Serena POV

Sure, Ash was stepping on my toes pretty much every chance he got. Although, judging by the look of intense concentration on his face, he wasn't doing it on purpose, but even that rather significant factor couldn't stop me from staring dumbly into his gorgeous, deep brown, orb eyes as, with a deathly serious look on his face, he murmured, "In that case, I could be your soul mate."

To my credit, I didn't sag in his arms, faint, or do anything ridiculous as he said this. All I could do was control my breathing and try not to hyperventilate as he continued, his bare hands caressing my back slowly against my skin.

"And you wouldn't even know it."

I blinked so hard I was sure I was creating a draft with my eyelashes, willing myself to look anywhere but at Ash's close lips. Because if I was his soul mate and I didn't know what would stop me from grabbing him and kissing him silly? The fact that you're in the middle of a dance floor at a swanky hotel filled with rich and important people, stupid.

Oh yeah. Right.

A wickedly hot smile turned up from the corners of Ash's mouth as he leaned ever closer to me, his warm breath fanning my red cheek as he whispered, making eye contact for as long as we can."You could be my soul mate" in my ear.

Deep breath!

I suddenly narrowed my eyes, reality setting in quicker than usual, which meant that Ash and his odd ways of holding a conversation, not that I was one to talk when it came to oddness. Which didn't faze me that much anymore.

Still, despite the solemn look on Ash's face, I knew that he was obviously just laughing at my gullibility behind his poker face. I needed one of those because I was sure that the longing expression on my face when Ash had started talking about his views regarding soul mates was still there, which made me pathetic, especially since Ash was obviously just playing around. Stupid Sere falls for yet another of Ash Ketchum's ploys?

I smiled grimly to myself in a serious manner. Not this time. I had a couple of things up my non-existent sleeves, too. The way I saw it, payback was a ho. And Ash deserved payback after the whole 'I love you' incident way back in high school. He was just trying to get your attention, Serena. Be that as it may, it was my turn to play with his head.

Smiling up at him with my chin up, I locked my fingers behind Ash's neck, strands of his spike raven hair running through my fingers as we dance slow with music playing on in right volume and various people around us continued dancing with their own partners.

"You think we could be soul mates?" I asked in a carefully reflective tone, marveling at how normal my voice sounded. Even though I knew that Ash was just joking, just thinking about us being soul mates... Well, don't think of it, then.

Ash grinned, shaking the hair out of his eyes so that he could look at me better. "Why not? We get along, we compliment each other's styles beautifully, and you're the perfect height for a guy like me to..."

His voice trailed off as he gazed down at me, a twinkle in his eye. Biting the inside of my cheek, I wanted to ask 'perfect height for what?' but decided not to. I also decided to ignore the fact that he seemed to be staring at my glossed parted-lips, because I had to be imagining that. Had to be.

Feeling slightly rattled, all I could come up with was a sluggish respond, "Oh, really?"

Why, oh why, did I even go the soul mate route? Damn that Enrique song, bringing out my soppy side. Ash seemed to have taken the topic and ran with it, evidently electing to forget about what we had been discussing before 'Suddenly' started to play and I decided to put my two cents in. What had we been talking about before the song came on? How his dad had taken it upon himself to ruin what would have been a perfect night if I had been related to Sawyer Yvonne.

Hmm, no wonder Ash was finding the topic so interesting. I couldn't blame him. I didn't want to think about the incredibly offensive stuff that his dad said earlier, and I didn't have to live with that guy.

I took several calming breaths into my living lung as I tried to wipe the memory of Mr. Ketchum's smug smile out of my head and concentrate on Ash instead.

He smirked, showing off those perfect, white, sparkling teeth. "Don't you agree?" he asked, chucking his head at me lightly under my chin.

Regroup. Fast!

"I may be the right height for a guy like you, but are you the right guy for a girl like me?" I asked, tossing my short hair like I had seen Dawn do, just a few seconds ago across from me.

Looking confused but extremely intrigued, Ash said, "Do elaborate."

"Well," I continued, tapping my soft round cheek with a long, fake fingernail, "I have certain things I look for in a guy. Certain things that you'll have to possess or do to be my soul mate."

Ugh, I'm a terrible bluffer. Ash didn't appear to notice that I had no idea what I was talking about, which was a good thing.

