The Mediator: Changes- (Based on the mediator series by Meg Cabot/Jenny Carroll)

Just a reminder: this fan fic. is called CHANGES... so that accounts for anything weird that happens! B.T.W.- since this chapter is so long I am going to split it up into two parts... Tell me what you think.

- C.H.

Chapter 3: Good Morning Sunshine (Part I)

"That was the weirdest dream." I commented to myself while contemplating what to wear. Rummaging through my closet I picked out something that really spoke to me. It conveyed my mood for the day nicely, saying something along the lines of 'I know I'm hot, but I can still whoop your butt at a moments notice'. I put on my clothes and make up and went downstairs to grab some breakfast. As I walked down the stairs I heard a conversation that stopped me in my tracks, momentarily.

"So, did you see that new girl?" Asked Brad A.K.A Dopey

"Yeah, what about her?" Asked Jake in his usual sleepy voice.

"She's HOT!!" Exclaimed Dopey.

"Yeah, but annoying!" Answered Sleepy, "What's up with her? 'Hi, I'm Lauren! Have you seen Paul?' " Funny, he imitated the girl from my dreams perfectly. Wait-

I ran into the kitchen. "Lauren?" I asked.

"Yeah, you met her?" asked Dopey sounding hopeful.

"If she's real. She now hates me then... along with some other people..." I answered confusedly.

"What did you do to her?" Asked Dopey.

"Told her to stop stalking Paul- I think..." I said not sounding sure.

"Told you that wasn't a one time thing!" said Brad to Jake.

"What?" I asked confused.

Dopey, grinning, made a gesture like he was smoking something. I glared at him murderously, then turned to Jake, "You told him?!?!"

He smiled, "Sorry 'Suzie'!" was SLEEPY taunting me?! This is TOO weird.

"Hey Suze?" Asked Dopey as we were walking towards the car.

"Yeah?" I answered sounding pre-occupied.

"I won't tell." He said smiling almost- kindly.

"Thanks- I think" I replied stunned.

"Oh and do you think you could help me with some dating problems? I just don't get girls... I need some help" He said sincerely.

"What is going on here?!?" I thought over and over on the way to school.

Walking through the halls that morning I passed Cee Cee and Adam who were both glaring at me murderously. While I was at my locker someone else came up to me.

"Hey." Said Paul casually.

"Can you tell me what's going on here?" I asked feeling desperate.

"What's going on?" He enquired.

"What is the world coming to that I would ask PAUL for help in figuring out my problems?" I thought. I took a deep breath and began, "You are being all NICE, so is BRAD. Cee Cee and Adam turned PSYCHO and Jesse is SARCASTIC!!!!" I ranted.

"Weird" He replied

"That's all the big mouth has to say!?" I thought

"Have you talked to Father Dom?" Asked Paul.

"No." I sighed. "Why would Paul bring up Father Dom? He thinks that he is an 'inadequate' teacher for me." I thought

"I'll go with you if you want." He offered

"Um, no thanks." I said suddenly remembering who I was talking to.

"PLEASE!!!!!!!" he begged, "She's after me again!"

I sighed aggravated , "Fine, come on."

"And that's how we came to be here." I concluded my retelling of the last two days events.

"I see." Said Father Dom.

"That makes one of us." I said sarcastically.

The next hour was spent in a lecture, Father Dom telling us not to let teenage hormones get to us. "He's saying all of this is HORMONES?" I thought shooting a questioning glance at Paul. Paul snored- "snoring? he's sleeping with his eyes open!" I thought. "Paul?" I said quietly, trying not to disrupt Father D. Paul woke with a start. "Sorry." He whispered, " I haven't slept much for a while. Lauren's been following me everywhere. I wish she'd leave me alone." I gave him a 'now you know how it feels look' and then an 'I feel sorry for you' look. Paul smile weakly then yawned.

Father Dominic was still talking, "- but Susannah you have got to stop over judging these things. And Paul, you need to stop leading her to conclusions and-"

"Father Dom?" I said cutting him off. He stopped talking. I continued, " I don't need a lecture on hormones. I see I shouldn't have bothered you with this. After all, I can just talk to Jesse- wait no he's ignoring me too!" I said getting up and leaving.

"OK, that didn't go so well." Commented Paul. About five minutes later he broke the silence that had settled between us, "Did I tell you how sorry I was?"

" No. Sorry for what?" I asked wondering which of the many things he'd done that he was sorry for.

"Everything." He said. I looked at him. He continued, "For being a total ass, for only being concerned about getting what I wanted, for trying to ruin your life, for trying to break you and Jesse apart- for everything.

"Thank you." I said quietly. I think I'm starting to like Paul. He's being so... nice. After a few more minutes of silence I decided to apologize to him as well... it only seemed fair, "I'm sorry for breaking your nose and having such a short temper and for not giving you a chance."

"It's OK- I probably deserved it." He said laughing. He started to say something else, but the hallway began filling up with students on their way to lunch. "Great! Now I have to face everyone!" I thought.

At lunch I found myself sitting, not with my friends, who all now hate me, but with my enemy's, who all now love me. Kelly Prescott and Debbie Mancuso were sitting on either side of me acting like they were my best friends, which I would have thought would be torture, but it wasn't all that bad.

"So," Said a girl across the table from me, Ashley Hunter, " Did you guys see Brad? He's so into that new girl Kailey Something-or-other, he's practically drooling over her."

Debbie made what sounded like a sniffling noise and said, " Yeah, I saw- (*sniffle*)- he's in 'love' with her. Right after we broke up!"

Ashley laughed, "YOU BROKE UP WITH HIM! - so anyways, I thought that we'd be nice to her, she's new and all- plus, any girl that Brad likes is worthy of us- look at Debbie!"

Debbie smiled at the reference, "Thanks. I am so over him!" She had, I noticed, stopped sniffling.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to see Paul. "Hey Paul!" said Kelly.

Paul smiled at her ,"Hey" then he turned to me, " Mind if I sit with you?" he looked over his shoulder, obviously checking to see if Lauren was following him again.

"D'you guys mind?" I asked everyone at the table, They all smiled and said that they had no problem with that. Everyone at the table, with the exception of me, had a secret crush on Paul. Ashley moved over on the bench so that there was a spot between her and another girl, Stephanie Tyler. Paul sat down and thanked everyone, sounding very grateful.

"Next matter." said Ashley getting over her 'Paul is sitting next to me' shock. "Has anyone seen that new girl Lauren?" she asked. Everyone groaned, including Paul. "So that's settled!" said Ashley.

"What?" Asked Paul confused.

"Make her life a social hell." Said Stephanie shrugging it off. Paul sighed in relief.