So basically, this is a fill-in chapter, just like chapter 16 was when I originally wrote this story. Looking back and reading it, it makes me laugh and cringe a little. This story was written when I was 12. 12.

I’m now 16, and I decided that 2008 was the year I would start writing again. I realize that I didn’t do much at all in 2007. This year is going to be different. I’m back to sitting at my computer typing up a story for hours, and I enjoy it again.

I’ve also decided that before I start on anything new, I’m going to weed my profile and delete things I know I’ll never finish and edit things that I know could be great if given some time. This story is the first, Sapphire Sunsets will probably be the next, but I won’t even attempt to edit that until this story is done. I might do the sequels, I might not.

I’ve decided to prioritize Hold On and Sapphire Sunsets for the main reason that, aside from the Insanity series, these are the two stories where I’ve worked the hardest and I want to make them as good as they possibly can. During the course of this rewrite/edit, this story will eventually become more serious and chapters will be taken out. Both May and Brendan will change as characters, and as a result, this might be quite a bit different from the original. It might even be a bit more slow-paced. I read through a few chapters and wondered what I was thinking when I wrote them.

Some stories will not be edited, though (namely, the Insanity series). When I tried to put them in a story format, they turned out quite messed up. They were among the first stories I’ve written, and they’re going to remain exactly as they are. They’re the past, whatever comes next is the future, but I know exactly where I started and I won’t forget the fun I had writing them.

So I guess that’s it. This story will also be updated on fanfiction.net, and some stories there will be edited as well. There will be a list on my profile of the stories that will be deleted and edited, for both this site and for there (http://www.fanfiction.net/~darkangeltorchic). Here’s to 2008, and what’s soon to come. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me (x0_smileforthecamera_x0@yahoo.com) or contact me on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/xx00jennxx00). And, as always, reviews are always appreciated. I would love to know what you think of the changes taking place. Cheers!

“Fuck.” Her mother would have had a fit if she had heard her speak like that. She was a “young lady” and “young ladies” didn’t use language like that. Fuck young ladies and their proper language. If she hadn’t wanted May to “use language like that”, she shouldn’t have moved her to this barren wasteland. They had moved in a week or so ago, or at least it had been a week before she had stopped counting. Time seemed to move infinitely slow here. It was dreadful.

May walked down the stairs, only to find her mother gone. It wasn’t like there were many places for her to be. There were only two other buildings in the town, one being identical to her own, housing the top Hoenn region professor and his family, the other being said professor’s laboratory. If there was anything she hated more than this waste of space town, it was being alone, and so she decided to join her mother at the Birch residence.

She rolled her eyes before pulling out her key to lock the door behind her (not like there was a huge chance of the house being broken into, but her mother would’ve had a fit if she came back to an unlocked door). It was a minute walk to the only other house in the town, and May had no problem at all getting there. As usual, her mother was being overly loud and dramatic, and as she prepared to knock on the door, she listened to her conversation with one of the Birches (presumably the professor’s wife). “May has been so sad and… angry lately.” Well, duh. What in the hell did she expect? “She’s barely talked at all.” Who exactly did she have to talk to? The pine trees? “I’m worried about her.”

May sighed. Her mother was ridiculous. There was a pause between the speakers, almost as if they knew somebody was listening. “She’s just stressed out about moving.” Phht… As if this woman knew her at all! She wasn’t stressed. She was furious! Why were they discussing her anyways? She hated people talking about her when they thought she wasn’t listening. May brushed a piece of her brown hair back from her face and knocked.

Mrs. Birch answered the door, surprised that May had chosen that moment to show up. Speak of the devil, right? “Hello, May. Come on in!” Damn, that woman was cheerful. May had the urge to kick her, but she would never actually do so. “We have a son your age, May. Why don’t you go up and meet him?” So her mother was matchmaking. Not cool. It was probably one of those kids that their mother thought was ‘such a gem’ and then he turned out to be some chunky kid interested in pocket lint or paper airplanes or the like. That would be just her luck. As she walked up the stairs (that were identical to her own), May braced herself for the worst.

