Update July 2013: This chapter has been updated and revised from its original version. Past errors have been fixed and adjustments have been made but the plot of the chapter, characters, and events have remained the same.
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! It's thanks to you all that we've reached 700 reviews! Please keep them coming! I can't thank you all enough! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Happy reading!
Oh, and get ready for the climax of the story, because it's going to start rolling at the end. Everyone seems to want drama because the past couple chapters seemed too "happy-go-lucky"... Just keep in mind that there are seven chapters left! Just because the past couple chapters have been light-hearted and fun, doesn't meant that the rest will! I did plan a lot of drama starting next chapter, and quite a bit of angst, too! I just hope you guys will be able to handle it! :D
Responses to Reviews...
Inkorporated: Gosh, I'm so glad that I have a pack of snickerdoodle cookies at home to satisfy any cookie cravings I may have! I love snickerdoodle cookies... I don't even think there's a shipping for them, lol! I'm not turning Gary back into his egotistical self, despite how lovable he was back when he was cocky! There's only going to be heartbreak for him, unfortunately. D:
The Last Poison Apple: I'm happy to hear that! You make my day just by reviewing! :D
Pear-Shaped: LOL! Can't you just imagine Paul's fury? xD
theasianwonder: Basically! ;)
Pokemaster: Yes, yes he is! Lol, Paul as the newest cookie monster...hahahahahaha!
KurunaGirl: Ahh, that's what I led you guys to think! Don't forget, there are still seven chapters left in this story. A lot can happen in seven chapters, and it's definitely not all 'happy-go-lucky!' There will be a lot of angst, and I mean a lot of angst! I just hope I don't upset any of my readers! And there will be an argument...a big one in a way, which is going to be lead up to by drama. I'm not going to be revealing anymore, but you'll probably be able to guess near the end of this chapter. Just keep in mind that just because something hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean that it won't happen. :)
Monochrome13: I've always pictured Dawn as extremely petite, and petite people are evil (myself included!) so of course she has to have that evil spark! xD
leontinees: You know, it didn't cross my mind, either, until two weeks ago when I suddenly began to miss Brianna, and so I brought her back in my storyline! :)
SpikEarPichu'sTrainer: I'm sorry, but I honestly couldn't think of one! Glaceon is literally the only four-legged ice-type pokémon. :\
Yuri. Alisa18: Hello there! Nice to meet you! :) First off, I'd just like to thank you for everything you said about my fanfic! As for the "basics" that you asked me to teach...well, I don't think I'm the best teacher for that. xD Lol, the only thing I can tell you is to make sure that you have good grammar and writing skills. Meaning, know where to put your punctuation, when to end a sentence, what punctuation is appropriate to use, etc. No one likes to read a story that's hard to understand! I'd suggest reading some of your favorite books and studying the way they are written for a foundation to build your knowledge of writing off of. That's what I do. :p
Solar Powered Pandas: I know! Can you believe that they were actually attending school before all of this? :') Thank you so much!
SunshineTails: Thank you so much! :D I agree! I just feel like the cast for the Hunger Games is perfect! Each actor and actress portrays their own characters perfectly! I love them! And it's not sad! Lol, I'm on the same boat as you guys. xD
dorkyreader859: No, it was funny! xP Gosh, you made my mouth water—I love ice cream! Do you like butter pecan? That's my favorite flavor. :)
HI the rose: There's going to be drama, alright, and a lot of it. But Brianna may not be the one who's bringing the drama!
FlygonFan: Haha, thanks! I'll let you know if I ever want a cameo!
