A/n- This chapter was supposed to be a songfic about Ria, to help you get to know her better, I guess. But while I was in the middle of writing it the power got cut off and half of what I already wrote got deleted. I tried to write it again but it's not the same... stupid thunderstorm. Or um, stupid me for forgetting to save. But anyway, I've put the songfic on hold for now, since it's not coming along very well. It may or may not get posted in chapters later on, depending on how much inspiration likes me...

So this is just a normal chapter. Thank you, guys, for your reviews! I appreciate every single one of them just as much. Keep them coming please! Reviews are my biggest inspiration.



Chapter 5

Whacking Puck on the middle of his back to get him to move into the room more (which instantly promoted a very surprised hiss, which I ignored because I had way more important things to deal with right then than a bruised back belonging to someone named after one of Shakespeare's characters, and whom also own a personality that is just like the writer), I then closed my bedroom door softly, not wanting to be heard. I took several deep breaths before facing Jesse and his sister again, trying to sort out all the thoughts that were jumbled up in my head.

First things first. If the girl were really his sister –who of course she is, and Jesse even says so, since he'd have no reason to lie- then that means...

She can give me the dirt on Jesse when he was alive.

Well, yes. What did you expect me to say, that I had wrongly judged Jesse? That I jumped to conclusions too quickly, and should have thought everything out first? That just for thinking the obvious –or the worst- I was suddenly a dumb brunette? That because I even dared to dream of Jesse doing something like that, I don't trust him?

You see, after the words, "She's, well, my sister" popped out of Jesse's mouth, I immediately knew that I had suffered through a very severe episode of a decidedly rare extravagantly paranoid attack of what sometimes known as plain lunatic madness but is truly what I'd like to call when a certain someone has been insecure for so long because she didn't have the chance to see her lover for a whole week and the stress of it all made her finally crack down and let insanity just take over her brain and during that, everything fries up and burns out her senses so she has no choice but to allow hypnosis to take place and steer her thinking boat into imagining what the evil little hypnosis dude want her to think and in result of that, total derangement is now what's within her soul so every ounce of her is a product of dementia, and we all know what happens when-

The point is, I had a bad day, everything was getting on my nerves, and distress over the whole Jesse/Paul issue was blinding me from seeing the truth. Well, that's a small part of it. But at least that made more sense than my previous excuse...Not that I'm saying it's just an excuse. Because it's not. Joy over Jesse being here and meeting one of his five sisters is just exciting me too much that I can't even think straight.

Yeah, right.

"Your... sister?" I croaked, looking from Jesse to Ria, and back again.

Jesse, still staring at the figure on the windowsill, nodded his head abruptly. "Ria is the oldest of all of all of them."

I kind of already figured that. The real question right then is what the hell she's still doing here.

Before I had even opened my mouth to ask, Jesse spoke. "Ria? Are you... what happened?"

Jesse's voice was incredibly soft and gentle, and anyone with ears could hear the undeniable passion in his tone. Most of all, he was talking to his sister. I was almost jealous of her. Almost.

Huh, I thought, how very touching. Jesse didn't see her for more than a hundred years, so of course he'd sound... as breathless as I had felt the very first time he'd kissed me. Besides, the girl is family. He's allowed to show, or speak, his real feelings toward her. But if it's just lovers, on the other hand, he has to bury his emotions deep inside his heart, too far away for me to reach.

It's decidedly ironic, if you ask me. Family members are supposed to love each other, and lovers have to earn the affection. Right? Weren't siblings born to care for each other, and stick together through thick and thin? Well, unless a trust is broken because of some naïve mistake or accident or something. But everyone deserves a second chance, don't they? Especially family. Well, of course, sometimes you just can't help being wary of a family member, if you suspect them of wrong doings like poaching or committing suicide or prostituting or-

Wait a minute. Prostituting? Where did that come from? Ria's story had certainly implied that she could have been a poacher, and she really did drown of her own free will, but nothing that I heard indicated prostituting. Then again, with a girl like Ria, anything is possible.

Call it my instincts working for me, if you will. I do have a reason to be suspicious of her. Jesse's love for her seems almost vulnerable, as if he knows that where she's concerned, there is more than meets the eye. I, of course, I had already proven him right by thinking that she's his daughter. Insecurity is a not a pleasant feeling. If Jesse had shown me even half of the love he spoke in his voice to his sister, then I'd have been the happiest mediator in the world.

Suddenly I realized that both Jesse and Ria were staring at me. Laughing nervously, I asked, "Um, what?"

