A Delinquent?

****

Location and setting: They were finally able to get there, but they took their time. Daisy parked the car in the back and planned to sneak behind so no one would see them enter the house at the same time. They are just outside the door.

It was relatively dark when they came back; about a quarter passed six. Daisy felt lightheaded and blushing while she leaned on Ash’s shoulders. She claimed that she was sleepy and she wanted Ash to support her up. Ash had no reason to think other wise, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and they walked into the gym with the workers, still preparing the place for the ceremony, looking envious.

They walked inside the gym and were flustered with the bright-blue light that reflected from the walls of the gym. Daisy was still leaning on Ash’s shoulders as they walk to the corridor of aquarium wall. Ash had noticed them the night before when he had made his way to the arena where the party was held. He thought of how expensive it was to have built such a impressive array of fashion sense and self flattery. He wanted to ask how much it cost to build the place, but Daisy seemed so out of the world to be able to answer. Ash thought she must have been very sleepy. “Misty is a slave driver.”

The corridor followed on to the end of the aquarium hallway and the two were led back to the arena.

“Hey,” Brock said as he turned to see the two in each other’s arms as if they were the sweetest couple, “what are you guys up to?”

May, too, turned around to see Daisy blissfully blushing the time away as Ash help carry her. The very sight upset her. She turned away quickly after Ash had focused on her. She was mad at something, but Ash had no idea of what it might have been.

She’s probably angry that I left without doing any of the work, Ash thought to himself. “Hey, Brock, May,” Ash addressed his friends.

May looked at Ash with Daisy still swooning. She couldn’t think of anything to say. Should she say ‘hi’ or maybe she should just get out of the room so she wouldn’t make a fool out of herself? What would be the best tactic in this situation?

“You didn’t answer my question, Ash,” Brock pried.

“Oh, we aren’t up to anything,” Daisy answered for Ash seeing that he was a little loss of thought, “we’ve just come back from the grocery.”

A shameful and thoughtless lie, Brock thought.

Ash and Daisy started to laugh. The two remembered their discussion about what they would say if they were asked where they went. They were going to tell the truth, but now they had found it funny that they were lying.

For May, it was the last straw. She got up and dropped the paint brush that she was carrying and strode out of the room defiantly.

The three were shock to see May doing something so unexpected. Ash and Brock had it in their heads to follow and they did; after a couple of exchange of speculations and Daisy wanting to go to sleep.

Ash and Brock followed May into Misty’s room. She was alone and the door was locked keeping herself locked inside.

“Hey, May,” Ash started, “is there something wrong? You didn’t look to well back at the arena.”

There was no answer.

“Maybe she’s just asleep,” Brock whispered into Ash’s ear.

“Yeah, maybe we should just go,” Ash suggested not really wanting to leave her alone.

They started to head to where the others where when Ash had told Brock he needed to go to the restroom for a while.

“Okay,” Brock agreed, “everyone’s in the kitchen. I’ll tell everyone you’re back.”

“Okay,” Ash promised, “and if you don’t mind. Please don’t tell my mom about my little outing.”

“Oh, so you weren’t out grocery shopping?” Brock had a sly smirk gave Ash an amusing invincible high-five.

When the coast was clear, Ash got out of the restroom and headed back to Misty’s room to check on May.

“Hey, May, did I do something wrong that I didn’t realize?”

There was no answer.

“Come on, May. I told you something last night, tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Fine!” May yelled her answer furiously. “Do you really want to know? It’s because I hate you, Ash!”

“What,” Ash couldn’t believe what she was saying, “I don’t think you mean that. I know that you’re mad for me not helping in the work, but I don’t think I can’t make up for that.”

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh,” May sighed in anger not believing in his blockheadedness. “You don’t get it!”

“If I don’t get it, then tell me.”

“Always with her, huh, Ash?” May shouted. “Now even with her older sister.”

“Always with her?” Ash repeated. “What do you mean by that?”

May was about to answer when she heard footsteps coming closer and had the common decency for her and Ash’s sakes to shut up.

Two made the corner, Dorien and Misty at each other looking like Ash and Daisy earlier when they came back from the “grocery store.”

