Chapter 7 ~ Confessions

Chapter 7 ~ Confessions

(Author's Note: WARNING! This is the mushy, gushy part of my story. It also tends to be kind of dumb in some parts. Just thought I'd warn ya… ^-^;;)

When the kiss was finally broken, Jessie and James stood nose to nose, dreamy and blushing, overcome by a rush of emotions. Their eyes danced and sparkled as their senses caught up with what had just happened.

Jessie, being the first to come to, spoke. "James," she sighed. She closed her eyes and let a smile trickle back onto her face. Tilting her head down, she thought about what she was about to do. Finally, she lifted her head and looked deep into James's eyes. "I love you."

James raised his eyebrows. "You do?"

With a lop-sided grin, Jessie nodded. "I have from the beginning… and I will till the end."

James hugged her close. His lips brushed her cheek as he turned his head and whispered in her ear, "I love you too, Jessie."

His breath tickled her ear and her face cracked into the widest smile yet. She hugged him even tighter and rested her head on his shoulder. James buried his face in Jessie's hair. Strawberries. Her hair smelled like strawberries. It was the scent of the body spray that Jessie sprayed in her hair every day. It was that night that the scent became one of James's favorites.

The pair swayed back and forth to unheard music as they stood on the dock under the full moon.

Content, Jessie's thoughts drifted back 24 hours. Back when they were dancing on the St. Stephen. She had rested her head on his shoulder and wished they could've stayed like that forever. That she could confess her burning love for James. It all seemed so distant now. Back when she refused to admit – to herself or anyone else – that she loved James. When she was afraid of ruining her tough-girl reputation by admitting she needed someone. Now that it was over and done with, she felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. (Cliché! Cliché!) She yawned. Realizing she was tired, she told James it was getting late and suggested that they go to sleep near the edge of the forest.

"But Jessie…" James whined, "That roar we heard earlier…"

"It's probably gone now, come on," said Jessie, brushing off the question with her usual air. She tugged James towards the edge of the forest. "Grass is more comfortable than wood anyway."

They found a soft patch of grass to sleep on and lied down next to each other on it. Jessie settled her head on James's chest and murmured, "Good night. Dream about me." She dozed off to the sound of his heartbeat. (Author's Note: I know what some of you are thinking. No, they did NOT! This story is PG!)

The next morning, Jessie was awoken by the sound of many Pokémon-Master-wannabes running through the forest looking for Pokémon. She opened her eyes and stared at the tree leaves above her, wondering why she was in a forest. Then the previous night's events came flooding back into her memory and she grinned. She wondered if it had all been a dream, since good things never happen to bad people, therefore they never happened to her. But no, her head was on his chest and his arm was around her shoulders. This assured her that the night had been real and she was even happier. Suddenly, she heard muttering beside her and looked over at James. Although still asleep, he was mumbling a song.

"Fighting evil by moonlight," he sang, "Winning love by daylight/With the Sailor Scouts to help fight,"

"James! James, wake up!" Jessie yelled, shaking him.

"She is the one, Sailor Moo- huh?" James's eyes fluttered open. "What happened? Where's the heart snatcher?"

"What are you talking about?"

James held his head. "In- in my dream… there were these Par-a-Pants walking through the forest singing the Sailor Moon theme song."

Jessie sighed. James always seemed to have dreams involving inanimate objects singing songs.

James continued, "Then Tuxedo Pants came and said that the heart snatchers were going to steal the Par-a-Pants's Pure Heart. But the pants said they didn't have a heart, they were just pants. Then Slowking came and said, "I could use some pants!" but the Par-a-Pants screamed, "That's not the point!" and-"

"It's all right James," Jessie comforted, "We'll get you some help. Come on. We have to get going." She stood up, ran her fingers through her hair, and yelled, "There's ants in my hair!" She ran screaming and waving her arms to a river which she promptly leaned into and scrubbed her hair. Fifteen minutes of scrubbing left Jessie's hair free of ants and anything else that was in it. Calmly, she stood and said, "We can go now."

James sighed and followed her out of the forest. They found themselves back on the bridge where last night's confessions had taken place. James's eyes darted to meet Jessie's. He smiled, then looked away. The rest of their walk to Route 13 was in silence. There, they encountered a series of fences with trainers at random places within them.

"I give up!" yelled Jessie, throwing her hands in the air, "Forget it! There have already been enough drastic mood changes, pointless additions, and stupid sentences to make a very long, bad movie or a cheap TV show, like "The Six Second Miracle!" Plus, we're still a bazillion miles from Cinnabar Island and the plot is going nowhere. We've been walking for page after page and what has gone on? Nothing! Well, we've kissed and confessed our love, but that's not the point I'm trying to make here. My point is that I don't want there to be another eight chapters before we actually get back to Cinnabar and by then out two-week vacation will be over and this will have been a long and meaningless story! Aargh!"

James began to applaud. "Well spoken! I agree!"

Suddenly, miraculously, an object began to slowly rise from the sea next to them. It seemed almost in slow motion, like Lassie and the other kid. Finally, the object was fully exposed. It was-

"The Meowth balloon?!" gasped Jessie and James simultaneously.

Yes, the Meowth balloon. It had somehow survived the sinking of the St. Stephen and floated over here.

"Thank you, Mondo!" Jessie squealed as she and James ran toward the balloon, which had conveniently dried off and landed on shore for their easy access. They boarded and lifted off, finally heading in the right direction.

***

Hours later, the ragged Meowth balloon was floating west, high over Kanto. Its two occupants were not chatting, plotting, or arguing as they normally were. Instead, they were engulfed as each contemplated their own thoughts and feelings.

James was slumped in a corner biting his nails.

Jessie stood on the opposite side, alternating between twirling her hair around her index finger and picking at the basket edge.

Now she's thinking, "This love thing is so much of a fuss."

And he's thinking, "There's really quite a thing between us."

Now she's thinking, "He really is a dear."

And he's thinking, "But what of our career?"

And she says, "Sigh."

And he says, "Cough Cough."

Well, it's been a long couple of days.

Now she's thinking, "I wish that he were more of a flirt."

And he's thinking, "I guess a little flirting won't hurt."

Now she's thinking, "For dinner we could meet."

And he's thinking, "We both have to eat."

And she says, "Ah-CHOO!"

And he says, "Bless you."

"Thanks."

James stood up and looked over the side of the basket. It was already 5:30 – dinner time. He was hungry. As luck would have it, they passed over a sign right then. It was an ad for Cinnabar Island's famous restaurant, "Restaurant Hungry." At the bottom of the sign, it read, "Sunday Early Bird Special! Dinner for two only $10.98!" As more luck would have it, today was Sunday and "early bird" was until 6.

"Wonderful!" thought Jessie.

"It's fate!" thought James.

Now she's thinking, "Restaurant Hungry… it has a nice ring." (Author's Note: FORESHADOWING!!!)

And he's thinking, "I might as well forget the whole thing."

The balloon was landed next to the restaurant.

Now she's thinking, "Should I take his arm?"

And he's thinking, "Well really, what's the harm?"

And she says, "Hungry?" Jessie held out her arm.

And he says, "Yeah." James hooked his arm in hers.

Together, they stepped out of the balloon and walked into Restaurant Hungry, both humming "Been a Long Day" from "How to Succeed in Business with out really trying."