Ash scrolled down quickly through his phone as he shifted in his bed, his thick covers still on the top of him. It was already noon but he had no intention in getting out of the bed. He wasn't ready for life today. His room was messy, his balcony door was shut, food wrappers were on the end of his bed, and his laptop was on the ground and still switched on from last night.

"Ash? It's me!"

"Go away."

He groaned and pulled the covers over his face. He could hear Misty roll up the curtains of his balcony and slid open its door. She then started picking up the wrappers from the end of his bed.

"You left the laptop turned on all night?" Ash noticed Misty had a habit of picking up things and organizing every time she came to his bedroom. It's not really like she had OCD but you get the point. She doesn't like messy places.

"I know you're up, Ash. Show me your face." He felt her hand over his shoulder.

"Get off."

"You're unusually grumpy today." Misty sat on the edge of Ash's bed and picked up his laptop. Ash could feel his knee touch her butt. He slightly pulled to the back.

"You said you don't even care if you get accepted or not."

"That's not it."

"Why are you mad then?"

Ash sighed. He hated today. If only today could end so quickly.

"It's going to be fine. I'm positive you'll make it."

He finally pulled the covers away and sat up. "Really? Positive?" He pulled his laptop away from Misty right when he noticed what she was trying to do.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Ash shut the lid and put the laptop on his desk. He picked up his phone again and started messing with it as Misty gave him weird looks.

"I don't get you, really." She chuckled. "You said you don't care if you don't get accepted or not. Why are you mad? It shouldn't matter to you."

"Well, fine!" He huffed. "It matters, okay? It really does!"

"That's another story..." Misty eyed the laptop. The lists of students officially accepted into Celadon University were coming out today, and it was making Ash worried more than Misty thought it would.

He always said he didn't care about making it to college or not, but when Misty, Gary and Leaf applied, he did as well. 'For fun', he's told Misty. This latter knew she, May and Dawn were going to get accepted; Gary aimed for a basketball scholarship; Leaf worked her butt off the last semester, and Ash... well, he did nothing.

When he got accepted to pass the interview, Ash said it was 'luck'. He refused to talk about how his interview went. Misty couldn't tell if it went well or bad. Ash was really good at hiding his feelings, and she dated him for almost two years now.

But seeing his state today, it probably didn't go too well. "Ash, it's fine. You don't need it. You said it yourself."

He smiled. "You said you are positive I'll make it. Are you taking that back?"

"Of course not." It's like Ash had something hidden inside him, some kind of secret weapon. He wasn't the brilliant student at school and he was suspended several times this year because of skipping (and Misty nagged him all the time about it), but he had something. Misty was sure. He had something in him.

"Can we check that stupid list and get over this fast?"

"That's what I was trying to do." Misty grabbed the laptop and opened the lid. The university site was still on. "If you get accepted, it's good, if not, it's good too. Okay?"

"I guess." Ash pulled away the covers and got off the bed. He headed toward his bathroom. Misty put down the laptop and started making the bed. Old habits die hard.

She suddenly felt her hand come in contact with something hard on the bed. She pulled away the sheets and she blinked when she saw Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin and Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck in the middle of her boyfriend's bed.

What?

Misty reached out for Jane Austin's book and flipped through it. Why does Ash even have this in his bedroom? Does he even know what this is? It's a book, a novel... a book.

"I feel like a barely slept!"

Misty quickly hid the books under the bed sheets and set the bed again. She turned around quickly. Ash was walking toward her. "So?"

"Uh, I haven't checked yet." Misty smiled nervously and took a seat at Ash's desk. She picked up the laptop.

"It's fine, I'm not pressed to know." He let a chuckle and headed toward the closet. In the meantime, Misty has already found the list of the Science major and opened it...

"I think I'm going to get a gym membership this summer. I packed on a bunch lately because I've been eating whatever I find on the way. My stupid dentist made the comment." Ash collected his pajamas from the ground and placed it in the laundry basket for his mother to pick it up later. "And dad won't stop making the muffin-top jokes until I lose weight. Don't you think?"

"I know you're not interested since you already look like Chloris but I need someone to encourage me to leave the house and move a bit."

Misty wasn't moving a finger in her spot. Ash didn't seem to notice. "I've never been to a gym before so I hope I don't look like an idiot. Have you?"

"Lana and Bridget go to the gym but they're not here." Ash sighed.

"Mist? Did you hear?"

"Mist?"

"Hellooooo?"

Misty finally turned around, not looking very happy. Ash presumed it meant bad news.

"Mist, it's fine, just say it."

"First." Misty spun the chair so she sat facing Ash. "Did you just compare me to the Goddess of flowers?"

He smirked. "Flattered much?"

She titled her head. "Yes. Where did you learn that?"

"Please. Everyone knows that stuff."

Misty smiled. "You used a Greek reference, Ash. The most common ones are Roman."

Ash shrugged and faked to look for something inside his closet. "I probably heard someone say it."

"Look at me, Ash."

He turned to look at her. "Your name is not on the list, Ash."

He took a moment to reply. "Yeah, I could tell."

"But," she began in a serious tone. "You really owe me explanations on why your name is on the Literature major, Ash."

Ash stared at her. He rushed over to his desk and looked at the laptop screen. Misty still had the list open.

