asleep before she cried as the last few embers were burning out. "I can't believe he did this to me...I thought he loved me. Apparently, I was wrong." were May's last thoughts as the last ember went out and all was shrouded in darkness once again.

Just like her heart.
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Preview of the Next Chapter, "You Can't Go Back":

...He wanted revenge. May had sold him out, just so little May could be more famous. But now he was taking the payback option. With his thoughts set on this, Brendan set off for Lilycove city.

I'd better train my pokemon more," he thought to himself. "It'll take hard work, but it'll all be worth it in the end. Revenge will be sweet."