Chapter Text
"God, May! You just don't get it, do you!?" His voice rang in the hallway.
"All I've been trying to do is 'get it'! You're the one who is so complicated?! I just came here to cheer you on, not to get yelled at!" She fired back.
It was always like this with them. They'd fight one moment and then act like the best friends in the world the next. Maybe more than that, who knows. But this time was different, It felt cruel, it felt cold and it felt like a mistake. Drew had lost yet another contest, the third in a row. It wouldn't be a big deal but for Drew, it was. People were already whispering- saying he's losing his touch, saying he's too distracted, saying he is more focused on May rather than contests. Drew pretended he didn't hear, pretended they didn't affect him but that was the thing he did, Pretend. He just sat alone after each loss, wondering why he was thinking about May during the final battle when he was supposed to be thinking about the next combination to use, he had practiced for 8 hours, for god's sake! Truth is, he did feel distracted, he knew it wasn't May's fault that his mind kept going to her but he wasn't very good at managing these emotions. So when May came to cheer him up, he just exploded without meaning to. And now,
"I don't need you 'cheering me on'. You need to stop getting in my way" He said, folding his arms, trying to calm his racing heart. "How am I in the way?! I haven't even done anything!" She said, her voice a mixture of rage and confusion. She was oblivious to the fact that whenever she is around, his brain just short circuits and he loses the ability to even think. "You do everything and then you act so innocent!" He yelled suddenly, his brain was too loud with too many thoughts. He couldn't even find the right words in this moment, he just wanted it to stop. May seemed to get even more puzzled. "Just say what you want! Stop spinning things in circles, Drew! I'm so tired of this." She yelled. "And I'm tired of YOU! I'm tired of you always being there, always clinging to me! I don't need you, May!" And there it was, the explosion. His brain was whispering in his ear and he was yelling the exact opposite, he couldn't tell her how much he needs her.
May froze. "What did you say?" Her voice dropped low, almost frightening. "You heard me" Drew snapped back before he could stop himself. "After all this, after everything that I did for you, that's how you are going to treat me? I always looked past every single flaw of yours, trying to focus on the good sides and now you're telling me I'm clingy?! I am not clingy, I just didn't want to leave you alone because you'd just end up hurting yourself and everyone around you! I stayed because I care!"
"Then leave! I didn't ask you to stay! Just leave me alone already, May!" He yelled.
That was the final blow. The tears prickling May's eyes seemed to flow unchecked now, and she stilled as if turned to stone. Drew realized what he said but the words seemed too heavy to take back, so he just swallowed, bracing for her retaliation. But all she said was a heartbreaking "oh..." and turned around and left. Drew reached out "May!" but she was already walking away, and his legs felt like jelly. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily, glaring at the ground as if it held the answers.
That night felt like the coldest night of all, even though it was mid July. Drew twisted and turned but sleep eluded him. His mind kept going back to that awful fight. He did go to Soledad earlier, which he always did after his fights with May. She always listened to him, and he didn't have that weird, racing anxiety when he was around her. "Don't worry, Drew. Let her cool down and then apologize. I'm sure she will forgive you, although you might have to do some hard work" Drew was ready to do anything at this point just to take back what he said, he was ready to apologize a million times if it meant that May would forgive him. But seeing the look in her eyes, and the way her voice shook, it didn't seem like she will. He had expected her to retaliate, yell something in return, maybe even throw something at him- but he had never expected her to walk away. It felt wrong. It felt final.
As soon as morning arrived and the usual time for May to wake up (which of course, Drew had secretly memorized), Drew made his way to her room, heart pounding with anxiety. He knew going up to her room to apologize this early when she had just woken up was a dangerous thing to do, but he felt like he was going to drown in his thoughts if he didn't see her.
He knocked on the door three times but got no response. He frowned, 'Is she still sleeping?'. He tried the doorknob and suprisingly the door opened. Drew sighed, careless of May to just leave her door open. But when he entered the room, His breath hitched. It was empty. Bed made, windows closed, it felt as if someone...left.
