Greetings, reader-people. It's been another delightfully hectic week, but today I managed to write another chapter for y'all. So enjoy.

DISCLAIMER: Satoshi Tajiri owns Pokemon, MediaMessiah lays claim to the plot, and CarpeDiemEveryday (that would be me) makes it all work together. That's how it goes.

"So, I'm like, wait, today's Tuesday, and Lanette's like, uh, yeah, it is, and then she's like, oh wait, that reminds me, and then she was telling me this one thing about how there's this one guy who - Hey, wait, Brendan, is something wrong?"

Brendan blinked, refocusing on May, whose blue eyes were full of questioning concern. He shook his head. "Oh, uh, no, I'm fine, May, nothing's wrong."

She looked unconvinced, and he couldn't blame her. She leaned against the line of lockers, examining his face. "Are you sure?" she persisted. "Because, well, your eyes are always red, but they're… redder?"

Brendan resisted the urge to rub his eyes. "Oh, yeah, took me forever to fall asleep last night. And it might be allergies, too. They bother my eyes."

She raised her eyebrows. "Really? You've never had problems like that before, though."

He shrugged. "I dunno, this year's been different. I don't usually get allergies this bad during the fall, either." He turned to his locker. "You need your books today?"

"Yeah, but don't change the subject, I can tell something's wrong. I've known you for too long. You can tell me, you know that, don't you?"

Brendan bit his lip; her words stung. He opened his locker door, using it as a wall between himself and May. "I told you, nothing's wrong. What books do you need?"

He could practically see the brunette glaring at the metal door. He was a bit surprised it didn't melt under the force of her gaze. "Fine, don't tell me. And I need the green one and the navy one."

Brendan selected the two textbooks and handed then to May, swinging the door shut and facing her. "There's nothing to tell."

May sighed. "Okay then. You can still tell me anything, even 'nothing', but that isn't a have-to type thing. Just so you know."

"I do know. Believe me, I do."

"Good." She yawned, sliding down into a sitting position, still leaning against her locker door. Brendan stood leaning against his. They were quiet for a time, watching the other students bustling around, grabbing books, heading to classes, running up to friends. May suddenly sat up. "Ohmigosh, she's actually going to do it!"

Brendan glanced down at his friend. "Who's doing what now?"

May sighed impatiently, pointing across the hall to a girl with navy colored hair, tentatively knocking on an open locker door. A head popped out from around it, shoving black hair under a hat. Though Brendan was too far away to hear much of the conversation, he could tell that the girl was nervously asking the guy something. The guy apparently thought about it, then nodded, smiling. The girl looked terrified but delighted at the same time, waving goodbye and rushing pell-mell across the hall to where May sat, smirking slightly.

"How'd it go?" she asked teasingly. To Brendan, she added, "Hey, could you help me up? I'm kinda stuck here." Brendan nodded, offering a hand. She took it, and his hand tingled at the contact. But then she let go, able to stand on her own and staring expectantly at the blue-haired girl, who appeared to be hyperventilating.

"He said yes! He said yes! I'm going to the dance with Ash!" She laughed, then burst into hysterical tears. "B-but, wh-what will I wear? I'm s-so happy, but I d-don't want t-to mess this uuuuup!" The girl dissolved into sobs, shoving her face into May's shoulder.

The brunette sighed. "Shh, Dawn, it's okay, you'll look awesome to Ash no matter what you wear, that's what's important, right?"

Dawn looked up, blinking back tears. "B-but, b-but, what if we d-don't match? I'll l-look st-t-tupid!"

May patted her on the back, glancing over her shoulder at Brendan and rolling her eyes. "I'll handle this," she mouthed, steering Dawn towards the nearest girl's bathroom, crooning soothing words to her as if she was an overemotional toddler. Brendan blinked, then shook his head. Girls were strange sometimes.

He then realized that he hadn't gotten his books out of his locker yet. Fortunately, he had time, as the first class had been cancelled that day. He turned back to his locker, twisting the dial idly. He swung the door open wide, eliciting a muffled curse from the other side. Looking around, he saw Drew standing rubbing his head.

"Ow, what the hell was that?" He glared over at Brendan. "What was that for?"

"Sorry, didn't see you, Drew," Brendan apologized, scratching the back of his neck embarrassedly.

Drew waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever, do you know where May is?"

Brendan gestured toward the bathrooms. "She's comforting some girl who's having a mini-meltdown in there. Clearly, we're not welcome."

Drew sighed. "Oh. Well, I guess this could wait." He produced a rose seemingly out of nowhere and raised his eyebrows at Brendan.

