Serena stared out from the balcony. She should have been happy. Her Eevee had evolved into a Sylveon! The day had been full of dancing and fun! What more could she ask for?

Yet she wasn't happy. To be truthful, there was something she wanted to ask for.

She looked at the sun, glowing as it slowly approached the horizon. If she hadn't been feeling so melancholy, she would have appreciated the sun's warm orange glow, almost red as it started to disappear from the sky.

Just like the color of my dress...

And suddenly, just like that, her mood seemingly darkened.

There were so many chances for her to take-yet she didn't take a single one of them.

I didn't even get a chance to dance with him...

A glowing fantasy of him raising his arm out to hers, saying gently, "Would you like to dance, milady?" appeared in her brain. Serena shook her head, and the dreamlike mirage immediately disappeared.

Seriously, Serena! How ridiculous can you get?

As if on cue, the boy she had been thinking of the whole time appeared behind her, grinning and talking a mile a minute.

"Hey, Serena! There you are! Wasn't dinner amazing? Clemont really outdid himself today. Don't you think? Serena? Are you okay?"

So many missing chances...So many...

Serena's eyes had started to blur from the tears threatening to stream down her face. She shook her head slightly before turning to the horizon, determined not to let her crush know how much she wanted to cry.

Why didn't fate let me dance once with him?

Her hands clenched and she bit her lip, attempting to stop the tears that were already falling.

"Serena-! Wha-why are you crying?"

Serena still could not say a word. Her throat was choked up with emotions that she could not contain.

Why does it even bother me so much?

Ash, distressed, probed Serena, attempting to find out why.

"Is it because you're still upset about your loss to...what was her name? Jessilina or something? It's okay, there's always another Showcase..."

Serena vigorously shook her head, before managing to find her voice.

Hoarsely she whispered, "N-no...It's nothing about that..."

Ash started to look a bit desperate. "Then what is it? Why are you crying?"

Serena turned to face him, tears still streaming down her face.

"It's because-it's because..."

Her voice completely shut off and she found herself literally at a loss for words.

I can't just tell him like that!

Ash moved closer and held Serena's tear-stained hands in his own. He looked into her eyes, and said, "Serena, it's okay. We're best friends! You can tell me anything, anything at all."

Just friends?