Ash's Bucket List- Make a complete and utter fool of myself

Serena POV

"So he was trying to get to me through you guys? That low life!" I shook my head in disbelief, slightly twisting my neck to each side. Why was Ash approaching my friends? He didn't see me going to his friends and asking them to tell him to stop being a jerk. Probably because you know they would run you out of town, Serena.

Wrinkling up her nose as we passed the Science lab, which smelled of ammonia, Dawn replied, "Don't know, he seemed pretty legit to me. Too legit. Too legit to quit." She raised her voice at the last sentence.

May giggled behind her back-hand at Dawn's spontaneous outburst of foolishness and I rolled my eyes at her. Obviously Ash seemed legit. He could pull off the puppy dog look better than anyone I knew. That didn't mean he was telling the truth, it just meant that he was a great liar.

"He's a good actor," I mumbled to myself as I brushed my honey blond hair with my bare hand, running through them by un-tying the knots trying not to feel any pain.

"Nobody's that good. You should have seen the look in his eyes when he said he thought it was too late for him to try get back on your good side." May gently patted my free shoulder. "Trust me. He's torn up that you won't talk to him."

A vindictive pleasure swept through me. "Good! Let him be tore up," I said spitefully, then paused, giving May and Dawn searching looks. "Wait a minute. Is this part of your plan with him to get me to forgive him? Because it ain't happening."

"What's going on between you two is your own business. Dawn and I aren't involved and we're not helping him," sensible May replied calmly.

"May gave him advice on how to win you back though," Dawn said in a sing-song voice, hiding behind me and sticking out her tongue at May.

I stopped walking - Not easy in a crowded hallway with other students elbowing you out of the way - and stared at May who also stops walking with Dawn.

"Win me back?" I asked suspiciously. Tilting my head to one side with my eyes furrowed curiously.

Cheeks flushing deep pink, May nodded slowly without hesitation. "I might have used those words, yes."

My curiosity was irrational. What on earth had they talked about? No wonder my eye had been twitching all through Music.

"Why'd you give him advice to win me?" I asked to them in a normal tone.

"All I said was for him to humble himself-," May started. I snorted causing her to stop speaking for a brief moment. I couldn't help myself. That's unlikely.

Giving me a dirty look, May continued. "-And not care about what his friends think-."

Snort again.

"Okay, can you not snort?" May exclaimed exasperatedly.

"We all know there's no chance in hell that's gonna happen, so I don't have to worry about him winning me back. Now, let's forget about that sucker and go grab some lunch. I'm starved."

I linked arms with May and Dawn and we started walking again, but not for long when suddenly the speakers on wall in each every corner across hallway screeched on as it made every student halt on what they were doing.

"Good afternoon school. This is Sycamore speaking with another fun-filled announcement: You're all expelled!" A student in the hallway screamed as, instinctively, we all looked up at the PA speakers in shock. "No, I'm just playing, just having a little joke. Can you imagine, though?"

Dawn frowned slightly, tapping her nose with her finger. "That's not Sycamore," she said.

"Yeah, you're right," May agreed, also squinting up at the PA speakers like that would solve the mystery. "In fact, it sounds like-."

"Ash. It sounds like Ash." I interrupted, staring at Dawn and May. "What the hell?" I retorted and took a small step forward while my eyes set at the speaker.

"Okay, so I lied. I'm not Principal Sycamore even though I think he's doing a really great voice. I'm actually Ash Ketchum." Knew it! Ash's magically amplified voice boomed through the hallway as crowds of students stood around, listening carefully and wondering what Ash was up to now. I was one of them. "You might know me from gossip around campus but here's your tip for the day: don't believe everything you hear."

A couple of students standing near us at the lockers said, "What the hell is he doing?"

We didn't have long to find out.

"So, you're probably wondering why I'm on the PA. Well, a few days ago, I did something evil to one of the nicest people I've ever met." My mouth dropped open into a 'O' shape. Oh no he isn't! Oh yes he is! "Now she won't talk to me coz I really messed up bad."

"Omg he's talking about you," Dawn exclaimed in an awed whisper. I shook my head. He couldn't be. He had to be talking about someone else. Had to be.

"You all know Serena Yvonne, right?" Students started to murmur around me and I hid my face in May's hair which wasn't enough to cover my whole face. "I call her Sere but she told me not to after our- incident. She's the tall girl with Blue eyes and the kind heart."

"With a description like that, everyone will know who you are," Dawn whispered sarcastically. But it seemed that more people knew who I was than I thought, because faces started turning towards us and several people pointed...at me.

