Part XI – Penting
She had always tried to not be overtly cynical when it came to things like Ash. But her optimism had been crushed so many times in the past; she had come to expect that there most likely wasn't a romantic side to him. Or at least one he would show her.
"A lake . . ." they stepped out of his car, closing the doors softly behind them, and she stared out at the black-blue glassy water.
They had seen many lakes before, and there was nothing special about this one that she could see. Sure, the stars were clear in the night sky and they reflected in the water to the point that it seemed like they were standing in all-encompassing space, but surely he wouldn't notice that this was something beautiful and awe-inspiring. To Ash it was probably just a lake. A lake at night.
"It's not just a lake," he maintained, "I wouldn't have driven out here if it were just a lake!"
Fair enough, she granted. Though it did seem like it was just a lake, and that his effort was inefficient.
"Okay, so why are we here? To talk right?"
"You don't like the lake?" he asked, 'But she always likes this kinda stuff, it's pretty and watery! It's Misty stuff!' Ash concluded to himself reassuringly, but was still apprehensive.
"Yeah, I like it, I just don't know, it seems . . . ah never mind, Ash, what is it?" she pressed, knowing full well that he'd have a reason to arrange a place to 'talk', and that he was acting strangely serious before when he asked her. 'He'd better have things to talk about! I'm not going to be doing all the talking!'
Ash looked disappointed. She used to love things like this. She was the one who always ranted on, giving not-so subtle hints about how she wanted to have someone care enough to surprise her with idealistic candlelight crap and such. Maybe his timing was off. Maybe she was still annoyed at him. Either way he was confused.
"What?" Misty eyed him, surveying his expression. Sure, she liked the place. But she'd stopped gushing over things like this long ago. It always seemed to go unnoticed by Ash, when it was directed at him deliberately. She assumed he could care less, and when he did comment it was usually just to make fun of her.
"Never mind," he said, disillusion evident in his tone, "It was stupid anyway,"
"You mean that you have nothing you wanted to talk about? You sounded like it was important before . . ." Misty was getting agitated. He kept sending her mixed signals about why exactly he'd asked her out here. It was like his simplicity was still there, only he had temporarily put up a wall in front.
Ash was currently kicking rocks into the water with his sneakers, a solemn expression on his face.
"Ash! Just say what's on your mind for crying out loud, this is going nowhere!" she huffed, slightly flustered.
He was surprised he'd roused her that much, and it was a relief in an odd way. That could conceivably be because it was more emotion and sincerity than he was used to from her anymore.
"Mist," he began, with a indistinct look on his features, he sat down on the hood of the car, "I dunno, just something that you said had me thinking, and I guess, well . . ."
She sat down next to him, seeing that he was finally issuing some sort of response to anything, and that he was letting the wall slip slightly.