Purple Ink (SatoGou)

Chapter 20

"Do you think it's true?" Dawn asks me, licking her ice cream again. I think she's crazy for ordering ice cream when it's this cold. I sip my hot chocolate, which burns as it goes down my throat. Bundled up in a thick coat, scarf and gloves, I'm still cold. It's always been cold in my hometown, but this winter seems particularly frosty. In the three days I've been home, I don't think I've been warm once.

"Probably. It's not like it's unexpected," I reply. I couldn't keep the news of Misty and Gary's potential relationship to myself. Especially not when we're about to meet up with them for the first time in months.

"Have you told your mom about Goh yet?"

"No," I sigh. "I keep meaning to, but I don't know how."

"Delia's not gonna care, Ash. She's the nicest mom ever." Dawn glances out of the window, and spots Gary, Misty and Brock heading towards the building. She waves frantically, and a strange anxiety sparks up in my chest. I know I need to tell my mom. I still need to ask her if it's okay for Goh and Chloe to come and stay for the new year. I haven't told her or Dawn about my plans for them to visit.

Misty and Gary keep at least three feet between them as they walk in, and pointedly don't look at each other. I press my lips together to suppress the smile threatening to break out at how glaringly obvious they're being, and how oblivious they are to that.

"Ketchum," Gary says, a huge grin on his face as he sits opposite me, Misty sliding into the booth beside him, reaching over and taking a marshmallow from the top of my hot chocolate with a grin and popping it in her mouth.

"Nice to see you two," she says. "Still inseparable, I see."

"Yeah, I just can't get rid of him," Dawn says with a fake eye roll, and I nudge her playfully. "Hey Gary, hey Brock."

Brock sits beside Misty on her other side, smiling wide. Even though it hasn't been long since I last saw him, he looks... different. Older, somehow. "Hey," he says, his eyes catching mine. It almost seems like he's assessing me, trying to figure out if I'm okay. He has no idea how much better things are now.

We sit there for over an hour, trading stories from university back and forth. Misty's gotten herself in a good crowd, and Gary, despite being at the same university as her, does not share the same friendship group. They don't admit that they've been seeing each other, but I'm not surprised. They're probably in denial about it.

Brock tells us that he's officially with Lucy. His womanising days are over, and he seems really tied down and happy, and as he speaks I find myself wanting to share my news, too. It'll be good practice for telling my mom, anyway.

I clear my throat as Brock finishes his story, and everyone looks my way. With their eyes all on me, I feel suddenly nervous, and glance left at Dawn. Sensing what's about to happen, she gives me a supportive nod and a smile. I take a deep breath.

"So, there's something I wanted to tell you guys too," I start.

"Oh my God, don't tell me you're dating again," Misty cuts in, leaning across the table. "It's about time!"

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess I am."

Brock furrows his brows and crosses his arms. "How come I haven't met this person? You didn't even tell me this when I saw you last week."

I laugh nervously, rubbing the back of my head. "Well, actually, you have met them."

"Come on Ketchum, stop being mysterious. Who is the mystery girl?" Gary asks, leaning in beside Misty.

Silently I count my breaths to calm myself down. This is fine. You're fine. They're not going to care. "Mystery guy, actually," I correct him. I can hear the blood rushing past my ears in the silence that follows, and force myself to look up. Misty and Gary are both gawking, clearly surprised, but Brock leans back in his seat, a knowing smile spreading across his face as he figures it out.