Serena POV

Lunch rolled around and after meeting with Dawn and May by our lockers as usual.

I made my way to the music department. My hands itching in anticipation of a full hour of piano playing.

School was basically the only place I could play. We didn't have enough money to afford one at home, especially now, with the rent for the apartment going up. Ah well. As long as I had a chance to play, even for a little while, I was happy.

When I arrived at the music department. I entered inside were I see most pictures of popular singers were stuck on wall, a water machine beside and various shined trophies on set. I thought if I could enter the music competition which was in couple months time but I'm not really that good.

Usually, I get stage fright causing my performance to go down the drain. For a fact, I love to play music, not that I'm upset which I already told my friend. No, it was only to get my true feeling to show out how much I love it.

Once I walk down, there were three doors on each side. I peeked into each section, hoping for an empty one. White and Ryan were in the first one, making out, as usual.

That couple made me so sad. White played the flute in a school band and was a self proclaimed band nerd. On the other hand, Ryan, was on the lumiose team, a typical popular jock.

They met every day in the music department because Ryan didn't want his friends to know that he was dating a 'geek'. It was so pathetic that the thought of what his peers thought about him would reduce them to meeting in secret like that, but I wasn't in any position to pass judgment. I had stayed up all night wondering what people thought of me.

In another section was Trevor, a freshman. He played a violin, and he played it badly. Very badly.

I smiled and waved at him as I quickly passed the door, willing myself not to give in to temptation and just clap my hands over my ears to block out the terrible noise he was making.

Luckily, the last section was empty. Thanking my lucky stars, I rushed in after switching the lights on making the room bright. I sat down and started living on piano that was being placed the way it was.

Now. My fingers flew over the keys in rhythm, seeking out the correct notes without even referring to a book. I was so concentrated in playing the piano. The sound was perfect that made me want to dance. Nothing else registered until-

"Wow. That was amazing. You're really good."

Jolted out of my daydream with my eyes shot wide open, I screamed high and loud, and tumbled to the ground as my chair tipped over.

My heart was thumping as I lay on my back, eyes searching to find the speaker. I'm a nervous wreck. I froze as my eyes met a pair of auburn ones.

Ash!

Still scared, I shrieked "Will you stop creeping up behind me?!"

Stepping closer to me, facing at my face. he grinned. "I didn't creep up behind you," he explained. "I walked. I even waited till you were finished playing before I said anything. It's not my fault you're so jumpy."

Sounded reasonable, but I wasn't in the mood to be reasonable. Not when I was being waved by the fresh, clean scent of mint.

"I'm not jumpy," I muttered, trying to raise myself up from ground. What was he doing here, ruining my good time? Probably wants to use the room to entertain his flock of fan girls with his stupid guitar.

Great. Just great. Well, I wasn't going to keep him waiting.

He stretched out a hand, offering me to get up. "You need my help getting up?"

A small smile played around his lips, making me fumed. He's laughing at me.

I slid my eyes down at his bare open hand then up at his grinned face as anger darted on my expression.

"I can get up myself," I replied in a glowering voice, awkwardly pushing myself up on to my two feet and dusting off my slim jeans.

Thank goodness I didn't end up wearing a skirt today. Or that would be even more embarrassing.

Ash withdrew his hand and stood there looking at me as I picked up my bag from floor. So much for the piano playing.

"Where you going?" he asked as I closed the piano lid completely and started walking around him to get to the door and run.

I noticed that he was empty handed, guitar-less and his rabid fans were nowhere to be seen or heard. What the-?

Still, I indifferently tossed my head in his direction where he stood in place, swinging my bag onto my shoulder. "It's all yours. I was just leaving," I said coolly.

"No, wait," Ash rushed.

Quickly moving so fast out from his position than me to run past, that he was now standing in front of me and directly blocking my exit to escape

"I'm actually kinda glad I ran into you." He smiled at me, all perfect white teeth and-focus!

Staring down my nose at him in front, back against door. which was quite hard seeing as he was several inches taller than me.

I mustered the snootiest voice I could. "Were you really. Why?"

He shook his raven hair out of his eyes again and I bit my lip to stop myself from yelling 'get a freaking haircut if it annoys you so much!' I really hoped he wouldn't, though. Get a haircut, I mean. His hair suited him to perfection.

Well, come to think of it, he could carry off any hairstyle. He was definitely cute enough. And he's a jerk. Remember that, dummy? Right.

"I uh- I wanted to talk to you," he said slowly, his hands adjust his short sleeved blue jacket properly. Wait? Is he nervous! About talking to me! That's so cute! Then I gave myself a mental slap, remembering May's words- "if he apologizes for the first time, play hard to get."

If he was indeed here to apologize, then I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"Nothing you could say could make me want to stay here and talk to you," I said with feeling.

He leaned against the door and it clicked shut as he crossed his arms across his chest and grinned smugly at me. Now I'm alone in a room with Ash Ketchum. Bad things tend to happen.

