Status: semi active
Would You Like To Make a Run For It?
Chapter thirty one
It was two days after Gary and I admitted our feelings that it was announced that Ash was coming home. I had been spending majority of my time at Professor Oak’s lab, either just hanging out with Gary, or even doing tasks with Professor Oak and Gary to further my knowledge of Pokémon and help out. My Pokémon had been having a lot of fun too.
I was ignoring the fact that school was to start up again in 2 weeks, and even more so ignored the fact that I had to leave prior to that to make sure I was in Saffron City in time.
This whole Ash/Gary issue needed to be resolved first, and then I’d think about school. It’s weird to think how different my life was at the start of the summer. I didn’t want to think about it though, because I would be going back to that soon. It had been so long, it felt as if my old life didn’t happen and I have been in Pallet Town my entire life.
I hadn’t heard from my mother, but I knew I hadn’t been forgotten. Her lover was still regularly putting money into my bank account. She, like me, probably knew it was best to ignore this and put off returning home as long as possible before reality hits again.
I was at Professor Oak’s lab when I got a call from Delia. I was helping Gary with an experiment when Professor Oak came in and told me to go back to the Ketchum residence, as Delia phoned to say that Ash would be back this afternoon.
Gary and I were disappointed our day together was cut short, but we knew that this would be the beginning of us finally getting together, for real. So therefore there was smiles on both of our faces as I left the lab.
I returned to the Ketchum residence that afternoon and helped Delia prepare for Ash’s homecoming. He had been gone for quite a while, and we had no idea how he fared in that Pokémon tournament. Judging from his absence he must have fared well, being gone such a long time means he wasn’t knocked out early. Who knows, he might have won and was waiting to tell us the good news when he got home.
I helped Mr. Mime clean the house and set up decorations. Delia insisted I go back to the Oak lab and she’d call me when Ash was home, but for some strange reason I didn’t want to.
I finally felt a small sense of freedom. I knew it would be very soon I would be able to talk with Ash, perhaps even sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. I would feel better hanging up decorations, as if celebrating the new chapter of my life I was about to enter.
At about 5.00pm, sounds were heard at the door, before it swung open to reveal Ash standing in the door.
“My sweet boy!” Delia cried out, and he had a huge genuine smile on his face as he went to hug his mother.
They hugged for two minutes straight, and I looked around the room awkwardly, unsure of what to do as they hugged.
Then, they stopped and he turned to me.
“Lily…I missed you.” Ash honestly said.
I had to crack a smile at this. I was expecting Ash to act as he did in the days leading up to his departure, and how his departure went down. But his facial expressions and body language showed that he really did miss me. He also ran up to hug me.
“I missed you too, Ash.” I stated, although it was fairly true, I was now feeling guilty.
I never thought about what would happen if Ash returned and started to appreciate me. I was so sure he’d continue to be the ass he always was.
Dumping him when he was being so nice seemed a little harsh, but I definitely liked Gary now. It would be more than a little silly to stay with Ash when I didn’t really like him, and tell Gary I had a change of heart.
It still didn’t make it any easier though.
“So, my little Ashy, how’d you go?” Delia asked, being unable to contain her excitement.
“I got out on the second day. I made some new friends though, so we all hung out for the time I was gone, you know, to get away from everything for a while and have some space to myself.” Ash replied.
I smirked a little at this revelation, it hurting a lot less than I thought it would. There was the Ash I knew, still being an ass to me.
Delia shot me a look of worry.
“I’m glad you made friends honey, but what do you mean you needed to get away from it all? You only had returned to Pallet Town for a few days with your new girlfriend.” Delia stated to Ash.
“But Muuuum! I needed a small change before coming back. It was fun. Now I can stay here for a while.” Ash whined.
“Okay honey, but do realise that people doing high school have to go back soon. Lily only has about a week left with us.” Delia said.
This was when I felt my stomach drop. People were now mentioning the thing I was trying to push to the back of my mind. It was now becoming obvious, and would be hard to hide from.
“Is this true, Lily?” Ash asked, looking scared, the first time I had seen such an emotion on his face.
“Well, yeah. But it’s okay, we’ll just deal with it later.” I shrugged.
“Okay. Mum, when is dinner going to be ready? I need to shower and stuff before dinner.” Ash asked his mother, easily forgetting the topic.
I sighed a little. Ash didn’t care whatsoever that I would be leaving soon. Would Gary feel the same way? Would this just be a small fling with Gary?
***
I was silent throughout all of dinner. Ash was bragging about his recent adventures, barely pausing for anyone to get even a reply in.
Granted, his adventures were a lot more interesting than what I had been up to. But he had deserted me to run off for this adventure, even though he thought I didn’t know anyone in this town. Wasn’t he just a little bit curious as to what I got up to?
“You know, in your absence, Lily has been learning about Pokémon at Professor Oak’s lab with Gary.” Lily stated, as if reading my mind.
“Oh? You were hanging out with Gary Oak?” Ash asked, no emotion on his face.
“Well, yeah. It was fun. There was nothing else to do.” I mumbled, unsure of where this would be heading.
“Thanks for dinner Mum, but I’m not hungry anymore.” Ash dramatically stated, grabbing his plate and heavily dumping his food in the trash before storming upstairs, avoiding my gaze.
I put my fork down and remained silent for a few minutes, unsure as of what to do.
“Oh honey, I’m sorry it came down to this. Here, how about I put your food in the fridge, and you take a small walk around the block until Ash calms down, and talk everything out with him.” Delia suggested.
“I…I guess.” I stuttered.
“I think you know it’s now or never…now is the right time to do it, otherwise you’ll never want to do it. It seems like now is the time it’s meant to be done.” Delia said.
