I'm putting this all at the start because I don't want to ruin the ending by throwing in some of my pathetic words. So just remember no matter what happens you have to review
So, this is just another chapter of the many to come. Please, if you don't like this chapter don't give up on me; just tell me what you didn't like. Meaning, once again, review
I want to apologize for the past and in advance. I suck at updated and it's been so hectic with all my assignments and testing. Get angry with them not me. Now, enough with my pathetic excuses on with the Mediators we love.
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Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
Time. The longest and most boring and complicated thing on this earth. Well, at least right now.
I couldn't help but sit in class and watch the clock tick slowly. I thought if I concentrated enough that the minutes would disappear, ending the period, as if it was a shifter's ability.
Or so I thought, until I could have sworn it went the other way.
The sister teaching the class droned; inside, I could tell, she was secretly wishing she wasn't here. The sounds of pencils tapping, papers rustling, whispered chatter, and the inevitable clock ticking.
I felt like I was going insane.
All I wanted was to see the hand reach the twelve and dash for the door in search of one person. Not that this person was special I just wanted to tell them something that was.
Maybe they could take my mind away from insanity.
I tuned back into the Sister's rambles and then unfocused. There was really no point for me to be in school today. All my classes were like this. It was a late last night, nothing the teachers said ever made it into my brain, and all these thoughts were swelling around mistily.
Thoughts of last night…
"There's still something I don't understand, Mom."
"What's that, honey?" she asked, looking at me carefully. She'd been doing it the entire night. Staring at me while I told my story.
It was hard to tell her. My Carmel life story wasn't uneventful. It was long and full. And speaking to her about Jesse was difficult when I was afraid she would never understand what love I felt for him.
What love he felt for me.
"Why can you see the ghosts now?" I asked her. We were lying on her bed. I was holding a pillow, clenching it to my stomach as we continued to speak.
"Hmm," she sighed to herself, "Maybe the accident triggered it, I mean I was in a coma," my mother stumbled slightly on her words.
This was the news reporter that could speak about a fatal plane crash or a bombing without a faltering voice or a wavering smile unless she made it happen.
She was scared. Traumatized by the events that happened that evening that feels like a distant nightmare.
I smiled weakly at her, "I guess it could, but does that mean that every person that has a near death accident sees ghosts afterwards?"
She was stumped just as much as I was. She shook her head slightly, "I don't know, Susie, I just don't know."
Her weak smile was all that I could picture.
She looked like a hurt puppy. Lost and scared. Her confidence of the world was gone. And all this happened in little old Carmel-by-the-Sea.
I was actually pretty excited for my shifting lesson today. Normally its, "Great, I have another stupid mediator lesson." However, today, I had some awesome news to tell him.
And yeah, I know the lessons are less stupid and more useful, but they are so time consuming. And I could be doing homework, or practices my kick-boxing or spending time with the most amazing boyfriend in the world—not with Paul.
I saw Paul in the hallway after lunch.
And according to CeeCee, he's single. See, since Winter Formal, Kelly and Paul have been dating. Hmm, I don't think dating is the right word.
Kelly's more his on and off buddy. They fight over the most stupid things.
Paul would often break it off with her because she becomes too clingy or annoying, but once and a while Kelly would dump Paul.
Like last week, when I was looking after Mom, I apparently missed the funniest conversation since I insulted Kelly when I first moved here—I still don't see what was so funny, I was dead serious about breaking her fingers.
The story is that Paul insulted her and she flipped. Literally flipped, well not her, but the table and chair she pretty much threw across the room. And here I thought she was a defenseless weakling. It was hilarious and I laughed until my ribs hurt.
Paul is always insulting Kelly, she's just too much of a dumb blonde to notice it.
Anyway, besides the point. At lunch, as I stalked my way over to his locker, he is single. Funny, isn't it?
"Hey," I said, as I casually leaned against the locker next to his.
"Hi," he said, glancing at me and then turning back to digging in his own locker.
"You okay?" I asked hesitantly. I watched as his whole body stiffened. Yup, something was definitely wrong.
"That obvious?" he asked, not moving a muscle, nor turning his gaze away from the inside of his locker.
"Only to me," I said, smiling shyly.
He shifted a little, "Its just Kelly, she has somehow gotten worse. You know, more annoying then I can handle without tearing my hair out," he said, looking down at me.
