Rosa's Pov

I turned around and saw Nate walking behind me with his work uniform, looking tired and grumpy while playing with his phone "Nate?" He looked up at me and turned red in less than a second "Are you alright?" He rubbed the back of his head, looking at his phone again.

"Y-Yeah... I've just had a bad day at work" I faced him.

"Did you?" He looked at me and put his phone away "Want to talk about it?" He chuckled.

"You're always so nice to everyone" I blushed and looked away. I've must've offended him.

"I-I try my best... There's no point in being rude to anyone"

"Except Ethan" he chuckled. I frowned and looked at my arm, knowing the bruise he gave me was getting bigger and uglier "He's a real jerk"

"Whatever made him like this is probably the cause. I hope it can be reversed someday" he nodded and frowned.

"If a miracle happens" Does he know about Kris? "He's a... character" I nodded "Anyways, work isn't the same as it use to be. I hate going to work now" I walked up to him .

"Did something happen?"

"I broke up with this girl that worked there, and since then, she never leaves me alone" I flinched. I almost forgot Nate was a ladies man and dated a lot of girls. It had seemed a thing of the past for some reason. I haven't seen him hang with any girls that aren't in his friend group "It's really annoying"

"May I ask?" He sighed and showed me a picture on his phone of a famous idol kissing another. From the stories I heard, Nate really was dating a idol! "I see..."

"She's been forcing me to delete the picture off my phone for ages and begged to be with me again. What I saw was wrong and blah blah" he rolled his eyes "I had enough of fake people" I looked at him glancing away and frowned. Nate...

"For someone who's always making people happy, I know you deserve better" he looked at me surprised "You give your all and deserve to find someone that makes you just as happy as you make them!" He frowned again and looked down.

"Yeah..." he cleared his throat. Did I say something wrong..? "I'm just going to head home now. It's getting late and crazy people are out there" I nodded and watched him walk away.

"Of course..." he went up to his door to unlock it and softly smiled back at me. I smiled back, waving a little, and watched him close the door behind him. I looked down at my chest and took out my necklace with the plastic ring he gave me when we were kids.

"I hope he can find happiness one day..." I kissed the ring and went inside my house to prepare for another day tomorrow.

Nate's Pov

"You give your all and deserve to find someone that makes you just as happy as you make them!" I wasn't able to make her happy for all these years, and I missed the chance. I blamed myself and went back to my bad mood. I tried not taking it out on her in fear she'll think the wrong way, and left her with a smile.

"I don't want to make anyone else happy... I don't care about that. I just care about making you happy" Is what I should had said. Instead I'm just in my house, regretting myself and my actions again "Why am I like this?" For years now, I've did everything in my power to become everyone's friend. I didn't want to make the same mistake... Yet I never really cared about that many people. It was only to make myself feel better about myself for what I did. All I care about is making the people closes to me happy... and even if Rosa and I aren't close, I want to make her happy most of all.

I'll never get the chance to take back what I did. When I find the guts to talk to her the way I want to talk to her, only then will I know how she truly feels about what I've done. She doesn't hate me... I can tell that much when she looks at me.

I was too blind at first when she first spoke to me about the overdue book. I still beat myself up over it all the time, but getting the chance to talk to her in the library and outside... Her eyes were loving and forgiving. I wish I saw that sooner... I wish I didn't have to make my friends mad at me for not seeing it sooner. When will I find the chance to talk to her without getting nervous?

My mom was cooking dinner for me in the kitchen. Once I entered my house, it smelled heavenly "Hey mom" I greeted, sitting on the bar table.

"Hey dear" she smiled "Hungry? I figured since I got off work early, I can make you some food"

"That's great. I haven't ate since lunch at school" she prepared everything and put it on two plates for us to eat together. I ate quickly and hungrily, loving my mom's cooking.

"Slow down, it's not going to be taken from you" Mom joked. I slowed down and looked at her eating while watching tv "What's wrong? Something on your mind?" She asked without looking at me.

"Nothing... I'm just trying to figure some things out. Nothing crazy, but you know..."

