Would You Like To Make a Run For It?

I awoke the next morning to an empty bed. I had to chuckle a little bit, it was typical Gary behaviour. Even though nothing had happened last night, his arrogance deemed him the type to up and leave in the morning.

I knew he wouldn’t have left the lab though, and if he had I would be very angry at that boy.

The door was still open for his room, so I jumped out of bed and snapped it shut. I also locked it whilst I was there, wouldn’t want him, or anybody else to walk in and see my lack of clothing.

Gary had given me a shirt of his to wear to bed, since I felt uncomfortable in my jeans and short-sleeved shirt to wear. I put them back on. Even though I badly wanted to either keep wearing the shirt Gary gave me because it was still clean, or grab another one of his shirts, I didn’t want to seem rude.

I also had to go back to the Ketchum residence today, and I didn’t want Delia to see me in one of Gary’s shirts. It was a big flirt, and as a female she would know that.

So instead I opted to just grab a can of deodorant I always keep in my purse and spray myself with it. It would do for now, I would be going back soon and just have a shower at Ash’s house.

I then creeped out of Gary’s room. I wanted to find him, maybe hang out for a short while and then get the hell out of here.

I chuckled to myself as I walked the halls of the lab. Gary not waiting for me to wake up, me creeping out to go home soon, it sounded as if we had a one-night stand or something.

Then, I bumped into somebody. Hard.

I looked up to see who I bumped into, expecting Professor Oak as I saw a blinding white lab coat. However, as I got picked up by this person, I realised it must have been one of his assistants. He looked middle aged, a little older than Delia but much younger than Professor Oak, with bright blue eyes and sandy blonde hair.

He stared at me a little bit, before speaking up.

“Sorry about that, didn’t expect anyone to be here. Can I help you with anything?” He asked me.

“It’s okay. I’m looking for Gary, I stayed over here last night because we got back late, I better go back to the Ketchum residence, Delia must be worried sick.” I replied.

“He’s in the kitchen. Keep going down this hallway, go through the lab with all the equipment and there’s a kitchen right next to it.” The man replied.

“Thanks heaps.” I smiled brightly, and went to go on my way but he addressed me one last time.

“What’s your name, anyway?” The man asked.

“Lily. What’s yours?” I asked.

“Just making sure.” The man nodded, before scuttling away, completely ignoring my question.

I stared at him briefly wondering what the hell he was on about, before shaking my head and following his directions.

Out of the hallway I was lead to the lab, and I only swiftly looked at all the cool stuff. I saw a little of it last night, but it was dark (Gary used his pokenav to lead me over to the healing machine for Shellder) and I just wanted to go to bed.

Right now I just want to have a quick chat with Gary and go back to Ash’s house. I don’t want anybody getting the wrong idea, even the man from before I could see thought Gary and I had something going on.

I slid into the kitchen, and saw Gary was hunched over the stove.

“Bacon and eggs?” I asked, making my presence known, as I didn’t want to scare him.

“Well, yes. Gramps doesn’t cook for me much anymore, he says now I’m eighteen I can cook for myself. I decided I should practise on someone who doesn’t matter, so that’s why I’m cooking.” Gary smirked.

All the joy I felt from the fact he was cooking breakfast for me melted away instantly. “Someone who doesn’t matter” so I didn’t matter to him? I was such an idiot. Here I was crushing on him, and at least thinking we were friends. But I was just a guinea pig.

I was stupid to think I would actually make friends. I was lucky to have Ash, Misty and Brock, I got too comfortable with real friends and thought I could make a friend in someone as cocky as Gary Oak. But no, he doesn’t do friends. Just has people around for convenience.

“Someone who doesn’t matter?” I asked, sounding neutral.

Maybe he was joking, and would explain himself now. I was upset, but now he might explain himself and it would turn out I had the wrong idea and I’d feel silly for nearly making a scene out of nothing.

“Well, yeah. I don’t want to poison my Pokémon, so I thought I’d try on you first.” Gary smirked.

“Right, okay. I’m going back to the Ketchum house. I know Delia actually cares about me, and makes good breakfast. I don’t want to wake up Shellder, he needs his sleep, so just get Professor Oak to bring him over later, okay?” I said to Gary, not worrying about how dumbfounded he looked as I suddenly snapped at him.

I then went to turn on my heels and storm out, but Gary stopped me by calling out my name.

“Lily?” He called.

“Yes?” I asked, turning around and feeling a little glimmer of hope.

“On your way out can you make sure you shut the door? Some of the Pokémon in the morning in this lab are really loud, and it’s quite annoying.” Gary stated.

I made a loud ‘annoyed’ sound, not bothering to even acknowledge him with a reply as I stormed out of the kitchen.

I went through the lab and made my way outside the door, on the short path back to the Ketchum residence.

I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I didn’t like Ash much anymore that was clear. He was a good guy, but we worked a lot better as friends than we did as boyfriend/girlfriend. It was clear I had to end things with him as soon as I could, and maybe one day soon he’d want to be friends again.

But this whole Gary thing was confusing. I did like him, and I thought he liked me, but it seemed not from his actions today. Just when we were making progress…

I was hoping that by the near approaching end of season, maybe Gary and I would be something more than friends and that meant he may come to visit me often. But no, it seemed I’d be going home to Saffron City and loneliness, with crushed hopes of true love, with just memories of what started out as the best summer of my life.