Paul and Dawn: First Light

Chapter 34: Nostalgia

Chapter 34: Nostalgia  

"Wake up." Dawn's shrill voice interfered with a dream I was having. Once minute, I was battling the Champion of Sinnoh and the next I was looking at Dawn's most scrutinizing expression, the walls of one of the Pokemon Center's guest bedrooms surrounding us.  

"What?" I asked groggily. She'd snuck into my room. That was all I could process. 

"Get dressed. There are only seven hours left until the Contest!" Dawn chided, packing her bag. 

The first thing I remembered as her order sluggishly went through my mind was that I wasn't wearing anything except a pair of boxers. I instantly froze under the sheets, glancing at Dawn who was looking out the window, and checked the sheets to make sure they were covering me fully. They were. She had seen nothing, noticed nothing. Still, my heart hammered unnaturally fast considering I had just woken up. I watched her with wide eyes, trying to regain composure while wondering why I was so bothered in the first place. 

To distract her from my unwillingness to get out of bed I asked, "It takes you seven hours to get ready?" 

"One hour for the dress, one hour of preparing my Pokemon, one hour for being early to the Contest Hall, one hour for meeting Zoey and checking out the competition, and three hours for makeup and hair," Dawn rattled off. 

I stared at her. I had no idea hair could take so long to get ready. What a waste of time... I grunted. "Your hair looks fine the way it is." 

Dawn gaped at me. "Are you kidding!? If I go out on stage like this-" 

The idea of what would happen seemed too horrendous for her to even finish the sentence. I sighed. "Ok. You go ahead and spend the day how you want and I'll spend it how I want. Go do your hair. I'm staying out of the way." 

I sensed the emotional breakdowns that could happen from the stress and cringed. I'd be no part of those. 

Dawn raised an eyebrow. "You'll be fine on your own?" 

"Yes, mother," I replied sarcastically, still in bed as she stared at me, her eyes drifting below my face. I shifted again, trying to figure out why I cared in the first place where she looked. 

"And you're coming to the Contest, right?" Dawn sounded unsure. 

"I promised, didn't I?" I asked. 

Dawn paused and smiled. "Yeah. You did." 

I smirked at her and she remained frozen. 

The sound of a door opening and closing elsewhere made us jump as realize we'd been staring at each other. We both looked away. 

"Um, I'll see you there. Be early!" Dawn ordered, and then walked away from my bed. 

I heard the door close behind her and grimaced, wondering what to do for the next couple of hours. I'd slept in and decided that the most sensible thing to do now would be to get up and have breakfast instead of continue wasting my time being unproductive. 

After showering, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed I walked to the cafeteria. It wasn't very busy. I spotted one of the teenagers from the battles yesterday, the last one with the Mismagius. I remembered her name was Gabby. 

Deciding that intimidating her would possibly pass the time, I grabbed a plate of sausages and eggs and headed over to sit with her. As I approached, she stared up with me with wide eyes. I sat down without asking if I could join her. It was pretty funny to see her trying to come up with something to say as I stared at her. 

"Hi," I said, trying not to smirk. 

"Um, hi?" She flinched. "You haven't come to kill me for using Attract, have you?"