"I asked if you would mind if we, that is, Ria and I, went somewhere more private to talk things over, querida," Jesse said, his eyes busily searching my face. For what, I don't know.

I blinked. "Sure. Go ahead. I don't mind."

Jesse gave me a grateful yet questioning smile, then he and his sister dematerialized.

Actually, I did mind. Why can't Ria say whatever it is she wants to say in here? What's wrong with just telling Jesse how she died in my presence? My first guess is that she's going to tell Jesse the truth, unlike the story she'd given me.

But I wouldn't know that. And I should give her the benefit of doubt before I go and accuse her of lying. And prostituting, I added to myself.

I stared at the blue forget-me-nots on the wall, and willed myself to say something to break the awkward silence between Puck and me. Trouble is, I had no idea how to say what I wanted without sounding like a total call girl myself.

"Does she... look like a harlot to you?" I finally blurted out. That is so not what I was going to ask.

Not only must it have seen totally random to Puck, but it would also give him false impressions of me. I mean, what kind of girls go around thinking just because her boyfriend shows more affection to his sister than to her that the girl must have done immoral things for money?

Though of course that's not the only reason.

Puck just looked at me. "You're prostituting your womanly talent, Susannah." Then he waved a goodbye and dematerialized.

Haha. What a funny pun.

NOT.



The next day I woke up late, as usual. Pulling on the first thing within my reach –which, thankfully, is proper for school but not too nun-like-, I quickly washed my face and went downstairs to the kitchen.

"You're late," Jake said blankly.

"Yeah, yeah", I muttered, "I'm here now, so can we please get going?"

Grabbing a bagel from a plate at the center of the table, I picked up my bag from its location beside the front door and gave Sleepy one last look before heading out to the car.

The ride to school was loud- with Brad keep jabbering about the stupid pep rally-, and uneventful. It seems Jake has something defiant to say to every little comment Brad makes about the pointless event. Only David and me were quiet. I don't know about David, but I was deep in thought about a certain mysterious ghost girl.

The morning went on quickly, and I half slept walked through it. Finally it was time for lunch. Just as I was walking toward CeeCee, Adam, and my usual table, I felt someone reach out and grab my arm, and dragged me behind the school building out of anyone's sight.

My first thought was that it was Paul. He was back from that nice little institute and he has another scheme to destroy my love life and he planned to put it to action ASAP. He got pissed off that day when I went to visit because we were too rudely interrupted and now he wants me to pay. He never was that injured in the first place and he only went there to think of a foolproof strategy to seduce-

"Stop resisting," the person hissed, "It's not like I'm going to murder you or something."

God Almighty. That voice does not belong to Paul Slater. Paul had a deep, throaty voice and this person sounded like...

"Ria?" I asked, staring at her. I was very aware of the strong hold she had on my arm. Somehow a strumpet grabbing me doesn't feel all that different from a normal girl-

Suze, I chided myself. It's only a guess. It's just a stupid, naïve, immature, childish, intuitive, unreasoning GUESS. I have no reason to suspect her of being that. Well, except the way she talks, and the way she sits, and the way she holds herself, and the way she looks at people, and the way she's dressed. And I'd never have even noticed any of those things if the thought, "Oh wow, she might have been a prostitute" hadn't cross my mind.

But she's Jesse's sister and I have to believe she wasn't that twisted until she gives me a real reason to think otherwise.

"Yes," she grunted, pulling a very reluctant me to an isolated corner of the courtyard. "I have to talk to you."

"Talk to me?" I said, confused. "You hauled me away from lunch just to talk to me? I happened to have been rather hungry, you know. And I needed to ask CeeCee a question about the chemistry homework. Why couldn't you just wait till after school? That-"

"Whatever," She said, waving her left arm around in the air. "This is important. It's about Jesse."

Now, that had my attention. Jesse? What about Jesse?

"He told me that you two were romantically involved, and I need to tell you that..." Her voice trailed off, but she didn't seem to realize it. She gazed at the top of our school building as if brick walls as if she found then incredibly fascinating.

What does she need to tell me? How many girlfriends Jesse had had when he was alive? How much he'd liked –or didn't like- every one of them? How before me, he'd never known what true love was? How when he found out about Maria, he was terribly broken hearted? Because who'd want to marry a hoop skirt chick like her? Not only is she a bitch, but she didn't have much of an education neither. How else could you explain the fact that she has terrible spelling and grammar?

But no matter. Whatever the dirt is, I knew it'd be good.