Ash looked away at first towards the door focusing at it as if he were able to burn a whole into it if he really tried. Then, as they came closer Ash took a quick look at both of them and immediately turned back to the door. Misty and Dorien both notice him do it and considered it a while, but just let it go.

“Hey, what’s going on, Ash?” asked Misty.

“Nothin’,” answered Ash, “May just doesn’t want to come out.”

“Why?”

“Oh, just... nothing. She just doesn’t want to come out. That’s all.”

“Haaaa!” snickered May from inside the room in objection.

“What did you do now, Ash?” Misty asked accusing him of some kind of conduct.

“Wait!” Ash projected, “what makes you think that I did anything?”

“What do you mean, you’re the only one here.”

“Yeah, but it might have been Brock or Tracey who did it. I was out for at least four hours with your sister, it might have been someone during that time I was gone with her.”

“Well, most of the times it’s you who starts things like this,” Misty answered.

“What?!” Ash was shocked. “I haven’t seen you or anyone else in more than two years and you can honestly say that you believe that I’m the type of person who would start problems?”

“You did before.”

“Oh, and I suppose you weren’t, too?”

Dorien looked on at the squabble. He couldn’t believe those two were best-friends. This is probably why they never got together. Lucky for me.

Inside Misty’s room, May was listening to them bicker. They were bickering about nothing, yet it was not about that. It was just that they liked bickering. One has an idea about this and another has an idea about that. They found it fun. Both of them wanted out-due the other. May knew she didn’t have the same thing with Ash the way that Misty does. She was considering of throwing n the towel.

“Okay!!!” May finally broke their squabble. “Ash, please, come in,” May pleaded.

“Okay,” Ash said to Misty, “maybe I have something to do with this?”

“See.” It was another victory for Misty.

Ash opened the door slowly and Misty and Dorien behind him waiting to go inside to see what was happening.

Ash entered the room and saw May on the bed with the pillow over her head as she laid down. Misty came in, too, with Dorien following.

Ash knew what was under the pillow and waved Misty and Dorien out of the room. Misty gave Ash a bitter look answering with a firm ‘no’.

Ash fired back with a firmer look and Misty gave in and stepped out of the room along with Dorien.

When Dorien and Misty were outside of the room, they closed the door but kept their ears to it in hopes of over hearing their conversation.

Inside the room, May got to a sitting position with the pillow still covering her face. She was thankful to Ash for asking Misty and Dorien to get out.

“What’s wrong, May?” Ask Ash wholeheartedly.

“I’ve just realize something about you.” May started.

“Realized what?”

“I realized that you won’t ever be over... this.” May was about to mention someone, but knew that their might be someone listening from outside. She was right. Every word so far was heard by Misty and Dorien.

Outside the room, Dorien felt a little uncomfortable eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation and stepped back so not to hear anything else.

Misty saw him and thought, more room for me.

May continued, “I know that you have this connection and it won’t be broken. I know that you and I have a special kind of friendship, but it’s not going to be like the one you have with her.”

Ash listened considering everything she had to say. He had a rough idea of what she was talking about, but inside he really didn’t want to fully acknowledge what she was hinting at.

“May, you know, I’ve already told Daisy about this. She knows how I feel and I really don’t want to talk to anyone about this again.”

“No,” May insisted, “I want you to know how I feel. I want you to know how I feel about you.”

Misty started to think the conversation was starting to get interesting. If she was right about this, then she could finally have a girlfriend she could talk to about her guy.

“Last night when we danced, I knew that I was being forceful. Well, that’s because when I saw you again for such a long time, it clicked. Just somehow, I knew how much I missed your face. I always thought you were a great guy, but when I saw you standing right in front of me like you were last night, I just felt... like you were a dream come true.” May started to blush. “Listen to me,” she snickered at the way she was talking, “I sound like a little girl.”

“May...” Ash breathed.

“Please, let me finish.” May pleaded. “When you and Daisy came back, you just got me angry. I guess I was sort of jealous. I feel bad for that.”

“Don’t be,” Ash finally got a word in.

“Anyways,” May continued, “after that I decided that you were more than just a friend. I was so angry to see you like that that the idea had finally snapped into place. I knew that I liked you.”

“May...”

“Let me finish,” May cut Ash off again. “Then, when I heard you two argue just now, I knew I wasn’t able to compete. I’m never going to be like Misty to you.”