"And here I was, thinking that you weren't picky," he murmured as our eyes locked in line.

I smiled with confident and courage. "When it comes to guys, I am," I lied, glad that I wasn't Pinocchio. Me, picky when it came to guys? Maybe if I had been asked out more than twice, I would be, but as it were... Dawn would have laughed heartily if she had been close enough, but thankfully she was on the other side of the dance floor.

Biting his lip after licking it in one swoop. Ash shrugged. "Okay, let's hear your list of certain things you look for in a guy," he said playfully with a smile glued on his face. Sensing his interest of this topic.

Behind us, I heard a sharp sniff from none other than Miette. She was dancing slow than a turtle, her head on Brendan's shoulder, and glaring in our general direction. I didn't like the look on her face at all. Hopefully, I'll get through the rest of the night without having to deal with her. Beware the jealous ex-girlfriend.

Turning my head back to face Ash, who was staring at me with an entranced sort of look on his face, I racked my brain to think of something stupid I could say to put him off wanting to be my soul mate. Serena. He doesn't really want to be your soul mate. You should know this. I ignored the derisive voice in my head. Course I knew that Ash didn't want to be my soul mate, which was why I was playing along. Duh!

"Firstly, he has to be strong enough to carry me," I babbled, enjoying the look of utter mystification on Ash's face. Classic. "I'm very fond of piggyback rides."

That, if you haven't figured out already, was a bald faced lie. Although I've given countless piggyback rides. I do volunteer at a daycare, after all. It's practically in my job description. I have yet to be on the receiving end of one. But I've seen plenty of guys running around in Markets and Target, giving their girlfriends piggyback rides. It looks vaguely uncomfortable. And try as I might, I just couldn't envision Ash walking around with me on his back. Seemed a bit unlikely to me.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, I'm really not sure) Ash seemed far from daunted by the carrying thing.

Pointing directly at his arms, "I don't need a license for these guns." Shooting me a funny look, he continued. "I can carry you anywhere. Want me to demonstrate?"

In the middle of the dance floor with people around us? Hell no.

I shook my head rapidly, taking a small step back, just in case he saw fit to throw me on his back in one fell swoop. I would not put it past him. "Not here."

Still smiling across one cheek to another, Ash wrapped his arms tight around my slim waist, pulling me so close that I could feel his heart beat through the thick material of his tux jacket. Or is that my heart? Didn't matter.

Being close to Ash just did something to me with purity. My pulse raced every time I caught a hint of his cologne. Hugo boss. My skin tingled whenever we touched- I knew it was wrong, especially since we were just friends, but it felt so- right. Corny but true. At least he didn't notice. And thank goodness I wasn't shivering anymore when he touched me.

"You're in safe hands." He whispered in a low restless voice to me.

I snorted with laughter, giggling up at him. "Did you just quote an All State commercial at me?"

Sheepishly, Ash grinned. "Maybe," he conceded. "But enough about me, I'm dying to hear more about your idea of Mr. Perfect."

He's right in front of me.

I smirked, the perfect deal breaker popping into my head. "Do you like shopping?" I asked Ash sweetly.

Shaking his head instantly, he shuddered. "Oh, no. I hate shopping."

He shivered again and I grinned wider across my red-tinge cheeks as if I've solved a final mystery. "You're exaggerating."

"I would rather be electrocuted than hit the mall," Ash proclaimed dramatically. "I hate shopping that much. All guys do- I guess we're conditioned to."

"If you're my soul mate, you'll have to accompany me to every sale, every shopping spree and every store opening I want to go to," I said, feeling deliciously evil and loving it. I barely even went shopping because my credit was practically imaginary, and on the rare occasions that I did shop, I never bought more than three or four items at once.

Grinning at the scared look that flitted across Ash's face, I continued on. "And you'll carry all my bags and you won't complain."

"You wouldn't," Ash breathed, sounding absolutely terrified. So if he hated shopping that much, who bought him all his t-shirts? Maybe he was an online shopper.

Finally feeling like I had the upper hand, I gave a self-satisfied chuckle. "Oh, yes I would. We can go to the big sale. It'll be fun!"

Running a hand through his raven jet hair, Ash shook his head. "Dude, that's scary. We'll have to have an in-depth discussion about that when we're alone."

