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chapter 45.
(o9/1o)
mending broken ends !

preview:

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Classes flew by rather quickly. The enthusiasm of the end of the year ball had not died out yet. If at all, several girls had started to live their teenage dreams. Including my best friend, Lisia, who had managed to capture the stoic and studious Calem to blush and stutter around her.

Shauna and I sighed in unison, looking at Calem go red as Lisia handed him a chocolate. We turned away soon after, to give them as much privacy as they could possibly get in a classroom filled with students.

The couple, that I had not expected in the slightest, were Misty and Gary. I had always harboured insecurity towards the former, seeing how close she was with Ash. What with her grudge against me for no apparent reason, it could easily be associated with jealousy.

"Hey, you do realize that we're the only girls in this class who are as single as a Pringle?" Shauna's voice shook me out of my musings, and I laughed in response. "What, you at least have a crush, and your guy's good-looking. I can't, for all the donuts in this world, find myself one like him."

"Oh, shut up," I retorted. Her running joke with calling Ash 'mine' was too old to gag about.

I checked my watch. It was five to the end of his soccer practice. Better get going.

"You're still at it? Seriously?" my best friend asked, rolling her eyes. I gave her sheepish smile, before bading farewell and breaking into a run. No sooner than I reached the lockers than the skies started crying. A thunder rolled out, and I gave out a tiny yelp. Sudden sounds startle me out of my wits.

I reached locker 287, and found his water bottle, again. What if he's here...hiding?

I quickly placed the letter I wrote, closed it shut, and was about to leave when something prevented me from taking the next step; a tight hand gripped my left wrist.

"Where will you go when it's pouring Meowths and Lilipups?" A chill shiver ran up my spine, and I pulled my hood closer with my free hand. Focus, Serena! Be cold.

"I'd be anywhere but here."

"Well, I was under the impression that you wanted an Adrien Agreste. Pardon me for reading your letters carefully." He read those letters?!

"Y-you read them?" I stammered, still not looking his way.

"Wasn't that the reason why you write them daily and put them in here?" I shook my head violently in embarrassment, and heard him chuckle. "Don't worry. They weren't half as cringe as the ones I wrote to...let's say, the girl I like."

My heart dropped to my feet. An horde of what-ifs fell into place in my mind, making me feel so ugly. Of course he loves that short-haired girl... Misty maybe, but she doesn't, and he's miserable because of that. Probably the reason why Shauna didn't see him at the ball.

"Earth to Butterhead?" I snapped out of my thoughts, and gave a violent tug of my wrist, but his grip did not budge. It only burned where our skins touched.

"Let me go!"

"But why?" His tone seemed earnest, but I should not pursue someone who's heart is already taken.

"Because I'm ugly as hell, cringe as heck, and a freaking stalker!"

"Serena, it truly kills me how your mind can make you feel so ugly when you are beautiful inside and out."

"What would you want to do with me...?" I continued, trying to shake off him off.

His grip loosened a little, and I tugged at it, successfully removing myself from his grip. I considered taking a chance and running away despite the downpour, but then he spoke so suddenly, and I heard the cracks in his voice. "I want to return your favor. I want to let my walls come down, around you alone, Serena."

My hand shot to my beating heart. Don't lose your head because of that stupid thing in your chest! "I thought... you liked a girl."

"I do." A short and sweet answer; enough to shatter your teenage fantasies and trample down your heart. "Tell me, Butterhead, would I ever be lucky enough to see your true face?"

I shook my head earnestly. No. Never.

"Perhaps, once before you go, am I allowed to hug you?"

My response was negative again. No matter what he tells, I'll decline, and run from here. That way would be the best for us.

"Are you even listening to me, Serena?"

Wait, Serena?

"Y-you are mistaking me for somebody else! I'm not - I'm -" My words drowned as he walked to stand in front of me. He rose his left hand, and cupped my cheek, his eyes warm, and face soft.

"You really hate me that much, huh?"

I was speechless. The blood running through my veins burned as if on fire, but something in me went out as soon as I saw a lone tear slip down his cheek. He did not turn away, as I expected him to. "Ash?"

"I deserve your hate. You can hate me all your life, I'm sorry, but... why?" He took in a ragged breath, and clenched his jaw. "Why did you keep your promise?" He did not forget it?

Without any bravery of my own accord, I spoke, "Because a promise once made is supposed to be kept. You haven't changed at all, Ash. You and I; we're both stubborn as hell."

He smiled, albeit very lowly. "I wasn't good enough to deserve somebody like you, Serena. I-"

I cut him short. Seeing tears hurry down his cheek was breaking my heart. "Can we go out? I-I cannot see you like this."

