Paired up 1

Ch. 5: Them hormones

"What's wrong with my face? Ugh, the idiot..."

The redhead picked up her hand mirror and stared at her reflection. What was wrong with her face? Why did Ash say that? Was he going to call her ugly? She would have known if Gary didn't interrupt him.

Maybe it's her pimples? Misty got a closer look at her zits. Maybe she could take birth control pills like Dawn and May do so she gets rid of the acne? Her period wasn't messed up and she wasn't sexually active so she thought there was no need. She was only sixteen and her mom wouldn't agree if she tells her about the pills.

"But they're not that bad..."

Misty sat up on her bed and kept staring at her hand mirror. She couldn't be looking that hideous, could she? Her eyes were pretty, she thought. She was an A cup but it went well with her small body (it was the only way to accept herself the way she is). The redhead looked down and rubbed her tummy and thighs. She wasn't fat, was she? She was a size six and all her friends fit into size four skinny jeans. Did that mean she is fat?   

Misty sighed. What has gotten into her? She was crazy. She wasn't supposed to put pressure on herself because of what Ash (from all people) could have said. He was an idiot and he was only trying to put her down. Gary was with him and he wanted to show the 'man' he really is. Ash was a dense mommy's boy who got spoiled by his sisters and parents his whole life because he's the only boy in the family. Why should she even care about what he thinks about her or her face?

She hated him and he hated her. Of course he'd be mean to her. She's mean to him too.

"W—what the hell I'm doing? It's just stupid Ash Ketchum for God's sake!" Misty huffed and threw her mirror on the bed. She sighed heavily and grabbed her pillow, hugging it. "He's so annoying! Ugh. I can't wait to get rid of him. The fata**."

Misty wasn't sure why she kept thinking about Ash Ketchum the whole weekend, but she knew one thing for sure: that wasn't a good sign.

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Ash was the last to get to class. Lucky for him the teacher was busy looking inside his bag when he walked in. He walked past Misty's desk, put the notebook on it and walked over to his spot on the back of the class.

Misty turned to look at him. Ash was busy taking out his supplies (and snacks). She opened the notebook and this time, there were some suggestions written as well as questions for the interviews. It was sure fishy but Misty didn't care as long as he did his part of the work.

The redhead waved at him. He looked up and she smiled in response.

Ash just ignored her.

There was something about Misty Williams he couldn't get through his head.

He's never noticed her before they actually got paired up with each other. Misty is a brilliant student and Ash is anywhere near that. School didn't interest him because his father's business is going to become his whether he makes it to college or not. Misty and Ash were from two different worlds at school and they never talked to each other.

Why did he feel the way he did when he noticed the way she was talking to Gary?

Ash knew Gary could get any girl he wanted, and chances were really high Misty had a crush on him, but why did he care? Why was he thinking about this? Why did Misty become the center of his attention all of sudden?

"Pssst!"

Ash turned abruptly toward Gary who sat beside him.

"What?" He whispered.

"Earth to Ash!"

Ash rolled his eyes and turned to look in front of him. Gary nudged his elbow and pointed at the front. Ash looked in the same direction where he pointed and noticed Misty looking at him. She threw a small piece of paper that landed on his desk.

Ash gave her a look and unfolded it. It read:

I really like your suggestions! Thank you for the hard work c:

Ash looked up and smiled at the redhead. She did the same and soon turned to look at the board.

He felt Gary nudge him again. "What?"

Gary winked at him and leaned back on his chair. Ash took a deep breath and turned slowly to look in front of him. Honestly, he was just pretending he looked at the board, because he was actually staring at Misty.

Well, she's attractive... but maybe just physically; Misty had a very bad temper and wasn't easy going, and to be honest, Ash didn't like girls who yelled at his face — okay, fine, he yelled at her too, but she started it.

Ash jumped up when Gary placed a folded paper on his desk. He unfolded it without looking at him.

Looks like you're undressing Williams with your eyes need a condom by any chance?

He threw the paper back at Gary who just smirked at him.

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The more Ash didn't want to think about it, the more he wanted to think about it. Does it make sense? Maybe no. Ash thought he makes no sense these days.

Okay, fine, a girl called him a fatso. So? It's not like he really was a 'fatso'. He called Misty a freak too. They both called each other names, and fatso was just like any other lame ugly name someone would call you if they're mad at you.

Maybe that's not really the reason why he's skipped school the whole week after he gave her the notebook, though.

He didn't want to see Misty either, for some reason. No, not because she called him fatso (which made Ash weigh himself after every meal ever since), but the sight of Misty Williams sitting at the front of the class, her short orange straight hair falling slightly as she looked down and wrote, with her left hand pressed gently against the back of her neck and the sight of her turquoise bra straps flashing through her white shirt-

"Okay, what the hell I'm thinking about?" Ash snapped to no one in particular with a slight chuckle. He soon realized maybe this wasn't funny after all, and he, maybe, just maybe, was starting to consider Misty Williams a potential crush. Gary wasn't exactly wrong; Misty actually matched Ash's criteria, but the raven haired never bothered with her as both are pretty much not following the same rhythm at school — that if Ash had any rhythm at all.

Did he mention he doesn't care at all about the Communication project? He's only doing it for Misty. He had to call his sister Bridget who is in dorms and study over the phone to get his part of the work done.

Yes, he's doing it for Misty. He didn't even know why. He usually never worked in previous projects, and that's why he always chose to be paired up with Gary; this latter found a way to get Leaf to do the work instead, and both he and Ash end up doing nothing and getting a good grade. Lame, yeah.

Which makes Ash a little nervous is that Misty asked Gary about him the whole week. Strange, huh? She usually can't wait to get rid of his face, and when he decides to do her this favor, she bugs Gary about him every day (he told her Ash has the flu just like how he asked him to do).

Even Gary himself doesn't really know why Ash has been skipping.

Oh, wait, Ash doesn't know either.

He was messed up.

The raven haired closed his eyes for a moment and sighed heavily. He got off his bed, grabbed his phone, a chips bag and decided to head downstairs to pass time watching TV.

... but he dumped the chips in the trash and left the bedroom without it. He thought it was for the better to skip the chips and watch TV without eating anything. It was unhealthy, right? He always ended up uncomfortable from eating too much in front of TV. He gets carried away. His tummy bloats. It was unhealthy.

Okay, he was really messed up.