Disclaimer: The Mediator Series belongs to Meg Cabot; therefore, I do not own them.

"Okay, look, can you just please tell me who you are?" I asked the ghost.

It has been a week ever since Father Dom explained to me my mediator abilities, and let me tell you, I am not having fun. This is probably my umpteenth encounter with the ghost. She's been visiting me everyday, saying the same thing, "You need to know before it's too late," then gives me a sad smile. She never introduced herself either. That is why I wonder how someone, like Father D., can do this on a daily basis.

I was woken up, in the middle of the night, by a female ghost, who visits me frequently, by the way, because she wants to tell me something but she can't be bothered to. Can't a girl get some sleep?

"Susannah, you have to remember, I can't help you right now. You have to Susannah," she said in a soft voice.

"Remember what exactly?" I put on a dazed expression because really, I do not know what she meant by 'You have to remember'.

I didn't even bother to ask how she knew my name, let alone ask her how she knew where I live.

"That is for me to know, and for you to find out," she smiled at me softly, "You'll know when the time is right, and it will be soon. So be prepared," and vanished into thin air.

Just when you're about to ask the most imperative question of all time, the ghost who says you have to remember some shit she can't help you with and tells you to be prepared for I-don't-know-what, just vanishes. Typical.

The ghost was young: probably in her mid-twenties or so. She was beautiful and looked alive, but there was something in her eyes that tells me she's not alive in the inside, that she lost something or someone very dear to her. Better make a note to ask her that next time she visits, which will probably be…tomorrow.

»»»»»»»»»

"So, Suze, are you up for our date tonight?" Paul asked with a sly grin.

I raised one of my eyebrows. "Date? You didn't say anything about a date,"

"I just did, so you where do you want to go?" he said, pulling me into a hug, "-dinner and a movie perhaps?"

I gave him a peck on the cheek, "Sure,"

"Paul, get away from me!" I shouted, tears streaming down my face. I'm surrounded by darkness; I couldn't see anything, but the figure of the Spawn of Satan and the little streak of light coming from a window high up above.

"Susie, Susie, Susie," he said, clicking his tongue. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Just please, let me go…" I was sobbing. I need to get out.

"Did you actually think that I'm going to let you go that easily? Did you actually believe that bullshit I told you?" he gave a menacing laugh. "If you did, then you don't know me very well."

"How could you?" I was shaking, not because of coldness, but because of fear: Fear of Paul Slater. "I trusted you! I thought you changed!"

"Well, you thought wrong, Suze," he said caressing my cheek. I flinched at his touch. The room was filled with feelings such as anger, regrets and so much more. "I can't let you go, not just yet." He dug into his pocket; at least I assumed he did. He pulled out a handkerchief.

I stared at him in shock. "No, Paul, please don't do this,"

He looked at me intently, "I have to, I can't let you go, not until I have my way with you and make your man suffer: which is what I'm going to do, make him suffer by hurting you, the one he loves, abusing you with every touch," he hissed. "This is what happens when you reject a Slater."

"You know I love him, Paul, why can't you just accept that?" I thought he had changed. He had said so himself.

"I can't accept it Suze, because I'm the one for you! Not De Silva! You may think that you love him, but you don't!" he shouted in such infuriated tone that I began to whimper.

He unfolded the handkerchief and started wrapping it around my mouth. "I don't want you making any noise,"

All I could do was to stare at him and let the tears fall. I'm weak, vulnerable, defeated…there was no one to save me, I fell to the ground, I couldn't take it anymore.

He knelt down alongside of me. "I'm going to take away the very thing you value, Suze, and I'm not talking about Rico Suave here," he whispered, his cold hands on my thigh.

I could feel him smirking. His hands started to go upwards and I kicked him, but he was too fast for me and caught my ankle. I started punching him, but he caught my bawled fist also.

"Think you can pull a fast one on me, don't you?" he stood me up and backed me up to the wall, "Too bad, Suze, because you're mine. And your Jessekins isn't here to ruin all the pleasures I'm going to be having with you," and went for the plunge.

"Suze, are you okay?" Someone was shaking me. I snapped out of the trance and found myself staring at Paul's blue eyes.

"What happened?" I found myself asking.

