We Were There - Chapter 2

Brendan's POV

I was washing my face in the nearby sink when I heard May call me. "Ah, Brendan!" I wiped my face with the towel that was hanging on my shoulders, and gave her my attention. "Look.", she said, while showing me a notebook.

I looked inside the notebook, seeing that it was the musical score that we will use for the presentation. "You made this?"

She nodded. "Yeah, since I promised everyone I would."

"Promised?"

"Also, can you pass this to Drew?", she said as she handed me another notebook. "Since music seems to be his weak subject."

"Oh...", I muttered. This girl is interesting.

"Also, can you tell him I'm sorry about the day? You know...", she said, scratching the back of her head. Oh, she must be talking about that time in PE class.

"You're probably the first person who ever said that to him.", I said and smiled.

She smiled back. "I can't tell if he's nice or mean… but he draws people to him."

"What do you mean?" I ask her in confusion.

She explained. "You know, there's always this kid who will have a ball in his hands... and everyone around him will become really excited and go with him. Once that kid is gone, everyone will be gone too. The kid that is always at the center of everything." She smiled. "I admire Drew because he's that kid."

I smiled. Not really short on honesty, huh?

She noticed what she just said and blushed. "S-see you later!", she said and she ran back to the school building.

I walked and leaned on the sink. "So… now what?"

Drew was sitting on the ground, beside the sink, where he was hidden from May's view. Yes, he was present that whole time May was talking to me. "What do you mean, now what?", he spat. I gave him the score that May passed on.

I laughed. "Such an honest person."

"To the extent of foolish.", Drew said.

I saw him inspect the score. It had a lot of mini Mays that had notes and instructions. On the first page, there was a mini May saying "Goodluck!" I saw Drew laugh.

"Which of us needs good luck?"

This guy totally likes May.

May's POV

"Tomorrow~ Tomorrow~"

It was our practice, and I was in front conducting for the class.

"Mata ashita ga~", I heard Drew slip up off tone. I was holding back my laughter, and I can see some of our classmates stifle their laughter too.

Drew noticed, and he was already blushing hard. Nonetheless, they still continued. "Subarashii yume to~ suteki na melody~"

"Hakon de kite kureru darou~ Tomorrow~"

After that round, the guys round up on Drew and commented on how he slipped up on that time.

"He was completely off just now." I said to Misty and Dawn, and laughed. It was rare to see Drew like that.

Dawn laughed. "But he tried really hard," and then nudged me, "while looking at May's score! I'm so jealous~" she said and she and Misty squealed together.

I calmed them down. "Okay, okay." Then I clapped my hands to get everyone's attention. "Hey, everybody! Let's practice again from the beginning!"

But then a loud sound earned all of our attention. It was Brianna, who collapsed in front of the piano.

I rushed to her side worriedly. "Brianna?"

What surprised me was that Drew was also there. He went to Brianna and touched her neck. "Anemia again?"

Brianna flinched away from Drew. "Don't touch me!", she managed to say, until she collapsed again. Drew caught her in his arms, and carried her out of the classroom. He must be taking her to the infirmary.

I was dumbfounded about what happened. What was that? What kind of relationship do Brianna and Drew have?

My thoughts were interrupted by Drew's voice. "Class Rep!"

I regained back to my senses. Right, I needed to go as well. "Yes!"

In the infirmary..

"Please help us take care of her.", Drew told the nurse. He already set Brianna on one of the beds.

The nurse smiled. "All right."

"Excuse us.", we both said, and left the infirmary.

It was an awkwardly silent walk back to the classroom, when I decided to start a conversation.

"Hey, you're good friends with Brianna Ashton?"

"She's been my classmate since grade 9, why?"

"Just that... I was just wondering why Brianna doesn't really hang out with anyone in class.", I put a finger on my chin, thinking for a reason. "Is she an only child? But I am too.."

"She's not an only child. She had an elder sister.", Drew answered.

"Had?", I asked.

"She died last summer."

A sad expression graced my features. "How come?"

"Traffic accident."