Outside of the room, Misty was flustered by mention of her name. Huh?

“May,...no.” Ash disagreed.

“You may not know or if you do, you just lock it up from coming to the surface, but you know you do.”

“May, no, she’s just a friend. She’s been my best friend ever since I met her. It will always be like that.”

“That may be, but you know that whether or not you are ‘just’ friends, you know you’ll want more. Just like I want more with you.”

Ash didn’t know how to reply. He was silent and more than uncomfortable. What was he to say. The veil of ignorance was lifted and the blunt truth was revealed. He couldn’t act like he didn’t know what she was talking about because he knew full well the situation.

“May...” Ash was at a loss of words. “I...I...”

“Ash,” May interrupted, “you don’t have to say anything. I just wanted to let you know. I never really thought anything could happen, even if I told you.” May turned away from Ash. It was true. She had hoped, but never really believed. It was just a weight off her shoulders.

“But,... I want to say something.”

Right about that time Misty had enough of eavesdropping. In fact, she believed that she had heard too much. What she would have heard next would be a horrid mistake. So, she took her leave with Dorien, afraid of what she might have heard.

“You’re right, may. Everything. You’re right about everything. About me, about Misty. About yourself. And all I can say is... that I’m sorry. Sorry for myself and to you. You’re my best friend too and...”

“Stop, Ash. I get it. I’m not Misty and I’ll never be her. I can accept that. Let’s just... be friends.”

“May...”

With a final utterance of her name by Ash, she took it as her cue to leave.

Ash sat their for a couple more minutes just thinking. How different it would have been if his ambition hadn’t taken over his judgement. May would still be smiling at him right now? Would his mom have had better birthdays if he had been their? And, would Misty still be engaged to Dorien? He didn’t know.

Setting and Location: It’s dark again and everyone had just eaten. Brock and Delia had prepared a wonderful meal. In the dinning room table where they all ate, Max and Tracey had eaten more than their fare share. The three sensational sisters had sat by each other with Daisy in the middle of them facing Ash in the opposite side of the giant dinning room table. Brock sat by Ash eyeing the three sisters. Taking the head of the table at one end was Ash’s mother, suspiciously close to Ash. At the far opposite side of the table sat Misty and Dorien. It was more than coincidence that they were situated away from Ash. To the left of Misty and taking the other end of the table was May; a little distracted and unwilling to turn her head to face the direction Ash had sat. Now, desserts have been introduced and conversation had begun.

“Ohhh!” moaned Max, “I don’t think I can eat another bite of this cake. But, it’s wonderful Mrs. Ketchum.”

“Thank you, Max. You should really give congratulations to Brock. It’s his recipe.”

“It’s a family secret, but I consider everyone here to be like distant cousins.” Everyone sure does act like my distant cousins, Brock whispered to himself remembering his father’s side of the family.

“So, Daisy, what exactly did you do in the ‘grocery store’? I didn’t see any groceries when you came back,” asked Lily with a fierce look as she starred straight at Daisy.

Daisy was at a loss of words as she began to blush. She took a quick look at Ash who was in front of her. He took had a shade of red in his cheeks and avoided her by turning to Brock. “Well... I was... to say... I went to the grocery..., but...”

“But then we decided to go on a stroll around the woods,” Ash finished for her. He was afraid of what his mother would say about that so he kept his glare away from her.

“What did you two do, honey?” asked Delia in a suspiciously uncaring matter.

“Oh, I have an idea,” Brock interrupted.

“We really didn’t do anything, mom. We just enjoyed the scenery overlooking Cerulean City.”

“Oh, is that all? Here I was thinking you two were doing something else.” Clearly Deliah had more in mind. A lot more of the scandalous nature.

Ash could only sigh and brush it away.

May was very silent and avoided conversation with everyone. At times Ash took quick glimpse at her direction and knew exactly what she was thinking. She was embarrassed and very uncomfortable. Ash was only a couple of feet away and she knew what he was thinking, too. It was a lose lose situation.

Noticing May had not taken a piece of the cake, Max took it upon himself to offer.

“Com’on, May. It’s really tasty. You can really taste the gooey filling. I think it’s raspberry.”

“No, Max. I’m not very hungry.”

