::Evolution::

Disclaimer: Yeah, you know the stuff. Pokémon and its characters do not belong to me, yadda yadda yadda...

Here is the fifth chapter to my new Pokémon high school fic! Enjoy, and don't forget to review when finished!

- BansheeGirl.

Ages:

Jessie – 17

James – 17

Ash – 13

Misty – 13

Cassidy – 17

Brock – 15

Gary – 13

::Evolution – Chapter5::

Ash raised his hand and waved to Jessie as she disappeared across the school grounds towards the senior section of Spire City High. Ash laughed silently. Was it just him, or did Jessie actually look like she was in a hurry to get to the morning's classes? For a change, the pair had arrived at school considerably early, so it wasn't as though she really needed to be in any rush to make it to class. There had to be something else causing Jessie's haste, and Ash didn't doubt it was the same thing that had kept Jessie in such a perky mood all weekend...

Ash began walking towards a different entrance into the school, and turned his thoughts to his own motivations for leaving home a little earlier that morning – Misty. Ever since Saturday afternoon he had been on a permanent high; nothing could seem to bring him down. Hanging out with her for those couple of hours had only created a more perfect image of the orange-headed girl than ever before. He was surprised at how easily they had gotten on with each other – after finally getting over the initial nervousness of the situation of course.

He had felt so comfortable with her that afternoon that Ash had come within seconds of actually asking her to the school formal, but alas, Misty had decided it was time to leave at the exact same moment. So Ash had made it his mission to again work up the courage today at school, and finally ask the girl of his dreams to attend the formal with him. Ash could almost see his heart thudding through his chest as it beat rapidly with the anxiety of the answer to come.

As he lifted his foot to ascend the stone steps into the junior section of the high school, Ash was jerked backwards by the collar of his shirt and roughly thrown against the adjacent outside wall. Looking directly into his face were the eyes of a boy Ash's age with spiky brown hair. The boy tightened his grip on Ash's collar and pushed him up against the brick wall.

Ash struggled to speak with the boy's fist pressing against his voice box. "Gary Oak," he managed, "What do you want with me?"

Gary slit his eyes. "What do I want with you?" He said, menacingly. "I'll tell you what I want with you, punk."

Ash could feel small beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Gary had him pressed up against a wall cornering the high set of steps leading into the school. Nobody saw the ordeal that was occurring as they absent-mindedly walked up them. Either that, or everyone simply chose to ignore what was gong on below.

"I want you to stay away from my girl, that's what," said Gary in a dark tone. "Do you understand?"

Ash didn't reply. Gary was Misty's ex-boyfriend – the guy that had prevented Ash from being able to ask Misty out in the previous semester. But they had broken up over the holidays. Who did Gary think he was calling Misty "his girl"?

Gary didn't take too kindly to Ash's lack of response. He pushed harder against Ash's throat. "Do you understand?" He growled, warningly.

Ash was rasping for breath. If Gary didn't let go soon Ash thought he would pass out from lack of oxygen. "Y-yes," he croaked.

Gary released his grip on Ash's shirt but didn't move from his stance. Ash was forced to remain pressed against the wall.

"If you keep messing around with Misty, you'll wish that you had never lived," the brown-haired boy threatened. "Stay away from her, punk."

Ash was still gasping for air as Gary swiftly exited the scene. Suddenly Brock poked his head over the stone siding of the steps that were concealing Ash from view.

"Ash, I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Brock descended the steps and walked around to his friend. The older boy frowned as he noticed the strange red marks on Ash's neck. "Ash, what's going on?" He said, also realising that Ash was slightly out of breath.

Ash quickly straightened his collar and tightened his tie to hide the marks that must have resulted from his little disagreement with Gary. He picked up his schoolbag which had fallen to the ground. As he walked around and up the steps, Brock joined his side and waited intently for his friend's answer.

"I just had an encounter with Gary Oak," Ash said, unsmiling.

Brock's eyes widened. Gary Oak wasn't renowned for being a vicious bully or anything – he simply didn't like it when things didn't go his way. And everyone knew that when Misty decided to break it off with Gary, he didn't exactly take things too well.

"Oh great... what did he say?" Brock said, knowing very well that Ash was probably beginning to feel the fall from his high.