"I see." I said. "Sorry. I just don't know how to react to that."

"You don't need to care, really.", he said, which surprised me. "She probably doesn't want your sympathy anyway."

Thus, the conversation ended. But why wouldn't she want sympathy?

"Wait, wait!" I said, as I caught up to the bus. Luckily, the door opened for me, saving me from waiting for half an hour for the next bus. When I got on, I muttered, "Sorry."

When I looked to my right, I saw Brendan in the same bus. He saw me as well, and we acknowledged each other's presence.

"So you heard about the accident?", he asked me. I nodded.

"Maybe they still haven't gotten over it yet.", I said.

"Well I guess that person was behaving normally. But don't you think that's actually worse?"

"What is?" I ask.

"I haven't seen him cry or break down...after that incident."

"Maybe she's a strong girl.", Brendan looked at me weirdly when I said that. Nonetheless, he still answered.

"Then I would prefer that he shows us his weakness." Wait, why was Brendan using a male pronoun? "I'm his friend too. Isn't that kinda disappointing?"

I was confused. "Were you that close to her, Brendan?"

"Of course. We've always been together ever since we were kids."

I get the feeling he was talking about another person.

"Who are you talking about? Brianna's sister was the one who died in the accident, right?"

"Brianna's sister. She was Drew's girlfriend."

"Look, look!"

"What's that?"

The girls all huddled up around one seat. The girl who was sitting revealed a school album. It was from Drew's middle school.

"You found this album?"

"Brianna's sister in here!"

"I wanna see!"

"Where, where?"

Thus, all of the girls went and looked at the album, curious about what type of girl Drew liked.

"This is her!"

"She's so pretty~"

"So her name is May.", I overheard. I flinched. I remembered a certain memory, on our first meeting in the rooftop.

"Bye-bye, May."

"We can never beat her then...since she's dead.", a girl said and sighed.

A tight feeling welcomed my chest.

"I guess you're right.", another girl agreed and sighed.

It was after school, and I got back to the classroom after the meeting with the Class Representatives. There was no one present in the classroom, and I saw the album on my classmate's desk.

It won't hurt to look, right?

"May Ashton.", I mumbled as I flipped each page searching for her photo.

"May Ashton."

"May Ashton."

"May..."

"Class 5."

I got startled as I saw Drew by the classroom's door.

"She's in Class 5.", he repeated.

I bowed my head down. "Sorry..."

He walked towards me and sat on the chair in front of me. He turned it so that he was facing me. He then smiled. "Can I see it? I haven't seen it either."

"Sure.", I said, and handed him the album.

"Thanks."

He flipped the pages, searching for May Ashton's class, and then he stopped. "Here.", he said, handing me the opened album.

"She's pretty.", I mumbled. He only goes for pretty faces!

"She's much prettier in real life.", he boasted.

I laughed. "Thought you'd say that." Then I smiled. "Love at first sight?"

He nodded. "Yes. Is it bad?"

I smiled. "Did you confess to her then? Like, "go out with me."?"

"Yeah. But she had a boyfriend then.", he said. I looked at him in shock.

"Does that mean, you convinced her to leave him?"

He nodded without hesitation. "Yup."

"You really loved her, didn't you?", I asked. He just stared.

My heart was beating frantically. I don't know what kind of idiot came over me, but I mumbled out a line I never thought I would ever tell him.

"I... I think I like you."

His eyes widened. Mine did as well. I realized what I just said, and I blushed.

"Oh, I mean... Forget that! I just thought I would try saying that!", I said in excuse. Way to be smooth, Maple.

"Then, wanna date?"

My eyes were as wide as saucers. "What? Wait, what? What are you saying so abruptly?"

"You were the one who started it."

I sighed. "Sure, I started it, but... Do you even like me?"

A pause.

"Yeah.", he answered.

Wait. "Hold that. There was a pause just now."

"There wasn't.", he denied.

"There was!"

"There wasn't! Who cares anyway?", he said, annoyed.

"I do! Because that's not how... Do you really like me?"

He scratched the back of his head. "I don't hate you, so..."

