What He Doesn't Know

By: Circe

My friend Brock knows a lot of stuff. Well, he should. He's almost eighteen and he used to be a gym leader. Well, he wasn't really a gym leader, he only got the job because his dad was a jerk and took off. But everybody says that he did a way better job than Flint ever did.

Brock knows everything about rock pokemon. They're his favorite type and the only type that he battled with at the Pewter City gym. He's got a vulpix now, a fire type and he's busy learning all about them. He's also spending a lot of time learning about water types, because both rock and fire types are weak against them. That means that he's spending a lot of time with Misty lately, because water is her specialty.

Brock always knew that there were a lot of water pokemon and that a lot of them had very different special attacks, but now he's learning all the stuff that he didn't know. And he's learning fast, he really is. Already he nearly beat Misty's staryu with his geodude. Staryu even used its water gun attack, but Brock knows a lot about that attack and was ready for it. The reason Brock knows that attack so well is because it's one of Misty's favorites to use in battle. Plus, Brock knows a lot about Misty.

But there is a lot that he doesn't know about her. He doesn't know that she really, really wants to be a gym trainer. I guess that's because gym training isn't a big thing with him, all he wants to be is a pokemon breeder. If he did know about how much she wanted to be a gym leader he'd probably be giving her tips on how to do it; How to run a gym and battle and give out badges and stuff.

He doesn't know that Misty is scared of bugs. He knows that she hates them, but he doesn't know that she's terrified of them. Sometimes, she has nightmares about them, that's how I know that she's frightened of bugs and that all the 'bugs are gross' speeches are just to cover that weakness. She doesn't have to cover, she's a girl and girls are supposed to be scared of stuff. She acts like she has to be tough all the time.

Actually, that's not true. She just likes to act like she's not afraid of anything. She does act all girly sometimes. Like outside of Pokemon Tech, she was going all mushy over France being so romantic. She's never even been to France, so how would she know? She kept batting her eyes at Brock too and offering to help him cook. He kinda ignored her though, especially when he saw that picture of Giselle.

That's how I know that he doesn't know that Misty is in love with him. Because he couldn't see how jealous she was when he was mooning over that picture. And he never sees how hurt she is when he goes all crazy over a Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny. Brock knows a lot of stuff but he doesn't know that Misty nearly cried when he offered to stay with Professor Ivy at the lab. If Professor Ivy hadn't turned him down I think she would have cried.

He doesn't take a good look at her face when he dances with her. Like the time that he asked her to dance to the singing of the pokemon at Bill's lighthouse, or that night the three of us went out on the town. I have looked at her face when she's danced with him and when she's danced with me. It's not the same and I wish it were. I wish it were me that she looked at like that. I wish she'd laugh with me and joke with me the way that she does with him.

The way that she is right now. They're standing waist deep in this little pond nearby. Battling pokemon. Misty is letting Brock use her goldeen while she uses horsea. Brock's losing, badly. And Misty's laughing because Brock keeps losing his footing in the water and falling down. He's soaked from head to toe and Misty is dry from the waist up. It is kinda funny to watch, especially when you're sitting on the shore like I am. Pikachu is laughing his head off.

But, like I said, Brock knows an awful lot and what he doesn't know he learns pretty fast. He doesn't manage to stay standing in the water, not with all the commotion that the pokemon are kicking up, but next time he goes under he grabs Misty around the waist and drags her down with him. She bobs back up to the surface quickly but she's too late to keep from getting all wet. The weight of the water pulls her hair out of its usual ponytail and now it's hanging free around her face.

And when Brock surfaces I'm worried that he's going to learn what it is that he doesn't know about Misty. Because she's laughing in the moonlight, with her hair down and water drops shinning like stars on her face and shoulders and she's so pretty that she takes my breath away and I'm way over on shore.

The worst thing is that I think I'm right. I think that what he doesn't know finally hit him because he reaches out, like he's going to touch her face. He doesn't, he just pushes a strand of hair behind her ear and he's got this look on his face like he can't quite figure out what's going on. Then he asks her something. I don't know what it is that he said, but she ducks her head and I think she's blushing. I love the way she looks when she blushes, her cheeks get all pink and she can't quite seem to meet your eyes. She's never really blushed about anything I've said to her. But she's blushing about whatever it is that Brock has asked her. God, I wish I knew what it was.

I should leave. They don't know that I came over here to watch them battle, they don't even know that I know they're out here. I was almost asleep when I heard Brock ask her if she wanted a re-match from their last all-water battle. It was late and I was tired, but I could never waste a chance to see Misty in her natural element. I don't know why I didn't say anything then, why I didn't roll over and ask if I could watch the match. Maybe it was because they were whispering so they wouldn't wake me. Maybe I just wanted to be sure that Brock still didn't know about Misty's feelings. I don't know, but now I wish I had interrupted them back at the campsite.

Because Brock is cupping her chin now and bringing her face up so that he can look into her eyes, his other hand drops to her waist, partly to maintain his balance, I think. I hope. They're standing close together in the water and the pokemon that had been battling are now swimming happily in the middle of the pond, far away from the people they could be knocking over and the moment they could be interrupting. Brock's face is serious and I watch his mouth move and ask Misty another question. It must have been quite a question because her mouth drops open into this little 'o' of surprise.

She doesn't say anything and I watch Brock say something else. She closes her mouth and I watch her hands move from her sides to come to rest against Brock's chest. She nods her head, silently answering his question, whatever it was, with a yes. I watch half in horror, half in agony as she moves even closer to Brock and tilts her head back. Then she says something, and I'm pretty sure it was the same something that Brock said to her just a moment ago.

Brock's hand moves from Misty's chin to her cheek and I watch as he draws one finger along her cheekbone, then back along her jaw to that place just under her chin. He tips her chin up just a bit more and leans in close to her. Pikachu is tugging at my shirt, telling me that we should go, telling me that we shouldn't be watching this, but I can't leave. I have to know if Brock learned what he doesn't know. His other hand moves from her waist to the small of her back. I think I'm gonna scream, I might possibly even throw up. He knows. I know he knows. Because he kisses her, long and slow and sweet, and she kisses him back.

My friend Brock knows a lot of stuff. He knows all about different types of pokemon nutrition and running a League approved gym. He even knows that Misty is in love with him. But what he doesn't know is that I'm sitting on shore, watching him and crying, because I'm in love with Misty.