"Oh boy, how am I going to out of this one," thought Ash.

"Hey mum, let's forget everything that happened yesterday and start fresh. Oh and by the way, I was send to the headmaster's office and he said I'm excluded for week for bad behaviour," said Ash, pacing up and down the road.

Ash slapped his forehead and muttered, "That's really going to work and make mum happy, isn't it Ketchum?"

After practising for a few minutes behind some old oak tree, Ash decided not to say anything at all, just go straight upstairs into his room and pretend that nothing has happened.

Ash opened the front door, keeping his head down low as he began to rush upstairs so his mum couldn't yell at him, but unfortunately he was too late. Ash had bumped into his mother as soon as he opened the door.

She was furious, her face was red with rage and she looked like she was going to burst out fire any moment. She pulled Ash by the ear into the living room; where he saw Professor Oak standing.

Ash's mother slammed the living room door so there was no way Ash could escape this lecture.

Ash stood there in silence and couldn't think of what to say in this moment of time. He guessed his head master had phoned home about the exclusion from school for a week because of the fight and the subject of the 'drugs' were probably mentioned.

"Aren't you going to explain, what happened at school today Ash?" asked Professor Oak, seriously.

Ash looked over at Professor Oak; who was wearing his white lab coat and black trousers. Ash had to laugh at him; an old man trying to take the role of his father was (without swearing) stupid. He knew that Professor Oak and his mum were the best of friends and Professor Oak had helped her raise him up since the terrible accident that had killed his father.

"Nothing much happened at school," replied Ash. "When's dinner?" Ash was trying to change the subject of school as he sat down comfortably in the leather chair.

"Don't you dare change the subject Ashton Ketchum! You don't have any idea how I felt when I had that phone call from the school explaining why you are excluded for a WHOLE WEEK! A whole week without education!" shouted his mum.

Ash tried to cover his ears from the shouting, but Professor Oak gave me a stern stare of the 'don't you dare' look.

"Listen mum, I didn't take those drugs, you found in my room. Gary put them there so you could find them and have a go at me," Ash yelled back.

"Oh so it's my grandson's fault now," growled Professor Oak.

"Yes, it is," Ash replied, seriously.

Professor Oak and his mum looked at him in disbelief; they knew he wasn't lying because the look of certainty on his face was strong.

"I know I'm not exactly the best boy at school, but I try my hardest, I really do, but I get bored being stuck in that building for seven long and dragging hours. It's hard work! The teachers aren't exactly making life easier because they are always breathing down my neck, making sure I'm not up to something," explained Ash. "You know what, I punched Gary today because he tried to make you think I'm taking drugs, well I guessed it worked, didn't it?"

Ash began to storm off up to his room, but his mum grabbed his hand.

"Ash, why use violence?" asked his mum sadly.

"Because…because" Ash was lost for words, his mum did have a point and there was no reason for his use of violence. "I don't know, I just get easily wound up, like my dad."

His mum released a few tears as Ash mentioned his father and let go of his hand.

Ash watched his mum cry into Professor Oak's chest and quickly left the scene to escape up into his bedroom.

He quickly closed the door and pushed the lock onto it so no one could see him crying. He looked up to the photograph of the happy family life he used to have until his dad died in a car accident and left him and his mother alone in Pallet town. Ash's dad died when he was five and now he was sixteen, for those long and painful years without a father, this is the person he had become. A person who hangs around with druggies, bullies, tarty girls and acts rough, tough, doesn't do any work at school, uses his fists and worst of all disloyal to his mum.


"Yo Ashy boy"

"Go away Gary," groaned Ash, leaning against a tree with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Wow! How much ciggys have you been through?" joked Gary, looking at the empty packet of cigarettes by him.

"Sod off, Gary," mumbled Ash, staring at the Pallet fields without looking at his friend.

Gary sat next to him and brushed his hair back with his hand, hoping it wasn't messed up by the breeze. He started to report everything that happened at school in the last few days, but he knew Ash wasn't interested as Ash kept his eyes fixed on the breathing taking view of Pallet.

"What do you want, Gary?" asked Ash, simply getting annoyed by the sound of Gary's voice.