Claudette14: School's ending in about two weeks for me. :p Right? Isn't he sweet? :D
Fprmr1: Lol! I already used it at the end of the last chapter! :p
Chi-Chiwawa: Why thank you! :D I'm really sorry that I haven't gotten around to the viewpoint thing! With finals and everything coming up, I really haven't had much time to spare! I'll try to get to it as soon as possible!
xDragonairx: There will definitely be more drama lol; I had it planned, and everyone seems to want it, so there definitely will be! I honestly don't like the new pokémon at all, or the new characters. But lol! Your typo! That's why I have autocorrect shut off on my iPhone. xD
torchic chick: I update every week! :)
PokeGirl657: Lol! Well, I do like Brunetteshipping a lot (though not as much as Contestshipping) so it's only natural that I lay it on heavy with them. ;D
Jace'sVampiress97: We should make that a national holiday! :)
Blitz: Life is going swell! How about you, sweetheart? :) I'd love to travel to Australia someday! What is it like there?
UltimateLoveStorys: Hahaha! I love him, too!
Sora-May: Lol! I once choked myself while laughing while I was drinking water, and I spit it all over my friend. :)
shanasakura-scarlet21: Oh god, my friends are absolutely terrifying. I'm the smallest one out of the group, and they all like to harass the crap out of me! Lol, it's terrible being short sometimes. The tall one likes to put all of her weight on me just to crush me. :P
EeveeTransformed: Lol! How about you just promise to review before every update? It doesn't matter when, as long as you review once for every chapter! xD You'll see!
OrangesAreAwesome: Yes, he can! Surprisingly! :D And poor Paul! LOL!
Love Unexpected chapter 33
"Brianna, could you hand me my mousse? I can't reach it."
"Here you go," Brianna singsonged without removing her gaze from the bathroom mirror, which she was staring into to apply some mascara.
"Thanks," Dawn muttered as she took the tiny bottle and squeezed some product into her hand.
She rubbed her palms together before she went on to tousle her shoulder-length waves. Afterward, she walked across the large bathroom to the full-length mirror, where she assessed her party assemble.
"Do I look okay?" she asked.
Brianna stuck her mascara wand back into its tube and turned her head to get a look at Dawn.
Of course, the pink-loving girl just couldn't refrain from wearing a dress with pink in it. Though the dress did have a silver sequined bodice, the rest of it was made up entirely of a flowy pink skirt that went down to her knees. To match the dress, she had selected a pair of hot pink peep-toe pumps. The sleek look of the patent leather combined with the silver glitter-coated heel and platform made for the perfect pair of shoes for her. The entire assemble made her look incredibly flirty and playful.
"You look absolutely adorable," Brianna smiled truthfully. "That dress makes you look great."
"You don't think I'm showing too much skin?" Dawn inquired. "I mean, I am showing my back."
She turned to get a look at her backside in the mirror, while adjusting the straps on her shoulder. Aside from the wings of the dress bodice that fastened at her back like a bra, nearly her entire back was exposed.
"Please, Dawn. If you're showing too much skin then I'm right there with you."
Brianna and Dawn both turned their heads just as Marina strode into the bathroom, looking as beautiful and elegant as ever with her hair gathered over one shoulder. Always the classy one, she donned an ivory dress that possessed a conservative jewel neckline in the front. Her friends almost scoffed at her for what she had said to Dawn earlier, but when she turned around, they held back.
The back draped down incredibly low, exposing her entire backside all the way to right above her rear, where the drape ended in a beaded cowl. If anything, she was probably exposing more of her back than Dawn, whose lower back was at least covered by the skirt of her dress. And with her feet clad in a pair of black patent leather pumps, which had a red sole that provided a nice pop of color to her assemble, she looked both sensual and camera ready.
"Yep, I'm not alone," Dawn chirped happily. "I'm good."
Brianna let out a laugh as she teased the top sections of her burgundy hair, which created a nice pouf at the top of her head. Then, she pulled all of her hair into a sleek high pony and smoothed everything out. When she was satisfied with the 'do, she pulled away from the bathroom counter and allowed her friends to appraise her.
"How do I look?" she asked them.
Marina turned and ran her eyes down Brianna's two-tone body con dress clad figure.
The strapless number started from the cream-colored bodice, which ended at her pelvis in the shape of a V before crossing over to the black skirt that went all the way down to the middle of her thighs. Two parallel black lines ran down from the sweetheart neckline on the outer sides of her bust, flattering her chest area immensely. Her peep toe leather pumps added the perfect pops of color to her neutral dress with their purple leather and red sole.