"I'm guessing that's a hell no."

"Not even the pleasure of your company could turn shopping into something remotely fun," Ash said, giving me a lopsided smile and making my beating heart thump erratically in rhythm. He thinks my company is pleasurable. I guess I'm either not as weird as I thought, or he likes that I'm weird. "I hate it."

Enjoying myself immensely and conveniently forgetting that at the end of the dance, I was going to have to join Mr. Ketchum's company again, I came up with another idea to put Ash off. "Here's another one. You won't complain when I take hours to take ready."

Even though I take about 5 minutes or less to put on my makeup. Now Dawn, on the other hand...

"I can do that," Ash said triumphantly. Dammit. He nodded in Miette's direction and slowly leaned in closer to whisper in my right ear, urging myself not to groan in pleasure. "Miss Diva over there used to spend 2 hours getting her hair right. I was patient. And if you're going to all that trouble to look good for me, I wouldn't be a jerk about it."

Ugh. Was he trying to be my Mr. Right? Stupid boy.

Rolling my cerulean eyes at how unjust Ash was being. I decided to play my trump card. There was no possible way he would agree to do this one. Only one of Dawn's many boyfriends had agreed to this and after everything popped off, he never talked to her again. Ever.

"Last but definitely not least, you'll have to watch Titanic and Twilight with me." Ash's eyes widened and he licked his lips again in one quick swoop, looking horrified like he seen a goat as I burst out of laughter.

"Serena Yvonne, I give up," he said, talking over my giggles. "I can handle the piggy backs, we could talk the shopping one over and I really wouldn't mind waiting for you to get ready. But watching Titanic and Twilight- forget it. No way."

"They're great movies," I protested, my eyes streaming with tears of laughter. "The romance scene in Twilight is-."

"I'd rather watch Alvin and the Chipmunks or 22 jump street than watch either of those movies." Ash snickered. "You're not asking your soul mate for much, are you?"

I wiped my eyes, the giggles subsiding. Thank Arceus for waterproof mascara. "It's my heart that's gonna end up being broken, so I figure I shouldn't just settle for anything," I said, still playing along with the soul mate joke, even though Ash still appeared to be dead serious. But he couldn't be, could he? Am I that oblivious? I guess I am.

"You of all people should never just settle, Sere. You deserve the best." I stared up at him, my heart jumping till it felt like it was in the region of my throat. He's flirting with me! Ash Ketchum is flirting with me and I don't know what to say. Luckily, he continued, giving me time to regroup. "Which is why you need to get with me. I can handle some of the things you're looking for, and a lot more you didn't mention, if you know what I mean."

He wiggled his eyebrows at me, grinning excited. I searched for a witty comeback, which was hard to find as all I could hear in my head was Leaf saying 'Do you wanna know what I heard Miette tell Misty? He's a good kisser!' Thinking about Ash being a good kisser was a distraction that I really didn't need.

I settled for saying, "I think I do know what you mean," and Ash pinched my cheek gently and let go.

"So, do I qualify?" he asked hopefully. "Am I Serena Yvonne soul mate material?" More than you'll ever know. But you'll never know, as long as I can keep my mouth shut.

"Nope," I said brightly. Ooh, you liar.

"Sere-!" He gave me a puppy dog look that I tried to ignore. "Don't be like that."

"You have to do all the things I want or it won't work."

Ash grinned suddenly, tapping his chin. "You're trying to put me off, aren't you?" he asked shrewdly. Before surprised little me could answer, he went on. "Yeah, I can tell. But I've got news for you, my beautiful."

My mouth was completely dry. My beautiful? He just called me his beautiful? but I managed to croak out, "What's that?"

I saw Miette peering snoopily at us as Ash bent his head down to my ear again, positively smothering me with the delicious smell of mint and him. His lips caressed my ear as he whispered, probably nibbling it, "I don't scare easy. And I love a challenge."

When he said that. He stepped back away from me, looking very pleased with himself. I could barely breathe air sucking in my mouth. He was viewing me as a challenge? When had everything changed and why the hell was I the last to know?

"But-," I retorted, shoving my short hair from my eyes as I tried to think of something-anything! - to say.

"We're meant to be, Sere." Ash chuckled, running a hand up my bare arm which gave me tickle sensation and raising goosebumps. "It's our destiny."