(Disclaimer) I do not own the rights to the Mediator books Meg Cabot does

(A/N) Thank you to everyone who reviewed Jordan, Blank Expression, Levi Jennings, Yazmari, Querida1607 and desesperado en amor. In response to your questions it's meant to be a j/s but you never know how it will all play out. Thank for your suggestions they have been very helpful. As always please review any feedback is good feedback so R&R and please enjoy my story.

I looked away; I was too scared of what may happen if I kept his gaze.

But apparently Paul didn't share my fear because he kept staring at me as I now gazed out to sea.

Silently Paul leaned closer to me. I turned fully away from him now, not wanting to encourage him.

"Suze…" I still didn't dare meet his gaze; there had been something in those eyes that I didn't like.

"Come on Suze, look at me…. please," There it was he asked me directly so I guessed it would have been childish not to turn to look at him, so I turned to face him.

Paul just smiled at me, it was a friendly smile, a warm smile, maybe he had changed…then he gently put a stray lock of my hair back behind my ear.

I was trembling now, even though we have been spending a lot of time together recently its still been a while since we have been this close.

His breath was steady and warm against my cheek. I froze, not daring to move.

He lent in and put his head against mine resting his nose against mine. I tightly closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them again he wouldn't be there.

Then he kissed me. This kiss was different to the others from him. This one was soft and gentle. Reminiscent of Jesse's kisses. But it wasn't one of Jesse's kisses.

I don't know how long it took me to consciously register that fact but when I did I pushed him away violently and stood up.

Paul looked genuinely startled and hurt but I couldn't be near him, so I just stormed up the beach, my fingers subconsciously moving to touch my lips.

Why had that kiss felt so…so…well good?

That was definitely the wrong emotion.

I had reached the parking lot now and I was starting to wonder about how exactly I was going to get home without Paul catching me, I had caught the bus to get down there originally but it was another 15 minutes until the next one.

If I tried to walk home Paul would either run after me or drive after me, either way I can't out run him. And of course I couldn't call anyone to pick me up or anything because my mother still refuses to let me have a mobile phone, and I was out of coins for the public phone.

So admitting defeat I slumped down on the bench in the bus shelter and waited with my head in my hands, thinking that maybe if I couldn't see Paul he couldn't see me.

After a few minutes I lifted my head out of my hands and looked around. I looked down towards the beach; Paul wasn't there; so I looked around the car park Paul's car was still here. So then where was Paul?

My answer came as I scanned some of the benches up and down the street.

Paul was sitting on the one right next to the path leading up from the beach. He had his head in his hands and appeared to be crying.

Part of me felt sorry for him and wanted to go over and comfort him but another stronger part of me felt the old hatred come back and so I sat there feeling anger and guilt about what had happened down on the beach.

The bus eventually came and I got on it glad to be getting far away from Paul Slater.

As I boarded the bus Paul looked up and met my angered gaze his eyes filled with remorse as he stood up and walked to his car.

I didn't see him again until his parents came to the resort.

……

When I finally got off the bus down at the mission I was still at a loss to what I was going to do about the whole Paul situation.

I started the long walk up Pine Crest Road, thankfully I wasn't carrying any bags or books otherwise it may have taken me a lot longer to have gotten home. When I did get to 99 Pine Crest Road I saw a familiar car in the driveway that didn't belong to any member of the family.

Once I saw that car I wasn't to thrilled about the idea of going inside.

I didn't want to own up to what happened on the beach but I also didn't want to lie to the person who was no doubt waiting for me inside.

So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and then continued up the steps and through the front door. As is my custom I yelled that I was home before continuing into the living room. I doubted that I would see mum or Andy they had said that they were going out to dinner tonight and no doubt the boys were either out or in their rooms.

So you can imagine my surprise when I saw Doc sitting in the living room talking, not yelling at the TV like Dopey, but actually talking to someone. And I had a very good idea who that someone was.

I attempted to sneak past them and up the stairs but to no avail, Doc had spotted me.

"Hey Suze, look whose here," I turned to look at him and Jesse.

"Susannah, young David has just been telling me the most interesting things about…" I didn't hear the rest of what he said because as soon as I saw his face my eyes welled with tears and I rand up to my room.

I felt so bad how could I have kissed Paul? How could I have kissed Paul when I love Jesse? Sweet, kind, handsome, gentle, smart, loving Jesse.

I flung my door open and threw myself on the bed. I sobbed into my pillow.

Then I heard strong footsteps running up the stairs, I then heard those footsteps stop in my doorway.

