Chapter 2

~New Characters Introduced~

Drew, Anabel, Annie, Oakley, Robert, Delia, and Lucy

Original Date of Post: 07/22/2007

Narrator: Your first homecoming dance. There’s nothing more magical or more romantic than your first high school dance. In my experience, it’s been that in order to go to these dances, you have to show up with the perfect date. It is now two days before the Homecoming dance and everybody in school is trying to find a date. But no one in the school is trying more than Brock.

Brock: (Groans) Man...this bites!

Sakura: I can’t wait for the dance! How about you girls?

Misty: I’m excited as well! This’ll be my first school dance!

Marisa: All I hope for is that the music doesn’t suck! (Brock groans) What the hell is wrong with you?

Brock: At this rate, I’ll be the only person in the whole school without a date!

Misty: No luck with finding a date?

Brock: No luck!

Misty: Come on Brock, you won’t be the only one without a date.

Brock: (Sighs) I have no chance! Unless…Say Sakura, you’re a nice girl. How would you like to go to the dance with me?

Sakura: I’m sorry, I already have a date! I’m going with this boy in my math class. His name is Drew.

Brock: Wait a second, you don’t mean Drew Rose?

Sakura: You know him?

Brock: Since Elementary school! He’s always been such a ladies man! It’s sickening! He just has this charm that woos the girls! But he is a perfect gentlemen, I’ll give him that much!

Sakura: As long as he’s not a pervert like you, I won’t turn him down! (Brock groans)

Brock: How about you Misty?

Misty: Well, to tell you the truth…I’m going with Ash. We’re just going as friends.

Ash: Yeah! I’m sure it’ll be fun!

Brock: Great! Now it’s official! I’m the only one without a date!

Sakura: Well, you’re not the only one. Marisa, you don’t have a date yet, do you? Maybe you and Brock can go to the dance together.

Brock: Ha! I’m not that desperate!

Marisa: Neither am I. Besides, I don’t need a date.

Brock: Like you can get a date!

Misty: While you guys fight about dates, I’m going to head outside. (She leaves)

Sakura: Why don’t you want to go out with Marisa?

Brock: After what she did to me last month! I don’t date rats!

Marisa: Very nice, I don’t date perverts! (Outside in the courtyard)

Anabel: Hi Misty!

Misty: What’s up Anabel?

Anabel: I’m still deciding on whether or not to go to the dance. I really want to go, but I want to find a date.

Misty: Come on, you don’t really need to find a date. I know plenty of people who are going alone.

Anabel: I know! I just really want to find someone to go to the dance with so that I don’t spend the night by myself.

Misty: That’s understandable. If you need help, I can always try and help you find a date.

Anabel: That’s nice of you to offer Misty, but I think I’ll try and find my own date for the dance. (The bell rings) I’ll see you later. (Misty leaves)

Annie: Hey you!

Oakley: Yeah you, freshman!

Anabel: You talking to me?

Oakley: We overheard your little dilemma and we decided to help you out.

Annie: We can help you get a date for Homecoming!

Anabel: You guys can really help me out?

Oakley: Absolutely! We know all of the hottest of the hotties, all of the higher-ups, and guarantee you a date with an upperclassman!

Annie: You can just call us the matchmakers of Pallet High. By this time Saturday, you’ll be slow dancing with a very hot boy!

Anabel: Well it’s a nice pipe dream, but who are you going to get?

Oakley: We have a great guy lined up for you. Are you familiar with a junior named Robert?

Anabel: Yeah, I see him around school all the time.

Annie: Thespian president, National Honors Society, and Varsity Tennis! Yeah, this guy is the whole package!

Anabel: And you can guarantee me a date with him.

Oakley: You can count on us! (Anabel leaves) Naïve freshman!

Annie: I know! I love tricking hopeless, romantic saps like her. (That night at Misty’s house)

Violet: You’ve got a date?

Misty: Yeah, so what?

Daisy: So what? Are you cranked out of your mind? Having a date for your very first dance is only like the most important thing in the world for a girl your age.

Misty: I just don’t see it as such a big deal.

Lily: So this date…he’s an actual guy right?

