ASH

"I thought you were going to explode like a nuclear bomb" Paul remarked casually as Ash stopped in middle of the secluded foyer. "I had never seen you so angry."

"I don't know Paul" Ash muttered in an uncharacteristic manner. "It just - I felt like I was taken back in the past; when people used to treat my mother the very same way I saw Lillie Aether getting treated. Like just because they are women, they are at the mercy of other people."

"And the worst thing?" Ash turned to look at Paul in the eye. "It always always come from the people at home."

Paul looked his away, his eyes downcast. He knew which incident Ash was referring to.

Ash's mother, Delia, had always been strong enough to stand against the stereotypes of her friends and family. Even when she was weighed down by the grief of her husband's death, she still gathered every bit of her willpower to build a business empire.

Unfortunately, Paul's mother couldn't ever be like Delia. Despite being a highly successful and respected woman in the society, she had to endure the ill-treatment of her orthodox Japanese in-laws.

In the end, she had become a hollow shell of what used to be a woman full of dreams and aspirations.

"I know the best" Paul kept a hand over his throbbing temples. Then he lowered his arm, as a thought occured to him like wind "But is that the only reason why you were so angry?"

Ash stared at Paul.

They both knew why he was mad.

A minute of silence felt like eternity to Ash. He kept lying to himself all the time or maybe, he just didn't wanted to believe it. He didn't wanted anything to change, except it had to change.

There was no middle ground for Ash and Serena. When Delia comes back, he will have only two choices. Either to let go or let her go.

His throat had never felt so dry. He thought he had become good at overcoming difficult situations after his father's death. After all, what was more difficult than getting over the daunting image of one's father's lifeless corpse?

"You -" Paul started when suddenly he was interrupted by another voice.

"Mr. Ketchum! Mr. Shinji!" Lillie's voice reverberated as she ran towards them. She stopped right in front of them, catching her breath.

Paul turned his attention to the pretty blonde. Ash's gaze lingered a second longer on Paul's back of the head before he looked away. He had never been so glad to be distracted.

"Ms. Aether, are you alright?" Ash asked as she straightened up. Her eyes were red and swollen but she wasn't crying anymore.

"Yes" Lillie nodded. She then bowed her head. "I wanted to thank you for what you did. And Mr. Shinji as well."

"This" She paused. "This is the first time anyone has ever stood up for me. So I am very grateful to you."

"We did what we had to, Ms. Aether" Ash replied, solemnly. "I didn't mean to disrespect your mother though."

"No, it was needed." Lillie waved her hand dismissively. She smiled "It has been a while since someone had stood up to her. I am sure it will quieten her for a few days. Good riddance."

"Is she always like this?" Paul asked.

"For as long as I can remember, yes" The platinum blonde shrugged. Then she looked at Ash. "Honestly, she wasn't wrong when she said I had always obeyed her. But today I wasn't going to."

"Pardon?" Ash gave her a confused look.

Lillie blushed, pulling her white glove from her left hand to reveal a pink diamond ring. "I already have a fiancée. Her name is Mallow."

Ash and Paul exchanged quick glances of surprise.

"Congratulations, Ms. Aether" Ash said smiling happily. Paul nodded awkwardly.

"I know this is out of blue" Lillie laughed nervously. "I was going to tell my mother today but she had me dragged into her office. Mind you, I had no idea she was going to pull that stunt in there."

"Will you be telling her?" Ash asked, glancing at the pretty diamond ring.

"I will" The emerald-eyed young woman smiled. "My brother, Gladion, is coming home tonight. He already knows. We are gonna sit and have a long chat over dinner."

Then as a reassurance, she added "Don't worry. There isn't anything she can say that would change my mind about it. Me and my brother had enough. I had enough."

"I am glad to hear that."

SERENA

"Ugh, my feet are hurting" Dawn complained as they both took seat in one of the restaurant booths. Serena looked at her sympathetically.

"Do you want to exchange your shoes with mine?" Serena suggested politely. Dawn had struggled walking in her brand new heels all through the mall; her new heels had given her shoe bite.

"Nah, that's fine" Dawn shook her head. "It will hurt you as well."

"I don't mind."

"You are too kind for your own good, Serena" The bluenette smiled. Then she added apologetically. "I already feel bad that you had to carry all those shopping bags. I am really very sorry about it."

"I was happy to help" Serena refuted. "Don't be sorry. I like hanging out with Dawn."

