~2.3K words

Serena picked up the tray of macarons and pushed it into the oven. Setting the temperature at just the right scale, she wiped her batter covered hands on her apron and sighed. That was the final batch of the Christmas themed macarons and once they were ready to be pulled out of the oven, all that was left to do was icing them with frosting and sprinkling them with powdered sugar.

"Hot chocolate?"

The honey blonde looked at the speaker and—

Auburn. A—

"No." She shook her head and looked at her macarons in the oven. They were just blobs of batter but somehow became the most fascinating sight for her at the moment.

She heard a sad sigh and then some shuffling. The clink of the mug being kept on the table sent a pang of guilt through the honey blonde.

"Honey?"

Serena looked back and her shoulders slumped. A mix of reluctance and something else she could not place her finger on tugged at her stomach. She strutted towards the kitchen table and sat down on a stool, staring at the mug kept in front of her.

Grace smiled slightly, and sat down across her, taking a gigantic slurp from her own mug.

"Now this tastes like heaven!" She exclaimed and chuckled, making the teen shake her head in embarrassment and disgust.

"Stop slurping it like that." Serena scrunched up her nose, as Grace kept slurping her hot chocolate mindlessly. "It sounds . . . weird."

"You young adults these days don't know what fun is."

Serena rolled her eyes. "It certainly isn't making disgusting sounds with your food."

"It sure is," the brunette chuckled, earning a groan from the honey blonde. "You are way too old for your age Serena. Lighten up a bit!"

"Well someone has to be the older person here and keep things in order, no?" The teen retorted, making the older woman roll her eyes as she took another sip of the hot chocolate.

"You used to slurp it just like this—and Clemont and Bonnie too, after seeing you do it."

Serena raised her brow, not believing the story one bit. She could not imagine herself doing something as unpleasant as that and neither did she remember it. And her being a role model for others is out of the question.

She shook the thought away and stared at the hot chocolate, hoping it would disappear and she would not have to deal with whatever Grace had come to her for.

"Why the sudden hot chocolate?" She blurted, with more sarcasm than she intended to, sensing that her mother had come to dig into her wounds.

"Can't a mother love her daughter?" Grace replied, meeting with silence as a reply from the honey blonde. She sighed. "I know you are thinking that I am here to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you. But I just want to sit here and share some hot chocolate. Is that so wrong?"

The honey blonde frowned, finding it difficult to believe her while stirring the spoon in the mug aimlessly. She then shook her head no, making the brunette smile softly.

"You can talk to me about it when you feel comfortable, Serena."

Serena pondered over her words carefully and nodded. Feeling comfortable about a breakdown was not in her vocabulary. And she knew that even her mother knew that she would never talk about it. It made her weaker than she already was—voicing out her inner thoughts was more difficult than it seemed.

And what was she supposed to say? She herself did not understand what was happening to her. One moment she wishes to never see him and the next she runs out into a storm to see him once again. She panics in his presence but then seeks comfort in his arms. She hates him but then she feels as if she lov—

Serena took a sip from her mug to distract herself from wandering off too far in her head. Her senses immediately fell numb to the sweetness and warmth of the chocolate melting onto her tongue, creating a gentle peace and slowing down her racing thoughts.

"This is so good." She mumbled, going for another sip, a breath of satisfaction escaping her.

Grace smiled brightly and nodded her head. "Nothing that a good hot chocolate can't fix."

The honey blonde nodded in agreement, a small smile lighting up her face. Grace breathed in relief, her daughter's smile easing some of the tension that loomed in her mind.

"Mama?"

"Hm?"

"Was it. . . him?"

The older woman looked at the teen, her brows creasing into a thoughtful frown. Serena could see the gears in her mother's head turning as she fought to answer the question.

"Honesty. Please." The honey blonde prompted desperately. Her eyes filled with tears as she anticipated the answer she would get.

It was him, I know that. There is no way—

The brunette sighed and shook her head no. "No, it wasn't him."

