Stay With Me

Chapter 7: Opposites Don't Attract... Right?

(Name) woke with a start at the sound of the stove sizzling. Had someone broken into the apartment? On instinct, she grabbed the baseball bat she liked to keep by her bedside for protection and slowly exited the bedroom, bat at the ready.

She froze when she saw a figure standing at the stove, and when the person turned, (Name) saw that it was Gary. Oh yeah, he was staying with me, I remember now. A funny expression then came onto his face, and before (Name) knew it, her childhood rival was laughing his head off.

"What?!" she said indignantly. "You scared me you little creep!" Gary continued to laugh, while (Name) could only scowl.

"Scared you? You idiot, there's someone else in this apartment for now, you know. Oh, that's right, you have short term memory loss," Gary taunted.

"Shut up, Oak!" (Name) spat. "Oh... and is that bacon?"

"Yup. You favorite, right?" (Name) slowly nodded. How did he know I like bacon? And most of all, why did he care? (Name) shook her thoughts out of her head. Gary's bacon or someone else's bacon, it was still bacon.

"Thanks," she said, grabbing a plate and piling strip after strip onto it, with Gary giving you a you're-such-a-psycho look.

"You're such a pig," he said, although he took a generous helping for himself. (Name)'s eyes widened.

"Oh, I get it! Pig! Like bacon comes from pigs! Nice one, Gary!" (Name) exclaimed. Gary rolled his eyes.

When she has bacon in front of her, she starts acting like she's five again, he thought. And she did.

The pair arrived at the studio shortly, and (Name) immediately deserted Gary, not wanting to give people the wrong idea. Eevee had been acting strange lately. (Name) was a tiny bit worried.

"Good morning, Angela," (Name) greeted her boss. "May I ask you why you told Gary Oak he could stay in my apartment without contacting me first?" (Name) asked politely as she could, trying not to let her voice shake with anger. Angela frowned.

f course I let you know. Didn't I call you?" she asked. (Name) shook her head. "I'm very sorry, (Name), but please understand..." (Name) cut her off.

"It's fine, Angela. Gary and I are old..." she searched for the right word. "...acquaintances. I was just wondering." Angela nodded and apologized again.

"Do you mind helping out with measurements today?" Angela continued, tapping her clipboard. "Serena is doing measurements as well, and I could really use the help." (Name) nodded and grinned.

"Of course, Angela," she said. Serena was one of the studio's best designers, only behind Angela herself. She was also one of the nicest people (Name) had ever met, and that was a bonus.

She went into the fitting room to find Serena and the three models from yesterday. Taking a closer look, she saw that they were fawning over Gary, who was impatiently pushing them away as he examined their Pokemon. Serena looked irritated as she tried to get them to pay attention.

"Leave Professor Oak alone and let him do his job so you can do your job," she kept scolding them. The models paid Serena no attention, and Gary was getting more annoyed by the moment.

"Stupid models. Angela sent me here to help with the measurements," (Name) told Serena. Relief was written all over the light-haired brunette as she adjusted the sunglasses resting on top of her hat.

"Thank goodness. At least I'm not stuck with them alone," Serena said, smiling slightly.

"Gary, that's soooo amazing how you blah blah blah blah blah," the models babbled on and on and on. Gary turned, and (Name) recognized his forced smile.