Disclaimer: Unfortunately, this is the real world, and not my fantasy, therefore all of this belongs to Meg Cabot, and not me. sighs
Author Note: Okay. So. This was written in response to a challenge fic. It had to include the sentence: "Where Did Your Clothes Go?" It's very short, random, pointless and stupid. And actually, this is one of two versions I did. The other one is totally different, slightly darker, and longer, and it's PAUL instead of Jesse. I think I like that one better, but it's not quite finished yet, and I have finals I have to study for, so hopefully I'll get that one up in about a week or so. Hopefully. Now, for all of you who are reading 'Sacrifice' or I guess I should say all of you who WERE reading 'Sacrifice,' since I know I haven't updated in forever, I've added another author note to it. So please, if you were reading that, and you're still interested is highly doubtful that anybody is, please go check out that author note. And don't forget to leave a review on your way out!!
Where Did Your Clothes Go?
"Yo Simon. You want to go to the beach?" CeeCee's voice came over the phone a little staticky. Which meant she was probably on the road. Which meant she was probably already on the way to pick me up.
"Sure," I said. I didn't have anything else to do anyway. And who doesn't want to go to the beach?
"Good. Adam and I are outside. Hurry up and change and come down."
I laughed and rolled my eyes. Cee would never change. "I'm on my way, I'll be right there." I hung up the phone and got my swimsuit out of the drawer.
"Going somewhere, querida?" I turned around and saw Jesse sitting in his usual spot on the window seat, absent-mindedly petting Spike. He looked gorgeous, as always. The sun was streaming through the window behind him, creating a golden glow around his whole body. In addition to the glow he always has, of course.
"Yes, actually," I said, managing to keep my voice from sounding too squeaky. "I'm going to the beach with CeeCee and Adam. They're waiting outside. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go change."
I went into the bathroom and locked the door. Pointless, I know, but it made me feel more secure. Secure from what, I don't know. I changed quickly, trying not to think about how close Jesse was on the other side of the bathroom door. Changing always made me feel slightly uncomfortable when he was around. I'm not sure why, because for one thing, the door was shut and locked. And ghosts don't have x-ray vision. Do they?
The other thing is that even thought Jesse would be perfectly capable of walking right through the door if he wanted to, he never would. His ninteenth-century sense of propriety would never let him. So I was worrying for nothing. Especially since Jesse obviously has no desire to see me sans apparel. Much to my chagrin.
I opened the bathroom door, walked across the room, and grabbed my beach bag that I always keep ready to go. This wasn't the first time CeeCee had surprised me with a sudden beach trip. I put my sunglasses on, slipped my feet into my sandals, and shouldered my bag, turning to look at Jesse when I was done. He apparently hadn't realized that I had left the bathroom, as he was staring out the window, gazing at the ocean.
"Hey, Jesse? I'm gonna go now, okay?"
"That's fine, Susannah." He was still looking at the ocean. "When do you think you'll be - ," He stopped mid-sentence. He'd finally turned to look at me, and his eyes were wide as his gaze raked my body. "Nombre de dios, Susannah! What are you wearing? Where did your clothes go?" he demanded.
I could feel myself blushing as I crossed my arms over my chest. Hey, I wasn't ashamed of my body or anything, but the way he was staring at me was making me feel very uncomfortable.
"What?" I asked defensively. I was wearing my new dark green halter bikini, with a matching sarong tied loosely at my hips. I'd pulled my hair up, the beach being practically the only place you'd ever catch me with it that way.
"N - nothing," he stammered. Being a ghost, and therefore not possessing blood, it didn't make sense that Jesse could blush. But it sure looked like he was blushing just then. His face was getting redder by the second, as I'm sure mine was.
"Well then what's the problem?" I asked.
"It's just - I mean - That doesn't seem like very appropriate clothing for a young lady to be wearing out, that's all," he finally managed.
"I'm going to the beach, Jesse." I grinned. "And I'm wearing a bikini. It's perfectly appropriate."
"Your skin is much too exposed," he declared, as if that decided it.
"Jesse." I sighed. As gorgeous as he was, his ninteenth-century mannerisms could sometimes be very annoying. "This is what everybody wears these days."
He frowned. "That doesn't mean that you have to."
I rolled my eyes. "Well, whatever, Jesse. None of my one-pieces are clean, anyway. And CeeCee and Adam are waiting."
He was still frowning, but he didn't say anything. I opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.
"Querida."
My hand still on the doorknob, I turned around, and my breath caught. Jesse was standing right in front of me, so close his chest was practically touching mine. His hand reached out, brushing hair away from my eyes, and lingering on my cheek.
"Yes, Jesse?" I whispered. He slowly leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. "Have fun at the beach," he murmured. He gently removed my hand from the doorknob. There was a honk from outside and when I opened my eyes (when had they closed?), I was staring at my closed door.