Chapter 4: Say what?


     Valerie Frost was right. Considering she is my mother and I am very
mad at her right now, I feel I have the right to call her by her first
name. 

     But anyways, she was right. Nathan and I were able to get to Oldale
Town by ten and checked into the Pokemon Center by ten-thirty. Oldale
Town was a weird little town, bigger than Littleroot, but smaller than
anywhere else. 

     The next day, we were ready to Petalburg by noon. Nathan had
acquired a Poochyena by that time, and I had caught a Wingull. Fun
times, fun times.

     And so we were walking on route 102. He was asking me about Johto,
and I was telling him little bits about my life there, but I felt very
unsecure and paranoid. 

     And what do you know, I was right. We passed a huge tree and I
fell. Now I know you must be thinking that this was not a big deal and I
was just clumsy, but then a guy completely dressed in red jumped out
behind the tree.

     A little dazed, I said, "Woah... Look at the guy in all red...
What's with the all red? I've heard of Hoenn pride, but's that's taking
it a little too far..."

     "Jenn," Nathan sarted out sweetly but then he got a little more
panicked. "The guy is from Team Magma!"

     I wasn't that fazed, considering all of my previous experience with
Team Rocket. "Team Magma, eh?"

     "Yeah, now give me all of your money!" he said. He was actually
kind of pathetic and I felt sorry for him.

     "I'm pretty broke, just blew most of my money on supplies. But
here, take what I have, I don't need it," I said nicely. Nathan stood in
shock, his jaw practucally scraping the ground.

     "Hey, you look like some girl in some pictures my friend showed me.
Do you know someone named Taylor? He's from Johto..." his voice trailed
off, probably from the horrified look I gave him. 

     My ex-boyfriend was showing pictures of me to his co-workers from
hell? And he was here... In Hoenn... Wouldn't Mom love that? I felt sick
to my stomach, and maybe just a little afraid. But I hoped I didn't show
it, because letting down my guard is my worst fear.

     I plastered a fake smile on my face. "Yeah, he sounds familiar...
Maybe I know him..."

     "It is you! Look, he told me to tell him if I saw you! He gave me
this picture to double-check!" I looked at his picture and it was
definetely me. I was kind of afraid, mainly because I didn't want Taylor
to know I was here.

     "Hey, since I gave you my money, can you kind of NOT tell Taylor
I'm here?" I begged. But I knew it was useless. People in groups like
this show no mercy.

     "Why wouldn't you want him to know you're here? You're his
girlfriend!" If Nathan's jaw could drop into the areas below the earth,
I think it would. That comment, naturally, infuriated me.

     "I am NOT his girlfriend! I haven't been for a long time! And
listen, you better tell him that because I'm ready to kick him from here
to Kanto!"

     "Sure, lady, whatever you say..." And then he ran away and I knew
that before the end of the day, Taylor would know I was in Hoenn. Taylor
always gets his way.

     When the Team Magma member left, Nathan picked up his jaw and asked
me if Taylor was the guy who had hit me. He made it sound so casual, and
I resented that greatly. I didn't let him know I was afraid and told him
just as casually that yes, it was him. 

     That was the last we talked until we got to Petalburg. The whole
way, I dreaded getting there, wondering if Taylor would be waiting for
me.