A/N: So, thanks to all my lovely reviewers. I now know what O.O.C stands for, although my loyal friend Esmeralda 01 believe that it should stand for Orange Orange county. Lol, as long as there's no orange cardigans kay?
Anyway, this chapter probably is a little bit O.O.C as well, but meh I believe it's essential!!
DISCLAIMER: Come on, don't make me say it. Oh, alright, I'm not Meg Cabot. I don't own Jesse or Paul (sigh) all I came up with is the plot.
Chapter 7: Have 1 for me too Father D.
"Susannah Simon, Hector de Silva and Paul Slater please report to Father Dominic's office." The intercom crackled to life in my French class. What could he want now? I bet it has something to do with Friday night.
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"So, Father D, what's up this time?" I already had a fair idea but you never know what Father D is going to come out with.
"Leah. She's in a coma. She has been ever since Friday night when they took her to the Emergency Department. I've already had three visits from her so my guess is she doesn't have very long. What I want to know is: what happened?"
"Well,' I began, but was cut of by Paul.
"Long story short, a ghost tried to drown her so I jumped in shifted with the ghost to Shadowland or the 'Astral Plane' as you like to call it; told her that her fair and just rewards were behind whatever door she picked so now she's gone to reincarnated as a butterfly or whatever it is that happens when you move on." He looked quite proud of himself.
"Paul, that is no way to treat ghosts. You know how I feel about your shifting abilities."
"Oh, I'm not the only one with abilities Father." He winked at me. I glared back. Jesse protectively placed his arm around my shoulder.
"Father D,' I cried 'she tried to kill someone. She deserves more than to just move on. She has no right to go around harming innocent people." yeah, because I do think Leah is innocent. Snigger.
"Well what's done is done. I've permitted for you three to have the rest of the day off because you were personally involved. That will be all thank-you." He started fiddling with the packet of smokes sitting on his desk.
"have one for me too Father D." I winked as I walked out the door.
"Susannah." Jesse said sternly.
"What?" I asked innocently.
"Suggesting that the Father should have a smoke for you." He shook his head. Something I noticed he did a lot when I was around.
"Oh come on Jesse. You and I both know he won't. Anyway, I feel really bad about Leah. I mean, I had the chance to get rid of that ghost, but because I didn't another girl is almost dead. And to make matters worse I even thought about just leaving her to drown."
"Querida, it's not your fault. You can't avoid a falling breezeway." His arm tightened around me and he leaned down and kissed my forehead.
"Well, I have managed to escape getting taken out by a statue's head in the courtyard." Of course, I didn't mention that I had help from a ghost who I now don't remember. In fact, I'm sure that same ghost helped me through a lot of stuff. If Leah shows up I've got to ask her who it is.
"That was because I- never mind." He ran his hand frustratedly through his hair, which made it fall over his eyes. So hot…
"Hello? Susannah?' He waved a hand in my face to wake me up from the day dream I had fallen into. 'There's one more thing about Friday night."
"Mhmm, go on." He picked up one of my loose-flowing curls and started to wrap it around his finger "You look much better as a brunette." He gave a deep laugh as I blushed profusely.
"I… ah,' I dazzled him with my wit. Not. 'We have the rest of the day of so what do you want to do?"
"Well, it's 11:30 so I'll drop you at your place and meet you in half an hour at that little coffee shop by the waterfront?"
"Um, sure. Hey, bring your swimming gear too. I feel like going to the beach."
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Since everyone was in school the little coffee shop was pretty much empty apart from one girl I didn't recognise.
"Do you want anything querida?" Jesse asked as we looked up at the menu boards.
"Um, iced chocolate, thanks. And hey, what does that mean anyway?"
"Don't worry. It's just Spanish." He said with a light chuckle.
"Well, if you won't tell me what it means then please don't call me it, because for all I know you could be slagging me off right to my face."
"I'm not 'slagging' you off querida."
"Fine. If you want to keep calling me that, then I'll just have to call you Hector, Hector."
"Susannah.' He protested. 'Fine. Let's go sit down. And may I remind you of one thing?"
"Uh, sure."
"Payback is a; how do you people say it? Oh yeah, bitch." he looked at me simply as I sat down across the table from him. Our drinks came. I picked up my long spoon and twiddled it through the cream.
JESSE'S POV
"The view is really nice from here." Susannah said as she looked out the window.
"I agree." I answered, but I wasn't looking out the window. The sun shone through the window and reflected of Susannah's features. She is beautiful, I thought to myself. Her chestnut colored curls loosely flowing around her shoulders, it felt so soft between my fingers. I looked down at the table when she noticed I was staring at her and blushed. All of a sudden I felt something brush against my leg. I looked under the table and exclaimed out loud "Susannah… I … what…?" She just grinned at me over her straw and winked.
"It's boring here. Can we go to the beach now?" She asked innocently.
"What about your drink Susannah?"
"I'm done. I'll just go pay and then we can go, kay?"
"No Susannah. I'll pay. You go wait outside at the car and I'll be out in a minute."
"Fine then. See you at the car. Hector." Once again she winked at me.
SUZE'S POV
I was almost at the car when a ghost showed up. Three guesses as to who it was.
"What do you want?" Excuse me for being rude, but she did help my ex-boyfriend cheat on me.
"You,' she looked at me disgustedly. 'You are the Great Shifter?"
"Um, no. Paul is the shifter. I'm just a Mediator."
"No, no. I've already been to Paul. He didn't do anything. They told me to find the Great Shifter. As soon as I thought the words I turned up here."
"Well, 'they', whoever they are, have got it wrong because I'm just a Mediator. Unless Paul has got some explaining to do. Anyway, look you may not have long before you return back to your body and that may be the last thing you do. So, you just go back to whatever you were doing and I will sort out a way to get you back in your own body for good ok? And the only people that can see you are Father D, Paul, Hector and myself so don't try any funny business."
