MUCH ADO ABOUT A CRUSH I don't own pokemon and all that jazz ********************************** Ch 10 The Ketchum Residence: ‘Duplica, come over here and help me put up this banner, will you?’ cried Brock desperately as he held up one end of the large blue banner with “Happy Birthday Ash” on it in bold white letters, embellished with artfully positioned yellow lightning bolts. ‘Can’t you see I’m busy!?’ bellowed Duplica angrily, trying to prop up the big birthday card she’d been working on, near the table in the middle of the room. ‘Here, I’ll help you,’ reassured Gary, being unnaturally patient as he climbed the ladder and tied up the opposite end of the banner. Everyone was working extra-hard, knowing they had just a few minutes left to finish the setting-up-and-getting-ready for the party. Duplica, still struggling with the card, had rearranged the living room and had moved all the furniture out of the middle of the room, making space for the table where the cake would be placed. Brock had already stuck up balloons and was finally getting the banner up, with Gary’s assistance. He still had to help Mrs. Ketchum set up all the trays of delicious snacks on the table along the wall. Therefore, Mrs. Ketchum was in the kitchen, with Richie as her little helper, humming a cheerful little tune, finishing the preparations for the buffet. She had made some of Ash’s favorite dishes and was looking forward to seeing her son stuff himself silly. Tracey was putting finishing touches on the cake. He had requested the bakery not to do the details of the icing, as he wanted things to be just perfect. He believed that, if you want something done right, you should do it yourself. Gary had put up streamers wherever the walls seemed too bare. He had also sprinkled the pikachu confetti wherever it seemed reasonable. Now, they were just waiting for Professor Oak to arrive, praying he didn’t meet Ash and Misty along the way. Suddenly, and quite startlingly, the doorbell rang… Everyone froze. Even Duplica’s card stopped being stubborn and stood up straight. ‘Oh no,’ whispered Brock, stowing the ladder under the sofa, ‘they’re home early!!’ As was decided beforehand, everyone took their respective hiding places as Mrs. Ketchum opened the door. Then, as the visitor entered, they all popped out and screamed: ‘SURPRISE!! *singing*Happy birthday to you, happy bir…oh’ It was just Professor Oak…‘Oh my…that was quite good. Very …um…“surprising” indeed.’ Everyone heaved a sigh of relief…and Duplica’s card flopped to the ground. ‘ARGH!! I’m going to KILL that thing! It just WON’T stay up!!’ ‘Here, let me help you, Duplica,’ offered the Prof kindly. And, together, they managed to get the card to co-operate. ‘And not a moment too soon,’ said the Professor, ‘those two will be here any minute now. Do you know, the came to my lab? Really, I was quite worried as to how I was going to get out of there without causing too much suspicion. Luckily, Misty seems to have understood…she HAS grown into quite a beauty, hasn’t she?’ Everyone else in the room (including Ditto and Sparky –to whom Pikachu had explained, as best he could, the meaning of a “surprise party” and “setting someone up”) sniggered at this last remark. Professor Oak didn’t seem to notice. The table had been set, the cake was ready, the banner was up, no balloon had popped, no streamer was slipping, the camcorder had a brand new 6-hour tape and the digi-cam had fully-charged batteries and an empty memory- card. They were all completely ready. They congratulated each-other on a job well done, gave themselves a pat on the back…and waited. Everything was perfect; nothing could go wrong…could it? *************************************************************** Outside: ‘Misty, what are you doing?’ Ash asked, smirking, as I crouched on the ground, bending over my high-tops. ‘What does it LOOK like I’m doing? I am tying my shoe,’ I replied, quite tactfully. ‘I can see that but,’ he chose to go on, ‘I’m only asking because this is the third time since we left the lab that you’ve been “tying your shoe”. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you we’re trying to stall…’ Damn him. ‘Here, let me show you a trick.’ He crouched down beside me, took my intentionally untied shoelaces and slowly, demonstratively tied a double- knot. ‘There. Now, I don’t think you’ll have a problem,’ he said proudly as we both stood back up. Of course, I hadn’t been looking at the shoelaces. I damn well knew how to tie my own shoelaces. And he just looked so sweet…plus, I couldn’t use the “oh-my-shoe-is-untied” trick anymore. So, for all those reasons, my eyes were on him… ‘What…is there something on my face?’ he asked, wiping his cheeks and chin. ‘No,’ I said plainly. Then, I threw my arms around his neck and gave him the fiercest, most passionate kiss I could muster. Hey, don’t judge me! I told you already that I was ready to make-out with him if it meant that I was stalling… Suddenly, I felt my phone vibrate. Gary…the house was ready! Sadly, reluctantly, I broke the kiss. ‘Wow. What was that for?’ Ash asked, incredulously, blushing like crazy. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders…what was I supposed to say anyway? ‘We should really get going,’ was all I could think of to say. We approached the gate and I saw someone yank the bay-window’s curtains shut just in time. ‘Well, here we are,’ I said, trying to sound casual…and failing rather miserably. ‘Yes. I can see that. You’re acting kind of funny, aren’t you?’ he asked innocently, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. ‘No I am NOT!’ I cried, loud enough for those inside to hear us…“Well, here we come, ready or not,” I thought. Then, I grabbed Ash’s hand and we walked up the path. I stood on the left so that I could walk in before him, in case the guys needed more time. Ash rang the doorbell this time. *********************************** In The House: ‘Did you call them, Gary?’ asked Duplica, bouncing on her toes with excitement. ‘Yes…calm down, will you? If what Grandpa says is true, they were probably on their way here anyway. I can safely say, from personal experience, that his thesis is bo-oring,’ murmured Gary, so as not to hurt his Grandfather’s feelings. ‘Really?’ asked Brock, as he placed the last of the 17 candles on the cake (16+1 for good luck!), ‘What is his thesis about?’ ‘The reproductive and mating habits of pokemon,’ replied Tracey before Gary could say anything. Everyone froze. Duplica was the first to crack up. ‘Ha! That must have been so uncomfortable! I’m going to hold that against them forever!!’ ‘Um, you guys? They’re here…’ whispered Richie frantically as he yanked the curtains shut. Everyone ran to their places, trying their best not to giggle. From outside, Ash and Misty’s voices were muffled. Suddenly, Misty’s voice rose: ‘No I am NOT!’ ‘Wow, she’s good at this, isn’t she?’ whispered Gary to Tracey as the latter nodded sagely. And, right on cue, the doorbell rang…Mrs. Ketchum turned the doorknob. ******************************************************************** A/N: Sorry to leave you guys with that but, if I didn’t cut the chapter there, this one chapter would be too big so…don’t worry, I’ve already finished a big chunk of the rest so, relax! I won’t let you guys down…I’ll do my best! **************************************************