When she reached the top of the stairs, she was pleasantly surprised. The room was fairly similar to her own, and there wasn’t a paper airplane in sight. A boy with hair white as snow sat at a desk, doing something on his computer. For some odd reason, her breath caught in her throat, but she quickly dismissed it and mentally chastised herself for being a moron. He was a boy. She was a girl. Big fucking deal. She didn’t need to get all overwhelmed or something to that effect. This would probably be the only time she ever saw him anyways. Why make a fool of herself?

”Hi.” For some reason, her greeting sounded shy to her, which was weird because May Norton was NOT a shy person whatsoever. It did, however, startle the boy at the desk, because he looked up from whatever he was doing. “I’m guessing you’re my neighbor.” No duh, Norton. “I’m May. I just moved here.” Ugh. She hated the whole introduction thing.

“I guess you’re right. The name’s Brendan.” The tone of his voice suggested that yes, the words that had come out of her mouth were indeed stupid, but May knew that anyways. Then there came the awkward silence part, where the two seemingly sized each other up and looked over the person who was to live next door to them for at least awhile. Brendan was quite a bit taller than herself, but still the same height as an average thirteen year old boy. His hair, as she had previously noted, was blindingly white. It was his eyes that grabbed her attention, however. Looking at them was like looking in a vast pool of ruby… Blood? No, they weren’t that ominous. They were fairly amazing though.

After a few minutes, May became uncomfortable with the stillness, and her eyes darted around the room for something to have a conversation about. Laying on his desk next to his computer was a small red bag that was slightly open, enough for May to see inside at any rate. It contained Poke Balls, a PokeNav and a Pokedex. “Are you a trainer?” Once again, no duh, Norton. It irked her to realize how brainless she sounded around this guy, more so than any other person she had ever been around.

Brendan nodded, a piece of his hair falling in front of his eye. “Aren’t you?” He must’ve thought that she was incredibly dense. Possibly even retarded, which was bad, because despite the fact that she didn’t need to get all overwhelmed, he was pretty cute, especially for a guy in the wilderness of Littleroot Town.

”Not yet,” she replied, feeling even more mindless (if that was even possible). May would’ve laughed at somebody in her position, had it been anyone but herself. She was tongue-tied in front of some white haired boy who lived next door to her in this desolate pit of hell. If she screwed things up with him and made him think she was a moron, May would be resigned to sitting in the Birch dining room talking about tile floors or cleaning supplies with their mothers… She needed to pick up her act fast.

”Do you want me to help you catch one?” Oh, she saw the light! She was saved! Screw off Mr. Clean! She had a friend; she had a- “Oh shit.” May definitely didn’t like the sound of that. “I forgot, I’m supposed to help my dad with his research.” Yeah, sure he was. Her dreams of a friend in this disgusting place were shot down. His dad probably wasn’t even working. Brendan just probably wanted to get away from her and her awkward speech. “I will soon, okay, Yam?” Yeah, she was sure he would. Wait, what the hell? Yam? Why in the hell was he calling her a carbohydrate?

”Huh?” May didn’t even care how dumb she sounded that time. He was the one calling her weird things and making up excuses.

”Yam is your name spelled backwards,” he said patiently, red tinting his cheeks. Was he blushing? Was he flirting with her or something? Wow, that was strange. She had always been the sort of tomboy that guys never liked because she was one of them. Flirting was something new, something that she was pretty positive that she liked, especially coming from this kid.

”Oh yeah? Well, your name is…” The brunette thought for a second. Brendan wasn’t quite as easy to spell backwards. “Nad nerd!”

”Well, hey, I’ve got to go now. Let’s hang out sometime.” And with those golden words said, Brendan Birch exited his room. It occurred to her that maybe it was rude to be up there without him, but May was pretty much rooted to the spot. She finally had somebody to hang out with, a friend, and a cute friend at that. After a few minutes, she started to walk towards the stairs. Brendan’s mother didn’t miss the smile that had enveloped her face, and neither did her own mother.

This was the start of something good.