I haven't posted this chapter for some odd reason...anyway. here it is!!!


And there I was. Staring at the guy that ruined my life.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were entertaining Mr. de Silva." He said with a smirk, though when he looked at Jesse, his gaze darkened.

"Paul, you obviously saw us go into JESSE's office. The door was shut." Gosh, this guy was an idiot. Or, he just liked ruining my life...

I'm gonna go with both.

"What do you want, Slater?" Jesse asked. He kept one arm around me, almost pushing me behind him as if he thought Paul was going to pull out an ax and start chopping away at us, which, now that I think about it, wouldn't surprise me one bit.

I mean, I know Paul is a physco, but an ax-chopping-heads-off physco?
Yeah, you're right. It's very possible. And yes, I know I have a babbling problem so you can stop laughing at me now. Thought I didn't know, did you? Surprise! I may be a babbler, but I'm not stupid.

Ok, you're seriously going to die next time you make a smart remark about my babbling problems and/or stupidity impulses.

Anyway, back to the story.

"Just wanted to drop in and say hi to my favorite on again off again couple." Paul said as he leaned against the door.

"The only reason we broke up is because of you, Slater. Now leave." Jesse said, walking towards him. Paul looked up at Jesse and said, "What has Suze said to you? I'm guessing she's never told you about-"

Oh crap it.

Not that.

Not here.

And certainly not now.

"Get out, Paul." I said. He smiled and said, "Come on, Susie-Q."

"I SAID GET OUT, SATAN!" Jesse snorted when I said Satan. Being very religious, he used to get upset when I would call Paul that, but I guess he finally realizes that it's the truth.

It is.

I'm sorry, but it is.

"Come on, Suze-"

"Out!" Jesse said, pushing him out, and this time, locking the door. He turned to face me. I shrugged and said, "I have no idea why he's here. I haven't seen or spoken to him in two years."

He looked down at me, "Two years meaning?" I rolled my eyes, "The Christmas party. I told you. I haven't dated anyone else since then."

"Except Orlando Bloom." Jesse said rasing his eyebrows. I smiled and said, "Um...for an hour." He just stared at me and I said, "A day." Again, staring. "Ok, a week."

"Susannah."

"Fine, we were together a month! But for two of those four weeks he was in the Caribbeans so it didn't matter anyway!" I said, walking to the door.

"And you of course didn't go with him." Jesse said from behind me. I swallowed. Hard. Then I said, "Of course not." I said walking out into the hall.

"Susannah." He said, following me.

"I swear on my mother's grave!" I yelled.

"She didn't die did she?" Asked a voice from behind me. I turned around and almost screamed, "DAD?" Jesse smacked his foehead and groaned. I smiled at all the people that were staring at me.

"Querida, can we-"

"Yeah." We walked back into his office. "Dad, why are you here?"

"Nice to see you too, kiddo." He said with a smile. I smiled back and hugged him, "I am happy, Dad. But you moved on. So, how is it?"

He smiled as he pulled back, "Great."

Then I got a question. "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" He asked.

"Um, you know." I said pointing up. "Heaven." He laughed and said, "Can't tell you that. Classified."
Hmph. Figures.

"So, what's up?" I asked. He became serious and said, "They sent me down here."

"Who?"

He smiled and I said for him, "Classified?" He nodded. "Figures."

"Suze, you're in trouble."

"Isn't she always?" I turned around and glared at Jesse. He smiled and said, "Querida, you know you are." I turned back to my dad who said, "You are-"

"I know I am." I said, "Now, who has a grudge against me this time?"

"Susannah, I'm serious." Dad said. "I can't tell you everything, but things aren't as they seem."

Oh...my...gosh.
Are you serious. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

"Suze-"

"Dad. I'm fine. And with Zorro over here looking after me again, why are you worried?" I said. He smiled, and then an angry Jesse asked, "Did you just call me Zorro?"

"Maybe." He glared at me. "Dude, Antonio Banderas is hot. You should take that as a compliment." He obviously didn't.

"And by the way, I'm glad things worked out for you two." Dad said. Then he quickly added to Jesse, "But if you break her heart, you'll have to deal with me in the afterlife."

