Disclaimer: Meg Cabot owns mostly everything. I am no Meg Cabot at all; she's a genius for thinking that a human being could fall in love with a ghost. If only I owned Jesse, sigh.
"So, Suze," Paul said. "How have you been doing?"
Paul Slater is in Carmel, California. PAUL SLATER IS HERE. MY WORST NIGHTMARE. Well, not really a nightmare but you get my drift. I'm walking along with Paul because Father Dom asked me to.
"Susannah, I need you to accompany Mr. Slater here when in school, seeing that he's new." Father Dom said to me, Paul out of earshot.
"B-but…" I stammered.
"No buts Susannah…" He warned, and turned to leave.
"Father D," I said. "Wait!"
"Yes, Susannah?"
"Where's Jesse?"
His face turned greenish and reddish at the same time. He kind of looked at me accusingly too. He seemed kind of angry for some reason.
"I do not know, Susannah," he said sternly.
I said, "Okay then…bye Father." He looked livid so I didn't push the subject, seeing that he's uncomfortable with it.
"I'm doing fine," I said. "But, what the hell are you doing here? In Carmel, California of all places? I mean, isn't New York good enough for you?"
"Suze, Suze, Suze, that's a lot of questions for a guy like me, a good-looking one too, to handle. Are you saying you don't like me being here?"
I scowled at him, "Yes I am. And you're not even good-looking," Stop lying to him, Suze. You know that he knows that you know he's good-looking. Confusing, much?
"Fine, Suze, be like that." He said. "But prove it."
"That's not the point, anyways, what are you really doing here?"
He sighed. "Is that what all you want to know? I mean, no 'How are you doing, Paul?' or 'Golly gee, you're looking extremely fine today, Paul!'"
"No, answer my question: What are you doing here?"
"My grandfather lives here."
"Y-your grandfather lives here?" I asked. "You mean, the one you've been calling Grandpa Gork?"
"Yep, that's the one."
"So you mean you'll be staying here…in Carmel?" I asked.
"Correct again."
I don't know why but I was getting pissed off at him. I mean, I know his grandfather is under the weather and all but he never gave a damn before!
"So, are you going to prove it or what?" he asked.
"Prove what?"
"That I'm not good-looking," he said, smirking.
"Okay then…" I sighed. "I'll prove it you." I punched him, well more like his jaw. It didn't break or anything but it sure would have been hella better if I went for his nose. You know, to try and break his cartilage. Gosh, I've been watching too much of Miss Congeniality and Sandra Bullock's techniques; Only too bad because I may get in trouble for doing that.
"What the hell was that for, Suze?" Paul said, clutching his jaw. "Ouch…"
"You were pissing me off." I simply said.
"What? How?"
"Let's go Paulie; we're going to be late for class. Just be sure to watch out for Kelly Prescott and Debbie Mancuso and probably all of the sophomore girls." I said, walking off.
"Okay then," He sighed. He didn't even mind my epithet for him. "Suze, I just want to say I'm sorry for forcing you to, um, you know…before. I was wrong and I admit it. BUT, can we please start over again?"
I thought about it for a moment. Sure, I'll forgive him but I still know that he's going to do it again once we're friends. That's what happened. "Yeah, okay."
He smiled at me. "Thanks, let's go, Miss Vice President," he said, then laughed.
"You're really lame you know that?" I smiled back.
"Yep, clear as glass."
"Let's go."
&&
I was right, the second we walked in to class; all of them took a look at Paul and knew that he was all that. The girls were practically drooling over him! I took my assigned seat and waited for Senorita Croce, our Spanish teacher, to introduce him. And no, I'm not taking Spanish because of Jesse. I just think it's a very interesting language…okay maybe it is because of Jesse. WHAT? I can't understand him so I thought if maybe I knew Spanish, I'd understand him more, even though Spanish is hard to comprehend.
"Class, we have a new student joining us today, please welcome Paul Slater. Hola, Paul," Senorita Croce said. "¿Cómo usted es?"
Oh right, I forget that Paul knows Spanish really well. That's just great, he'll know that I'm flunking and ask me to come over to his house to 'tutor' me. Psh, more like to make out with me or get in my pants. I know I sound like a conceited bitch, but what am I suppose to do? Let him take over me? I don't think so.
"Estoy bien, gracias! Y tu?" Paul asked, in Spanish. The class was just staring at Paul in awe, and Debbie…was just LITERALLY drooling over him.
Senorita Croce looked deeply amiable…sigh, I guess we have a new teacher's pet. Kelly was the former one but I don't think she cares because she's looking intently at Paul as if he was a Greek God.
"Ooh, bien! BIEN!" Senorita said excitedly. "Please take a seat!"
I just noticed then that the seat BESIDE me, left side, is freaking empty! I looked up at him, horrified. He was walking towards the seat, smirking. Why I ought to wipe that smirk off of his face. Not only is he in all of my classes but I have to sit beside him in Spanish too! How can I day dream about Jesse now and then if Paul is going to be watching every move I make?
"I hate this class," I mumbled.
"What was that, Miss Simon?" Senorita asked.
"Oh, nothing, Senorita Croce, I'm sorry." I said. I looked at Paul and he was already there, with that smirk on his face again. I glared.
"Ahem," Senorita said, I think she was coughing. Better take some cough drops, dude. "Is there a problem here Mr. Slater?" She was gazing down at him with preferential treatment written across her forehead, not literally though, I'm just saying. "No, ma'am," He answered.
