A/N: Haihai!
This chapter is now in Ash's POV which makes me so glad the story is OOC, It'll show he has a really sensitive side (:
(And because I have no idea how to write for a guy LOL)
Thanks so much for the support so far, I would've given up by now otherwise xD I wish I could give out free cookies! ^_^
(Finishing what Dawn started at the end of the last chapter..) Happy reading :)
...Beautiful blue hair and getting lost into her eyes. What was I thinking? This wasn't me at all. I've never been bothered about girls, or even had a real girlfriend, despite Gary's efforts in getting me one. I mean suddenly a strange girl I'd just met had taken over my thoughts. But there was something about her. She seemed different from every other girl, especially the weird red head from today. I just wanted her in my arms, but how could I even get close to her when I can't talk to her properly. I needed to think of something else to say to her apart from 'Hey', and keep staring at her so she thinks' I'm some kind of freak. I knew couldn't go on keeping silence between us, I guess I was going to have to break the ice and say something sooner or later. But, why was she so shy? Maybe she just doesn't like me at all.
More thoughts about her stirred in my mind all night, I couldn't sleep a wink, the only thing that kept me sane was knowing it won't be long before I see her again.
I tossed and turned all night, staring at the alarm clock beside me every minute in counting, I even had my hand ready to turn off the alarm at 7:30. I swung my legs over to the floor and dragged myself out of bed letting out a huge yawn, for some reason it always made me more awake. I struggled over to my window staring at the bleak weather; it was chilly, turbulent and raining. Actually it was pouring down, but over a block of houses in the distance I could see into the city clearly, so hopefully it would calm down later.
The journey to school was a nightmare. I didn't think kids screaming and hanging out the windows, while others gave wedgies and tortured the freshmen kids would be an everyday thing. I sat alone and leaned against the window, I could feel the rain fiercely shattering against it, which at least was helping me keep my eyes open.
I was looking forward to today; I knew it would be better. I knew people, I knew my way to some of the classes, so I didn't feel like an outsider as much and I was looking forward to games lesson today. I loved being on the soccer team back in my old school, hopefully I had a chance here too.
I was one of the first to arrive in homeroom; along with a few other students who caught the bus. None of my new friends were there yet, so I waited patiently and watched the rain hitting the window beside me.
It was ten to nine, I was getting concerned on whether they'd turn up on time, and I didn't wanna ask directions from new people. At the moment I'd given up, Misty, Kenny, Tracey and.. Dawn all paraded through the door, soaked from head to foot, and making enough noise for the whole class to stare at them.
Misty hurried over to her seat and kicked off her shoes.
"Urgh great! My new sneakers are drenched!" she poured a small amount of water out of them, looked up at me and blushed.
"Sorry I didn't see you there, are you okay?" she asked with a nervous laugh.
"Yeah, thanks. So, have you just come back from a Titanic lifeboat?" I smiled back
She rolled her eyes and giggled, I was trying to cheer her up with the weakest joke I could think up and somehow, it worked.
I looked up to see Dawn by the door squeezing the rain out of her skirt; then she strolled down the isle with the sound of the water in her boots squashing against her feet.
When I heard her sit down my back shivered, I felt so nervous. I was going to try talking to her today and already I have a reason not to now. I nodded and smiled at Kenny and Tracey as they took their seats after drying themselves off, and kept getting distracted by Misty's grunts mumbling about her shoes.
"Girls you need to get a grip." Kenny sighed.
"Yeah I mean it's only water, its not going to melt through your clothes or anything" Tracey continued.
Misty scowled over to them. "Oh and you would just love that wouldn't you!"
Mrs. Claridge hushed the class began calling the register.
Dawn was first, her voice sounded frightened as she answered "Here".
I sighed and felt sorry for her, I guess the weather was getting her down and hoped nothing was seriously wrong, she didn't look too happy from what I saw from her yesterday either.
After every student was names the bell rang and everybody miserably left the room heading outside in the rain to the other building.
"Ash, what do you have first"? Misty enquired.
"Um, P.E."
"Dude how you could take P.E. with all those egotistic losers." Kenny sneered; I don't think he was expecting an answer.