"-took advantage of that kindness big time." Ash sighed. "I'm a snob, okay? I admit it. I hang out with rich people and I don't want to mix with people outside my troubles. That's something most of us are guilty of so don't judge me. But I had an opportunity to get to know Serena and I realized that I'm a jerk. Because when my friends started confronting me about why I was hanging with her, I lied and said she was the one who was sticking to me and I was just using her to piss off my dad. Can I say 'piss' on the PA?"

"No! My 5 year old sister goes here!" a jokester in the crowd yelled receiving some chuckles from students except for me. My mouth was wide open and my eyebrows were raised in a classic stunned expression. Was he serious? Why was he doing this?

"-want to clear this up because I tried apologizing in person and she won't hear me out. I don't blame her. So here it is, folks, you're all my witnesses. Serena Yvonne is my friend. If anything, I'm the one who sticks to her! I didn't ask her to the charity ball to piss off my dad, I asked her because I enjoy her company. So if anyone, especially Calem, Miette, Misty, Ursula and Rudy has a problem with that, you can all suck it. Seriously. Serena, I'm sorry... I'm I too late to say sorry." He rushed his last sentence.

I jumped as he addressed me personally, the PA only amplifying the remorse in his voice.

"I know I hurt you. I know I keep on hurting you and I shouldn't. I won't. You really don't deserve that, especially from me. Please forgive me. You don't even have to talk to me again after this if you still don't want to, but please forgive me. I'm holding the PA room hostage so that I can apologize to you coz you deserve it. I don't care about what anyone else thinks about this."

Eyes bright in surprise, May nudged me on my shoulder while I was hiding my face in her brown ponytail hair. "I told him that."

"Shhh!" Dawn waved May to silence as Ash continued as we kept listening his words.

"The whole school should know that we're friends. So, what do you say, Serena? Just one more chance."

"Oh my God, this is so humiliating," I whispered under my breath to the girls.

Dawn gave me an 'are you nuts' look. "I think it's so sweet. He's making a total fool of himself over you!"

May appeared to agree and nods. "I knew he loved you."

I shook my head swiftly. "No he doesn't," I protested. "He just- he wants-." I stuttered with hesitation. Couldn't find any words to splint out, racking my brain to find an excuse.

May grinned knowingly. "What? Even you can't make excuses for this. He has nothing to lose and you to gain. It's the cutest apology ever!" She exclaimed, her hands cupped placing them on her round cheeks.

"I'm not gonna stop talking till you accept my apology, Serena. So till you come to the PA room, I swear I'm gonna sing."

"What are you still doing here?" A random blond junior walked up to me, his hands in his loose pockets while the other pointing at my neutral face. "Go accept the man's apology. Or I'll fine you a millions note."

I gaped at him. I had no idea who he was, yet he was talking to me like he knew everything that had gone down.

"But-," I started wildly, just as Ash launched into a spirited rendition of 'Justin bieber' singing sorry on the PA system earning some roaring laughs and cheers as I hear them loudly on each side of me.

A tiny girl with baby honey eyes popped up beside me. "He's obviously sorry. If a guy as cool as Ash did something like that for me, I'd be there in a heartbeat." She spoke in a low tone. Loud enough for me to hear her own words speaking out from her mouth traveling through air into my listening ears.

My eyes widened as a host of people swarmed down upon me, everyone talking at the same time.

"-forgive him."

"He sounds sorry."

"It's Ash Ketchum, dude."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, okay, I'm going," I announced, like it was even anyone's business if I went to the PA room or not. "If only to put a stop to this nonsense." I said bitterly and turned around taking each step away from the crowd, even my friends.

As I hurried towards the PA room, the sound of applause reached my ears. Like it or not, Ash had succeeded in turning me into a school celebrity, even though it was only for now. I am not enjoying my 15 minutes of fame.

I found the school technician sitting glumly outside the PA room, a coffee mug in his hand. The door was closed.

"What's going on? I asked, even though I had a feeling I already knew.

"You tell me. I go to get a cup of coffee and when I get back, some crazy kids taken over my base and tells me he's sorry, but if my name isn't Serena I can't come in."

I smiled despite myself. Classic Ash all the way.

"I think he wants to talk to me," I said pleasantly.

The technician's eyebrows rose comically. "You mean you're Serena?" He pointed his index finger at me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

He pushed me to the door and motioned me to go inside. "Well, get in there, then! What's a guy gotta do to apologize around here?"

Funny. Everyone's on Team Ash, huh?

Knocking on the door thrice, I wearily said, "Ash, open up. It's me, Serena." I spoke, sounding normal.

Ash stopped singing. Finally. sounding excited, said, "She's here! I hope she doesn't have a weapon. Last time she tried to hit me with a book. And let's not forget the incident with the pencil..."

"If you don't open the door I'm leaving!" I retorted.

"I'm there, wait a sec."

Soon. There was a click as Ash unlocked the door. He swung it and, wrapping his fingers around my wrist, pulled me in and closed the door behind me.

