Flowers Never Wilt

Chapter 2: Azalea

Earlier that day, we had rented bikes and raced eachother to Mauville City. She overtook me at the last moment so I had to buy her ice cream. I pretended to mind, but I didn't. Her favourite flavour was raspberry. We then looked around some of the shops. I pretended to be bored, but I wasn't. She bought a pink ribbon, she said it was for Serena's birthday. She was going to see her in Kanto in a few months. It was soon night time. We could have stayed at the pokémon centre. However, Bonnie wanted to sleep outdoors. "It's a beautiful night." We walked down to Route 110 and set up our tents on a small hill where we could see the ocean.

I finished setting up my tent after her. I stood back up and walked over to her. She was sitting surrounded by the muted sky, eyes fixed on the slight dancing of the water. I sat on the grass beside her. I went to say something, but I didn't.

Time passed. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours.

"I love it here." Bonnie quietly said.

I leaned back onto my arms. I thought for a moment. "I'm glad you like it." I adjusted my glasses, "This is my home, after all."

"Thank you," We still didn't make eye contact, "For showing it to me." More time went by. "Can I ask you something?" She said.

"Sure."

"What do you wanna do when you're older?" She swivlled around so her body was facing me. I mirrored her. The air was warm on my skin. The grass was soft underneath me.

I thought before I spoke, "Honestly, Bon," I started, "I really don't know. It's worrying. I'm sixteen soon, I should know where I want life to take me." I finished, "But I don't."

"You don't have any idea?" She didn't sound catty or judgemental, just slightly curious. The moon was reflecting off her blue eyes, making them look even huger than they already were.

"I know what I'm supposed to do." I could see her waiting for me to elaborate, "My dad is a gym leader, my superficial bitch of a sister is the fucking Hoenn Contest Queen." I almost wanted to apologize for swearing, which is fucking ridiculous, but it was different with her. It could have just been because she was so young. Or it could have been something else.

"May doesn't seem superficial." She muttered light-heartedly.

"You don't have to live with her." I playfully retorted. "But it's like..." I continued, "My entire family is literally famous for pokémon training. I'm going to have to find a career in that, obviously. Even if it's not my passion."

"My brother is a gym leader." I knew this already. "He's also a very famous inventor." I also knew that already. "I know already I'm not going to be either of those things." She smiled, "But that's okay. We're not supposed to be carbon copies of our siblings or parents or whatever. We're supposed to be us."

"You're wise for your age, you know that?" I chuckled.

"As a matter of fact, I do." She smirked, "I also know you worry too much." She gathered her knees so that she was holding them up to her chest, "Your passion." She suddenly said. "What is it?"

"You said training isn't your passion." She bluntly declared. "So, what is?"

"It's stupid, I'm not telling you." I turned around.

She punched me lightly in the back, "Oh come on, don't be so grumpy!" She was giggling, "I'll tell you mine if you tell me your's."

I turned back around. Grinning and looking straight into her young but wise eyes, I held up three fingers and said, "On count of three." She nodded, "One, two, three."

Milliseconds apart, we both shouted the same thing, "Music!"

She fell backwards onto the grass laughing, "Oh my god, that's so weird haha!"

"Get up!" I leaned over her and tickled her sides. She was giggling like a toddler and smacking my hands wildly. She had a laugh like buttercups - pretty and girly. "Max!" She practically grunted, using both arms to push me away.

After we had both stopped laughing and recalled how to breathe, she said. "What type of music do you like?"

I winked, "Better music than you."

"Ugh, you're an ass!" She pretended to start fighting me. She stood up a wiped the grass off of her clothes, "I'm going to bed." She walked over to her tent. She looked back at me, "Goodnight, Max."

I hadn't smiled so much in one night long time. I didn't understand why that was, yet. "Goodnight Bonnie." I picked a blade of grass out of the ground, "Sleep well."

My alarm clock said it was 2am when I woke up to faint rustling sounds and mumbled weeping. A couple of seconds later I heard a sad, girlish voice say "Max? Are you awake?"

I sat up, it was pitch black and my glasses where no where to be found. So much for seeing anything less than a centimetre away from my face. I felt around for the zip to the tent door and immediately felt a wave of warmth hit my face. "Bonnie?" I said.

"I'm so sorry, honestly." She walked up to me and sat. "I just don't know what to do, I can't stop crying."

"What's wrong?" I said, "And you have nothing to be sorry for."

"It's kind of a long story." She mumbled.

"I have all night to listen." I reassured her. "You might have to sit in here though, it's too dark to find my glasses and I can't really see, to be honest."

"Okay." She said before climbing in and sitting beside me. "I'm frightened."

"Of what?" I was barely awake but I wanted to help her.

"Well, I worry a lot, actually. Just like you. I just keep it to myself. But then at night, when I'm alone to think about it all, it gets to much and I just cry and I struggle to breathe." She sighed, "I'm sorry for waking you up, really I am."

"Hey, hey, it's fine, I don't mind. I don't want you feeling sad and unable to breathe." I waited. I'm not sure what I waited for. But I waited for something, "What's worrying you?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

"Indefinitely." Even half asleep my vocabulary is poppin'.

"Clemont loves Serena, since her wedding he's been depressed. Dangerously depressed. I'm scared he's gonna do something stupid." She started crying again.

I didn't know what to say. This was a problem I couldn't solve. The only thing I could was keep her secret. And I knew I would no matter what.

Actions speak louder than words.

I pulled her into a tight hug. She was surprised but soon tugged her arms around me like a child with a stuffed animal. She felt so tiny. I was scared of breaking her. I gently moved my hands in circles on the back of her shirt. I was trying my best to make her feel safe. She was the first true friend I had ever had. Seeing her so upset... It was an indescribable sort of feeling. I had only travelled with her for a month or two, now, but she meant so much to me. It was like I'd known her all my life.

I knew her quirks, her laugh, her smile. But I didn't know she had anxiety.

"And like," Her tears started to disappear, "I feel strange around you."

"Strange? We can stop hugging if you want."

"No, no! It's making me feel better. It's wonderful, actually." She was stuttering, now. "It's just... The thing is... I like you a lot. I really care about you. You make me very happy. You're the closest friend I've ever had. And I'm worried I like you a bit too much. So much that if you start thinking I'm annoying and don't want to see me again I just won't know what to do."

"Bonnie," I whispered, "I care about you a lot too. Hence why I'm up at 2am hugging you and talking to you. I'm a dickhead, Bonnie. Genuinely, there's a reason I don't really have any other friends. I'm an arrogant ass. But I like you. You're the only person I'd do this for. You're the best. I'll never stop thinking that.

"Max..." She let go of me and climbed out of the tent. "Thank you, I feel so much better." She sounded happy, again. It made me ecstatic. "I'll see you in the morning."

I began to zip the tent back up, "Goodnight."