"I'll see ya later guys" he went on as he left. Tracey nodded at us and followed.
Dawn swung her bag over her shoulder and started to leave, I went to make my way out to try walk with her when-
"WAIT! Do you even know where the gym is?"
"No need to worry, I passed it yesterday I know where I'm going Misty."
As I said that Dawn stopped at the doorway and smiled to herself, then left.
What was that about?
"Hmm, okay I'll see you at recess."
We parted ways in the hall, I wished I called her back, I lied, and I had no idea where the gym was. I just didn't want Misty walking with me since I DID have a plan to walk with Dawn.
The halls were empty since by now everybody was in class; I wondered in and out the corridors hoping to find someone to help me, preferably not a teacher to yell.
I ran over to the next building dodging as much rain as possible, trying to retrace the steps from yesterday. Principal Oak took me around on a tour, but if I remember correctly only by the girl's gym, which couldn't be far from the boy's.
I heard teachers around the corner from me and ran up the nearest stairs, I couldn't run into them, they'd only accuse me of skipping class. The first few classrooms were marked 'Music' above the doors.
I heard singing coming from one of them, no doubt it was a girl, and it was a beautiful sound. I couldn't help taking a peek through the small window of the door to see who it was, and there she was, stood there with a microphone in front of the piano accompanying her.
It was Dawn. I couldn't believe my eyes; she looked so flawless and stood confident, even with the rest of the class watching. Her posture was graceful, when she came to the high notes she seemed so calm, like she didn't even have to try. She closed her eyes and lifted her head now and again, and held her chest for a while. It warmed my heart just to hear her laugh or see her smile, but to see her singing was definitely new, it was breaking my heart. At this point I knew it defiantly wasn't what I hoped it was that I felt for her. Lust. I was falling for her with every syllable that left her lips.
"The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me. Down."
That last word seemed to last forever, it sent chills down my back, I closed my eyes take it in.
She finished the song and took a deep breath as the class and teacher applauded her, and then went to sit with them, I lost sight of her.
I leaned more in at the door trying to get my eyes around the corner to see her, then realized at some point I'm gonna fall through and make an ass of myself. I stepped aside and sat down with my head in my hands against the wall, as the next student started to sing, she was nothing compared to Dawn.
She was unexplainable. Without saying a word to me she was single handedly tearing me down and taking over my thoughts.
I took off my hat and leaned back, closing my eyes. I heard footsteps from down the hall that brought me back to my feet, I noticed the clock above, it was almost time for second period. How was I going to explain not going to gym?
I ran back downstairs and swung around the corner only to run into-
"Why aren't you in class young man?"
Principal Oak. Crap, busted.
I had used what was left of my brain to think carefully of my next words, if I didn't come up with something quick, he'll automatically presume I was skipping class. But if I say I got lost Misty's gonna get blamed for not showing me to class, so I said nothing.
"Well?" He demanded, his face was livid.
"I, I just…"
"You were truanting, on your second day? Come with me, NOW!"
I didn't bother arguing, just nodded and followed him to his office. What was the worst that could happen? Detention? Trash duty? Nope.
"He called your mom!?" May repeated later on in Math.
"Uh huh, and detention next. There goes my 11:00PM curfew and the chance for soccer tryouts" I sighed.
"What did she say? Why didn't you ask where the gym is? Anyway isn't Misty supposed to be helping you around?"
I was beginning to think May was going to repeat what I said, or ask more questions with her answers.
"Well because;" I looked over at Dawn, she was busy working.
"I, I thought I knew where it was… And I don't know what my mom said."
"You thought you knew where it was? Ash you've been here a day, you don't think you know anything until you've been for at least a month."
I was surprised that she was yelling and interrogating me like she's known me for years; she had the audacity to say that I don't know anything when she hardly knew me. It was like having another Misty, only slightly less, in your face and.. masculine.
"I can't help it if I learn better finding out things for myself."
I saw Dawn's shoulder's shudder as if she just laughed.
So she is listening.
"Urgh, men!" May hissed through her teeth.
