Chapter 14: Iron DOES break

     The next day was cold, cancelling our plans to head to Lavaridge.
So we all took the day off. I had wanted to stay behind and I knew it
had been a smart decision as I sat in my tent with a mug of hot cocoa.
 
      "So you know that guy Taylor well?" he asked me. It was bizarre
being completely alone with him like we were. Nathan was off to do some
work on his Pokedex and Vicky wanted to train. Zach went with her,
leaving me and Josh alone for the first time. 

     "Yeah... We used to date back in Johto," I said quietly. I think he
sensed my pain on the subject, but it wasn't overwhelming like it had
been. Like I had told Nathan, I was stronger now, I wasn't crying in a
corner. 

     "Something bad happened?" he asked and for the first time, I
noticed how attractive he was and how much I enjoyed his company. 

     "He hit me," I told him and he kind of looked shocked, but I don't
think he was so surprised. He, like me, knew what Taylor was capable of. 

     "That bastard," he said with a scowl and I was grateful for the
support. I was wondering how Nathan could possibly NOT like him, when he
came back to find us sitting and talking. He didn't look so happy to
find me confiding in someone else, and that made me feel special because
it made me realize how much I meant to him.

     I looked over at Josh then, and I smiled at him. Nathan seemed to
be growing distant to me. We still had our occasional close moments but
they weren't as frequent anymore. I had been kind of sure before that he
had a crush on me, because he treated me like I treated him and I had a
crush on HIM, but I think he was losing interest in me.

     But as I looked at Josh, I saw that he had the same look in his
eyes that Nathan used to have. I liked the closeness we were getting but
I missed Nathan. He knew me almost better than I knew myself. He had
been there from the very beginning, from my first day in Hoenn. I didn't
want to throw that away. Ever.

     Instinctively, I knew that Josh liked me. As in, more than a
friend. and I knew that I kind of liked him too. But I really liked
Nathan, more than I had ever liked anyone before. He was my other half,
he was the guy who I told everything to...

     Or he had been. Whenever I asked him what was wrong, he would say
that he was fine. And I would do the same. We were becoming strangers to
each other, and I wondered if there was a way of changing that. Was I
still his best friend? Was he still my best friend? I firmly told myself
that yes, he was but I think I felt differently.

     "Jenn? What's wrong?" asked Vicky. I shook my head.

     "Just anxious to get to Lavaridge," I lied. She then grinned at me
like she knew something I didn't.

    "I know something you don't," she said wickedly, confirming the look
on her face.

    "What do you know?" I asked worriedly. Was it something about
Nathan? Did he hate me without me knowing it?

     "Josh has a crush on you," she said with a big smile. Great. Just
what I needed.

     "How do you know?" I said with a false bored voice. I hoped my face
didn't show that I was getting Beautiflys in my stomach. I hope I didn't
look excited.

     "He told Zach yesterday and Zach told me while we were training.
Zach also thinks you're hot, by the way. He thinks you're too skinny
though."

     "Duh, I'm about two pounds from being underweight! But did Zach
tell you exactly what Josh said?"

     "Yes, he did. He said that he said something like, Wow, your friend
Jenn is really pretty and that Josh said, Yeah she is. She's a real
catch, and I'm not talking about just how pretty she is. She's one of
the greatest girls I've ever met. And then Zach went, it sounds like
somebody has a crush. and then Josh said, Yeah, I think I'm in love with
her."

     I was shocked. Flabbergasted. He couldn't be in love with me... I
still had such feelings for Nathan! But what would that really be worth
it later on? Should I just give up and go out with Josh?

     I sighed then. Rescuing a city from Team Rocket sounded really easy
compared to this.

My iron resolve has nothing more than memory.

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Sorry if that was short!!

-Torchick