Title: Unrequited Part 2.
Author: Eveam
E-mail:
eveam_@hotmail.comRating: R
Category: Romance/slight angst
Disclaimer: I never claimed to own them. So you can't sue! .' p
Archive: Anywhere if the story is in it's entirety with my name as the author!
Notes: Comments and *constructive* criticism is *really* appreciated. So send some!!!
This story is dedicated to *all* Rocketshippers especially the sweet ones who reviewed! Thank You!
This story is from both James's *and* Jessie's points of view. It's made clear which is which when they are talking/thinking/doing whatever.
************************************************************************************
Well *this* is familiar. I'm sitting alone moping/watching TV at home, Meowth's out looking for spare change and Jessie is out with Jackson. I mean it's not like I don't want her to have a boyfriend, it's just I wish it was someone else other than Jackson. Someone she knows well, someone she has a lot in common with, someone like… me. Everyday she spends more and more time with him. I only see Jess for breakfast and when we're on missions which isn't very often because the boss thinks we bungle everything. It's hard to do your job when three psychotic kids and a sadistic Pikachu want to blast you off. Even when we're on missions Jessie talks about him non-stop and I'd hate to see the size of her cell-phone bill. I hear a noise by the window and I turn to see Meowth jumping from the windowsill onto the sofa. He opens his paws to reveal some coins. His face is full of glee at his haul. 'Look what I managed to get!' I force a smile 'That's great Meowth'. His grin drops. 'James, get over it.' I shake my head. 'I can't. I love her.' Meowth's eyes grow wide.' *That's* why you've been moping? Jessie?' I nod. 'I thought it was the fact you lost your hair gel.' I stare at one of my supposed best friends. 'Hair gel? Do you think I'd be moping over hair gel when the only girl I've *ever* loved is out with a guy I think is a total creep?!?' Meowth looked taken back. 'Gee I only asked!' He stalked off to his bed in the corner of the room. Immediately I regretted what I had said. 'Meowth, I'm sorry okay? It's just…' 'It's just what? You're jealous. Plain and simple. You. Are. Jealous.' With that he turned around to face the wall with his back facing me. I turned the TV off and headed towards my room. Jessie would be back soon and I didn't want to face her right now.
Dear Diary,
She's out with *him*. Again! That's the seventh time this week. I barely see Jess anymore. I really miss her. Meowth thinks I'm jealous and it's the truth. I am.
James.
We reach the apartment door. I turn to Jackson. 'Well this is it. I should go in…' He leans in towards me and immediately my pulse begins to race. He's going to kiss me. He's going to kiss me. He's going to- He kisses me. Hard. Before I can move his arms are around me holding me tight. A bit too tight but the kiss is nice. We kiss for a couple of minutes and then we break apart. I smile shyly. Yes, I *can* be shy. ''Thanks. F-for the date. And the kiss.'' I curse myself for feeling so awkward. 'No problem babe.' I laugh. ''Think about what we talked about at dinner'' he tells me. I nod and he kisses my cheek then walks towards the elevator. I fumble in my bag for my key, find it and open the door. All the lights are out. I check my watch. It's 1 in the morning. I yawn and head towards my room.
