A/N: As for this chapter, I'll be setting the POV into Meredith's to get to know more about her through her own perspective. Also, we could get a few hints as to how she views Ash. Enjoy!

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Waking up first thing in the morning had to be the most dreadful thing as part of my daily routine. Forcing my eyes open, I grunted in annoyance as I glared at the source of the loud snores. Ginger red hair sprawled in all directions as she slept in a spread eagle position accompanied by high-pitched snores eliciting from her slightly parted lips. I scoffed.

How unladylike.

Having a roommate like her is extremely aggravating. With the combination of her smart mouth and juvenile attitude is enough to infuriate someone. If it wasn't for her habit of dozing off during trigonometry class, she didn't have to do cleaning duty after school. Sadly, that girl never learns. Spanish was also never her forte and knowing Ms. Lozada's usual procedure of calling out random students, Ash couldn't even pronounce Spanish terms properly whenever she's called to recite.

Just what good can that girl do anyway?

Trying to fight off my annoyance, I ambled towards her bed before giving her cheek a light poke with my finger.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead," I said monotonously. I groaned when she didn't move a single muscle. I tried all sorts of methods to wake up my stupid roommate. First, I grabbed both of her shoulders and shook them vigorously while yelling at her ear but to no avail as she only responded with a loud snort and her expression remained relaxed and unfazed. Slapping her across the face multiple times didn't do any good either as muttering gibberish was her only retaliation.

"Meredith's a bitch.." She slurred drunkenly in her sleep and I fought the urge to suffocate her with my mattress.

I swear I have many reasons to hate this girl.

An idea popped into my mind and a mischievous smirk made its way to my features. I grabbed a bucket of water from the bathroom and stood beside Ash's bed. An audible snicker escaped from my lips.

"This is going to be fun." I tried not to laugh out loud the moment the cold water splashed on Ash's face as she jolted awake in surprise before an ear-splitting scream escaped from her lips.

"What the fuck?! What was that for, huh?" Her damp ginger red hair adhered to her face as her lavender PJs clung onto her slim figure which was dripping wet. Her teeth chattered as her arms hugged her shivering body. I smirked triumphantly when she shot me a cold glare.

"Looks like you're finally awake, idiot. You should be thankful I already gave you a cold bath. That makes things much faster, right? Knowing that you're such a slowpoke." I remarked cheekily. Ash seemed like she was gonna lunge at me by any moment, looking pretty pissed off. She sent me a fake smile forcibly.

"Wow, how kind of you. But thanks to that, I'll have to delay my usual routine because now, I have to change my damn bedsheets!" She exclaimed in frustration, sighing in exasperation. I slung my backpack over my shoulder before heading to the door.

"Well, good luck to that. I'm heading to class now." I said bluntly.

"Hey! Don't just leave as if you're not the suspect! If this was a real murder case, the cops wouldn't let you off so easily!" I glanced back at her in slight amusement.

"Oh, really? In that case, I bet the cops couldn't even catch me because like you said, I'm a smart-ass." Her dumbfounded expression with her mouth hung open was enough to satisfy me before slamming the door shut.

Now, that's what you call badass.

"You're not getting away with this, Meredith!" I heard her yell in a muffled voice behind the door.

* * * * *

Nothing out of ordinary occurred during algebra class. I stared at the blackboard with a bored expression as Ms. Merryl showed another example of a hyperbola equation for the eighth time and I groaned in annoyance. I know the solving process all too well already and the only person in this classroom who didn't seem to get the lesson was no other than my dumb roommate. Ms. Merryl sighed as she drew a box on the final answer.

"Do you get it already, Ms. Rockwell?" She asked for what seemed like the hundredth time, staring at her tiredly. The redhead scratched the back of her neck timidly.

"Uh, sorry but can you give one last example Ms. Merryl?" Everyone in the room groaned while I rolled my eyes.

This girl is completely hopeless in everything.

