Wishful: Somebody Cares- Pt 3

"Iris!"

"Uuuh…" Iris snuggled closer into her sleeping bag. "Five more minutes…"

The voice giggled. "You're acting just like Satoshi."

"Huh?" Satoshi didn't talk in third person, and Dento most certainly did not giggle like that. Which meant…

"Hey, Hikari, what're you doing?"

"Just getting Iris up."

"Why don't we just leave her?"

Iris shot straight up. "You better not leave me, Satoshi!!"

Satoshi grinned. "Well, you better get up, then."

"Fine!" Iris snapped.

"I would think you'd be happy to wake up, Iris." She swung around the face the third voice. "I am making your favorite, chocolate chip pancakes~"

"Wait," Hikari took a step forward, cutting Iris off from Dento. "Is it okay if we take a short walk, Iris?" She turned to Dento. "It will be a while before breakfast is ready, right?"

"…I suppose…"

"Great!" Hikari smiled. "We won't be too long, I promise!"

With that, she grabbed Iris' arm and began to drag her towards the forest.

"Wait!" Iris called, wrenching her arm back. Who did Hikari think she was, suddenly abducting her like that?!? She didn't want to take a walk with her when she could be spending the morning with Dento and Satoshi!

"Iris, I really do need to talk to you."

Iris was surprised by the tone of Hikari's voice- instead of her usual bubblegum cheery self, she sounded serious… and a little angry. It shocked her… yet also interested her. What did Hikari talk about apart from contests and appeals?

"Okay," Iris frowned slightly, and followed Hikari into the woods.

***
The two girls stopped by a river not too far from the camp. Iris watched as the water rushed gleefully by, little droplets spraying onto the shore. She shivered as one touched her bare skin. The water was freezing!

"It sure is nice today," Hikari commented. She was standing a few paces ahead of Iris, gazing up at the rising sun. Iris heard her take a deep breath.

"Iris," she whirled around to face her. "What is your problem with me?"

"Huh?" Iris folded her arms, surprised at Hikari's sudden audacity. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't try to play dumb!" Hikari frowned. "You don't think I haven't noticed the way you've acted towards me? ? You've been trying to ignore me from the very beginning! At first I just brushed it aside and figured you were tired or something, but then I heard you talking to Satoshi last night! Why do you hate me so much?!?

"I don't hate you!" Iris retorted. It was true, she realized; she didn't hate Hikari, though she did find her annoying. She hated how happy she was around Satoshi, and how happy Satoshi was around her, and how much he wanted her to stay…

"Then what is it?!?"

Iris clenched her fists. "I don't understand what's so special about you!!!"

Hikari took a step back, her angry face replaced by one of confusion. "Huh?"

"Why does Satoshi care so much about you?!?" Iris took a step forward.

Hikari's head tipped towards her right shoulder. "Because we traveled together, of course! He cares a lot about you, too."

"Not in the same way!" Iris took another step forward. Here she was, beginning to believe Hikari was actually an intelligent person. But she doesn't even notice how Satoshi feels about her!

"Wh-what do you mean?" Hikari took another step back.

"Don't you try to play dumb!" Iris shouted. "Ever since you arrived, it's been about you, you, you! He only talks to you, he only talks about you! And now he even wants you to travel with us! It's not enough that he has me and Dento, now he's got to have his girlfriend too!"

"Satoshi and I… are just friends…"

"Stop saying that when you know it's not true!" Iris leaped forward, her face landing mere inches from Hikari's.

"All I ever wanted…"

"Ahhh!"

Iris stopped suddenly as she realized what had happened. When she had leaped forward, Hikari had stepped back, tripped, and fallen into the icy cold river with a huge 'splash'!

She watched, frightened, as Hikari was quickly pulled downstream, struggling to stay above the water. She took off like a Pikcahu, chasing Hikari as she was slowly dragged under water. I didn't mean for this to happen! "Hikari!"

"HIKARI!"

Two figures sprang out from underneath the dark trees. One dived into the river, paddling ferociously toward Hikari. The other ran to Iris' side.

"Iris… are you okay?" Came Dento's breathless voice. Iris nodded vaguely, her attention focused on Satoshi and Hikari. He had already reached her, and the two were struggling toward the shore. Together.

"Iris! We should go help them!"

Iris followed Dento slowly, scared to face Hikari and Satoshi. Would Hikari blame her for her fall? Would Satoshi be angry?

"IRIS!" Satoshi yelled as he climbed onto the bank, with help from Dento. The two turned around and lifted Hikari up and out of the water. Iris approached them cautiously as Hikari leaned against Satoshi, the two dripping water onto the grass.

"IRIS!" Satoshi shouted again after he caught his breath. Iris cringed as she met his glare. "WHY DID YOU PUSH HIKARI INTO THE RIVER?!?"

"I didn't push her!" Iris protested.

"SURE YOU DIDN'T!  I HEARD YOU, AND I SAW YOU PUSH HER IN!"

"Satoshi," Hikari quickly slipped in. "Iris is telling the truth. She didn't push me. I tripped."

"YEAH, RIGHT!" Satoshi interrupted. He rounded on Iris again. "What do you have to say for yourself???"

"I didn't-"

"You know, what Iris? If all you can do is lie, then just stop talking," Satoshi responded coldly. "In fact, why don't you just leave?"

Iris opened her mouth, gaping for words, breath, anything. This was it- what she had always feared. Satoshi didn't care. He wouldn't care if they had never met.

She was alone.

"Fine!" Iris yelled. She turned and  fled into the forest, unaware of anything but her running feet and pounding heart.

Unaware of Hikari's furious reaction, unaware of the young man who shouted her name in desperation.

The young man who, after uncharacteristically raging at his close friend, chased after the young girl for all he was worth.