I didn't get up from my position on my bed I just continued crying into my pillow. I just wanted Jesse to go away, I couldn't face him; because if I saw him I would end up telling him about what happened on the beach and the last thing I needed was Jesse going to punch up Paul.

I just lay there on my bed pretending that I hadn't even noticed that Jesse was standing there.

"Susannah…" he whispered softly. I heard him walk over to the bed and then he sat down on the end and stroked my head.

"Querida what is the matter?"

I sniffed quite loudly and then began to sob into my pillow again. I could only guess what my waterworks were doing to my mascara.

Jesse lent down and kissed my cheek gently and continued stroking me in an attempt to calm me down.

I then heard smaller footsteps galloping up the stairs.

"Suze is everything okay?" asked my youngest stepbrother.

I sniffed and sat up to look at him.

I just nodded at him; he didn't look too convinced.

"She will be alright David," said Jesse as he waved Doc out of the room and closed the door, he seemed to get the hint.

I just sat there looking at the ground not wanting to meet Jesse's eyes.

He brought me over a tissue and sat back down on the bed beside me. I took the tissue thankfully and wiped my eyes.

"Querida are you going to tell me what's the matter?"

I very immaturely shook my head.

Jesse tilted my head up to look at him. I looked into those kind loving eyes and couldn't stand it anymore; I collapsed into his arms and began crying again.

After I had stopped crying Jesse broke our embrace, took my hands and looked into my eyes as if searching for something.

"Do you think you could tell me about it now?" he asked gently.

I looked fearfully into his eyes and bit my lower lip, not certain if I should tell him or not.

"Well…down at the beach…Paul…"

"What has Slater done this time?" asked Jesse as he stood up and walked across the room clearly angry.

"…he...he didn't hurt me Jesse…or at least not physically…please don't hurt him…I don't think he meant to…he's just lonely Jesse…" I couldn't believe that I was defending Paul.

"What did he do Susannah?" commanded Jesse his voice full of rage.

"He…well…he…he…he kissed me," I blurted out hoping that maybe if I said it fast enough Jesse wouldn't be able to hear what I said.

"He what!" yelled Jesse.

"He's lonely not that it excuses what he did Jesse but he knows that I love you. He wouldn't dare try it again so please don't go and make a scene Jesse, please?"

Jesse just stood there his fists clenched looking at me in bewilderment.

"How can you honestly believe that he has changed Susannah, especially after what happened this afternoon? He needs to know that I'm not just going to sit idly by and let him play with your emotions. Paul Slater needs to be taught a lesson or two in how to be a gentleman and I think that…"

"Jesse please, he's been through a lot and I don't want you getting hurt in a fight with him okay? If we leave him alone hopefully he will leave us alone…"

"You mean you don't mean to see him again?"

"No. Why would I want to seem him again after that?"

"I just thought that you would still want to help him,"

"Someone else can help him because I want nothing to do with him,"

Jesse looked at me stunned and admiring; he walked across the room to where I was now standing and pulled me into him.

"I love you so much Susannah,"

"I love you to Jesse," And with that we kissed.

When we finally broke apart I heard shouting from downstairs, Dopey was home.

I smiled at Jesse, "We better go down and see what's happening," He smiled back, "Yes I think that might be good it sounds as if Brad is getting quite worked up down there about something," I just laughed and pulled Jesse down the stairs, by his hand, and into the kitchen where the argument was taking place.

Doc was standing in the corner cowering, he was the first to realise that we were there and he looked very relieved. There were two other people standing in the kitchen shouting at each other one was Dopey and the other one was…well I wasn't quite sure who it was.

"Um Brad loud much?" Is what I ended up screaming so that he would actually turn around.

"Who the hell is that Brad?" asked the tall blonde who had previously been very close to punching Dopey in the face.

"Umm," Dopey looked totally dumbstruck, which may I just say is not a very attractive look on Brad, which was made even more grotesque by the fact that he was tipsy.

"I'm Suze, Brad's stepsister; who are you and why are you in my kitchen?" I was in no mood for one of Brad's drunken brawls today.

"Umm…well…ahhh…" Honestly teenage boys, you would think that they could answer a simple question. Jesse had decided to observe with Doc in the far corner of the kitchen, and he was doing so with an amused smirk on his face.

"Ugh honestly…let me spell it out for you…me Suze you?" I was doing a very good impersonation of Jane from Tarzan. Jesse and Doc looked like they were about to break into hysterics.

"Tim,"

"There we go Tim. That wasn't too hard now was it?"

"Haha very funny Suze now why don't you and your boy toy over there go and take David to the movies or something huh? And leave us boys to it,"

"Leave you to what? Total demolition of the house I don't think so Brad. I'm not that dumb. I'm not leaving you two to get drunk and have another brawl like just then,"

"We are not drunk Suze!"

