After a full five minutes of relentless thinking, the girl again went into angry-mode. “Grrrrr! It’s got to be in here somewhere!” Her temper again took over, as it habitually did. Flinging clothes and other items across the small room, she went into another frenzy of frustration. After turning the room upside-down for a second time, she sat down on her bed, or what was left of it. She rested her chin on her hand and stared at the ground, exhausted. “God! It can’t of just grown legs and walked away!”, She thought. But then her mind clicked, “Or maybe it did…”

She quickly stood up and walked to the door, enraged. “If that little furball of a cat has gotten it, he is as good as dead,” she hissed, violently swinging the door open. She stormed down the hallway contemplating where to look for the little wretch first. A roar of laughter drew her attention to the cafeteria, a room down the end of the passage. “Of course…” Her voice trailed off as she started for the eatery of Team Rocket’s headquarters.

As she swung the double-doors open, expecting to find a smug Meowth stuffing his face while reading her personal record, she was shocked to find the book in the hands of someone else. Standing atop one of the tables was a blonde-haired girl reading out the diary to half the of the Team Rocket members, who were all standing around listening and cackling to every line the girl read out.

She was horrified. “Cassidy! Give it back now!” The crimson-haired girl yelled demandingly.

Cassidy peered up from the book and looked at her, her smile broadening even wider. “Jessie! Nice of you to join us! We were just finding out all about your secret and private life!” She said in a sickening tone.

Jessie boiled with anger and proceeded to attack her enemy, but Butch, Cassidy’s partner held her back.

“Woah! Hang on there, missy,” he said in a gruff voice. “We’re just getting to the good part.”

Jessie attempted to break free from Butch’s grasp but to no avail. “Let go of me you bastard!”, She screamed, but Butch simply laughed.

Cassidy spoke again, “Now come on Jessie, settle down or you won’t be able to hear.” She mockingly smirked at Jessie, and began to read in a little girl’s voice:

“Dear Diary,

I’m here, trying to write this only by the light of the moon, so bear with me. Everyone else is asleep, so I’ve got the whole campsite to myself. It’s nice, just to be able to sit and think. James is lying here next to me in his sleeping bag resting soundly. He’s so handsome, and looks so innocent when in slumber. He’s got a dopey grin plastered across his face. I wonder what he’s dreaming of. I wish it were me.”

“Stop it Cassidy!” Jessie yelled, cutting her off, while the other members all laughed.

Cassidy pouted. “Oh, is little Jessie getting all upset?” Jessie made another effort to break free from Butch’s hold but he just held her tighter.

“I’m warning you Cassidy,” Jessie made another bid to con Cassidy over with words, but Cassidy merely started reading again:

“God knows, I dream of him. Every night. Who wouldn’t? He’s just so… dreamy. Sometimes I wonder if it’s all just a dream myself. I mean, how can I be partnered with this wonderful, caring, handsome, compassionate man when all I am is mean, nasty and evil? James must hate me, I’m so awful to him. I try to be nice! I really do! But it just comes out the wrong way.”

Cassidy stopped and looked up as she heard the doors swing open again, and as everyone else realised they followed her lead. Jessie gasped when she saw who it was, but Cassidy was filled with absolute delight.

“James! How wonderful that you could be here! You’re the star of our show!”

James looked puzzled as he looked around at everyone, and looked even more so when he saw Butch clutching Jessie and Cassidy standing on top of the table.

“What’s going on here?” He asked.

Everyone laughed. “Well James, why don’t we show you?” Cassidy grinned.

“No Cassidy, SHUT UP!” Jessie screamed, fearing the torture she was about to go through.

James was surprised by the desperation in her voice, and realised this was no joke. His eyes then landed on the book Cassidy was holding in her hands. It was Jessie’s diary! He had sometimes seen her writing in it, and suddenly realised what all the fuss what about.

“Cassidy, give it back to her, now,” He ordered.

Jessie’s eyes widened, surprised by the force of his voice, but Cassidy was not affected.