Marina nodded in approval.
"I love it, especially your shoes," she said to the redhead. "Have you ever considered modeling, Brianna? You definitely have the looks and figure for it."
"I agree—you would make the perfect swimwear model with those legs," Dawn gushed, while eying Brianna's legs with envy. "You must attract so many guys."
Brianna laughed and blushed slightly. "Aw, thanks," she muttered shyly.
"I'm sure we all know of one guy who she attracts," Natalie's voice chimed from the doorway, drawing the attention of all three girls. They turned to get a look at her, and wound up taking in her party assemble as well. "And his name is Brendan."
Her dress was a gorgeous mini dress. It possessed one single unique shoulder strap that looked as if different pieces of fabric were linked together to create a chain. A pretty silver beaded appliqué occupied the space at the middle of her bust, and a drape of fabric trailed from the center, all the way down to her right thigh.
The wine color of the dress drew out the flecks of wine in her multi-glitter-coated peep-toe pumps, while the grey heels and platforms tied in with the appliqué. As for her hair, she went for an elegant side ponytail that rested on her lone bare shoulder, a wavy strand of hair left out on the opposite side to frame her face. It was a perfect assemble that greatly complemented her looks.
Brianna blushed even harder at the sound of the guy's name.
"D-don't be ridiculous," she stammered. "I do not."
"Hm, then you're either oblivious or just plain blind," Dawn proposed, tapping her chin thoughtfully as a playful grin played at her lips.
"I'd say 'oblivious' is the bigger possibility," Natalie expressed, a teasing smile on her lips as well. "If she were blind, how would she get all googly-eyed whenever she sees Brendan?"
Brianna groaned at the words, which were quickly deepening the red color on her cheeks.
"Stop," she whined. "Please."
Marina let out a laugh and swung her arm around the redhead's neck.
"Okay, okay, we'll leave you alone," she assured, and began to lead the lot of them out of the large bathroom that she shared with Natalie. "Let's just go get May and get going to the party, alright?"
"Where is May, anyways?" Dawn asked. "Is she still getting ready?"
"Here I am! Sorry! I had trouble doing my hair!"
The jaws of the four girls nearly dropped as they took in the sight of May.
For the party, she had chosen to wear a little black dress. The particular style that she chose was simple and consisted of nothing but inch-wide shoulder straps and one single zipper going down the middle.
But it was gorgeous just the same. It hugged her body like a second layer of skin, accentuating every single curve, especially her rear and bust.
The short length also gave the illusion of elongated legs before they ended at her peep-toe slingback pumps clad feet. The black glitter-coated surface gave the dress a bit of glam and the red sole provided just the right pop of color.
The shoes combined with the dress and her newly cut, shoulder-length waves made her look effortlessly sultry and sexy.
"Wow, you look like sex on legs," Natalie breathed. "Black suits you, honey."
May burst out laughing at her friend's remark. "Gee, thanks, Nat! That was definitely the first time I heard that from a girl!"
"What are friends for?" the dark-haired girl responded, a proud smile lighting up her face. "Let's hurry up and get our coats, though. The guys are probably waiting their butts off downstairs."
The other four girls agreed to her statement and went about their rooms, searching for their winter coats. Once all five coats were located and put on, they headed downstairs to find the guys all waiting in the living room.
Unlike the girls, who had all put forth an effort to get ready for the New Year's Eve party, the guys seemed to have all made little to no effort to get ready. They were all dressed in practically the same outfits, which consisted of dark wash jeans, dress shoes, and presentable tops.
Three of the five males donned V-neck sweaters, while Jimmy and Drew both went for grey blazers. The only difference was that one wore their blazer over a navy button-down shirt, and the other a plain black V-neck tee respectively. Regardless, they all still managed to look good and well-put together.
"You ladies all set to go now?" Jimmy asked as he rose to his feet to head over to his girlfriend's side.
