OK guys I know I should be concentrating on the next chapter of Ghosts equal to Boyfriend-Stealers, but this little idea just popped into my brain and I couldn't resist writing it. So here goes.

A FATE UNDESERVED

Chapter One

A Good or Bad Shock?

I trudged tiredly into my room at about eight in the evening. It had been a long day – school and mediator lessons with Paul Slater, a very annoying fellow-mediator who had a crush on me. He had blackmailed me into attending lessons at his place everyday after school, where he taught me about mediation. Hey, I know I'm not one to be blackmailed easily, but he had threatened to spread that I had lost my Big-V to him. Asshole.

I dumped my schoolbag on the floor and slumped myself into my princess bed. Friday night. Finally. Not that I had a date (do I ever?), but it was still great to be spared my usual life for two blissful days.

After lying there for a few minutes, I gathered the energy to get up to go to the bathroom and change into something more comfortable. But when I stood up, I only got thrown right back onto my bed by the shocking sight that stood before me.

"Y-you?" I spluttered, looking at the ghost glowing away in front of my shocked eyes. Before me, with crossed arms, stood Jesse de Silva, a guy in my History, World Civ., and English classes. I am a sophomore, and he, a senior. We kinda-sorta know each other, but not properly. At least Jesse didn't know me properly. I, having a humongous crush on him, had gone out of my way to find out about him: his choice in color, music, food, girls etc. Pathetic, I know – and so not Suze Simon – but the guy was a REGULATION HOTTIE, and infallibly nice – a pretty rare combination. And lethal to females (and homosexual guys). A good lethal. And hey, I know I'm not usually the kind who'd go for guys I don't even know face-to-face, but this was an exception.

"Susannah Simon." Jesse said, more like a statement than a question. So CeeCee was right. He did know I existed. Well, good for me.

"Y-yes," I said, stupidly. "Susannah Simon. That's me!" Jesse sort of narrowed his eyes at me. Sort of, because narrowing eyes at somebody is rude, and like I said, Jesse was infallibly nice.

"I know who you are, querida," he said. The word querida sent a pleasant shiver down my back, even though I had no clue what it meant. Possibly a term of affection, if I was lucky (A/N: Wink wink! ;D …) "I know exactly who you are, and that is the reason I came to you. I don't understand what is happening to me. I need your help."

Shit. I had a feeling this had something to do with him 'magically' being dead.

"Sure," I replied. "How can I…help you?"

"I…I don't understand what is happening with me. Why do I have this…strange glow around me? I am invisible to everyone but you! I'm having difficulty touching and lifting things…I…I don't understand wh –"

"Jesse." I cut him off. "You're...I don't know how to break this to you, but you're…dead."

"Wh-what are you saying?" he cried, as if I were insane. "How is such a thing possible?"

"It's true, Jesse. You're dead. A ghost. That is why no one can see you."

He gave me a look of sheer horror, then proceeded to go crazy. He began to shake, making my entire wardrobe shake in the process.

"Jesse!" I cried. "Stop it!" But he seemed to pretty much have gone deaf to everything external. I screamed, springing out of bed, walking up to him, and catching a firm hold on his broad, wonderful shoulders. He looked at me, frustrated, and stopped shaking. He was breathing hard. Which was rather ironic, you know, since dead people don't need breath and all. He let out a deep sigh.

"Sshh," I said, gently. "Calm down. Tell me what you remember happening to you last. I can help you. I'm a mediator, and it's my job to help people like you."

Jesse nodded, trying to show he understood. "My…my car had broken down, so I had to leave it at school and walk home. On the way, I picked up a cappuccino from the Coffee Clutch. As I was walking back, sipping coffee, suddenly, a gang of men broke upon me. There were about ten of them and all of them had knives and had covered faces. Then one of them told me to hand over every valuable I had. Then, before I could even register what was happening, one of them stabbed me in the back. I passed out, and that is the last thing I remember happening to me before I found myself in this condition." He looked reasonably upset.

"Oh…" I said. "I – I'm so sorry."

In response, Jesse just looked sideward at my fingers, which were still resting on his shoulders. I quickly withdrew them. He looked back into my face.

There was an empty silence for a few moments. Then Jesse finally spoke. "So…is there nothing you can do to help me come back to life or something?"

"Er…" I shook my head reluctantly. "No…I don't think so. But there might be a chance."

"A chance?" Jesse looked confused. "What do you mean, a chance?"

"Look," I said. "Just hang on until tomorrow, okay?" After I come back, I may be able to help you in some way. I promise I'll try to find a way out."