"Stop being so polite, you ass," I muttered.
"Miss Simon?" She asked, glaring at me. Hey! Talk about playing favourites… (Sighs)
"No problemo, Senorita." I replied, emphasizing the word, problemo.
&&
"So, Suze, are you going to tell me how you know the new guy?" CeeCee asked during lunch.
"Yeah, Suze! C'mon, tell us!" Adam chimed in.
I sighed. "It all started when..."
"Suze, you have got to come with me to this double date with Mitch!" Gina said. It was our first double date with the guys and my very first date with a guy. "Mitch said that he's going to bring a friend for you. He says that you two will get along fine." She continued. "Of course, you're going to be nice…right?
"Gina, how many times have I told you that I'm not up for blind dates albeit it's a double date? And I don't know if I'm going to be nice because I'm not going. I'M NOT GOING." I told her.
…I don't know how she did it but here I am sitting with Gina waiting for the guys to come. Oh I think it's probably because she bribed me to letting me borrow one of her designer clothes that I totally love. So what if I'm a sucker for designer clothing? My personal favourites are Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger. It was a Betsy Johnson clothing she offered to me, by the way.
"Hey," Gina said, tugging on my arm. "They're here! Do I look okay? I knew I shouldn't have worn this skirt. I look so ho-"
"Gina, you look fine. Great, actually…but I'm not too sure about this friend of his. I mean, what if he turns out to be so...jerky?"
"Jerky's not even a word. At least, that's what I think. Oh well. And don't worry, I've seen him. He's totally hot."
"You've seen him and you didn't even tell me? Oh, why I oughtta,"
"Hey, Mitch," Gina greeted. He's pretty good-looking. Black hair, blue eyes, perfectly built. He's good enough, I thought. "Where's your friend?" I heard her ask.
"Oh, he's coming soon. Just had some last errands to do," he replied.
Oh great, just great. He just stood me up and now I'm going to be a third wheel for the rest of the night. The entrance door bell chimed, telling us 'prisoners' that someone just came in. There stood a brown-haired guy with golden highlights, the bluest eyes I've seen, broad shoulders…holy shit. He looks so much like an Adonis, the black leather jacket he has brings out his fine shape. He's coming towards our table, ohmigod, ohmigod.
I eyed Gina warily; she wasn't looking in my direction. She looked up at the guy and said, "Hey, Paul. Glad you could make it!" That's PAUL? PAUL SLATER WHO I THOUGHT WAS JERKY? Wow. God, save me from this fine human being!
"And it all started and ended from there. We only stayed together for three weeks." I said, finishing the story. I didn't tell them about the part when Paul tried to sexually assault me. I didn't want them to worry because I know how protective they get. When I told them about Bryce, they were so overprotective of me. CeeCee didn't even let a guy near me, with the exception of Adam of course.
"Elaborate, please," CeeCee said.
"There's nothing more to say," I simply said.
"So that explains why you two seem so close," Adam said, deep in thought. Right!
"You should've seen the jealous glances Kelly and her posse were shooting you." CeeCee laughed out loud.
"Why are they jealous? I mean, it's just…well, Paul." I asked.
"Paul is the hottest guy now ever since Bryce left. Are you blind? The girls here will be chasing him like wild gorillas." CeeCee turned to Adam. "I'm not saying that you're not good looking because you are," he blushed. "-but you know. Kelly and her prissy friends thinks he's a goddess…uh, I mean, god."
"Right, Suze?" she asked.
I grinned. "Yeah, right."
My thoughts drifted to Jesse during Calculus. And plus Paul just HAD to take the seat behind me. So he keeps on jabbing the pencil at my back, the tip of the eraser, thank god. Jesse, I haven't felt his presence ever since well that kiss. Why can't I stop thinking about how his warm lips feel so nice on mine? And he kisses as if you're the only girl in his life. Well, I think I am, since you know, I'm the only human being who pays attention to him; aside from Father Dominic of course. What was wrong with Father D, by the way? I mean, he looked flushed. It seemed as if he was really mad not ten minutes before the meeting because his face was scrunched up and red. Jesse…what if he told him? Ohmigod, I can not just have the love of my life telling a priest about our sex life! Where the hell did that come from? Sex life? Puhleeze. It was only a kiss. We haven't even gone past 2nd base nor does he like me that way, or does he? I guess I'll never know. I sighed.
"OW!" I quietly winced in pain. "What the hell is your problem?" I hissed.
"Why did you sigh?" Paul asked. "I haven't heard you sigh like that ever since…well, ever since we made out."
"You are such a git, you know that?" I said.
"Sure," He grinned.
"I was thinking about something," I confessed.
"Must be something big, I mean, that was a pretty big sigh."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get back to work." I told him.
"Wait," he said. "You need help with the Spanish homework Senorita Croce gave us?"
"Yes…I mean no"
"Yes, you do. So what about this. I'll help you with it if you come over."
I thought about this for a second and imagined what would happen. Not a pretty picture. "No."
"C'mon, Suze, just give me a chance." On second thought, I really do need help with it and I can't ask Jesse for help because I can't even hear him or whatever. And besides, he hardly comes by anymore.
I shook my head, "I don't know, Paul. I'm not so sure that this is a good idea."
"I promise to keep my hands to myself."
I sighed. "Fine"
"Cool, meet me by the gate at 3:15." He said and turned back to his work.
What have I just gotten myself into?
You know the drill. Review, please!