Chapter 4

It was colder that night, far more than any other through her time in Johto. Being close to the Ice Path only amplified the chill coming through the window of her rented room.

The last stop on her Contest tour was Blackthorn City, just as a spectator, though. She already won the five ribbons necessary for entry to the Johto Grand Festival and was now cheering on friends that still needed to win that final ribbon. Among the Coordinators in the mix was Drew.

Drew...

Their relationship was a complicated situation that kept her morally confused. He genuinely cared for her and always made sure to talk to her whenever they met up. It was easier then since she was already involved with someone else and it never escalated beyond a friendly chat about their Pokémon and the upcoming contest.

Things changed in the last month, though. Her love life crumbled under the pressure of jealousy and boredom, and she was left alone in her last Contest. Her Pokémon carried her to the final. Somehow she managed to pull off the win despite the draining act of masking her emotions.

In all honesty, she didn't know why she was in Blackthorn City. Her final destination was the foot of Mt. Silver where the Grand Festival was being held, yet she decided to spend a few days distracting herself from the agony of her break up. It was supposed to be a magical experience with the one person she thought was the one.

Tears quietly fell down the side of her cold face. As hard as she tried, the pain was just settling in. She felt abandoned, empty inside without having his support. All she needed was for somebody to tell her things were going to be alright; that he would eventually realize his the mistake and come back.

"Roserade, use Petal Dance!"

She perked up at the sound of a familiar voice in the distance. She looked around the dark landscape of the Pokémon Center yard and saw beautiful pink petals spiraling upwards into the sky.

The sight had her walking back inside and down to the courtyard. With everything wrong going on in her personal life, she needed a friend who could help her.


May slid the key card to her expensive hotel room after walking back alone after the signing. Along the way she cursed herself for making rash decisions without thinking of the consequences. There was no point in igniting a flame that had long been extinguished. Ash moved on with a seemingly nice girl and she was with a great guy. What was the use of tearing it all apart?

'It's just dress shopping with Serena, not Ash,' she kept telling herself. But would Drew see it the same way? If his storming off was any indication, she would have to prepare for a lengthy talk.

Drew sat out on the terrace overlooking the marvelous city beneath them. She dropped her bag on the queen-size bed and slowly walked to the sliding door separating her and her undeniably frustrated boyfriend.

"Do you still like him?" He asked bluntly.

"No." She let out softly. She tried to sound assertive to quell any doubt that made her think otherwise. Whether Drew believed her or not, was yet to be seen.

She leaned against the frame and let the breeze blow her hair back. She watched as he raised a tall glass of clear liquid to his lips and then setting it back down without a single response.

Every time they got into an argument each stood their ground and refused to budge, as was their nature. They were both passionate human beings and it sometimes translated into verbal spats that were full of false hate. In the end they always reconciled and held each other as they expressed their lament.

She would need to avoid escalating this fight in order for both of them to enjoy their stay.

"Drew, I want you to know one thing." She made her way to the railing in front of him. The wind picked up a few and blew parts of her dress around. He stared at her with his emerald green eyes while taking another sip of water.

"What I had with Ash does not matter anymore. We had different goals and our relationship fell apart because of it."

He kept on gazing at her and furrowed his brow at the mention of her past love. She ignored it and continued, "He found someone else and I found somebody better." If she learned anything during their time together, being praised was one of his weaknesses.

Drew's lips curled up in a cocky grin as he lowered his head to his hands and chuckled. "Why can't I stay mad at you?"

May walked to him in satisfaction and placed both hands on his shoulders. "Come on, it's our vacation. We deserve some time off." She pushed his body up slightly so he was looking at her. "I don't want this to ruin our anniversary."

He moved his hands over hers and rubbed them in a caring manner. "It won't. We are going to celebrate two magnificent years tonight. Although, I really wish it were four because he-"

"Drew?" She interrupted. She wanted him to be the bigger man and not call Ash names or bring up their past. Their future together was all that mattered.

"Sorry, you're right." He stood up and kissed her lightly on the lips. "We'll have the best night tonight. That's a promise." He wrapped both arms around her and they began rocking back and forth in a little intimate dance.

The city beneath them roared with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. A light breeze blew around them as they swayed their worries away. The smile on both their faces immediately discarded the ill feelings they had before.

"I love you, May." Drew kissed her cheek, causing her to giggle at the little act of love.

"I love you, too, sweetie."


The elevator ride back up to their room was dreadfully quiet. After leaving the lobby, Ash confessed to Serena that he indeed know May and followed up by saying they were once a couple. The shock must have been substantial because they stopped talking right then and there.

Serena held on to Pikachu, looking at the floor and burying her chin into its yellow fur. Ash leaned back against the railing with his hands shoved into his pockets and stared at the numbers lighting up with each floor they passed. The muted whirring of the elevator became the only noise between them.

Once the door opened and they walked down the deserted hallway, each were relieved to have arrived at their room. They just needed a rest from all that had taken place.

But like all the obstacles that stood in his way all week, he couldn't catch a break.

"Why didn't you tell me you dated May, Ash?" Serena began questioning as soon as he closed the door behind him.

He took a deep breath while thinking of a good answer. "It didn't seem important. To be honest, it still isn't."

"But..what do you mean?" She proceeded to plop down on top their bed, staring with confused baby blues.

He sat down next to her, grazing her fair skin with his thumb. "What I had with her was...special, I'll admit it." He made sure to pick the right words. The last thing he wanted was a misunderstanding that could potentially blow up a non-problem. "I thought we'd be together forever, but it didn't turn out that way. And I'm glad it didn't, because I never would've met you."

He couldn't recall when the change in him took place. He was always called dumb and oblivious growing up and often ignored the signs of attraction from his fellow female companions. But since arriving to Kalos and starting fresh, he felt like a new man. Things were clearer and his focus was through the roof. Because of it he was able to balance his training and keeping his girlfriend happy.

However, Serena loved to throw a curveball every now and then. "Do you still like her?"

The correct answer was no, his mind knew it right away. His heart, on the other hand, couldn't ignore his past with May. They were kids following their dreams while just coming into their own. But with one stupid decision, it ended the fairy tale relationship she had always wanted. Her tears will forever be forged into his conscience.

Serena's glimmering eyes reminded him of that forgetful night. He swore to never make another person he deeply cared for cry. "No..I don't. She's just a friend now."

Even if it wasn't entirely true, he had to force himself to believe it. Serena was the only other girl who captured his heart. She deserved better than to constantly think about being second best. She had far better qualities that set her apart and benefited him more than any other girl. He needed to forget the old days and continue building a future with the girl in front of him.

She wiped the corner of her eye and smiled. "Okay." Ash smiled in return, kissed her forehead and grabbed a firm hold of her hand.

They leaned on each other and would need to continue trusting one another in times of doubt. He wasn't about to ruin a perfect relationship over nothing.


Thank you to those that have favorited and are following this story. I've been busy with other projects that I'm not writing as much as I used to but I hope this chapter will make up for all that. Tell me what you like and what I can do different in the comments. I value all of your feedback and am always trying to get better. Enjoy the rest of your day!