“Com’on, just one taste.” Max shoveled a piece into his fork and began to offer it into May’s mouth like a mother would for her young infant.

“No, Max. I don’t want it. Get it away from me.”

“Just one bite, you don’t want to insult either Brock or Mrs. Ketchum, now do you?” Max kept at it and May just didn’t want some.

“No!” May yelped and accidentally flung the cake and fork onto the floor.

“Hey, May!” Max objected, “what do you thing you’re doing? this isn’t our home. Plus, we’re not alone. You should know better than that.”

“Just... just leave me alone.” She stood up and grumpily strode out of the room heading for Misty’s room.

Everyone was left stunned. Only Ash knew what was bothering her, yet he played dumb and began playing with his fork on cake trying to avoid attention.

“Is she okay?” asked Mrs. Ketchum.

“I have to apologize for my sister,” Max said, embarrassed for May and himself, “she’s just a little cranky right now.” Cranky about what, I don’t know.

“I think we should see what’s going on with her,” suggested Tracey.

Ash knew what was bothering her and didn’t really want to tackle the subject just now. He had just been hit with a barrage of questions about he and Daisy’s outing and it’d be far more complex to explain something like this to anyone of them.

“Think we should just let her calm down,” Ash suggested.

You’re one to talk. You started it with her. Misty whispered but projected more than she had intended.

Ash heard and so did almost everyone else around the table.

“Hey, Misty! That’s not fair. You have no idea about what’s happening. You should really keep your comments to yourself,” Ash protested.

“Ash, did you have anything to do with this?” Deliah asked firmly.

“Well... I wouldn’t say it was any of my fault, but I had a hand, I guess you can say.”

“Man, what did you do, Ash?” Brock asked burdening Ash with carrying more weight than he had then.

“I didn’t do anything. Not really.”

“Then why did Misty say you started it?” asked Tracey. “What’s going on, she hasn’t been too happy with you all day.”

“Contrary to what Misty said,” giving an emphasizing on Misty’s name, “it wasn’t my fault. It’s really a complicated situation I’m in right now.”

“I was just trying to help May,” Misty said trying to justify her earlier comment.

“Oh, really?” Ash asked sarcastically, “and whispering it out for a quirky remark is really going to help, May? I sure am glad I have a friend like you to make me better when I’m feeling bad.”

“What did you want me to do, blame you for it all?” Misty fired back.

“Isn’t that what you did. You blamed me for this even with you not knowing the facts.”

Misty’s speech began to be more aggressive. “I don’t have to know that facts. With you, Ash it’s always as simple as spilling milk and not cleaning it up.”

“You’re wrong about that, Misty. I’m not the same person you pulled out of that river so long ago.”

“Well, that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?” she retorted. A snicker followed by shrewish grudge.

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Ash asked hopeful to hear a little insight of what she thought of him.

“Com’on, who here knows what I’m talking about,” Misty looked to the crowd to see confirming faces.

“I’m sorry, Ash, but I have to agree,” Tracey said putting his two cents. “I’m not the type to usher out the faults of others, but you can’t really say you don’t owe us a thing after five years. Remember, we’re friends.”

“Is that really how everyone feels?” Ash questioned knowing the answer. “Do you think that, too, Brock?”

It was only a nod.

“How about you, Max?”

“Yeah, Ash. I want to know why.” Max answered.

“Do you have an answer to that, Ash?” Misty gave Ash a mean look.

Ash didn’t have the heart to ask his mother whether she felt the same. She didn’t want to go this far, but she wanted to get an answer.

Ash was already up and ready to give his answer. But, he didn’t. “If you want to know why, go and ask May. I’ve told her, you go ask.”

“That’s not what I asked, Ash. Don’t be such a baby and tell us.” Misty taunted.

“I see you haven’t changed much. You were always so bossy. The type to concern herself with someone else’s business. You’re a busy-body. I always thought that was annoying. I came here to wish my best friend good luck on her new life, I didn’t come to be subjugated by a pact of the needy and an over controlling red-haired growlithe. I love you all,” he was staring directly at Misty, “but I have my reasons and if you don’t like it, I’m sorry.”

“Wait... what did you call me?” Misty had just caught the insult.

“You heard what I said.”