Last night I couldn't sleep. Every time I tried to Meowth's words came back to haunt me. 'You. Are. Jealous.' Fine, I was. It's now ten o'clock in the morning and Jessie and I have an appointment for half-past with Giovanni. Jessie hasn't gotten up yet though. At breakfast this morning Meowth ignored my except to ask me to pass the cereal to him. I knock on Jessie's door. 'Jess? Are you awake?' I hear a muffled 'Yes' from within. 'Get dressed in your uniform because we have a meeting with the Boss in half an hour.' The door flies open. 'What?' 'We have a meeting with the Boss in half an hour.' Some of Jessie's hair is out of place but I resist the temptation of brushing it back. 'How long do you think the meeting will take because I'm meant to meet Jackson at eleven.' I refrain from rolling my eyes. 'I don't know. Probably about fifteen minutes. The usual. We stand, he yells.' Jessie looks relieved. She closes the door in my face. Twenty-five minutes later she *still* hasn't appeared. I knock on her door again. 'Jessie we have to go now. We can't be late.' Jessie opens her door with her mane of hair in its usual immaculate state. But she's still in her night-gown. 'I haven't picked out what outfit I'm going to wear when I'm out with Jackson.' This time I can't hide my look of contempt. 'Jessie we are late. It'll take us ten minutes to reach the boss anyway and you're not even dressed. Hurry up!' She scowls at me. I'm getting the feeling I shouldn't have said that. 'Please hurry.' 'Fine.' She *slams* the door in my face this time. We reach the boss fifteen minutes later. I don't know whether to be pleased or upset that he's not going to have a yelling session with us. Instead he's discussing the new company insurance package. The Boss is rambling on about statistics of accidents. I can't take any of it in. Usually Jessie listens and learns everything while I nod every time the Boss stops speaking but she's sitting next to me pretending to listen while sneaking looks at her watch at least twice a minute. Meowth and Persian are arguing in the corridor and I have a horrible feeling I'm going to nod when the Boss asks me do I want the package against ghost Pokémon and I'm going to end up with a Silph Scope instead of a rubber electric proof suit. 'And so if you take Option A, you can't take Option P which covers you in the Orange Islands if you take Option P with Option G But you can take Option G and P with Options M through to Option R.' I'm gonna fall asleep soon. Jessie gasps. Have I nodded for Option S against any Chanseys that turn against Nurse Joy in Lavender Town due to being struck by lightning? I turn and look at Jessie who's staring with shock at her watch. I check the time. It's eleven o'clock. Why would that be… It's time for her date with Jackson. I smirk delighted she can't leave. 'Uh, Sir?' Giovanni looks up from Option Q. 'C-can I go?' To my surprise he nods. 'Yes.' I sigh with relief and begin to get up. 'Not you.' I realise the Boss is talking to me and I sit down again. ' Why does she get to go and I don't?' Giovanni smiles evilly. 'Because you have to work out the next few insurance options.' Good. That won't take too long. The Boss turns the page and I note with horror Option A1 through to A23. Damn. I shouldn't have put all my Exeggcutes in one basket again…
I see Jackson sitting at a bench near the café I was meant to meet him at. He looks annoyed as he sees me walking up to him. ''Why are you in your uniform?'' he asks me. ''I didn't have time to change' ''And why not?'' ''I was at a meeting.'' It's just my uniform. I think I look good in it. But does Jackson think so? ''I thought we were going to meet at eleven. ''He quizzes me again. ''I got here as quickly as I could. I'm sorry.'' He grins. I'm confused at his mood swing but have gotten used to it recently. 'That's okay. What was your meeting about?' ''Insurance.'' He moves over on the bench and I sit next to him. He puts his arm around my waist. It feels kinda strange to have skin against skin when I'm so used to James' gloves. ''Boring huh?'' I smile. ''Yeah. James is still back there trying to make sense of it all.'' Jackson's mood changes again. ''Is he the reason you're late?'' I begin to shake my head but instead nod. Jackson's right. If James hadn't kept knocking on my door I would have been a lot quicker getting here. Jackson sighs. 'He's really keeping you back you know. You could leave that stupid organisation and get a proper job.'' I think about this. James is keeping *me* back? If I wasn't there he would be rich now. I frown. If James had sense he would have at least taken a painting or something from the house. Jackson stands up. ''Let's go for a walk''. Hand in hand we stroll through a sunny market square. A cherry blossom tree drops it's pink blossoms on us. I giggle. James and I used to think it was confetti falling from the sky. Jackson shoots me a quizzical look. ''What are you laughing at?'' I explain what I was just thinking about the blossom. Jackson is not amused. ''That's not funny.'' I stop giggling. ''We were only ten years old at the time- '' ''Do you know you talk about James a lot?'' I shrug. ''He's my partner and I live with him.'' ''Why don't you move in with me?'' I'm a little taken back at his question. ''Ok-ay.'' I reply slowly. Jackson kisses me on my cheek but I'm thinking of what he said. I'm leaving James. We won't be room-mates anymore. The instant I think that I realise Jackson's right again. I do think about James an awful lot.
But I'm not sure anyone knows, at least of all myself, why I like James in a more than friendly way?