"I wanted to know whether you wanted to come to my party that's going on at my house next week. All the chicks are going to be there and every guy has to bring a chick by the way so no getting out of that one. Oh and Melody asked if she can go with you to my party as your chick?" reported Gary.

Melody was the most annoying girl in Ash's books so there was no chance she was going to be his chick. Melody was always complaining about her long brown hair and it seemed whether Melody wasn't the centre of attention, like when the guys were talking about Pokemon battling she would suddenly come out with 'My hair is like too long' or 'Do I look fat in this?' Ash had always been tempted to say yes and shut her up with the 'me me and I, I' talk.

Ash rolled his eyes and simply replied, "No to the Melody bit, but I'm come to your party as long as you don't dump you stupid bloody drugs on me again."

Gary began to laugh, but stopped when he saw Ash glaring at him in the same way he did at school.

"So who are you planning to take as your chick then?" asked Gary, trying to change the subject and holding his nose for protection.

"None of your beedrill's wax, but when I bring her, you're going to have the shock of your life," replied Ash, with a smug smile on his face as he puffed the smoke into the air.

Ash knew exactly who he was going to take and he hoped she would say yes. He was going to play the nice guy for a change!


Week had gone by and everyone was thrilled that Ash Ketchum was back at school. The girls kept pestering him to take her as his chick, but Ash kept shoving them off and raced around corners to avoid them. A mob of girls were coming his way as Ash quickly ran for his life.

"Well, think of it as your exercise for the day," Ash thought and swiftly swerved left leading down a corridor.

The mob of girls rushed the other direction as Ash did a secret and silent celebration of his lucky escape.

"Give me back my books, Larry!"

Ash looked down the corridor and saw Misty jumping up and down; trying to grab her books from a tall lanky guy in a black tracksuit.

"Hey jerk!" Ash barked, rushing up to the guy.

Misty stood there shocked as the most popular guy in school was helping her again! She watched Ash shout at her bully and told him to give the books back to her nicely. Misty's hands were trembling as she received the books back. Ash felt sorry for her and told Larry to get lost before he beat the living daylights out of him.

"Are you okay?" asked Ash.

Misty was speechless and nodded, tightly holding her books against her chest. She noticed everyone in the corridor was looking at her as Ash began to talk to her more until Melody came onto the scene.

"Sweetie pie, come on, let's go, no need to waste your breath on this geek," laughed Melody.

Ash looked at Melody who was wearing a leather mini skirt and a woolly pink sweater with huge platforms.

"Don't tell me what to do," said Ash sharply and returned to face Misty.

Melody went red with embarrassment as she folded her arms impatiently.

"Anyways, Misty, I was wondering whether you wanted to come to Gary's party with me. Loads of people at school are going to be there so do you wanna come with me?" asked Ash, nervously.

Misty felt her heart drop and her eyes were watering.

"This is just a dream," thought Misty.

"Earth to Ash, she is a geek, who self harms," yelled Melody.

"Earth to Melody, you are a slapper, who can't dress," moaned Ash to Melody.

Melody welled up in tears and quickly ran off, well at least trying to run in her platforms. Everyone started to laugh of Ash's joke, but it soon returned back to Misty.

"Umm...sure, I would love- I mean like to come with you," replied Misty.

"That's great Mist, well I'll meet you at school at half seven so we can walk to Gary's together," suggested Ash.

The bell rang as Misty hurriedly stuffed some books back into her locker and re-did her hair, trying to get over what had just happened. Ash looked at her weirdly as she started to rush all over the place until he added, "I'll see you later then."

Ash looked around him and saw people staring at him as if he was an alien from out of space.

"Looks aren't everything you know," said Ash to them and rushed off to find Melody.

"Mel," called Ash as he walked down the corridors.

"I'm here, what do you want?" sniffed Melody on the staircase.

Ash glanced down and knelt down to her level and apologised for what he had just called her even though what he said was the truth, but Ash knew that the truth hurts.

"It's okay I guess," smiled Melody, fiddling with her tissue. "You know I was thinking, how evil I was to Misty, I was horrible and I feel terrible. So can you ask her whether she would like to come over to my house for a complete make over then we could both meet you."

Ash was confused and a bit puzzled over Melody's kindness and replied, "Sure," before rushing off so Melody couldn't change her mind.

However, Melody just sat there with an evil smirk on her face.