I grinned. "Don't worry 'bout her. You've dealt with way worse than some blonde," I said, pointing to myself. At least Kelly doesn't stick a thumb in his eye. "Anyway," I said pushing off the locker, "I've got some amazing news, but I'll tell you after school," I paused, looking at Paul, trying to read his expression, "We are still on for the lesson, right?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, definitely. Best thing that'll happen today, at least for me."
"Aw, thanks Paul," I said sweetly.
"I meant the lessons, not you Suze," he said with the trademark Slater grin.
I sucker punched him in the arm.
Backing up slowly, "Hey, can I get a lift with you? My car is in the shop." Paul just grinned and nodded while I turned and disappeared for my history class.
Oh, sorry, did I confuse you.
That's right. Susannah Simon not only has a cell phone, the best friends, and a really hot boyfriend. Nope, she has a car, too.
I turned seventeen awhile ago and told Mom I desperately needed a car.
And although I didn't take her seriously when she'd said she'd think about it. She talked to Andy and a couple months later a car showed up in the driveway.
Alright, so it wasn't that simple, and Mom totally made me work for the car.
Nevertheless, that doesn't matter. I have a car. It's a beautiful 1967 mustang convertible.
Andy knew a guy who as repairing it as a hobby—he didn't even have a use for it. But the guy sold it cheap.
It was so worth it that day. I had just come down stairs on a Saturday when I heard Dopey scream about some random car parked in the driveway.
Andy was all like, "Brad, it's not some random car, it belongs to Suze."
Yeah, Dopey's dumb face was priceless.
So why, you may ask is it in the shop?
Don't worry I didn't wreck it. I just need its oil changed or something.
It wasn't running as sharp as it could, or that's what Jake said when I pulled into the driveway one day. Whatever, right, I have a car and that's all there is to it.
Debbie's obnoxious laughter brought me out of my stupor. She was batting her eyes and pouting her lips in a sickening way towards one of the guys from the basketball team.
That's all it takes, I guess. Dopey's out of town for two days and she can't help to hit on one of his dweebish friends.
And she wonders why people call her a slut behind her back.
Or just easy.
Oh my, Susannah Simon. Is this what you have demoted yourself too? Thinking about Debbie, leech-of-popularity, Mancuso.
I grabbed my books and my bag and got out of that class faster than you can say, Suze is a big idiot. I just couldn't believe I had been out of it the entire period.
I found CeeCee and Adam by my locker, debating about…honestly; I'm not really sure what they were talking about. Something random, obviously.
And it didn't look like I was about to find out either since I caught the tail end and Adam saying, finally, "Alright, Cee, your smarter than me."
CeeCee just grinned in accomplishment for causing Adam to say what everyone already knows. Adam leaned in for a kiss, which she happily greeted.
Steady since Winter Formal, these two. It's adorable and I'm totally happy for them but it can be a total yuck-feast on my end.
I finished my walk to my locker and began twisting the dial. "Aww, how…what's the word?" I paused as CeeCee and Adam pulled away noticing that I was in their presence and about to poke fun at them.
"Adorable?" CeeCee said, through her tight grin.
I shook my head, "No, that isn't right. I was thinking…disgusting." I pulled the lock and the door popped open. I immediately dumped my books from my last class in my locker.
"Oh, please, Suze. You and Jesse have been way worse before," CeeCee said.
"Well, you shouldn't have walked into my room without knocking," I said, referring to the time when Jesse and I were on my bed and…well the rest is self-explanatory.
Her grin somehow grew, "I was talking about that time at lunch," she paused, trying to hide her giggles, "and that time in the middle of the Winter Formal, and then again after the Winter Formal, oh and that time at the coffee clutch and in the theatres and at your place and—"
"Alright Cee," I interrupted, smiling sheepishly, while turning a bright red, "Alright Cee. You win, you're smarter than me," I said quoting Adam.
"See, you've done your fair share of scarring us," Adam said laughing all the while not tearing his eyes away from CeeCee.
Oh, and don't get me started on the love-y dove-y faces they make.
Do Jesse and I do that?
"Right," I said, calming my laughing, "What's on for tonight?"
"Coffee Clutch. You and Jesse gonna come?" CeeCee asked, running her pale hand through her hair.
"I couldn't think of a place I rather be," I said through my grin. I grabbed the books I needed for the night's homework and slammed my locker shut. "Just promise to keep the scarring to a minimum?" I asked.