Ash glowered at Brock's tone. He made it sound as though this was the end for anything Ash had hoped for with Misty. "He basically told me that if I go near Misty then he is going to make me wish I was never born."

"Ouch," Brock replied resignedly.

"...I don't care," Ash said, sternly. "Misty isn't Gary's girlfriend anymore. He can't tell either of us what to do. If he doesn't like me being around Misty – tough."

Brock looked at Ash as though he were an escapee from the loony-bin. "Are you crazy? Gary will beat you to a pulp. Seriously Ash, be careful. "

Ash eyed his friend. Brock was right about one thing. Gary would beat him to a pulp, but even that didn't stop Ash wanting to be with Misty. As the bell sounded for the morning's classes to begin, Ash shoved Gary's words to the back of his mind. He didn't want to think about that right now. He had geography first period, and Misty shared the class with him. And Ash was still determined on getting that answer...

Jessie ran down a corridor clasping her books to her chest. How had this happened? She and Ash had left home earlier than usual that morning, and yet Jessie was late for class. She had a double period of English that morning and had wanted to be one of the first people to sit down in the room – that way when James arrived she'd be able to see if he would sit down next to her. Unfortunately Jessie had gotten caught up talking to one of her teachers in the hallway, and before she knew it the first bell was ringing for classes to start. Now it would be up to her to make the move – to sit next to James, or not to sit next to James?

As she neared her English classroom Jessie half-hoped that there would not be a seat left next to James. Sadly, Ms. O'Brien had a tendency to turn up to classes a little late, so most of her students didn't bother to arrive at class until several minutes after the bell. Even though Jessie was a little late, there would still be other students later than her, and several desks still available. Jessie sighed... why were things so complicated?

Jessie pushed the door open and stepped into the classroom. She looked around at the students slowly filling up desks. As she feared, only about half of the class had arrived, and James was one of them. And as she feared, there was a spare desk directly to the left of his. Jessie's stomach twisted. Should she go over ad sit next to him? She did not know whether they were just biology partners or... well, friends. Would he get the wrong impression if she sat next to him? Or would he think her a snob if she sat somewhere else?

She inhaled deeply and took a couple of steps towards the vicinity of James' desk. There was another spare seat a few back from James', so if her nerves got the best of her then she could always pretend that she was simply heading to sit down at the rear of the room. James had his eyes fixed on a book on his desk, and didn't look up as Jessie slowly approached. Not wanting to stupidly idle by James' desk, Jessie had to quickly make her decision. She squeezed her eyes shut, and swiftly slid herself into the desk to the left of her lavender-haired biology partner.

As soon as she hit the seat, Jessie was already feeling like a fool. What did she think she was doing? James was going to think she was some kind of stalker or something. Her eyes opened and Jessie forced herself to look sideways at James. Pretending to sit next to him by accident would have been simply ridiculous. Jessie was met with a warm smile from James as he closed the book he had been reading.

"Hey," he said.

Jessie hoped that he wasn't just being polite. She wanted the warmth in his expression and voice to be sincere. "Hey," she replied, and she could feel her face growing hot.

"How was the remainder of your weekend?" James asked, genuinely.

Jessie had turned back to face the front in an attempt to hide her crimson face. "It was good, thanks," she quickly said, fleetingly moving her eyes to look at him. She took a couple of slow breaths in order to regain some calm. "Yours?" She asked, when she felt her face returning to its natural shade.

"Not too bad, actually," he replied, and Jessie found herself smiling. She could not help it when she was with James. He had a way of making her feel light inside – a kind of giddy happiness that she struggled to control.

A blonde-haired guy sitting on the opposite side of James leant over and playfully punched his arm. Jessie presumed that he and James were companions, and she watched as the blonde guy said something to James that was just inaudible to her. He followed with a laugh, and James turned back to his desk. Jessie felt her heart skip a beat. Was James blushing? He looked very cute when he blushed. She wondered what the blonde guy had said to cause this response.

Her thoughts were cut short when Ms. O'Brien finally entered the room. Jessie looked around to discover that most class members had arrived by now.

"Good morning everyone," Ms. O'Brien said hurriedly, setting her things down on the teacher's desk. She quickly composed herself and was soon launched into the first class of the week.

