Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I have not purchased Pokémon in past few days. Therefore, I still own nothing.

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Dawn got back to her luxurious apartment only five or six minutes after she left Paul. Why am I helping him? Dawn asked herself. He hasn't changed at all. What are you getting yourself into?

She dropped her bag near the door and flopped down on her couch, sighing. She pulled out her pokégear and began flipping through her contacts, trying to find the name she was looking for. She pressed 'send' and held the device up to her ear and waited for her best friend to pick up.

"Hello?" a voice answered, obviously eating something.

"Hey, May, it's Dawn."

"Dawn!" May swallowed and greeted her friend. "Saw the exhibition on TV. You were awesome!"

"Thanks," Dawn grinned. May always knew how to make her feel better.

"Really, though, that swift-flame wheel combination was gorgeous! I never would have thought to use swift on a ghost-type like that."

"We've been working hard on it," Dawn said, smiling. She rolled onto her side as she spoke and kicked off her shoes.

"What's up?" May asked.

"Hmm?" Dawn asked. "Why, do I seem like something's wrong?"

"You do now," May pointed out. "So, yeah. Spill."

Dawn sighed heavily and rolled onto her back. "I just. . . ran into someone I knew today. After the contest."

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmhmm," Dawn hummed.

"You gonna tell me who, or do I have to guess?" May questioned, taking another bite of whatever she was eating.

"What are you eating, May?" Dawn asked her friend.

"A peanut butter and jelly sandwich with cheese crackers in the middle," May answered. "But don't change the subject."

"That sounds disgusting," Dawn giggled. May sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you, then. It was Paul."

"Paul?" May asked. "Who's he...? Wait. No. That guy who used to be Ash's huge rival in Sinnoh? Dark purple hair, black eyes, kind of douche-y?"

"Right in one, May," Dawn answered.

"Didn't you have a huge crush on him?"

Dawn made a face. "What are you, the memory woman?"

"No," May laughed. "I just remember you telling me about him during the Hoenn Grand Festival the year after we met."

"I told you he was Ash's rival," Dawn corrected, evading the issue. "I never said I liked him... at least that night," she added under her breath.

"Yes, you did," May said. "Don't lie, chick-a-dee, I know you too well."

"Fine, I liked him," Dawn conceded. "A little."

"You liked him a lot, Dawn, but that's not my point right now. So, you ran into him today?" May continued. "Big deal. You haven't seen him in ten years or something like that. Hasn't he changed?"

"Not at all," Dawn said grumpily. "And worse, somehow I got roped into going to dinner with him."

"Least he's charming enough to get you to go to dinner," May offered uncertainly.

"No," Dawn replied firmly. "He kind of blackmailed me. Unintentionally, I think. But he said if I went to dinner with him, he'd meet my mom and pretend to be my boyfriend."

Well, it didn't go exactly like that, but that's what's going to happen, Dawn thought.

"Oh, honey," May sighed. "Can't you just tell your mom that you and fake mystery boyfriend broke up? It'd be so much easier than making it up."

"I know, I know," Dawn groaned. "But she was so sad when me and Kevin broke up. . . I hate making her look like that when it's so easy to lie."

"Well, what Kevin did was totally unforgivable," May reminded her. "It's not like you'd stay with a dirtbag like that. Besides, you two broke up two years ago."

"Still."

"Well, Dawn, I remember how much you liked Paul back then," May said, returning to the important topic. "Regardless of how much you try to deny it. If you do this, go to dinner with him, you're not going to. . . Well, get those feelings again, are you?"

"Of course not, May," Dawn laughed. "No need to worry. I'm a grown-up now. I know what's good for me!"

"Good," May said, not entirely convinced by this. "So, more importantly, what're you going to wear?"

"That's sort of why I called," Dawn said, standing and walking to her bedroom. "It's apparently really fancy. . . Plus, I want to knock Paul's socks off. I'm going to look hot."

"Thought you didn't like him."

