33%

There was a 33% chance that Paul liked me. It may be slim, but I still felt like I needed to to him how I felt.

Hello. My name is Dawn Berlitz and I'm hopelessly in love with Paul Shinji. If you don't know him he's cold, rude, etc. Even though he sounds awful, I like him a lot.

We both walk on different paths. He's a trainer and I'm a coordinator. While that may set us apart, I think we could travel together and get along well. We go to the same school.

Prom at our school was coming up and I wanted to ask him to it. I don't care if he rejects me, I just need to get this off my chest.

I saw Paul come into view, purple almost grey looking hair blowing in the breeze. He looked perfect.

He sighed. "What is it you want, troublesome?"

I smiled and blushed a bit. "Um...are you going to prom with anyone?"

Paul laughed, amused. "Of course not. I'm not even going to prom."

My heart sank. "Would you go if someone you liked asked you out to it?"

Paul scoffed. "I don't like anyone. All the girls in this school are overly perky fashionistas. They're all annoying."

My heart sank more. "Even me?"

Paul frowned. "Especially you. What was the point of you calling me here anyway? I'm busy."

I felt like crying, but I didn't. "I wanted...to ask you to prom."

Paul laughed out loud. "You're kidding, right?"

I let a tear run loose. "No. I'm not."

Paul stopped laughing and glared over at me. "Sorry. I'm not interested in prom or you, so why don't you ask someone else. Ash maybe? You two seem close."

I snapped at him. "ASH AND I ARE JUST FRIENDS! YOU...I was hoping we could be more than friends."

Paul looked down at me as if I were the most pathetic being on the planet. "You don't always get what you wish for. I said I'm not interested."

Paul began to walk away, but I held him back. "Please...don't reject me!"

Paul shook me off. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

I started to sob, but kept talking. "No! What the hell is wrong with YOU?! I don't know why I ever fell for you!"

Paul grunted. "Cry about it to someone who actually cares. I have better things to do than watch you weep. Bye!"

I had lied to myself. I said I had just wanted to get this off my chest. I said I'd be ok if he rejected me. But I hadn't been prepared at all...

I laid against the wall, crying for what felt like hours. I'd heard my friends talk about how one-sided love sucked. One of them said it was the worst pain in the world. I'd laughed when they'd said that.

Why had I laughed? Everything they had said was true. The feeling of being rejected was the worst feeling in the world.

Just when I was about to pass out from exhaustion, I felt a warm hand shake me awake.

"...Paul?" I murmured, not fully awake yet.

"No," said a familiar voice.

I opened my eyes. Standing before me was As Ketchum.

He smiled. 'I'm glad you're ok! Johanna said you hadn't come home!"

I felt tears prick at my eyes again. "Sorry for worrying you..."

I shivered in the cold. I hadn't brought a jacket. Ash took off his and wrapped it around me.

"Don't you need this?" I asked worriedly.

He shrugged. "Ever heard of the expression that stupid people don't get sick? I'll be fine."

I laughed and he helped me back up to my feet. My knees knocked together and I fell down. I was weak from all the energy loss from when I was crying.

He helped me back up again and he picked me up, carrying me like a bride. I blushed madly.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed.

He just smiled. "If you can't walk, I'll carry you."

I blushed even more as I began to feel his warmth. It felt nice. HE felt nice...and strong...and more perfect than Paul had ever felt. Then, he said three words.

"I love you."

I blushed madly. "What?"

Ash turned away from me, blushing. "Nothing! I didn't say anything."

I sighed and smiled up at him. I'd heard him loud and clear. Suddenly, Paul's words hit me like a bus.

'Ash maybe? You two seem close.'

I smiled. We were close. Closer than I'd realized. How had I never noticed him before? He'd always been there for me.

I smiled up at him, laughing as he blushed.

"I love you too," I whispered.

"Huh?" Ash asked.

"Nothing!" I sang.

But we had both heard each other. We were just too shy to say it out loud. But with time, maybe we'd become more brave. And maybe...he and I would get together.

Paul was only 33%. That had been too risky. But Ash was 100%. There were no risks with him. None at all...


Hehe! Sorry for not updating for so long. I'm writing WAY too many stories at once, so it's hard to update them all. I'll try to update more often though! Please keep reviewing. I'm thinking of doing a few crack shippings, so if you have any suggestions, put tem in your review or pm me. Sorry if this chapter sucks. I haven't written a one-shot in a while. Anyway, have a nice day!

-IchigoHatake