Goals Off Court | SatoSere

Chapter 35 - Connection At Home

Grace eyed her daughter and then Ash, chuckling at them both. "I'm already grateful Serena has you, Ash," she said with a nod, her grin huge. "It's not everyday a friend would drop everything and go on a little trip just for the hell of it."

Ash's lips quivered only a little. He thought of what he had been doing to get her to forgive him. "Serena is worth that and a lot more." He then looked at her with spellbinding eyes and she swallowed. He wanted her to know or at least get an idea of his intentions, even if it wasn't said directly to her. "It wouldn't be just for the hell of it."

What was that cliche again? Oh, right. Her heart melted.

Grace stared at them both quizzically, then her eyebrows rose. She clapped her hands together, the piercing sound causing Ash and Serena to break away from their longing stares and look over at the woman.

"You two must want to settle down before dinner." She motioned them to follow her in the living room and it wasn't long until they all stood in the modern room. Grace had already gone, pouring herself a beverage.

Ash noticed very familiar pictures of people on either side of the bar. He pointed at one of them, familiar with it. "Leon?"

Glass in hand, Grace stopped to face him, and smiled for a second. "You know about Leon?"

"I'd be wrong of me not to. He's someone I want to surpass when I make it into the league. Watching his last championship game was amazing. I love watching him on the court, controlling it like a puppet, and being able to read it. It's captivating and someone simply can't tell his next move."

Grace nodded, satisfied at his answer. "That I agree. You do know your stuff. Do you play the sport by any chance?"

"It'd be a shame if I didn't, but yes ma'am. I'm on a scholarship for basketball." Ash said, the answer coming out smoothly.

"A scholarship? That's impressive." Grace took a sip out of her drink. "Must be challenging?"

"Not for me. I just like putting in the work." Ash grinned, then looked over at Serena.

"I can agree with that," Grace said, smiling over her glass. "I do love a good challenge."

"Seems like a family trait," Ash tipped his head at Serena. He grinned looking over at her knowingly, flashing her a subtle wink. "I feel the same."

A red blush appeared on Serena's cheeks. "He's great at it though. I learned a few things or two from him."

"How did you two meet each other?" Grace wondered aloud. "It's not often a basketball player and ballet dancer cross paths."

Serena reminisced their time together for a second in thought before replying. "We actually met through dance. Someone caused trouble and I was asked to give him lessons as a punishment."

"That was not what I was expecting." Grace's laugh echoed through the house. "How is that going?"

"The lessons are over now, but..." Serena exhaled with a small smile. "We're working... on more things together. He's really good at it and I tell him that majority of the time. Someone has to stroke that big ego of his," she said playfully, her smile growing larger.

Ash pouted. "My ego isn't big."

Serena gripped her hand around his arm, brushing her thumb over his jacket. Ash's brown eyes bore into hers, helpless to pull away, but from the corner of his eyes, he could see her mother regarding them with a look that made Ash shift on his feet. It was seconds before she interrupted another one of their 'lost in each other's worlds' moments.

"Well, isn't that sweet," she said, more so to herself, but it caught their attention.

Ash cleared his throat. "Ms— I mean, Grace. Could you tell me where the bathroom is?

She smiled with a nod, pointing to the opposite side of where they stood. "Of course, dear. It's right down that hall and to your left."

Ash thanked her and walked away from the two, trying to keep his breathing in check. Grace went to Serena's side as they watched him walk away.

"I'm glad you're here. Truly," she began with sincerity.

Serena glanced at her mother from the corner of her eye with a short smile. "I am too."

They stared in the direction of where Ash had disappeared through before Grace moved her gaze to her daughter. It was quiet for a moment until she spoke again. "He looks like he's quite the guy."

"Well, yes." Serena snapped her gaze to her mother, raising her brows comically. "He's definitely something."

Grace broke away from her brief trance, grinning through her words. "I do know I'm just being observant and curious." She tilted her head to the side, speaking clear. "But I do have eyes, dear, and I surely wasn't born yesterday. Be honest. Are you two—?"

"Wha— What?" Serena sputtered, blinking in shock, but stress out, "No, not at all, and he's not available."

"Oh?" Grace voiced again and eyed her studiously. "I thought you said you two were just friends."

"We are."

Serena crossed an arm over her stomach while her other elbow leaned on it in thought, a hand came to tuck a strand of hair away. She went on to play with another. It was a habit she rarely ever had, but feeling her mother regarding her with a suspicious brow made her a little jittery.

Ash came out again, a phone held up to his ear. "Yes. I'm alive and fine, ma. We made it safely." Her eyes fixed on him and she studied his tight smile, and the nod he gave as he spoke on and on. "I love you, too—Yes, I'll call you again soon."

Serena was powerless against him. She closed her eyes, trying to gain some comprehension of these strange feelings that kept rising to the surface.

After a short, but heavy silence, Grace whispered, "If it's any indication, I didn't ask if he had someone already or was available."

Serena's breathing halted, eyes opened and trained on her mother as Ash walked towards the other two. Serena caught Ash's gaze and he smiled intensely. As much as she tried to suppress it, she gave a reverent smile back. He eyed her dubiously, more likely trying to figure her out and understand the rapid change in her apparent fondness.

Shoving down her confusion, the regret, and everything that made what she was about to do vaguely illicit; she walked up to stand beside him. A huge grin plastered on her face as she took his hand, interlacing their fingers together. Her other hand wrapping around his arm to grip the upper part of it. She leaned on him, taking comfort in his presence, in his smell, in everything about him that made her heart burst in her chest.

Serena could feel Ash go rigid, but she continued to listen happily to her mother ramble on about things that happened. Ignoring Ash's piercing gaze, she brushed her thumb against his arm continuously to calm him which worked because at last, he relaxed. A small sense of pride overtook her.

Grace talked and talked, telling stories and asking questions during her rampant speaking; not so oblivious to the poignant connection that was slowly occurring.