“And what are you going to do if I don’t, pretty boy?”, She taunted.

James wouldn’t put up with this. He started to walk over to Cassidy, ready to rip that book right out of her hands, but Cassidy spoke:

“Oh but James, I’m sure you’ll be wanting to hear what Jessie’s written in here about you.”

James stopped, and though he would have liked to know what Jessie thought of him, he declined.

“Cassidy you have no right to be reading Jessie’s private diary, now give it back!” James was getting angry now.

But that’s exactly what Cassidy liked. She smiled. This was turning out even better than she had planned.

“Oh sure I’ll give it back Jimmy. Just as soon as I’ve read this last little bit.” Cassidy looked down to start reading again.

“Cassidy don’t!” Jessie yelled, though her voice was quavering as if she was about to cry.

James glanced at her, and noticed the pleading in her eyes was for real. He began to advance on Cassidy once again when she said something that made him freeze.

He looked to Jessie, to find that she was now staring at the floor, with tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Butch was sniggering, still holding her in place while Cassidy read some more:

“I’ve tried to tell him, but every time I do I just think of more reasons why not to. And even if I did, he’d never feel the same way. Why would he? I’m always hitting him and yelling at him, he could never love me back. I’d rather die than admit to him that I love him, and then have him knock me down. That’s why I just can’t say, why I just can’t bring myself to confess to him, that I love him. But at least I can admit it to myself. At least I can imagine that maybe one day I’ll be able to say it.

I love you…”

James stared at Cassidy, hanging onto every last word that came out of her mouth, knowing that he indeed should not be letting her read out Jessie’s diary. But he just had to know… who was it that Jessie was in love with? His heart beat faster as Cassidy slowly let the last word ooze out of her mouth…

“…James”

It was like heaven. James felt better than he had ever felt in his whole entire life. She loved him! She really loved him! He felt like he was flying as his brain registered the one thing that he had been waiting for ever since he had met Jessie.

Cassidy was staring down at an exposed Jessie with a giant smirk across her face. She put her hand to her mouth in mock regret.

“Oops! I wasn’t supposed to say that part, now was I Jessie?” She was relishing in Jessie’s embarrassment.

James gazed over to Jessie who let out a small sob after Cassidy’s remark. He could only think of one thing to do. He slowly walked over to Jessie, and stopped right in front of her. Jessie panicked as she recognised the boots that had appeared at the space that she had been staring at since James had walked in. She squeezed her eyes closed and prepared for the emotional bashing she was about to endure.

But instead, James tilted her head up, so that they were face to face. Jessie slowly opened her sapphire eyes, to find she was staring straight into James’ emerald ones. He smiled a beautiful smile, and Jessie stared at him, confused. But as James moved his head in towards hers, and gently pressed his lips against hers, everything became clear. She felt Butch’s grip droop, and let her arms slide around James’ neck, and in return James snaked his around her waist. All of the laughing melted away into nothing, as all that she had been wishing for, and more, was right here, kissing her. He didn’t hate her. He loved her!

When the kiss ended, James had a smile covering his face. Jessie quickly smiled back, laughing a little. He wiped the tears from her face with his smooth fingertips, and softly spoke:

“I love you too, Jessica.”

That did it. The small smile Jessie was trying to hold back transformed into a giant grin which masked her face.

James slid his hand down hand and placed it in Jessie’s, and Jessie, getting the hint closed her hand around his. As they turned around and started to walk out of the cafeteria, Jessie leant her head on James’ shoulder, showing her already grown affection for the young man.

However, just before they were out the door, Jessie turned her head to face a very shocked room of people. And there, standing on the table was a very annoyed Cassidy. Jessie smiled devilishly at her, mouthed the word ‘thankyou’, and turned her head back and rested it on James’ shoulder again before disappearing out of sight.

Cassidy stood there, fuming, before jumping off the table and storming out of the room.

That had definitely not turned out the way it had been planned.