"For God's sake!" Misty shouted with a chuckle. "How on Earth and why on Earth your name is there, Ash? Why did you lie? Why did you say you applied to the same major as me and Gary and Leaf? Why did you do this?"

Ash smiled broadly, finally seeing his name on the list.

"Now, Ash! Look at me and explain! I need explanations!" Misty shook his arm. "You passed the same interview as us! What did exactly happen?"

"Fine! Fine!" Ash laughed as he took a seat on his bed. "I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure-"

"Ash!"

"I swear I didn't lie!" He exclaimed. "I applied for the Science major and it was a miracle they called me for the interview."

"Ash, what did you do exactly? Did your father-"

"No, no." Ash shook his head quickly. "It's when I got inside. They started asking me questions..."

"I'm not interested." Ash sat calmly facing the three judges. He knew he is going to screw this interview and he isn't going to get accepted so why bother. Plus, he knew his father had something to do with his application being accepted.

The judges didn't look very impressed. One of them took out Ash's application once again. "So... you're not interested in this major."

"Not the slightest bit. I applied because my friends did."

"Alright. You can leave."

Ash bowed his head and got up. "No, wait. I have a question." One of the judges, who was a woman, made him sit down again. Her two male colleagues gave her weird looks.

"You've put here..." She looked up. "I see really interesting book titles you've put here."

"Oh, yeah." Ash put them on the hobbies case.

"Can I ask a personal question?"

"Sure."

The woman licked her lips. "Your last name tickles a bit. Are you related to Reese Ketchum Martinez, by any chance? Her publishing name is Reese Martinez."

"She's my big sister."

The woman nodded her head with a smile. "I see there are genes in the family."

Ash chuckled. "I don't really write, I just read, but you can say that."

"Good writers are good readers, Mr. Ketchum." The woman beamed. "Why reading?"

"It's better than reality."

"You sure are like your sister." The two other judges started to pay attention again. "In five minutes and without stopping, can you speak about a book?"

Ash sat straight on his chair. This interview was taking an incredible turn but he didn't mind at all. He was starting to get very comfortable. "Absolutely."

The woman gave him a challenging look. "Even if I'm the one who picks up the book? It could be one you never heard of."

Ash has been reading since the age of eight. He was confident. "I'm up to the challenge."

The woman chuckled slightly. "Alright..." she looked down. "Mr. Ketchum?"

"Right."

"Talk to me about..." She smiled. "Odyssey, by Homer."

Misty gasped. "And what did you do?"

Ash shrugged and smiled. "I was surprised she picked something as old, but since I knew what it is about, I didn't shut my mouth."

Misty giggled. "And how was her reaction?"

The woman looked down at her wristwatch and then at Ash, who finally finished. "Seven minutes, Mr. Ketchum."

"Is that a good thing?"

The woman chuckled. Ash thought she probably found him ridiculous.

"Well, let me explain, Mr. Ketchum." She looked at Ash. "I'm Mrs. Klen, and I teach English for students taking Science, but... " she chuckled. "I'm also the head teacher of the Literature major, and I see that you have the profile of the candidates we usually accept in our major."

One of the men finally spoke up. "Why didn't you apply for the Literature major, Mr. Ketchum?"

Ash shook his head. "My grades are too low at English."

Mrs. Klen checked Ash's application again. She turned toward her colleague and laughed. "He doesn't have grades. He skipped those classes."

"Uhm-not really, I was..." Ash wasn't interested in the kind of stuff they taught them at school. It was bullsh*t. He felt like he wasted time studying English.

Mrs. Klen crossed her legs. "Alright, Ash. I think I get what kind of students you were." She looked him in the eye. "If I work things out to get you in the Literature major, will you promise me to engage fully in the major and attend your classes?"

"Really?" Ash beamed. It was dream come true. He couldn't let this chance slip off his hands. "I promise."

"A man's promise?"

"A Ketchum's promise."

She laughed. "Alright, Ash Ketchum. You can leave." She then added, "Tell Reese Mrs. Klen who taught you in Goldenrod University says hi."

"Ash! Why don't you tell me these things?" Misty moved so she sat beside him on the bed. They hugged.

"I thought she wouldn't do it! She had to get all the other teachers to agree. I wasn't sure." The woman turned out to be an old teacher of Reese back in college. Ash's sister went nuts when she heard about her. She screamed loudly 'I LOVE MRS. KLEN!' and woke Tyler up.

"You idiot!" Misty sighed and put her head on her usual little spot on Ash's shoulder. "I'm happy for you."

"I was going to get really upset if I don't pass." Ash stroked Misty's back gently. "I know I was saying that I don't care about college last year but this year... it's like something changed. I wanted to do something. Do you get me?"

"I do."

"I know literature is ridiculous but anyway."

Misty pulled away. "No, it's not!" She slapped his arm playfully. "It's classy."

"Really? I didn't know that." Ash smiled and checked his phone. Misty loved it when he smiled. It looked so perfect (he was getting his clear braces removed soon). "But you didn't answer my question of earlier. Can you tag along to the gym?"

"And you're asking? I'm going wherever you are!" Misty cooed and hugged Ash again. "You're unbelievable, Ash. Don't you ever hide something from me again!"

At least now she knows from where he learned the romance!

THE END

Sooooo, I am trying to make a sequel for this story

If it works, I'll publish it. If not, then... eeeh... sorry?

I hope everyone enjoyed this story because I ENJOYED writing it!

Peace