𝘏𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦- 𝘈𝘯 𝘈𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘜

Chapter 14

Ash's POV

Serena has been sticking with Calem a lot since she kissed him. Me and Marina have gotten really close too. It has been two weeks since I got heart-broken, but I manage. 

"Hey Ash! Look what he gave me! Isn't it cute?" Serena giggled as he showed me an S-shaped pendant.

"Its beautiful," I muttered. 

"Ash! I am having a sleep over at Calem's tonight. So, I won't be able to come to your place. Sorry. Bye!" She waved and ran off.

Calem and Serena started dating the next day after their first kiss. They hang out a lot, go to movies and have sleep overs and stuff. Me, I am just a classmate to Serena now. She assured me that our friendship would never break but I see it crumbling down anyway. She rarely comes to my place and I have completely ignored her house. Sometimes, I do meet Mr. Yvonne and he invites me to their home, but I always give the same excuse-

'Sorry. But I am busy today. Maybe another time.'

And I really hope that another time won't come. I want to move on. Move on.

Marina is a whole different story. The girly and bubbly version of Serena hangs out with me more often now. Well, I know she did have a crush on me when we were kids but I am not sure about now. She never really shows it. I mean since Serena has stared dating Calem, Marina has stopped blushing around me and even controlled her stammering. She has been quiet lately but always shrugs it away. I think she likes Calem and got heart-broken too. Well, we are in the same boat now.

"Hey Ash." 

I turned around to see Marina walking towards me with a small smile.

"Hey. Are you fine?" I asked. She looked visibly sad and I could tell she had been crying lately.

"You know the usual." She replied and sat down next to me.

Since my heart-break, the bleachers have become my favorite spot to hang around. And I mostly like it alone. And if not alone, then maybe silent. And Marina knew that.

"Hey Ash, what do you think? How long will this go on?" She questioned while looking at the sky.

"I hope forever." 

She snapped her head towards me and stared at me. She was referring to their relationship. I was slowly getting used to being alone and quiet. And I didn't want them to break up or else Serena would come back to me and fail all my efforts to forget her.

"Your will never forget her." She started coldly. "If I can't take them together then so can't you!" She snapped and stood up before leaving.

This is happening a lot to me lately. I make people angry for not reason. I have stopped talking to almost everyone and my replies are short, quick and- hurting and cold. 

I sat there silently watching the birds fly. Their lives are so cool and tension free. I hope to be one of them someday.

"Ash!" I heard her say my name. 

I did not bother to turn around. Her heels were clanking against the stairs as she rushed down to face me.

"Ketchum! I have warned you before. Hurting my sis means hurting me. So apologize now or my fist will give you a black eye."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." 

I looked up to see a visibly furious girl Serena stand on front of me.

She was no longer wearing a jean, sneakers and a tank top  with a headset around her neck. She wore a red-black checked high-waist mini skirt which exposed almost all of her thighs with 4 inch stiletto black heels. She wore a red strapless crop top with long frilly red-netted sleeves. Her hair was left loosely hanging on her shoulders with a few pins here and there.

How could I see her in the same way when she changed so much in two weeks? Serena showed too much girlishness and Marina reduced that part of her. She wore a black plazzo with a dull green sweatshirt. She wore pain black flats. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail instead of the normal french braid she used to keep. It was as if she lost the color of her face.

"Didn't mean too? She came crying into the girl's changing room. What did you do to her?" Serena pouted.

She no longer had that cold look in her eyes. She no longer was intimidating. She no longer was the Sere I had known all these years.

"Serena leave it. Just go!" Marina shouted.

Her eyes were puffy from crying and looked lifeless. As if life was sucked out of her. I wasn't any better. I looked like a walking robot, emotionless. I excluded myself from social events and relations. I even stopped talking to my parents. Everyone is worried about me and Marina but no one understands the situation we are going through. Even after all our differences, me and Marina support each other. I have only got her and she is only got me.

"But-"

"No buts. Now go!" Marina interrupted Serena before she could start again.

Serena sent me one of those non-intimidating cold stares and walked away.

"Sorry about that. She is-"

"No worries. And I am sorry about earlier. I guess you are right." I said.

She nodded before starting again. "Ash, can I ask you for a favor?" She asked, sounding quite unsure.

"Sure." I replied.

"Since all this happened, my family is not the same anymore. Especially Daddy. It is as if our family lost their only son, and since you are like a son to Daddy, would you come over for lunch? Please?" She looked at me with high hopes.

"Sure Mari, I will give a call at home and walk you home and join you guys for lunch. Anyways, I have got some of my stuff in her room. So, I will have an excuse to get it." I smiled.

She smiled back and held her hands to her chest.

"Thanks Ash."

She was about to walk away when she suddenly stopped and turned around.

"And Ash,"

I raised my head to meet her eyes. Not as blue as Serena's eyes, but still very blue and shining in their own special way.

"You are and always will be family."

With that she turned back and walked away.

I smiled and looked at the sky.

Family, that is what I need the most right now.