A/N Hope chapter 11 wasnt too confusing about the whole dream thing. It will play a big part, so if youre confused send me a note! Anyway, this chapter brings a couple of issues to mind. I'll leave you to decide what they are...

Chapter 12

I woke up beside Lizzie and yawned from lack of sleep. Lizzie may be a beautiful barbie clone, but she can snore for America. Jeez, I think my ears might be permanently damaged.

I sat up and saw to my surprise, Jesse leaning nonchalantly against Lizzie's bed post.

"Good morning Susannah," he said. "Are you well."

"I guess," I said. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." His gaze turned back to Lizzie. Apparently though, he was still engaged in conversation with me. "How are you finding your newly-accquired room-mate?"

"Which one?" I asked. "The guy that scared me half-to-death, or Lizzie, pyscho-cheerleader?"

"Either," he replied. He turned to me.

"I'm happy with everything," I said. "Except these weird daydreams."

"Hm." Jesse made a non-commital noise."What's it like, courting Jake?"

"I wouldnt say courting, but its cool."

"If you're not courting, why are you staying in his house?" I hated the way Jesse was so inquisitive. There is such a thing as too many questions!

"I... had an issue at home," I said, carefully.

"Of course."

With one last look at Lizzie, Jesse dematerialized.

I decided to get up and shower 15 days of dirt off. No wonder Jesse didnt want to hang around. I can't have smelled pretty.

When I emerged from Lizzie's en suite, I found her on her princess phone, gabbing away. About me, apparently.

"Yeah Kel, she's like, such a slob. Her hair was like ew, and yesterday I caught her talking-"

I smiled sweetly as her gaze met mine.

"Hey Suzie," said Lizzie slowly, and she put the phone down. "Are you ok?"

"I'm good. Catch ya later, skank, I'm off to breakfast."

Lizzie's mouth dropped open, but I didnt care. I wasnt in Carmel to make friends, just to avoid a jail sentence.

When I entered the kitchen, I saw Brad and the youngest Ackerman, David, chowing down bagels. I joined them, and poured myself a bowl of Special K.

"You must be Susan," said David pleasantly.

"Susannah." David was corrected, but not by me. I turned to face Brad in astonishment. "Isnt that right Suze?"

"Er...yeah," I replied, though I had to think about it.

"So sorry," said David. "What brings you to Carmel?"

I knew the dreaded question was gonna come up somewhere. Yet I hadnt prepared an answer.

"I...um...I-"

"Does it matter, Dave?" asked Brad. "Go study for Nerd Camp."

Dave hopped down from the table and left the kitchen, muttering, "I was only being nice."

"Thanks." I smiled at Brad.

"Forget it," he scoffed, and he left too. I frowned, finding myself alone, and very confused.

xxxx

Carmel was cute, but I didnt want to leave 99 Pine Crest Road. I was afraid someone may recognise me from a WANTED! poster or something. I was being stupid, but I was scared. Instead, I spent my secod day in California annoying Lizzie, and listening to David's many scientific explanations. Lizzie had decided I was some kind of charity cause, and gave me some unwanted clothes. I didnt really want them, or the snide comments she shared with her friends, but I took them anyway. Jake spent most of his day working at Peninsula Pizza, and Jesse was nowhere to be found. So I was B-O-R-E-D.

That evening I decided to figure out Brad. Something was up with him, and I needed to know what, as it was bugging me. I found him in the backyard, sitting on the decking.

"Hey," I said, sitting beside him. He looked up, but then put his head on his knees again.

"Oh," he said. "Its you."

My mouth twisted, but I kept it shut. I took a deep breath and spoke.

"What's up with you? You seem a little depressed."

"Gee, thanks." His sarcasm wound me up, but I carried on.

"You know what I mean."

"Everything's up, OK?" he snapped. "My brother can get any girl he wants, and brings home someone really beautiful, just to rub it in my face. Then my new stepsister is best friends with Kelly Prescott, the most popular girl in school, so I can never relax, I always have to be cool.Then, last year, one of my partying buds died. I am never gonna reach the standards my wrestling coach has set me. You get it?"

One thing stuck in my mind from that speech. Not his whiny, pathetic voice, or his musings about Kelly Prescott, but the fact that Brad thought I was beautiful. Brad, a jock. My boyfriend's brother, thought I was beautiful. Normally, I have no time for jocks, and they have no time for me. So why was this sticking so much?

"I didnt...Jake didnt bring me home, ok?" I replied. "I did something terrible back in New York, and I had to leave. I begged Jake to take me wherever. And then I did something else bad. So I am not beautiful, OK?"

"What was this bad thing?" asked Brad, taking a hip-flask from his pocket which smelt strongly of alcohol. I guess Brad was pretty troubled too. "Do you want to tell me?"

I took a deep breath. I had to tell someone what I did, I was bottling up too much. But did I want to tell Brad? I guess I did.

"I...murdered my dad," I replied, then adding, "But not on purpose! He cheated on my mom, and then I was giving him an earful. Then he fell down the staris..." I broke off in tears.

Brad put his arm around me and handed me his hip-flask.

A/N Review! You know you want to!