Jessie couldn't help but steal one last glance at the boy sitting next to her, and she was surprised to see James lift his eyes to meet hers at exactly the same moment. Each smiled briefly before returning their attention to Ms. O'Brien, and Jessie knew that she had not done a bad thing by sitting where she did.

The second-hand on Jessie's watch seemed to be moving in slow-motion. There was half an hour to go until the bell would finally ring to signal the end of the day's second period. Double periods always seemed to last forever, and this one was no exception. Jessie tore her eyes away from her wristwatch and looked around the room. Everybody looked as bored as she felt. It wasn't that she didn't like English, Ms. O'Brien was currently reading aloud the novel that the class were studying. Everone was supposed to be silently following along with their own copies. Jessie sighed. Did Ms. O'Brien think that her year-twelve class could not read a book by themselves?

Jessie had read the book previously anyway, so she wasn't exactly missing out on anything as her mind wandered. She pulled a slip of paper out from her folder and picked up a lead pencil from her desk. Almost absent-mindedly Jessie began sketching – a habit she exhibited upon the onset of boredom. The pencil etchings soon formed a girl dressed in elaborate samurai clothing standing against a crescent-moon backdrop, an unseen wind carrying her long hair towards one side. The girl's eyes looked solemnly into the distance.

Jessie quickly looked up to see James leaning sideways from his chair towards her desk. His eyes rested intently on Jessie's drawing. For the second time that lesson, Jessie felt herself blush a deep scarlet. She did not think that he would have been able to see her sketch from his desk.

After moments of examination, James looked up at Jessie. He was still leaning towards her desk, and after realising how close he was, he straightened back up in his chair. His eyes still remained fixated on Jessie's.

"That picture is amazing. I had no idea you were such an artist," he said, the incredulity showing in his voice. He looked truly astounded by Jessie's talent.

Jessie grew even more self-conscious. "Oh... this, this... is nothing... really. Just a quick sketch." The two were careful to keep their voices to a minimum so as to not attract any attention from Ms. O'Brien.

James looked shocked. "A quick sketch! That is a beautiful piece of artwork."

"... You... you can have it, if you want," Jessie said timidly, holding out the piece of paper to James. She felt stupid as soon as she made the offer, but there was no going back now.

"I... I couldn't," said James, "Don't you want to keep it?"

Jessie shrugged. "I have a lot more at home. Plus, there's plenty more where that came from." She smiled weakly, and James paused before extending his arm to take the piece of paper. He gazed at it, still astonished by the sheer beauty of the picture.

"Thankyou," he said, smiling. Jessie watched as he carefully slipped it into his folder. She jumped in fright as the bell suddenly erupted from the loudspeaker at the front of the room. That half-hour had gone quicker than Jessie thought.

The classroom was immediately filled with the sound of students talking, papers ruffling, chairs being pushed in and footsteps as the door was opened and the English class poured out into the corridor. Jessie and James walked to the door side-by-side.

"I guess I'll see you in Biology then," said James.

Jessie nodded. They had Biology last period that day. "Probably, unless one of us fall ill to some fatal disease between now and then," she replied sardonically.

James laughed, and waved goodbye before disappearing into the tide of students in the corridor.

As Jessie escaped into the corridor herself, she found herself strongly yearning for the minute when the bell for last period would ring.

This time, it didn't really matter whether Jessie was late to class. She and James were Biology partners anyway, so nothing would look too suspicious if she walked into the room and immediately sat down by him. As it was, James hadn't even arrived when Jessie emerged into the classroom from fifth period. She watched the door in anticipation – maybe he really had fallen victim to a deadly virus since that morning?

Alas, the lavender-haired youth soon appeared at the door, looking quite healthy. He did seem a little flustered, Jessie noticed.

James seemed to rest against the door frame for a few seconds before spying Jessie, and instantly strode over to pull a spare desk up against hers.

"Mr. Livingston hasn't come in?" He questioned firstly, sliding breathlessly down into his seat.

Jessie shook her head, a confused expression wordlessly conveying her puzzlement at James' state.

James laughed. "Whew, that's okay then. I just had Mathematical Methods in a classroom all the way up the other end of the school. Plus, I had to go and get a book I accidentally left in my locker, so I've run a mile just to get here. I'm exhausted!"