I did what I did in these situations with Misty, gave up and shut my mouth; it would make her even more irritated because technically I was always right.
But the teacher came back into the room at that moment, suddenly the buzz of conversation from other students hushed.
Detention was completely pointless. I sat in a quiet room along with others who'd broke school rules, not the friendliest people I'd met. The teacher who kept an eye on us was falling half asleep at her desk, at least, I think it was a woman; she looked like female ogre with a sex change. If that makes sense?
I guess it could've been worse; at least it was shelter from the rain, plus it gave me time to think of a way to not have anymore painful silences with Dawn, and I needed to pluck up some courage for English with her next.
When I got to class I breathed a sigh of relief to see my table was still empty. Mrs. Bell was walking around the room handing out textbooks, one per table. Class hadn't started yet, there were conversations going around a few people, the atmosphere was a lot calmer than other classes since this wasn't as packed. I kept my eyes away from the door, taking a seat close to the window this time. I took my workbook and a pen from my bag, and concentrated on taking notes from what Mrs. Bell was writing on the blackboard.
I jumped as I suddenly heard the chair beside me screech loudly on the floor, but my eyes were still focused on my workbook.
"Sorry, I, I didn't mean to…" Came a soft voice.
I looked up startled to see Dawn sat beside me, looking at me apologetic and almost upset. I was stunned that she actually spoke to me.
"Its fine, I… It's okay." I replied, reassuring her with a small smile.
She pulled her chair into the desk and sat still for a second, her eyes were shut tight, and her hands were shaking on the table, she took a deep breath then frantically started writing. I stared at her, I felt guilty, she didn't do anything wrong.
I reached to put my hand on hers to stop her writing, then wished I hadn't. It was like a reflex, I didn't mean to. She jerked her head up, then her eyes rose to mine; I quickly snatched my hand away under the desk.
We were both frozen, as if time stood still and staring into each others eyes.
Until Mrs. Bell slammed a book on her desk to grab everybody's attention, which made us snap up at the angry woman.
"As I was saying." She picked it back up and began writing on the board again.
I didn't realize she'd even been talking.
I cleared my throat and carried on writing, as did Dawn.
"So stupid." I whispered under my breath.
I saw Dawn cringe from the corner of my eye as I said it, I turned away awkwardly hoping she didn't hear exactly what I said. My stomach felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, I felt physically sick with embarrassment. We never uttered a word to one another the rest of the lesson.
When the bell finally rang I grabbed my things and didn't bother putting them in my bag, I held them and rushed out the room, I just needed to breathe. I ran along the hall and busted into the bathroom, threw my books into a corner and leaned over a sink. I put my hat on the sink next to me and rinsed my face.
I can't do this anymore, its ridiculous.
I straightened back up and got myself together, then headed over to the cafeteria.
As I walked through the doors Candice, Gary and Tracey caught up with me, dripping wet, they'd ran over from the other building. Tracey and Candice were arguing.
"Would you stop complaining!? It's your own fault, haven't you ever heard of an umbrella? It's the latest revolutionary accessory since, oh I don't know like a hundred years ago!" he yelled.
Candice glared at him.
"That's such an original reaction from a guy in his 'I don't care what I look like parallel universe!'" she snapped back.
"So this is an everyday routine?" I asked Gary, as they carried on yelling in the background.
"Oh the arguing? Pretty much, if one of us isn't arguing I'd start to worry." He laughed.
We stood behind a of pile of hungry students wrestling each other to get to the front of the lunch queue. It was like feeding time at the zoo, about 7 people forward was the counter; I couldn't understand everybody was so desperate to eat. Yesterday my mom insisted I took my own lunch with me before I knew what the food was, you'd think she thought it was first day of kindergarten.
"I'm guessing this is also a daily thing?" I wondered.
"Unfortunately" Candice sighed. "Okay here guys, I'll have the usual, anything that's closest." She handed them her lunch money.
"You having anything Ash?" Gary asked. I looked at the scrum then back at him and raised an eyebrow.
"You're not seriously gonna attempt to fight your way though that? You'll be crippled for life."
"Dude we've been doing this since day one, we have our own method" he winked.