"What?" I inquired, "What do you need to tell me, Ria?"

She spun around, looking a bit startled. "Oh, that. Stay away from him."

Her voice suddenly became flat, and her eyes were shooting daggers at me. Everything about her turned stiff again. Her body, her expression, her posture. I didn't understand it.

And 'stay away from him'? Wow. So much for her confiding in me about Jesse's teenage years. She probably wouldn't even know who Maria is, much less confirm that Jesse hated her.

While I just stood there staring at her, she continued. "At first when Jesse told me that he's in love, Susannah, I didn't believe him. You don't grow up with someone and not know his opinions based on a matter as intolerant as love. He taught me to identify the delusion love produces. He showed me mirages love can create and how much it hurts both partners. He told me stories, stories about embellished fantasies, where the couple think they're meant for each other, but a gift of betrayal soon undo them both. He warned me to never fall for its trap. Of course, even though that's his real belief on the matter, he did court girls, he did have sweethearts. But it was all a game to him. I could see he made the lasses feel special, and I felt sorry for them that it was just a simple act. I made a vow then that I was my own person, and will stay that way. Love's illusion isn't worth it.

"So you can imagine my surprise when Jesse told me that he has finally found out what all those love poems written by Byron and Robert Burns and Walter Scott means. Because he found the answer in you. Do you know what he said, Susannah? 'I managed to escape from that wasteland of absurd convictions, and I owe all that and much more to the encounter of the girl who changed my life from that day on...' If someone would have said that to him back when we were alive, he'd have thought the guy was crazy. Right now, he's the one who was saying it, and I can see it's sincere."

Right then I noticed that we were standing under a giant oak tree. Its branches of leaves shaded us from the sun, and I felt unusually cool. The leaves haven't all completely fallen yet, and some were already starting to change color. From green to orange or even red. It's the same as change of heart, I realized. Time flies, and you never know what could be waiting around the corner. One minute you're sure everything about you –heart, soul, body, mind- are going to stay the same, and in the next moment you feel as if something about you is completely different than before. Good or bad, it depends on how you view the situation.

"What's your point, Ria," I said at last, tired of those dubious eyes staring right into mine. "I can understand you're upset about Jesse's change of heart, but what can you do about it?"

Ria shook her head, dismissing my question. "No. That's not it. I know love isn't a reality, because it doesn't exist. Jesse didn't fall for you, Susannah, he fell for the idea that someone could prove his conception wrong. So please, get over yourself. You didn't lead him toward any light. You led him away from reality. Right now you're both in some sort of improvident dreamland where everything is how you think it's supposed to be, since you made it all up. When someone finally wakes you up, you'll be sorry that you fell for love's trap."

I snorted. I know it's rude, but I couldn't help it. What is this girl talking about? She sounded just like a cynic waiting to be proved wrong.

I, however, did not find her next statement so funny. Not only did she sound totally serious, her expression was one of a lunatic who'd do anything to get what she want.

"I'm telling you all this, Susannah, so you'd feel better about what I need to do. You see, I've been contemplating why I've been stuck in this world for so many decades, and now, seeing Jesse and hearing his story, I have finally come to a conclusion. It's not just on impulse, it's what feels like the right thing to do. There is only one possible explanation as to why Jesse and I both have been stranded here as ghosts. This was meant to happen. Jesse thought he'd fallen in love, and I'm here to announce otherwise."

Um, hello, I am like really confused. I understood that she meant what she'd said, but can someone please clarify that?

"Eh," I said intelligently, "What?"

Ria sighed. "I'm telling you, Susannah, that Jesse belongs to ME, and he's coming with ME, and we're both MOVING ON."

I think I choked on something just then. But it was probably only air.



A/n- I promise –or, eh, hope- that later chapters won't be so lame. Bear with me here. I had to get that part of the story out somehow. Excuse me if a stupid thunderstorm disturbed my thoughts. Ah, never mind, I'll just blame myself. But you'll review anyway, right? RIGHT? Okay, if you're reading this, STOP, DROP, and CLICK! The purple little button on the left, that is. Hm, at some places –like my local library- the button isn't purple, so maybe that's not the best way to say this... but you know what I mean...

And I WILL respond to them. Just when I figure out what to say.

P.S.- Sorry that Jesse hasn't shown up much so far. But this is partly his story, so your irresistible longing for his Spanish cuteness and old-fashioned stylish manner and droolworthy accent will soon be fulfilled!

P.P.S.- All of the questions some of you stated will be answered in the story later on. Now go review!