"I love you," he said suddenly.

I snapped my head in his direction with blush getting hotter, staring wildly. Did he just-?

"Will you marry me?"

Somebody pinch me. My mouth hung open as I stared at his cute, deadly serious face. Utterly shock on what I was hearing from him.

"Wh- what?" I managed to whisper, my voice sounding like it was coming from far away.

However, that soon turned opposite down. A smile rose on Ash's lips.

"Ha! See? That worked! You're still here! So," he said, grinning cheerfully at me, his hands stuffed into the pocket of his jeans, "am I good or what?"

Later from unexpected, I realized that Ash Ketchum didn't really want to marry me, and that was just a tactic to show- what, exactly?

Shaking my head, I looked up into his self-satisfied face. Did I really almost say yes to his fake proposal? I must be light headed with hunger.

"I gotta go to lunch, so if you'll excuse me-," I said, trying to push past him by placing my free hand on his chest, whilst trying to ignore the heat rising from his body. Damn hormones.

It didn't work and I couldn't ignore it. Dammit.

My arms stood to attention as he grasped my upper arm to stop me and turned me towards him. I swallowed, trying to look as though I was disgusted with him touching me, when in reality the feel of his warm hand on my bare arm felt rather nice, actually.

"Five minutes of your time," he said softly in his husky voice. "That's all I need." Looking from my eye to lips then back as our heads were metres away.

He didn't let go of my arm and I felt nervous about just yanking it away.

I took a deep breath. "Look, Ash-," I started wearily, trying to sound normal while lying that if I didn't have my lunch, I was going to collapse with hunger so I needed him to move and let me get out of this room.

He grinned wider and I groaned silently.

"Yeah, Sere?"

"I- Sere?" I leaned back, giving him a surprising look. "Why are you calling me Sere?"

He ran his free hand through his raven hair, shrugging. "You started it! You said 'Ash, Ash', so I thought it was only fair that I should think up a pet name for you too. Sere."

I wrinkled my brow in thought, then closed my eyes and shook my head as understanding dawned.

Looking back up at him into his eyes. I told him "I didn't say 'Ash, Ash'. I said look, Ash. L-o-o-k. as in, hey look over there, it's-."

Ash chuckled, interrupting my comment. "Okay, I get it. Anyway. I just wanted to say sorry for yesterday. I've been looking for you around the whole school. I didn't even have any lunch," he replied.

"Then by all means, go and eat. I, on the other hand, must go."

Once again I tried to get past him and get to the door, once again he stopped me, this time with a warm hand on my free shoulder sending warmness through my body, 

Looking down at his hand on shoulder and said "Can you stop touching me, please," as coolly as I could.

He flushed, immediately removing his hands and putting them behind his back. "Sorry. But-don't you want to hear me out?"

Remember what May said became my mantra. I wanted to hear him out and accept his apology, but then May would be furious and say I should have made him work for it. Well, I didn't want to be evil, but I supposed I should make him work for it.

"Not in particular," I said breezily. "Now, come on. Move. Step aside. I want to get out of here." Getting impatience now.

He stared at me in puzzled amusement. "I'm trying to apologize here, though," he said, starting to sound slightly sulk. I could picture him stamping his foot and pouting.

"Save it for someone who cares," I simply replied still gazing into his eyes..

"Well, what can I do to show you how sorry I am?" he asked persistently.

I stood there, one finger on my cheek, my head cocked to one side like I was thinking really hard.

"Oh, I got it. Why don't you return every single pencil I ever lent you, and I'll think about it," I said finally.

I wasn't expecting him to smile and reach into his jeans pocket. I took a step back as paranoia kicked in. Maybe he was pulling out a gun! Or something...

With a flourish, he held up my blue polar bear pencil, looking as good as new.

"That's my-," I started, staring at it but making no move to touch it.

"Yeah. Your lucky pencil," Ash said softly, smiling as he handed it to me.

I took it, feeling like I was dreaming. My pencil! You guys probably think I'm stupid, going crazy over a little pencil, but it held sentimental value to me. My seven year old niece Bonnie had won it at the Carnival last year and she had given it to me as a 'pwesent'. Two days later, she was dead. She suffocated in her sleep and I was the one who found her.

Unwanted tears filled my eyes as I looked up at Ash, who frowned at me slightly.

"I thought you said you lost it," was all I could think of to say.

"I looked all over my room till I found it. How bout that? Did I rock your socks or what?" he asked. "Looks like I did- are you crying?"

"No," I said without showing my pain, blinking back tears. "I really have to go. Thanks for bringing the pencil back to me."

Ash scratched his head. "So...apology accepted?" he asked, looking confused as he stepped away from the door. Finally.

I opened it before he could try anything else. "Nope," I said, my body half out of the room. "But keep trying."

And, like magic, I was gone. Out of sight from him.