Jesse stared at him for a minute, and then said, "I won't."

Dad smiled, "Good." He looked back down at me. "Be careful, sweetheart." I smiled at him and said, "Am I ever anything but?" I hear Jesse groan from behind me. Dad hugged me, and said, "I love you."

"Love you too." And he was gone...
Again.

I looked at Jesse, who looked a little freaked out by my dad's remark. I laughed and walked out. "What time you get off?"

He came up behind me and kissed my neck, "Now." I turned around and smiled at him, "Good."

---

After my date with Jesse, I came home and plopped on my bed. I was bored. It was only 9.

So, I went to my closet and pulled out a box marked, "DO NOT OPEN" I sat on the floor and pulled off the top. On the top was a picture of CeeCee and me during our road trip after graduation. We had it planned since I moved to Carmel. I smiled when I lifted it up. It was us posing in front of the Hollywood sign.

We were 17 and on our own
When we hit the gas for the great unknown

Under that was the tarot card Gina had given to me. The ninth key.

Secrets spilled into that dark
And everyone was a piece of my heart

I lifted up the card to see the picture of Jesse and me at the Winter Formal four years ago. I smiled when I saw it. I looked so happy. We both did. Almost glowing.

It's a lullaby
It's a beautiful life
And it sings me to sleep most every night

Under that was the orchid he had given me. It was all dried out now.

So I hold it close
And I hide it away
That's how I keep it from going astray

As I was still looking at the picture of us, I laid the orchid back down and picked up a crumpled up napkin. I laughed when I read it. It was a note Jaz had written me at the Pirates of the Caribbean premiere.

I knew you two were dating. She had written. It was still stained with spagetti sauce. I remember the look on Johnny Depp's face when this landed in his spagetti.

Under that was a magazine that had in big bold letters on the front: LOVE IN 'BLOOM'?

Love doesn't need a rhyme or a reason to be

There was a bunch of letters and designs and stuff. Pretty much it was just a lot of stuff at one time I was trying to forget.

Then there was my year book from my senior year. I flipped to my class, but something caught my eye.
Mishca Burkely.
Junior class president.
Winter Formal Princess two years in a row.
Head Cheerleader.

She was gorgeous four years ago too. Then I noticed in all the pictures of her doing the food drive and stuff, there was a little glow about her. Not the same glow me and Jesse had...you know, the I'm-in-love glow. She was seriously glowing.

"That's weird." Jesse said when I showed him the next day. "Maybe the picture just messed up."

"In every single picture of her?" I asked. He sighed and said, "I wonder what it is." I shook my head, "It's just really strange."

"What is?" Mishca asked, as she sat down at our table at the Coffee Clutch. She got out of the hospital today.

"Nothing." Jesse and I both said at the same time. She looked at us weird and said, "Whatever."

"Ok, so...who's this Paul guy?" Jaz asked. Cee looked over at me and smiled. She knew all about Paul and the whole kiss-because-I-felt-(for want of a better word) unwanted.

"Just a guy who is completely obsessed with Susannah." Jesse said, sipping his coffee. Jaz looked over at me and said, "Is he hot?"

Jesse shot me a glare, and I said (untruthfully), "No. I mean, I guess he is if you like that type." Jaz looked at Jesse and said to me, "Well, I guess when you've dated two gods, no one would compare."

"Who was the other one?" Jesse asked. He, indirectly, just called himself hot. He looked over at me and asked, since I had started to laugh, "What?"

"Nothing." I said. "Nothing at all." He glared at me. Jaz smiled and said, "You two are so cute together." Jesse rolled his eyes and took another sip. But I happened to notice that he was blushing.

We went to the beach next. When everyone else was gone, I took the yearbook out of Jesse's car and looked at the pictures again.

Glow.

Glow.

Glow.

In every single picture.

"Things aren't what they seem." My dad had said to me the day before.
"Yeah." I said to myself. "And maybe people aren't either."


I'm really starting to like this!!!
And the little bits of that song I had put in there was 'Autumn & Me' from Saving Jane.
Coincidence? I just like that song. It has nothing to do with Autumn.
I love you guys!!!
XOXOXO
-SASTMJ