"Because you don't hate me? That's not how it's supposed to be." A sigh. "I'm asking if you are serious about liking me."

He looked down. "Sorry. I don't know."

He stood up, went and grabbed his bag, and exited the classroom. Leaving me behind.

So much for my first confession…

Drew's POV

I walked the streets toward our house.

I don't want to see her face. Everytime I did, it would remind me of a lot of things I regret in my past.

...

"I said, get out!", I heard a guy shouting and pushing a girl out of his car.

The girl pleaded. "Wait!", but the man drove off. She was left there, under the rain, getting soaked by the downpour and her tears.

I walked near her, and shielded her head from the rain. She noticed my presence and smiled tearfully. "Thanks for the umbrella."

We took cover in a nearby park. There was a roofed bench there, and we decided to let the rain pass and sit there. I saw a bruise on her arm. "Oh, this? He's kinda hot-tempered... But I love him, so it doesn't matter."

...

"Drew! Am I an idiot?" she asked me. Yes, you are an idiot.

...

"Hey, what should I do?" Leave him and come with me.

...

"Drew... will you make me happy?" I will.

...

"Will you make me happy?"

...

I stopped walking. I can't make you happy.

"It was so worth it to come here, seeing Drew sing like that.", my friend from middle school, Gary Oak, commented with a laugh. Our musical presentation was already done, and these jerks went and watched us to make fun of me.

"He was so behind everyone that it got so annoying.", Paul Rebolledo, another one of my friends, said. What nice friends I have.

"May, over here!", I heard Misty call her over our table. She proceeded to sit with us.

"Good job, Class Rep!", Dawn commended.

"Good job!", Misty seconded.

"They are our classmates from middle school.", Brendan said.

"You were the one conducting?", Ash Ketchum, my gluttonous friend who just finished gobbling up his food, asked May.

"Yes.", May affirmed.

"Hi. I'm Ash Ketchum. Nice to meet you.", he said and shook hands with her.

"We're from Nishi-kou.", Leaf Green, one of our female friends, said with a smile. They each introduced themselves to one another.

"By the way, Brianna Ashton was the one playing the piano right?", Gary asked.

"She looked so gloomy as ever before.", Paul commented.

"Can't believe she had such a pretty and lively sister.", Leaf said.

Are they seriously going to talk about this now?

"She didn't even shed a tear during her sister's funeral. What a cold-hearted person.", Ash said.

"Well, I think... not crying doesn't mean that she wasn't sad."

I was surprised when May spoke. What is this girl trying to do?

Gary laughed. "She was totally emotionless. You guys remember what she said when people came over and shared their condolences?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah, something like "my sister reaped what she sew.""

"That was horrible.", Leaf said.

"Excuse me!", May butt in, everyone stopping. "I just thought... it's not a good thing to talk about someone like that. You don't know how she truly feels in the first place."

Brendan had had it, and got mad. "Hey guys, this is not a time to talk about that now.", he scolded.

"My bad.", Ash and Gary said.

I laughed. "Wow, so serious. Because I'm here?"

May smiled. "It's okay, Drew. Everyone was just having a chat-"

"Maple.", I interrupted. This was getting annoying. "This is not a homeroom class, so don't butt in. Just shut up."

She hit my head with her bag. "Die, you idiot!", she shouted, and walked out of the dining area.

"May!", Dawn called.

Brendan sighed and hit my head. "Who do you think she was trying to cover up for?"

I sighed and went out of the dining area. This is partly my fault, anyway.

She was already outside the building, walking to the bus stop, when I saw her.

"May! Wait!" I called out.

She stopped walking, and I caught up to her. "I was mistaken.", she told me.

"Huh?"

"I take back all I said the other day. I was stupid for saying that.", she didn't face me. Is it that confession?

I laughed. "So you're just one of those girls after all."

"Don't think I'm the same as you!", she turned to face me, and glared.

I froze.

