Here are chapter 5. I've worked a lot on this one, so I hope you like it. In fact, if you still follow this story, I will assume that you like it, at least a bit ;)
It would be a great help if you shared your opinion, I love feedback of any kind.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
Chapter 5
I snapped out of my sleep, suddenly aware of the empty space beside me, although from the other side of camp I could hear the others. Drew held a steady breathing with a peaceful expression in his face, and small snoring sounds could be heard from the bundle that was Harley. The two Growlithe were curled up together beside the dying fire, just as I had found them yesterday. A sleeping world, for me and my trainer.
At last I spotted her in the distance, again sitting on the bridge with her feet dangling over the edge. She was leaning back on her arms, looking at a weak shimmer of light in the horizon. I trotted over and made myself comfortable beside her. A sunrise was a rare sight for us both, we usually slept until the glowing orb was high in the sky.
"Good morning," she whispered and bestowed me a smile. "Sorry if I woke you up. I couldn't sleep. I have too many thoughts swirling in my head lately, and always having Drew or Harley around doesn't exactly help." She sighed. I gave her an encouraging smile, giving her some support. She should be talking to Drew about this, not me, but until she was ready I would have to suffice.
"He said he cared about me, and I believe that. Harley always calls us a 'big happy family', and that is perhaps quite close to the truth. Maybe that's what Drew meant too. After all, we are alone together in this region, and family takes care of each other. I miss Solidad, she would have helped me understand." She seemed to talk as much to herself as to me, distant although she was right beside me.
"Understand what?" a casual voice asked while its green-eyed owner walked over and seated himself next to my trainer.
"Drew!" she squealed, startled. "When did you get here, I thought I was alone, didn't see you come." her rambling died out, and she eyed him suspiciously.
"It's ok, I just got here, your secrets are still safe." He winked at her, looking very amused by her flustered state. "But you know you can tell me anything," he whispered, leaning towards her. Colors shot up in her cheeks.
"No... There's no secrets," she laughed nervously.
"There is nothing you would like to tell me?" he breathed, narrowing the distance even more. She appeared hypnotized by his presence, and for a fleeting moment she leaned in too. Then she suddenly jumped up, looking very much like something had hit her.
"There is nothing to tell," she stated firmly. "Got to go, need to make breakfast before Harley wakes up," she said with her best cheerful voice.
I was left alone with a baffled and highly disappointed Drew. He closed his eyes and sighed heavily. There was nothing I could do for him. I had thought everything would change with the confessions after the contest the other night. I had been wrong. She was as elusive as ever, and he still tried to connect with her without any results to show for it. I would come back for him later, but right now I needed to be with my trainer.
I caught up with her. She walked right through our camp, breakfast apparently forgotten, and ran off to a patch of forest. She only stopped when she stumbled upon a glade, where she sank down in the grass.
"Glace-on?" I asked her in my most tender voice how she was doing.
Her eyes snapped up, and she looked at me. "Glaceon, now I've really done it!" I hardly recognized the shrill tone of her voice. "I'm not confused anymore, although I would give anything to be," she whispered to me. I could only offer my support, and listen.
"Why am I even surprised?" she asked herself in a sort of self-rebuking way. Emotions danced in her face, but I cringed from what they settled on.
"Drew... I think he sees me as a younger sister, someone to teach and support, just like I have done for Max. A second family, just like Harley said." The lack of feelings in her voice was scary, but even more so was her expression, for there was nothing there but a vast emptiness. "I should be happy, and honored. But I almost kissed him! I have fallen for my rival. How could this happen?" For every choked out word, something wild suppressed the void in her eyes. I wanted to reach out to her, to make it all disappear. Shivers ran through her body, and she clutched herself desperately. "He would be so... disgusted if he knew." Teardrops were meandering down her cheeks and clouding her eyes as this new realization hit her. I knew she was completely wrong. I had no way of telling her. I was helpless.
