A BLOSSOM DURING THE WINTER:
Ch3: The Beginning Of Not True Love

Heyyy... *dodges tomatoes, rotten fruit, vases and anyother object readers throw at me* I can't even explain how awful I feel for making you wait so long. But I'm updating now. Love you guys.

Pokemonchen: hmmm maybe... ;)

servant123: The wait is over! sorry i took so long... I try to update every week, but as you see that doesn't always happen...

Dragonine09: fluff may ensue... don't kill me for the ending though?

Klusch: Im so so so so sorry! but your waiting ceases now!

Thanks to anyone who has favorited/alerted this story or me as an author!

Sorry for such a long wait. I'm such a bad author... I won't keep you waiting any longer:

Ash's POV:

"There's got to be something we haven't tried yet.." Nicole spoke delicately.

"Impossible, we've tried everything!" I threw my hands up in the air dramatically. By everything, I mean everything; we dumped a bucket of water on Damian's face, bellowed in his ear, pinched him, slapped him, punched him, tickled him, shook him, used a 'wake-me-up' spell and even forced some coffee down his gullet.

George cleared his voice loudly and looked rather uncomfortable when both my eyes and Nicole's were on him. He shifted his feet and looked at them and then he glanced back up at our faces.

"Well not everything. I mean we didn't…" He stopped mid-way through his sentence. Again he was staring at his nervous feet.

"We didn't… what? Spit it out!" I yelled impatiently. Nicole however looked at George gently and spoke softly.

"Go ahead George, what is it?" I glared at her but turned to George to hear his answer. He looked even more uncomfortable and then he mumbled something.

"What?" Both Nicole and I asked, me harsh, her gentle.

"True loves kiss." George winced as he said it. I flinched and groaned. Again what is with clichés and fairytales, I turned to Nicole expectantly.

"Well?" I gestured to her with my hand to hurry up. Nicole walked over to Damian and leaned over him, I looked away. For some reason I didn't want to see them kiss. I'd already seen Damian and Nicole kiss once today and it had caused my stomach to clench uncomfortably and my head to spin.

I saw Nicole brush some of Damian's hair out of his face and lean down closer, out of the corner of my eyes. I closed them, that way my poor eyes wouldn't have to see such disgusting awful things. I waited for a while. And waited. I heard nothing and I was beginning to get irritated. Finally I was to my full extent of irritation and I opened my eyes.

"You done?" I asked. "Did it work?" I turned around, to impatient to wait any longer. I glanced and saw Nicole crying and George patting her on the back.

"I-it d-d-didn't work." Nicole sniffled. I exhaled, not sure if it was a sigh of despair or relief that Nicole wasn't Damian's love of his life. Of course she could be but true loves kiss just didn't work in this situation. My stomach did a weird pitching thing. We all stood in silence watching Damian. I willed him to sit up and yell 'Got ya!' and then complain about all the physical abuse he'd received. Nothing happened, I was beginning to lose hope and it was apparent so were the others. Nicole bit her lip as she looked up at me.

"You try." She sobbed as she said it, her breath hitching.

"Excuse me?" George and Nicole were both looking at me now.

"You try." Nicole repeated. She had to be kidding. She wanted me to kiss Damian? My thoughts were racing. I couldn't kiss him he didn't love me so it wouldn't matter if I tried anyway.

"I- Me?" I asked incredulously. George and Nicole both nodded. I would've glared at George if I didn't feel so shocked. I mean how dare he gang up on me with little miss I'm-Too-Perfect.

"You and Damian are best friends, it's possible." George suggested.

"No." I said flatly. "He wouldn't be dating her if he was." I pointed to Nicole. It wasn't possible, it wouldn't work.

Then what are you so afraid of? My brain questioned me and for once I felt speechless.

"Just try." George whispered. I looked at his face and knew then that he truly loved his brother, no matter how much he teased Damian or how much they fought, George loved his brother. And that's what got me to do it. I knelt down and leaned in quickly giving Damian a peck on the lips.

His lips began moving against mine. It was two seconds of pure bliss until I realized what I was doing. I pulled back quickly, not believing it. How…?

"Whasgoinon?" Damian sat up muddled and perplexed. Nicole stared at me sadly and then looked at Damian.

"Hey babe." Nicole started filling Damian in on what happened. "…and then Ash kissed you, and well you're awake." Damian looked even more baffled and appalled.

"That's impossible. I don't love Ash. I love you, Nicole." I felt a stab in my stomach and my heart twisted painfully. I jumped away from Damian quickly. He didn't love me. He loved Nicole. I backed up more. Everything was spinning around me I felt nauseous. My breath came up in short huffs. Why was I reacting this way? Why did it matter? I didn't care about Damian like that, did I? My mind was so jumbled I didn't even hear George yelling my name as I collapsed. I didn't notice that Damian did nothing to help me as I fell to the ground. I didn't perceive anything, I just fell into blackness and I didn't even know why.

I am so sorry. I cant even express how awful I feel! I am the worse person ever, I should've updated sooner! SO SO SO SORRY! Please forgive me? and please review? You guys are wonderful, beautiful, lovely. I don't deserve you.

PeaceLoveCandy

Jenn