Ash Ketchum. Ash Ketchum. Ash Ketchum.

Alvin Ketter. Alvin Ketter. Alvin Ketter.

Ash Ketchum. Alvin Ketter.

Alvin Ketter. Ash Ketchum.

Alvin.

Ash.

Ketter.

Ketchum.

Ash.

Ketchum.

Not.

Alvin.

Ketter.

An observer of the scene might think they were viewing everything in slow-motion but no, the speed at which Serena turned on her heels to face the man behind her.

As Serena continued turning, it was as if an invisible, sound-proof dome had been dropped on the lovely little group of men and women.

The city noises were drowned out by the steely, death-threatening silence of suspense that hung between both parties and everyone held their breath, not knowing what to expect, each person's mind rushing with various thoughts.

Neither Calem or Shauna could understand why Serena had thought Ash's name to be Alvin.

But the pure unfiltered furious shock they saw flash in her eyes and the way her body stiffened indicated to them that some deeper story lay beneath the surface and all they could do was stand back and watch revelation unfold.

The rest of the men folk, save Ash, all just mentally prayed that they would survive the coming storm unscathed and wished their friend the best of luck in dealing with a woman.

Ash himself tried to strengthen his resolve. He was a man. He had to act like a man. And manly men did not go around cringing as blue eyes literally turned red right before his eyes.

The only things running through Serena's mind that very moment as her eyes finally connected with man's before her were two despicable names. Alvin Ketter. Ash Ketchum. Two names. One man.

Alvin Ketter. The man whom she had recently realized she had begun to fall for despite all his antics and faults.

Ash Ketchum. Her childhood friend and first-time crush. One who always played with her.

It all made sense now. The tingling feelings of familiarity that had kept returning the first few meetings Serena had had with him. It was because she did know him. From the past. And he had known her too but apparently failed.

Serena was well aware of the six pairs of eyes, excluding Ash's, that were staring at her in astonishment. Her gaze flickered upwards for a brief second to see Brock, Kaiwe, and Gary exchange glances with one another before taking a few steps away from Ash.

As though Ash would be roasted by the flames from Serena's eyes and they didn't want to be caught in the burn.

Serena returned her gaze to Ash's and found a sadistic sense of delight when he cringed as soon as her eyes landed on his face. But, she didn't know what to say or how to deal with this.

The utter shock of the revelation of Alvin Ketter's identity to being not only someone different, but a person from her past who had apparently not given up playing pranks on her, felt as though someone had just taken a gun and blown Serena's brain to bits.

Her mind simply refused to function beyond the acceptance that she had been royally duped and that it was a group effort against her. In such a situation, what should one say?

She could feel the blood boiling in every vessel of her body, feel the chambers of her heart pumping wildly, faster and faster with each passing moment that went by unresolved.

"Sere?"

Serena's eyes widened then narrowed. Her purse dropped from her grip as her hands clenched on their own.

Ash was looking down at her, almost pleadingly with concern tinted around the edges of his eyes. But Serena didn't care.

She swung her fist upwards until her knuckles connected with a hard jaw line. Before he could react to the first punch, Serena let her other fist fly, landing on Ash's left eye.

"You – you – "

"Hurt, hurt," Ash cried, one hand rubbing his jaw, the other covering his eye. He still had the audacity to continue his foolish ways?

"You!" she shrieked. "All this time – all this time you lied to me! Why? For pure amusement? Did you enjoy teasing me and watching me get all flustered? Did you enjoy messing around with my mind and lying to poor Melody and breaking her heart? You lied to both of us! And to think that I actually li –" Serena paused, eyes widening at shock towards herself.

Then Serena continued her tirade. "You're supposed to be the Junior VP of Oak Tech, Ash ketchum?"

His name rolled from her lips like it was torturous to say. Her eyes were trained on him, narrowed, flashing dangerously, her mouth pursed in pure rage and nostrils flared to the max.

As Serena took a deep breath, Ash couldn't help but wonder, had she been about to say that she actually liked him? Was it possible? He shoved the notion from his mind at the moment and wondered what to say. It was his turn.

What could he possibly say to counter her fury? Every word she had uttered was true. He had enjoyed teasing her, flirting with her, and watching her get flustered. He hadn't enjoyed breaking Melody's heart or the lying but there was no denying it: he was guilty of both. For that, she was right.

"I didn't mean for it go to this far," he said slowly, watching as Serena's eyes narrowed so much at his words that she might as well have been shutting her eyes. "It only started off as an innocent little joke. But then things just sort of spiraled out of control and I'm sorry. I'm sorry Serena ."

He looked up, hoping she'd read the sincerity that radiated from him and took a step forward, a hand outstretched as if to comfort her.

But the red film was still situated over Serena's entire being and she saw nothing but a grown man who had nothing better to do than waste his time pranking grown women.

In the blink of an eye, she bent down, swept up her purse from where it had fallen.

"Don't you dare come any closer!" she threatened with a glare of anger.

Ash quickly dropped his arm and took several steps back, bumping into Kaiwe.

"You three." They flinched as though she had already sprayed them. "You knew," she said as a statement instead of question. Slowly, hesitantly, one by one, Brock, Kaiwe, and Gary all nodded.

Serena locked eyes with each of them silently, then without another word, she whirled on her heels and strode back towards Shauna and Calem who were at a loss of what to say.

She poked a finger at Calem's chest. "Did you know?"

"Know?"

"About the lie. About his lie. Alvin. Ash."

Truthfully, Calem shook his head. He didn't even want to know what Ash had done.

Serena narrowed her eyes up at him, no longer trusting of anything carrying a Y chromosome but she figured, Calem had nothing to gain or lose by being a part of Ash's scheme. What Brock, Kaiwe, or Gary had to gain or lose, she couldn't fathom either but the fact that two of her friends were out on the town with the lying despicable had to account for their part in Ash's plans.

Whatever the case, Serena was drained. Mentally and physically. Sure, there was a lot more she could say. A lot more she could do. But now was not the time. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in her favorite pjs and take out with a carton of ice cream.

"Calem, please take us home," she said with a deep sigh. Calem nodded and said his car was a few blocks away so they'd have to walk or they could wait while he brought it.

"We'll walk."

There was no way she was going to stay another second.

"You know," Shauna spoke up, looking directly at Ash. "I only met you yesterday but I read about you before and actually respected you. Especially when you said you were going to wait for 'the one' and do everything right. I don't know the whole story here but I have to ask, what you did was right?"

With that, Shauna turned and stared to follow Calem who had already begun walking.

Serena was about to follow when she remembered something.

"Calem," Serena called out in a loud voice, loud enough for her words to carry at least a block. "I accept the date."