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Sometimes, they got together for coffee. Usually after a break-up; most of which were Brock’s. No, all of which were Brock’s. Misty had never once brought up a boy, and Brock knew why.
Of course he knew why. He wasn’t dumb; he had seen the way she looked at him. But still, somehow, her ever-single status gave him hope. It wasn’t like she was interested in him. One time--he still remembered--he had jokingly asked her if she was jealous of whatever girl he had been flirting with. He didn’t remember the girl’s name; it wasn’t important.
Of course, she had said no. Not “no” in the blushy, wide-eyed way she did when someone assumed she was with Ash, but a solid “no.” A “no” that left no room for interpretation. Still, he hung onto that last shard of hope that something had changed within her; that she might give him a second chance. After all, they were older now.
Today, they were having coffee again, recounting stories of wins and losses against various Gym challengers. Nothing unusual, just small talk, until Misty slammed her head on the table, covering her face with crossed arms.
“I can’t take it anymore,” she said. “I have to tell you; I have to tell someone .”
Against its better judgement, Brock’s heart started beating in its chest. She lifted her head up off the table and stared at him, tears welling up in her (beautiful; the most beautiful he had ever seen) blue eyes.
“I called him.”
Brock didn’t have to ask who “him” was.
“He’s traveling with a girl. Not a girl like May or Dawn--this one’s different.” Brock had kept her updated on Ash’s traveling companions, always reassuring her they had no feelings for Ash. They didn’t, as far as he knew, but now that he was an ex-companion with the rest, it was hard to say for sure.
“Her name’s Serena. She’s gorgeous, he sent me a picture. But that’s not the important part.”
Brock cocked his head in curiosity.
“I told him. I told him I loved him, and he turned me down.”
“Arceus,” cursed Brock. He didn’t believe it. He never thought she had the guts to tell him. As a friend, he felt bad for her, but as a boy with a crush on his best friend, he felt kind of relieved. And, as a friend, he felt terrible about feeling that way.
“I think I knew,” she said. She was rambling, but he hung on to every word. “I honestly think I knew this whole time, but I stayed. I stayed and stayed until he finally left.”
I’d never leave you.
“If you wanna talk about rejection, you’re talking to the right guy.”
You’re the most amazing girl I’ve ever met.
“I mean, it’s completely different, of course. You’ve liked Ash for years, and--”
I love you.
“I love you.”
It came out of his mouth almost involuntarily. It was a mistake; he knew it was a mistake, but he couldn’t help himself. Now it was out on the table.
Misty looked down at her feet.
“You mean that, don’t you?”
Yes.
“Uh, I mean, not that I don’t mean it, but I don’t want to--”
She kissed him. He pulled away. She was vulnerable, and as desperate as he was he wasn’t going to take advantage of that.
“Misty, I--”
“I don’t think I loved him,” she said. She could practically read his mind--one of the many things he loved about her. “I think--I think I did at one point, and I wanted to love him, sure, but my feelings dwindled out a long time ago. I’ve been clinging on to the shell of a possibility, and ignoring the guy who has always been there for me.”
Memories flashed through his head. When she asked him to dance at the lighthouse; when she came out in that mermaid costume and his heart went aflutter, when she got scared in the forest with Celebi and climbed onto his back.
“So, uh…” he looked down at his feet, doing his best to hide the smile creeping onto his face. “Do you want to get coffee sometime?”