::Evolution::

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

Here is the eleventh and final chapter of 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

Butch – 18

::Evolution – Chapter11::

James slowly walked out across the school grounds, hands shoved deep in his pockets and eyes lowered to the grass at his feet. Around him kids laughed and talked loudly, having fun in their friendly groups in the freedom of recess. In comparison, James' mood was far from joyous. It was Friday, and tomorrow would mark a week since the school dance the previous Saturday. It would mark a week of confusion and misery on behalf of the emotions experienced by the lavender-haired teenager, after apparently parting for the last time with his friend, Jessie.

Jessie had not spoken to him since the dance, and indeed he had not tried talking to her either. Despite both being in the same English and Biology classes, the pair had not even locked eyes since the incidents of Saturday night. As every day wore on James' fears heightened at the realisation that this undeniably was the end of anything between him and Jessie. Suddenly nothing else in his life seemed worth the while, without the prospect of seeing and talking to the sapphire-eyed girl every day.

It confused him that he could have feelings so strong for a person that he had barely known for three weeks.

What also had James confused was the change in perception he'd had of another of his female friends – Cassidy. For all his life James had thought her a close companion. She was someone who understood aspects of his family life, and who was there to have fun with when they were stuck at another dreary upper-class gathering. Yet the school dance had revealed another side to Cassidy, and Jessie had clearly underlined James' unwillingness to see the unattractive features of the blonde teenager's personality.

Over the past school week James had forced himself to look at Cassidy through the eyes of another. He had covertly watched how she acted around other people, and subtly questioned a few students on their thoughts and opinions of her.

Despairingly for James, his findings did not support the friendly, understanding image he initially had of Cassidy.

James felt despondent at the notion that the way he had perceived Cassidy for song long apparently was an illusion. He was reluctant to admit that the friendship between him and his fellow twelfth-grader was based on a lie. How could Cassidy have been able to fool him for so long? It couldn't be possible.

James continued to head out across the school grounds, toward the outer fence. His destination was a park bench that stood beside a tall elm tree, where James intended to sit and wait out recess in peace. Lately he had even felt distant from Cameron and his other friends, and mostly chose to sit and think alone at recess and lunchtimes.

To James' slight dismay there was already a person sitting on the park bench. He stopped walking, and awkwardly looked at the guy resting there. "Uh… sorry, I didn't think anyone would be here," James mumbled, turning to walk away.

"Hey," came a very gruff voice from the guy sitting on the bench, "you don't have to go. I'm sure we can both fit on here."

James considered the other guy's words, and turned back to sit on the park bench. He lowered himself onto the bench, and looked at the person next to him. The guy was quite thin, and had teal-coloured hair with two bangs that fell onto his face. "I'm Butch," came the gruff voice again.

"James."

"And what are you doing all the way out here, James?"

James looked down at the ground in front of him, and began to dig a hole in the dirt with the toe of his black leather school shoe. "Trying to find a place to think. And to get away. What about you?"

An uncanny smile appeared on Butch's face. "Pretty much the same. Plus, staying out here keeps me out of trouble."

James raised an eyebrow, but decided not to ask as to what sort of trouble this Butch character seemed to get himself into. James looked into the distance at the many students milling about near the school building. His eyes suddenly landed on his group of friends sitting together near the quadrangle. He watched as Cassidy's form animatedly conversed with Cameron and a couple of other guys.

Butch's eyes followed James' line of sight to land upon Cassidy, and he grumbled knowingly. "Don't tell me you're troubled over her," he said.

James turned to look at Butch, an unsure look on his face. "Well, she's part of it. You know her?"

Butch sighed hoarsely. "I did. I used to go out with her at the start of this year. Biggest mistake of my life. Thank God I finally woke up to my senses – she's nothing but a sneaky, selfish two-faced miltank if you ask me."

James' eyes widened. He didn't even know who this guy was, let alone know that he had been boyfriend to supposedly one of his close friends earlier in the year. And yet again here was another testimony to Cassidy's rather unpleasant personality.

"Seems everyone thinks that…" James started, "and I guess I'm beginning to see it myself. I don't want to, but I really can't deny that she's not a very nice person…" his voice trailed off.

Butch laughed in his husky voice. "That's putting it mildly. You, uh… her boyfriend?"

"No… just a close friend. Or I thought so, anyway. I just don't kno