A/N: Yeah, I don't own the Mediator story. As if. ^_^ I wish, but Meg Cabot
does. Same with the characters from the series, sadly. Please review! Mwee,
it's my first attempt at a fan fiction for the series, but I'm having fun
writing it so I hope y'all like reading it. Thanks!
Okay, to say I hadn't exactly been paying attention would probably be an understatement. Actually, it was most definitely an understatement. But hey, it really wasn't my fault. I didn't tell him to kiss me, did I? No, not that I didn't like him doing it, of course. In fact, I couldn't have been happier. Things were finally looking up for me. So maybe I could still talk to dead people and I had basically, in the course of a couple of days, visited limbo, for the second time, and basically sold me sold to the devil, AKA Paul Slater.
So what? He'd finally kissed me. Jesse, obviously, didn't hate me quite as much as I thought he did. Sadly, me being the pathetic girl I am, this totally made my week.
Which is probably why I was totally not paying attention when I was headed home from school about a week later. I'd missed my ride and, for once, it wasn't entirely my fault. I had a stupid meeting for the junior class government that I had to go to. Why CeeCee had nominated me for this position, I'd never know. Well, actually, it was probably just to overthrow the reign of the jocks in our school. Not that I wasn't all for it or anything, but I just wish someone else would've had the guts to do it and leave me out of it. The whole guiding lost souls to the next life thing took up a lot of my time.
Anyway, I was leaving the classroom that we held our meeting in, conveniently located near the gates to exit the Mission, when a voice to my right nearly made me jump a foot in the air.
"Hello Suze, you look good tonight." His voice said and I rolled my eyes. Would he ever leave me alone? Paul had to be one of the most aggravating people, alive or dead, that I think I've ever met. Not to mention he's a total weirdo. I mean, this guy has made some unwanted moves on me, made me totally ruin my feet for like three days, has tried to send my boyfriend off to purgatory-well, hopefully my boyfriend-, and could, and would if he felt like it, reveal my secret at the drop of a hat.
Yeah, safe to say I wasn't thrilled with him.
"You? What're you doing here?" I asked cautiously. Come on, the guy kind of creeped me out, I couldn't help sounding a little hostile.
He looked hurt by my tone, "Is that anyway to greet me, Suze? You know, you and I are going to be spending a lot more time together now. I thought you would've at least tried to be a little more friendly."
"Sure, whatever. Now if you don't mind, and even if you do, I've got to go home. Andy will kill me if I'm not back for dinner in time." And anyway, you're the last person I want to talk to right now, thanks anyway, I thought. There was only one reason I hadn't instantly socked him in the chest and walked away. It was, of course, Jesse.
"Suze," Paul's light eyes sparkled with an almost demonic air and I tried hard to keep my heart steady and was suddenly glad I hadn't punched him. Not that he didn't deserve, oh no, but he was six feet of muscle and there was no way me, as tough as I am, could take him on. We mediators could really take a beating, but we aren't invincible.
"My house tomorrow after school, I'll pick you up about two forty- five." He continued casually. I almost thought about giving him some reason I couldn't go before he gave me one of his smirks. God, I'd been talking to him on an almost daily basis after school lately, just not at his house. How much did he think I trusted him, anyway? It was hard enough trying to keep convincing Jesse that I had stupid government meetings to cover up for it. And I hadn't even learned anything from him yet.
"Don't try it, Suze. You don't keep up your end of the bargain, and I won't keep up mine. It's hard enough as it is, right now. I would hate for an accident to suddenly happen to-"
"Fine, fine, I'll be there. But if you put one tongue out of line, I swear I'll slug you, deal or no deal." I answered quickly. He wouldn't lay a hand on Jesse if I could help it.
"Good, I look forward to seeing you then." He grinned. He was actually kind of handsome, the dark haired, tanned type of hottie most any girl would go for. That is, if he hadn't recently threatened their boyfriend, "And let's just keep between us, alright?" Paul finished with a hinting tone.
"Well duh, Paul." Was all I said before turning and beginning my walk home. As if I was going to tell anyone, namely Jesse. No, thank you very much, I didn't want to kill the chances I had there. The last time Paul had talked to Jesse it hadn't exactly gone great. Jesse wasn't going to be inviting him over to play video games or anything soon. Not that Jesse played video games, but whatever. If he found out I was even talking to this guy, well, I wouldn't want to be in the same room. It was much better that he didn't know.
