Chapter 15: Blast to the Past


     I woke up at about eight the next morning and it was triple H
weather: Hot, Humid and Hazy. It seemed like it was seventy-five degrees
already. I adored days like this. It was time to start going to
Lavaridge.

     I purposely began to walk next to Nathan. "Hey," I said cheerfully. 

     "Hi," he said, looking self-absorbed.

     "So what's going on?" I questioned.

     "Not like you care," he muttered under his breath, but I still
caught every word.

     "What was that, Nathan?" I sounded like my mother at that moment,
but I didn't care. I was going to get him to talk to me, one way or
another.

     "Nothing. And nothing is going on, Jenifer." He had never called me
Jenifer. Ever.

     "What's wrong?" I asked, feeling extremely panicky like.

      "Hey! Jenn!" called somebody behind us. I turned around and saw
the spitting image of myself. It was my favorite sibling, my older
brother Bobby.

     "Bobby! What in the hell are you doing here?"

     "I came home for a visit, and Mom told me you were out travelling.
I wanted to find you and say hi, and Mom said she figured you'd be at
around your third badge. But I went to the city wher THAT's at, and the
gym leader seemed to remember you. He said you were very tempermental."

     I grinned at Nathan and Josh at the memory, but only Josh grinned
back. Nathan was still unresponsive.

     "Yeah, but it was his fault!" I complained.

     Vicky leaned over to my ear. "Who the hell is this dude?"

     They had no clue that this was my brother. "Oh yeah! You guys, this
is my older brother, Robert. Everyone except my mom calls him Bobby
though. And this is Nathan, Vicky, Josh and Zach."

     My brother looked thoughtful. "Hmmm... Dad told me that you were
travelling with a guy named Nathan! Is he your boyfriend, little
sister?"

     "Noooo... He's just my best friend!" The others looked a little
indignant at that, but I had to reassure Nathan. But he didn't really
care. He did nothing.

     "Well, I better let you get on with your travels. Take care,
youngest sibling. And I'll kick your ass if you don't win the League."

     "Thanks, bro. Glad to know I have your support," I said
sarcastically.

     "Bye!!"

     The small town was gorgeous, and very comfortable looking. There
were many small buildings, and a Pokemon Center with hot springs built
in. And everyone seemed just so friendly.

      Let's just say, nothing could've prepared me for the next sight I
saw.

     "Sam?" I asked unbelievedly, unable to put into view what I was
seeing. It just wasn't possible. Sam Brady could not be here in Hoenn.
He SHOULD be in Johto, making more girls cry. That guy gave me a lot of
bad memories. Stupid ex-boyfriends... 

     "Jenn? Jenifer Frost? Is that seriously you?" He looked somewhat
surprised to see me, and especially with such a big group. I wasn't a
group person in Johto. 

     "Wow, I can't believe you're here!" I said with false excitement. I
can be such a good little actress. "How are you?" 

     He looked as serious as ever when he looked at me. "I'm good, but
what about you? I heard about you and Taylor after you left. I'm so
sorry. I'm also sorry about what happened between us." 

      I was mildly surprised at that, and that he would even remember
going out with me. Nathan looked kind of shocked too, and he probably
realized it was another ex-boyfriend. I was losing my closeness with
Nathan, and that scared me. 

     "It's no problem, really. Listen, if you're not travelling with
anyone, you're welcome to come with us." Everyone looked shoked that,
but by the looks on their faces, only Josh and Nathan minded. They were
going to have to deal with it. Sam was like a link to my past, and even
though I had put it behind me, I didn't want to forget it.