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Age: 16
Setting: Hotel in Ambrett Town
Date: Day Serena becomes Kalos Queen for the first time.
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Elaina walked into the hotel room that was almost as empty as her insides felt. Two beds, one girl. The four walls felt suddenly too large.

Images of fire replayed in her head, smokey billows of flames, scorching heat, masses of golden glitter that engulfed the beach-constructed stadium. It all sloshed against the back of her eyelids like the ocean tides she'd seen for the first time today. She'd been far too engrossed with meeting Gary and then Serena's performance to ever really comply the fact it was her first time ever laying eyes on the open ocean.

Elaina remembered the crowning, the tiara and Serena's head of honey locks. She remembered the stage lights and the overwhelmingly tall stadium decor. It was all so vivid and fresh that she felt odd, standing there alone in the hotel room doorway.

Walking inside, the golden haired girl sighed. Her friend had achieved her greatest dream today and she was there to witness it. The opportunity was an honor.

But how long, now that Serena was Queen, would she have to sleep alone? Alone in her tent, alone in the Pokemon Center, alone in a hotel room? She didn't want to think about it.

Letting her limbs drain of accumulated tension, Elaina took a seat at the side of her bed, looking out the room window towards where the crystal waves lapped at the sand lip. The beach was more than she could have imagined. But she never really got to feel the sand between her toes, or the water at her heels, or salt in her hair. Not enough time.

Elaina looked for anything of interest in her barren room. She'd always had Serena for entertainment, or Ash or her brothers. But here she was alone and willing to do anything just to let her mind elope elsewhere.

There was a small pad of paper and pen on the bedside table, meant to be used for a costumer to leave comments or criticism, but to Elaina, it now severed a different purpose. She picked up the pad and pen, almost enjoying the way they lay in her palm. She never was very good at drawing, but her mother was. Elaina clearly didn't acquire much of those skills, however, she was aware what shapes were and could still plenty attempt a sketch. After all, she knew the feeling of scratching a pencil across paper.

The golden haired girl drew what her mind told her, what she knew was right. She drew people, that only resembled half who they were meant to be. Elaina drew Ash, spiked jet hair and toned limbs, even those 'z' shaped marks on his cheeks. Then she drew Serena, her cropped blonde hair and elegant sundress. They were side by side, completely and utterly in love.

She stared at the picture for a long while. It's what she knew, it's what her little world revolved around the past few months. But it was pang of travail, infecting her mind. She felt a broken heartbeat. Then another. And before she knew it, the pen was on the paper again, sketching and sketching and sketching away.

She made Serena's hair longer, wild and around her shoulders, in long waves down her back. She put holed gloves on Serena's hands, freckles on her face, until it wasn't Serena anymore, it was her. Elaina stood side by side with Ash on the paper. Her and her new little crush, together in the only form possible. Conjured from imagination.

It's not right! She told herself. That's not how it's meant to be!

He's too out of reach. Too far gone. And you can't chase after him, cause he's already been caught.

Stop imagining, stop making things hard for yourself. You can't like someone else's Prince Charming, especially not your best friends.

Be better than that. Be someone who doesn't fall for the one guy she can't have.

Don't follow the romance novels. Things will not just resolve themselves. Don't wish. Don't soften. Don't lose yourself. Don't lose to feelings.

Elaina tore the paper in half. And half again. And again. Until severed pieces of the sketch peppered the floor by her feet. Until evidence of her crime littered the space around her. Her lips trembled, looking at the mess she'd created. Proof was everywhere. Her hopeless situation scattered to remind her.

Tears prickled her teal eyes, threatening to spill like her conscience swore to tear her apart. She wanted to hold them back, she wanted to blink them away so bad. Years and years of biting back sobs and now she was struggling. An image so cruel it could shatter all the promises she made years ago. And she inflicted it all upon herself.

A single stray tear trekked down her left cheek. The one that got away. In that moment, she was grateful the room was empty.

Regardless, Elaina picked up the frayed pieces of her sketch and discarded them in the bin. Early the next morning she would be gone. Gone with Ash and Gary to go see Serena's next performance.

The evidence could remain unseen by any other eyes forever.