May was getting excited, she had all five ribbons in her ribbon case, and was already looking forward to the upcoming Grand Festival. The only thing was the Festival was still a good six months away as she had won her five ribbons rather quickly this time around. This was May's second attempt at going for the Johto Grand Festival. It had been six years since she had first started her journey with nothing but her Torchic at her side. To her surprise and dismay she was not the only one that was attempting to try again this year. Both Drew and Harley were competing as well.

Why did it seem lately that no matter what region she went to, how many contests she did, Harley always seemed to be there to try to put her down. After losing the Sinnoh region Festival about five years ago, May had gone on a journey exclusively to find and catch new pokemon. Now she was back in Johto lounging on the beach, after all the rigorous contest battling she wanted her and her pokemon to all rest and relax before they started training again. During the regular contests she had made sure to only use her original Pokemon, choosing to keep her newer Pokemon a secret to be used only for the Grand Festival.

Of course only four of her Pokemon were new, consisting of a Teddiursa, A Shinx, Deerling, and a Joltik. As she lay on her rented beach chair, sipping ice cold lemonade she smiled thinking about the contests she had done over the past six years, trying to think about all the different combinations she had done, that she could change up with the audition of her new pokemon's moves.

Deep in thought she began mentally talking to herself. "I sure hope mr. Handsome Harley doesn't mess me up this time.." She shook her head in surprise.

Handsome? Where had that come from?

Harley has always been mean, nasty and never tired of trying to humiliate her, so why had the word handsome showed up in her mind?

Who was she kidding? She knew exactly the answer to that. She had always secretly found him rather attractive..even when he was being..well Harley. May could find no rhyme or reason for her feelings towards him. But everytime it would pop into her mind she would just as quickly work to expel the thoughts. 

It was dumb, stupid and definitely not the best thing in the world for Harley to ever find out about. She had made sure to keep every ounce of crush she had on him as secret as possible, not even Max  or Ash knew about it as she was sure they would only scold her for the feelings.

Although it probably wouldn't be a bad thing as lately she had not been doing a very good job of keeping the guy off her mind without blushing foolishly. 

"Keep it together May, let's not get off focus, let's not give anyone extra ammo to use against us." She tells herself allowed shaking herself of the thoughts.

Maybe some training with Blaziken or Glaceon would help clear her mind, she thought as she stood from her chair to call for her Pokemon. 

When an all too familiar voice breaks the silence around her.

"Why if it isn't my little Gingerbread Cookie!" 

May groans inwardly at the nickname he coined her. Her heart beat painfully in her chest wishing she really could be his Cookie.

But she knew that could never be. "How could it?" She mentally asked herself.

"No matter how you feel about him, we already know full well that Harley hates you and wants only to keep you from ever winning a contest." She reminds herself.

"Harley?" She finally greeted faking a wary tone, so that it sounded like she didn't want him there at all. Even though she rather did enjoy getting to look at his handsome physique. 

Hearing her tone, he lowered his voice into a sad tone

"Oh May, must we always be enemies? The truth is the reason I pick on you all the time? Have you really never guessed it? Do you really not know? I've been so afraid to admit it for so long, as I was sure you and that Ashy kid..but the truth is I have had this horrendously giant crush on you for years. And out of frustration I took my inability to say anything out on you by trying to make you as miserable as I felt. Plus it gave me the excuse to see you in almost every contest. Can't you see it in you to forgive me May? And maybe let me take you on a date to see where things lead? That is if you think you could find me appealing enough to go out with hun. I know I really don't deserve a girl like you."

May felt her heart squeeze with momentary hope and opened her mouth to respond but instead shut her mouth right back. Her mind is going a mile a minute wondering what she should do. What if he was lying? What if he was secretly recording her? What if this was a tactic to humiliate her? Every time she tried to forgive Harley he had used it to get one over on her. Could she really trust Harley with something as fragile as her heart?

She swallowed, afraid of the answer. But then she really did like him, would he really take things that far? Would he really use her heart? Her feelings in order to try and get her to not want to participate in the Festival?

With one shallow breath she looks him in the eyes, searching for some hint of a lie, anything that would give her a clue as to his intentions. 

Looking down at her feet she finally nods 

"Yes I can forgive,the truth is..I've had a crush on you ever since the first contest we've met in. But never said anything cause you were being soo..and so I figured it wouldn't really matter if I did or not."  May finally responds.

She was half expecting him with a hammering heart to pull back, to start laughing at her, to tell her he was just trying to tease her. But he didn't, instead he took her hand in his, and says

"Then it's settled then, get your pokemon and your things, cause Hunny I'm taking you to dinner." He announces.

A bit relieved he hadn't yet given any indication that he was yanking her chain, she called back her Pokemon, grabbed her bag and followed Harley.