"Alright then I'll have anything" I sighed, handing him my change.
"Okay, and if we're not back in 10 minutes send out a search party. Tracey, ready?!"
"As anything" He grinned back, before they disappeared.
They charged into the queue and dived on their hands and knees through everybody's legs, and were gone. Candice and I stared at them and sweat dropped.
"Don't worry, they'll be out in about 5 minutes, we might as well go sit down" she suggested.
She spotted Misty, May and Kenny already sat at a table eating, I followed her in and out of the tables to them.
"Hey you guys" Misty smiled.
"Hey, how did you guys get here so fast?" asked Candice.
"Our class was only upstairs; we were the first in here" May replied.
"Alright for some" she complained, sitting down.
"Where's Dawn? I thought you were in a class with her just then Ash." Kenny enquired.
I looked at everyone around the table nervously.
"I, I don't know, I went to the bathroom after class, I thought she would've walked on." I stammered.
"There she is, over there with the guys" May interrupted pointing at them.
"Good I'm starving!" Candice smiled.
"Common scoot over, were running out of space now we got a newcomer" Tracey said, but in the nicest way possible, not making me sound more like an intruder.
"Here you go" Gary dumped a damp looking brown wrapper in front of me as he sat beside me.
I stared and prodded at it, then gave up wondering what it is.
"What is it?"
"It's a rainbow Einstein, what do think?" he joked, taking a huge chomp from his own sandwich.
"But I think its best if you didn't know the crap between the bread" he warned.
I laughed and pushed it aside. "No worries, I'm not hungry anyway."
Dawn emerged from behind Tracey as he sat on the other side of the rectangular table; I hung my head and looked up at her from under my hat. She looked around at us disappointed as there was no room left. I stood up and went to offer her my seat when Kenny beat me to it.
"Dawn sit here, I'll go find another seat" he insisted.
"Thanks" she smiled, and took his seat opposite me.
"You know the best thing about rainy days?" Gary pondered.
"I don't know but its bound to be something pervy coming from you" May sighed as she sipped her can.
"What kind of a man do you take me for?" he said shaking his head, "Well, actually you know me all too well."
The girls all rested their head in their hands.
"If you look real close, you can see right through girl's shirts" he grinned taking a bite.
"Why are we not surprised" Misty sighed.
"You're disgusting!" Candice yelled covering her chest with her arms.
He noticed Dawn wasn't listening, she was gazing out the window hardly blinking.
I followed his eyes, she suddenly realized we were staring at her and blushed, with a terrified look on her face. I looked up at her eyes, almost choked on my soda and rose from my seat and slapped his head.
"Dude could you not!" Everybody stared at me, their eyes widened from the defensive look on my face. I couldn't help it, it was another reflex.
"Ash, man calm down he's only kidding" Tracey said, making a gesture for me to sit back down.
"Yeah I mean it's not his fault he can't get laid" Misty carried on, giggling.
"Is that an invitation?" Gary grinned, giving her an innocent wink.
She glared at him and threw a slice of tomato at his head.
"You're not THAT lucky Oak" she smiled; laughs came from around the table.
I sat back down, pulling my hat low in embarrassment.
"I just wish you had more respect for girls" I sighed, turning my head towards Gary.
"Sorry man, I was just messing around."
I looked up at him, he seemed genuinely sorry. I've never been like that towards him before; usually I would laugh off his sexist jokes or attempts to get a random girl. This wasn't a random girl, it was a girl I'd immediately fallen in love with, as bizarre as that sounds.
Kenny returned holding a chair above his head.
"Hey don't go starting a food fight now, the last thing we need is damp clothes smelling like salad."
Candice rushed out of her seat and grabbed him, wrapping her arms around him to cover his mouth as he tried sitting down.
"Shhh!" she warned him looking around hoping nobody heard. I grinned looking up from my hat; I could see where this was going.
Kenny struggled waving his arms around frantically and broke free.
"Are you trying to kill me!?"
"JUST DON'T SAY IT!"
"SAY WHAT!"
"FOOOOD FIGHT!" Gary yelled waving his hands.