"Have you taken your medicine yet?" I haven't taken my medicine in years, yet she thinks I'm still taking them just so they make me happy. I don't want that kind of artificial feeling, so I nodded "What's got you down? Girl drama?" She leaned her elbow on the table to look at me. I sighed.

"You can say that"

"Wow, you're serious? I was just joking" she faced me "Anything you want to talk about?" I thought about it.

"Well, you're a girl" she sweat dropped "What is the best way to apologize to a girl after you did something unforgivable?" She looked back at the tv.

"Well, any girl would just forget you and move on with their life" It felt like a dagger just stabbed my heart "but if they're forgiving enough, just show how much they mean to you. Just like food, the right way to a woman's heart is how perfect the words will be given. You can't go wrong with a gift, but just saying how you feel and apologizing to the depths of your heart will be enough" I looked at my plate. It's so I thought... I just have to say the right thing. I just hope I don't mess up...

School rolled around and I was called in by Cheren to stay after class at the end of the day. I waited for everyone to leave the class and waved Hugh to let him know that I'll see him later. I didn't know why I was asked to stay after class, since I haven't caused trouble in a long time, but I'll just have to wait and find out.

"Nate" Cheren stood up from his desk after everyone left, and looked out the window "Do you know why I asked you to stay?"

"No?" He snorted and looked back at me.

"I have asked your friend, Dawn, to help me with a favor. When she refused, I asked the others who seem to be the closest to her. They refused as well" he leaned on the wall "Almost like they were plotting me to ask the next person. I wonder..." I was confused "You and Rosa use to have a history, right?" My heart jumped "I remember clearly. When Bianca and I went to visit Hilda before when you both were still kids. You were inseparable" I blushed.

"Yeah. You're point? Is there a reason why you're telling me this?" Cheren chuckled.

"Since there's nobody else willing to help, could you do me the favor of helping Rosa getting a Pokémon?" W-What?? "She needs a Pokémon to participate in the outdoor final exam. I trust that she'll be able to pass her final exam, and that'll help her graduate, but she'll need to pass her outdoor exam to be able to get a trainer card. She volunteered to take it when she gets the chance, but I don't want her to miss out on joining everyone in battle"

"I don't know what to do with that. I'm not exactly in talking terms with her like that"

"That's a shame. I knew something happened between you two, I just hoped it didn't last that long. You two were so adorable" I felt embarrassed "I just ask this favor. I have no one else to ask. If you can help her understand that it's okay to get another Pokémon while hers is in the hospital, that would be great"

"I heard she had a Pokémon there. Do you know what happened?"

"You can ask her yourself. I'm not going to tell you her business" I guess I can understand that "To motivate you even more, I'll raise 10 points on your worse grade. That should help you more"

"You'd give me points just to help a student? Why isn't anyone else getting this treatment?"

"Because nobody would take the offer. Take it or leave it, Nate. I'm not forcing you. I opened up this school to help future trainers make their future. I don't want Rosa falling behind because of something she can't control" he walked up to me "I talked to her before, and she just said she won't get another Pokémon until her own becomes okay. She doesn't want it to feel like it's a replacement"

"But she needs a Pokémon to protect her. Her Pokémon will understand"

"Make her understand that" this may be my shot, since I have no choice in the matter. I do want to help her, but I can get 10 points that will help so much! It's a two for two!

"I'll try my best, but I can't promise anything" he nodded and patted my shoulder.

"I'm counting on you" I left school and went to the nearest corner store to buy a handful of Pokéballs. This will at least help convince her.

"How do I even approach her?" I walked home and send out my Riolu to walk with me "I think I'm going through mission impossible. Help me on this, will yah?" Riolu just looked at me. I sighed, beating myself up until I looked up, seeing Rosa walking towards a berry tree with the little girl from before. Who is that girl anyways?

"I don't think it'll be that easy" Rosa said to herself, picking a berry to show the girl. The girl sniffed it and nodded "This is just a Oran Berry. They're really common" she sighed "I can't wait for graduation... I have to get this job done" she looked back at the girl "When you both are fine to go on your own, I'll work to help my Pokémon. I'm sure it'll be even more harder to find a third Berry since only two grows on one plant" she walked away. I cleared my throat and pushed myself to go after her, but ended up tripping on a broken side walk brick and watched the bag of Pokéballs flying.