I just nodded, and didn’t look her way as I grabbed my bag with my Pokémon and headed out.
She was right; it was now time to break up with Ash. But I needed some courage to do it, and the right people to give me courage right now were my Pokémon.
I was ignoring the fact that school was to start up again in 2 weeks, and even more so ignored the fact that I had to leave prior to that to make sure I was in Saffron City in time.
This whole Ash/Gary issue needed to be resolved first, and then I’d think about school. It’s weird to think how different my life was at the start of the summer. I didn’t want to think about it though, because I would be going back to that soon. It had been so long, it felt as if my old life didn’t happen and I have been in Pallet Town my entire life.
I hadn’t heard from my mother, but I knew I hadn’t been forgotten. Her lover was still regularly putting money into my bank account. She, like me, probably knew it was best to ignore this and put off returning home as long as possible before reality hits again.
I was at Professor Oak’s lab when I got a call from Delia. I was helping Gary with an experiment when Professor Oak came in and told me to go back to the Ketchum residence, as Delia phoned to say that Ash would be back this afternoon.
Gary and I were disappointed our day together was cut short, but we knew that this would be the beginning of us finally getting together, for real. So therefore there was smiles on both of our faces as I left the lab.
I returned to the Ketchum residence that afternoon and helped Delia prepare for Ash’s homecoming. He had been gone for quite a while, and we had no idea how he fared in that Pokémon tournament. Judging from his absence he must have fared well, being gone such a long time means he wasn’t knocked out early. Who knows, he might have won and was waiting to tell us the good news when he got home.
I helped Mr. Mime clean the house and set up decorations. Delia insisted I go back to the Oak lab and she’d call me when Ash was home, but for some strange reason I didn’t want to.
I finally felt a small sense of freedom. I knew it would be very soon I would be able to talk with Ash, perhaps even sometime tonight or tomorrow morning. I would feel better hanging up decorations, as if celebrating the new chapter of my life I was about to enter.
At about 5.00pm, sounds were heard at the door, before it swung open to reveal Ash standing in the door.
“My sweet boy!” Delia cried out, and he had a huge genuine smile on his face as he went to hug his mother.
They hugged for two minutes straight, and I looked around the room awkwardly, unsure of what to do as they hugged.
Then, they stopped and he turned to me.
“Lily…I missed you.” Ash honestly said.
I had to crack a smile at this. I was expecting Ash to act as he did in the days leading up to his departure, and how his departure went down. But his facial expressions and body language showed that he really did miss me. He also ran up to hug me.
“I missed you too, Ash.” I stated, although it was fairly true, I was now feeling guilty.
I never thought about what would happen if Ash returned and started to appreciate me. I was so sure he’d continue to be the ass he always was.
Dumping him when he was being so nice seemed a little harsh, but I definitely liked Gary now. It would be more than a little silly to stay with Ash when I didn’t really like him, and tell Gary I had a change of heart.
It still didn’t make it any easier though.
“So, my little Ashy, how’d you go?” Delia asked, being unable to contain her excitement.
“I got out on the second day. I made some new friends though, so we all hung out for the time I was gone, you know, to get away from everything for a while and have some space to myself.” Ash replied.
I smirked a little at this revelation, it hurting a lot less than I thought it would. There was the Ash I knew, still being an ass to me.
Delia shot me a look of worry.
“I’m glad you made friends honey, but what do you mean you needed to get away from it all? You only had returned to Pallet Town for a few days with your new girlfriend.” Delia stated to Ash.
“But Muuuum! I needed a small change before coming back. It was fun. Now I can stay here for a while.” Ash whined.
“Okay honey, but do realise that people doing high school have to go back soon. Lily only has about a week left with us.” Delia said.
This was when I felt my stomach drop. People were now mentioning the thing I was trying to push to the back of my mind. It was now becoming obvious, and would be hard to hide from.
“Is this true, Lily?” Ash asked, looking scared, the first time I had seen such an emotion on his face.
“Well, yeah. But it’s okay, we’ll just deal with it later.” I shrugged.
“Okay. Mum, when is dinner going to be ready? I need to shower and stuff before dinner.” Ash asked his mother, easily forgetting the topic.
I sighed a little. Ash didn’t care whatsoever that I would be leaving soon. Would Gary feel the same way? Would this just be a small fling with Gary?
***
I was silent throughout all of dinner. Ash was bragging about his recent adventures, barely pausing for anyone to get even a reply in.
Granted, his adventures were a lot more interesting than what I had been up to. But he had deserted me to run off for this adventure, even though he thought I didn’t know anyone in this town. Wasn’t he just a little bit curious as to what I got up to?
“You know, in your absence, Lily has been learning about Pokémon at Professor Oak’s lab with Gary.” Lily stated, as if reading my mind.
“Oh? You were hanging out with Gary Oak?” Ash asked, no emotion on his face.
“Well, yeah. It was fun. There was nothing else to do.” I mumbled, unsure of where this would be heading.
“Thanks for dinner Mum, but I’m not hungry anymore.” Ash dramatically stated, grabbing his plate and heavily dumping his food in the trash before storming upstairs, avoiding my gaze.
I put my fork down and remained silent for a few minutes, unsure as of what to do.
“Oh honey, I’m sorry it came down to this. Here, how about I put your food in the fridge, and you take a small walk around the block until Ash calms down, and talk everything out with him.” Delia suggested.
“I…I guess.” I stuttered.
“I think you know it’s now or never…now is the right time to do it, otherwise you’ll never want to do it. It seems like now is the time it’s meant to be done.” Delia said.
I just nodded, and didn’t look her way as I grabbed my bag with my Pokémon and headed out.
She was right; it was now time to break up with Ash. But I needed some courage to do it, and the right people to give me courage right now were my Pokémon.