Ash's Bucket List- Go to the top of the lumiose tower.

Two days later

No POV

It was just another normal day. The bright sun was hanging in the clear blue sky as warm wind breezes through Lumiose high.

Sitting on bleachers were Three students, one was a blue haired girl, gazing ahead at the football field while the other two were having a conversation. They've been sitting for the past an hour now and it's nearly the end of break.

Serena POV

"Remind me again why I'm sitting here in the wind, watching a bunch of oafs chase a pig's bladder around the field?" May put into words exactly what I was thinking except-

"They don't make footballs out of pig's bladders anymore," I corrected her, my eyes squinting involuntarily as the shrill wind whipped up flecks of dust from the ground into my pale face. "They're made of either leather or plastic." May gave me a hilariously irritate look and I elaborated. "I read it in a magazine somewhere. Or maybe it was a book, I'm not sure." I finished.

May looked like she was about to fling the book she was reading at me, which was on her lap. "I know they're made out of- Serena!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in a gesture of despair.

I shrugged, making myself comfortable on the bleacher benches. "What? I was just saying," I said nonchalantly.

"You're no match for the nonsense Serena carries in that head of hers, May," Dawn said, tapping on my temple. "She has an encyclopedia of garbage facts in here."

"What can I say, I try," I said, smiling brightly at Dawn.

She smiled back at me then turned to May, who was pushing her hair back from her face. It doesn't matter how much you do that, the winds just gonna blow it right back. "And in answer to your question, May, we're watching Paul train." Dawn placed her chin in her cupped hands, gazing out onto the football field where the boy's were doing drills in a chilly weather.

I could just make out Paul's purple hair bobbing amongst his teammates.

"Look at him! Even the way he runs is hot." Dawn breathed with a pink blush forming on her cheeks and a gentle smile crawling on her thin lip.

"How does someone run hotly?" I mused out loud, scratching my pouch cheek in thought.

"Yeah, that's something I'd like to know too," May put in.

Rolling her eyes with a mental groan, Dawn gave us a arrogant look. "You guys have no imagination." She retort.

May and I stared at each other for a second, and then gaped at Dawn. This was a girl who pretty much claimed that if she couldn't see it, it wasn't real. Dawn is the queen of no imagination.

May reached out to grip Dawn's  shoulders. "Who are you and where's the real Dawn?" she demanded to know, shaking Dawn by the shoulders.

"I'm in love." Dawn closed her eyes shut and placed her hands demurely in her lap as I giggled behind my hand.

Dawn was a serial dater. She'd never once said she was in love with any of her short lived boyfriends. This is odd...

"In love with?" I had to ask.

Shooting me a look that just screamed 'obviously', Dawn said "Paul, silly! I think he's the one."

A teasing smile on her face, May asked "The one what?"

"My Prince Charming," Dawn explained, fully opening her eyes and staring down at the football field while I stared at my best friend with renewed interest as her eyes sparkled due to the admission of her new found feelings.

"You've converted!" May sounded delighted as she stuffed her hands in the pocket of her red skinny jacket. "You're thinking like Serena and I do now!"

"What?" Dawn asked, looking confused at us.

"You never used to believe in fairytale romances but you do now, thanks to Paul," I explained, knowing where May was coming from.

Flipping her blue hair over her shoulder, Dawn protested "I never said I didn't believe in fairytales!"

"You call us out whenever you see us read a romance novel!" May exclaimed, a laugh in her voice.

"That's because you two read the cheesiest books imaginable," Dawn scoffed, pointing to the book that was on May's lap. "Just like the one you're reading right now."

May grabs the novel and held up above the chest from her lap. "This is my favorite book!"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "And it's a cliché." She snorted derisively. "I hate cliché's."

I giggled. "You just hate reading."

Dawn nodded in response, not trying to deny it. "That too. But c'mon, ladies. Cliché's only happen in those dumb books you guys read."