"Yep, we're ready. Sorry if we kept you guys waiting long," Marina said with an apologetic smile.
Cam waved a hand dismissively and walked up to Natalie to take her hand.
"No biggie," he insisted. "Who's going to be riding with who? No point in taking five cars."
"I think Paul and I are going to be driving to the party by ourselves," Dawn said as she walked over to her boyfriend, who already had his car keys in his hand. "Ready to go, Paul?"
The guy simply shrugged in response and turned his icy gaze over to her, sizing her up as if to get a glimpse of her dress through the thick material of her peacoat. He stopped when his eyes landed upon her shoes.
"Your shoes are so pink and glittery," he noted, his nose wrinkling slightly in disdain.
Dawn smirked at him in return, obviously enjoying the poor attempt at feigning disdain. He liked seeing her in pink and glittery things, he just wouldn't admit it.
"Wait 'til you see my dress," she told him.
Paul simply gave a small grunt.
"Then, I guess Natalie and Cam can ride with us, and Brendan and Brianna can ride with Drew and May?" Marina suggested, eying the expressions of each person whose name she had said to see if there were any disagreements.
"Sounds good to me," May shrugged, and reached her hand into her coat pocket to dig out her car keys. "Let's hurry up and leave, though, or else we're going to be late for the party."
The group of friends all filed out of the living room and out into the winter night. The sharp, icy snowflakes falling in the frigid air bit at their exposed skin as they hurried across the snow-covered ground to get to their cars. Their breaths puffed out of them as they walked and were made into ghosts by the chilly air.
Even from where they were on Route 121, they could still see the festive New Year decorations in Lilycove City. The large silver ball that hung at the top of a tall pole at the heart of the city shone proud and bright. In a mere couple hours, it would drop, thus bringing in the new year and bidding farewell to the old.
Brendan trailed behind his group of friends. While they were all well on their way to the garages, he took his time walking down the steps of the porch stairwell.
A redhead walked alongside him, chatting away endearingly as her ponytail swung from side to side. He smiled at the sight.
"Ms. Lawrence," he began, formally addressing her in a teasing manner. "May I ask a question?"
Ms. Lawrence smiled and cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Yes, Mr. Birch?" she inquired, playing along.
"It has been brought to my attention that we both don't have dates for the party tonight, am I correct?"
"You are."
"So, I was thinking—since you don't have a date, and I don't have a date—would you, by any chance, like to be my date for the evening?"
Brianna couldn't help but let out a laugh and blush. Whether it was due to his cheeky question or his incredibly good looks, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that he made her stomach flutter just by speaking to her alone, and the way that he was staring into her eyes was enough to make her melt. There was only one answer that she could give him.
"Absolutely, Mr. Birch," she grinned.
"You know, this may be the first time that I have ever seen you wearing a black dress before," Drew mused as he danced to the beat of the song, his eyes transfixed on his girlfriend.
"Mmm, is it really?" May murmured, her arms in the air as she danced without looking at him. "And what do you think of it?"
"I think...," he began to respond, but trailed off as his eyes wandered down from her face to the rest of her body, which was being moved in the sultriest ways possible.
The way she was dancing was tantalizing, especially in the form-fitting LBD that she wore, capturing the eyes of many male party attendees, who all stroked her figure with their eyes as she danced. Her glittery shoes caught the bright colors of the revolving lights dancing on the ceiling.
They moved all over her body, coloring her different colors in the dimly lit dance room. She looked perfectly relaxed and at ease, swaying and arching her body to the beat of the music.
Drew had never seen her dance in such a way before, so sultry and sexy. He had never been so turned on in his life, and began to imagine what it would be like to pull the zipper down on her dress...
Until he remembered that he had yet to finish his statement. And that the guys in the room were still ogling her way too much for his comfort.
May let out an oof as Drew suddenly grabbed her hips and pulled her into him, turning her around so that her back was pressed against his chest. He encircled her waist with his arms, letting the guys in the room know that she was his and his alone as he leaned down to murmur into her ear.