"What's with all that "wanna date" nonsense? I don't get what you're doing! You think you can do anything because you're so popular? You conceited jerk! Making fun of other people, while you're no more than a kid yourself." My eyes widened when I saw her tears starting to form on her tear ducts. "You contradict yourself. You're not even particularly good-looking. I can't stand you, you idiot!"

"You're the first girl who's ever told me to die."

"Then let me say some more." She wiped her eyes furiously, then glared at me again. "Moron! Idiot! Jackass! Son of a bitch!"

"Unbelievable vulgarities. Moron, idiot, jackass, huh…"

"I'm the sort that gets 8 points anyway..."

"But... My mom is not a bitch." I can see her expression change.

"My mom is... a prostitute."

"What...?", she muttered.

"And... my girlfriend is a damned woman." Her eyes widened.

"She was with her previous boyfriend the day she got into the accident. It wasn't over with him."

...

"What is this?" I said as I saw her arm. She had a new bruise.

"I just met him. That was all."

...

"Drew... Where did you get these bruises?", she asked while touching my face.

"I beat him up."

"What...?"

"Don't go back to him anymore.", i said and hugged her.

"I'll make you happy. I'll protect you. So, don't ever betray me."

"Okay. I promise."

...

"Hey Drew, there is bad news."

"May died in a car accident today."

"She was seen with her ex-boyfriend."

...

"Just kidding. I actually don't know if that was really true. Though, I don't want to know."

I paused. Then I continued. "But if there's one thing I know for sure, it's this. If she ever felt that she wanted to see another guy, then it must partially be my fault for making her feel that way."

May's POV

"I'll take you home.", Drew told me.

I... can't find any words...

"Ah, I'm getting a text message." Drew said while taking out his phone. "Where are you and what are you doing?"

He hit reply and muttered as he typed. "I'm... taking... May... home."

"Ah, you don't have to take me home..." I insisted. "You don't have to, so why don't we go to a pho—"

He looked at me in confusion. "Pho...?"

I blushed madly. There's no way out of this, is there?

"Why don't we go get our picture taken at a photo booth together?"

I'm such an idiot, asking at a time like this. Such a total idiot...

At the photo booth…

"It really feels like it's been forever since I've been in one of these.", Drew said and smiled.

Drew is... smiling. Actually, when I think about it... he's always smiling.

"Drew, you're really strong, aren't you?" I said when we got into position inside the booth.

"Hm?"

"Normally, a person can't say the sorts of things you just told me..."

"I'm going to press the confirm button.", he said. When he pressed the button, we both smiled. "Ah, I thought so. This one's no good.", he said.

He faced me. "You're like the woman of 1,000 masks! It's hilarious!" I pouted, and he grinned.

"I think it's a lot easier to place the blame on yourself than someone else."

"Huh? Not the other way around?", I asked. "Isn't it easier to blame someone else?"

"If you blame someone else, you'll just get stubborn and say you'll never forgive them. But when you blame yourself, you can shrug it off since there's nothing you can do about it." He faced me. "And you won't get angry that way, either. It's easier. Basically, I'm not being fair."

I heard the sound of a button being pressed. "I pressed the confirm button, by the way." We smiled.

The pictures got printed out, and Drew instantly laughed upon seeing it. We were already walking our way to the bus stop.

"Look at the dork! Look at your head!"

And not only that... my head's bigger than his.

"I look like an octopus alien or something...", I mumbled.

"Yeah. It's cute."

I blushed. Cute...? As an octopus...?

We reached the bus stop, just in time for one to arrive.

"Here's the bus.", he said.

"Bye, then." I said and rode the bus. When I sat and looked out the window, I saw him waving at me. I waved back as the bus started to go, my eyes following him until he was no longer in sight.

A/N: Hello! A quick update for chapter 2 right? I don't know, I just don't want to waste the precious free time I currently have, and since I still have a block for my other stories, I might as well finish this short one.
So! I used an OC for Drew's ex girlfriend. I just can't see who from the PokeAni characters would fit being the ex-girlfriend, so I figured maybe an OC will do.
I'm surprised this reached 3,000 words. Hahaha. I hope you enjoyed reading! Reviews are always appreciated. Until next update! :)