"Oh, come on! Do we all have to adjust for you?! We have a quiz to take, for Pete's sake!" One student complained in front of me.

"Yeah, you're wasting our time, you brainless freak!" Another one yelled from the back corner.

"Shut up! At least I'm trying to learn instead of complaining nonsense!" Ash shot back.

"How about I shove your textbook right to your face, huh? Maybe you'll get smarter with that dumb brain of yours." The whole class snickered. Ash was about to make another comeback but then she was interrupted when Ms. Merryl slammed her hands against her desk.

"Silence! I didn't ask for commentary, did I?" Immediately, everyone shut their mouths at her sharp retort. I rubbed my temples in disbelief.

Today's gonna be a long day.

* * * * *

I hate to admit it but I was extremely anxious. I, Meredith Gabehart, an extraordinary genius and a remarkable student in Rosewood is having a nervous breakdown.

For what reason?

P. E.

In my early elementary years, P. E. is the greatest weakness that I couldn't seem to overcome. I remember having an injured nose during a volleyball game after a strong serve by one of the most athletic students back then in fourth grade. And it wasn't a pleasant feeling at all. As the type of person who strives for excellence, I was very frustrated and wondered why P. E. even exists. I wanted to keep my grades balanced but with P. E. as the hindrance from meeting my expectations, I couldn't obtain my desired average grade.

I cursed mentally as I changed into my P. E. uniform before storming out of the locker area to proceed to the gymnasium. A dark-skinned bulky man stood by the sidelines of the basketball court, holding up a clipboard and a whistle hung around his neck. He wore a grim expression as our class jogged up to him.

"What took you all so long? You're five minutes late." He said sternly. We muttered a quick apology before he began his brief lecture about the sport that we're about to play and introduced himself as Coach Rogers. I tried to maintain my calm composure to swallow up my anxiety. Glancing to my right, I saw Ash tying up her short hair into a half ponytail casually. I smirked.

I bet she's bad at sports as well. At least I'm not alone on this one.

When Coach Rogers began forming the teams, I was placed in the blue team while Ash was grouped with the black team.

Let's see who's the worst in sports.

Coach Rogers offered us sports bibs according to our team color before arranging the order of the matches.

"The first match is the blue team versus the black team." He announced. The respective teams positioned themselves in the court but I felt left behind as I looked around the court, extremely clueless. I went up to my teammate and captain of the blue team, Aliyah.

"What's my position?" I inquired. Aliyah placed a hand under her chin as she glanced around the court.

"Since you're the tallest in the team, I'll put you on center, is that fine?" I stared at her, puzzled. I bit my lip before asking,

"Where exactly is the center position?" Aliyah's eyes widened slightly at my question.

"Wow, for a genius like you I'm surprised you don't know anything about basketball," She stopped herself when I shot her a hard glare.

"A-Anyway, the player on center is the one on defense which means is that you need to be a strong rebounder and a good shot blocker. Additionally, you can also be a big scorer, using your height as an advantage at that." I blinked in confusion.

A rebounder? Shot blocker?

Not wanting to swallow up my pride any further, I stopped asking questions and proceeded right away to my position.

"Captains, Ash Rockwell, and Aliyah Reddman. Prepare for the jump ball." Coach Rogers said as he held up the basketball in the middle of the court. I felt like I didn't clean my ears for the longest time as a perplexed expression contorted my features.

Did I hear that right? Ash is the captain?

I shook my head. She probably forced her teammates to make her the captain for others to view her as a cool jock.

Nuh-uh. I ain't falling for that.

Coach Rogers threw the ball upwards right after blowing the whistle and I formed into a defensive stance, bending my knees with arms spread wide open. My eyes widened in shock upon witnessing Ash's high jump then snatched the ball before Aliyah's fingertips could even reach it. With the speed that can compete against Flash's, she began dribbling the ball towards our net and my heart pounded in anxiety. I trembled as I got ready with my defense stance. I tried to anticipate her next move as she grew closer to the net. Unfortunately, she was sprinting in different directions, making her moves unpredictable and quite intimidating.