Drew swallowed, 'Okay, maybe she checked into another room thinking I'd come here. She can be smart sometimes.' He said, taking a deep breath but his heart was still racing. He needed caffeine. Desperately.
He decided to grab a coffee then talk to May peacefully, bonus if she comes to the cafeteria herself. He made his way downstairs but paused in the lobby- Soledad, Harley, Brock, Ash- everyone was gathered there. He raised his eyebrows.
"What are you guys doing here so early?" he asked and everyone seemed to jump up, further confusing him. "Oh! Drew! Hi-" Ash greeted but he looked...uneasy. Drew frowned "What's going on? Why are you guys looking at me all weird?" Everyone seemed to hesitate. Harley spoke, his voice high-pitched and bright but it was even more unnatural than his usual voice "Nothing! We were just...talking" Drew was about to reply with a smug remark when his eyes landed on a piece of paper clenched in Brock's hand. He froze. "WHat's that?" He asked, pointing towards it. Brock flinched, actually flinched, "Nothing! Just...you know...scrap".
Drew was of course not buying it but then Soledad said, "We should tell him. He's going to find out anyway." Now, Drew's interest was definitely piqued "Tell me what?" he asked and Soledad's eyes softened with...pity? No, it couldn't be.
"Drew...May left this note..." Brock handed him the note, Drew's hands shook as he took it, feeling extremely anxious now.
'Drew,
Sorry for leaving so abruptly. Or maybe you're welcome. I don't even know anymore.
I don't know what you wanted of me. I thought you liked me- genuinely liked me, even if it was just as a friend...but today, it didn't seem that way. I did everything in my power to keep going. You were acting weird but I chalked it up to stress, but I can't just ignore these things anymore. I've done enough of that. I'm tired too. I wanted you to be a part of my life but I'm exhausted. Tired of fighting, tired of always walking on eggshells around you. I don't know why it feels like you say something and do something else. I always wanted to stay. I always wanted to be with you because I admire you, I still do but I guess you don't feel the same. It hurts, though. If you wanted me to leave, you could've just said so at the start. You could've said that I was clingy and annoying before I got so attached to you that...living without you feels impossible. But living with you feels like a rollercoaster and I want to get off. I want to be at peace for once. I'm leaving, Drew. Please don't try to look for me and please don't say it's unfair because you were the one who asked me to leave. I'm sorry, I'm not mad but...I just can't do this anymore.
I hope you understand,
May.'
Drew's hands shook as he read the letter, tears shone in his eyes which he quickly blinked away. He swallowed, finally looking up, eyes darting around their friends "No...she can't leave. This- This has to be a joke. Are you all in this? It's not funny. Why would she leave? All of you are here, you are her friends too, and- and she was also preparing for the grand festival. What about that? She can't leave all this behind. She can't leave me behind..." Drew's breaths came fast now. Soledad stepped forward, resting a hand on his shoulder "Drew, listen-" but Drew jerked it away, "No! I don't want to listen! She- She couldn't have gone far...She's dramatic like this. She will come back, I know it. She won't leave. I'm going to look for her, you guys should look too." He said and he was already leaving before anyone could stop him.
Drew searched every single place May could've gone to. He searched the entirety of Lilycove in one day, even flew on flygon's back, eyes scanning the forests on the outskirts of the city for that familiar red bandanna but he found nothing. He searched over and beyond, in that garden she showed him, in that cafe she wanted to go, near cliff where they had a battle once. She was nowhere. He asked people, he checked at the airport, at the train station, every place he could think of.
By the time he returned, it was 11 pm. He was exhausted and swaying. The pokemon center doors opened with a chime and everyone in the lobby as Drew walked in, shoulders slumped in defeat, eyes shining in a way none of them had seen before. He took a few steps inside and then crumpled to his knees. They all rushed to him. Drew looked up at his friends, who were kneeling in front of him, Brock already going to fetch water. He whispered, voice hollow and trembling "She left...She really left."