"That I have never seen anyone look as sexy in my entire life," he told her. "Black definitely suits you."
May giggled as she began to move her hips in time with his, her arms reaching up to go around his neck.
"I believe I've been told that earlier tonight," she murmured.
"Oh? By who?"
"Natalie. She also told me that I look like sex on legs."
"What an interesting thing to say," Drew chuckled. "You know, I think there was an empty room somewhere by the bathrooms..."
May laughed at the playful innuendo and smacked one of his hands. "You pervert."
Drew only laughed again.
The lights continued to twirl around on high ceiling like a kaleidoscope, flicking lights over every surface area. Standing tables with food and drinks circled the dance floor, along with the crowd of party attendees who didn't feel like dancing.
Famous young people made up the crowd, all of them attendees of the annual New Year's Eve party held at the Lilycove City Pokémon Hall building. Excited conversations buzzed amongst the crowd as they all mingled and had fun to enjoy their last couple hours of the year.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom," May suddenly announced as the song ended. She pulled away from Drew and turned to look at him. "Will you be okay all alone for a bit?"
The guy playfully rolled his emerald eyes at her. "Of course I'll be okay. How old am I, May?"
"Hey, I'm just asking to make sure that you won't be lost during my absence."
"I'm sure I'll manage for a few minutes," Drew assured her with a smirk, his hand reaching up to cup her face. He brought her face toward him to plant a swift kiss on her forehead. "Just don't take too long, alright?"
May rolled her eyes with a smile at his statement, much like the way he had a few seconds prior. With a promise to "be right back," she turned away from him and headed through the crowd of people on the dance floor to make her way to the ladies' bathroom, located just down the hall from the dance room.
After getting done what she had to do, she made her way out of the bathroom and back to the dance floor. She passed by a balcony on the way down the hallway, and had her attention drawn from her by the white specks falling outside.
She found herself walking out onto the balcony, her arms resting on the railing as she watched the snowflakes rain down on the beautiful city of Lilycove. She wasn't that high up in the building; the party was merely on the second floor, but she still received a nice view. The winter air nipped at her exposed skin, but she felt that she could handle it for a few seconds if not a minute.
"Aren't you getting cold?" someone suddenly asked.
May turned her head around at the sound of the familiar voice, thinking that she knew the owner. To her delight, Gary Oak was indeed standing beneath the doorway, clad in black trousers and a burgundy sweater under a grey coat.
But the sight of him surprised her and kept her from running to give him a hug. Though it was not for his sudden appearance at a party that he had neglected to attend for the past couple years—it was his face.
Gary seemed older, somehow, as if he had aged dramatically since the last time she saw him at Ash and Misty's wedding. He appeared stressed and burdened, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. There were slight traces of black bags under his eyes, which had their playful twinkle replaced by a poor dupe, and there was something off in his smile. As if he were faking it, along with the fraudulent happy glint in his eyes.
May couldn't kick the feeling that she had also observed what seemed to be an undercurrent of sadness beneath his mask. Everything about him seemed off.
"I'm fine. The cold's not really bothering me," she told him, eying him with concern as he came up to stand beside her on the balcony. She shook her head at him when he offered her his coat. "Is there something wrong, Gary?"
"Only you could detect that there's something wrong with me at a glance," he chuckled, the sound bittersweet and unusual, while he turned his head to look at her.
"Well, I am your best friend, after all," May pointed out with a sheepish smile. "What's wrong?"
Gary shrugged his shoulders, diverting his eyes back out to the city.
"My grandfather has been quite ill for the past couple of weeks and a lot's been going on at the lab," he told her. "I'm just really stressed, that's all."
"Professor Oak's ill? Is he okay?"
"His health has been deteriorating because of his age; he's not the lively and energetic professor he used to be," he said with a sigh. "He's doing better now than he was last week, but that doesn't keep me from worrying about him."
"He'll be fine," May promised, reaching out to give him a comforting pat on the back. "But then why are you here if he's ill?"
