[That sounds like a really boring thing to fight over. And that's assuming the girl would want whoever wins, anyway, isn't it? Is this what kids that go to regular schools do all day, just invest themselves in other peoples' romantic entanglements?]

You'll...get the hang of it, just watch out for other trainers on routes, if they see you they'll assume that means you want to battle. They can be kind of pushy about it.