Younger Years (ALTERNATIVE: SAVING HIM)

The Project

Red sat in class the next day, he was diligently taking notes as well as petting Pikachu who was sat on his desk. But suddenly the teacher said something that made his eyes widen with surprise.

"At the end of the week, you will be turning in projects. And your partners will be picked by me." the teacher told them all, much to the classes disappointment.

The teacher proceeded to go down a list of names and as he got further down, Red got more nervous as Serena became more hopeful. Then the teacher said, "Red and Serena."

Red suddenly pressed his pencil down to hard as he had been drawing Pikachu as the teacher read off names. The tip of the pencil snapped off and he groaned as Pikachu looked at him with worry. After the class was over he began to walk out of the room, only to be stopped by Serena.

"Red! Do you wanna work on the project at my house?" Serena asked him.

"No. I'll handle it and give you credit." he replied, cold as ever.

"No, I'm gonna help. I'm not letting you do it for me." Serena told him.

"Fine, library anytime during school. Or after." Red told her as he walked off.

If there was one thing about the school that he hated, it was the he had every class with Serena. After a few more classes it was time for lunch, Ash made his way to the library with his food where he sat down and propped his feet up on the window sill. 

Serena grabbed her lunch and sat down with her friends. As she sat down she felt a pair of arms around her waist, she turned around to be face to face with her boyfriend, Calem.

"Calem! You're back!" Serena exclaimed as she hugged him.

"Yeah, I just got back this morning so I figured I would surprise you." Calem told her with a smile.

Serena's friends looked on with annoyance, none of them liked Calem very much.

"Hey guys." Serena waved to her friends.

"Hey." Gary, a boy with spiky mahogany hair said.

"Sup." Drew replied, flicking his green hair out of his face.

"Hey girl!" May squealed, her brown hair bobbing as she bounced in her seat.

Dawn then walked over to them as well, "Hey." 

"What, no one gonna greet me?" Calem asked, a little awkwardly 

"No." Dawn said flatly.

"Dawn..." Serena warned in a low voice.

"Fine, HI CALEM!" Dawn said in a loud voice, annoyed by her friends boyfriend.

The rest of lunch went on similarly and after a short while it was time for class.

Red walked out of the library and down the stairs to his class, he walked in and took his seat. After class ended he walked out and made his way to his next. The rest of the day went the same, class after class until the day was over. Red made his way back to the library and when he arrived Serena was already waiting.

"Hey Red!" Serena exclaimed when she saw him.

Red simply nodded and took his seat, Serena grabbed her computer and pulled up the assignment page.

"So, it says here we have three options for the project-" Serena began before Red cut her off.

"We're designing a new type of pokeball." Red told her.

"Oh, umm okay then." Serena replied as Red pulled out his bag from behind him.

Red pulled out a few sheets of paper and his pencil, then he began to sketch out the pokeballs design. Serena watched on in awe at the boys drawing skills. As Red finished the design he handed slid it over to Serena to look at.

"That's really cool." Serena told him with a smile.

"So the back is meant to tell you a rough estimate of how hurt the pokemon inside is, it's strength level, and it's moves." Red began, completely ignoring Serena's comment, "And the top opens up in the middle instead of the whole thing."

Serena frowned at him ignoring her but decided to brush it off and get to work. They worked in silence for a while before Red stood up and closed his computer. Then he silently began to walk out of the room, but when he got to the door Serena stopped him, "Look, I know that some how we knew each other in the past right?"

Red nodded.

"So tell me why you hate me. I'm sorry I can't remember you but I really want to know why you hate me!" Serena started to get angry and upset at him.

Red opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by someone.

"What the hell man?! Why'd you make her upset?!" it was Calem.

"Calem? What're you doing here?" Serena asked him.

"Never mind that, this asshole made you upset!" Calem yelled angrily while pointing at Red.

Reds eyes narrowed and if someone were to glance briefly at them, they might think they were glowing. Pikachu also looked angry as he sparked his cheeks from Reds shoulder. Red turned around and reached his hand up to grab Calem's accusing finger. He slowly turned Calems arm and bent the finger to point at Calem instead of himself.

"I believe you're the asshole for yelling in a library." Red said calmly and coldly before walking out of the room.

Calem stood in shock for a moment before angrily stomping his foot and turning to Serena, "Can you believe him?!"

Serena just shook her head, trying to suppress a laugh. Then she packed her things and walked out the door with Calem, they made their way out of the school and went their separate ways.

Serena quickly made her way to the woods, hoping she could catch up to Red and talk to him, or at least try to. She entered the woods to find that he wasn't there, she was about to turn around when she heard a voice.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail on the tree!"

Serena started towards where she heard the voice from, she saw a flash from within a clearing. She peaked through the bushes and saw Red and Pikachu training. Then Red called out another pokemon, a Sceptile, Pikachu and Sceptile battled while Red did laps around the clearing. Serena watched them until Red began to leave at which point she quietly snuck away. When Serena arrived home it was getting dark and her mother had an angry look on her face.

"Where were you?" Grace demanded.

"I had a project for school, Red wanted to work there." Serena told her.

Grace nodded, she trusted Red to look after Serena even if they didn't get along. "What to you think of him anyway?" 

"I'm not sure, he's mysterious since he doesn't talk much. I know he hates me but I don't know why yet." Serena told her mother.

"Yet?" Grace asked.

"I'm gonna find out one way or another!" Serena said determinedly. 

"Well just don't push him away again while you're at it." Grace advised her daughter.

"I wo-wait again?" Serena asked, confused by her mothers choice of words.

"Well goodnight dear!" Grace exclaimed as she closed the door to her room, clearly avoiding the question.

Serena decided to go to bed as well so she climbed up the stairs and flopped down before drifting off into sleep.

Red arrived home to see a note next to a plate, it read:

Ash,

       Your dinner is on the plate, just make sure you heat it up and get some sleep.

-Mom

Red ate his dinner and cleared his plate before walking up the stairs and laying in his bed. He knew that the rest of week was gonna be hell as long as he was working with Serena. But he would have to endure, he just hoped she would stop trying to ask him why he didn't like her and figure it out herself.