"I don't. I'm showing him that I'm too good to be with him by looking amazing," Dawn explained. On the other end, May was frowning.

"Sounds like you're asking for trouble with that. . . . Need me to come over?"

"Aren't you in Hoenn?" Dawn asked, pulling open the door to her closet.

"Um," May said uneasily, "I'm in LaRousse City. That's not too far from Sinnoh."

"Why're you in LaRousse?" Dawn asked.

"Uh... Shopping," May responded.

"You're a horrible liar, May," Dawn said absently, searching through her giant walk-in closet.

"Fine, I am visiting Drew," May said very quickly. Dawn smiled slyly.

"Nah, stay with Drew," Dawn said sweetly. "I don't need a top Coordinator mad at me for stealing away his girlfriend."

"Dawn..."

"Fine, I take it back, but stay in LaRousse anyway. I'll call Drew's house and show you what I'm wearing over video chat. Well, a couple choices, that is. Deal?" Dawn suggested.

"Okay," May said. "Thanks, Dawn."

"No problem. Just make sure you're not having too much fun with Drew when I call. I know there's some stuff you'll be doing that I do not want to see."

"How would you even know?" May replied. "Miss I'm-Saving-Myself-For-Prince-Charming?"

"That is something totally different," Dawn insisted. "Plus, it's a good thing I am. Imagine if I didn't, and I did it with Kevin. And now I'm hanging up. Lots to do. I need to be ready by seven. I'll call you in a couple hours."

"Bye, Dawn."

Dawn snapped her pokégear shut. She had wanted to see May, but she couldn't drag her away from Drew. But she still needed a fashion critic before she called May back. She had the feeling May would be annoyed if Dawn needed to show her a zillion different dresses (and if May wasn't annoyed, Drew certainly would be). She couldn't call Zoey, because Zoey was away at a Contest in Floraroma Town. Misty wouldn't care. Guess that just left her Pokémon. Fortunately, they were great fashion critics. Taught by the best, Dawn thought, giggling as she walked to the door to get her Pokéballs. She released them all at once.

"All right, you guys, we're on a time limit," Dawn said as soon as her Piplup, Quilava, Lopunny, Pachirisu, Mamoswine, and Togekiss appeared. "It's two o'clock now, and I need a kick-assass dress for a dinner party by six thirty."

"Pip, Piplup?" Piplup asked. Dawn shook her head.

"No, I can't take you guys... I'm sorry about that," Dawn apologized. "But don't you want to help me look good?"

Her Pokémon nodded, and Dawn smiled. "Let's get to work, then!"

- / - / - / -

It was six forty-five when Dawn was frantically dialing Drew's house number. She was way behind schedule. Fortunately, Drew picked up after just two rings.

"Get me May!" Dawn ordered shrilly. Drew raised his eyebrows before moving out of the way.

May rushed forward. "Okay, you're way behind schedule. Now, go!"

Dawn smiled gratefully at her friend. "I've got it narrowed down to three dresses."

Dawn took three steps back and did a quick twirl. She was wearing a black halter dress. It was backless, and the hem on her right leg stopped at her upper thigh, and on her left leg, it went past her knee. She was wearing three-inch black stilettos with it.

"Too sexy," May dismissed.

"I was afraid of that," Dawn whimpered. She didn't even go back to her room to change; just yanked the dress off over her head. The next dress she pulled on was hot pink, strapless, and went all the way to the floor. The back was laced up, and the bodice of the dress was beaded. Very beaded. Too shiny, too sparkly.

May tilted her head. It wasn't perfect, but Dawn always looked good in pink.

"You always look good in pink," May said honestly. "But I'm not sure if this is what you want. It's really sparkly."

Dawn groaned again and pulled the dress off. The final dress Dawn tried on was also floor-length. It too, was strapless. There was beading just along the top inch of the dress, which caught just enough light to sparkle. It was a strange shade of purple, and it looked totally gorgeous on her.