"I had to see you and I knew you'd be here, so I came to find you."
"Me?" she asked incredulously. "Why did you want to see me?"
A humorless laugh puffed out of Gary's lips, turned white by the cold of the night.
"When do I not want to see you?" he asked, though the question seemed to be more for himself than her. "I always want to see you. I miss you all the time."
May was taken aback at the words, but she tried not to show it. She had a hunch that their conversation was about to head into a bad direction. Her own words failed her as she pondered on what she could say until he suddenly reached over and wrapped his arms around her.
"G-Gary!" she stuttered in alarm, her hands hovering on either side of him as she thought about whether or not to hug him back. "What're you doing?"
"It's been hell these past couple of weeks without you, May. I've really missed you," he murmured, ignoring her question.
He hugged her to him for a moment longer until he finally let go and put a bit of distance between them. He flicked his eyes all over her face, making her grow uneasy.
"You really are dating him, aren't you?" he eventually asked.
"Who? Drew?" May asked stupidly.
A second after realizing how silly she sounded since she only had one boyfriend, she stammered, "Uh...yeah. I am."
Another humorless laugh came from the brunet in front of her as he shook his head, causing her to eye him warily.
"Guess I'm really too late, after all," he muttered, and then he suddenly ran a hand through his hair in an aggravated motion. "Damn it, I waited too damn long."
"You waited 'too damn long' for what?"
The second the words left her mouth, May instantly regretted them because Gary's following words were not ones that she wanted nor needed to hear.
"I waited too damn long to tell you how I feel about you," he confessed. "I've been in love with you for years and I'm waiting until now to tell you when it's obviously too late. I should've told you a long time ago before he came into the picture. I screwed up, and now I'm practically drowning in the regret every day."
May gaped at him, her heart suddenly hammering away and her head suddenly pounding as she absorbed his words.
"What are you talking about, Gary?" she asked stupidly, though she understood his words perfectly well.
"Don't tell me that you didn't know all these years. How could you not tell that I had feelings for you?" He shook his head in disbelief. "It was so obvious that I love you. How could you not tell?"
Anger suddenly surged through May like a wave, hitting every inch of her body and making her fume. Her fists clenched at her sides, while she tried to resist the urge to strike him across the face.
He did not just say what she thought he said. No way. No way in hell.
But he did.
How dare he. How many times had she hoped and prayed for him to tell her that he loved her, in a way that was not platonic? How many times had she hoped and prayed for him to return the feelings that she had once had for him? She had wanted so badly for him to see her in the way that she once saw him, and now he was telling her that he had in fact saw her in the same way and just expected for her to know?
How incredibly selfish and stupid of him! If he had been so good at keeping his feelings secret then why couldn't he just keep them to himself for the rest of his life instead of telling her now when she had a boyfriend?
"Why are you just now telling me these things?" she demanded, unable to keep the anger out of her voice. It was the first time that she had ever spoken to him in such a harsh manner, and she suddenly found herself unable to stop. "Why now, when I'm dating Drew? How could you do this to me? I loved you for the longest time and I waited for you to tell me that you loved me back! I wanted to hear those words for years, and you decide to say them to me now? Why couldn't you just keep your feelings to yourself?"
"I honestly thought that you would figure it out!" Gary exclaimed in his own defense, clearly irritated himself. "I dropped so many hints—I thought you would be able to find out on your own! But when I saw that you wouldn't, I figured that you noticed them but didn't want to acknowledge them!"
"You totally assumed! You could've just told me anyway!"
"It's not like you told me about your feelings for me, either! Why didn't you ever tell me then, huh?"
"You think that you made it obvious that you liked me, but did you ever stop to think that maybe you sent me mixed signals?" she practically screamed at him, making him flinch slightly at her loud decibel. It was a miracle that no one had heard her, but she didn't seem to care if anyone did or not. "And what about me? Was it not obvious that I liked you, too? Did you not stop to think that it maybe it was hard as crap for me to tell you that I liked you because I didn't want to put our friendship on the line? You have so many girls going after you every day! How could I possibly have known that you wanted me out of all those girls? You should've just told me!"