The whole cafeteria turned to him and paused, you could hear a pin drop, which was very rare by the usual sounds here. We shook our heads at him and swat dropped, it was a unanimous decision that he failed. Tracey held his shoulder to sit him back down.
"Why? Why do you do it man?" he laughed.
"You're going to have to let me make a funny one day guys" Gary sulked.
"No." Candice said firmly, it was a long no; laughter from the others filled the table.
"Never." Dawn added, trying to hide a laugh with her enchanting smile.
I looked up at her and lifted my hat; she quickly became aware and looked away.
I can't even make eye contact with her?
"Okay Gary listen up, this is your failure alert."
Misty took her phone out searching through it, then leaned across the table to hold it in his ear, we all leaned in wondering what she was up to. It let out a fog horn sound, which was the last thing we expected.
"What the?" I asked staring at her, puzzled.
"That, is Gary's fail boat, maybe getting sick of the sound might get him to stop making epic failures" she replied.
"Nice I like" Candice laughed as May high fived Misty.
"You know what I'm not even gonna ask why you have a fog horn on your cell phone" Sighed Tracey.
"Oh ha, ha, ha look at me I'm peeing my pants" Gary sulked, giving Misty a killer look.
She raised an eyebrow smirking, and held her phone in his face again. Enter the fail boat sound.
The table roared with laughter.
"You had it coming!" she giggled.
Gary rolled his eyes and went back into sulking mode.
"Pathetic." Came an unsatisfied voice, we turned around at the vulgar boy. I recognized him from detention; he seemed a very bitter person.
"Wow you're so original. Isn't it about time you got a life?" Kenny snapped, still focused on his lunch. We were all stunned as he hadn't said anything for a while.
The purple haired boy huffed and looked up annoyed.
"Isn't it about time you hit puberty?"
Kenny slowly clenched his fists and looked up slightly, his eyes were infuriated, he pushed the plastic tray away from him and looked up to the vile boy, dead in the eyes.
Dawn's horrified expression caught me, she put her hand on Kenny's arm to calm him down, and I saw her lips move as she whispered something in his ear, which he clearly ignored. Everyone around the table was becoming aware that something might kick off; we looked at each other and shrugged, unaware the boy was still looking over at Kenny.
I turned around to the boy, his eyes were now fixed in a different direction, and I followed them to find it was Dawn. She looked away from him quickly closing her eyes, her lips quivered, like she was almost about to cry, my heart was wrenching to see her like this, she stood up still holding on to Kenny's arm trying to lead him away.
"Let's go guys" she trembled; her eyes were fixed to the floor.
"You can't leave Dawn, I have something for you" the boy said, with a crooked smile, still looking at her.
"Not interested." She was still tugging on Kenny's arm.
"But you don't know what you're missing" The boy said in a musical voice.
"Well from here it looks like a nightmare. Just leave us alone!" She let go of Kenny's arm and was now looking straight at the boy, panting with rage; May rushed up and put her arm around her to reassure her.
"Common guys" Kenny finally suggested.
Everybody rose looking at the boy before they started to leave; I trailed behind the group as they left. I was still looking at Dawn who was almost in tears, I wanted to run over and hold her, tell her everything's fine and that I'm here for her.
My mood suddenly changed, I didn't even know this guy's name, but two words that left his mouth triggered another reflex, I wanted to snap his neck.
"Stupid bitch." He grunted.
I couldn't help myself; I stormed back over to our table and threw a chair aside to get the boy, grabbed his collar to stand him up and held my other hand ready into a fist.
"Say that again." I forced his chest into his table, I was calm but heated. "I dare you."
A/N: Ooooo a cliffy ;] cause I'm evil ;D
To be honest I didn't like this chapter myself, after reading it again I didn't like the crude bit ¬__¬ but It's done now D: I'm hoping you guys will like it :) If not, you have full permission to let out your dark side!
BTW every time I get a fav/sub/review I do a little victory dance ;D I REALLY appreciate it!
And the song Dawn was singing is 'Gravity' by Sara Bareilles, which I sang for a Music exam back in High School xD
Anypennies, back tomorrow (: