"Calem! Sophia! This way!" Shauna waved from a distance since we arrived at the big city. My eyes looked at every corner, watching every person walk by just in case I need to keep an eye out. Calem waved to Shauna as he pulled on my sleeve to carry me towards his friend as my skates helped me travel
The short lesson Calem gave me earlier in the route of flowers was long enough to keep me on my feet. It was easier to stand without falling on my face everytime I try to get up and move around. He's moving me around the city, seeing that I was distracted by the large area with many people, that I sort of forget I have to keep walking, and that's why Calem was pulling me while my eyes wandered
Once, the man who taught me to become this way, one who found me when living in the streets, told me to never turn your back in a wide area in the city. Because Jubilife city was so large, I often have to stay in place for a long time until I can get through a wide space where people don't have to sneak up behind me.
The environment I lived in for a few years after my dad died was different than I was use to before, but it taught me enough to build up my senses, mobility, strength, character and attitude. No one was going to push me anymore... I never held the ability to feel positive emotions, they were all negative, and I often don't even have control over that. Somehow whenever I talk to people, I scare them all the time, but Calem was pulling me, and my body knew for some reason it wanted to let him be around. That moment back in the route, when he held me close... my heart felt like it stopped all together
"Hey Shauna" Calem waved "its been awhile" I looked down at her smiling at him and looked up at me, trying not to make her gulp noticed
"Yeah... it has! What took so long? Were your injuries that bad? I should had stayed" That's right, she and the other guys left while Calem stayed in the Pokémon center with me when I passed out after leaving the forest. My body was in shock and she might haven't seen me begging in fear, but she saw me look fragile when I was holding Calem to safety... I looked away from her, showing I don't need pity
"No, it's okay" Calem said "she just passed out as all. City girls don't exercise as much as us Town folk do. I'm actually afraid to leave her on her own" he joked. I glared but brushed it off, knowing it was not worth to waste my breath to prove that I'm no city girl "just kidding" he smiled at me "she's pretty cool" didn't expect him to say t-that! my heart dropped dramatically "well" he turned back to Shauna "shall we go at Professor Sycamore's lab?"
"Yeah, he said he got us different rooms to sleep for the night until we can get ourselves ready for another journey" I snatched my sleeve away and towered the little girl gasping when she saw my expression
"Sorry, did you just say sleep for the night?" I looked at Calem "how long are you planning to slack around? I don't have time for sleepovers. If you're going to just keep doing this, I'm going on my own" he lifted his hand to stop me
"Who's slacking off? Didn't we need to have a little talk before walking into the forest?" I was taken back by his back talk "didn't we run into a situation because someone kept running into things? Didn't you pass out for a few hours? Didnt you go out to beat up a few people? Didn't you nearly pass out in Viola's place? Didn't you stop to look at my work? Didn't you battle with her? Didn't you stop in the route and-" I waved my hands, getting the point!
"Okay! I get it!" I groaned loudly. Worse part about these facts that he said all this with a smile
"The professor will be a source to knowing more about Kalos. Don't think too much of it. You know Serena is strong... but you can't save her immediately if you don't know where to start. You know these things take time" I looked down, hating being talked down upon. How is it that he's the only one that's been able to do that after all these years... I can't have him look at me like that
"The last thing I need is for you to treat me like a child. You know exactly what I'm capable of..." I grabbed his collar and brought him in "you still want to keep talking down to me?" he lifted his hand to surrender
"I'm not talking down at you, I'm talking to you" I quickly let go of him "what's wrong with a normal conversation?" Normal... conversations? I never had one of those with someone that isn't my family "I'm stating facts, so I don't want you to feel discouraged" his eye twitched a little "but I'm not going to hold you back. If you want to go..." from the corner of my eye, I saw his hands shaking "do as you like... please" I started at him for a moment, trying to understand what he was doing. His hands were shaking like mad, Shauna even saw it too and looked concern. What was most strange about it was that he was holding that smile like he tried not breaking
"Why are you..?" Something inside me felt strange... what was it? Shauna grabbed his arm and looked at me with begging eyes
"A sleepover doesn't sound so bad! We all need sleep! What's better than sleeping on a bed? Professor Sycamore also knows a lot about the region! You'll get to learn a lot!" I stared at her eyes growing panicked "please?" Calem looked down, covering his eyes with his hair
"There's no reason to try to convince her" he looked away. Even if the begging wasn't working for me, it was my curiosity that was convincing me. Though I didn't want to have a sleepover, I'll get the chance to learn about the region faster, and even ask about Calem's business with those defenders that he doesn't even know are Serena's friends
"You're right, there's not" I crossed my arms "but I still need... assistance... to get around. This lab should be perfect to learn a little about the region" I looked around the city that looked endless through the path circling around it "I can go for a bed... how long will we be staying there?"
"Just a night" Shauna said. I looked back at them and nodded "What? You mean it?! You're going to stay over?!" I rolled my eyes at her excitement. She looked up at Calem staring at me with a blank, yet surprised face before smiling happily again, calming his body
"That's great" he chuckled "want to still hold onto me while skating?" I looked down at my skates, wondering why I haven't taken them off yet. Something in me just wants to keep them on
"Yeah..." Shauna giggled at this as he started pulling on my sleeve to move me forward "what are you laughing at?"
"It's just cute how you're having fun in those skates, and you don't even know you are" I looked down confused
"I'm... having fun?" What does that even mean..? What is that suppose to feel? All I can tell is that I just didn't want to get off them. Is this considered fun? As I said before, there's a lot of emotions I don't have possession of... fun isn't one of them
Making our way around the millions of people walking pass us was making me very firm and alert. This city was much more wide than Jubilife... Serena's friends lead me all the way to where the lab was as I kept my eyes on every direction around me
"You don't have to be alert like that, you know?" Shauna said as we stopped in front of a large building with a closed gate "I'll say you'll only have to worry at night" I looked at her confused
"What's that suppose to mean?" Calem turned to me and smiled, hiding his hands behind him and leaned forward
"Oh, you don't know what she means? I would had figured you would since you're a city girl" I glared, fisting my hands tightly "am I making you angry? Sorry, I just like seeing you that way. It's cute" I flinched "I know you're from the city. You did remember that Serena does talk about you all the time, right?" I looked down
"Right..." trying not to get too mad like usual, Shauna took my hand, looking at me with soft eyes and a shy smile, looking like she was trying to be careful with not having me snap at her like before
"Let's go in, okay?" I shrugged and let her drag me close to the gate, which were already open with a single push and approached the front door. Calem leaned his hand on my shoulder and leaned down, as if he was waiting for me to lift my feet. Doing it, I watched him remove my skates, wondering if he was going to do that or not, from his position
"What was that for?" I asked. He stood straight and handed them back to me to give to B
"Ladies shouldn't bend over" he bowed to me. Heat from Shauna's face was strong against my arm as he helped me with my regular shoes. I cleared my throat, not knowing what he meant by that, and gave him my hand he wanted to reach out to help me up the stairs and into the place
"We're here!" Calem yelled out. Trevor and Tierno popped their heads from the corner and ran over to talk to him. Shauna and I were left near the door as she leaned over to my ear
"Is there something going on between you two?" She whispered
"I don't know what you're talking about" she held her chin and looked down, almost looking concern, but mainly confused "I want to get into researching as soon as possible, if you don't mind" she nodded and walked away for me to follow and looked over to the boys
"We're going to look for the professor. Don't wait up, I'm going to show Sophia where the two of us are going to sleep" I narrowed my eyes at her
"No one told me about roommates" she laughed nervously, walking away quickly with me to another room. She looked around to make sure no one was looking
"There's not enough room for all of us to have our own. Please bare alittle longer... I know you don't like us or anything, but we have to work together even if you don't like it or not!" She shut her eyes, trying to stand up for herself to me. I smirked a little, impressed "a-anyways... before we look for the professor, I wanted to ask you something..." She played with her fingers nervously
"Make it fast" she nodded, taking a deep breath. As she was about to speak, a loud greeting interrupted her
"Oh! Is this the famous sister of Serena I heard so much about?" A tall man in a lab coat walked into the room, followed by Serena's Fennekin. I sneakily hid behind Shauna without making it look like I was trying to hide from it. The small fox noticed and frowned, looking down in disappointment "hm?" The old man looked over to observe me closer "you don't look all that terrifying" Shauna nervously laughed loudly as I sweat dropped. Is that something you really have to say out loud?
