Is this love real? (POKEMON) Gold x Silver

Is this love real? (POKEMON) Gold x Silver - 3

Gold's P.O.V

I left Silver's apartment less than an hour after he had. It was boring, staying inside with nothing to do and no-one to tease. Plus, had I stayed there any longer I wouldn't have been able to resist the urge to pry through Silver's stuff like a creepy stalker. I didn't think there was anything wrong with wanting to borrow your friends jacket because it reminded you of them, but Silver seemed to disagree.

I considered visiting the mart- I really need to stock up on a few things- but I knew Silver would flip if he saw me, so that was an instant no. Instead I walked over to Olivine. It wasn't too far away, only an hour on foot, but by the time I got there I was huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf. I had to lean against a fence for support as I wiped my forehead. I didn't think I'd gotten that un-fit! Six years ago I could have run that distance and still have breath to spare. I wondered whether I should start going to the gym.

I wandered around the town for a while. I picked up the supplies I needed from the mart there, and paid the new gym leader a visit while I was there, just to test her. The previous leader, Jasmine, was away on some 'special training' or whatever in Sinnoh, apparently. I thought of checking out the Battle Tower- I never had time for that when I was younger, but I had time to kill now, so even though I didn't really fancy it I thought I might as well see what it was about. But fate had other plans for me, as I happened to glance someone I recognized flitting about in the window of a cafe.

I hadn't seen Crystal in a long time. She was a nice girl- a little out-there and off-key, but I liked her. Currently she was shooting around Olivine Cafe like a rocket, trays balanced on both her hands and occasionally her head. She was almost scarily pleased to see me.

"Gold! Oh, thank goodness!" She practically collapsed in front of me. She had dark bags under her eyes, her face was flushed red from the heat of the kitchen, and the blue pigtails that she usually kept stiff and stinking of spray now swung miserably at either side of her head. She was the embodiment of 'overworked'. But still, she seized my arm and dragged me towards the counter. "Come in, come in!" she urged. I suppose I should have been slightly suspicious at her enthusiastic behaviour, especially considering she had so many customers already.

"Chef!" she cried, and a few moments later a muscle-bound man in a stripy apron appeared from the kitchen door behind the counter.

"My name is Alan," he said. Crystal waved her hand dismissively.

"Alan!" she declared. "All our troubles are over. I present to you, our new waitress!"

"What?" I looked around stupidly, though Crystal had one hand on my shoulder and was pointing at me.

"That would be waiter, Crystal," Alan said exasperatedly.

"Whatever," Crystal said. She grinned and leaped forward over the counter, swinging her feet in the air. "Now we won't be so overworked, and it's all thanks to me. Don't I deserve a nice big raise, now?"

"You'll get a raise when you stop giving couples scented candles and trying to serenade them."

"Damn you, Chef," Crystal said, waving her fist in mock-anger. She gave me a nudge with her sharp elbow. "Divorced last month," she whispered loudly, nodding at Alan. "He's still a bit touchy about it."

"Enough of that," Alan snapped, walking over to the counter and pushing Crystal off it. He turned to me and frowned, his eyes drilling holes in my head. "Well, he's not much to look at, but I suppose beggars can't be choosers. All right son, from now on, you're working nine 'til five."

I opened my mouth to protest, but stopped myself. I needed a job anyway. I couldn't keep leeching off other people for the rest of my life, I knew that. And this way I'd be with Crystal; she could show me the ropes and help me out if I needed it. "What a way to make a living," I muttered.