At two o'clock I arrive home starving after missing lunch. I reach for a fork out of a kitchen drawer but I can't find one. Or any cutlery. I shrug. I'll have something other than last night's take-away reheated. I turn to get an apple from the fruit basket but the basket is gone. I find a pair of chopsticks so decided to go ahead with my original plan. Without looking I take the plate and push it into the microwave. I turn to set the clock but find my plate sitting on the counter. The microwave is gone. I look around realising various items from the apartment are missing. We've had a robbery! Thanks to Giovanni's lecture on insurance I know the first thing I should do is to note what is missing. Okay. The cutlery. The microwave. The fruit basket. The vase on the coffee table. Half the CD's by my CD player… I begin to notice a pattern in the items the thief took. They're all Jessie's. I open her bedroom door to be faced with an empty room. Her bed was still there but it was stripped of her blankets and pillows. I thought hard. Thieves don't usually take pillows and blankets or crates of hairspray. It could only mean one thing. She's left me. I walk back into our, no, *my* living room and the button on our phone is blinking which means we have a message. I lift up the receiver and press '4389'. I hear our message recording. ''Prepare to leave a message on the double!'' ''Leave your name and number or there'll be trouble!'' ''Meowth!'' ''Beep!'' Next I hear the voice I was expecting to- Jessie's. ''Hey James. When I came back to the apartment you weren't there so I just took my stuff. I've moved in with Jackson. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.'' There was a long pause and James thought she'd rung up. ''I'll -I'll miss you…'' With those words James perked up. She mightn't love him but he was glad she would still miss him as a friend.
Dear Diary,
It's over between Jessie and me. She's moved in with Jackson. Next thing they'll be getting married and she'll give up her job and I'll probably never see her again.
James
I just finished unpacking my stuff when Jackson arrived back from shopping. From behind his back he pulled out a beautiful bunch of flowers and presented me with them. I took them to my room while he emptied his shopping bags. My bedroom was much bigger than my old one and had a soft light green carpet. Jackson was lighting candles on the table when I came back into the kitchen. ''It looks lovely'' I remarked. ''Not as lovely as you do tonight.'' Although I admit that comment was clichéd it was nice to be complemented. All day long ten-year old twerps insult me. Now a gorgeous older man compliments me and is cooking me a candle-light dinner. Life is great. Or is it? We have dinner. And while it's nice and all it's not like dinner in my apartment-my *old* apartment where we'd usually have take-away and it'd we'd have a fist fight over the last fried chicken wing. Life's going to be different now but in a nice way I'm sure of it. Or am I? I seem to be questioning myself so much lately. We're finished dinner and Jackson takes my hand and leads me to the middle of the room. He puts on a CD and a slow song begins to play. I rest my head on his shoulder and we dance slowly to the music. When the song is over Jackson takes my chin in his hand so I look up at him. ''Jessie, I love you'' I know I'm meant to tell I love him back but I don't. I love the man who's name is after mine in the Team Rocket motto. I love the sweet, if not a little naïve, guy who thought Diggletts were from outer space. I love the guy who gave up his fortune for me. Yet I hear myself telling Jackson ''I love you too''. I also find myself kissing him back when he kisses me. The kiss changes. It's more intense. Too intense. His hands leave mine and find my waist. He begins to kiss down my neck and I begin to feel uncomfortable. His hands begin to move up my waist to my stomach and I pull back. ''Jackson…don't. I don't feel right doing this.'' The look he gave me was of hurt. ''You don't love me?'' I'm trapped now. ''I do…but…'' ''But what?'' He takes me hand and takes me back into his embrace. We kiss on the lips again and I feel secure. Just kissing. But when his hands go for my shirt I pull back again. ''Don't do that!'' ''Don't do what?'' ''That!'' ''Don't love you?'' ''If it means groping me then no!!!'' He looks taken back at that. ''Fine.'' We stand there for a moment. Jackson breaks the silence. ''Maybe you should go back to your cat and wussy partner.'' I was about to agree with him until I registered the word 'wussy'. ''What did you say about James?'' Jackson grinned. I'd never noticed before but his smile was evil and not in a Pokémon snatching way. ''You called my partner 'wussy'. Take