How is she even doing that?!

Ash stopped right in front of me while still bouncing the ball against her fingertips effortlessly. She must've noticed my panicky expression as she regarded me with a mocking smile.

"Can't move, scaredy-cat?" She sneered.

"Shut up! Don't mock me now just because you have something to brag about!" Ash raised an eyebrow in amusement as she switched the ball from one hand to the other easily in an attempt to intimidate me.

"Woah, there. I've never seen you so worked up before. The tables have turned, don't you think?" She taunted. I growled before charging at her without thinking and at a speed of lightning, Ash spun around gracefully then scored a clean three-pointer. The other teams by the sidelines cheered and clapped vigorously while the black team had triumph smiles on their faces. I felt a light pat on the shoulder.

"Tough luck, my friend," Ash said in a fake sympathetic tone before walking back to her position. My fists balled into knuckles as I stared daggers at my worst nightmare.

After being in the court for what seemed like forever, my legs were ready to give out by any moment as sweat dripped down all over my face and neck. Five minutes left before the end of the match will be declared and the black team was leading by four points.

"Come on, guys! We can still do this! The game is still going on!" Aliyah encouraged and we all cheered to lift each other's fighting spirit.

There's no way I'm gonna lose to my stupid roommate.

I observed closely as the black team began their counterattack. Glancing behind me, my other teammates were guarding the net along with me since Aliyah instructed the team to focus on defense. Mustering my courage, I made a rash decision. I charged towards the black team's counterattack.

"You guys be in charge of defense! I'm putting a stop to their counterattack!" I exclaimed which surprised my teammates.

"No, wait Meredith! It's too dangerous! Someone like you couldn't possibly stop an athlete like Ash!" One of my teammates, Reina yelled worriedly. I ignored her as I kept running up ahead.

Even if I'm not athletic enough, there's gotta be something that I can do for the team!

As I ran, I formed a plan in my mind. From what I've seen in professional basketball games, passing is one of the main strategies to be able to get past their opponents. In that case, I'll just have to stop their momentum and attain the ball possession. From the corner of my eye, an opponent was jogging up ahead from the other side of the court while Ash was dribbling the ball from the opposite side. Carefully, I watched Ash's movements intently, waiting for the perfect cue. Suddenly, she lifted the ball to her chest area, holding it with both hands as her body began moving sideways. My eyes widened in realization.

Now!

Everything seemed to happen in a slow-motion as I stood in front of Ash in an attempt to block the pass. I extended my arms forward in preparation to receive the pass. I gasped in shock when she passed the ball with incredible force.

Oh, no. I couldn't possibly catch that!

I released a shaky exhale through gritted teeth. There's no way I'm gonna back down now. Holding up my arms steady, I squeezed my eyes shut, unable to withstand my fear any longer.

"Meredith! Look out!" I heard Ash's shrill cry and before my brain could even process as to what's going on, I felt a sharp impact against my face. The incredible force made me stagger backward and before I could lose my balance, my back made contact with a pair of strong arms.

"Someone call the medic!" I heard Aliyah say but her voice sounded distant as I struggled to open my eyes.

"No, it's fine. I'll just take her to the clinic." A gentle voice said from behind me and it sounded much closer compared to Aliyah's distant voice. I tried to look up at my savior but it was getting difficult as black dots danced around my vision and before I knew it, I lost consciousness.

* * * * *

Opening my eyes groggily, I was greeted by white curtains surrounding me. Immediately, I knew that I was at the clinic. I sat up lazily, about to get out of this boring place as I removed the blanket from my legs.

"Where do you think you're going? You need to rest." I glanced to my right and was surprised to see Ash sitting on a stool with her arms crossed, a stern expression written across her features.

"I don't need your concern. Where's the person who brought me here? I haven't thanked him properly yet." I demanded. Ash tilted her head to the side.