I bowed anyways for respect "I'm Sophia... thank you for having me" the man laughed
"You don't have to be so formal, we're all friends here!" Shauna looked at me, knowing that wasn't true to my opinion "I'm Professor Sycamore!" The boys walked into the room "looks like everyone's here. Calem, how are you feeling?" Calem smiled wide, making Sycamore jump for some reason. Shauna looked away, rubbing her arm slowly
"I'm great!" Calem said "thanks for asking!" Sycamore put his smile back on and nodded, looking back at everyone
"So you two came a long way from Vaniville Town again, like old times! but you... Sophia? You came all the way from Sinnoh! Your sister told me a lot of great things about you" I looked aside, liking that Serena thinks so highly of me even if I'm not really like that "you've came here to start the search to find her, correct? Or that's what Shauna and the boys explained to me" I nodded "this isn't the place to talk. Let's head up to the third floor before we can give a proper tour for our newcomer and explain everything we can tell to her" everyone but I, nodded and followed the professor to the elevator. I stopped next to Calem, letting the elevator doors close immediately, since there were too many people, and I refused to get inside with that many, I looked over at the entrance at Sina walking in with a completely different outfit and out of her disguise and mask. Calem looked at where I was looking at and waved over
"Hey!" I looked at him making his usual greeting smile. Sina looked at us and smiled wide, rushing over
"Hey! Calem! How's it going!?" She flipped her hair, looking fake "it's been a little while since I've seen yah! Are you here to stay the night with your friends too?" Calem nodded. Sina noticed me, almost looking uncertain, uncomfortable, and almost disappointed, but faked her smile anyways "oh, hello" she smiled wide, offering her hand "I almost didn't see you! Are you Calem's girlfriend?" I opened my mouth to give a rude respond before Calem spoke for me, once again
"Not yet!" I jumped, not expecting that at all! My heart felt like it fell down to my feet. He laughed when he saw me glare "just kidding!" He winked "unless you want to" I had enough of his nonsense and pushed his shoulder back while bending his knee forward, making him fall on the floor so I can step on his chest
"Shut up, idiot" he only chuckled and remained laying there. Sina sweat dropped, not knowing what's going on "don't worry about who I am. It's none of your business. The last thing I need is to state my business to someone whose as fake as you, Miss defender of Kalos" I whispered. her eyes widened "if you'll excuse me" I moved my foot off Calem to let him get back up immediately and follow me "I have things to do that actually matter"
"W-what..?" I ignored the girl as I pressed the elevator button and peaked at Calem smirking to himself with his hair covering his eyes. This had a sort of eerie feeling to it as the elevators door opened and we walked in. Once they closed, Calem took a deep breath and laughed out loud, holding his stomach a little
"I really like how you handled yourself there" he giggled. I shrugged and leaned on the wall
"Was it that big of a surprise?" He took my hand, catching me by surprise, and pressed my knuckles softly against his lips "w-what are you..?" My knees felt weak all of a sudden
"No matter what they tell you, don't believe a single thing she or the other guy says..."
"She's one of those defenders, isn't she?" He nodded, keeping my hand close to him, me letting him "you noticed... Serena didn't, and you seem to hate them, yet you seem so normal around Sina outside her disguise" he snorted, closing his eyes and letting go of my hand softly
"They don't know that I know... and I want to keep it that way" he looked at the numbers changing above "as you heard, they were hired by my mother to keep an eye on me" he accidentally let out a laugh "how ridiculous... she's so scared because of my behavior that she hired defenders to do watch over me"
"They don't seem like they were defenders with you. They seem like they almost hated you-" he immediately looked into my eyes, making me shut my eyes just by the gaze
"Do you like bad boys?" He winked joyfully "just kidding... There's things you don't need to know, just like there's things I'm not suppose to know. I apologize for making you angry and snooping into your business, but I'm mean no harm" he looked back at the numbers, finally reaching the third floor "because they're... concern about people I hang around with, they might try to hang onto you, trying to get some dirt to keep me..." the doors opened "don't talk to them, for your own sake" he stared at my scarf before walking out the elevator. I looked at the hand he pressed his lips on...
Serena was right, he certainly was mysterious. I... never thought I find myself becoming so curious about a person like this. If I didn't know any better, I'd say my body was feeling a bit of... what was it? Excitement..! who exactly is Calem? and how was he able to make me feel so many emotions I never even know I had?
~~
This is only the start of the rest of the story between her and Calem!!