The Feminist Challenge

Chapter 7: Misty the Masterpiece

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. I completely forgot I needed to get reservations. Dad gets them two weeks earlier."

Misty rolled her eyes slightly and kept looking the other way. The two were walking on the sidewalk. She had a feeling Ash did it on purpose, but it's not like she really wanted to eat in a fancy place. She wasn't dressed fancy and she didn't have money for fancy.

And walking side by side with Ash was making her feel utterly nervous. Why the hell he had to park his car before they arrived to their destination? Misty sighed; he was doing this on purpose. He was doing everything on purpose.

"There is this snack place I used to come to with Gary when we were in high school. You want to try it?"

"I don't know."

"Oh, I'll take you there. You'll like it. It's near the cost read. Come on."

Oh, more walking... Misty sighed again. Not only did she feel nervous around Ash, but walking too much was tiring. She was already starting to feel slightly sweaty, and God, she was wearing jeans and a hoodie. Everything was burning inside her, and her heart was beating fast. The weather was warm.

"Gary and I always came to Cerulean when we were younger. We loved hanging out here. My brother-in-law is originally from here. The summer after my freshman year in high school, I spent like, fifteen days or so with him and my sister Stella. They were still engaged at that time."

Misty pulled slightly away as Ash got closer to her. He was giving her this dirty smile she despised so much.

"I worked here and there. I didn't really need the money; I just wanted to do something other than hitting the beach every day. I used the money to get myself a new phone back then."

Why was he telling her this? Misty had no envy to get in a conversation with him. The redhead wanted to have dinner with Ash so he can leave her alone later, yes that's right.

"Then in my senior-"

"Why are you telling me this?" Misty asked without looking at Ash. This latter turned toward her though.

"It's not working? I'm trying to get you to talk."

"It's not working."

"Well, you don't talk to men either?"

"None of your business."

"You have complexes. That's for sure."

Misty turned toward Ash this time. "You just said what?"

"We're here." Ash stopped walking, grinned at her and shoved her slightly inside a crowded small fast food place. Misty pulled away quickly and slapped his hand.

"Don't touch me!"

Ash faked a pout. He smiled and started walking upstairs. "Upstairs is less crowded. Follow me."

Misty followed behind Ash. He walked over to a small table by the corner with a view at the street outside. The redhead joined him and sat down.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

Misty gasped when Ash touched her cheek with his hand. She wanted to get up and slap him but darn he was too fast. She was tired anyway.

"What the hell I'm doing with this guy..." Misty placed her hand over her cheek. For a second, she felt confused. She had no idea what she was doing and what she wanted from this. Why was she following after him? She could just leave now. He'll probably never come around if she does that.

But she didn't want to. Shame on her; throwing her principles out of the window after all these years of fighting and trying to prove how capable she was, even if she's always been on her own. She never needed any guy and never will, and Ash is just taking her out to dinner, right? It's just like when she goes out for dinner alone.

Maybe the redhead hated to admit it, but she knew that she felt protected when Ash is around her. She knows. It's a feeling she never got the chance to experience. It's something new to her. It's just different now, when she's walking in the streets and no guy has got the guts to whisper a dirty word or reach their hand out to touch.

But still, it didn't mean anything. She could get a pocket knife and a pepper spray in the future, and she'll be safe that way. She didn't need a guy and never will.

Misty sat straight when she noticed Ash who was walking toward their table. He placed the tray on the table and sat down.

"You didn't even ask me what I wanted."

"I know the menus by heart. I picked up the best stuff for us." Ash told her with a smile and leaned back on his chair. He was texting on his phone.

"How much?"

Ash chuckled. He looked up. "You're hilarious."

"I didn't ask you to pay for me."

"Chill, Miss Men-need-to-die, accept a nice gesture for once, even if it's from a guy."

"I said how much."

"Zero. I know the owner. Chill; chill..."

Misty leaned back slightly on her chair and kept glaring at the raven haired. He sipped his soda and kept texting on his phone. The redhead hated when she ate and someone looked at her, so she ate as he was still busy with his phone.

Ash looked up slightly for a second. His eyes met up with Misty's. The redhead swallowed quickly. "What?"

"Nothing?"

"Never saw a girl eat before?"

"Not at this rate."

You butthole... Misty took a deep breath. She decided to ignore him and look down. "And no girl has ever eaten my food before."

Misty noticed she's eaten from both sandwiches. She lightly gasped. "Oh I'm... oh my God. I'm so-"

"You're fun. I like it." Ash shrugged and laughed to himself. He shook his head and looked down at his phone. "You're fun, Misty. You're just fun."

"I'm—do you want me to get you another one-"

"It's alright." Ash leaned forward and patted Misty on her shoulder. He chuckled again. "I wasn't hungry anyway. I've had dinner at my parents' place before I came here."

Misty thought she'd just forget about this and move on. After all, Ash was a stranger, and she probably was never going to see him ever again—and she loved food she didn't have to pay for. So why waste it?

As Misty was busy eating the whole meal on the tray, Ash looked up from his phone now and then, sipped his soda and just chuckled to himself at how clumsy and fun this girl was.

"Misty?"

The redhead looked up. She froze when Ash leaned forward and wiped off some sauce from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. He licked it slightly and leaned back on his chair.

"You—you—UGH!"

Ash watched with a large grin as she grabbed her bag and started walking away. Misty turned around for a moment, ran to the table, grabbed the soda and what was left of her sandwich (because she was already finished with Ash's) then ran downstairs without looking behind.

"This girl is a masterpiece."

And masterpieces were his type.

To be continued.