3rd Person POV

As Ash and Serena continue to study together for their final examinations before the summer break, they share much more good moments together such as going to the beach once. However, like the selfless Ash we all know, he still refuses to share his other side with Serena or anyone else.

On the other hand, Calem's plan has progressed to the next phase which is...

Ash POV

Before school starts, a figure whom I could not recognise immediately due to the morning sun walks towards us, Serena and me. This person turns out to be Calem.

Serena responds to his appearance, "What are you planning this time, Calem?"

Calem replies calmly, "Nothing, I just want to say sorry about the fuss I made, after I look back to what I have done, I feel that I was too selfish, and should have considered Serena's feelings towards you."

Before I could reply, Serena says, "Bullshit, stop acting!"

Calem exclaims, "No Serena, I have come here to sincerely apologise to Ash for all my nonsense I created, Sorry Ash!" as he subsequently bows in front of me.

Touched by his earnestness, I signal to Serena to stop and say, "It's ok, no one wants it, you did it to protect your love, I completely understand. Now that you are able to let go of her, means you have taken a step backwards."

Calem nods his head in agreement and says softly, "Then Ash, can we still be friends?"

I reply quickly, "Yes we can, definitely!"

Serena POV

I mentally facepalmed at Ash's quick acceptance of Calem's apology. How will Calem ever let go of his ideals and thoughts so easily? Why does Calem want to befriend Ash at this critical period of time? Unless he has a plan?

After Calem leaves for his first lesson, I grab Ash's hand to get is attention. He turns to face me, before he could ask me why, I say, "Ash."

After we establish eye contact, I add, "I think Calem is up to no good, remember how he ended you up in the police station."

As usual in his kindest soul, Ash says, "Don't worry, Calem won't do anything, I promise."

"If you say so," I reply, hoping my predictions won't come true

However, over the next few hours in class, I just cannot concentrate in classes. Whenever any of the professors asks me a question, I just cannot answer as I didn't listen to their teachings. The thoughts of how Calem is going to hurt and harm Ash again are occupying my brain. This is so frustrating.

Since that day, Ash had spent lesser time with me, claiming that Calem was in more need for examinations help than I do. Although I had warned Ash numerous times on what evil plans Calem can have, Ash still ignored me, saying that he had changed, he was no longer than that boy from that Pokemon Battle. Hence, I even brought up the idea of three of us studying together but Ash didn't think and instantly rejected this idea, claiming that I would distract Calem from studying. To me, that answer was absurd.

As a result, Ash spent lesser time with me, claiming that I was overprotective over him and also a disturbance to his private life. What made me even more furious was the fact that we quarrelled more often, almost once a day, after the reappearance of Calem.

I decided to fake my illness this Saturday, the weekend before our final examinations for this semester so that Ash will accompany me for this weekend which he had decided to give to Calem previously.

On Saturday (Ash POV)

"Mum, I am going out!" I tell my mother, Delia.

"Where?" she asks.

"Calem's house!" I state.

"Oh that boy who came last week right?" she replies.

"Yeah"

"How about your girlfriend?" she asks as I am about to leave my home

Her question renders me immobilise as I at the same time remember the quarrels we had over Calem.

I lie, "She is fine" as I head for Calem's house.

After I settle down in Calem's house and am about to take my revision booklet out, I receive a call on my Pokephone and I pick up the call.

The caller cries, "Is this Ash?"

"Yes?" , realising that the caller is Serena.

"This is Serena, could you come to my home right now? I am experiencing a bad gastric pain." Serena says from the other side.

"Where's your mum?"

"She went for work!" she exclaims.

"Ok, I will be there soon!" I reply.

After telling Calem the situation, I say,"I will be back!"

I then immediately speed out of his home in worry. As I run, my brain starts to fill with anxiety and guilty. I should have spent more time with her. Upon arrival at her home, as I am about to shout Serena's name, I remember that Serena had given me her house key in case of emergency. I select that key out of my bunch of keys and swiftly unlock the main door. "Who is this?" a voice cries from upstairs.