I pointed immediately at the microphone in his hand. First order of business. "Turn that thing off."

He immediately flicked the switch off and put the mike on the wooden table. "Sorry, I got used to using it," he said, smiling apologetically.

Putting my hands behind my back, I looked at him. "Well, I'm here." I replied sternly. Gazing at his apologetic face.

"Sere- what do I have to do to make things right between us?" he asked in sullen, biting on his bottom lip nervously as he looked at me.

"Oh, I don't know. Not go on the PA and spread my name all over school, that's for sure," I said coldly. "I'm sure I didn't tell you I wanted my business out in the open for everyone to know."

"That wasn't my intention," Ash started.

"Coulda fooled me." I turned to leave. "Way to humiliate me, Ash." I Rolled my eyes. My hand was on the mental door handle when Ash put his hand on my bare arm to stop me. I swiveled around, my skin prickling like a spider crawling on me.

"Wait." A confused expression darted onto Ash's face as he looked at me in the eye not leaving one sight. Realising that our faces were so dangerously close. "You were mad at me coz I couldn't tell my friends that we were friends. Now I tell the whole school and you're still mad? I thought that's what you wanted?"

I sighed with my eyes bobbed. "Ash, you're missing the point. We're not friends anymore."

Hurt was visible in Ash's shining almond-shaped eyes as he swallowed. "Please, Sere. Don't be like this. I- I'm so sorry. I'll even get down on my knees-."

Alarmed, I shook my head with a blush engulfed across my cheeks as he started bending to get down on his knees, looking up at me all the while. "Wait, Don't," I said quickly.

"I'm fresh out of ideas, though."

I looked at him, noting the crestfallen look on his face as he kicked the table with his sneakered foot. If this was an act, it was the best I'd ever seen. He sure looked torn up. But could I trust him? I didn't need to be hurt by Ash again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The phrase didn't even go up to 'fool me thrice' and for good reason- nobody let themselves get fooled three times by the same person.

"Ash- did you really mean what you said about not caring about what your friends think?" I asked suddenly, twisting a piece of my skirt between my fingers, running my skin against the soft clothing.

For some reason, I just felt the need to know. I knew that the wisest thing to do was just leave, but I couldn't. Looking at Ash's face made me want to hug him, but since I definitely wasn't going to do that, my next option was to ask questions.

Ash laughed, spreading his hands wide open. "Serena, I don't give a damn about what they think right now."

"Why? You've known them for way longer than you've known me." I said truthfully. I've only known Ash for some months, but it was more like we've known each for eternity.

"I know." He shrugged. "But I feel like I've known you forever. I feel more connected to you. You're just- you're just right."

Wide eyed and blushed in deep red around my hot red face, I looked at his serious face. What does he mean, I'm just right?

"I can't go through something like this again, Ash," I said, almost in a whisper. "It hurt."

"I'm sorry, Sere. It hurt me to. When you started crying-." He swallowed hard, reaching out to grasp my hands and slowly stands up in two feet when he continued. I let him, looking into his sincere eyes as his fingers brushed across my knuckles, trickling down my pale skin. It didn't affect me at all. All I did was just stare at his own face in close distance. "I felt like scum. I hate doing that to you, Serena."

"Can I ask you a question?" Ash nodded. "Are you just apologizing so that I can keep your secret about the aneurysm?"

It makes sense in a twisted kind of way. I was the only person who knew about Ash's aneurysm and he had made me mad. Who knows, maybe I was vindictive and hurt enough to let it slip in a conversation with a well know gossip Dawnie who would in turn tell the whole school. So, in an attempt to do some damage control, Ash was trying to apologize so that I could see that he was sorry and not spill his secret. I knew he was sorry- you couldn't look at his face and not know that he was sorry. But just because he was apologizing didn't mean that he hadn't meant what he had said about me.

The look on his tanned face when I asked that question made me feel like a dope for even thinking about it. Obviously, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.

"No. Absolutely not," he said with such conviction that I knew that he wasn't lying. He let go of my hands and picked up the microphone, looking at me over his back. "I can even announce it to the whole school if you want." Honestly, his propensity for using that thing is starting to alarm me.

"No, don't!" Snatching the mike as quickly as I could from his fingerless hands and I put it back down. Carefully placing it on a table near to mr.

"I don't care if you tell everyone I'm sick as long as you're still my friend," Ash told me fervently. Pure sweetness. "I don't care about the list anymore; all I care about is you forgiving me. I'm not apologizing because I'm scared you'll tell everyone about my aneurysm, I'm apologizing because what I did was wrong, stupid and cowardly. I feel like a tool. And I-."

I hated holding grudges. I stared up at Ash as he talked and decided. How could I stay mad at a guy who would hold a PA room hostage just to get his slightly screwed message across? Humiliating as it was, it was still genius.