Jessie laughed as James slumped down in his chair, letting his head fall back to face the ceiling. He quickly straightened when Mr. Livingston entered the room a few moments later.

"Afternoon everyone. We'll just be working on our assignments again today, so if you haven't already, please pull your desks together and begin straightaway," the teacher announced.

Jessie and James, having already placed their desks side by side, pulled out their assignment to resume work on it.

"Oh, and one more thing," Mr. Livingston added, and the room quietened, "I am setting the due-date for these projects as Friday. If it is not in to me by the end of Friday's Biology lesson, you will fail – no exceptions."

Cries of dismay escaped from several students in the room at the less-than-a-week-away deadline for the assignment. Jessie and James turned to each other with eyes wide.

"Friday..." Jessie murmured. "We'll have it done by then, won't we?" It was a true question. She really did not know if they would be able to get it all done by then.

James seemed to be calculating the equation in his head. "I'm not quite sure... let's just get as much work done as we can in this lesson and we'll decide where to go from there. Yeah?"

Jessie nodded. She watched as James set up his laptop and continued with the typed work of their assignment. Her current job was drawing a diagram of the human evolutionary chain – the teachers always liked it if you did your own diagrams and pictures in assignments, rather than simply using print-outs from the internet or photocopies from books.

As she resumed with the already half-drawn diagram, Jessie's mind began to characteristically wander. The assignment was due on Friday... that would mean that Jessie and James would cease to be Biology partners. There was always the next assignment of course, but even then it would be unlikely that they would be paired together again. They would always see each other in both Biology and English... but would they be anything more than just passing classmates?

Jessie saddened a little. She was surprised to discover that she wanted more than anything to keep in contact with James. But did he feel the same way about her? After all, they hadn't even known each other for a whole week. He probably hadn't even thought twice about having any friendly association with her after the assignment was handed in. If only there was some way that Jessie could distinguish just how James felt... whether he too experienced a strange connection every time they were together...

Jessie stopped herself. This was so unlike her. Wasn't she supposed to be the independent woman? The hater of all things stereotyped and superficial? The cynic of any possibility of sincerity in all guys at Spire City High? How had she let herself become so... so... infatuated? Nobody had ever made her feel like this before, and Jessie suddenly became aware of the drastic change that James had caused in her.

Jessie's eyes fell onto a piece of paper poking out of her folder. It was the first page of her and James' assignment – the definition of evolution.

"The continuous genetic adaptation of organisms or species to the environment by integrating agencies of selection, hybridisation, inbreeding, and mutation."

It wasn't this definition that captured Jessie's attention, however. Her and James had included another, much more general description of the word on the same page –

"Any process of formation or growth; development."

Was Jessie evolving? Was this peculiar change that James had brought about in her a type of growth, or development? Or was she simply receding back in time to the days of a typical smitten teenager? Jessie's head ached with confusion. She decided to stop thinking so much, and tried to concentrate on the diagram at hand.

The last period of the day passed relatively quickly, and soon the class was packing up for home time. Jessie turned to James as he finished pushing his desk back to its original position in the room. "What do you think?"

James flipped through the pages of their assignment that they had already completed, and then at the criteria sheet that Mr. Livingston had given to everyone. "We have four more periods of Biology this week before the assignment has to be in," he started, looking at Jessie speculatively, "We've got a fair bit done, but I think that we're going to have to put in a bit more extra time."

Jessie nodded in understanding. She was willing to donate extra time if it meant a good assignment.

"What do you say about coming around to my house tonight for a few hours? We should be able to get a substantial amount of work done, I think."

Jessie's heart beat fast. He was asking her to his house? She breathed deeply in an attempt to prevent her face from turning scarlet. James had an unsure look on his face, and Jessie had a feeling that he was just as nervous about the situation as she was. She forced herself to speak.

"Um... okay, I guess. Will that be okay?" She said softly.

"Of course! I wouldn't have asked you otherwise," James said with a smile, loosening up.

Jessie smiled back, nervously. She was going to his house!

"I'll meet you at the front gate in ten minutes then," said James, as they headed towards the door.

Jessie agreed, and before she knew it they had parted and she was swiftly on her way to collect her bag from her locker. Out at the front gate, she had to first find Ash and tell him to inform Delia that she would be home a few hours late that night.

