Misty was putting the last drop of the homemade egg yolk face mask on when someone knocked on the door of her bedroom. She kept staring into the mirror, thinking of how unflattering she looked with egg yolks on her face. But it was good for the skin, wasn't it?

"Misty?" Her dad called out behind the door.

"Coming!" Misty got off her bed and put her dressing gown on.

She walked over the door and opened it. "Hi—oh."

"Hi Misty." Ash smiled genuinely at her.

"Oh, she's in a good mood, trust me. Look at her face!"

"Dad, can you?" Misty gestured to the stairs as she wrapped her robe around her. Might as well look decent and hide some flesh.

Mr. Williams patted Ash on the shoulder and made his way downstairs. "But she might make you join her, son! Happens to Lily's boyfriend all the time! She puts those pictures online. She's a little devil."

Did Misty's father just compare her and Ash to Lily and her boyfriend?

"I bet dad would like that." Ash got in after Misty let him inside.

"It's not funny." She closed the door and followed after him. He sat down on her chair desk. "I told you I'm busy. Why did you come?"

"You're not busy. We still can study."

"The exam is next week. Stop freaking out."

"I can't. I'm so bad at math. You know that, come on."

Misty rolled her eyes. "Can't I get some little time for myself?"

"No! You're stuck with me forever." Ash winked at her. He always did that, but now that she realized she liked him... God, that was so satisfying.

"Fine, fine!" Misty walked over to the bookshelf and grabbed some books. She threw them into the bed. "All I wanted to do is paint my nails and now I have to study math."

"Nail polish is bad for your health."

"How would you know?"

"I wouldn't, but it smells bad, so it must be bad for your health, right?"

Misty wanted to slap her forehead but she remembered she had the facial on. "Ash... you're just..."

"Isn't it true?"

"Was it your mom who told you that?"

"No, it's brainstorming."

Misty giggled as she got on her bed. Ash took off his vans and joined her on the bed too. He sat facing her. "Isn't it true?"

"I don't know. Maybe it is. I never thought about it in that way." Sometimes, Misty thought Ash was too curious about everything. When they were younger, he always asked her how it feels to have long hair or lipstick on.

"What?" At some point, Misty noticed Ash was just staring at her and not paying attention to what she was explaining to him.

"I don't know. I can't take you seriously when you're looking like this." Ash chuckled a bit. Misty grabbed her math notebook and hit his shoulder with it.

"Hey!"

"I'm helping you, I think!"

"Fine! Go on. I'm following you."

"No! I'm done."

"Come on!" Ash shook her arm. "I swear I was following you."

"Get your hands off of my arm, Ash!"

"Your arm is so small, you know?"

Misty rolled her eyes and got off the bed. Ash's gaze followed her. "Come on, I'm sorry." She walked over to her vanity desk and sat down. "My beauty is billion times worth my time. Now, leave my bedroom."

"You are beautiful without anything on."

Misty cleaned her throat. She pretended she didn't hear as she took out her nail polish bottles. "Finish that math problem, Ash."

"I don't know how to."

"Good for you." He called me beautiful Misty was freaking out in the inside but Ash didn't know and never will. Her hand trembled as she painted her nails cherry red.

"How about I shake your hand now?"

"Don't you dare!" Misty pointed at him with the brush. "Stay away from here, do you get it?"

"I said I can't you seriously with the yellow stuff on your face!" Ash chuckled again.

"How about you leave me alone? Yes, I agree as well. Bye."

Her heart started beating faster when Ash was finally behind her. He was peeking at her hand. "I can do better than that."

"Ash, get off." He was too close, way too close. "Or I'm going to paint your nails by force."

Ash laughed. "That'd send dad straight to the hospital."

Misty turned around and gave a mischievous smile. "Do you want to try?"

"What? No! Don't get any closer!" Ash stepped to the back. "It was just a lame joke!"

"Are you scared for your father?"

"I'm scared for my life!"

"You're so dramatic, Ash." Misty went back to painting her nails. She got up for a second from her chair to reach out for the cotton on her nightstand. "You can leave now."

"Alright."

Misty fell right on her butt and gasped when she wanted to sit down again. She instantly took off her slippers and started chasing Ash who was running fast and skipping stairs like the athletic guy he is. 

Misty threw a slipper but it didn't hit him. "Why did you do that?"

"I just can't take you seriously!" The second slipper didn't hit him too. Ash stormed into the kitchen and hid behind Misty's mother. "It was so funny! You fell flat on your butt! You fell for the lamest prank ever!"

"What's going on here?" Mrs. Williams looked between the two. They were running in circles around her.

"I said I am busy today for a reason! Okay? I wanted to get rid of you today!" Bullsh*t. Misty enjoyed her time with Ash. She loved this chase too. She thought this was really cute. The fact that he's silently pulled her chair away and let her fall was a little sly, but she liked Ash the way he was. 

"But you can't get rid of me and you know it!" Ash grinned at her and suddenly started walking toward the back door. Misty ran after him.

"Come back!"

"Ha!"

"Ash!"

Ash suddenly stopped. Misty's running ceased too, but she found herself standing a little too close to him. Both were panting heavily.

"I wish you could see yourself, running with your robe and yellow face and throwing your fuzzy and very harmful SpongeBob slippers at me."

Misty chuckled nervously. "It's a little funny, isn't it?"

"A little, but hey, I'm right here now. What did you want to do to me anyway?"

"I was thinking about painting your face yellow too and sending the picture to Gary, but I change my mind now."

"What did you decide on?" Ash inched closer. Misty caught it. He was getting really close.

Misty was lost in his eyes. They were so beautiful. She kept staring. "...nothing."

"Misty?" Ash's voice was little low. It sounded like a whisper... a sexy whisper.

Misty was dying. She slightly pushed up her chest and got close even more. "Yes, Ash?"

"..."

"..."

Ash started chuckling suddenly. "I'm sorry but you look hilarious!"

He stopped laughing when Misty slapped him. She then realized what she did, but didn't say anything.

She was mad. Yes, she was mad because she thought he was going to kiss her. Call her nuts. She knew she wasn't girly enough and she will never be as good as his old crushes, but she had feelings too, right? She knew Ash wasn't serious about laughing at her, but he gave her false hopes, and she hated that. She hated that he pretended he was going to kiss her. It hurt her feelings. It's like he was playing with her feelings.

Ash looked confused. "What..."

Misty didn't respond.

"Did you seriously get mad because... I was just joking!"

Misty had no idea what to say. He wouldn't get her. She had no reason to tell him.

"Alright, I'll leave now." Ash nodded at her and made his way to the front door through the garden. Misty watched him as he walked away.

Her mother suddenly got out of the back door with a tray of food. "Where is Ash? I made you two some food."

"He left."

And it felt like he left for good.

to be continued.