"But why tomorrow?" asked Jesse. "Why can't you help me now?"

"Hey," I said, a tad impatiently. "Look, I'm not a walking-talking encyclopedia on helping ghosts, okay? I'll have to take advice from other mediators."

"Other?" asked Jesse, a bit suspiciously. "You mean there are more people like you?"

"Well, duh," I said. "They're spread all over the world, not only in Carmel. But there are three in Carmel itself, including me."

"Anyone I'd know?" asked Jesse.

For a few seconds, I debated whether or not to tell Jesse who my fellow mediators in Carmel were. I decided there was no harm in telling him, since he was already dead anyway, and would probably be a mediator if by a rare chance, I brought him back to life.

"Yup." I said. "And you'd know both of them. Or at least the first one. They're Father Dominic and Paul Slater."

"Huh?" Jesse had a look of pure amazement on his handsome face. "You mean our principal and that blonde guy with freaky blue eyes?!"

"Um, yeah." I said. "That'd be 'em."

"Wow. Who woulda thunk it?"

I pursed my lips and shrugged. "Anyway," I said. "I gotta go and change and do my homework and stuff. Where are you gonna hang around until tomorrow?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "Probably follow you around everywhere."

I raised my eyebrow. Whoa. I had never received that answer from a ghost before. I admit I was shocked. Okay…and flattered.

"Um," I said. "Okay. But I'd like to remind of one little detail. Now that you're a ghost, when you want to go somewhere, you won't have to go there manually. All you've gotta do is think of that place and poof – you'll be there. So you'd better keep a control over your little thoughts and desires. Like now. 'Cause I need to change." It was timed like this that annoyed me sometimes, when I had to change in the bathroom despite having my own room. Not that I was complaining about Jesse's presence, mind you.

Jesse, at my little reminder, looked amused – which was rather surprising from a guy who had been told that he was dead only minutes ago. "Hmm…" he said, mocking thoughtfulness. "I'll think about it…"

I picked up a pillow from my bed and playfully thwacked Jesse with it on the head. He laughed. "Hey!…I'm just kidding. I'll disappear for now. And I wonder what'll happen back at my house…"

"Hmm," I said. "Good point. We don't want this to become a public affair. So…why dotn you call up your mom and say that you'll be sleeping over at a friend's?"

"Yeah," said Jesse. "An excellent idea. Could I borrow your phone?"

Shit, I thought. I have a pink princess phone in a fur cover"Yeah, sure!" I said. "No problem. It's, uh, right over there." I gestured to my telephone. Mom had given me my private line since she hoped that now I was sixteen and all, I'd start dating. But no such luck, of course. The only person who even has my number is CeeCee Webb, who is roughly my only friend in Carmel. Well, technically I have three – if you count Adam McTavish (Cee's secret crush…heehee) and pesky Paul Slater. But neither of them had my number. Oh, yeah, sure, Paul had tried to lay his hands on it, but I'd made sure he'd failed.

Jesse, after making his call, turned to me.

"Thanks, querida."

"What for?" I asked, somewhat surprised.

"For helping me. You know, I always had my eye on you at school."

"Really?" I said, very taken aback. Wow!

"Yes," said Jesse. "Since they day you moved here from New York. Everyone thought you were pretty cool for wearing black, and all. And well, to be honest, so did I. Not because of the wearing-black-clothes thing, but for an entirely different reason."

Okay. Now I was curious. "Oh. And what is that reason, exactly?"

"Well, I just though you had this…I don't know…a natural coolness to you. You were always so assertive and confident of yourself and didn't care about all those stupid comments Kelly Prescott and the other girls passed at you. That's what I liked about you at first sight."

"Oh." I was pretty speechless. If I'd had my will, I would have jumped up on one foot and danced a jig around the room, seriously. Hey, cut me some slack – you'd feel like that if your crush told you he thought you were cool when you thought he didn't know you existed.

"Anyway," said Jesse. "I'll be going now. Be back later."

"Y-Yeah," I managed to say. "Bye."

Then he flashed me his killer smile and disappeared.

How was it? makes hopeful puppy-dog-eyes

Those of you who are a bit taken aback by the modern lingo used by Jesse, don't be, coz in this, remember, he is portrayed as a 21st century teenager...

Anywho...please say it was good… I know the idea is already used, but still…PLEASE REVIEW!!!!

Be back soon with the second chappy. This is a mini-fic, so it'll most likely be of around 3-4 chapters.