Again, thanks to all the reviewers, you make me feel good! : ) Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much!

By the way, googleybear, it's the other way around...her real name is Meg Cabot (I think Jenny Carroll was one of her pet cats) and I've read all the mediator books under the other name. : ) But thanks anyways!

Now, without further ado...here's chapter 3!

As we pulled up to Paul's giant house, I couldn't help thinking again what an incredible view it had. The house was made almost entirely of glass, and it was set high on a cliff looking over the clear blue ocean and perfectly yellow sand. As much as I hated to admit it, I wouldn't mind hanging out here so much. I mean, even if I hated their guts, the Slaters sure were loaded. My mom must have been thinking something along the same lines, because she gasped and asked confusedly,

"Susie, honey, are you sure this is the right place?" I laughed at the look of surprise on her face, and said,

"Yeah, Mom, this is Paul's house." Rolling my eyes, I elaborated, "What can I say, he's filthy rich!"

"So what are you working on again?"

"Um, he's tutoring me in trigonometry." Just then Paul came out of the house and sauntered over to our car, on hand in the pocket of his designer jeans. My mom started looking like all of her dreams (for me, at least) had come true.

"Well Susie, have a nice time! When should I come pick you up?" Paul grinned and replied before I could speak.

"Oh, no worries, Mrs. Ackerman. I'll drive Suze home." I sighed and got out of the car slowly.

"OK, bye Mom." I turned and followed Paul up the steps to his house.

As soon as we came into his room, I walked over to the giant window, feeling as if I was being drawn there by some unseen force. The enormous expanse of blue sky and sea together was overwhelming, and even though somehow I felt like I would drown in the vast open space if I looked at it long enough, I couldn't tear my gaze away. I snapped out of my trance, however, when I heard the door close behind me. The sound had a finality about it that made me start feeling a little uncomfortable. Well, I should say a little more uncomfortable, because I hadn't been feeling too hot about this whole situation in the first place.

"So what did you tell your mom? Not the truth, I'm presuming."

"I told her you were tutoring me in trig...shut up!" I glared at the amusement on his face. "Let's just get this over with so I can go home." Paul looked at me in mock reproach.

"Now Suze, that's not a good attitude! How are you ever going to learn anything if you don't think positively?"

"I told you before; I don't particularly want to learn anything from you." I replied acidly. He sighed, and said,

"I can see this won't be easy..."

"Damn straight!"

"OK Suze, let's get one thing straight. As much as you don't believe me, I actually want you to learn this stuff. So can you please cooperate for one freaking second so I can do this right?" Only he didn't say freaking. I looked at him, and saw that he was serious. I rolled my eyes, but didn't reply, and he took that as a sign of consent.

"Now, let's get down to business. You already know the basics of shifting...that is, you know how to shift to and from the shadowland. You also know about the killer post-shifting headaches." He added with a smile. "But there's so much more to being a shifter than just that. This is what I'm eventually going to teach you. Now all I'm going to do today is fill you in on the differences between a mediator and a shifter, and give you an overview of the basic shifter abilities. Next time, if you're a real good girl, maybe I'll let you try some." Ugh, there he goes again with the innuendo. Does this guy ever stop flirting? Of course not, what am I saying? Paul obviously knows he's hot, and I'm sure all his lame lines have worked on every other girl he meets. But I'm not every other girl. I am not going to fall for Paul Slater's charms. I looked at him, and decided to humor him and play along.

"OK, fine Paul. What are the differences between a shifter and a mediator?" I asked in a bored tone. I figured, if I have to do this, I might as well learn something while I'm at it. I mean, it's not like anyone else is willing—or able—to explain all this to me. Paul seems to be all I have, as scary as that thought is. While I was thinking this, Paul went over to his bed and pulled out the old newspaper clippings about Dr. Slaski again.

"Well, mediators are only able to see, hear, and touch ghosts. We shifters, however, are much different. We have very ghost-like abilities; almost like living ghosts ourselves, if that makes any sense. We possess the ability to materialize and dematerialize like ghosts, and even appear invisible at times. We are also able to sort of communicate telepathically, and read people's minds, to an extent." I was now staring at Paul with my mouth hanging open, completely shocked. He's gotta be kidding, right? Right?

"I'm not kidding, Suze." Paul said, grinning at the complete and utter shock on my face.

"You—you read my mind?" I stuttered.

"No, actually shifters can't read each others minds. They're blocked off. It was just so apparent what you were thinking." I was still pretty speechless. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to think of what to say. Then I realized that I probably looked like a fish, and that definitely wasn't very attractive. I settled with saying, "Blocked off?" Oh, smart, Suze. Real smart. Paul was still grinning, obviously pleased that his words had such an effect on me.

"Well, I guess I should start from the beginning. OK, shifters have what might be referred to as a 'sixth sense'." I snorted, thinking of the movie.

"I see dead people!" I said in a fake scared whisper. "No DUH, Paul." He rolled his eyes at me.

"That's not what I meant. We are very susceptible to the emotions of others. And with the young, and the weak or easily impressionable, that turns into mind reading. Usually not word for word, obviously, but basic ideas. The reason shifters can't read each others minds, is because we're stronger than the average person. I told you that it works best on weak and impressionable people; well it doesn't work at all on really strong people. And shifters are just about the strongest people you're gonna find. Now, all this ties into the communicating telepathically thing. Shifters can 'send' their thoughts out, per say, and other shifters pick them up. Get it?"

I looked at him blankly. "Not really."

"Okay. You get that shifters can't read each others thoughts, right?" I nodded. "Well I should have added, 'unless they want each other to'. They can unblock certain thoughts so that other shifters can read them. You know, the whole mind reading thing? !" Comprehension dawned.

"Ooh. Does it really work?" He laughed.

"Of course. Would I have mentioned it if it didn't?"

"Probably." I said under my breath. "Anyways, what else did you say?" I was really curious now. I mean, think of the possibilities!

"Well, materialization and dematerialization is simple enough. It's just like shifting, except you're shifting to another place on earth, as opposed to the shadowland. What takes practice is shifting your whole body, not just your soul."

"And you mentioned something about invisibility?" I asked, now positively intrigued.

"Yeah, but that's a little more advanced. I'm not even gonna talk about that today." He grinned mischievously. "Are you still dreading your lessons?"

"Shut up, Paul. This doesn't change the way I feel about you. Now, are we done for today?" He looked at me intently for a second, then said,

"Yeah, sure. I'll drive you home."

In his car driving home, I thought of something. Why is Paul so eager to teach me? I mean, I've made it pretty clear that I don't like him, and never will. Is he still hoping to change my mind? Or does he have other plans? Well, at least these little meetings won't be as bad as I thought they would. He didn't even try to make a move on me...at least not today. [A/N: Could that be...foreshadowing? Hmmm...] All in all, that afternoon gave me a lot to think about.

OK, you know the drill. R & R, please!