"I believe you," I said softly. My mouth automatically doing the talking, biting my dry lip.

"-because you- what?" Ash stopped talking, scratching his head right under his red baseball cap.

"I said I believe you," I repeated and smiled sweetly as ever. "And I accept your apology."

If you've ever seen the sun come out from behind clouds to brighten the day, you'll know exactly how Ash looked when I said those words.

"You do? Really?" he asked with surprise, sounding like he couldn't quite believe it. I wondered if I could pinch him and get away with it.

Rolling my eyes but secretly chuffed at the slow grin of happiness that was spreading over his face, I said "Well, it's not like I have a choice. You're holding the PA room hostage." Smiling, I added, "And you look sorry."

He nods. "I am! I really am! But- wow. Damn. You sure?" Despite the smile on his face, he looked totally unsure. Last time I checked, he was the erratic one, not me!

I tossed my head. "Ash, I can backtrack on this decision any second."

Immediately he shook his head. "No, don't! I just thought- this is so awesome!" Impulsively, he threw his arms around me in a bone-crushing warm hug. "Thank you! I'm so happy!"

So happy that he tried to do a little dance with his arms still wrapped around my back, hands rubbing my backbone and suddenly tripped over a wire on the hard floor. He barreled into me and I fell with a thud on my back, my head not hitting the ground by an act of divine providence. Ash fell on top of me, laughing ecstatically as his warm, comforting scent surrounded me. Mint.

"Are you okay?" he chuckled, his minty breath fanning over my slightly red face.

"I think so. Stop laughing." I retorted without my body moving, just lying down with my back against the wooden floor.

That only made him laugh harder, his body shaking and sending vibrations through mine travelling around me in a quick flash. "I'm sorry, but I always wanted to do that to you! Think of it as payback!"

"Ash..." I said, trying for a warning tone but sounding breathless instead. He was lying right on top of me, his shining orbs looking directly into mine in silence without letting another sound come out from his parted lips. It was a scarily intimate position to be in.

"Serena," he murmured in response, his eyes on my face. However, it was more directly on my thin pursed lips.

My body started to tingle with quick reaction as his hands, which had been on my thin hips, slowly roamed up my back and to my bare neck as if to hold me where I was while the other holding for support. His eyes were still fixed on mine, a mischievous light in them. I stared wide eyed up at him as he bent his head lower slowly, his warm, muscular body pressing against mine, giving me no where to escape from his grasp. His bottom lip grazed mine as his eyes were starting to close and I drew in a shaking breath. This wasn't a mistake. It was really happening. Ash wanted to kiss me and God help me- I wanted him to kiss me.

Just as our lips were about to be touched in pure bliss. Suddenly the door bursted open with a sudden loud bang alerting us and Ash jerked back from the close kiss. Leaving me lying on hard floor. Shocked of what I been witnessed.

"What the hell is going on in here?"

Oh, no. Principal Oak.

"Get off of her, boy," the PA technician growled, pulling Ash off of me to his feet. I blinked as Principal Oak extended his hand to help me up, and then glared at us both.

"I fell," Ash explained, fighting to keep a grin off his face. Didn't he realize we were in trouble? This was surely grounds for suspension. Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that we had been found in that incriminating position. God, what would Alain do to me if he found out? And how could I tell my mom I got expelled?

Principal Oak ignored Ash and turned to me. "What was he doing to you?" he asked in a stern way.

"He tripped over a wire and fell on me. I was trying to get him to leave this room," I explained, hoping against hope that he would believe me. We had done nothing wrong. Well, I had done nothing wrong. Ash- a whole another story.

"You're in deep trouble, young man," Principal Oak snapped, his freckled cheeks reddening as he turned back to an unrepentant looking Ash. "You're lucky I owe your father a favor or I would have expelled you." He pushed Ash through the open door. "Go wait for me in my office. You're overdue for a bunch of detentions."

Ash turned to give me a happy grin before sauntering off. Principal Oak gave me a scrutinizing look. "Are you sure he didn't do anything to you?"

I nodded in response. All I wanted to do was leave the room the technician was wiping his microphone and crooning softly to it. This was too much strangeness for me to take in one sitting. "He just fell, Principal. I swear. He would never do anything to me."

Apart from try to kiss me when we're in weird situations. What was up with that?

Appeased, Principal Oak nodded. "Okay. Steer clear of him. You can leave." He motioned at the door.

About time.

With a last nod. I scurried out of the pa room to the nearest bathroom, where I locked myself in a stall and sank down on the toilet seat, trying to collect my racing thoughts.

Ash had just tried to kiss me. Again. And if Principal Oak hadn't blundered in and ruined everything, I would have kissed him back.