"You looked out of it for a moment, are you okay?" Paul asked, concerned.

"Yeah, sure. Look. We'll continue this talk later, I have to go." I broke out of his grip and went directly to Father Dom's office.

I didn't know what it was all about, but when I looked into his eyes, there was confusion in it, as if he was trying to figure out what I was thinking at the very moment. I needed to tell Father D about all these things that have been happening to me. It wasn't normal. It just wasn't.

"Hey, Bernadette, can I please speak to Father Dominic?" I asked the secretary.

"Sure," the secretary smiled. "But not right now, can you wait for just a bit?"

I nodded and took a seat.

I looked around the office and for the first time, I just noticed the big crucifix, and the statue of Mary. I never really paid attention to my surroundings but this one caught my attention.

A boy who was slumped on a couch across from where my mom and I had been instructed to wait noticed the direction of my gaze and said, "He's supposed to weep tears of blood if any girl ever graduates from here a virgin."

I couldn't help letting out a little bark of laughter. My mom glared at me. The secretary, a plump middle-aged woman who looked as if something like that ought to have offended her deeply, only rolled her eyes, and said tiredly, "Oh, Adam."

Adam looked at me with a perfectly serious face. "It's true," he said gravely. "It happened last year. My sister." He dropped his voice. "She's adopted."

"Suze, you may go in now," the secretary said. I jumped a bit, which might've have caused the startled look on my face.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah sure," I replied, standing up. "Thanks Bernadette!"

"You're welcome." And I headed to the door towards Father Dom's office.

»»»»»»»»»

"So, you're saying that I'm having flashbacks?"

"Yes, it might have been because of the accident," Father Dominic said.

"Are you saying that I have some kind of amnesia and my memories are coming back to me now?" I asked.

"Somewhere along that line," he said. He was fidgeting with a pack of cigarettes, which is what I assume he does when he's nervous.

"Have I met you before the accident and everyone else here?"

"Yes," Just one simple yes made my heart ache. I mean, what if the people I trust now aren't who they really were before?

"I have one more thing to tell you…" I said slowly.

"What is it, Susannah?" he asked.

"Well, um," I shifted in my seat a bit. I don't know if I should tell him about my encounters with the ghost who's been visiting me.

"Yes, Susannah?" he asked again.

"Uh…well, um," I'll just tell him. What's it going to hurt anyways, right? "There's been a ghost visiting me daily for the past week."

"And who is this ghost?"

"She never really told me anything about herself," I explained. "She just comes and goes, telling me the same thing everyday."

"What would that might be?"

"'You need to remember'," I repeated. "But she said she can't tell me what it is I have to remember. I mean, why tell me I have to when I can't even and then she tells me she can't tell me either, I mean, that's jus-" I was babbling, I knew it. It's becoming a habit of mine.

"What does this ghost look like?" he asked all of a sudden.

"Well, really-,"

"What does this ghost look like?" he asked again, with a firm voice this time.

I made a growling sound. I shouldn't have mentioned her. I sighed. "She has wavy black hair, a fair complexion, and hazel eyes. Though, her nose is a bit pointy, and her eyes look to close to-"

I looked at Father Dom and saw that his face turned as white as his hair. "Father D? Are you okay? Do you want me to get the secretary?"

He blinked. He blinked at me. "Susannah,"

"Yes?"

"When you see her again, please, ask her what her name is," he said.

"O…kay," I said. "Anyways, I have to tell you something else too."

He nodded. "Yes, go on?"

"I always see this guy named Jesse, I already met him, in my what-you-call flashbacks. In some of them, he was glowing. Like a ghost."

"I can't explain everything to you right now, Susannah. I agree with this woman. If I do tell you, it'd be too much to take."

"B-but Father-" He cut me off. Why is he always doing that?

"No buts, Susannah. Now go on, you'll be late. Your brother will leave you if you don't hurry up."

He was right about the latter. Brad will leave me if I wasn't by the parking lot once the big ol' clock hits 3.

"Jeez. Fine, bye Father D. See ya when tomorrow."

»»»»»»»»»

"Susannah," I stopped in a halt. I looked behind me and saw a familiar figure running.

