Goals Off Court | SatoSere

Chapter 57 - Two Opportunities

The first thing Ash noticed when he woke up that morning was Serena still asleep next to him. What was not surprising to him when he peered over to the other side of the room was his realization that Gary was gone. Ash was certain he stayed with Misty. It was all for the better, because he could have more time with Serena.

Ash did feel a the same amount of guilt from the night before for making her cry at the dance. She looked gorgeous and the bonus was they were even having a nice time. The last thing he wanted was disappoint her. He'd come to hate that.

As a sigh left his lips, he watched as Serena slept against his pillow. There was the sound of her light breathing, as well as her body rising and falling ever so slightly simultaneously. She was perfect, just as he would expect his girlfriend to be.

That thought, alone, caused him to take a pause in utter surprise. Technically, Serena wasn't his girlfriend, and yet he kept thinking of her in such a way.

Ash reached forward and brushed her hair over her forehead. In under a week, he could ask her the question he'd been wanting to ask her now for awhile. Soon, they could actually make things official, and he started to notice how much he did like the idea of calling her his girlfriend.

Who would've guessed that?

He thought back to the first day he walked into the dance studio, how he so badly wanted to leave, and go back to basketball practice. Now, he was trying to find a way to balance everything. She had been the prettiest girl he had ever seen that first day too. Even through his rage, he could tell.

Serena wanted to teach him that badly, he felt a little bad for how he acted around her at times. Now that he thinks about it, he supposed she didn't hold a huge grudge or else she wouldn't be here with him right now. She was more outspoken than that. If she didn't like him, she would've let him go. For some reason he couldn't put his finger on, she hadn't.

Ash wanted to win the competition too, just to prove to Serena that he was amazing. He could prove that she should keep him around longer.

Did he really want to keep dancing? It was oddly fulfilling and challenging. Honestly, he didn't hate it. The idea made him roll his eyes at himself. What had he become? What had Serena turned him into? How did he get to a point where he felt like he genuinely loved this girl?

His heart skipped when he heard a light groan at his side. Looking over, he saw her eyes slowly opening as she pressed her face into his pillow.

"Morning, Serena." Ash grinned, poking the back of her head.

"How are you so awake on a Sunday?" Serena asked, slowly turning to meet his gaze.

Ash shrugged, letting himself lay down next to her. "It doesn't matter what day it is. I'm always awake in the morning."

"God..." Serena complained. "How?"

"Gotta workout." Ash had a shit-eating grin on his face from the way her hair was sticking out at weird angles. "I can't let myself get lazy or put any work in sleeping in too long."

"I'm not lazy." Serena sighed, scooting closer towards him. "I just like sleep. It's important, too, you know. Especially on Sundays. Either you listen to your body and get some rest, or it'll eventually force you."

"Yeah, yeah." Ash wrapped his arms around Serena. If it was with her, he supposed resting a bit more didn't sound bad. He did love his sleep.

"You're warm," Serena mumbled.

Ash hummed in response. Feeling so close to her after last night? It made him want to slip up and just allow all his emotions to spew from his lips.

Is this what was like being in love with someone?