Walking down the stairs with vigorous steps, she hadn't even focused on where she was going. She didn't even care where she came from, at that. Her fuming mind, working with red hot gears furious with speed, would only give attention to the now, if you could even say that much. She skipped a step and another, treading along the edge of losing her footing.
Not like it mattered to her.
His confused face was still fresh in her mind, and, despite the smiles it could make in the past, and despite how such smiles would always be contagious to her very own face, his very being only had her delve deeper into the crevices of her mind, her anguish only worsening.
Serena couldn't believe how it had unfolded, how it came to her storming out in a flurry of anguish and hurt. Knowing him, he would have only taken a small couple of seconds before following his companion, because his passion would even overrule his own gut.
Just as she thought, she could hear the door push open slowly, with Pikachu's light feet setting themselves onto the cement in front of the Pokemon Center's front door. Pikachu was fast, faster than Ash could ever run, yet the young trainer supposed she was somehow faster than the mouse, as she turned a corner at the base of the stairs into an alleyway of the city before Pikachu could even spot her.
Her cheeks were red, and her feet were growing heavier with every step. She hadn't realized how empty her lungs were until now. She must have been going on a sprint that could even rival a Ninjask's! She finally slowed her sprint to a halt, and she leaned herself against the walls of the alleyway, panting.
So many things had just transpired, and in such a small amount of time. She couldn't even get a bearing on how Clemont and Bonnie had reacted to her sudden outing. Why did she run this far, again? Why did the boy she care so much for only bring about this burning melancholia right now?
Serena wasn't aware of the tears rolling down her cheeks, nor was she even aware of the pain wrought by her tightly clenched fist. Ash certainly didn't think much of what had wrought her outburst. Given time, she'd likely agree. Yet this wasn't the future, nor was it the past, and the gravity of the present cannot be compared to anything but its current strength. Repercussions meant little to her, if the word even held meaning to her at the moment.
Choking on a sob, she muttered something under her breath. They floated in the air, a sheer manifestation of her emotions.
The poor girl didn't realize that the poor boy was target to such words, and, unlike her intent, he was now present to hear such words.
An agonizing silence followed her words, neither trainer daring to say anything or move anything. Even the energetic Pikachu, so dear to Ash, felt possessed to stay in its spot. Serena dared not to even move her gaze towards the boy, yet she made sure that he was in her peripherals. Why was she upset? No, why was she still so attached to make sure to keep him in her sights, even despite her being upset.
"S-Serena, I…" he finally choked out. His tone was unusually tender, but very clearly hurt. Serena's heartstrings were tugged, but her sadness still prevailed. She felt bad, but she also didn't. "I didn't mean to make you this upset…"
Serena still said nothing, though her body was shaking, and she was sniffling. She was finally self-aware, aware of her own exhaustion, both physical and mental.
Ash retreated his gaze to the side, before quickly darting it back to Serena's head. "N-No, I meant… I didn't mean to make you upset at, at all…" he quietly corrected himself, a deep frown plastered on his face.
He took a step forward, but quivered his lips once he saw Serena shake in response to his approach.
She felt terrible. She knew what the boy had done wrong, and she knew what she had done wrong, but she felt obligated to keep her sheer emotions isolated from him. Perhaps that was because of her bad habit to ensure her feelings for him being locked away, but that didn't matter right now.
She allowed the looming silence to stay afloat while she collected herself, and, almost surprisingly, Ash didn't leave nor give her any push. She was thankful for that. It made her feel special. At least for the time being.