"Ash!" Jessie shouted through the crowd of students milling around the front gate. Her spiky-haired cousin, a few metres away, turned to spot her. He waved in response.

"Hey. I have to go and do some extra work on an assignment at my Biology partner's house, so would you be able to tell aunty Delia that I won't be home for a few hours?" Jessie said to Ash as she finally sifted through the people to stand by him.

Ash expressed a look of suspicion at his older cousin. "I presume this Biology partner is the James you've been talking about at home? What kind of 'extra work' are you going to be doing, exactly?" He said mockingly, a sneer playing over his face.

Jessie punched the younger boy in the arm, exerting just enough force to convey her point. "Watch it, kiddo. Just tell her, okay?"

Ash laughed, rubbing his arm. "Okay! Got it. Misty's coming over this afternoon anyway, so at least I haven't been deserted completely."

Jessie only just realised Ash's orange-headed crush standing right beside him. "Misty! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"That's okay," Misty laughed.

Jessie was quite surprised. Ash wasn't doing too badly for himself. Only last week he had been petrified of just speaking to the girl. "What, I'm deserting you now am I?" she interrogated light-heartedly.

Ash sighed exaggeratedly. "Just get out of here," he laughed, and they bid their farewells. As Ash and Misty disappeared, Jessie turned to see James waiting for her a few metres away. She walked over.

"Who was that?" James asked.

"The people I was just talking to?" Jessie queried, and James nodded. "The boy is my cousin – the one I live with. His name is Ash. The girl's name is Misty. I don't really know her, but she's Ash's current infatuation."

James smiled amusedly. "I see."

"Um, how are we getting to your house?" Jessie questioned, looking around for a sports-car or something that looked like a mode of transportation James would have.

James began walking out and down the footpath, and Jessie followed. "Franz – he's one of our chauffers, usually parks a little way down here."

The pair soon stopped at a long, black limousine. Jessie's eyes widened. James opened the door for her. "Ladies first," he said, motioning for her to get in. She wordlessly climbed in and slid across the seat. James slid in next to her and shut the door.

"Afternoon, Master James," greeted a man sitting in the front section of the car. He looked about forty, and was wearing a very formal suit. His words entered the rear section through the open sliding window of the divider between the two compartments. "And who is this lovely young lady we have with us today?"

"This is Jessie," James said, able to look at Franz in the driver's rear-view mirror. "She's my Biology partner and we're going to do some extra work at home on an assignment tonight."

"Well then, nice to meet you Miss. Jessie," said Franz, smiling at her before turning his attention to the drive back to the Morgan Estate.

Jessie smiled and blushed slightly. A limousine? Being addressed as 'Miss Jessie'? She found it hard to believe that this was what James' life was like everyday.

James opened a cupboard in the wall of the back compartment, which turned out to be a refrigerator. "Would you like a drink?" He asked.

Jessie's eyebrows rose. This was getting better by the minute. She nodded.

"Orange juice okay?" James enquired, and proceeded pouring the juice into two champagne glasses after another nod from Jessie. "Sorry about the glasses, but that's all that they keep in here." He handed one of the glasses to Jessie.

She took a sip from the sparkling crystal flute. "That's okay."

Two hours later, Jessie set her pen down on James' desk and stood up from her chair to stretch. They had arrived at James' house – no, mansion, and ascended several flights of stairs to finally get to James' humongous room. Jessie was still awed by the absolute giganticness of the whole Estate. There were maids and butlers bustling about everywhere, all whom addressed James as 'Master'. James' parents were currently out, which James admitted was a good thing. Otherwise, he said, Jessie would have been interrogated for at least an hour, his mother and father wanting to know every last detail about this new girl their son had brought home.

They had worked pretty much non-stop since arriving at James' room. Jessie conceded that coming here after school was a good idea – they had gotten a lot of work done. Now, however, she felt her brain tiring, and began to walk around the room peering at all of James' belongings. A shelf against one wall was crammed with trophies, medallions and framed certificates. Most of them were for academic achievements, but there were a few James had been awarded for participating in leadership programs and the like. Jessie was amazed at just how many awards there were.