May shook her head. "No, they don't! They actually happen," she exclaimed while Dawn smiled smugly at her. "And you can't hate clichés coz you're living one."

"What?"

"You're dating a popular, hot football player." May smirked at Dawn. "That's the cliché."

Dawn pouted. "Humph." She tossed her head again. "Whatever, I still don't believe in clichés. They're an overused ploy created by Disney to lure people to watch their movies."

If I had a dime for every time I heard that line.

"But clichés are there for a reason," I told Dawn. "They actually happen in real life."

"Name one time you've actually spotted a cliché and I might be inclined to believe you," Dawn said in a serious tone, folding her arms against the chest.

I had one for her. Grinning to myself, I answered "White, the band girl and Ryan, the football player."

May made a face. "Those two are still dating?" she asked incredulously.

I gave her a single nod. "Yup."

"I've never seen them together," Dawn said, raising an eyebrow.

Sighing, I said "That's because Ryan's embarrassed to tell his friends he's dating her."

Looking disgusted, May said "I wouldn't want that cliché, not for all the world in the money."

Curiously I turned to her. "What cliché would you like, May?"

"That's easy," May smiled to herself, looking wistful. "Pretty boy."

Ever the dream killer, Dawn was quick to response "That's gotta be the one clichés..."

May brandished her book like a weapon. "Be quiet, wench," she joked. "Don't knock my favorite cliché! I know it won't happen to me, but I'm living it through."

"Wanna know my favorite cliché?" I said with a teasing smile on my pink glistened lips.

"What?" Dawn and May said in unison, both looking at me at the same time.

"Falling for the opposite." I winked playfully at May, who groaned. It was our own personal joke.

Out of nowhere, Dawn spoke in a teasing tone. " Oh, So you wanna be Ash's mistress? Eh," Dawn said reflectively with a wide smirk and wink at the same time.

When she that. I squealed as a pair of hands lightly came to rest on my shoulders and a husky voice close to my ear said "You want to be my mistress? Really?"

Looking bored, May said "Control yourself, Serena."

"He came out of nowhere," I said defensively, twisting my body on the bench to stare as Ash jumped over a bench to sit next to me. "You came out of nowhere!"

"I swear, I thought you heard me come up behind you," Ash laughed, shifting slightly closer to me, his leg pressing against mine. He grinned at a bemused looking May then a nosy looking Dawn. "Hey, ladies."

"Hey, Ash,' May simply replied.

"Ash, let me tell you something about Serena," Dawn started, spreading her hands out in front of her. "If you value your life, don't come up behind her and talk or I swear she'll do more than try to break your nose." She finished her little lecture by giving Ash a knowing wink. "You're lucky she was sitting down."

I flushed deep red as Ash shot me a sideways look.

"Sere! You talk about me to your friends?" he asked cheerfully, as an embarrassed feeling swept through me. "I'm flattered!"

He squeezed my shoulder as I glowered at a giggling Dawn, and then his eyes alighted on May's book, which was on my lap. Before I could hide it, or something, he quickly snatched it up from my lap and turned it around to read the back.

"Pretty boy," he read aloud, and then snorted with laughter. Looking up at me, he said "You read cliché books?"

"It's May's book," I said quickly, passing it to May as soon as Ash put it back on my lap.

"Which is not to say that Serena doesn't read her fair share of cliché romance novels," May mumbled loudly, shooting me an emotional less look.

I mouthed 'sorry' to her as Ash chuckled.

"You guys are fun," he announced. "And for the record, I love cliché romances."

As soon as he said that. There was a short silence as all three of us stared at him.

Dawn spoke first, smiling derisively as she twisted a lock of blue hair around her finger. "Ash, you don't even read."

Shrugging agreeably, Ash said "Okay, true. But I like the covers."

I tried not to laugh as May shot me a 'what the-?' look.

"So, Ash, who's your date for the gala?" nosy Dawn asked, changing the subject so that we could talk about something that interested her.

