(Constan--First Person P.O.V.)

Cindi had missed school today...

It wouldn't have been a problem, if not for the fact that she'd missed school the last three days in a row... and then a few days here and there before that.

It was getting more frequent, and I was starting to worry about her...

Halloween night she had acted a bit strangely. After the party, I got permission from mom to go down to her house and check on her, but her parents wouldn't let me.

They said she wasn't feeling well, and that I should leave before I contracted what she had.

Then as I had left I heard them mumble something about her catching something I have.

I had just sorta let it all go that night. After all, she wasn't acting like herself...

But the days following that, she started to become a bit more reclusive. Like, she didn't want to be around anyone anymore.

I tried asking her about it, but she'd play dumb and pretend like she wasn't doing any of it.

But I knew better. Something was wrong. And, based upon things I had heard from her and seen, it was probably something to do with her parents.

So, today after school, I was going to confront them and Cindi, and finally start fighting for our relationship like a true man should!

...But I'm gonna get Tendo to walk with me over there so I'm not alone...

(Cindi--First person P.O.V.)

I laid there, on my bed, thinking about how Constan must feel about me now.

I had skipped nearly two weeks of school altogether these past two months... and I never told him why.

I didn't want him to worry... but, it just made me feel more guilty, and more ashamed of myself.

'He deserves to know' A voice in my head would say every time I saw him. But I never listened to it. I couldn't confess to him... it would break his trust for me.

But, me not confessing... has already damaged our relationship.

I'm... I'm just not sure it's gonna work out... after all this...

I wonder what he would say if he knew everything that was on my mind right now... would he try to comfort me? Or would he leave me...?

I heard a faint knock at the door.

I decided to get up from my bed and listen at my door to figure out who was there. It was probably just one of my parent's friends. They came over every once in a while.

My mother answered the door, "Hello--oh... it's you."

I was a bit surprised she would take that tone with anyone. She was a horrible person, but not to just everyone.

But then I figured out why she said it that way.

"Hello Cindi's mom. Uh... I kinda wanna ask about something if you don't mind..."

It was Constan's voice. Meaning he was at the door right now.

I jumped onto my bed and hid under the covers.

(Constan--First person P.O.V.)

I was staring straight into the eyes of Cindi's mother: possibly the biggest threat to our relationship there might ever be.

She was a little scraggly for a luxray, but that didn't stop her from giving Tendo and myself the biggest glare I've ever been on the receiving end of: and I've been stared down by a few mean-looking people.

"What is it?" She asked us impatiently. Her voice was a bit scratchy, but full of a sort of might in it. I would understand if she was some sort of announcer for some heavy-metal event or something.

"Well... u-um..." I had a hard time thinking about how to word it. She seemed like she hated me, so I couldn't just be so blunt about it, otherwise she might shove me out of her house and I would never see Cindi again.

I had to be careful about it.

"I wabda uh..."

"Constan was wondering something about Cindi." Tendo cut in.

I breathed a silent sigh of relief, but was also massively embarrassed. I had just made myself look like an idiot in front of Cindi's mom!

She huffed like she wasn't surprised, but didn't want to hear it. "Well then... what is it? Speak faster and don't trip over your words so much!"

Both Tendo and I flinched a little at the raising of her voice. I had to take over now. I couldn't let Tendo do it all. It was my relationship, my idea to come here, and that made it my responsibility.

"I wanted to ask why Cindi hasn't been coming to school lately." I said.

"No reason that concerns you." She shot back right after I had said that.

I bit my lower lip. She wasn't making this easy at all for me. But I had to know.

"Um, ma'am? It uh... it kinda does concern me a little..."

Suddenly, her fur sparked and she looked at me with a glare of pure evil. "Excuse me? Did you just... question me...?"

She was beginning to get angry! I had to calm her down or something, and fast!

"Uh... uh, n-no ma'am. I was just uh--"

"Uh what?" She interrupted. "Don't sound so dumbfounded! You have a mouth, so use it properly! But you know what? I think it's best for you two to go now."

I didn't know what to say. She was kicking us out! I didn't get a chance to find anything out!

"B-but ma'am, Cindi and I--"

"NOW!" She shouted at us as her fur shot sparks everywhere.

Tendo and I scrambled to the door as I rushed outside. Tendo was about to follow me, when he suddenly turned around and stared at Cindi's mother.

"Excuse me, but might I ask: why do you hate Constan so much?"

Cindi's mother appeared at the doorway right in front of Tendo: towering over him. "That's not for you to know."

Tendo stood his ground. "I'm sorry, but it's obvious you hate him and the idea of your daughter and him being together. Why? Do you think he's not worthy for Cindi? Does he remind you of someone you dislike? Why can't you tell us?"

There was a moment of silence between them--as if Tendo's insistence had shocked Cindi's mom.

But she recovered, and pushed Tendo roughly past the door. "You two are no longer welcome here. I suggest you never come here again... or you'll regret it."

She then slammed the door, and put something in front of it to keep it from re-opening.

Tendo looked at me. "Bro... I'm sorry we couldn't find anything out."

I was still stunned over what all had just happened, but now at least I had something more to work off of.

I gritted my teeth. "No Tendo. You were a great brother right then. She's just being a jerk to Cindi and I. But that won't stop me. I will find out what's going on, and I will find a way to fix it all."

And we headed home.