She continued around the room, and was even more fascinated by a wall against which James had pinned maps of all different countries, and posters of famous scenes and landmarks from all around the world.

"That's my dream," came James' voice from behind Jessie. She hadn't noticed that he too had gotten up from his chair. "I want to travel all over the world. I want to see every single one of those places, and more," he said, gazing up at the wall.

"You want to travel?" Jessie queried. She had always wanted to travel to far off places as well.

"Definitely. I'd love to start as soon as I've finished school. You know, work as I go sort of thing. Just pick up part time jobs in different countries and explore that region before making enough money to move onto somewhere else."

Jessie gazed at James. "Why don't you?"

James sighed. "My parents have no intention of letting me doing anything like that until I've been to University and gotten a degree in either Medicine or Law. They have... big expectations of me. To defer University to them would simply be a disgrace."

Jessie stared at James. A sorrow seemed to descend upon the room. How could James' parents deny their son of his dream? Jessie began to understand why James didn't view his life as all that crash-hot. "That... kinda sucks," she stated.

"Tell me about it," he laughed, dryly.

"Don't you ever just feel like rebelling? Doing something that you want to do?"

James smiled to himself. "I am right now," he said, looking up at Jessie.

Jessie's heartbeat quickened. What exactly was he suggesting? "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sorry to say, but you're not the typical kind of girl that my parents like me bringing home. Don't be offended, or anything," James said, truly meaning it, "but they kind of prefer me associating with people-"

"More like Cassidy Fleckman," Jessie finished, knowingly. James smiled grimly.

"Yeah. So me bringing you here was a bit of a rebellion for me. Even though we're just Biology partners," he quickly added.

Jessie didn't know whether to feel flattered by the fact that he 'rebelled' to bring her home, or shattered that he referred to them as 'just Biology partners'.

A pause followed, before Jessie decided to ask a daring question. "Have you ever dated Cassidy?"

She watched intently as James processed the question. "Yes," he replied. Jessie found herself somehow not surprised. "Our families are quite close," he continued, "and we kind of spend a lot of time together. It was only for a couple of months, but I decided I liked her better as a friend. So that's all we've been ever since."

Jessie frowned. She just couldn't get over the fact that someone as nice as James could call Cassidy Fleckman a friend.

"She's not that bad you know," James started. "You just have to understand that her life is just like mine – filled with great expectations and regulations that have to be followed."

Jessie, for the first time since calling a truce the other morning at the antique shop, shot daggers at James. It happened before she could even stop herself, but anyone defending Cassidy like that made her blood boil. "Don't even try to make me believe that girl is a good person. We agreed to disagree, and let's just leave it at that."

James quickly snapped shut his mouth, taking heed to Jessie's warning. He racked his brain to find something that might return the mood to something a little cheerier. "So... uh, what other subjects do you study at school? I just do all of the boring ones – English, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics. A lot of hard work and not much fun, but hey, only the best." James smiled grimly again, signalling another downer of living in such a prestigious family.

Jessie's expression softened, and she again felt pity that James had to live a life of such expectations. "I do English and Biology, as you know," she started, "General Mathematics, Studio Arts, Theatre Studies and Music Performance."

"Music Performance?" James repeated. "What instrument do you play?"

"...The piano," said Jessie, blushing. She didn't know why, but her talents always made her a little embarrassed.

James' face lit up. He grabbed Jessie's arm. "Come with me – I have something to show you." With that he half-ran out of the room pulling Jessie along with him. The pair ducked in and out of rooms and corridors before finally entering an extremely high-ceilinged room.

"This is the ballroom," stated James, as Jessie stared, astounded at the absolutely stunning room before her. She could almost imagine it filled with men and women dressed in the finest clothing, waltzing around to an old classical tune, a few non-dancers lining the wall drinking champagne and merrily chatting. James led Jessie up a couple of steps onto a dais in the corner. Upon it was a beautiful white Grand Piano.

Jessie gasped.

"It's magnificent!" She ran around to the front of the piano and sat down on the stool. She lightly slid her fingers along the ivory keys, making sure not to exert any force that would actually elicit a sound from the brilliant instrument. James sat down next to her.

"Will you play something?" He asked.

She turned to look at him, and smiled. "Any requests?"