"Jesse?" I asked. I wasn't sure; I had to squint for a few times to be able to tell it was him. Last time I saw him was in the museum last week. He still looked good. But what is he doing here? Isn't he supposed to be in college? I was confused, I really was.

He stopped right in front of me, gasping for breath. "Are you okay?"

He exhaled. "Yes, yes, I'm okay."

"So, um, what are you doing here?" I asked in utter confusion. He started to grin.

"I go to school here," he said.

Huh? "You," I pointed at him. "-go to school here?" I said gesturing to the school.

"Yes, that's right."

"What? Did you fail or something?" I asked, with one brow raised up.

Jesse started laughing. "No querida, I'm in the same grade as you but not the same age. It is just that I have to finish my credits to be able to get into University."

"What'd you just call me? Did you call me queer? Because, you know, I'm not queer, not at all and you know wha-" Ugh, why are people always doing that? You know cutting me off.

"I didn't call you anything. But if I did, it's anything but bad," he said with a smile.

"Okay," I said, changing the subject. "Well, so, what job are you going to take after this year's done?"

He looked straight into my eyes. "I want to be a doctor."

"Jesse, stop!" I shouted, laughing that my abdomen started hurting.

"Not until you say, 'Jesse, you are going to be the greatest doctor of all!'" he said.

He continued tickling me. "No!"

"Querida…say it,"

"Okay, okay, stop!" I giggled. "Jesse you are going to be the greatest doctor of all! Happy now?"

"Of course, mi querida," Our gazes locked. We both started leaning forward. His warm lips came down on mine, gently and started kissing me, not possessively, but affectionately.

"I love you, Susannah," he murmured.

"I love you too, Jesse,"

"Susannah, are you okay?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Look, querida. I know that you and that bastardo are together. But you need to know that Paul is not who you think he says he is. He's responsible for your first me-"

"Well, well, well, if it isn't De Silva," I looked over his shoulder and saw Paul.

Jesse started muttering stuff, which I can only guess, in Spanish.

"Hey, Paul," I said, walking towards him, awkwardly giving him a peck on the cheek.

I still couldn't digest what I just saw. It was too much. I never had these kinds of flashbacks with Paul…

I looked at both of them. Jesse had a scowl on his face, and Paul had a smirk on his. Perhaps they've always hated each other?

"I'm telling you, Rico Suave, it will never work," he said, Paul, I mean. What won't work? "Now, get going and leave my girlfriend alone."

Jesse started walking away, but before he did, he muttered, "Hijo de puta."

I guess Paul knew Spanish also, because before I could do anything, he lunged himself at Jesse and punched him.

"Paul, stop this right now!" I said walking towards him.

Before he could punch Jesse again, I placed myself between them, and Paul ended up punching me in my left eye. Jeez, so much for being your girlfriend. I touched my eye and felt blood prickling down my face.

I looked at Paul. He was giving me that look again, that questioning look. The cold wind picked up. I started shivering.

I felt someone tapping my back. "Susann-"

"This is both your fault!" I exploded. "You assholes! Ugh!"

"He started it," Paul said.

"No, I didn't. You di-"

"Will you both shut up?" I shouted. Paul smirked. "Wipe that smirk off your face Slater or else, the date is off!" Jesse smiled. "What are you smiling about?"

I gave both of them one last glare and walked away. I'm going home. Stupid bastards.

Meanwhile; back in school…

"It is your fault, you know?" Jesse said. "You're the one who punched me."

"Shut up," Paul replied. He was pissed. No, he was beyond pissed. How could Suze protect Jesse? He was her boyfriend for Pete's sake. Well, no, he lied about that, but she thinks he is. So it's all good, unless Jesse mess things up.

"Gladly," the Spanish male hottie (A/N: Don't mind me) replied back, tapping his foot.

"Fuck you!" Paul snapped.

He blinked at Paul. "No thank you," he (Jesse) said, with a smile.

"Damn gay ass freak," Paul muttered and walked away, still muttering on the way home.

Jesse stared at Paul's back, with the smile still on his face. He was satisfied that Susannah canceled her date with Slater.

He walked away, whistling.


Okay, I know it wasn't as long as the last chapter but…oh well. :D

Please review!

- Claudine