Serena's POV

"Okay, so! I have got a green, violet, yellow, orange, blue, red and silver one! So, what do you think? Which one looks the best?" Marina said as she held up all her dresses for me and Ash to rate.

We both were called into the living room to judge the dresses Marina had and help her choose one. I don't know why I am here, but I still am here sitting on the couch.

"Is there any color left that you don't have?" I ask as I look at the 'rainbow' she is holding up.

"Of course! I don't have white, black, magenta, sky blue, gold-" She started rambling.

This is so tiring.

"Okay, okay! Marina, let's get a dress for you!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yes Ash! Thank you! You are way better than my sister in this stuff." She said pouting at me.

I casually shrugged my shoulders.

"What can I say- we should be aware of such stuff too if our girls don't know about it." He smirked at my annoyed face and stood up. 

He walked over to Marina and held up the red dress against her.

"Marina, red suits you, but I think half of the girls will be wearing red so try to avoid it. In fact, Dawn would be so furious if she sees you all dressed up in red because you would look far more pretty than her. Guys would fall head over heels for you and ignore her. And we don't want a tantrum from her, now do we?" Ash shook his head and chuckled as he kept the dress on the couch and picked the green one.

Marina slightly blushed at Ash's compliment but soon her face turned into a frown.

"You are going with Dawn?" She asked as Ash held up the dress and inspected it.

"Yeah." Ash sighed.

"But I thought-" Marina started but stopped when Ash shook his head. I couldn't see his expression as his back was towards me but he surely didn't look happy because Marina held his cheek and rubbed it soothingly. She gave him a comforting, gentle smile.

Dawn Berlitz. Oh you are so dead.

I clenched my fist and let go when Ash and Marina were looking at me.

"Uh- sorry. What did you say?"

"How does this one look? I think it doesn't go with her eyes." Ash looked at the green dress and then at Marina, considering it.

"That shade is too dark for her eyes. Also, it looks a little dull. What about- this one?" I stood up and held the silver dress.

"No, I wore this once and everyone has seen it before. I want something new!" Marina pouted.

I looked through her dresses and picked the yellow one while Ash took the blue one.

"Not blue, Ash. Her eyes don't match with that blue." I commented.

"Oh right. But yellow won't look good either. Too bright." He pointed out.

I looked at the yellow dress again. Yeah it was too bright.

I nodded and then grabbed the violet dress. Ash took the orange one.

"Well both of these suit you Mari. They both are great. So now choose." Ash said as I nodded, agreeing with him.

Both the violet and orange dresses looked beautiful.

The orange one was a long, simple but elegant dress. It was sleeveless and its neck was an oval-cut. From the neck to waist, the dress had beautiful silver and shimmering designs. Little mirrors and pearls were attached here and there. Below the waist, the dress was plain orange and spread out on the floor. It wasn't really a party dress, but an elegant and formal one. It would look gorgeous on Marina.

The violet dress was beautiful too. It too was sleeveless and had a small oval neck, but it was shorter. It was a thigh-length dress. The region covering the neck was netted and below that, the chest area was well covered. It had blue and silver crystals. From the waist, the dress was like a tutu. It wasn't spread out much but it looked really cute with its netted cover. The fabric under the net was soft and silky and a dark shade of violet. Marina would look so cute in this one.

"How will I choose from these two?! They both are so beautiful!" Marina whined as she hugged both the dresses.

I stood beside Ash, with a hand on my hip and shook my head. Ash crossed his hands over his chest and seemed deep in thought too.

"Why don't you ask Mom?" I suggested.

At this Marina shook her head furiously, saying, "Mama will stop me from wearing either of these. She will give me some her old dresses to wear!"

"What about your Dad?" Ash asked.

"Dad will not be able to help. He will say, 'Ahh! My darling! You will look so beautiful in both of these! No matter what you wear, you will remain beautiful.'" Marina exclaimed as she tried to imitate Dad.

I chuckled and shook my head. Both the dresses were amazing.

I wish I had some reason to go to the prom too.

I subconsciously glanced at Ash who was busy choosing a dress for Marina.

If I would go, you would be the reason I would dress for.

"Marina, why don't you ask your date?" I asked.

"No ways! It is a surprise for him!!" She exclaimed.

"Who is your date, by the way?" Ash asked. He glanced at me knowingly before turning back to Marina.

"O-oh, i-it-it's-it's-it's- Calem." She blushed.

"Aww, my baby sis is blushing!" I cooed.

"S-Shut up!" Marina covered her face with her hands and started mumbling something.

