The Only Exception

34.

I apologize for updating late. It's been a rough month. I just quit the job I was in because management there was so bullshit and had lots of favoritism. They always got mad at me for doing small mistakes so I up and left. So, now I'm just going to try and make money from my art til I find a better job. :,>

Anyways... Enjoy ;>

Ash and Serena walked into the Pokémon center with shopping bags in their hands. Clemont, Bonnie, and Dawn saw them come in and make their way back to the room. Ash and Dawn both locked eyes with each other for a moment then turned away — still feeling hurt about what the other said.

Bonnie scooted over next to Dawn. "Dawn, I really do think Ash likes you more than a friend."

"No, he doesn't. If he did, then he wouldn't have gone out with Serena." She said.

"But it's true. He seems a lot more comfortable with you than he does with Serena. I mean, that's why he calls you Dee Dee, right?" Bonnie said.

Dawn's eyes widened and a blush crept on her face as she looked down at the little blonde girl. "Where did you hear about that name!?"

"From Ash."

She clutched the side of her beret and pulled it down over her head as she stared at Bonnie. Her heart pounding fast in her chest. "He told you!?"

"Well, yeah. He talks about you a lot, you know."

Dawn let go of her beret, her heart then came back to a steady beat. She furrowed her eyebrows as she looked down at the ground. "Ash.. talks about me?" She asked.

"Oh boy, you were always the subject of our conversations before Serena came along. He'd go from talking about your contests, your poffins, and even your battling styles." Clemont said as he continued to work on his new invention.

"He only talks about my battles. That's all he ever remembers about me." Dawn said sadly.

"I doubt it." Clemont said as Dawn looked up at him and waited for what he had to say. "He'd end up talking about how you looked amazing in a dress and the way you cheer him up." He put down a screwdriver and looked over at her, "he always had a smile on his face. You wanna know the cheesy part of it all?" Clemont asked.

Dawn nodded her head at him and waited for his answer.

"It was always because of you. He said that you were or actually.. still are his motivation and inspiration." Clemont explained. Dawn furrowed her eyebrows as she looked down at the ground sadly.

"If you don't believe us, then we'll prove it." Bonnie said as she walked into their room.

"Ash, I need to borrow this!"

"What? Why do you need to borrow my—"

Before Ash could finish his sentence Bonnie was already out of the room with the door shut. She ran up to Dawn and held Ash's hat in front of her. Dawn took it from the little girl and looked at it.

"It's just his hat. What's there to see?" She asked.

"Turn it around." Bonnie smiled.

Dawn looked over at the hat as she turned it around saw a picture of herself wearing the dress she made for the Hearthome Collection on the inside of the hat. Her eyes widened in surprised, "what is this? Why is it here?"

"Before his first gym battle, we caught him staring at the inside of his hat. We didn't know why until he showed us that picture. He explained that you're his motivation to never quit." Clemont explained as he sat down next to her.

Dawn took the picture and turned it around to see something written there. "My motivation. -Ash"

"Huh, I never really noticed that he wrote something." Bonnie said.

Dawn put the picture back in its place and gave Ash's hat back to Bonnie. "Give it back to him." She said.

"Are you.. gonna tell him about how you really feel?" She asked.

Dawn shook her head at the little girl. "He's with Serena. And for me to come between them is just an awful thing to do. I'll tell him about my true feelings soon and when I do, I'll be able to have a bit of ease." Dawn said as she walked out of the Pokémon center to take a stroll.

Clemont and Bonnie smiled at her. Although they were worried for their friend, they somehow knew she'd be alright.

Ash

He sat out on the balcony as he felt the cold night air against his skin. He didn't mind because he was kind of used to this stuff already. He looked inside to see Serena talking with Fennekin and Pancham about the clothes she got today.

He sighed as he got up from the chair and made his way towards the railing. He looked down to notice Dawn strolling around. He wanted to call out to her but felt as if he shouldn't. What would be the point of that? What would they talk about? There was nothing to even say anymore after what happened today.

He thought about it for awhile then ran inside the room only to exit out of there. He ran out the Pokémon center and spotted the blue haired trainer walking along the street. "Dawn!"

Dawn turned to look at him, "Ash?"

He ran up to her and tried to catch his breath. "We need to talk." He said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards a bench that looked out to the ocean.

They both sat down as Dawn stayed silent and waited for what Ash was going to say. But, he was silent too. He tried to say something but the words wouldn't come out.

Dawn sighed, "Um.. about today.."

"I'm sorry." Ash said.

"Huh?"

"What I mean by that is.. um, I'm sorry for saying I love you I guess?"

"Why would you be sorry for that?" Dawn asked confused.

"Well, it's not like I don't love you as a friend because you really are a great friend. I just said it unexpectedly and it kind of took you by surprise, didn't it?" He asked.

Dawn chuckled, "a lot actually."

Ash scratched the back of his head, "I'm sorry. I promise I'll never say stuff like that again... out of the blue."

Dawn smiled at him, "it's okay. That's why I like about you Ash."

"Really?"

"Of course." She said as she got up from the bench. "We should get going. If we wanna get to the next town for your next gym battle then we better sleep early, right?"

Ash smiled at her, "yeah. And when I win that gym battle, you're telling me more about the guy."

Dawn chuckled, "you bet."

Hope you enjoyed. :) Update you guys soon and thanks so much for sticking with this story no matter what. It means a lot <3