Ash hid his face in his fingerless hands, his raven hair curling over his tanned fingers. "Please don't remind me about the damn gala," he groaned mentally with his voice muffled.

"So I'm guessing you haven't found a date yet?" Dawn sounded smug. She didn't have to worry about her date. Yesterday, she dragged Paul to a tux store to pick out a suit that went with her shoes. Really.

"Nope," Ash sighed, lifting his head. "I don't even wanna go, but I have to."

He sounded angry as he stared cold at the field. I resisted the urge to put my arm around his free shoulders and tell him everything would be alright. Then May would really stare at me. However, what Dawn said next really hit me.

"You should take Giselle," Dawn said. Ash gave her a blank look.

"Giselle? Who's that?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. Sounding confused.

"The girl from Kanto. You know her; you're always flirting at her at these gala thingies. Brown hair, brown eyes-," Dawn reminded him, getting into her explanation until Ash's eyes lit up as he remembered who Dawn was talking about.

"Oh yeah. Giselle." He didn't look excited at all as he kicked the wooden bench in front of us with his sneakers foot. "I think she has a boyfriend."

Dawn shook her head. "No, he dumped her. Last week. They had a fight about bacon."

I couldn't help the admiring look that crept onto my face. How does she know everything about everyone's private lives?

"Bacon?" May asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Don't ask," Dawn said giggling. She refocused her attention on Ash. "You should take her, Ash. You'd look good together."

Ash shrugged and nodded, still managing to look very unenthusiastic about the whole situation. "Yeah, I might as well," he finally said and a bolt of jealousy went through me as he continued. "Do you have her number?"

Always ready to oblige, Dawn fished her Samsung galaxy S7 out of her pocket in one swoop and recited mystery Giselle's number.

Ash got a pen from May and wrote the number on his tanned hand while I sat there, feeling secretly envious of this Giselle person. Lucky sucker.

"Thanks. I guess I'll call her tonight. Or something." Ash said after finish writing the number on his hand and hands back the black pen to May.

May pointed out "You don't exactly seem overly enthusiastic about this gala." She said, cocked her head to one side.

Ash looked up at her and shot her a crooked smile. "I'm not," he admitted, stretching his arms over his head. "I hate tuxes, but I love the food and I hate the music. I'd rather stay at home and watch The Care Bears."

"Join the club," May enthusiastically said.

"Yeah, I heard about the fashion show," Ash said to her as he zipped up his blue jacket all the way up his chest.

"Did you hear about the wings?" May asked him, running a hand through her long hair.

Ash's grin grew wider. "No, but I heard about the eye patch."

May sighed as she contemplated the indignities that Aria was piling on her. "At least the most you have to deal with is a tux. Meanwhile, at some point during that night, I'll be dressed like a fairy," she said, fixing Ash with an expression that clearly said 'you don't know how good you've got it.'

"But it will be fun to diss Calem about wearing a pirate costume," Ash snickered loudly.

Making a face, May said "That's not gonna work. He thinks it makes him look good."

"OMG!" We all suddenly jumped as Dawn squealed loudly, bouncing up and down on the hard bench. "Paul made a touch down! Go, Paul!"

May rolled her eyes and smiled as Ash leaned closer to me and whispered "Who's Paul?" in my ear.

"Her boyfriend," I simply replied.

"That's why you're freezing your asses off out here, coz Dawn's watching her boyfriend play football?" Ash asked incredulously.

May nodded, throwing her hands up in the air. "I pretty much said the same thing!"

"They're providing moral support," Dawn replied, finally calm again.

Ash stared out at the field and shook his head. "Look at those guys. I'm glad I stopped playing when I did. It's way too cold to be running around in shorts. And to be sitting here." He nudged Dawn on the shoulder. "Dawn, can I steal these two and take them someplace warmer?"

"Ash Ketchum, nobody is forcing you to be here," Dawn told him haughtily, tossing her blue long hair over her free shoulder.