"That's your dress, Dawn," May sighed. "You look gorgeous."

"Thanks, May, you're the best!" Dawn squealed. "I'd hug you if I could. But I need to go do hair and makeup."

"How're you doing your hair?" May questioned.

"Curling it, I think," Dawn answered. "If I have time."

"'Kay," May said. "Have fun, honey. . . But don't. . . You know. . ."

"Don't like him," Dawn called over her shoulder as she went back to her room. "No need to worry, May. Thanks for your help!"

"Call me tomorrow, Dawn! Don't forget!"

"I never forget, May, no need to worry!"

"You always forget!"

May sighed and shut off the videophone. She looked over at Drew, who was lounging on a couch.

"You ditched me for that?" Drew complained. May smiled.

"Best friend crisis wins over boyfriend sometimes," May purred, curling up next to Drew. "What did I miss in the movie?"

"You were actually watching it?" Drew asked, surprised. May giggled and shook her head.

"I was a little distracted," May admitted.

"Need me to distract you some more?" Drew breathed in her ear. May shivered.

"Couldn't hurt," May smiled.

- / - / - / -

The knock of Dawn's door came at seven twenty. She had just finished getting dressed with her makeup perfect and complete. Stupid Paul, Dawn thought angrily. Can't he be late like every other boy on the planet? I didn't get to curl my hair.

Dawn grabbed a handbag that matched her dress and walked to the door of her apartment and opened it. Paul stood on the other side, dressed in a black suit with no tie. He glanced up from his watch.

"Let's go," Paul said, turning and walking back down the hall. Dawn scowled after him. She followed him, walking more slowly because of her heels. "Arceus, could you walk any slower? I'm on a schedule, here."

"You're an ass," Dawn told him. "I don't have to do this for you, you know."

Paul shrugged. They walked in silence to his car. It was sleek, black, and looked very fast. Dawn was impressed. She liked fast cars.

"Nice car," Dawn said appreciatively.

"Hm," Paul grunted. He circled to the driver's side door and got in. Dawn got into the passenger seat, annoyed that Paul hadn't once commented on how she looked. Paul started the engine, and the car purred. Dawn smiled. This was a fast car.

Paul drove the short distance from Dawn's apartment to the freeway, where he shot over to the fast lane and stayed on the gas until he was going 95 miles per hour.

"So," Dawn started. "I know how you can repay me for doing this for you."

Paul said nothing. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Tomorrow, you're going with me to meet my mom," Dawn told him. "And you'll pretend like you've been my boyfriend for a few months. 'Kay?"

"Why would I do that?" Paul grumbled.

"Because I got all dressed up to go with you, a guy I haven't seen for ten years and who I am pretty sure is still a douche Mankey, to a dinner party with people I don't know," Dawn snapped. "And you didn't even tell me I look pretty. So, you'll go with me to meet my mom."

"Why does she think I'm your boyfriend?"

"Well," Dawn said uncomfortably, "I sort of told her I started dating someone a few months ago, but he was always busy, so he didn't have time to go meet her."

"Why did you tell her it was me, if you haven't seen me for ten years?"

"I, er, didn't ever give her a name," Dawn confessed. Paul glanced at her, smirking slightly.

"So, I was right when I said you didn't have a boyfriend."

"Leave it alone, Sparky, or I won't go with you."

"You're already going," Paul pointed out.

"I don't have to go in."

"Fine," Paul said huffily. "I'll go meet your stupid mother tomorrow."

"Thanks," Dawn grinned. "And you'll be civil, and will act like you like me."

"I never agreed to that."

"Well, luckily for you, I agreed on your behalf."

"This is going to be a very long night," Paul muttered. Dawn silently agreed with him.

"Look at it this way," Dawn said brightly. "After tomorrow, we never have to see each other again."

"There's always that little silver lining," Paul agreed. Dawn looked out the window, frowning. Does he really hate me that much? He doesn't even know me.

They spent the rest of the drive in total silence.

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