Brendan nodded appreciatively, which seemed to be the desired response. "Nice. You should do magic tricks."

Drew shook his head. "Nah, sleight-of-hand's nothing. I saw one guy turn a paper rose into a real one. By setting it on fire. Now that would be a great way of asking her out."

"Asking who out?" The two spun, startled, to see May standing there. "Dawn's recombobulating as I speak," she explained. "So, Drew, found someone worthy of you at last?"

Drew recovered quickly. "Yeah, actually. Well, maybe 'found' isn't the right word. It's more like, realized this person is perfect and has been there for so long, but now I see-"

"Uh, Drew?" May cut in. "We all know you love to talk and stuff, but can you hurry it up or something? I have better things to do than listen to you comparing her eyes to the ocean or whatever have you."

Drew rolled his eyes. "Way to take the romance out of things, May. I want to go to the dance, but only if it's with you. Will you go?"

May gaped at him. Then, for an instant, her eyes flicked over to Brendan, who had arranged his face into an unreadable mask, being unable to imitate the supportive best friend. Then she snapped back to Drew. "Is this a joke?"

"No," Drew replied simply.

May inhaled sharply. "Um. Well, I wasn't really planning on going, but, yeah, I guess I could go. Um, like, is this as friends, or…?"

Drew gazed unblinkingly into her eyes. "Or, preferably."

"Oh. Um, wow, I didn't realize… um, can I think about this, please? It's kind of sudden, and… do you understand?"

Drew straightened. "Yeah, that's fine. Okay, see you later." He walked past, then stopped, turned, and handed her the rose. "For you, May." Then he walked off into the fast-dissipating crowds.

May turned, wide-eyed, to Brendan. "Oh my God. What do I do now? Should I go? I mean, I like him, but do I like-like him?" She gazed up at him, almost pleadingly. To Brendan, it was remarkably like getting knifed in the throat.

He cleared his throat, trying to ease the sharp pain. "You should go. If you think you like him, you should go. No law says you'll have to marry him, you know."

May wrung her hands. "Yeah, but what if we don't work out? It'll ruin our whole friendship, and I really just don't want to risk it."

Brendan shrugged. "Hey, that's my advice. But think about it. Drew's a decent guy, you probably wouldn't ruin everything by going with him. It's one dance, just go."

May sighed, staring down at the rose held loosely between her fingertips. Suddenly, her grip tightened. "You know what, you're right. It's not like I hate him, so this should be good. Yeah, thank you, Brendan. Thanks."

Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Brendan wanted nothing more than to return her embrace, to express how he felt to her in some small way, but his conscience forced down that impulse. Instead, he gently removed her arms from his waist. She looked hurt, but he stood firm.

"You can't hug random guys now," he reminded her. "It looks bad for you, and it gets us beaten up."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay."

She glanced down at her hand and the rose it gripped. "Hm."

"What?"

"Well, I don't want this to get destroyed, you know? So, um, could I put it-"

"Oh, yeah, sure thing," Brendan nodded, turning to his half-open locker and opening it wide, gesturing for her to place it within. She did so, gently setting it atop her pile of books, then shutting the door.

"Well, see ya, Brendan!" May waved, then hurried off down the hallway. Brendan stood alone in the locker-lined corridor. Turning to his own, he leaned his head on the cool metal door, bitterly envisioning the future and all it offered. None of which seemed to include a happy ending for him.

Sniffle. Poor Brendan. Anyhoo, it's that time again, when we hear from the marvelous magical Original Idea Guy, who prefers MediaMessiah as far as I know, but is nonetheless the person who thought this up. This is what the Originator has to say:

um, so yeah, I'm surprised by this. one, because I thought the Carpe wasn't writing this week, and two because there's a bunch of random plot bits that I hadn't seen coming. But I do approve of them. so yeah hopefully there'll be another chapter of walk it with me up soon. so don't stop believing, savvy? later.

As for me, well, I didn't see those plot twistlets coming either. They just came, I dunno. But I liked them. And before I get a load of PokeShipper hate, seriously, I don't love Dawn particularly meself. However, I am a nice person, and also it's not my story, so I'm humoring the Original Idea Guy. Go whine at him if ye please.

Okay, so review, please, my psyche can't take the lack of people reviewing! It's highly disappointing, folks. I'm very disappointed in you. Feel the shame. Well, actually don't, but review all the same (ooh! Rhyme-time!)

All right, see ya when I see ya,

Carp

(P.S. Surprise next chapter, maybe... review and find out!)