James looked deep in thought. He could have named a typical composition of Beethoven, Mozart or someone of the like, but decided to try something a little more recent. Plus, this was one of his all-time favourite bands. "Do you know any R.E.M. songs?"

Jessie beamed. "Good choice." She was utterly thrilled about being able to play on such a beautiful piano, that even Three Blind Marills would have satisfied her. She turned back to the piano and exhaled, seeming to compose herself before pressing down on the keys. With a quick movement of not only her hands but her entire upper body, the piano came alive with one of James' favourite R.E.M. songs - Nightswimming.

He watched as Jessie's hands danced over the keys as if they had a life of their own. The tune was being played exactly as R.E.M. performed it, and James was almost able to hear the song words as Jessie progressed through the music. He felt the hairs on his neck stand on end – if the piano itself was beautiful, then Jessie playing it was purely majestic.

The song soon drew its close, and Jessie's hands slowed on the keys. She pressed down firmly to sound the last note, and turned to James as it continued to resonate throughout the ballroom.

"...That was... so amazing," said James, transfixed. Their faces were mere inches away and he couldn't shift his gaze from her sparkling sapphire eyes.

Jessie found herself mesmerised as well. "...Thankyou," she said, the word finished in almost a whisper. Her heart thumped in her chest.

"James dear!" Jessie and James, snapped from their hypnosis, spun themselves around to see James' mother standing at the bottom of the dais.

"Mother! I didn't know you had arrived home," said James, standing up from the stool, with, Jessie noticed, a slight blush on his face.

James' mother smiled quaintly before speaking again in her thick, Southern accent. "We just got back. Your father and I have been over at Doctor Saunders' house. He's coming over for supper on Thursday night. He is considering taking you on for work experience during the summer holidays you know, James, so this is a very important occasion for you. Work at an actual doctor's practice will look very good on your application for University."

Jessie watched as James smiled rather falsely. His mother didn't seem to pick up on the lack of sincerity in the gesture.

"But we'll talk about that later!" The older woman continued. "You didn't tell me we were having company tonight!" She turned and examined Jessie, who was now standing up next to James.

"Yes, this is Jessie... We had to do some extra work on a Biology assignment so I invited her over," James started, "but she was just getting ready to leave." Jessie looked at James in puzzlement, but he shot a quick look of 'just go along with it' before motioning for her to follow him down the steps of the dais.

"Oh, I see," she said, eyeing the young crimson-haired girl suspiciously.

"It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Morgan," Jessie said over her shoulder as James ushered her out of the room. She didn't hear a reply from the older woman.

The pair moved quickly down a corridor. "Sorry about that," James said, "but she was getting ready to grill you there and then. I hope you don't mind."

Jessie smiled, "That's okay. Maybe next time, huh?"

James laughed. "Sure."

He took Jessie back to his room so that she could collect her belongings, before escorting her out to the front of the mansion. Franz pulled up in a limousine beside them.

"Franz will take you home. Sorry about rushing you out like that. It's not that-"

Jessie put a hand up. "-It's okay James, I understand." She smiled before opening the door of the limo and sitting herself down on the shiny leather seat. "Thanks James. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow," he replied, as the door was shut and the long vehicle drove away to disappear through the tall gates leading out from the mansion.

Inside the limo, Jessie flopped backwards with a giant sigh to lie down on the seat.

"Is everything okay back there, Miss Jessie?" Franz's voice came from the driver's cabin.

Jessie touched her hand over her fluttering heart. "You know what? I think it just might be."

Franz turned the steering wheel to guide the car onto the main street, shaking his head in disbelief. Jessie didn't hear him quietly chuckling to himself.

Whew! That was a really long chapter! Hopefully that will keep everyone satisfied for a while! This story's really getting up and going. I am so happy!

Anyway, what is everyone thinking about Evolution so far? I want to thank everyone who has reviewed any chapters of the story. You guys rock! Hopefully what I'm writing is quality stuff, so please review and tell me if you like it, if you hate it, or if there's anything I could do better! It will mean a lot to me!

I'll try and get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Lots of reviews will probably make that happen even quicker! REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! Pretty please?

Anyway, that's enough ranting for now. I'll catch you guys later!

Till next time,

BansheeGirl.