Serena inhaled a sharp breath of air and looked at her painfully. But she had been so sure.

Was it a dream?

Letting the self doubt sink in, she bit her lip and nibbled on it. She had seen him, his jacket. It was warm. It also smelled like spice and something unfamiliar she had never come across before, but it reminded her of him. He looked older. She couldn't possibly have imagined him all grown up. He was taller too, so much taller than her. Had he said something to her? She was no longer sure. Maybe he had—but what if he didn't? What if it was just a voice in her head?

It was a dream.

Grace sighed and took another loud sip of her hot chocolate, pulling the honey blonde's attention to herself. "I don't know what you dreamt of Serena, but just know that nothing is wrong with you. You are completely okay and normal." She reached out to cup the teen's cheek and smiled softly, "you are my daughter after all."

The teen smiled weakly and sipped on her hot chocolate.

Thank you Mama, but you didn't have to lie about me being your daughter. That is the one thing I am sure about.

"Serena, I think you should check on your macarons."

The teen snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, moving to check on the oven. She crouched down in front of the oven and looked at the batter slowly bubbling and rising, turning into the perfect round macarons.

All it takes is the right amount of the right ingredients to create magic in the kitchen. You can bake cookies, macarons, cupcakes, cakes and what not, all bringing sweetness to your palette. And for people who aren't fond of too much sugar, you could simply just reduce it. It is so easy to alter what you want to make and bake it according to the person's preference. But life—that was another kitchen. It is a mess. You may know what ingredients you need but you never understand in what proportion you need to put them. And in what order.

Her memories of the past and even of the present were a mess. She didn't understand what was feeding her delusions and how they became so tangled in each other. The line separating reality with what her mind showed her was gradually thinning and it was worrisome.

If only I could sort through my thoughts like I sort through ingredients...

Serena was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard some commotion at the front door.

"She is not here." She heard Clemont declaring.

"But she was sick yesterday. Where did she go in that state?" Someone replied in equal annoyance.

"T-To a doctor in the city, now please leave."

What is happening?

Adjusting the temperature on her oven to a low, she stood up and moved out towards the front door.

"Clemont?" The honey blonde called, making the bespectacled boy freeze and turn towards her.

"S-Serena! I-It is no one..." He muttered frantically, making Serena narrow her eyes in suspicion. She tried looking behind him, making him step in the doorway and cover whoever was behind him.

"Clemont, it is snowing. Let him in," she scolded, taking a few steps forward but stopping abruptly when he shook his head sharply.

"It is no one Serena."

"Oh come on!" The speaker exclaimed from behind, and made his way inside, pushing Clemont aside with an apologetic "sorry".

He stopped a couple of steps in front of Clemont and looked directly at Serena. "Hi," he said softly, "h-how are you?"

Serena's eyes widened in recognition and she faltered on her steps, taking a couple back to balance herself. Her face lost all its colour and she could feel her throat constrict, making her breathing uneven and escalating her heart beat to dangerous levels.

M-My heart...

She buckled under her own weight and sat down, alarming both the boys who rushed to her side. She clutched her hands to her chest, trying to take deep breaths and calm herself down. But it wasn't working.

I am dreaming, again.

"Serena!" Clemont exclaimed and sat next to her, rubbing her back. The newcomer looked at the honey blonde and reached out to touch her but Clemont snapped towards him and narrowed his eyes.

"You need to leave." He spoke lowly, irritation evident in his voice.

"She just fell! And you expect me to leave?"

"Yes! We are taking care of her! So leave."

"I am not going. I want to help."

"Don't you understand that this is happening because of you," Clemont spat and hugged Serena close. "It's okay Serena," he cooed softly in her ear and rubbed her head protectively.

The newcomer scoffed and shook his head stubbornly. "I am not going anywhere, you will have to throw me out."

