A New Dream

Icy Reunion: Dawn's POV

Taking a second to compose myself after Paul disappeared from view I began walking towards the main hallway, nearly jumped out of my skin when I walked past a small alcove and a hand shot out to grab my arm. Turning quickly my fear melted as I recognized Serena's honey blonde hair instead of the yellow blonde hair of Mr. Faba which I had been half-expecting.

"Serena you nearly gave me a heart attack. What are you doing?" I asked in confusion, looking where she was leaning against the small indent in front of a door that led to who knows where.

She gave me a guilty look. I narrowed my eyes looking back to where Paul and I had been talking just a minute ago and then to Serena's apparent hiding place.

"Did you..." I started to ask and Serena's grip tightened slightly on my arm.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, really. But Paul left so quickly after the battle and I was going to try and convince him to see you before he left. Then he turned down this hallway and he looked so angry. I followed him and saw that weird older guy trying to drag you away and when Paul stepped in I just... thought it would be awkward if I was here..." Serena explained, obviously feeling awkward herself. 

I couldn't blame her for staying hidden; if I had walked into a similar situation I probably would have done the same thing. I smiled gently at her.

"It's okay. Thanks for trying to catch him for me," I said sincerely and Serena looked up at me.

"He REALLY likes you, Dawn," she said seriously and I felt myself blush brightly.

"Why do you say that?" I asked, surprised that this was the first comment that she would have made.

"I was watching him all day. He was so expressionless when he was around all of us but when he watched you his eyes lit up. Then when you battled Kailani and her Flaaffy's Charge Beam nearly hit you he stood up and looked like he was ready to rush down and try to protect you himself," Serena said.

I felt my cheeks heat up even more and a silly smile spread across my lips.

"I just don't understand why he's being so stubborn about not dating you. If you two love each other then why do you have this stupid bet about you leaving him alone?" Serena asked in a huff, folding her arms irritably and I smiled sadly.

"It's not my place to say, Serena. But... I think something changed," I said, recalling how Paul's eyes had softened and he actually said the word 'promise' when I stubbornly insisted I would win our battle. "I think... for the first time, he has actually thought about the possibility of us being together." 

Serena raised one of her perfect eyebrows and huffed lightly.

"If it's taken him a month of being apart to realize he doesn't like you being away from him then he's an idiot," Serena said harshly and I giggled, which made her smile; but then her smile slowly faded and concern flooded her light blue eyes.

"Are you okay, Dawn? With how the tournament ended, I mean?" she asked gently and a true smile spread across my lips.

"Yah. For once... I have something that's more important to me than becoming a top coordinator, or the tournament star, Serena. I did my best today, so I'm okay," I said honestly/

Serena grinned broadly and wrapped me in a warm hug. I returned it, feeling like I was floating on cloud nine, and promised myself that in the next three and a half months I wouldn't think about missing Paul. Instead, I would do everything in my power to get stronger. Then when the pokemon league came I would make sure that Paul kept his promise when I won our battle.

May and Drew left the next day to head back to Hoenn together, but Ash and Serena stayed with me for the rest of the week. I allowed myself and my pokemon a break as we all traveled together, reminiscing about our different journeys together.