At least that's what I thought until three the next day.
Okay, to say I hadn't exactly been paying attention would probably be an understatement. Actually, it was most definitely an understatement. But hey, it really wasn't my fault. I didn't tell him to kiss me, did I? No, not that I didn't like him doing it, of course. In fact, I couldn't have been happier. Things were finally looking up for me. So maybe I could still talk to dead people and I had basically, in the course of a couple of days, visited limbo, for the second time, and basically sold me sold to the devil, AKA Paul Slater.
So what? He'd finally kissed me. Jesse, obviously, didn't hate me quite as much as I thought he did. Sadly, me being the pathetic girl I am, this totally made my week.
Which is probably why I was totally not paying attention when I was headed home from school about a week later. I'd missed my ride and, for once, it wasn't entirely my fault. I had a stupid meeting for the junior class government that I had to go to. Why CeeCee had nominated me for this position, I'd never know. Well, actually, it was probably just to overthrow the reign of the jocks in our school. Not that I wasn't all for it or anything, but I just wish someone else would've had the guts to do it and leave me out of it. The whole guiding lost souls to the next life thing took up a lot of my time.
Anyway, I was leaving the classroom that we held our meeting in, conveniently located near the gates to exit the Mission, when a voice to my right nearly made me jump a foot in the air.
"Hello Suze, you look good tonight." His voice said and I rolled my eyes. Would he ever leave me alone? Paul had to be one of the most aggravating people, alive or dead, that I think I've ever met. Not to mention he's a total weirdo. I mean, this guy has made some unwanted moves on me, made me totally ruin my feet for like three days, has tried to send my boyfriend off to purgatory-well, hopefully my boyfriend-, and could, and would if he felt like it, reveal my secret at the drop of a hat.
Yeah, safe to say I wasn't thrilled with him.
"You? What're you doing here?" I asked cautiously. Come on, the guy kind of creeped me out, I couldn't help sounding a little hostile.
He looked hurt by my tone, "Is that anyway to greet me, Suze? You know, you and I are going to be spending a lot more time together now. I thought you would've at least tried to be a little more friendly."
"Sure, whatever. Now if you don't mind, and even if you do, I've got to go home. Andy will kill me if I'm not back for dinner in time." And anyway, you're the last person I want to talk to right now, thanks anyway, I thought. There was only one reason I hadn't instantly socked him in the chest and walked away. It was, of course, Jesse.
"Suze," Paul's light eyes sparkled with an almost demonic air and I tried hard to keep my heart steady and was suddenly glad I hadn't punched him. Not that he didn't deserve, oh no, but he was six feet of muscle and there was no way me, as tough as I am, could take him on. We mediators could really take a beating, but we aren't invincible.
"My house tomorrow after school, I'll pick you up about two forty- five." He continued casually. I almost thought about giving him some reason I couldn't go before he gave me one of his smirks. God, I'd been talking to him on an almost daily basis after school lately, just not at his house. How much did he think I trusted him, anyway? It was hard enough trying to keep convincing Jesse that I had stupid government meetings to cover up for it. And I hadn't even learned anything from him yet.
"Don't try it, Suze. You don't keep up your end of the bargain, and I won't keep up mine. It's hard enough as it is, right now. I would hate for an accident to suddenly happen to-"
"Fine, fine, I'll be there. But if you put one tongue out of line, I swear I'll slug you, deal or no deal." I answered quickly. He wouldn't lay a hand on Jesse if I could help it.
"Good, I look forward to seeing you then." He grinned. He was actually kind of handsome, the dark haired, tanned type of hottie most any girl would go for. That is, if he hadn't recently threatened their boyfriend, "And let's just keep between us, alright?" Paul finished with a hinting tone.
"Well duh, Paul." Was all I said before turning and beginning my walk home. As if I was going to tell anyone, namely Jesse. No, thank you very much, I didn't want to kill the chances I had there. The last time Paul had talked to Jesse it hadn't exactly gone great. Jesse wasn't going to be inviting him over to play video games or anything soon. Not that Jesse played video games, but whatever. If he found out I was even talking to this guy, well, I wouldn't want to be in the same room. It was much better that he didn't know.
At least that's what I thought until three the next day.