Lost in their Past

Chapter 62:- I Wish You Were Dead

"Of course he'll be," James squeezed his shoulder.

"But isn't it too soon? I mean Diane is only at... I want to say 27 weeks?"

James nodded, "It's disturbing that you know that but yep, 27 weeks."

They walked together in silence around the Manor for quite some time. Ash had no idea how long and gorgeous the property was, it was surrounded by a dense forest filled will all kinds of wildlife.

Ash wouldn't even have to keep his Pokemon at Professor Oak's ranch, the Raider Manor was big enough to fit them all.

"How are things with Bethany?" James said, "Is that still a thing?"

Charlus playfully pushed him, "Of course it! Bethany is... Arceus, that woman is just so... good and pure you know."

James nodded, "But how are things?"

The brunet stopped in his tracks once again, Red didn't seem to have noticed his halt. He reached out to Ash's long-dead father and pulled him backward.

"Hey..." cried Red.

Charlus took a deep breath, "Okay, so you want to know how things are?"

James frowned for a moment but then nodded.

A smile crept up on Charlus's face as he took out a small box from the pocket of his hoodie. The smile on Red's face disappeared as soon as he flipped the box open, it was a ring.

"What is this?" Asked James, rather abruptly.

"A ring," Charlus laughed, "I'm proposing to Bethany... maybe tonight!"

"But... you've only been going out for a month!"

The brunet frowned as he put the ring back in his pocket. "Yeah but I like Bethany, really very much."

James's face showed clear signs of disapproval but he still managed to smile through before continuing his walk. "It's... nice, I'm happy for you."

Charlus seemed to have noticed the sudden change of expression, he pulled back his friend once more. Lines of worry were etched tight on his forehead.

"Is something wrong?"

James didn't meet his friend's gaze, he kept dodging his eyes from tree to tree.

"Nothing," he lied.

Charlus tilted his head in disapproval. "Come on now, tell me."

"You won't get mad?"

"Of course I won't,"

James took out both of his hands from the pocket of hai hoodie. A sigh escaped his lips as he looked down at the ground. As if he was too ashamed by his thought to face Charlus directly.

"I don't think you should be marrying Bethany."

Charlus was taken aback, "Wh... why?"

"Bethany is a rebound for you! And... you were the one who told me that one doesn't marry his rebound person! You've only known her for a month!"

The brunet stood quietly for some time, it took him quite some time to process the bombshell his friend just dropped on him. "Rebound from whom?" That was all he managed to say with a smile on his face.

James didn't find him amusing. "You know who, Charlie:"

The smile on Charlus's face died down. "Grace and I never dated."

"Theoretically!" James cried, "Charlus you've been crazy about her, and just after a little spat you're... you're marrying a girl you barely know?!"

Charlus didn't answer him.

"It's Grace, Charlie Blue! Your Grace!"

"She isn't my Grace! She's dating that son of a bitch Mark Jorum!"

"And whose fault is that! You barely got through one talk without yelling at her!"

"Those fights meant that I like her, duh!"

"Girls don't like that, Charlie. And she's only with Mark because you started dating Bethany... to get her jealous! It worked Charlie, just... drop it!"

"What do you mean?" The brunet looked baffled, "I'm marrying Bethany, James, I love her."

James put both of his hands on his shoulders, looking eye to eye as he imparted his 'wisdom'. "You think that now... but what'll happen in five years or ten?"

Charlus pushed back his hands with a sigh, "I'll still love her, James."

James shook his head. "You wouldn't," he sighed, "Bethany wants kids, Charlie, And that isn't the life that you deserve!"

"I don't dare?" He looked hurt, "what the fuck did you say?! You think I don't deserve happiness?!"

The raven-haired shook his head, "You deserve all the happiness in the world, Charlie Blue. But your happiness... it's different. You're meant to travel the world! Interact with Pokemon and live your life! You're not meant to be stuck in a stuffy little home with a loud baby."

A scoff escaped his lips, "And you are?"

"It's all I ever wanted... but you, you deserve the world, Charlie. The world."

Charlus looked into the eyes of his brother for quite some time. His nostrils fumed with the range as he took in his criticism.

"I don't have to take this," The brunet left the Raider Manor.

James threw his hands up in the air as he followed his best friend.

"You'll get tired, Charlie!" He ran after him, "if not now, then in a few years!"

An ominous feeling spread across Ash's chest as soon as he saw Charlus's hand curl into a fist.

"Don't do this, Charlie!" Red was on the verge of tears, "you'll resent yourself! It'll eat you alive!"

Charlus had stopped, his lip was now curled into a snarls

"You'll end up leaving," James came to halt as soon as he did, "it breaks my heart to say this... but you will."

Red was down on the ground clutching his nose long before he could've anticipated the attack. Charlus was standing above him, boiling with red hot range.

"On the second hand," he said with rage, "I wouldn't mind if you were to die."

James's nose was bleeding his eyes watery. "You... you don't mean it."

"I do," he admitted, "I wish you were dead!"

"Is he—"

"If you say he's dead one more time—"

"I was going to say is he alive!"

"Of course he is... he has to be!"