Flowers Never Wilt

Chapter 1: Pear Blossom

"Hey, lesbo." She was carrying a box out of our dad's office.

"What the fuck do you want? And I'm not even gay-"

I interrupted her, "What time is everyone leaving?"

May sighed and placed the box on the floor. She cracked her back and I winced at the noise, "Whenever we get done moving this shit." She sat on the floor. She took deep breaths. She looked up at me, "We would get the job done quicker if you stopped being such a fatass and helped me."

I rolled my eyes, "Fine." I walked past her towards the office, "And I'm not fat - I'm chubby."

"I'm not a lesbian but you still ate all my pasta, you son of a bitch." She called after me.

"We have the same mum!" I shouted at her from the office. There were only about four boxes left. Naturally, I picked up the heaviest one. I started sweating in areas I didn't know you could.

I carried it past May, who screamed from the floor, "Need some help, baby bro?"

"Eat shit, die." I finally got the box outside. I placed it in the moving truck and dusted off my hands. I leant down, panting, with my hands on my knees.

"Excuse me?" But it wasn't my sister's voice.

With the speed you use when throwing the blanket over yourself when somebody walks in on you busting a nut, I turned around and stood straight. It was a girl. A girl with something so familiar about her it made me physically uneasy. But I didn't know what it was.

"I'm here to challenge the Petalburg gym." She was petite, maybe a year or two younger than me, with bright, blue eyes and light blonde hair. "I'm Bonnie of Lumiose City."

I was stuttering. I'm awful at talking to strangers. I'm like a child lost in a shopping mall scared for their life. "I-I'm Max, nice to meet you." Nice to meet you? Oh, good one, Max. This isn't the nineteenth century, you imbecile. "But," my words were starting to sound more like words and less like noises, now, "The gym isn't gonna be open today. You see my dad is, I mean was, the gymleader but we're, I mean he's, moving all of his stuff out of here and the new gym leader won't be here until like next week so..." I started groping the air around me because I didn't have a clue where to put my hands. What's wrong with me? "...Yeah."

"Oh, really?" You could tell she was from Kalos when she spoke. She appeared confident - she had a straight back, relaxed shoulders and her sentences came out crisp and clear. "That's a shame but thanks for letting me know."

May then walked out, a box in her arms. I took if off of her and loaded it into the truck. She adjusted that stupid bandana she insists on constantly wearing, "Who's this? I think I know her from somewhere."

I went to speak but the girl piped up before me, "I'm Bonnie of Lumiose City in the Kalos region! I came to challenge the gym but Max told me it was closed."

"Ooh, perky! You're cute!" May wiped some sweat off of her forehead. The middle of the Hoenn summer was not the best time to be carrying around boxes full of your old man's stupid trophies and deconstructed furniture. "But you're way too good for this sweaty fuck, he eats my pasta even though it clearly says my name on it and he forgets to close his bedroom door all too often."

"Fuck you." I muttered under my breath.

Either she didn't hear me or chose to ignore me. Either way I was thankful. She squinted, "If you're just some random chick from the region of macaroons and fancy hats this will sound super weird but were you like, at a wedding a while back? Vaniville Town? The Ketchums?"

"Oh my god," Bonnie gasped, "I was!" She looked back at me, "You! You asked me about my dedenne and you told me about your journey with Ash through Hoenn." I remembered her now. She was certainly older than when we met. But that's not really odd because I mean that's sorta what time does it ages people like why was I so surprised by that... Anyway, I'm getting off topic. So there this girl was, Bonnie. And there's my stupid obviously gay sister, May. And there's May telling her about pasta that should have been mine anyway and how she randomly decides to come home early when I was supposed to be home alone for at least two hours.

"I was planning to stay in Petalburg for a few days but seeing as the gym's closed, there's no point. I don't know how to get to the next town over, though, do you think you could help me?" She shared an equal amount of pleading glances between both me and my sister.

May chirped up, "I'm busy with my boyfriend that I have because I am not a lesbian and never have been." She smirked, "But Max is leaving for a journey after dinner tonight anyway so you can travel with him."

"No, I'm not!" I said.

"Yes, he is, he's just not going to admit it because he's a spotty teenage boy and he likes blonde girls."

"No, I don't!" I said.

"Clear your browser history." She popped her tongue.

Thankfully, I don't think Bonnie understood what May was getting at. She was a very pretty girl but she was probably only like thirteen. I was fifteen at the time. Two full years older. "Are you?" She looked up at me, all hopeful and sincere.

I couldn't lie, "Well... Yes, I am. Sorry, I just suck at being social. Sure, you can travel with me."

The day after, I met up with her at the pokémon centre, and we left for our journey.