Serena's P.O.V

I walked to lunch, my heart still fluttering from later that morning. Alain? Out of ever girl in school he asked me out?

My cheeks inflamed at the thought as I walked over to the lunch table.

But the thought of watching Ash walk away into the crowd of students.... He seemed- unhappy. Maybe he just didn't get enough sleep? Maybe. It could just be him not approving instead probably. There is another possibility, but I'll never consider such a thing.

I saw everyone sitting at the lunch table except for one empty seat where May usually sits.

"Where's May?" I asked, taking my seat at the lunch table.

"Where have you've been?" Misty asked, looking at me. "We didn't see you this morning."

"Sorry. I was kinda busy." I said, starting to play with my salad in front of me.

"Busy with what?" Caleb asked, eyeing me.

"Eh- nothing." I said, hiding my blush.

"Ugh, tell us already. It's not like you did nothing all morning." Iris sighed.

"Well, you didn't answer my question." I said, my eyelids half closed.

"Well if you were with us this morning, you would of known that she went on a vacation to Florida. We won't see her again till we start school again."

"What!?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah." Iris said. "Oh- I also forgot to tell you that she took Drew with her."

"She what!?" I asked, even louder.

Misty smirked. "Yep. Now where were you this morning."

"Uh-" I edged back in my seat. "Nothing."

"You already said that." Dawn pouted.

"I know I did! That's because nothing really happened!" I yelled.

"I don't believe you." She crossed her arms.

"Agh." I sweat dropped.

"TELL US ALREADY!" Dawn yelled into my ear unexpectedly, leading me to jump out of my seat.

"Ow! Why do you always have to yell directly into my ear!?" I asked, holding onto the side of my head, as if my eardrums probably going to be dead in the next hour if I didn't.

"Because then you'll actually answer the dang questions we ask." Dawn said sighing slightly.

"Fine, geez." I sat back in my seat. "A-" I looked over at Calem. "A-". I kept hesitating.

"Ash?" Dawn asked, her eyes widening.

"What? No. It's Alain not Ash."

"Alain? That know it all?" Dawn raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I think he's dreamy." Misty said, placing her head over the palm of her hand.

"That's your opinion." Dawn said, squinting her eyes at Misty and then turned back towards me. "What about Alain?"

"Uh-" I hesitated again. "He kinda- asked me if I wanted to... go out to eat with him sometime." I said and then buried my head into my shoulders, readying for an outburst, but there wasn't any.

I looked back up at everyone and saw everyone's face blank, as if they weren't even allowed to blink.

"Are... you guys going to say anything?" I asked.

They stayed quiet as they all continued to stare at me.

"WHAT!?" Dawn exclaimed, finally severing the silence like always and disturbed the rest of the people in the cafeteria. "HE DID WHAT!? DON'T TELL ME YOU SAID YES!"

"I said yes." I blinked.

"WHAT!?" She exclaimed again.

"Dawn do you mind being quiet!? Everyone's looking!" Iris whispered.

Dawn sat back down at her seat, but continued to complain.

"It's not that bad." I frowned.

"He practically asked you out!" Misty shouted.

"I wouldn't say 'asked out'." I blushed.

"What else would it be called!? Serena! He asked you out on a date!" Misty screamed.

I blushed, thinking of Alain. He really did ask me out.

Calem stayed quiet as he sat in his seat at the table. I couldn't tell if he approved or not. He did want me to hang around Alain right?

"How does Ash feel about this?" Iris questioned.

"Ash? Why would he care?" I blinked.

"BECAUSE HE'S YOUR CRUSH!" Dawn yelled.

"Doesn't mean he would care." I frowned.

Dawn face palmed herself. "Does Ash even know?"

"Yeah." I said, edging away from Dawn a bit.

"How did he react?"

"He went to class. He was there when it happened. It- it's not like he cares." I said, continuing to mess with my food, not even hungry over the conversation.

"I'm happy for you Serena." Calem grinned.

Everyone glanced over at him while Iris face palmed herself.

"Would you just shut up already." Misty said, looking at Calem hatefully.

"What's so wrong?" Calem asked, raising his shoulders. "You should all be happy for her."

Everyone glanced at him for a split second and then looked back over at me, expecting me to say something.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"So do you like Alain or Ash?" Misty questioned, bringing silence at the lunch table.

I stood there, not answering.

Ring, ring, ring

The bell rang, everyone around us standing up and leaving. Saved by the bell.

I got up as well and grabbed my backpack.

"Where are you going?" Iris asked.

"Class." I answered plain and simple and walked out of the cafeteria, hoping that they wouldn't follow and ask me the question again.

To be honest, I didn't know the answer to the question.

As I walked towards class, I saw Ash at the corner of my eye.

"Ash!" I exclaimed gleefully and then ran over to him.

He looked over at me in somewhat a surprised look and said, "Hey."

"What are doing?" I asked.

"Going to class." He replied simply and continued to walk towards the school building.

I blinked a couple times until i ran back up to Ash. And said, "You didn't answer my question this morning. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"I don't believe that." I looked up at him.

"Well I do. So can you just leave me alone now?" He snapped at me, throwing me back a bit as if I was punched in the stomach.

"Seriously Ash. This isn't you." I frowned. "Please, just tell me what's bothering you."

Ash stayed quite as we entered the school building and down the hall, greeting an awkward silence between us as we walked towards Spanish.

As we were about to enter Spanish class, he stopped walking and turned around to face me.

"Look I'm sorry. I just don't- I just don't like Alain. Okay? There. Now you can leave me alone." Ash said, sounding loathsome.

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, I looked up at Ash, but the moment I did, he looked away and continued to head towards class.

"Wait!" I yelled.

"What?" Ash asked, hatefully.

"Why do you not like him?"

"Why do you like him?" He mumbled under his breath, but just enough for me to hear.

"Ash, please. Just tell me what's wrong." I said, almost pleading.

Ash stopped walking again and looked down at the ground, his eyes shrouded by his hat. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring

The warning bell rang, bringing silence in between me and Ash as I watched him continue to walk forward, towards Spanish class, not saying a word.