Disclaimer: All characters that you recognize are Meg Cabots

Chapter 1

'A little girl about seven years old was running to the nearest tree from a boy just about her age. As he touched her arm she yelled, "No Paul, I touched base before you tagged me!" The boy, Paul shook his head and said, "Suze you've been saying that all day. How about we play another game instead?" "Fine," she replied, a bit upset.'

I suddenly remembered this while passing two little children playing that same game. My grandmother was very sick so I was forced to come down and visit her. I personally think that mom and Andy just wanted some time alone, but whatever. That's how I ended up four hours away from home in Salinas county. I was planning on staying with her for two weeks or at least until she got better.

As I made my way up her walk, I saw the door was already open. "Grandma, Grandma Claire, you there?" "Oh Susannah you made it! I'm in the kitchen!" I rushed into the kitchen knowing fully well she wasn't supposed to be cooking anything. I was glad to see she was only taking her medication. "Oh Susannah look at you! You've grown so much in the past year. You're such a beautiful young lady!"

"Oh thank you grams. I'm sorry that I can't say the same thing to you. How was it again that you happened to break your leg and catch the flu?"

"Now listen Suze you know it wasn't my fault those steps were wet. And as for the flu I just didn't have time this year for those silly shots." Grams has been wearing her cast for almost a month now and was scheduled to take it off in two weeks but catching the flu was slowing down the healing process. That's why I came to visit her. I was going to try and help her get rid of her flu so her leg could heal faster. "Grams you know your health comes first! Your 63 years old! You can't take risks like not taking your shots and not watching where you're going." Instead of arguing back like the lawyer she once was she just told me that I should put my bags upstairs, second door to the left, and then come down so we could catch up.

After I told her all about school, (I had just finished my freshman year at UCLA), and how Mom, Andy, Sleepy, Dopey, and Doc were doing; I began to make a little dinner. I'm no gourmet chef, like Andy, so I made one of those freezer meals. Grandma didn't seem to mind though. When the dishes were done and grams was asleep in her bed, I went upstairs. Tomorrow I would have to go grocery shopping. We were all out of the basics and junk food, which a young adult like myself, lives on.

The next day I showered and put on something casual but nice: Acid toned (ripped at the knees) stone washed JLo jeans with a cute red baby tee with white lace that skims the top of my belly button.I got it at Macy's fifty percent off. It gives me a modern romantic type look.I then left good old grandma a note saying I'm gonna be gone for awhile, two hours tops. I didn't really know where I was going, but it was pretty easy to find a grocery shop around here. Salinas county was no New York City. I walked in and picked up what I needed. While at the cashier I could've sworn I saw something or should I say someone glowing in the corner of my eye. I quickly rushed to the car. I thought I saw a ghost in there and I was in no mood to go find lost loved ones right now. In fact I was hoping on relaxing a little. I mean if you were born with this "supposed" gift of seeing the dead, well not only seeing. You have to help them too. I mean it feels really good a lot of the time but sometimes they just don't cooperate. That's when I'm forced to get physical. The problem with that is that they (the ghost) can do a lot more permanent damage to me that I can to them. Luckily for me all I need is to grab an arm or something because then I can dump their sorry asses in a place I like to call shadowland. Paul actually taught me that. You see Paul Slater is my all time best friend. He was my first friend and for a while there my only friend. We grew up together in New York, and when my dad died he was there for me. Not that it mattered much. I mean Paul and I could still see him, being the freaks of nature we are. But he was there, and when I had to move to Carmel he decided to move in with his grandfather for while so I wouldn't be alone.He is so devoted, it almost brings tears to my emerald eyes. Anyway Paul knew a lot more about "shifters" (which is what we're called) than I did and taught me everything he knew. He is an awesome guy. And that reminds me, I have to call him later.

But back to these ghosts. It was in fact because of the big rush I was in to get away from them that I wasn't watching where I was going and walked right into someone. I quickly mumbled "sorry" and began picking up my stuff. I hadn't even looked up at this stranger until he said
"Oh it's ok, senorita." Now I had to look up. I mean wouldn't you look up to see who this sexy, slightly accented voice belonged to? I know I would which is exactly what I did. When I looked up I was surprised to see our noses were almost touching. He was helping me pick up what had fallen. He was Hispanic and very very handsome. He had crisp black hair, beautiful dark eyes, and a sexy contagious smile. I couldn't speak at first because his eyes were so entrancing. He didn't seem to mind since I was the one who broke the silence.

"Uhhh, Thanks. Thanks a lot." Wow could I get any lamer? Come on Suze. You have this hot guy in front of you and all you can say it uhhh. Yea that's a great first impression. Luckily for me he didn't seem to mind since he simply smiled and said "You're very welcome." As we began to rise from the ground I noticed he was very tall, maybe about 6'4. Which I'm embarrassed to admit, I noticed was a perfect kissing height, I'm only 5'4". He asked me my name. To which my smooth reply was "Suze Simon."

"Jesse De Silva" he said, and then stuck his hand out. "Suze? Isn't that short for something?"
"Oh yes, Susannah actually."
"Well Susannah, you have a beautiful name." Jesse then asked me if I lived near by so I told him grams house was 4 doors down. I was surprised but flattered when he offered to carry the bags to the house.

I opened the door and showed him the kitchen while I went to check up on grandma. I saw she was just watching some TV. "Oh grams, I bumped into someone outside and he offered to help me with the bags. He's really really sweet. Let me go get him." But to my embarrassment I found Jesse was standing right next to me. "Jesse this my grand mother and grams this is Jesse."
"Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Simon." As he said this he looked unsurely in my direction but I assured him that that was in fact her last name. We all talked for a while and I learn that Jesse was 23 and was hoping on becoming a doctor. I told him all about how I was just visiting from Carmel to help my grandmother get better and that I would be leaving in about two weeks because my sophomore year at UCLA would be starting soon. He was surprised I was in college. He said "But Susannah you don't look a day over 17." "Yea well I'm 19 turning 20 in a couple of months." When we finished talking he told grams that if she ever "...needed anything don't hesitate to call." As I walked him to the door I thanked him for everything. "Not a problem Susannah. I was wondering though, would you maybe want to take a walk with me? I could show you around since you've just arrived."

"Oh, wow, well I'd have to ask grams if she'd be ok by herself first. Um… hold on a second."
I went inside and told her about Jesse's proposal to show me around. She was almost happier than I was. "A beautiful young lady like yourself, Susannah, should not be locked up with someone as old as I am for more than 6 hours. You go out and have fun." So after I made sure she was ok I grabbed my bag and was off.