Frozen Lime

7. Girlfriend? When?

First day of classes after a lazy spring break spent at home. Misty had a good rest, but that also meant she ruined her diet and didn't study for the next semester as she promised herself she would.

"When do I finally graduate?" She mumbled to herself and closed the door of her room. She took a glance inside Ash's room, wondering why his door was wide open like that.

Well, at least Pervert Oak is gone now. Misty shrugged and made her way through the hallway.

"Misty! Wait!"

Misty turned around. Ash walked out of the building, panting heavily. He looked energetic for a guy who's just back from spring break, but wasn't this guy just hanging out here instead of studying?

"What?"

He raised his finger, impatiently taking a pull from his vape pen. He quickly exhaled and told her, "You didn't wait for me! I was waiting for you to come out so we can walk together!"

"Euuuh, what are you talking about?"

"You can't leave without me! We should go together."

Misty made a face. "Are you drunk?"

"No! I don't drink in the mornings anymore. It gives me the munchies."

"I'm not sure which part of that statement bothers me the most." She nodded slowly and sighed. "Can you explain to me why I should wait for you?"

"Huh? What?" He chuckled. "Don't be silly!"

"I'm not being silly."

"Well, you know..." He pointed at her with his vape pen, then at himself.

"No, Ash, I don't know."

"We're together now."

"Uuuuuuuh, what?" Misty's eyes shot wide open. "How?"

"Hey, we kissed!"

"Wait, do you think I'm your girlfriend or something?"

"What do you mean? Don't you remember? We kissed! I still remember—I was vaping Frozen Lime flavor that time!"

"No no no no no, I have to deal with this before I go to class." Misty approached him. "First, you kissed me you piece of trash. Second, just because you kissed me doesn't mean I'm dating you! What the hell? Are you even for real now?"

"But you liked it!"

"I-..." Misty cursed under her breath. "Look, it doesn't matter. That's not how you get a girlfriend—I can't believe I have to explain this to you! How old are you? Six?"

"I'm not six!"

"Ash, I think you've been visiting the wrong websites." Misty almost forgot how amusing it was to mess with this guy's head. "For boys like you, who are big now, they have to move on from ecchi and hentai anime."

Ash didn't react.

"Okay, you don't know what that is. Not sure if it's a good or bad thing." Misty laughed. "Anyway, Ash, I'm sorry you tell you I'm not dating you. That's now how it goes—kissing a girl, then she's yours—nope. Not like that. If you want to date me, which, of course, is never going to happen, you have to do a lot more than kissing me."

"Okay. Can I have your phone number?" His question seemed to be spontaneous. "I wanted to get in touch with you during spring break to see if you'd like to come to Pallet town, but I realized I didn't have your number."

Misty blinked. Did he just outsmart her?

"Don't you have a phone? I can buy you-"

"I have a phone you little shit!" She snapped.

"Okay. Give me the number, then."

"You have to stop acting like this, okay?" Misty pointed at him. "Give me your phone."

"You won't find anything." Ash gave it to her. "I only have pictures of women vaping."

"It's to give you my phone number..." She angrily typed down her number, not believing she couldn't resist this. Maybe he was right; that kiss was... something.

She gave him back his phone. "Is it really this hard for you to admit you like someone and do things the normal way?"

"Admit what?"

"We're not doing that again." Misty shook her head to herself and turned around. "Go back to sleep."

"Wait!" He followed her and started walking by her side. "You walk too fast!"

She almost forgot Ash didn't attend many of his classes. Yet, he made the effort to wake up and think about walking her to her class.

"I guess you're nice when you want to."

"Whaaat? I'm always nice to you! You're the one who's mean all the time for no reason!"

"Yeah, call your mom and whine like a baby!" Misty mocked.

"I don't call my mom during the week."

Misty's brain was melting.