Pokémon World: Adventure through Hoenn

Chapter 10: The Knuckle Badge

The sunshine peaked through my window as I checked the clock. 9:23 AM. I know I should be heading to the gym right now, but instead I'm just here lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I just keep thinking about, you know, stuff right now.

"So...you do like him don't you?"

"What?! No way."

"It's honesty time, Milani."

"Ok fine...it's too early to predict, but I can't have feelings for him. He's my rival."

Why am I thinking about this conversation with Drew again? Ugh...why does this part have to resurface in my memory? Hold on...did I actually admit to Drew that I like Jonny? No. No. NO! Well...it's too late.

I'm making a huge deal about it. Ten-year old girls like me have petty crushes every once in a while. Ok...I won't hold it back anymore. I do have a crush on my rival, but that is as far as I go.

"You can't fall in love with him, Milani." I muttered to myself. Wait...what am I thinking about? I'm only ten! I can't think about love too much. I smacked my face with my pillow to get my focus back. I have a gym battle coming up.

I was still stressed about it until I heard someone knocking on my door.

"Um...Milani, are you in here?" I froze as I heard the familiar voice. He can't show up now. Ugh...never mind.

"Yeah, I'm still here." I said as calmly as possible as I finally got out of bed.

"I don't mean to rush you, but we should get going."

"What do you mean 'we' should get going?"

"Well...I want to bring you to the gym, that's all."

"You don't have to. You can just go to the next gym. I can get there myself."

"Is there anything wrong, Milani? You seem off...and you are talking to me with your door still shut."

"I'm fine. You should go on ahead. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Ok. I'll wait for you downstairs then."

I heard Jonny's footsteps as he walked along. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw that my hair is a mess, and I still have a little drool on my chin. I'm not the prettiest sleeper, okay? Wow...it's a good thing I didn't let Jonny in here while I'm looking like this. Wait, why do I care if he sees me look like this? Ugh...never mind.

--

After fixing myself up and eating some breakfast, I wandered through the lobby to look for my rival. I didn't want to do this, but he did tell me he would bring me to the gym.

"Good morning, Milani. I hope you're ready for your gym battle. I already told Brawly you were coming." Jonny told me as he walked towards me.

"Of course I'm ready."

"Shall we get going then?" I nodded as we walked out of the Pokémon Center.

"So...why do you have to bring me there? You know I could go there myself." I asked him.

"Well...Brawly is supposed to have a day off, but I insisted that he should have his battle against you today. He told me that he'll accept only if I'm certain you'll give him a good battle. Knowing you, I was sure you would."

"That still doesn't answer why you have to tag along."

"Brawly hasn't met you yet, so I have to come along to tell him that you are the trainer I told him about."

"I could just tell him my name."

"We have to be sure, right? Some other trainers might have heard Brawly and I talking, and they might go to the gym pretending that their name is Milani."