Violet: And he’s not a fake date so you could lie to people.

Misty: No you idiots! His name is Ash and he’s in my class!

Daisy: Hmm…Never heard of him!

Lily: Is he cute?

Violet: If he’s cute, you have to tell me if he has an older brother.

Misty: Oh go away you perverts!

Daisy: I guess the most important thing is that you’ve found a date for the Homecoming dance and that’s at top priority for preparing for any dance.

Misty: What? It’s not that important to get a date to the dance.

Lily: Is she serious?

Daisy: Not that important? Oh Misty, you poor, naïve, little freshmen. This is your chance to be seen with a cute guy around your arm. The whole point of going to these dances is to show off your date to the whole school so that people don’t start talking about you in a bad way. That’s when all of the ugly rumors come out and I would be devastated if my baby sister had to be subjected to an ugly rumor.

Misty: You are such a drama queen!

Lily: Hey, since she’s found a date, we finally get our chance!

Misty: What chance?

Violet: Oh, you’re right!

Daisy: We’re going to give you a makeover!

Misty: (Sarcastically) Oh joy! (Friday morning in front of school)

Anabel: Something about this doesn’t feel right.

Oakley: What doesn’t seem right about this? By the way, you do have the twenty bucks, right? We don’t do the matchmaking for free you know. (Anabel gives them the money) Perfect! Now all you have to do is show up at the dance and Robert shall meet you there.

Anabel: For real? Oh thank you so much!

Annie: Happy to help! (Bell rings)

Anabel: Wait until all of my friends find out! They’ll all be so jealous!

Oakley: So long! Happy trails! (Anabel leaves) God, that was almost too easy!

Annie: Stupid freshmen! They get easier to dupe every year! (Evil cackle)

Oakley: First rule of high school, never trust anyone! (In Professor Elm’s first period class)

Sakura: The dance is tomorrow night! Are you sure you’re not interested in hooking up with Brock? If you just give him the chance…

Marisa: And I’m going to tell you this again, I’m not interested. I’m simply going to the dance to just dance and not show up with a piece of arm candy. Plus, I know for a fact that I am not the only person who is going to this dance alone.

Misty: Speaking of which, did you find a date Anabel?

Anabel: As a matter of fact, I did. (All gasp)

Sakura: Who is he? You didn’t get too desperate and took Brock up on his offer, did you?

Anabel: I’m going on a date with a guy named Robert.

Sakura: I’ve never heard of him. Is he an upperclassman?

Anabel: He’s actually a junior.

Marisa: Wait a minute! You’re not talking about the same one who’s in Thespians, are you?

Anabel: You’ve heard of him?

Marisa: Somewhat! (Thinking) Something about this doesn’t seem right. (Later in the hallways)

Winona: I'll see you later.

Marisa: Winona, can I speak to you?

Winona: Oh sure thing.

Marisa: Wait a second, we need to do this in private. (In the bathroom) Perfect!

Winona: So, what’s on your mind?

Marisa: Winona, you know I’m only a freshman here and I really haven’t been here long enough to know everybody yet, but I need you to tell me something about somebody in your class.

Winona: Who?

Marisa: His name is Robert. I don’t know him that well and I wanted to ask you since you seem to be familiar with the upperclassmen.

Winona: Yeah, I know him. He’s a real nice guy!

Marisa: Now here’s what I really need to know. Is he going to the dance with anybody?

Winona: Yeah, he’s going to the dance with Daisy Waterflower.

Marisa: Wait, you mean Misty’s older sister?

Winona: Yeah. What’s wrong? You didn’t have plans of asking him to the dance did you?

Marisa: Not me, it was another girl in my class. Oh man, this is going to be a disaster, I just know it. Thanks for giving me the info Winona! (She leaves)

Winona: No problem. (Later in the cafeteria)

Marisa: (Thinking) Where could Anabel be?

Brock: Marisa!

Marisa: What is it?

Brock: I’m going to regret it later, but I’m kind of on a last resort. I’m going to swallow my pride and start with a clean slate. Would you be my date for the dance? (Anabel walks by)

Marisa: There she is! (Marisa gets up and walks away)

Brock: Fine, I didn’t want you as a date anyways!