"Oh, that girl in the coffee shop can see me too. Go talk to her. She's starting At the Mission tomorrow and she could really use a friend. Thank you so much Suze. And I'm really truly sorry about what I did with Paul. He told me he didn't have a girlfriend. Thanks again. I know you'll sort it all out for me. Goodbye." I went back into the coffee shop and bumped into Jesse walking out.
"Susannah. I thought we were going to the beach?"
"Yeah, we will in a minute, I just need to talk to that girl over there." I walked up to her table and she looked at me. God, she was gorgeous. Long, straight, black hair and piercing blue eyes that were much nice than Slaters.
"Um, can I help you?" She asked in a shy voice.
"Yeah, you spoke to Leah, didn't you?" Her eyes widened.
"Uh, no. I don't know who you are talking about."
"It's ok. We can see her too." She calmed back down and looked up and right past my shoulder to Jesse who was still looking confused. She stood up immediately, flicked and flashed her pearly whites and Jesse. I'm going to introduce this girl to Slater as soon as I can; there is no way she is getting my Jesse.
"Hi, my name is Gwen Diego." Where have I Heard that name before? She shook Jesse's hand, but when I stuck mine out she ignored it.
"Uhuh. Anyway. You spoke to Leah. Yes?" I nodded at her like I was talking to a 5 year old.
"Yeah, so you can see them too?" She directed that straight at Jesse, but I answered anyway. She was not going to hear his hot Spanish accent if I could help it. he was already good-looking and she knew it.
"Yes, we can. She told me to come and talk to you. So, you are starting at the Mission tomorrow? We go there. Thought you might like to know someone so it wouldn't be a bunch of strangers when you get there."
"Oh, you guys attend the Mission. Ha. Sucks to be you. I wanted to go to RLS, but my folks wouldn't let me."
"The mission is pretty cool actually. Paul goes there too. I bet you'd like him. Anyways, it was nice meeting you, but we really have to get going. Got a lot of things to do." I snaked my arm around Jesse just so she got the picture.
"Hang on, I didn't catch your names."
"I'm Suze Simon and this my friend Hector de Se- Silva." Shit, I almost said sexy. I was lucky. This time.
"Oh, ok. Well, see ya round. Bye Hector." Ugh, she makes me sick. Her and Slater will make the perfect couple.
As soon as we got outside I burst into laughter.
"Bye Hector." I mocked him.
"What? Just because I'm attractive and charming."
"Attractive, maybe so, but charming? Never." I laughed at my own joke.
"So you think I'm attractive, querida?"
"You bet I do. Any girl making out with you would be mad not to shout it from the rooftops." I just said that out loud didn't I?
"Pardon?" Oh, crap. How am I going to get myself out of this one.
"Oh, look; something shiny." It didn't work. I ended up looking myself.
"So if I 'made out' with you, you'd shout it from the rooftops?" He was trying to hide a massive grin, but was failing. I blushed. Big time. "I take that as a yes, miss Tomato?"
"Ye- hey I am NOT a tomato. I am sooo going to get you for that. Take me to the beach."
"Ok. Whatever you say Miss Tomato."
We got down to the beach and I lay my towel out on the sand ready to sunbathe.
"What do you think you are doing? You aren't just going to lie there are you? I thought you wanted to swim?"
"Nope. I said I wanted to go to the beach. This is what I do at the beach."
"That's it, Susannah. You are going down." He lent over me and was about to pick me up.
"Don't you even think about it Mister." I was not ready to get in the water. Yet.
"Time for payback." But before he could lift me up, he was lifted up, by some unseen force. It wasn't even a ghost because I couldn't even see it. 'Put him down' I screamed in my head and as soon as I did, he was on the ground again. That was weird. Jesse looked even more freaked out than I felt.
"What just happened?" He looked as if he'd just seen- excuse the pun- a ghost.
"I. don't. know. Try to pick me up and see if it happens again." He did and it happened again. It was me. I picked him up. Awesome. I must be the Great Shifter. I slowly walked forward and as I did he moved back towards the water too, while still in the air.
"Susannah, what's going on?"
"Just wait. I'll explain after I've done this." I smirked at him. Here he was thinking he had payback when really I got him. I walked into the water and when it was up just above my knees I dropped him. He went down with a splash. When he surfaced I exclaimed happily " Susannah, one. Hector, none." He glared at me and started running at me. I screamed and ran up onto the beach.
"Don't take another step Hector." I wasn't afraid to try out this new found power I'd gained.
"Must you call me Hector? It sounds better when you call me Jesse."
"Are you wearing boxers, Hector?" I grinned at him devilishly.
"Yes I- you wouldn't." He stared at me in disbelief.
"Oh I would. Hector." I raised my hand. He ran towards me and before I could do anything he pinned me to the sand. Yeah, he was on top of me. Did I mention he had no top on? Sigh.
"Ah, Hector. A little to close for comfort." I said that hoping he would take it as an offer to try and 'annoy' me. Of course, it wouldn't annoy me if he pressed himself closer to me. It worked.
"Well, how about this then?" He leaned right over top of me and before I knew it his lips were pushed against mine. It was amazing. I thought Paul was a good kisser and he is, but his kisses never made feel like this. I felt like everything was right in the world. Like there was no Paul, sexually-harassing me whenever he could. Like there was only him and me on beach and I hoped that's they way it would stay, but sadly, just as abruptly as the fire-fuelled kiss had started he pulled away.
"Shout that from the rooftops." He smirked as he got up and started for the car.
A/N: So tell me what you think. I finally have an actual plot to this and it will come in really soon. I promise!!!!!
Go on, press that little blueish/purplish button, you know you what to!!!