“Okay!,” snapped Dorien and stood up ready to pounce, “that’s it. How dare you say that to her. She’s the one I’m about to marry and best friends or not I won’t let you call her...”

“Shut up!” Ash shouted. “If it weren’t for me you two would have never met each other that day so long ago in the Johto Region. So, instead of opening your mouth and telling me about who Misty is, you better thank me for introducing you to her!”

“Ash!” Mrs. Ketchum said finally stepped in. “Ash, I didn’t raise you to be like this. You behave yourself and say sorry. Yes, you did sacrifice your own time for her, but the truth is that she has a reason why she wants to know and she’s justified. You don’t treat your friends like this. You don’t treat them the way you have been for the last five years.”

He couldn’t say anything in his own defense. He knew his reasons are selfish and self-serving. “I’m sorry I said all that. I’m sorry, Dorien. I didn’t mean that. And, Misty, I’m sorry, I truly didn’t mean calling you that. I know that you just care when you intrude. But, I still won’t say why I did what I did. Like I said, you ask May. Please, can I be excused.”

He left the room silent; stares fluttered in the air.

Location and Setting: It was an hour later and the dishes were finally done. Max and Tracey shared the duties. Max took the scrubbing segment and Tracey did the drying. Both of them wondered why the girls didn’t install a dishwasher. When they were done, they came to the living room of the gym that also acted as the counter for registering trainers who wanted to challenge the leader of the gym. Brock was there waiting with Misty. Dorien had gone to home with his pokemon. Brock and Misty had just stopped their conversation concerning Ash when Tracey and Max had stepped in. Mrs. Ketchum was feeling sleepy and stayed with the Three Sensational Sisters in their room, seeing that May had taken Misty’s room hours ago and still hadn’t come out. Mrs. Ketchum felt she would be intruding if she had bothered May so she decided to stay with the other girls.

“I know that you two know Ash a lot longer than Max and I, but did you ever know him to act like that?” asked Tracey.

“Yeah, that doesn’t seem to be like Ash?” Max stated.

“Okay, I know I’ll regret asking this later on...” Brock started.

“Then don’t ask,” Misty retorted.

“Would you let me finish?” Brock continued, “but, did you plan on him telling you why. Did you really have to corner Ash like that?”

“I did what I had to do, Brock. I didn’t know that he was going to react like that.”

“I guess you haven’t heard the saying about a cornered cat?” Max sarcastically commented.

“I have,” Misty replied, “it’s just that I wanted to know. And don’t tell me you don’t either.”

“I have to agree with Misty.” Tracey concluded to himself.

“What is she right about?” asked Max.

“I’m talking about cornering, Ash. I don’t really want to ask May because she’s not really talkative right now, so we have to ask Ash.”

“But he’ll just react the way he did at dinner,” Max put in.

“No, I don’t think he will,” Tracey disagreed. “He acted the way he did because he was cornered on a sharp ridge thorn bush when we should corner him on a soft mental hospital wall. We have to catch him on our terms, but we need to take away the thorns.”

“How do we do that?” asked Brock.

“We get rid of the thorns.”

“What does that mean?” asked Misty.

“Never mind. I mean we get rid of Misty.” Tracey finally got his message through.

“Wait,” Misty protested, “why do I have to go away?”

“Don’t you see?” asked Tracey. “You and Ash always seem to get in a fight when the conditions aren’t very favorable. Me and the other guys will ask him. You stay here and we’ll tell you tomorrow. There are just things guys can say to other guys but not to girls.”

“He has changed, Ash would always tell me anything,” Misty lamented.

“What’s worst is that he told May and not you,” Brock noticed.

Misty was both a little disappointed and angry that Brock brought it up. Maybe it was habit, or maybe it was a tidbit of jealously that rooted in her. Why exactly would Ash tell May, but not her?

“Okay, I guess that’s the best way to handle this. Despite how angry I am at Ash right now, I really don’t want to not speak to him in another five years.”

“Then it’s clear what we have to do. Don’t worry, Misty. We’ll get him to talk,” Max promised her.

****

There we are, another one. Hope you like it. Review? Lithavalon@yahoo.com By the way, if you’re wondering when I sent this in, the date was 10/6/05. The first one was 9/23/05. The second chapter was on 9/24/05. Just thought you’d like to keep track, because I sure do.