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

Chapter 25: Oh My God, Stop

"How could I not turn him down!?" My cheeks flared bright red, and my hands flew up to my face to cover them. Mightyena stared at my blush curiously, highly suspicious. "That was so embarrassing! Everyone was staring at me!" The blush on my face may have been covered, but the tips of my ears weren't.

Rhythimi rolled her eyes. "That's because you guys are pretty much the couple of the school, and that's typically how prom-posals go."

"Couple of the school?" I quirked an eyebrow at that, suddenly growing very serious. "What do you mean? Rhythimi, we are not a couple." I held my arm out in front of her, getting my point across.

Rhythimi smiled innocently, batting her eyelashes at me. "Well, you two sure do act like a couple, and everyone but you sees it."

I gagged on nothing in particular. "Fa...wha-HUT?" I stared at her unbelievably. "We so do not!"

I don't think even Mightyena believed that.

She stopped walking and stared at me directly in the eyes. "You two wrestle each other, pick on one another all the damn time..." Rhythimi started counting these things off on her fingers. "You're always flirting, you're practically inseparable..." She threw her head back and scoffed. "Hell, you two even nicknamed each other!"

I paused, blinking at her repeatedly. "...those are couple-y things?" I murmured my question almost inaudibly.

Rhythimi abruptly slapped her forehead, and Mightyena did the same with his tail. "Yes, Rena. They are."

"I'm...not sure how I feel about that." I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. "I thought that was a normal thing friends did."

Rhythimi was clearly annoyed at my naivety. "Sweetie, do you do those things with Isaac?"

"...fair enough."

"Yeesh... You two give me grey hairs."

I chuckled lightly at that, shaking my head. Rhythimi locked her eyes in my direction, and I could immediately tell she wanted to ask me something. "Well don't just stare at me like an idiot, just ask me what it is you want to ask me."

Rhythimi hesitated, taking in a deep breath. "I know I've asked you this a million times before, but I want you to answer me honestly this time." She placed her hands on my shoulders, holding me in place. "Rena, do you like Keith?"

Before I could say no, I hesitated, and Rhythimi definitely saw it. "I, uh..." I shamefully stared down at the ground, unable to come to a conclusion for that question. "I don't know."

Mightyena shot me a worried glance, and I knew that look meant he was thinking you just compromised the whole job.

"Hm." Rhythimi pressed her lips together into a thin line, letting her hands drop back down to her sides. "Well, think on it some more for me, okay?"

"Why?" I felt almost startled by both the question and the serious way she delivered it.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Rhythimi's lips. "Despite all appearances he puts up, Keith's actually fragile guy, and I know he likes you. It's obvious." She bobbed her head to the side, resting her hands on her waist. "I just don't think he could handle rejection, especially from you. I hate to admit it, but you're his best friend now." She sadly smiled at me, and I was almost surprised that she willingly accepted the she had replaced by me in Keith's heart. "Just don't break his heart. That's all I'm asking."

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was immediately cut off by a large exploding sound up in the sky.

BOOM!