Rosa quickly caught it before they all flew out, and looked back at me surprised "Nate!" She gasped and hurried over to help, but I already got back on my own feet and brushed off the dust "Are you okay?" She frowned, concerned over me.

"Y-Yeah..." she gave me back the Pokéballs "Thanks"

"No problem" I handed them back "huh?"

"I've been meaning to get rid of these. Want them?"

"Oh! Are you sure? There's a lot in here" I was positive and nodded. She placed them in her bag and looked back at me.

"Thank you!" She smiled. The girl looked at us over and over "Was there a sale or something?"

"You can say that" I nervously laughed "I'm sure now that you have plenty of capsules, you'll be wanting to go to catch some Pokémon" she softly smiled and looked down.

"Well, maybe" she turned around and offered me a smile "But I don't plan on catching any anytime soon"

"Why not?" She looked up at the sky.

"I don't want my Pokémon to think I replaced her..."

"Your Pokémon would want you to be safe" she looked back at me "It would probably feel worse if it never got the chance to protect you if you ever got hurt"

"Yeah... That does make sense, but it's okay. I can take a little pain, a lot of pain doesn't bother me, actually" my heart broke into pieces when she admitted that.

"Did Team Plasma hurt you that bad?" She turned back to face me.

"How do you know about Team Plasma?" She cleared her throat "Did you assume because of the story I told you at dinner?"

"Well, it's just that..." I explained what happened the other day when she passed out. She gasped and cupped her mouth "Don't worry. Hugh put you to bed while the rest of us took care of the grunts"

"No wonder I don't remember going to my room" she bowed to me "Thank you so much for protecting me..." I waved my hands.

"No problem" she got back up and looked at the ground.

"Listen, Nate..." I flinched, not knowing what she was going to say. Does it have something to do with that day of our childhood? "I think I know what's going on... It was a coincidence that you gave me these Pokéballs and suggested me to catch a Pokémon. I appreciate the thought and someone probably forced you to tell me to get a Pokémon" she got me... but I wouldn't say forced "I can't catch another Pokémon. My sister let me borrow her Pokémon"

"T-That's not the point!" I raised my voice "Everyone needs a Pokémon on their side at all times! You shouldn't accept damage! You don't deserve that!" She smiled as the wind blew through our hair.

"I tolerate it... I don't let people walk all over me. I stand up for myself and take the pain when I can't do nothing about it. I may seem like a fragile girl who needs protecting, but I'm not. I want to be the person who helps people in need and inform them of the importance of themselves" she looked away "I don't matter... I never did. I've always been in people's way"

"Wait..." I reached out to her.

"I'm stupid and I mess up. I break down when I fail, and I blame myself for so many mistakes I've done" she frowned at me, starting to tear up "I've regret hurting people... I wish I could do more. I don't have friends because I refuse to let them down. I can't let anyone down again" my hands were shaking as her tears streamed down her cheeks "I'm sorry... for letting you down"

"Rosa..." she wiped her tears away.

"I'm sorry I was never enough..." she turned around. My feet wouldn't let me go towards her "I've always wanted to apologize to you... but I was scared. I'm sorry for causing you harm to your future" Rosa... no... Don't go "I gotta go home... bye" she walked away from me. Rosa... Is that what you thought? That you weren't enough..? That you were the problem..?

"No..." I fell on my knees "You were never the problem" she was too far away to listen "I failed in protecting you... I broke our promise" A foot stepped in front of me. I looked up and saw no one there. I looked back down and saw a Zorua wagging its tail in front of me, smiling "You're..." it giggled and ran over to jump onto Rosa's shoulder and waved at me. I stood up and sighed "So you refuse to capture a Pokémon, yet you manage to have your favorite kind by your side" I wiped my tears "I'll make it up to you... Once I find the right words. I'm sorry I'm taking so long. I just hope you forgive me..."