"Really?" Dawn beamed, cupping her cheeks. "I like hanging out with Serena too."

The honey blonde smiled. They sat in the silence of the vintage restaurant, Closer softly playing in the background. In more than one ways, Serena felt reminded of Arianna's café.

'I wondered if she is doing okay' Serena wondered. She hadn't once crossed paths with Arianna, one of the few people who had been so kind to her. And she had neither crossed paths with . . . Calem.

A wisp of breath got caught in her throat. She had let it slip her mind to enjoy the remaining few hours in Hawaii. But now, when she had nothing to do . . . She couldn't help but her thoughts wander to Ash's brother.

Initially, she believed it was better to pretend that she didn't know anything. But that would be unfair to the kindness Ash had shown her.

Her mind had never been so conflicted. All her life she had carefree in the orphanage, and even though Palermo wasn't the nicest person to be around, Serena and May never starved under her care.

Serena was grateful for that.

"What are you thinking?" Serena came face to face with royal blue eyes  an inch away from her. She backed off, surprised by the sudden proximity.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to startle you" Dawn said sheepishly. Then her eyes twinkled mysteriously. "Are you going to tell me what you were thinking?"

Should she? Serena questioned herself. Although she had grown closer with Dawn, the bluenette was still Ash's friend. Not hers.

Which meant that Dawn had no obligations to keep Serena's secret with her.

"Just some things" Serena mumbled, hating that she had to lie. Her expression must have exposed her lies, because then Dawn smiled a smile which was soft and different from her usual sunny classic beams.

"Something I shouldn't know?"

"I am sorry" Serena apologised, feeling guilty but not knowing what else to say.

"Thats okay. We all have secrets now, don't we?" Dawn smiled. "But just so you know, if you ever feel like it is being too much for you to shoulder alone, I will be here for you."

"Dawn . . ." Serena trailed off, something pulling at her heartstrings. When was the last time someone had told something like this to her?

"We are women" Dawn wagged her finger at the blonde confidently. "We are strong, independent and powerful on our own. We don't need anybody; be it a man or woman to make us happy. But then, we are also humans."

Dawn let her finger drop, her confident expression melting. "At the end of the day, we also get hurt, feel depressed or need a shoulder to cry on. Thinking that you can survive alone in this world is impractical and foolish."

"So lean on others" The bluenette smiled warmly. "Take help. Fall in love and let them love you for yourself. Cry if you feel like it. Smile like there is no tomorrow. Life is short, so live. Live without regrets so that when the Grim Reaper comes for your soul, you will be satisfied to let go. That is what my mom says."

Serena's breath hitched in her throat, her heart pounding against her ribcage.

She had never lived for herself. Up until the car wreck, she had lived for May. Then she started working for herself. But was that living? No, she was simply surviving.

She had gone with the flow of life, too scared to be enticed by the things that didn't come to her naturally.

She took the opportunities that knocked at her door. But she never dared run after something that wasn't presented before her on a silver platter.

She ran her fingers through her silky blonde hair. She had once believed that her honey blondes were magical just like Rapunzel. Just like how she had believed that she would grow up up be an author.

Since when, Serena questioned herself, did she stopped believing in her dreams?

The waitress who was running to and fro, jotting down the orders from the afternoon crowd finally managed to drag herself to where Serena and Dawn sat.

"What can I get you two?" She asked tiredly, trying her best to be professional.

"Just chicken fricasse and French onion soup with The Blánc" Dawn said as the waitress noted it down.

"And for you, ma'am?" The waitress turned towards Serena who jolted out of her trance. The honey blonde opened her mouth but no words came out and then after a split-second, she regained her composure.

"Same" She blurted out, her voice barely audible above the bustle. But the waitress nodded, penning it down, and went away.

"Are you okay, Serena?" Dawn smiled comfortingly.

Serena shook her head, smiling. Dawn was right; life was too short and unpredictable. She wasn't going to sit around and wait for things to fall in place by themselves.

Ash didn't knew where his brother was. Serena knew where he was. The only thing she needed to do was pick up her phone and dial Calem's number. Maybe it was the only thing she needed to do to rekindle their connection.

"Thankyou Dawn" Serena fleetingly looked at her phone, determined. "Thanks to you, I feel like my thoughts cleared up alot. Seriously."

"Don't mention it" Dawn grinned. "I just passed on my mom's advice to you. I didn't wanted to admit but I guess some of her advice does work."