"But she's forcing us to be here," May muttered. I don't think that Dawn was meant to hear that, but she did.

Pouting, she said "I thought you were here with me because you love me!"

"We do love you!" I said, reaching around Ash to pat Dawn's bare knee and almost falling into Ash's lap in the process. "We just- don't like the wind, that's all."

"Nobody likes the wind," Ash intoned in tones of doom.

Dawn glared at Ash. "Ash, what are you doing here anyway?"

A mock scared look on his face, Ash responded "Don't get pissy, I was just joking. You guys are welcome to sit in the wind."

"No, really. You just randomly come up and sit with us and start chatting like you do this all the time." Dawn had the curious light that I knew so well in her sapphire eyes. "What's up with that?"

Biting his lip and glancing at me, Ash said "Way to drop a hint, Dawn."

Dawn's cheeks reddened as she tried to rectify the situation. "I'm not- I wasn't-," she stammered, looking mortified.

"Don't worry, Dawn, I actually gotta be somewhere pretty soon," Ash assured to her. "I was just looking for Sere."

He puts a warm hand on my bare knee, a gesture that wasn't missed by May and Dawn. I am so gonna get it when he leaves.

"And why were you looking for- Sere?" Dawn asked, obviously biting back a laugh.

Ash grinned cheekily at Dawn and I swear she swooned. Please don't let her faint. "From my lips to her ears," he said to her. In other words, mind your own damn business, Dawn.

Leaning closer to me till his lips really were at my ear, Ash whispered "So, are you free today to- you know?"

I could practically feel Dawn straining to listen as I whispered back. "I have to volunteer at the hospital today," I said, real regret in my voice.

"Oh. Okay." Was it just me or did he look disappointed?

"But I get off at six if you want to meet after that," I added hurriedly. I wanted to hang out with the guy, okay? He was cute, nice and he smelt great.

And judging from the slow smile that spread over his face as I said the last part, he wanted to hang out with me too. "I don't mind, sounds good to me."

I sighed with relief. "Okay, 6 it is. I heard that the view is amazing at night."

I hoped he wouldn't call me on that because I had no idea who had told me that the view from the Lumiose tower was beautiful at night, but he just grinned at me.

"Yeah, me too." He said.

As our eyes met and locked as another jolt of electricity passed between us, quickening my pulse and leaving me breathless.

This definitely is not normal.

And this time, I knew that I wasn't alone in feeling the connection. Ash's hazel eyes widened and his perfect lips parted as he stared into my eyes wordlessly.

We could have stayed like that forever if May hadn't said "Ahem!"

I dragged my eyes off of Ash's face and found myself looking at May, who looked extremely amused.

"That was a very intense look right there," drawled Dawn, raising her eyebrows up at me as I flushed deep red across my cheeks. Now, obviously I had every right in the world to be embarrassed- I had just had a 'moment' with a guy in front of my friends! But I was very surprised to see Ash blush. Very, very surprised.

"I'll see you there," he whispered in my ear, squeezing my knee before he stood up. "As much as I'd love to kick it with you beautiful ladies, I gotta go. I have a meeting with my counselor."

I looked up at him in front, the wind blowing my short hair into my eyes. "Did you get into trouble?"

He paused in clambering over a bench and looked back at us, his raven hair blowing slightly around his face, making him look rather edible. "Me, trouble?" He grinned, pointing at his chest. "Always. See you guys." He waved.

"Bye," May, Dawn and I said together, sounding like a choir. A really bad choir.

The moment they thought Ash was out of earshot, the girls immediately turned on me with a vengeance.

"Serena Yvonne," May said, folding her arms around her chest.

Stay cool, Serena.

"What?" I asked, smiling chirpily at her.

Dawn laughed. "What?" she repeated as I wiggle my body uncomfortably. And my squirming had nothing to do with the hard seats. "You and Ash conjure up all that electricity and all you can say is what?"

