A/N: Yay, suspense! As for all you who worry that Jesse will leave Suze for Cali…I'd tell you what's gonna happen, but that's entirely up to the characters. They're really the ones writing this, not me. I just serve as a vessel for them so they can tell their own stories. *Grin* This happened with my books too…I didn't plan half the weird plot twists that happened in them…

Chapter 4: Slater.

                        **Cali**

I walked into the courtyard, after getting lost twice. As I walked, I saw Suze sitting with two of her friends, one of which was an albino, I'm sure, and the other was a pretty good-looking guy. I started to walk over, but when I looked down at one of my rings, which was bothering me, I looked up and was met with a broad-shouldered, incredibly hot guy, dressed in a tee shirt and khakis.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous Cali Vinnett," Paul Slater, the shifter, said to me, grinning.

"Go away," I snapped and started to walk past him, but he stretched out an arm and stopped me. "Seriously, Slater. Go away," I said, glaring at him as my green eyes turned black. I clawed at him, and he caught my wrist, which I then twisted so I could dig my fingernails into his wrist. When he just grinned and let go, I clenched my hands into fists. My fingernails bit into my palms and I winced. "Ow," I muttered to myself.

"Aww, your own little weapons backfiring on you?" he asked with a grin.

My telekinesis was struggling against me. My subconscious wanted to throw him into the fountain, but I somehow managed to restrain myself. "Slater, go away before I do something we'll both regret," I said.

Paul smirked. "Like you could do anything to hurt me, Cali. You're not strong enough," he said, and started walking towards me. I, of course, backed up quickly, trying to keep at least three feet between us. This quickly stopped working when I hit the fence and almost jumped forward.

"Slater, go away," I said, unable to back up any more. He put a hand against the fence, one arm on either side of my head, sort of capturing me. I felt my pulse start to speed up…

"Aww, Cali doesn't like me anymore," he said, trying to act upset and doing a very bad job, I might add.

"I never liked you. Get it straight," I snapped. It was getting really hard to keep my telekinesis under control. I felt myself start to sweat. "Leave me alone," I said weakly, starting to feel lightheaded. I hate that feeling. It happened whenever I had to really fight my telekinesis. It sucks. A lot. I've passed out from it… "Paul, go away," I snapped loudly. I'm sure my voice echoed throughout the entire school.

"Slater, leave the girl alone," I heard a distinctly masculine voice snap from behind me.

I was starting to have trouble breathing, the need to throw him into the fountain starting to overpower my ability to control my telekinesis. I could've pushed him away from me with it if I hadn't thought I'd accidentally toss him into the statues in the fountain instead.

"Alright, but only because you asked so nicely, deSilva," he said to the guy standing behind me. I watched, glaring, as Slater turned on his heel and walked away from me, arrogant and asshole-ish as ever. God, I hated him. I'd only just met him, but I hated him.

"Calixte, are you alright?" he asked, appearing in front of me. I jumped slightly.

"Ow," I said to Jesse, letting myself slide down the fence and come to sit on the ground, holding my head. This was bad. Usually when the reason my telekinesis fought me went away, the headache, dizziness, or lightheadedness went away, too. It was still there.

"Susannah," I heard Jesse call.

Suze excused herself and walked over to me.

"Have any Tylenol?" I asked, my head still in my hands. The headache was starting to go away, but I was still lightheaded. Shit. "Never mind. Does Slater have any powers I should know about?" I asked.

"Yes. He can shift between the realms of the living and the dead," Jesse said.

"Anything else?" I asked, looking up.

"Not that I know of," Jesse said with a shrug.

I sighed. "I feel something weird about him…He's hiding something, I know it…" He was, too. Something wasn't right. Paul seemed to like upsetting me. That wasn't normal. "Suze, talk to me about Paul," I said, closing my eyes. When she opened her mouth, I held a hand up and searched her mind instead. Or at least, I tried to. I winced when I hit a mental block I don't think she knew she had on her mind. "Ow. Damn, Suze. You have some big secrets. Do you know you have a mental block on your mind strong enough to keep me out?" I asked her, rubbing my forehead, which hurt every time I hit a mental shield.

"Oh," she said quietly. "No, I didn't know. Sorry," she said, biting her lip. "What do you want to know about Paul?" she asked, running a hand through her brown hair with a sigh.