I shout back, "I am Ash! Give me some time to find your medicine and get some food in your kitchen."

I quickly search for the gastric pain medicine and pour a glass of water. In desperation, I forget to knock on her door and go straight into her room. To my relief, then shock, she isn't in the room. I shout, "Serena!"

"I'm here!" a voice comes from the bathroom within her room.

I quickly place the glass of water and medicine on the table, then visit her in her bathroom. She is now back-facing me, squatting in front of that seems to be a toilet bowl. She cries, "Hot, hot!" as I stand still outside her toilet. As I am about to approach her, she then vomits into that toilet bowl.

Sensing my presence, she turns her head quickly to look at me and turns back. I ask first, "What's the problem?"

She replies, "My whole body is itchy." as she scratches every part of her body.

She adds, "I also feel very hot inside." as she quickly removes her shirt. The next moment makes me swallow my saliva. To my astonishment, her top body is now exposed to the surrounding, revealing a strap around her breast area.

Seeing her suffer like this makes my heart hurts, the same feeling when a needle pierces through my heart. I have to react, but my mind is now blank, unsure of what to do.

Serena then says, "Quick, Ash get me the medicine!"

I follow her instructions and hand a pain-relieving tablet and a glass of water from behind her back, not wanting to go in front of her.

However, she turns around and tackles me for a hug, perhaps wanting my warmth to defend against her inner hot. When she spins to face me, I see ur nude self just her undergarments self.

Due to her large momentum, I being the receiver of the hug, fall backwards. She ends up pinning me towards the wall of the toilet behind me. Now her bra and her breasts are pressuring my poor face, resulting in difficulty to breathe.

Serena POV

After I fall onto Ash and notice my boobs fall onto his face, I quickly retreat. As he recovers to his normal breathing, he turns his head away from me who is still naked with just undergarments only.

Ash comments, "I think I have to bring you to A&E, let the doctor check your condition!"

"Ash, don't need, I am fine."

"That is because the medicine has come to full effect, I need to bring you to the hospital," Ash exclaims.

"B-b-bu-ut-t," I whine, worried that it will waste Ash's time to study and also...

Ash interrupts my thoughts and throws me the shirt I strip just a few moments ago. "Wear it!"

I obediently wear the shirt, and what shocked me is that Ash then drags me out of the room, then out of my house despite my constant whinings and my physical resistance. "Ash, don't waste your time." "Ash, I can recover by myself" "Ash, stop!" All are futile as Ash manages to grab a cab.

Throughout the journey to the hospital, we ignore each other, we did not even say a single word. We know each other behaviour. Ash will be very reluctant to let me go alone as he is too caring.

Finally, the doctor gives my a full body check-up and she claims that my itchiness and gastric pain is due to an allergy and most likely a food poisoning too. With Ash by my side, the doctor adds, "Serena, I am afraid you may have to be hospitalised for this two days for further checks and investigations. My nurse will follow up with your prescription." as he leaves the four-bed ward, leaving me lying down on the bed

Ash quickly grabs my hands and says, "You are now fine, don't worry!"

After my mum Grace comes and visits me, Ash takes his leave as he had accompanied me till evening.

3rd Person POV

/flashback to this morning/

Like any usual morning, Serena travels with her mother, Grace to the nearby wet market and food court to buy groceries needed for the week and have her morning breakfast respectively. And this time, Serena decides to try something different today and orders a bowl of Laksa, which of course contains cockles. After one or two hours of eating that bowl of Laksa, she starts to feel her body heating up. In addition, rashes start to form around her body, from top to bottom. Since Grace has already left for work, Serena has no choice but to contact someone on top of her contact list...

/End of flashback/

To be continued

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Hope this chapter is clear enough to express what I meant. As you can see, this story is soon coming to an end. So I would like to express my gratitude to those who have supported me all this while. Although this story may not be as popular as the others, I still do meet quite a decent number of you. 

That's all from me. Thanks and keep reading! (although Serena will not return this March like many had expected) :D