JAMES'S STORY
James admired his school uniform in the mirror. He turned a full circle and then frowned. Stupid snobby private school, he thought, why do I have to go there? Sure it had the best passing rate and the most prestigious attendants but he did not fit in. He had no friends there, after all who would want to be friends with the delinquent with the girly voice, the boy permanently at the bottom of the class?
My parents have such big dreams for me, he thought, things I will never accomplish. They try to change me; they try to transform me into a perfect gentleman. They say I must do everything properly, be perfect in every way. That is why, he thought, they set me up with... pausing to shudder he whispered the name he loathed so much
"Jessibelle".
Jessibelle the girl who was even more determined than his own mother to make him a proper upper class sophisticated gentleman.
"JAMES!" called out the butler/chauffeur "Hurry up!".
James rushed out of his bedroom and down the spiraling marble staircase of his parent's mansion. He was aware of the disapproving look his mother sent him as he jumped the last two steps.
"James dearest" she drawled "Come and give your mother a kiss". She bent over and James reluctantly kissed her lightly on the cheek. She was very pretty for her age with deep purple hair and an angular face. He supposed he could have had worse parents, but hurriedly cancelled the thought. He picked up his hideous brown patent leather briefcase and pushed open the towering mansion doors. His faithful growlithe, Growly rushed to greet him with a hug, then, worried his mother would see him crumpling his expensive school uniform he rose and slid through the open limousine door.
He looked out the window as the sprawling estate was left further and further behind him. His thoughts drifted to school. Pokemon Technical. It was for rich and talented children and teenagers. He may have been rich but he certainly was not talented, but then a girl in his class, Jessica, was neither rich nor talented, why on Earth she remained at the school was a mystery. She was pretty, in a tomboyish sort of way. She had amazing pink hair and dark blue eyes. She was very violent and had a short fuse, plus she had friends from a biker gang. Tyrone and Chopper. Or at least she said she did. No one had ever seen them before.
She reminded him of someone he knew but as he tried to stay away from her he couldn't put his finger on who. She also hung around a girl called Cassidy, who was very pretty but generally only cared about herself and Cassidy seemed to be friends with Butch- who's entire existence seemed to be to bully James. Butch always made fun of James's voice and to make matters worse he had a worse voice; squeaky and scratchy.
James wondered if he would ever feel good about himself. He was only 10 and he was already confronted with things he should not even know about yet. He knew, inside, that he was a fairly intelligent, but he just couldn't express himself.
His thoughts were brutally dislodged as the limo stopped in front of his school. He waved goodbye and took a deep breath as he stepped into the school grounds. He was halfway to his locker bay when he heard the familiar squeak of Butch.
"Hi rich boy"
James sharply turned to see Butch, Cassidy and Jessica giggling behind him, they ran up to him and Butch continued
"How's little mummy's' boy today?" Butch laughed once more and strode over to a bunch of boys by the lockers. Cassidy shot a look of hatred in James's direction and followed Butch. Jessica glanced at Cassidy's turned back and then smiled a sympathetic smile at him, blushed and hurried after her friends.
James felt elated - this was the closet thing to friendship he had witnessed in all his years here. He walked on air all that day. Although the smile could have meant anything he felt a strange sensation every time he replayed it in his mind. She felt sorry for him! Even though it sounded fairly pathetic he found it amazing that someone like her had even bothered to look at him. He spent the rest of the week sinking lower into depression. Jessica still hadn't so much even looked at him and he was wondering if he had misinterpreted the gesture. She may have been throwing a Cassidy-like glance in his direction.
On Friday night his mother and father burst flamboyantly into his bedroom with elated expressions on their faces. This was the last thing he needed, his perky parents gushing about some worthless item of one sort or another.
"James dearest" screeched his mother in his ear "We know you are so dreary and depressed but we have some absolutely wonderful news for you"
You're leaving forever? He thought hopefully, then he said
"What?"
"You" his father began, stroking his ridiculous moustache "are officially engaged".
James's blood ran cold. His already pale face was flushed in white.
"To the amazing young girl" his mother continued, seemingly unaware of her son's horror "Jessibelle".
Time stood still. The name vibrated through James's skull. He was shocked. He managed a tiny squeak. His parents interpreted it as a squeal of excitement and they went on and on about how lucky he was to have her, how wonderful she was etc. He just sat there the whole time, dumbfounded. What happened to marriage being a decision of two people in love? He hated Jessibelle with a burning hot hatred. He hated his parents. He hated everything that existed. He should have a choice about these things. He was just so infuriated and frustrated he could not even open his eyes. Amazingly he drifted into a deep sleep with visions of demons with white veils masking their personalities.
James did not leave his room all weekend. He did not speak and only ate when the cook delivered a meal to his room. What can I do? He wondered for a good part of both days, what will everyone at school think of me now? Jessica was a gossip. She would find out somehow and tell Cassidy and then the whole world would know.
On Monday morning he pretended nothing was wrong as he was driven in. As soon as he left the safety of the car Jessica ran up to him, he was so shocked he had no idea what to do. She grabbed his arm and shrilly screamed "Would you believe we have the LOWEST SCORES ever on our exams?!" James was so taken aback from the actual fact that someone was actually talking to him it took a fair while for her words to sink in.
"Ohh great" he moaned "this is all I need right now".
Jessica gave him a puzzled look, then realisation came into her face.
"I heard about you and um yeah. I guessed you would have reacted like this".
James was shocked.
"Don't worry" she added hurriedly "I haven't told anyone"
He shot her a pleading look "Please don't" he said in a small voice. Then he blushed. It was a rare occasion someone spoke to him and he didn't want to come across as a whinger.
"James" Jessica said "I need to ask you something".
James was so shocked that he couldn't answer.
Jessica went on "You appear to be under a lot of stress and even I can see that those exam scores were the last things you needed to hear so I just want to offer..."
He looked at her curiously as she pulled him closer and whispered in his ear "an invitation to run away, if you accept meet me at the Lapras Ferry Terminal tonight at 5 pm sharp. I ain't waiting around" she pulled away and rushed over to her friends.
He already knew he was going to accept. All day he imagined himself and Jessica with her biker friends and Butch and Cassidy wishing to be as cool as him and...
He rushed to his room as soon as he got home. He grabbed a huge black trench coat and army boots and stuffed them in his carrybag, which he hid under his bed. At half past 4 he grabbed the pack and ran- as he fled the house he saw Jessibelle breezily sauntering up the driveway with her Oddish in her arms. He rushed around the back and hugged Growly, telling him he'd be back someday. He rushed to the drive again, only to be confronted by Jessibelle. She shot him a simpering look and he felt sick. "Where are you going in such a hurry sweety?"
"I'm leaving Jessibelle"
"James sweety you can't, I haven't taught you the proper way to eat spaghetti yet"
"I want to do things my way Jessibelle. I WANT TO LIVE MY OWN LIFE" having called out those last words he flung himself forward and bolted to the Ferry, feeling happy and free. Freedom felt so good. It was an entirely new sensation for him, he loved it. As he rounded the corner he saw Jessica waiting for him. She waved and James waved back. For the first time in his life-he felt happy.
THE END
By Mew2