Clemont clenched his teeth, the scowl on his face deepening as he muttered, "I swear—I will ki–"

"I-It's o-okay, Clemont." Serena whimpered weakly and pushed herself out of his arms.

She could deal with herself later. But the fight between the two was hurting her ears and her heart more than just his sudden visit.

"N-No Serena, but—"

"It—It is okay." She looked at him and nodded reassuringly, mustering up the courage to address the visitor.

"No. I am taking you to your bed. So stop being childish." Clemont stated unarguably. "And you, Mister, better not be here when I am back down."

"C-Clemont–" Serena chided but was interrupted by the simmering boy.

"No buts." He stood up, pulling the honey blonde by the arm and supporting her.

She reluctantly stood up and glanced at the other boy towards her side. He caught her eye and his gaze softened, the earlier stubborn expression melting away into something more familiar akin to recognition.

"Serena."

Serena's breath hitched and she nodded meekly.

"Are you okay?" He reached out to her in worry.

"Serena. We are leaving." Clemont announced again and pulled her towards him.

Serena set her jaw, frustration seeping into her as she turned her head towards Clemont. "Stop it Clemont. I want to t-talk to him."

This is not a dream.

The bespectacled boy sighed in annoyance and spoke with a matter-of-fact tone, "we both know how bad that is going to be. Can you please just listen to me this time?"

"No and I don't want to." She retorted, pulling her arm free from his grasp.

She took a deep breath and sighed, calming her nerves. "It's Christmas and we do not throw people out on Christmas...or ever for that matter."

Clemont rolled his eyes and nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But you two are talking in front of me." He crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at both of them.

The honey blonde exhaled sharply in disbelief at his excessiveness but agreed nevertheless.

"Okay, big brother," she mumbled as a taunt, earning a glare from Clemont.

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to the visitor, her annoyance melting away at the sight of him.

It is him.

Time seemed to slow down as she registered his face, the z-marks on his tanned skin, ruffled black hair and the soft warmth in his auburn eyes. She could faintly make out the spice and woody fragrance from him, the scent she had from the jacket.

So that wasn't a dream either.

A whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirled inside her mind, and so many questions. But before she could process her thoughts into a coherent sentence, her brain fell back onto the oven in the kitchen.

My macarons!

Her eyes widened in alarm and she sprinted into the kitchen. She crouched down in front of the oven and sighed in relief.

"They are okay."

She turned it off and stood up.

Now that the macarons are fine...

She turned around and looked at the boys who had followed her into the kitchen, their concern over her sudden alarm fading away. Clemont was back to digging holes into the other's head and would've definitely killed him if looks could kill.

On the contrary, Ash Ketchum looked at her with utmost concern and care, ignoring the silent daggers being thrown at him. He looked at her as if he could see no one and nothing else around them. She felt as if she was being scrutinized by his gaze and that made her cheeks turn redder with every passing moment.

She hadn't yet replied to his earlier question.

"Are you okay?"

Serena took a deep breath as she felt her heart squeeze at a childhood memory that was resurfacing.

She tripped with a squeal of surprise. She looked up to see a boy, who looked as old as her, staring at her in surprise.

"I am Ash. What about you, what's the matter?"

She could not believe the déjà vu.

I fall every time I see you.

She smiled softly, a comforting warmth spreading inside her. She looked at him, their eyes meeting as she replied.

"Hi."

you came back.

A/N: And chapter 7. I am working on chapter 8 along with a couple of other side projects which will be announced too on a later date. 

I genuinely forgot how liberating it feels to write. And I am glad that I have chosen to torture my brain with stories and plots and unfinished sentences once again. The headaches are worth it. 

Hope you enjoyed this chapter; do let me know how you felt about it. My updating schedule will now be every Monday (if possible, then twice a week) because I really want to finish this book this year. And I am super excited to boast about the original fictions (yes, plural, i.e., multiple books) I have schemed and plotted. I will be ranting about those if those proceed as planned. 

So see you next Monday! 

Happy reading~