(Welp, spinoff of my first chapter in my upcoming amour vs geekchic vs negai and contest vs romantic vs hoenn fic)
Serena loved hoenn. This was where she had finally found her dream, maybe even better than performing- just maybe. Coordinating had helped her improve her battling while still trying to look beautiful, meet some very useful friends, find role models, and most of all- take it off her mind that Ash was gone.
She wasn't denying she missed him. She'd already told him how she felt, through a kiss- not exactly on the lips, but it was a start. Bad move. She missed him even more after that. She spent most of her free time now wondering if he remembered her, if he had gotten a girlfriend in Alola. But there were some other males that could take her mind off him.
Clemont had come to visit Bonnie and Max, both young, talented coordinators. He wasn't exactly happy that Bonnie had chosen coordinating, she guessed he wanted her to succeed him as gym leader one day. He'd only been for a short while, and Serena didn't even meet him, but she still missed him just as much as she missed Ash.
And then there was Drew. Serena didn't like him at first. Drew was cocky and arrogant and the opposite of Ash, who was fiery but milder and much less teasing. Drew was the thrill of victory. The name Drew didn't suit him at all.
Drew had told her about his troubles with May. He would go on about how good she was, how sweet and adventurous and kind she was. How he loved her and she loved him, their hearts on fire. Maybe this was what burning love was like, Serena had thought.
"But then she had to leave. She had to tell me she loved Ash, and then when he rejected her her world fell apart." He'd say afterward. Serena wondered if Ash would reject her. She hoped she would stay strong.
"She wanted me to look after her; I said no. I was angry. I shouldn't've been. She left my house and went to Brendan's and now she's dating him. You've got no idea how big a mistake I made, Serena."
Serena wished she could empathise, but she'd never been in a relationship before, or even a crush love triangle. Apart from Miette, but then she was all teasing. She was sassy and a little mean but she was proud of it, and she knew when to stop. Miette only used him to tease her, because she was so unpopular herself. She was in a different region now.
She would do her best to make him feel better, stop putting himself down. Sometimes you needed care more than you needed punishment. Sometimes it was the course of fate that made a mistake, not you.
"Serena, tell me about Kalos." Drew would say, whenever she came over to his house. Drew's parents were in a different region and his aunt came to help in the day, but otherwise it was all to himself. And Serena would sit on the sofa next to him with a cup of hot chocolate, telling stories about how they used to travel.
"Clemont met this girl, Lilia- she was so in love with him! Even though she didn't show it I could tell, and they would've been perfect together!"
"Once, team rocket dressed up as us and tried to get us arrested!"
"One time, we were walking and I slipped and almost fell off a cliff, and Ash tried to save me but he ended up falling. Luckily Clemont's Aipom arm saved both of us."
She told him about Ash, but always with a hint of sadness. She couldn't help it, she'd loved him and now he was gone, to a different region. Drew noticed, but he didn't talk to her about it. But then he probably didn't even remember him. Maybe he did, but Serena had stopped thinking about Ash.
She knew that at the end of Ash's travels in every region, his travelling companions would leave him and he would find new ones. She felt sorry for any of the girls who had loved him like May, but never had the chance to tell him, or were rejected. She felt sorry for Ash, what if he'd found his true love and she had to leave? Before she wished she would be that girl, but now she didn't care. Drew needed her. She'd already admitted she liked him. Her body had been dropping hints from the start, how self conscious she was, how much she cared about her appearance, how flustered and nervous she was.
"Hey, Serena." They were sitting and watching the coordinator's news, or rather Drew was. She was just staring at the screen lost in thought.
"Hm?"
"Do you want to enter another contest tomorrow?"
"No, I'd rather watch."
Drew looked surprised. Serena was always eager to be the best she could, to win as much ribbons as soon as possible.
"Why?"
"Because then I wouldn't have to beat you up, silly!"
"You like beating me up."
"Not when I love you, no."