I glanced down at my own feet. So I didn't imagine the sparks, there really was electricity. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said firmly.

"Okay, I'll ask you in layman's terms," Dawn continued. "What's going on between you and Ash?"

I bit my lip. Not what you think. I knew that I couldn't tell Dawn about the list, which meant I had to fall back on my old lie- Science class. Luckily, Dawn and May weren't in my Science class so they had no way of knowing whether I was lying or not. Even though they probably knew that there was something off with that story, I was sticking to it.

"I told you, we have a Science-," I started.

Waving her hand dismissively, Dawn interrupted me. How rude. "Yeah Yeah, Science project, blah blah blah. May babe, help me out."

'May babe' was more than willing to help Dawn out and I cringed as she stood up from her seat and started pacing in front of me.

"Okay, firstly, he calls you Sere," May started. "A pet name."

"Lots of guy's call girls pet names," I protested, racking my brain for a magazine article I had read about that. "It just means he can't be bothered to remember my real name."

Dawn snorted. "That's bogus."

"Secondly, he's squeezing your shoulder and putting his hand on your knee. What's up with that?" May asked, stopping in front of me with her hands behind her back and a stern frown on her face.

I shrugged. "He's just touchy feely, that's all."

"No. I've known Ash my whole life and he's never touched me. Ever." Dawn gave me a 'so there' look.

I couldn't resist sticking my tongue out at her. "Jealous?"

May wasn't done. "And finally, the whole gazing into ones eye thing," she barked, sounding like a drill sergeant.

Dawn spluttered with surprised laughter. "You seriously are on romance novel overload, May babe. 'Gazing into ones eye'? Last time I checked, it was called eye contact!" She turned to me. "And that was some lust filled eye contact. I was totally expecting you guys to start making out right in front of us." She said as my cheeks blushed crimson. Taken back.

I didn't even want to think about the prospect of making out with Ash, so I pushed it to the back of my mind (aw) and stared wildly at Dawn. "I-I just- we just looked at each other! That's all" I protested.

"And the temperature went straight up," May noted.

"You guys should work for TMZ and make mountains out of molehills," I mumbled, pulling at a loose thread on my skirt.

"We're not," May said self-righteously. "Something's going on between you two."

I shook my head. "Nothing is. He's just a friend."

Great, now the image of Ash's lips was etched in my mind. Thank you, Dawn.

"So now he's a friend?" Dawn pounced on that tidbit eagerly.

"Anything wrong with that?" I asked, just to be perverse.

"Nope. But if he's just a friend," May started, making me tense. I knew I wasn't going to like what was coming, "why did he keep sneaking you little glances when he thought you weren't looking?"

Interesting development.

"Um, really?" I asked curiously. Maybe I had something on my face? Or maybe he was just looking at me because- what, Serena?

May nodded. "Oh, yeah."

Not wanting to be left out of the loop, Dawn added "I think he likes you."

My mouth dropped open seconds before I burst out laughing. "What?" I spluttered. "Shut up!"

Dawn punched my shoulder. "You shut up," she giggled.

"And I think you like him," May said, no trace of a smile on her face. "Friend. Humph. A guy and a girl can't be friends. It's been scientifically proven."

I rolled my eyes. "That's crap," I said.

"But you guys do like each other," May insisted.

"He's cute, okay?" I said finally, just to get them off my back.

"He's hot," Dawn corrected me.

"Okay, he's infernally hot," I agreed.

"Sizzling hot," May said.

"And I do like him a little bit but that doesn't mean anything," I said, talking loudly over Dawn's 'aha!' "It's just a tiny crush."

May groaned. "You're such a fool for that one."

"Can you guys stop giving me the third degree about Ash now?" I pleaded. Praying in my head.

Giving me a cheerful smile, May spoke. "We stopped talking about Ash ages ago. Why do you keep bringing it up?"

"Shut up." I retort with a crimson blush still activated on my hot cheeks and gazed out at the football field by ignoring my friends remarks.