Well, I'm back! Here's the next chapter!

Zoey felt as if she was stuck up against a corner. "Well, its now or never…"

Just when Zoey was about to confess her feelings for him, Paul had stopped her by placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Listen Zoey, I can understand if you don't want to tell me something right now. I don't want to make it seem like I'm pressuring you to say something."

The words had seemed to have touched Zoey. She felt so understood and cared for. She turned around to face Paul and gave him a 'friendly' hug. He in turn, returned the hug and they held each other. That was until Paul's Ursaring came up to his trainer with a confused look. When Paul had noticed this, he instantly separated from Zoey and returned his pokemon to its ball.

"Ursaring, return!"

After he had returned Ursaring, he helped Zoey get up and soon they were back on the road. Paul decided that he would carry Zoey's backpack until they arrive at the Lake Valour Pokemon Center. Zoey was touched by the offer and just couldn't say "Paul, I'll take the backpack."

She then thought about what he had told her back at the tree…

"Listen Zoey, I can understand if you don't want to tell me something right now. I don't want to make it seem like I'm pressuring you to say something."

"DOES THAT MEAN THAT HE KNOWS I FANCY HIM!" she said to herself while having a shocked expression. "I knew I was rushing it… At least it's a good thing he stopped me, or else our relationship would've been skewed."

Paul noticed Zoey's shocked expression and curiosity got the better of him.

"Zoey, are you alright?"

Zoey snapped back into reality. "Huh? Oh, I'm fine…" she said with a somewhat sad expression.

Paul wasn't convinced. "Let's stop here for a break."

Zoey wasn't too pleased with the stop but she indeed had to agree; her arm was killing her. During the course of the day, Zoey noticed something else about Paul that she had not noticed before. He was acting a bit more… nice?

"That's strange… I wonder who or what made him that way…"

First the first time in his life, Paul had smiled. He gave Torterra a pat on the head and actually gave out pokemon food on plates instead of cans. He sat down in front of his pokemon and watched them eat more joyfully than they had before (most likely due to the plates). When he had finished returning the pokemon after their snacks, he walked over to Zoey, who was now resting next to a tree, and helped her get up. When Zoey had grabbed his hand to be helped up, she just couldn't let go, and neither could Paul. They felt; warm.

"What am I doing… I should let go of Zoey's hand but… it feels so warm and content…"

"Why am I holding onto Paul's hand? I should let go but something's stopping me…"

They both raised their heads and met in each other's eyes, in which they instantly got lost into.

"I'd never thought I'd say this but she looks so beautiful…"

"Oh Christ… Why does Paul have to be so damn perfect…"

They both unknowingly moved their heads closer together. They were so close that they could almost feel each other breathing. That was, until…

"Hey, Paul!" someone cried out.

When they heard the voice, they instantly separated and almost fell backwards.

"Jeez! Why does that loser always have to get in the way of thing…" Paul thought to himself.

Well… who was that 'loser'? Guess you'll find out in the next chapter!