Our Alternate Ending | | A Pokemon Adventure

Chapter 20- Playing Cupid

Pikachu jumped off my shoulders, clearly annoyed with my attitude. He padded onto Elaina's shoulder to signify that he was on her side.

"Pika, Pi!" He agreed.

"I don't know you're talking about." I stuck my nose up at the pair.

"You damn well know what we're talking about." She growled.

"Pikachu!"

"Look, I came here to train. Not to talk about feelings."

"Sorry to burst your bubble Ketchum, but training is all about feelings."

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Elaina was still teaching me how to read other people. Speaking of, I had a favor to ask her.

"Fine. But enough about my attitude and enough about Serena." I concluded.

"That's fair. Now where were we...Oh right! We just finished talking about facial expressions and the signs of being nervous. How about a recap?" She exclaimed, a lightened mood now that she had somewhat won the argument.

"Okay, if you insist."

"Alright, what are signs of being nervous? And I want all of them Ketchum, cause people show emotion in different ways, not everyone will express it in the same way."

"Shaky breathing, reluctant eye contact, stuttering, slight shaking, fidgety and sometimes even forgetful." I listed. All of these where things Serena did in the cave.

Now I'm thinking about Serena again.

"Good. I can't tell you how many times I have almost forgotten my name due to nerves." She explained, shaking her head to forget a memory. "Now, what to teach you next..."

"Can you teach me how to tell if someone's in love?" I interrupted, finally asking the question. I was reluctant, scared of her response. And I had good reason.

Elaina looked at me, her eyes stunned. Surprise and puzzlement written on her forehead like the title of a newspaper. Her lips parted but nothing came out. She just stared at me, drinking in my features and trying to decided if I was telling the truth. Or if she simply imagined the whole thing.

"I'm sorry, could you please repeat that?" She asked, still consumed in shock. I chuckled at her awe struck expression.

"I said, could you teach me how to tell if someone's in love?" I repeated but her face didn't change.

"Excuse me?"

I sighed.

"I know you heard what I said." I gave her a stern look. Was it really that hard to believe I was interested in such a thing?

"Y-yes. I mean, of course I can teach you that. But if you don't mind me asking, why?" She continued to search my face closely as if I could leak answers. Unfortunately for her, the reason was something I couldn't let go at the moment.

"Just curious." I came up with an excuse. But she didn't buy it. Of course she didn't, Elaina always seemed to counter everything I did. It was as if I was fighting against myself sometimes.