"What the hell are you talking about? Your savior's right here." She pointed out. I looked around, confused.

"I should ask you the same question. He's not even here." Ash stared at me as if I've just turned into a complete lunatic. She sighed exasperatedly.

"She has red hair, wears a gray shirt and black pants. Sounds familiar?" She said impatiently, looking pretty annoyed. Confused, I stared at her from head to toe. That's when the realization hits me.

"Y-You?!" Ash frowned at my exclamation.

"Why do you sound so shocked?"

"Because I know for a fact that a guy carried me here." I pointed out bluntly, trying to prove that I'm dead serious. Ash's cheeks puffed up before she bursts out laughing.

"Pfft... Ahahahaha!" Tears began forming from the corner of her eyes as she laughed hysterically. I shot her a cold glare.

"What are you laughing at, idiot?" Ash doubled over into laughter as she collapsed on the ground, laughing her ass off.

"I'm asking you what's funny!" I barked, clicking my tongue in annoyance. Ash calmed down a few moments later before standing up.

"What's funny is that you don't seem to realize that I was the one who brought you here." Her cheeks puffed up again to stop herself from laughing, making her look like a squirrel. I stared at her in disbelief.

"What?"

"Oh, you don't believe me? Fine then, ask your teammates. They'd say the same thing." I scratched the back of my head in dismay.

"But I was certain that a guy brought me here." I defended. Ash smiled in amusement.

"And why do you think so?"

"Well, he's got strong arms and his voice sounded deep." My annoying roommate began laughing maniacally once again and I glared at her, shutting her up effectively.

"I'm guessing I've become a man now. I'm so proud of myself from keeping up with my daily work out." She boasted as she stretched her arms outwards. I frowned.

"Was it really you?" I asked in a much softer voice. Ash stopped stretching and stared at me, confused.

"Huh?" I took a deep breath.

"I said, was it really you?" I repeated. A solemn expression crossed her features as she nodded.

"Yeah, of course. It was my fault in the first place so I should bear the responsibility." She said genuinely. My expression softened.

"But why? I've always been such a horrible roommate to you. I practically made your life a living hell. So why repay me with kindness?" I said, my voice growing softer as it cracked slightly. I heard a sigh beside me.

"To correct what you said, you're not a horrible roommate at all Meredith. Remember the time when you helped me with my trigonometry homework? Even though I suck at that subject, you still sacrificed your time to help me. And even if you're giving me sarcastic remarks, I still appreciated your help. Oh! And remember when you saved me from Levi's angry fangirls? If it weren't for you, I'd be late for class. Seeing you do that, do you think I still view you as a horrible person? Of course not!" Ash exclaimed confidently as she flashed me a sincere smile. I widened my eyes in shock.

"Still... I was such a complete jerk to you even after all that. But why are you being so nice to me? I don't understand." She chuckled softly.

"That's such a silly question, Meredith. You're a genius so you should've figured it out already." She teased. I furrowed my eyebrows, unable to figure out the hint.

"Figured out what exactly?" Ash placed a hand on my shoulder gently, giving me one of her brightest smiles as her brown eyes twinkled with mirth.

"I don't just think of you as my roommate," Her next words were the last thing I expected to hear from someone.

"I also see you as my friend." Tears welled up my eyes before it streamed down my cheeks like an endless waterfall. Ash snickered.

"So, are you a crybaby now?" She teased.

"Shut up!" I whined in between sobs as I wiped my tears while Ash rubbed my back gently in circles. After a moment, I took a deep breath.

"Thank you, Ash," I whispered as a genuine smile plastered across my features. I haven't smiled for so long, and boy, it felt good to feel such a strong emotion. Ash grinned brightly.

"Heh, you finally called me by my name. You're welcome."

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A/N: Oh gosh, I think that's the most heartwarming chapter I've ever written so far! Anyways, yay a new friendship has blossomed for two of our main characters! I do hope that you enjoyed it! Ciao! :))

Word count: 3271