Finally, home at last. I don't think I've ever been so happy to be here. I mean, you would be too if you just spent two weeks at a hospital. The bad news is, I have to wear a sling until my arm "heals". Personally I don't think it ever will heal. It is still steadily throbbing but the doctor said the pain would go away in a week or two. Yeah, right. Does he have any idea how un-stylish this stupid sling is? Its just a plain, white thing. God, and I have to wear it to school. Great, just great. When and if ghost boy comes back I will punch him for all he is worth, with my good arm of course. Actually, im scared to death of him. I mean you would be too if he did this to you. I trudged up the stairs to take a hot bath, but all thoughts of that quickly faded when I walked into my room. There were roses everywhere. Literally there were bouquets all over the place! Whites ones, pink ones, red ones, you name it and it was there. My jaw dropped as a stared in awe. I quickly shut the door with my good arm so no one would see. One particularly large bouquet of assorted roses had a box of chocolates, a little white teddy bear that said "I love you" on its stomach, and a card next to it. I ripped open the envelope and read the note quickly. It said

Dear Suze,

I heard about the accident and I can't tell you how sorry I am that I could not visit you. When you didn't show up for school all week I knew something must be wrong. My family had come to visit so I could not leave them to go see you. I hope this makes up for me not being there for you.

With love,

Paul Slater

P.s- Don't worry, I didn't sneak into your room, I had a ghost do it for me.

Paul did this? Paul Slater, the guy who once tried to kill me did this? I should have known sense his previous actions on sending me roses. But that was all his fault. If he didn't make a move on me I would never have had to walk home and mess up my feet. That was different. What if Jesse decided to visit me? If he saw all of this he would be so pissed and try to go after Paul again. And I don't want another episode of lets-mess-up-Suze's-house. So I did what any normal girl would do, I hid all 24 bouquets of roses in the bathroom. Give me a break, where else was I supposed to put them? That is the only room I know Jesse won't go in, especially if I ask him not to. He respects my privacy unlike some people. I was sitting on my bed eating those chocolates Paul gave me. I had hid a hammer under my pillow just incase I got any unwanted visitors, such as ghost boy. I saw a ghost materialize near the window seat so I reached for the hammer, but then quickly shoved it back under my pillow because it was Jesse. "Querida, how are you?" he came over to where I was sitting and gently took my hurt arm in his hands. It hurt when he touched it so I winced a little bit. He let go of my arm and said "Does it still hurt?" In a caring voice.

"Yeah." I nodded. I was thinking of the last time I saw him in the hospital, when he kissed me. Jesse held me close to him but being careful not to hurt my arm and he said

"Querida I promise he will never hurt you again." In a very protective way. I felt so safe in his warm embrace that I forgot all my fear of ghost boy. Jesse sounded like he would die all over again just to save me. Even though technically he couldn't die again, but still, it's the thought that counts. I whispered to him

"But what if he comes back?" I had felt so helpless the last time ghost boy came.

"Don't worry Susannah, he won't touch you again I promise." Jesse said that in such a positive way it was impossible not to believe him. Suddenly I was so tired I found myself drifting off in his arms. He must have noticed because he gently put me down, kissed me on the cheek, and covered me with a blanket. He sat on the window seat. I peeked at him through a half opened eye and I saw him watching me with this overprotective look about him. If anyone tried to hurt me I knew he would smash them to pieces. I closed my eye and fell into a deep, deep sleep.

The fog was so heavy I couldn't see anything. "Hello? Is anybody there?" I said out loud. I had never felt so alone. What was I doing in the shadow land? I felt a cold shill pass though me. This was not good, this was not good at all.

"I thought you would never come, Emily" I knew that voice. I whipped around to see ghost boy, with a knife in hand. "You thought it was over? It's never over until you are dead." He hissed at me.

"Look you've got it all wrong..." I muttered

"No! I know you are Emily, stop making excuses! You shall be mine, mine I say!" He had this psychotic look on his face as he took three quick strides to me. I felt my whole body freeze over, I felt so helpless again, so alone. "Now no one is here to save you." he whispered. He raised the knife up for what I thought was the last time, because I would be dead. But then I heard footsteps, and they were quickening. Oh please, let that be Jesse. I thought to myself. "Good-bye for the last time Emily." Ghost boy said as he plunged the knife down. Only this time it didn't hit me.

"No!!!!" said a voice that I also recognized. To my amazement, Paul had just tackled ghost boy.