"That's complete crap, May! You're allowed to have insecurities and worry about our friendship but I'm not? Do you think I didn't worry about risking our friendship, too? And I may have girls pining after me, but have I ever paid any girl as much mind as I do you? It was clear that I preferred you over all of them, but it didn't seem that you held me in such high regard, especially after you agreed to travel with Drew!" Gary countered, saying Drew's name like a curse. "If you really liked me as much as you said, then why would you even agree to traveling with him in the first place?"
"Why didn't you say anything to stop me?"
"What would have been the point? It's not like you would've have listened! You didn't even listen to Brendan when he poured his heart out to get you to change your mind!"
"I would've listened to you!" May cried, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her frustration grew. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, and she did all that she could to keep them at bay. "If there was anyone who could've gotten me to change my mind, it would've been you!
"But you didn't! You didn't even try! I spent weeks living in guilt because I felt like I was betraying my feelings for you, and it took me forever to accept Drew because of that! And now, that I'm finally in a happy and stable relationship with him, you're dumping all of this on me out of the blue!"
Gary paused, breathing heavily as his anger suddenly evaporated, only to be replaced by pain. He had never in his seven years of friendship with May, ever argued with her. Not once. They hadn't ever even raised their voices at one another, and now they were in a full-fledged argument.
Why had he even come to the party in the first place? His grandfather was ill back at home. And instead of taking care of him like he was supposed to, he came to the party to find her.
What had he been trying to do in the first place, anyway? Win her back? Let her know his feelings for her so that she would leave Drew and be with him instead?
But there was no way that she would do that. It was clearly too late for that, and he was making himself look like a fool by standing there in front of her. He had started an argument with her involuntarily, and the result was damaging to their friendship. He was wrong to have dumped the truth on her like the unnecessarily heavy load it was.
She was right—why couldn't he have just kept his feelings to himself? She would have been better off going the rest of her life without ever knowing the truth. It didn't do her any good, and it certainly wasn't doing him any good either. He should've just kept his mouth shut.
He should just leave. Leave and get out of her life instead of burdening her with more of his troubles. He suddenly remembered what he had come to tell her, but he decided that it would be best left unsaid. She didn't need to hear anymore from him.
But he had to hear one more thing from her.
"Does he make you happy?" he asked, the final question before he would tell her goodbye. He wanted to know—just had to know before he left her.
May took a deep breath and gathered the words to answer his question, but she was interrupted when Gary's PokéNav suddenly rang. He sighed heavily and reached into the pocket of his trousers to pull the device out, flipping it open as he did so.
"Hello?" he greeted emotionlessly into the speaker after pressing the receiver to his ear. And then there was silence as he listened to the person on the line speak.
May didn't know what he was hearing on the other end, but she concluded that the words were not ones that he wanted to hear. His darkened expression instantly morphed into something else. His mouth was slightly agape and his eyes were slightly widened.
Her anger suddenly disappeared, and she immediately found herself filled with concern for him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Damn it," he said through gritted teeth as he ran his hand through his hair again. He turned to May with a look in his eyes that made her heart wring in pain and worry for him.
"I'm so sorry about tonight, May. It's been so long since I've seen you and I suddenly dump all of this crap on you," he apologized, and then asked of her, "Just...forget about all I said, okay?"
Then, he ran his hand through his hair for the third time before saying, "Forget that this night even happened. I gotta go. Bye."
And then he was gone before she could say anything, leaving her standing utterly confused and completely torn. And for the first time since she stepped out on the balcony, she suddenly felt very cold.
Author's Note: And there goes the beginning of the climax. Stay tuned for next week? Review even though I'm a little late again? Please and thank you. :)
The pictures of the girls' assembles should be up on my Photobucket around tomorrow afternoon. As of right now, the link to it on my profile is gone because I'm currently "renovating" my profile and Photobucket account. Please be patient until I can get done with the renovations! Thank you.