To Steal the Heart of a Thief {Pokemon Ranger Fanfiction} (Pokemon Watty Awards 2015)

Chapter 23: The Internship

"It's okay." Amanda smiled sadly, then turned to leave. "I understand. It's just that I've always believed that it's better to regret something you've done rather than something you haven't done at all." She paused, turning to look at me one last time. "Heed that advice for me, okay?"

And with that, she left, and I watched her somberly walk away.

"What the hell just happened?" I ran a hand through my spiky red hair before returning to my dorm room.

______________________________

"That's just...weird." Rhythimi shook her head, sighing a little.

"I know." I agreed with her, trying to ignore the awkward silence wedged between us.

...

"I mean, it's you." Rhythimi half glared at me with confusion. "Who the heck would like you?" She bluntly stated her opinion, stabbing my ego with a knife.

I felt like I just got punched in the chest, but Buizel couldn't stop laughing. "Thanks...?" I sarcastically looked at her, unsure how to respond.

"It's gotta be because you're rich or something." She concluded, shrugging her shoulders.

Her words felt like someone smashed a sheet of glass over my head. "Ouch... That's cold." Buizel rolled out of my lap and onto the floor, cracking up.

"I mean, because, you're a huge jerk." Rhythimi added onto the insult unknowingly. "You're stubborn, have a crazy temper, you're super arrogant, conceited, selfish, reckless---"

I grew too impatient and angry to keep listening to her. "Okay, okay, I get it!" I quickly cut her off, slapping my hand over her mouth.

Rhythimi yanked my hand off of her mouth and regained her composure in a huff, dusting off her skirt. "Humph. Anyways, like I was about to say, the only girl I could ever see legitimately falling for you is Rena---"

"Wait what?" I didn't let her finish, immediately staring at Rhythimi intently, speaking way too fast and hyper for comprehension. "Rena? Why? Why do you say that? Has she said something to you? You just listed a whole lot of reasons why girls shouldn't like me, so what makes you say---"

"Whoa, whoa!" Rhythimi laughed, pushing me away from her slightly. "Calm down, would you? I don't see why you're so interested in Rena all of a---oh. My. GOD!" Rhythimi's eyes widened when the crushing realization dawned on her. "You like Re---MFFF!"

I quickly covered her mouth with my hands, smothering her speech mid sentence. "Say another word and I'll figure out a really embarrassing way to tell Isaac you've been crushing on him since we were ten."

I let go of Rhythimi when she nodded her head despite her groan of annoyance. Somehow, her Eevee, who had been sleeping in her lap that whole time, hadn't woken up from all of the commotion. "Fine, I won't tell my best friend that you like her." Rhythimi huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "But only if you promise to tell her yourself. And soon."

"Fine, I promise." I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms across my chest bitterly. Buizel stared at me skeptically, not really buying that I was going to tell Rena the truth.

Suddenly, the intercom above us turned on, and Ms. April's voice came on with an announcements. "Students, your partners and locations for your internships today have been posted in the cafeteria. Departure time is in half an hour, so please make haste and get ready for this exciting day!"

Click!

Internships...? Oh crap---

"Don't tell me you forgot?" Rhythimi smirked knowingly in my direction, already off the couch and walking towards the stairs with a sleeping Eevee in her arms.