Misty: I never thought that she would react like that.

Marisa: Hey Anabel!

Anabel: Marisa? What’s up?

Marisa: I need to speak to you outside! (In the courtyard)

Anabel: What’s this all about?

Marisa: I have to ask again about your date for tomorrow’s dance.

Anabel: What about Robert?

Marisa: Are you sure that he said yes to you?

Anabel: Well, these two nice girls said they would hook me up with Robert and they just told me a couple of minutes ago that it was all set up and that he will be my date tomorrow night.

Marisa: And you haven’t even talked to Robert have you? That’s what I was afraid of!

Anabel: What’s wrong?

Marisa: Listen Anabel, I know this may be hard for you, but Robert isn’t going to be your date to the dance.

Anabel: What do you mean?

Marisa: I mean that he already has a date. I don’t know why you listened to those girls but they just tricked you into thinking you could get an upperclassman for a date to the dance. (Anabel growls)

Anabel: That’s impossible! They guaranteed me a date! I paid them their twenty dollar fee and they promised me what I’ve been wanting.

Marisa: But Anabel…

Anabel: Now I see what’s going on! You’re just jealous because I have a date to the dance and he happens to be a very handsome guy. Meanwhile, you are going to the dance by yourself and not even the class pervert wants to give you the time of day.

Marisa: If you don’t believe me, why don’t you talk to Robert yourself?

Anabel: Just leave me alone! (The next morning in Misty's room)

Misty: (Yawns) Time for some... (Screams)

Daisy: It's about time you woke up.

Misty: What the hell are you three doing here? Is this what you do when I'm sleeping? You stare at me!

Lily: Don't flatter yourself.

Violet: We're here to prepare you for the dance.

Misty: You have got to be kidding me. Look, the dance isn't even for another 13 hours.

Daisy: Come on, every second you're awake is a second we can make you look beautiful.

Lily: And in your case, you need every second you can get.

Misty: Shut up Lily.

Daisy: Come on, come on, let's move girls!

Narrator: Several hours of pampering later...

Violet: Girls I think we've done it.

Lily: We've turned our drab little sister...

Daisy: Into a beauty queen! Hand me the mirror. What do you think Misty? (She screams)

Misty: What the hell did you do to me?

Lily: We did you a favor.

Misty: Favor? You turned me into a whore!

Daisy: Well that's the last time we do you any favors.

Misty: Guys, I appreciate your help. But this is my date and I'm going to take over from here. (They walk away) Now to get rid of this clown make-up. (A little later)

Ash: Hi, is Misty here?

Daisy: Yes she is!

Lily: And from the looks of how you’re dressed, I take it you must be Ash Ketchum.

Ash: Uh, yeah.

Lily: Nice to meet you. I’m Lily, the youngest of the triplets!

Violet: I’m Violet, the younger looking one!

Daisy: Well I’m Daisy, the pretty one and the one without an STD!

Lily: What?

Violet: How dare you say something like that! (Misty walks down the stairs)

Misty: Would you girls get off of him. Geez, I can’t even leave the room for two minutes without you trying to scare off Ash.

Daisy: Relax! We didn’t touch your boyfriend.

Misty: HE’S NOT MY BOYFRIEND! Besides, don’t you girl’s have your own dates to get ready for?

Daisy: (Gasp) You are right! (They leave)

Misty: Glad that’s over. I hope my older sisters didn’t scare you.

Ash: Oh that’s alright. Um, you look very pretty tonight. (Misty blushes)

Misty: Oh, um, thank you Ash. You look nice!

Ash: Thanks. Now come on, my mom is waiting for us. (They open the door)

Misty: She drives a limo?

Ash: No, normally she drives a Toyota! She just rented one for the night. She wanted to do something special for the Homecoming dance.

Misty: I can’t wait to see what she does for you when Senior Prom comes along. (Ash’s mother runs out of the car)

Delia: Oh, you must be Misty! Hi dear, my name is Delia, Ash’s mother. I’m so glad that you are going to the dance with him. Normally Ash is such a shy boy. I got so worried when he hit high school and if he was going to stick to his old habits.

