~Awesome Anne "Are you hungry, Ash?" asked Misty as her head popped out of the kitchen. 'At least he hasn't broken everything in the kitchen,' thought Misty. "No, thanks." "Are you sure? Ash, you haven't eaten dinner last night and you didn't eat breakfast this morning. I know it's not a diet--you're thinner though healthier than me!" "I doubt healthier," he muttered. "What?" "Nothing. Don't worry, I'll eat when I am hungry." "Hm...if Brock was here to cook, would you eat?" "Maybe." "Hey, is that an insult to my cooking?" "Maybe." "What?! Are you serious?" "Maybe." "That's so mean! Isn't my cooking the least bit good to you?!" "Maybe." "Can you quit saying maybe?" Ash smiled and looked at her. "Probably." "Ugh!" she groaned as she went back into the kitchen. "I'm cooking you food ANYWAY! AND IT WILL TASTE GOOD!" "Maybe...." *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "WILL YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IT IS?!?!?!" "Calm down, Ash! A surprise is a surprise!" Brock laughed over the phone. "IF IT HAS TO DO WITH PIKACHU, I WANNA BE SURPRISED NOW!!!" "I never said it WAS Pikachu, I just said--" "Then I don't want it!" "Ash, trust me, you'll want it," Brock said, smiling. Ash calmed down and sat. "Boy, I wish I could turn this phone into a mirror so you could see the look that was just on your face!" Brock said. "Ha ha," said Ash sarcastically. "When are you gonna come visit?" "Well...if I can get past the mob of girls..." Ash rolled his eyes. "...I'll come through about tomorrow, if you want," finished Brock. "Great! Please cook! Misty's cooking, and if she continues, I'm gonna starve!" begged Ash. "I HEARD THAT!" Misty yelled from upstairs. "Ash, you shouldn't insult a woman's cooking," Brock said. "Ha," said Ash. "I'm serious." "...." "At least not Misty's. Know it or not, she's kind of sensitive. Have you ever heard her cry at night?" "WHAT?! Just because of her nasty cooking?" "I didn't say she DID, Ash, I just asked you if you have." "No," said Ash. "But do you really think Misty would be upset over me not telling her that she should be chef Jacque?" he asked in a sarcastic French accent. 'Mm...his French is good...' thought Misty as she listened to the conversation from just behind the staircase. LOL "Maybe, maybe not. Like I said, she is sensitive. Do you think she doesn't have feelings?" "What?! Brock, of course I know she has feelings!" "Do you care about her feelings?" "Well duh! She's my friend!!" "You never told her that." "Because she KNOWS it already!" "You have to admit it to her through words too, Ash. Actions are more precious but sometimes they're not enough to understand, forshame," said Brock. "Well...how am I supposed to...admit...that to a...girl?" "How are you supposed to admit it to a boy like me?" "Well you're different, you're my friend." "I thought Misty was your friend, too." "She is!" "Then why don't you just tell her?" "Tell her what?" Brock rolled his eyes. "That you love her!" Misty gasped quietly. "WHAT?! I never said I 'loved' her, I just said she was one of my best friends!" "Then why can't you tell your best friend that you care about her feelings?" "I CAN!" "You had told me a minute ago that she was different, and you couldn't." "Well, I can!" Misty sunk to the floor. Did Ash really not love her? Not --Not-- love her but just not love her? "When?" "Whenever it comes up, okay?" "You never told her before," he repeated. "It never came up!" "Whatever. I think you're just scared." "I am not!" "Ohhhhh, yeeesss you aaaaarrrrreee," Brock sang. "Ohhhhh, noooooo I'm nooottt," Ash sang in mock tone. "You're scared." "No I'm not!" "Yes you are!" "I'm not!" "You are!" "I'm not!" "You are!" "I'M NOT!!" "YOU ARE!!" 'Why does this look familiar...?' thought Misty. "I'M NOT!!!" "WELL PROVE IT!" Ash stopped. "P-prove it??" "Yes, prove it. Go in the kitchen right now and tell her that you care about her feelings." "No way, it's too romantic. Misty loves romantic stuff, and she'll think I'm totally weird by trying to make her happy or something." "Well you told me last time I was here that Misty thinks you're weird and stupid anyway," said Brock. "She does!" 'No, I don't...I've been giving him the wrong idea the whole time,' Misty thought. Her heart sank a little more. "Ash, I doubt she does. What would make you think she does?" "Obviously because she tells me to my face everyday!" "But she cares about your feelings, and one time, she almost admitted it to you." "If she cared about my feelings, she wouldn't hurt me all the time," Ash mumbled. "What?" Brock didn't hear it, but somehow, Misty heard it very clearly. "Nothing, Brock." Ash sighed. "I'll tell Misty that I care about her feelings when the time comes." "If you did, you'd tell her now." "I don't have to tell her now. Didn't I just tell you it would do nothing but make me look even more weird to her? At first, to her, I'm some dumb kid who stole her bike, and I still am. Then I became some dumb kid with no skill who will never become a pokemon master or the best trainer, and I still am. Then I was some dumb kid with no common sense who always gets into trouble, and I still am. After that, I'm some dumb kid who wins his badges by luck because people feel sorry for me, and I still am. THEN, I'm some dumb kid who always gets HER lost with my shortcuts, and I still am. Now, I'm some dumb kid who's extremely weird and thinks of nothing but pokemon, and to her, I still am. Brock, I'm serious when I say I don't wanna become some dumb kid who's weird and cares about someone who doesn't give a $#!+ about me." "Ash, she--" "And you know what? I'm about ready to change the subject," said Ash. Brock shook his head. "Everything you said is wrong, Ash, but alright. We'll talk about something else." "Good," he said with a smile of relief. "Hey, have you heard about the ultimate defeat at Heru Gym...?" Misty fell to her knees. Tears threatened to come out. She shivered, then ran into her room. TO BE CONTINUED...