"You don't give up."

Ash looked up. He grinned at the sight of Misty standing facing him. Shockingly, she was showing more skin this morning with the shorts and the tank top. She was wearing her hair in a high ponytail. She looked lovely. It was making Ash smile. 

He was standing against his car so he pulled himself and walked toward the redhead. "Good morning, Miss I-hate-men."

Misty stepped back. The look Ash was giving her wasn't that innocent, but it didn't exactly make her feel bad, somehow. "You told me you'll never bother me if I have dinner with you."

"You didn't. You left during the dinner."

The redhead groaned. There was a little side of her that enjoyed being stalked by Ash Ketchum, but the pleasure was so tiny she was doing a great job hiding it.

Or so she thought.

"I don't care! Bye."

Misty shoved him out of her way and walked over to her car. As expected, Ash rushed and blocked her way by standing right against the car door.

"Hey, I looked for you everywhere on Sunday. Where were you?"

"Why should I tell you?" the redhead snapped.

"Uhm, well, that's a very good question... but—come on, you didn't miss me?"

Misty sighed. What did he think? Misty missed everyone in her life, and since she was getting used to having sweet Ash around, she kind of missed his company—and she just met him. It was weird, but she couldn't deny it.

But as long as she did not admit it to anyone, she was fine. "Ash, I have to get to my job. Move out of the way."

"Job job job job—chill, Misty! You need to chill. Will you go out with me?"

"Move."

"Misty! Come on!"

"Move."

"You sounded like my big sister for a second."

"Ash!"

"What? I'm not moving until you agree on hanging out with me!"

"I can't! I'm working—and—and why the hell are you up so early in the morning?"

"Eh, well, I had to catch you!"

Misty sighed again.

"Misty."

"What."

"Give up already."

"Leave me alone, Ash."

Misty wasn't sure why she felt horrible when she shoved Ash out of her way and started walking away. There was this tiny little voice in her head that was telling her to stop and go with Ash, but she was trying hard to resist the urge. She's been finding it hard to resist Ash for the past few days. This was getting crazy.

It was too tempting. Misty was not used to this kind of... feelings. The redhead tried hard to turn around just slightly so she can catch if Ash was still there or not with only the corner of her eye.

Turned out Ash was right behind her, his casual dirty smirk still on.

"Aaah!"

"Go with me? Please?"

"Argh! I hate you!"

Misty slapped Ash across the face with her bag and ran to her car. The raven haired quickly regained himself, ignored the odd stares he was gaining from people in the streets, and rushed to his car.

"You're not going anywhere away from me!"

-

Grandma Margaret watched with a large smile as Misty walked over to her in a rush. The old woman had a feeling she knew what the young redhead was going to talk about this time.

"Hey Grandma Margaret! Feeling well?"

"Yes indeed, my dear."

"Okay, okay..." Misty gave a nervous smile and sat beside her on the usual bench on the garden.

"Did you go see your mother on Sunday?"

"Yes I did."

"Is she good, dear?"

"She is."

"That's good to hear."

"And... well, something happened—again."

Margaret's smile was genuine. "Is it the guy? You were with him?"

"Oh—no—no! Why would I—I mean, no, I wasn't... he—he actually..." Misty cleared her throat and sat straight. "I found a bouquet of roses at the door after I got home, and it's from him."

"Oooh, isn't that sweet of him?"

"..."

"It is, isn't it, Misty?"

"I don't know."

"See? Not all men are bad. Look at this guy; he's trying his best to win you over."

"What if—well, what if he is trying to... hurt me or something?"

"Hurt you? Why would he, dear?"

"I don't—I don't know! Maybe he's just trying to get close then he's planning something—I don't know. I don't really know."

Misty groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"You'll never know if you don't try."

"Grandma Margaret, I'm not ready for trying and I don't want to try anything. I don't know what I should do about Ash and what does he wants from me! I don't understand him! I don't get him!"

"Ask him then." The old woman suggested.

"What? No, you don't get—I don't want to have anything to do with him! I don't want guys in my life!"

"Are you sure, Misty?"

"What do you mean?" Misty was starting to feel offended. What? She was telling the truth; she didn't want guys in her life. They sucked.

"Think about it again."

Margaret patted Misty on the back and laughed lightly. The redhead sighed.

"Misty!"

The redhead and Margaret turned around as Nora, one of the nurses, called out. She walked toward Misty.

"It's the guy from the other time. He says he wants to see you."

Misty lightly gasped. So he followed her?

Margaret turned to look at her.

"Do we tell him that you're not here?"

"Yes."

Nora cleared her throat. "Can I-"

"No, you can't. Tell him you didn't find me." Misty got up and started walking away. She had to avoid hearing a lecture from Grandma Margaret. 

"Okay..." Nora tilted her head. She said in a lower voice as she followed behind Misty, "If he is not your boyfriend, can I ask him for his phone number?"

Misty opened her eyes wide. She turned around briskly. "It wouldn't make you upset, would it, Misty?"

The redhead had a sudden urge to grab Nora from her neck and suffocate her.

No really, she wanted to hit her.

Wait, no; she wanted the ground to crack open at this right instant and swallow the hell out of her.

"Wh—what—I don't—I don't care, Nora. Do whatever you want."

"Yaaaay!"