Ash: Uh Mom, we’re going to be late.

Delia: Right! I’ll take you to the dance right away! (Outside the school gym)

Ash: Thanks for the ride! (Delia honks the horn and drives off) I’m sorry my mom talked all the way there.

Misty: Oh she’s fine. (Brock walks up) What’s up Brock?

Ash: And what’s with the black mask? Is it Halloween already?

Brock: No, but that is a good idea. I’ll go as Zorro this year. This mask however will be for tonight. When I ask a girl to dance, they won’t know it’s me. This plan can’t let me down. (Marisa walks up)

Marisa: Now I know you’re a disaster waiting to happen.

Ash: Aren’t you going to ask her again?

Brock: Ugh! (Quickly) Marisa, would you be my date for the evening?

Marisa: How nice that I’m a last resort. Sorry, I must decline! I already have a date.

Brock: Now who agreed to go on a date with you? (Gary runs up)

Gary: You ready Marisa?

Ash: You’re taking him to the dance?

Brock: I feel sick!

Marisa: Misty, I need to speak to you in private.

Misty: What about?

Marisa: It’s about Anabel and her so called date.

Misty: You mean with Robert?

Marisa: Look, Anabel said that she was going to the dance with Robert right? Well as it turns out, Robert is really going out with your sister Daisy. What really happened is that two girls tricked Anabel into thinking she’s got a date with Robert.

Misty: Are you sure? Usually, I hear about Daisy’s dates ahead of time and this is news to me.

Marisa: I asked Winona twice and both times she told me that she was sure that Robert and Daisy are going together. But anyways, I told Anabel that but she didn’t believe me. She thinks that I’m lying and that I’m just jealous of her. I need you to try and convince her that she was duped into thinking that she got an upperclassman for a date.

Misty: I’ll try. I just can’t believe someone would trick Anabel like that. It just seems so mean to do. (Ash walks up)

Ash: What are you two going on about?

Misty: Oh nothing really, we’re just talking about girl things. (Sakura and Drew walk up)

Marisa: Well don’t you two look precious!

Brock: Aren’t you just the heartbreaker!

Drew: Jealous Brock?

Brock: Why would I be jealous of you?

Sakura: Come on boys, let’s not fight! (Winona walks up)

Winona: She’s right. Let’s try and make this a nice evening!

Brock: Oh sweet Winona! I promise not to be a complete embarrassment. Would you do me the honor of having one slow song with me?

Winona: You’re sweet, but I don’t think my date would appreciate that. (Brock groans)

Brock: That’s alright! After all, there’s a whole gym full of people. There’s bound to be at least one single girl out of the bunch. (Inside the gym)

Ash: Or maybe not!

Brock: I can’t believe it! All of these girls have their arms wrapped around another guy. It is just not fair!

Sakura: It’ll be okay Brock. I’ll tell you what, if I get tired of dancing with Drew, I could always dance with you.

Brock: Feh! I don’t need your charity! (He walks away)

Drew: You didn’t really mean that, did you?

Sakura: Nope! I was lying! (Anabel walks up) Hi Anabel! So where is this date we’ve been hearing so much about?

Anabel: He should be here soon! He’s probably just running late or he likes to show up fashionably late! But he’ll be here, don’t worry! (Thirty minutes later)

Misty: She hasn’t moved once from the punch bowl since she got here. When is Robert going to get here?

Marisa: He’s probably in a back seat making out with your sister! (Daisy and Robert walk in) Oh crap, they’re here!

Misty: Oh my God, you were right!

Anabel: Sakura, he’s here! He’s finally here!

Sakura: You mean the guy all over Misty’s older sister! (Anabel gasps)

Anabel: What’s this? (Marisa runs over to her)

Marisa: Anabel, are you going to be okay? (Anabel glares at her) Whoa! (Anabel cries and runs outside) I was afraid of this! (Misty walks up) I’ll go out there and have a talk with her.

Misty: Good luck! (Outside the gym)

Anabel: (Sobs) I can’t believe what a fool I am. I actually believed that I got a date with a cute guy. I can’t believe it ended like this.

Marisa: I’m sorry you had to find out this way.

