"Ah I see! You two already met!"

All I could do was stare. I tried to control my muscles, to take control over my body, but I failed. I just couldn't. All of my rage pumped into my fists, leading me to clench them. "Serena? Are you alright?" Misty asked. "What? No- I mean- yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I stuttered. She still didn't look convinced, but who could blame her? I didn't even believe myself.

"Well then, you two, I guess you know what to do. And no, that wasn't supposed to rhyme." Misty said, but I was still too paralyzed. All I could do was walk out of the room, Ash behind me. "So, since we do have something to do with each other, don't you think we should start over?" he asked. I just looked at him. Blankly.

"Sorry, but I don't think I'm the right state of mind to decide yet." I told him, on which he leaned forward and started whispering: "I highly suggest to never let truth get in the way of beauty."

What?
                          ——08:00 pm——

Okay, just one more hour to go and I can head home. I didn't talk to Ash after the incident. We just did our jobs, took the orders, cleaned the tables, blah blah blah. Nothing new, but after a while, Misty showed up and gave us a little break. 20 minutes for ourselves, since the cafe wasn't that full anymore.

I just went outside and sat on a bench in front of the cafe, trying to figure out what Ash said, but since I noticed he already sat next to me, why not just ask him? "What did you mean?" I asked. He looked at me with a puzzled face. "Never let truth get in the way of beauty. What did you mean?"

A smirk appeared on his face, but I couldn't figure out why, but that wasn't my primary interest anyway, so I didn't really care, even though it looked very very cute. Oops.

"What I was trying to say was, either if my apology was just a lie, a trick or whatever you'd like to call it, forgiving would be easiest for both you and me."

"Explain." I asked

"Forgiving isn't the beginning of a friendship, it's the end of a conflict. All I was trying to say was don't let the burden of an argument sit on you just because you don't trust someo-"

"Fine. I forgive you."

I cut him off. I didn't even really know why I was angry with him anymore. The way he talks was just too convincing. I couldn't do anything, but obey. After I forgave, he gave me one of the realest, cutest and most beautiful smiles ever. I couldn't help it, I just needed to smile back, when suddenly, he started staring.

"Wow." he said huskily and almost surprised.

"What?" I asked.

"I just... never saw you smile."

"There's a first time for everything."

"You're cute."

"Thanks, I guess." I looked away again. We just sat there for a while. Silence. "You know what's interesting?" I asked, but he just looked at me with a puzzled look. I didn't look at him though, just saw sim from the corner of my eye.

"Can I trust you?"

He looked at me as if he was impressed for some reason, but after he got his act together again, he responded "Well, I guess I gave you the opportunity between fearing me or cut me out of your life. I didn't expect you to trust me." he answered what made me question:

Do I want to cut him out anymore?

"Even though I'd really like to be friends with you." he added and I looked up at him. What did I do for him to want to be friends with me? As if reading my thoughts, he continued:

"You're different." he told me but I didn't quite understand. I guess he sensed that I was clueless about what he told me, so he continued "I've really taken interest in you. Actually, I couldn't stop thi-..." he paused.

"...whatever. Forget the last part" he added and I nodded slowly with a confused look. "I didn't know I had that much of an influence on you." I giggled because he acted so cute and when I opened my eyes, he looked at me like he was paralyzed. "Is everything okay?" I asked and he came back to senses. "What? Oh, yeah I'm okay." he told me nervously scratching the back of his head, grinning. "Uhm, since it looks like we're going to spend a lot time with each other, wanna be... friends?" I asked.

He cheekily grinned. "Hmm, I don't know, 'cause like, can I trust you?" he asked and I hit him playfully. We looked at each other for a moment, but Misty interrupted the moment. "Okay, twenty minutes are over guys." she told us and we got back in immediately. Turns out that Ash and I make a really good team in the cafe. We almost work as one.

                  ——40 minutes later——

After we cleaned up the cafe we could finally head home. After Misty hugged Ash and me she got in her car and drove home, so it just left me and Ash in front of the cafe. "Uhm, do you need a ride?" he asked but I shook my head. "No, but thank you." I thanked him and we just stood there in silence for a few seconds. "See you in school then." he said and I smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, see you in school." I added and turned around to my bike, just as he reached our for my wrist. "Hey wait, uhm... can you give me your number? Maybe?" he asked, while I wondered what happened to his confidence. "Uhm.. sure." I said and typed my number in his phone. After that we waved good-bye and went separate ways.

What a weird day.

                    —————————————
At home (09:40pm):

After I arrived at home I changed into more comfortable clothes, ate something after Palermo and Miette were finished, went through my normal go-to-bed routine and laid down. I wasn't really tired to be honest. I tried to fall asleep, but I just couldn't. I tried to read a book, but I really wasn't in the mood for any books at the moment, so I just laid there, thinking.

And thinking. And thinking. And thinking.

Until my thoughts wandered all the way to the fire. Since my parents died, there was nothing that made me feel... wanted. Useful. Sure, I'd do Palermo's chores from time to time, but was that all? Do chores?I was just... there, living and dying, not knowing which one I was closer to.

Suddenly I feel pain on the tip of my index finger and realized, I was doing it again. I digged my nail into my fingertip again, but before I could do anything about it, my phone buzzed and I forgot about my finger. It was an unknown number.

Him: Hey. It's Ash btw

Oh, it's Ash.

Me: Hey.

Him: Can't sleep?

Me: I wouldn't be texting if I could

Him: My bad. What are you doing?

Me: nothing

Him: you can't do nothing

Me: I can and I am doing nothing

Him: but if u 'do nothing' u are doing something

Me: and what is that?

Him: nothing

Me: I'm breathing if u wanted to know that bad

Him: ah, ofc, the ability of turning oxygen into carbon dioxide

Me: no offense, but what's up with you? Like, idk, I expected something else when I first heard of you. Again, no offense

Him: Nah, it's okay. I even think that myself sometimes.

Me: ngl ur weirding me out. I met you only two days ago and we're talking about something as intimate as carbon dioxide

Him: indeed very intimate. V much kinky

Me: omg stop the 'kinky'

Him: I don't even know why I'm texting you tbh. You just seem... cute

Me: What do you mean?

Him: Like I said. You're cute.

Me: If there's one thing I'm not it's cute

Him: Why? I like the way your mind works. It's random

Me: my mind has a mind of its own.

Him: if your mind has a mind if it's own does the mind of your mind also have a mind if it's own that also has a mind of it's own?

Me: reading that made me dizzy

Him: I'm kidding. let's go back to carbon dioxide

Me: I thought carbon dioxide was too intimate just a few minutes ago?

Him: I have layers

Me: i'm just teasing shh

Him: But i doo

Me: Mmh... actually freaks me out a bit

Him: For your Information: I'm laughing rn

Me: I'm glad my out-freaking is entertaining

Him: You're fun to talk to

Me: thanks

Him: Np

I started yawning a little and realized it already was pretty late.

Me: I'm getting pretty tired. Guess I'll get
        some sleep. Good night

Him: Sweet dreams.

I didn't respond. I put my phone back and fell asleep immediately.

Heeeeey. People, sorry if you found the chat too long, but once I started with it I couldn't stop! Pleaaase tell me what you think so far. I'd love that! Aaaand to clarify something: Serena's not depressed. I know it sounds like it, but she isn't ;D She's just very thoughtful and deep. I liked creating her like that, because I never read a fic with a deep Serena. If you did, comment the links in my comments. I'm running out of amourshipping fics!
Thanks for reading!

<3