"Marina, I think you should wear the violet one." Ash recommended.

"Why?" Marina tilted her head.

"Well, prom will be in the evening. Orange is much more of a 'day' color. I think violet will be better for a night event. Also your hair color and eye color will blend perfectly with the violet in the dark." Ash explained.

"Wow Ash. You are experienced." I praised and clapped my hands.

Ash bowed and said a small 'thank you'.

"Okay! So violet it it. Now let's see for some matching heels makeup and head gear!" Marina excitedly jumped and ran up to her room.

Me and Ash had a victory high-five. We heard some shuffling upstairs and soon Marina was down with some boxes and packets.

"Okay! So now help me out!" Marina exclaimed as me and Ash looked at each other and groaned silently.

And here I was thinking that this was finally over. But apparently it wasn't.

~O~

Later in the afternoon, I heard few knocks on my door. I got up and put my homework aside to see who it was. It was Marina and she was holding a bag in her hand. She looked a little nervous.

"May I come in?" She squeaked.

I nodded my head and opened the door to let her come in. 

She came in while saying a soft 'thank you' and placed the bag on my bed. She then took a deep breath and turned around to face me. I widened my eyes slightly and gulped after I saw a little frown and her eyes narrow at me.

"Okay? So what's up?" I tried to hide the fact that Marina was scaring me a little.

"Ash is going with Dawn?" She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.

I nodded and shrugged as if it was nothing.

But it was.

"Dawn Berlitz?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I mean- didn't Ash tell you that already. And why are you looking at me like that?"

"Ash Ketchum is going with Dawn Berlitz, the brat, when you have no one to go with." She pointed a finger at me.

"So?" I asked.

"So? Serena, you should have been the one to go with him." She flailed her arms.

I face-palmed and groaned.

"Mari, at least he is going. I am not even willing to go. I mean- what will I do there?" I tried to explain my reason of not going. But it was a lie. I would have gone, if Ash would have asked me.

"No Serena. You should have been the one to go with Ash not that snob!" Marina sighed and looked at me with sympathy. "Don't lie Serena. You want to go, but you are not going because Ash is not with you."

I widened my eyes at her.

Was it that obvious?

"Serena, Ash was going to ask you. But, I don't know what happened, but he wasn't able to ask you and gave up." Marina explained.

I looked at her in shock.

So Ash was trying to ask me out? And I messed up.

"I think he was afraid of you rejecting him and making fun of him. So he couldn't tell you." Marina rubbed her arm as she looked at me.

I scared him.

"Marina! I am so dumb! He was trying to ask me! He said that maybe we could go together and then I asked him whether he was trying to ask me out and then he- he just said that even if he asked, I would have said no. And then he told me about Dawn, and I d-didn't stop him." I buried my face in my head.

I am such a big mess-up.

"Serena, we have got some time. See I got you this!" She grabbed the bag and held it for me to take it.

"What- what is it?" I asked as I opened the bag and saw Marina smiling.

Oh.

It was a dress. The most beautiful one, I had ever seen.

"Wait- this is for- me?" I asked, shocked and disbelievingly. 

"Yup!" Marina smiled at me and giggled at my expression.

"But- I am not going-" I started but was interrupted by Marina as she placed her hands on my shoulders and looked deep into my eyes with determination.

"You are going! Listen, if you leave Ash with that brat, she is obviously going to ditch him sooner or later and then humiliate him. He will be stuck at prom without a date. Then you come in, give your star entry as no one will expect you to come, and be Ash's date. Then dance and confess and the next day you will be a couple. Then you will marry and have-"

"Okay-okay! So you want me to go to prom? Without a date?"

"Ash will be your date. And if Dawn doesn't ditch him, which has only 0.001% chance that she will not, then he will come running to you because you will look gorgeous." Marina exclaimed.

I smiled softly at the fabric in my hand but shook my head.

"Thanks Mari. But I won't. It is not my thing." I scratched the back of my head as I placed the dress in the bag and gave it back to Marina.

"Okay." Marina sighed.

I felt bad for her. She did so much just to convince me to go. She even got such a beautiful dress.

Sigh.

I am sorry.

"Serena, just keep the dress. If you don't want to come then don't but please, I got this for you. But just so you know, it is never not too late to change your mind." She held out the dress.

"Okay. Thank you and I am sorry."

"No sweat, sis! Oh look at the time! Its already 5.30, I need to get ready. Okay bye Serena!" Marina rushed out my room, leaving the dress in my hand.

Should I try?