They just giggled and muttered sure before turning to walk away. And I headed to towards one person, Paul Slater.
…what? My car is in the shop.
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"So, your mom's a mediator now?" Paul asked as we sat on his bed.
"Uh-huh," I nodded; lying down on my back beside Paul's sitting form.
"And you told her…everything?" he asked hesitantly. He didn't turn to look at me but kept staring straight at the wall.
"For the most part. Don't worry, your rep is safe," I said. I watched as relief covered his body and couldn't help but steal the smirk he normally wears.
"How'd she take it?" he asked, finally turning around to face me—who was still smirking towards the ceiling.
"Fine, I mean, as well as anyone might. And I still have some other details to tell her, but it was funny how crazy she thought she was until I told her," my smirk faded to a smile thinking of the night and the enormous weight lifted off my shoulders.
I mean, this was what I wanted my entire life, at least since I was two and found out I could see creatures my mother couldn't.
And I had finally gotten to tell her. Tell her everything that makes me the way I am.
After a few minutes I sat upright, "Well, Mr. Know-It-All, what are we learning today?" I asked.
Paul moved for the plastic bin with all his 'teaching supplies' inside. "Healing," he said pulling a thick, dusty book out. It looked just like all the others.
Fat, heavy, old, dusty and in some completely foreign language.
After that, he made me read the translations he had. It spoke about shaman being able to heal. They could never bring back the dead with the power just heal the wounded. It took great concentration until blue energy of life would leave one and enter the other. Technically no real life was being moved but rather the energy of the life. The healing power would almost completely drain the healer but if would do no permanent damage, to speak of.
I looked up at Paul, who'd been reading over my shoulder. "Cool, huh?" he asked.
"Yeah," I muttered, scanning back over the page.
"Good, let's try it," he said, climbing off the bed.
Oh how I love our shifter lessons.
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At first, I thought Paul was insane.
Well, I often think Paul is insane—probably a genetic thing.
See, I thought that it was only to heal—the blue energy thingy.
No, I was wrong. Apparently, we could pass the energy to another shifter.
Yeah, I didn't understand it either, but Paul just told me to shut it and do as he said. Bossy, isn't he?
I never got to pass any. I tried but this stuff isn't so easy.
After that, Paul drove me to the shop to pick up my baby. Not literally, baby, but you know, my car.
The mechanic gave it to me after guessing three times if he knew my (step) brother or something. I tried to just tell him, but did he listen…Noooo.
I was headed toward home, when I realized I didn't feel like going there just yet.
Another trip to the beach was needed. I took a turn and drove the fairly empty road to my sand covered destination.
I wanted to be alone, but there seemed to be quite a few couples there this time of night. Therefore, I wandered in behind some cliffs and sat down in the sand.
The water licked at my toes after I'd taken my shoes off.
I leaned back into the sand and listened for the ocean, the waves, the birds, the peace.
My eyes were drifting closed when I heard a grunt. I thought nothing of it, until I heard it again.
I sat upright quickly and focused my attention on a man further in the large rocks I'd walked around.
When I say man, I'm talking about someone Jake's age.
I couldn't make out the person face or what the grunting noise was about.
Until I saw him arguing with a blonde, around my age or so, that would give Kelly a run for the boys.
I couldn't help but to stare and hope that neither of them could see me.
I forgot that I was trying to relax and focused my gaze on these two transfixing people.
The man looked tense and almost fearful. Just the shape of his body and the way he would change from a bright red face of anger to a pale one of fright. It bothered me that I couldn't see his face though, nor the girls.
When I thought the argument was about to get worse, the girl leaned closer, taking the man's hand and kissed him on the cheek.
It was sweet how the couple had solved their problems, except something still bothered me.
The girl left the rocks alone, with the man gazing after her, and something in my stomach turn, my gut just didn't feel right.
I wanted to see this man.
The girl left and it was just me staring straight at the man. He turned to leave coming closer to me before walking away.
And what I saw made me feel sick.
I realized why my stomach was turning, why my gut just didn't feel right.
I couldn't get up. I tried but my legs froze beneath me and my arms were too weak to carry me.
My throat was stark dry and I quivered as if I was freezing.
Because the man I had just witnessed with another blonde of the female variety was…
…Jesse. My Jesse.
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