"Nor can I you." That's when I realized just how moist my cheeks had become; how I had managed to wet Ash's palm. I laughed, humorlessly, before I was dragged by the hand.

We ran, through streets and alleyways, under the steady rain, until we reached a courtyard. Under the blanket of trees, and with a comfortable bench to sit on, we made ourselves comfortable.

"Under the rain, nobody figures whether we're crying or not," Ash said, looking up while holding his right hand as a shield from the incoming raindrops. His left, though, was gripping my wrist.

"Ash," I began, feeling obligated to be the initiator. "I owe you an apology. I didn't realize the worth of something that was right in front of me, calling out for me, until it was gone."

"Y'know? I was the one who made both you and myself miserable by cutting ties," he responded, bitterly. "You're a studious girl, and I a foolish boy; I should not have been so desperate for your attention during class hours. If at all, I should be the one apologizing. I was stupid. Still am."

I was taken aback. He was desperate for my attention?

"Why?"

He leaned back in his seat, and for a few seconds we watched frogs come out and dance in the rain. We were soaking wet, and I was sure the both of us would catch a nasty cold.

"When I left you, your thoughts plagued me. I admit, as much fun as I had reading Butterhead's letters, I couldn't help but not think of you.

"Every night, every time I looked at the stars, or the dewy grass...thoughts of you ran fresh in my mind. I was ready to cross the borders of Kalos and Kanto over and over again if it meant I'd get to stay with you, but I failed to acknowledge the line between busy and arrogance." His voice cracked, but he went on, "I'm sorry, truly. I never realized you were the ray of sunshine in my life until it started raining."

Ash turned to look at me. "Ever heard a song and thought of me?" He never failed to surprise me. "I did. 'I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, but I was only kidding myself.' Take a guess?"

"Before you go," I whispered. I saw him nod from the corner of my eye.

"I think the time is ripe. I-er," he stuttered, scratching his cheek. "I think that you're the brightest star in my sky, the girl behind the mask of Butterhead, who relentlessly goes out of her way to save my life."

I knew for sure that if this moment did not pause, my heart would win a marathon. His grip tightened, and he looked me in the eye, chocolate to sapphire. "Huh?"

"Serena, I think I've caught feelings for you." The rain thickened, but I saw nothing but the genuine confession in those gorgeous orbs. His bangs, wet and sticky, almost covered them, but he did not seem to mind.

As for me, my brain stopped working. Only when Ash looked away did I realize how much I wanted him to stare at me.

"I just want to let you know that I... totally am chill if your feelings have changed. It would be... cool to stay friends too." There he was, the vulnerable Ash who I wanted to change, back again as he looked at his shoes.

"Have you actually read those letters?" I asked, my voice surprisingly steady. He looked at me in wonder, before turning away and nodding, color tinting his cheeks. "I believe I already confessed how I felt about you?"

Strange, but much welcomed warmth spread over me as he grinned, and scooped me into an embrace. It wasn't a passionate kiss, but a soul-warming hug; one that let my senses tugging and asking for more.

A thunder rolled a few miles away, and I shrieked, breaking the embrace and instantly regretting it. "You want to go somewhere else? I think I'm done with the cry-baby stuff," Ash said, looking at me with concerned eyes. I nodded.

"Come on, Adrien Agreste. Fulfill your vows!" I heard him laugh as I started sprinting away.

"You might have to slow down a little bit, M'lady!" he shouted, and my feet slipped on the road. Not again!

I whined in pain. Why was I so unfortunate?

"Aww, look at you. Fallen down again!" Ash exclaimed as he came to stop in front of me. Withdrawing his handkerchief from his pocket, he kneeled down and tied my knee, chuckling to himself. It got wet soon, but it did not matter. The déjà vu I felt then was overwhelming.

The next thing I knew, he was offering his hand. And when he pulled me up, with extra force no less, we ended up embracing each other. Rain poured all around, but in my mind, it was just the two of us. My heart beating against his, the way I wanted to live my life as a teenager.

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Hey guys!
The main story is done, yeah. We've got five more letters, and then the epilogue!

I thank everyone of you for your support! I've reached nearly 1.8k reads on this book, which is an achievement after almost an year of 9oo something reads! Thanks a lot!

I'm in the process of making the Ash's PoV book dream come true! I've written 42 chapters, and we've only reached the start of this story then! I'll post a sneak peak of that book here after finishing the epilogue!

Can I please know what you guys thought of this story? Pwetty please? :]

Thank you for reading!

Miyoko x