it back.'' He kept grinning. ''No!'' ''Take it back!'' ''Nope.'' ''Take it BACK!'' Jackson just laughed. A fire that I'd never felt for a long time began to burn in me. In a dangerously quiet whisper I told Jackson ''Take it back.'' He shook his head. ''No way babe.'' ''The name is Jessica.'' Jackson looked confused. ''My name is Jessica, I'm a proud member of Team Rocket and I said take it back.'' Jackson shook his head again. ''No.'' Without another word I kicked Jackson, as hard as James kicked that stupid Pokémon who couldn't swim Magikarp, right where it would hurt him-between his legs. With a quiet calmness I unplugged my microwave while Jackson lay on the floor in agony. ''He is not a wussy.'' I hiss at him. Ten minutes later I'm still picking up my stuff. I *really* shouldn't have unpacked it. ''Stupid bitch.'' I stand still. Damn it. Jackson grabs my wrist and spins me around. He twists my wrist and I have no choice but to fall to the floor or he'd break my wrist. ''You can leave me but no one will *ever* love you because you're an evil and nasty woman.'' With those words he put on his coat and left. I sat on the ground nursing my bruised wrist until it felt a bit better. Finding the rest of my possessions I put them in a box and I left the apartment. But just as I was about to close the door I remembered something. Five minutes later I was ready to leave. I left the apartment with the door wide open so to get his stuff stolen. For good measure I put the valuables by the door. That would teach *him* to mess with *me*.
It's now nine o'clock at night. Meowth and I are friends again but I'm on my own again. It's true. She's gone. I mean, I'll still see her but it'll be strictly business. No hugging every time we nearly get eaten by some giant Pokémon, no leaning into each other while we say the motto, and it'd be awkward to change into our disguises together or to sleep side by side. Numbly I lie there in the dark hugging a pillow to my chest. I hear a rattle from the door. Either Meowth's picking the keyhole with his claws or… I grab the door and pull it open. Jessie stands there. I stare at her open-mouthed. She's… back! Before I can say anything she drops her box and hugs me. ''I missed you so much! Can you forgive me for leaving?'' She looks down at the ground for a moment. ''Of course!'' I exclaim. She looks up at me through tear filled eyes. ''Are you-'' I ask. ''I'm back for good.'' She looks up at me and I could see her love for me burning as brightly as my love for her. I want to take her in my arms and kiss her passionately displaying every once of love I have for my red-haired angel. But she beats me to it…
It was now or never. My hand shot out, grabbed James by the shirt and with a squeal of surprise that could only have come from James I kissed him. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me back. It was incredible. Being in James's arms with him kissing me was completely different from kissing Jackson. James was gentle and sweet and basically James! The guy I've loved secretly since I saw him that day a long, long time ago in Pokémon Tech. Why did I ever wait to reveal my feelings to him? He's the one for me. Always has been, always will be.
I break away from the kiss. I'm really enjoying it, who wouldn't like to kiss the one they love, but I'm confused. Jessie moves in with Jackson and later that day she's kissing me? ''Jess? What about Jackson?'' She smiles but there is no mirth in it. ''He isn't the one for me. You are. James, I liked Jackson but I never loved him. I've loved you since I saw you.'' ''I love you too I just never thought you felt the same way.'' But I couldn't keep my mouth shut. ''But he can bring out to fancy restaurants and give you stuff I can't-'' Jessie looked angry and I stopped speaking. Her expression softened. ''Money can't buy the love you have for me. Money doesn't make you a nice person.'' I thought of my parents and Jessiebell. They were rich but boy, they sure weren't nice people. ''I've felt this way too since I saw you too.'' I grin with my usual childish glee and Jessie grins with me. ''Well? Aren't you going to take my stuff in?'' she asks playfully. I pick up her box and put it on the table. She turns the TV on. ''The Pokémon Trainers League is on and this year no twerps!'' I grin and we sit on the sofa together like old times.
Next to me James scratches his head and somehow his arm lands on my shoulders. I give him a disbelieving look and his eyes widen in innocence. I laugh. James is not only my partner, but my love and best friend too. What more could a girl want?
That night I picked up my diary I've kept from the day I realised I loved Jessie. I threw it away. I don't need 'what if's'. I just need Jess.