"Sure whatever Brad I never said you were. Listen Tim it's been nice meeting you and all but there is a minor in the house so maybe you could come over and play drinking games with Brad some other time okay?" I began pushing Tim out of the kitchen as I passed Doc and Jesse they were both bent over laughing their heads off. Jesse left Doc laughing in the kitchen and followed me escorting Dopey's little friend to the front door. Dopey himself however was sulking in the kitchen apparently upset that I had stopped his little brawl.

As I was about to push the infamous Tim out the door he turned around.

"Well you're a fiery one there aren't you, Suze isn't it?"

"Yeah, and you see this tall Latino guy behind me?" He nodded.

"Well his name is Jesse and he is my boyfriend so don't try anything okay Tim?" Tim gave Jesse a wary look and turned back around; I gave him a pat on the back as he continued down the steps and to his car.

Once he had started to reverse down the driveway I turned to Jesse who just looked at me with amusement and kissed me on the forehead.

"I wouldn't want to be in your way when you've had a bad day querida," he joked.

"Come on we better go back inside before Brad has a go at David," Jesse chuckled as he followed me inside.

As I walked back into the kitchen I saw a startled and confused Doc sitting on the bench.

"Where's Brad?"

"Up in his room I guess, after you left he just went all silent and shuffled up to his room. He didn't try to have a go at me or anything. I think there might be something wrong with him,"

"What something more wrong than usual?" I joked.

"No I'm serious Suze Brad has been acting really weird lately," Just like Doc to be concerned about his brother who acts as his gaoler (A/N jailer for Americans). I, unlike Doc, wasn't exactly concerned about Brad I was more worried about what his weird behaviour could mean. I was resisting the urge to go up to his room and bug him about it, and trust me I was finding that really hard.

So to help curb the instinct of bugging my stepbrother I walked into the living room and over to the video cabinet.

"Hey Jesse, David come in here for a minute will you?" I called.

When the boys had finally made their way into the room I had two DVD's in my hands.

"Now, Do…David, I will let you stay up and watch this if you don't breath a word about how long Jesse stays over tonight okay?"

David eyed the DVD I was shaking. Once he had had time to read the title his faced brightened considerably.

"Will you seriously let me watch that?"

"As long as you don't say a word about Jesse or that I let you watch it,"

"Brad let me watch it and Jesse hasn't been around at all today,"

"I have trained you well young paduan," I said mockingly.

Doc just gave me a beaming smile of gratitude and raced up to his room to play the disc on his laptop.

Jesse gave me a knowing smile and attempted to snatch the DVD off me.

"Nuh uh Jesse. I want this to be a surprise,"

"Does that mean that it is a movie that I will most likely detest?"

"Not necessarily," I teased. I gave Jesse an evil little grin.

"What is that look for Susannah?"

"Race you to my room."

"You're on,"

"Ready, set," and I took off.

"Go!" I yelled from about the third step up.

"Susannah Simon you cheeky little,"

"You just can't catch me," I said as I stopped in the middle of the staircase.

"Just watch me," Jesse laughed.

He was gaining pretty fast but I reached the landing at the top of the stairs before he did and raced down the short hallway to my room.

Jesse however caught me just before I could claim victory by diving onto the daybed. He grabbed me by the waist and threw me onto the daybed and promptly began kissing me very passionately.

When we finally surfaced for air I couldn't help but say "I still won,"

"Whatever you want querida,"

I still tingle all over when he says that.

Jesse moved in for more kissing but I pushed him away and sat up.

"We should start watching the movie now,"

"What are we watching tonight Susannah?"

"Guess,"

"A thriller?"

"No…"

"A horror movie/"

"No again,"

"Comedy?"

"Warmer,"

Jesse looked bored "A romantic comedy?" he asked quite grudgingly.

"It's not just any romantic comedy Jesse it's based on Shakespeare; you should like it,"

"What is that supposed to mean querida?" there go the tingles again.

"Nothing…"

Jesse mock lunged at me but I was too quick for him as I darted off the daybed. I shuffled hurriedly over to the TV; I turned it on and inserted the DVD. I blocked the screen with my body so Jesse wouldn't see the DVD menu before the movie started. I pressed play, grabbed the remotes and ran back to my seat beside Jesse.

As the beginning credits ran Jesse seized me around the waist and pulled me closer to him.

What more could a girl want?

I could tell tonight was going to be a very good night indeed.

….

(A/N) How was that? I'm not too happy with bits of this chapter but oh well. Please review. I will hopefully be able to update quicker now that school has finished except for speech night. Until the next chapter…