Anabel: Oh Marisa…

Marisa: It happens sweetie. Sometimes, mean people like to take advantage of other people’s emotions.

Anabel: I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you tried to warn me yesterday. I know you wouldn’t do anything mean or spiteful like what those two girls did.

Marisa: You just have to keep in mind that this is not the end of the world. It’s like that recycled old saying, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining.” Something horrible might have happened tonight, but who knows. Maybe something good will come your way, perhaps soon. Remember, we’re only freshmen and it’s not the end of the world if we don’t get a date on the first try. And if you don’t get a date, so what! We have four more years. I guess I’m not the most qualified person to give advice…

Anabel: No, you’re fine. You're right, I shouldn’t let this bad incident get to me.

Marisa: Great! You ready to go back to the dance?

Anabel: In a while. First I’m going to sit out here and wipe the egg off my face. (Back inside)

Misty: Is she going to be alright?

Marisa: I don’t know. She could go either way!

Sakura: I feel so bad for her. (A slow song comes on) Well let’s go! All three of us girls have dates, so let’s make the most of this dance!

Misty: (Thinking) I can’t believe this. He’s just so light on his feet. (Sighing)

Ash: What’s with the heavy sigh?

Misty: Oh! It’s nothing! I just like this song, that’s all! (An hour later)

Marisa: She’s still out there? Man, I thought I had her with my speech!

Brock: Sure she didn’t fall asleep?

Marisa: Shut up! What I am sure of now is that it’ll take some time for her heart to heal after it has been hurt tonight. Another thing I’m pretty sure of is that pervert date of mine has been trying to grope my butt!

Brock: Aren’t we being a wee bit paranoid? Who would want to try and grope your butt?

Marisa: Would you like to taste gravel for the first time Brock?

Brock: Fine, I'm backing off.

Deejay: Alright folks, give it up for your Homecoming Queen, Lucy!

Brock: Lucy?

Deejay: Isn’t she beautiful folks?

Brock: She sure is! ALL HAIL QUEEN LUCY! I’M NOT WORTHY! (Misty grabs his ear)

Misty: Stop bothering the queen!

Brock: Not the ear, not the ear! QUEEN LUCY! QUEEN LUCY! LONG LIVE QUEEN LUCY!

Lucy: Who is that masked man? (One more hour later)

Sakura: Good grief, she hasn’t moved from that spot once. We better check and make sure she’s still breathing. (Slap sound)

Marisa: Pervert!

Sakura: I guess her date with Gary didn’t go so well. (Misty and Ash walk up) Did you two have a great time?

Ash: It was a blast! I’m going to go outside and check if my mom is waiting for us. (He goes outside)

Misty: Oh crap, I forgot my coat! (Outside)

Ash: Anabel, what are you doing out here all alone?

Anabel: Let’s just say I had a rough night. Oh, I don’t think you want to hear about my problems.

Ash: It’s no problem! Tell me!

Anabel: Well, let’s just say I got tricked by two girls who told me they could hook me up with an upperclassman. Well they lied and I spent the whole night crying my eyes out.

Ash: I’m sorry to hear that. (Back inside)

Marisa: The nerve of that pervert! That's the last time I trust any male again!

Sakura: Oh you don't mean that!

Marisa: Ugh! I need to go home and wash. I feel dirty. (Misty walks up)

Misty: What's with her?

Sakura: Oh, her date didn't go as well as she anticipated. I'll see you later Mist.

Misty: See you Monday Sakura. (She walks outside) Now where did Ash run off to? Oh, there he is...Huh?

Anabel: I really appreciate you talking to me Ash.

Ash: Well you've been through a lot this evening. Do you want me to walk you home or...? (She kisses him on the lips)

Misty: (Gasps) No...No...This can't be happening. (She runs away)

~*Preview*~

Sakura: Homecoming was a blast. I had a fantastic time with Drew and...Okay, from the looks of it, everyone else had mixed feelings from the dance. Misty's depressed, Marisa's annoyed, and Brock just can't seem to get Lucy out of his head. Watch as feelings boil over and make a mess of things. Next time on Romance 101, Chapter 3...See you next time!