            "Anything you know about him. Anything you think would help me figure out what he's hiding, and why he's hiding it. He has a mental block on his mind, too."

                        **Suze**

            Poor Cali…Or should I be saying "poor Paul?" Cali was really powerful, and she could probably do him some serious damage. Good. What to tell her about Paul, though? Should I tell her about how he hit on me, and how I had to walk out of his house with those stupid Jimmy Choos on? And how Jesse bandaged my feet, and – Oh crap! I forgot she can hear my thoughts…wait a minute, I have a mental block…no she can't…

            "Yes I can," Cali corrected.

            Oh. Oops. Okay, Paul's an asshole. I swear, he bruised my lips that day. I admit, I kissed him back, but how can you not kiss someone back who kisses like that? Judging by Cali's amused smirk, I knew she'd heard that. "Is there a way to control my mental block?"

            "Of course there is. What makes you think I'd tell you?" Cali said, smiling slyly. "Okay, okay, enough. I'll find out about Slater for myself," she decided.

            "Calixte, I don't know -" Jesse started, but Cali interrupted him.

            "Jesse, it's Cali. Not Calixte. I hate my full name. If you continue to call me Cali, I swear, I'll -"

            "Whoa, everybody freeze!" I yelled. Damn, was Cali violent. I'll bet she was scaring Jesse. I almost laughed when I saw the look on his face. He was looking at her with this "What kind of girl are you?!" look on his face.

            Then he said it, in the same tone he'd used on me when he'd seen me kick butt for the first time. "What kind of…girl...are you?" he asked hesitantly.

            The next thing Cali did is something I doubt I'll ever forget. She glared at Jesse and lifted a hand. He levitated in the air, and then flew backwards at the fence. She smirked. "I'm the kind of girl who isn't afraid to speak my mind and show people how to treat me," she said, resting her hands on her hips. "I am the kind of girl you are apparently afraid of, cowboy."

            Wow. She had a bit of a temper. But she was witty, I'll give her that…I looked at the clock and realized I had to get to class. "I'll see you two later," I said, then picked up my bag and walked away.

                        **Jesse**

            Cowboy? Cowboy? She called me a cowboy? Alright, that's it. "And what kind of girl hates men, Calix-Cali? Hmm?" I figured if it was going to bother her so much, I may as well call her what she wants me to call her. I almost looked away when I saw the pain in her eyes.

            "What kind of girl hates men, you want to know?" she asked, her voice soft, but steady. "The kind of girl who had her heart broken. That's what kind of girl." Calixte's voice was hoarse, and her eyes, when I looked into them, were turquoise.  "I hate men because they're all liars and cheaters, and all they care about is the way you look!" her voice had crescendoed to a painful cry. Something tightened in my chest. I felt so bad…I didn't mean to hurt her… "Too late, Jesse," she murmured roughly.

            "I…Querida, I'm so sorry," I said. I couldn't help it. She looked ready to break down crying. I reached out to touch her shoulder and she slashed me. Slashed me! I looked at my arm and there were bright red gouges in it…

            "Shut up, Jesse. Don't call me that," she said, and picked up her bag.

            "Cali," I said, hoping to stop her from just walking away from me.

            "What?" she snapped, turning around. "And don't say you're sorry again. Don't try to make it better." When I opened my mouth to speak, she snapped. "And don't say you wish you could. You can't. Don't even bother trying, Jesse, unless you can heal a shattered heart. It's not worth your trouble," she said quietly, "and I don't want your pity."

            Well she was making it rather hard for me to say anything. She kept picking up my thoughts before I could get a word in. "I –"

            "Jesse," she said, warningly. Damn. Her gaze was very intimidating for someone as pretty as she was. Wait a minute, wait a minute. What was I thinking? I shook myself.

            "I just mean to say I'm sorry for what happened to you. I realize I can't fix it, querida." She opened her mouth, I suspected, to tell me not to call her "querida" so I shook my head. "Calixte. Please, let me call you Calixte. Cali sounds so childish," I said, trying to justify myself.

            Calixte glared at me for what seemed like an eternity, then nodded. "Fine. Call me Calixte. I don't care," she whispered. "I have to go. 'Bye, Jesse," she said, and then walked away. I sighed. Time to talk to Father Dominic.