She held me tight, as if I was the lifeline to her sanity, to everything she had been. The alien look in her eyes slowly faded while her breathing came back to normal. She had calmed down somehow, but there was still an aura of nihility about her. Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice was wavering a bit, but even this she managed to get under control in the end.
"I need to get back," she finally decided. "I must pretend. Act like nothing happened, as if nothing's changed. Which is true, in a sense. And above all, I must avoid such closeness. I very nearly lost control back there, and I can not allow that to happen again!" I watched her straighten up in that famous determination which had always worked so well for her before. It would only work against her from now on.
Back in camp Harley was still sleeping. My trainer set herself to the task of making breakfast, working silently and efficiently. She probably needed the distraction of doing something. Drew was not back. I found him deep in thoughts on the bridge, staring blankly in the general direction of the rising sun. Not before I shoved him in the side did he look at me.
He hummed questioningly. "Breakfast? I'm coming soon, Glaceon," he told me.
I had to use my breakfast-time to explain for Beautifly, Blaziken and Roserade why our trainers were acting strange. They were all shocked, of course. Roserade immediately went to her trainer, to support him and be his friend. He could need it. Blaziken went to comfort May. Beautifly looked very distressed as she flew over to Masquerain, perhaps she felt her own romance threatened.
I felt tired and drained. Relating this mornings events had been exhausting, all because of some stupid misinterpretation. And I was still pretty shaken.
The rest of the day was as much a bed of roses as can be imagined. May was distant and jumpy, avoiding every attempt at eye contact from Drew. Her answers, when spoken to, were rejecting any further conversation. Her endeavors to act normal were in short failing miserably. He had come back from solitude a bit refreshed, but May's seemingly cold attitude pushed him off balance. He withdrew to a place which was increasingly hard to reach. Even Harley became gloomy by their demeanor.
Our training was a big failure, naturally. None of them were able to concentrate properly, or even communicate tolerably well. After a while they gave up, with frustration reaching new highs.
When the last rays of sun spilled over the mountains in the distance, they found a secluded spot to set camp. We had reached the Ice Path, which we would cross tomorrow, and then we would be in Blackthorn city.
The flames from the campfire flickered across their faces, softening stern features. I kept a distance, and I will openly admit it; fire scares me. The two Growlithe were left out to enjoy each others company and the flames. They didn't know yet how they were in danger of being forcefully split up by their trainers' conflict.
"This is romantic, my two lovebirds sitting together under the stars," Harley's voice pierced the silence playfully from the other side of the fire, perhaps trying to lighten the mood. "Don't restrict yourselves, darlings, anything can happen at a night like this!" He smiled slyly and crooked his head.
"Harley," my trainer yelled, in a state near panic. From there on her words seemed to spill quickly out of her. "You can't keep saying stuff like that, Drew and I are just friends. That is all we'll ever be!" she exclaimed. Her outburst initiated a deep silence.
"That was a stupid thing to say, hon," Harley said slowly. All mockery and amusement was gone.
"I'm going for a walk," Drew mumbled, turning away. My trainer looked at him in bewilderment as he disappeared in the darkness.
"Why do you always insist on embarrassing us? No wonder he left!" Fury was perhaps her best defense, and she directed it full force at Harley.
"You don't understand, do you?" he gazed at her in sympathy, showing a side of himself I didn't even know existed.
"I understand perfectly. I don't need to be patronized by you," she hissed, then she turned on her heels and was gone. I quickly gave Harley an apologetic glance before I ran after her.
I caught up with her as she found Drew. "I'm so sorry about Harley!" she said softly. "And I'm sorry for how I've behaved today. I can't give you any good explanation though, I had a bad day, that's all." She glanced at him, and he finally looked at her.
"It's okay. I understand, May," he answered with a sigh. She smiled, and he got up to follow her. Now that she had turned away, it hurt to look into those devastated emerald eyes.