Misty watched her colleague run hysterically away from the garden, probably to the gate. Grandma Margaret was giving the redhead a very mischievous look from her spot.

"What? It's not like he is my boyfriend!" Misty cringed at the last word as she shouted to the old woman. Margaret giggled to herself and gave her back to Misty.

"I don't care about him!"

The redhead froze on her spot. She was feeling confused for a moment.

"What the hell? I don't care. I should go back inside and check on Helene..." Misty mumbled to herself and started walking in very slow steps her way to the building. She was feeling a bit upset, for no reason. She was mad too.

Misty huffed. She couldn't believe she was speaking to herself. This was getting crazy.

"Oh damn it... I'm going to regret this!" Misty groaned loudly and ran to the gate. She wasn't even sure why she was doing this; it's like her feet were leading her to the main gate.

Well, Ash is a jerk. She shouldn't let Nora fall for his dirty tricks, right? Nora was her friend-

"Misty! I got his phooone numbeeeer!" Nora came soon to sight as Misty approached the gate. Ash was nowhere to be seen. The redhead stopped running soon. She watched her colleague admire the small paper.

She was right; guys were animals. Ash almost got her, and Grandma Margaret has been defending him all this time. She didn't understand. No one did, except for Misty. She knew he was just trying to get close then hurt her.

She was totally right about guys.

And now she feels stupid for thinking one second about trusting Ash. See now? Misty was right; he was just another idiot to add to the massive amount of other male idiots who live in this planet.

This was disappointing. Deep inside, Misty was thinking she finally found someone who'd help her get over the grudge she holds against men, even if she never admitted this to anyone.

Pffft, what's this all about anyway? It's not like I dated him!

"I gave him mine too!"

"Oh, really?" Misty has never felt so frustrated like this before. She felt her heart get stabbed. She was so mad she wanted to punch Nora and everyone in the face—including Ash Ketchum. He was so lucky he was gone.

"Yeah! He said he'll call me soon!"

"That's great." Misty took the small paper from Nora's hands and stared at the phone number. The redhead sighed and gave back Nora her precious paper.

"I know! See ya!" the brunette giggled and made her way back into the building. As soon as she was out of sight, Misty took out her phone and checked her calls list. It wasn't hard to find Ash's phone number since he's been the only one who's been calling her these days. Other calls were just from May, Dawn and her mom.

"It doesn't match! That's probably his work phone number!" Misty felt victorious. She even giggled, but soon regained herself and took a deep breath. She was looking left and right, just in case someone has seen her... fangirl. It was out of question to act so crazy over a guy's phone number or a guy himself. So what? It was just like any other phone number, and guys were jerks-

"YAAAAY!" Misty suddenly let a high pitched loud voice. She was panting and staring at her phone screen. "She didn't get his phone number! She didn't! She didn't—oh, I need to calm down. Okay Misty. Calm down. Stay calm—no one saw you. Yes, no one did."

"Wow, Gary was right about you. You're a psycho."

The redhead gasped and looked up. It was Ash. He was standing behind the closed gate, holding a small coffee goblet, and smirking.

"What—what—you were supp—what are you doing in here?!" Misty was freaking out. He probably saw her. Oh boy.

"I came to see you." Ash shrugged. He then narrowed his eyes. "I knew your friend lied. I knew you'd be here. I followed you anyway."

"..."

"I went to get me a cup of coffee, and now I'm back! Open the gate for me, Miss She-didn't-get-his-phone-number."

"You—you..." 

"Wow Miss I-need-to-stay-calm, you look pretty hot in that blue nurse uniform!" Ash called out amusedly. "But don't the pants look too tight around your thighs?"

"What the—hey! You're—you're sick! You're a pervert!" Misty's muscles tensed. How dare he call her fat? This Ash guy was totally impolite and rude. 

"I'm just speaking what I see."

"Go away! I'm working!"

"Hummmmm, nope." Ash sipped the coffee and said, "Open the gate, at least? Please?"

"Go away!"

"Pretty please? I'd take you somewhere when you can eat as much as you want!"

Misty groaned. "I said go away! I'm heading to the hospital afterwards! I don't have time to waste!"

"Oh, so if you weren't heading to hospital afterwards, you'd have wanted to go with me?"

"GO AWAY!"

"Okay then... I'll go." Ash pulled away slightly from the gate. He sipped his coffee. "I'll catch you later today, Miss I-have-his-right-phone-number. You're not getting rid of me that easily."

"Waaaaaah!" Misty cried her lungs out and clenched her hands into fists. Ash was feeling totally amused at her reaction.

He though had to run for his life when she picked up some pebbles and rocks from the ground and started throwing them at the gate and in Ash's direction. Misty has even got the guts to open the gate and start throwing the rocks at his car and at him.

"Stoop! Aie! You're nuts! You're sick! What the—Misty—stop! Damn it—my car! Damn it; damn it! STOP IT! NO! NOT THE CAR!"

"I HATE MEN! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, ASH KETCHUM! I HATE YOU! DIE! DIE!"

Misty only stopped when Ash took off. She was panting loudly.

"Yes! Run your little rat! That would make him stop showing off with that stupid car!" Misty was proud she's ruined Ash's car windows. She felt accomplished—well, just slightly.

Uhm... he was still going to stick around, right?

Right?

To be continued.