A/N You guys rock! I am well on my way to 150 reviews! Big hello to Meg, Maz, and amyloubee, the bestest buds in the world! Also, high five to Jo-Jelly-Bean, who rocks, and thanks for mentioning me in your last chapter! You are my girl!

Chapter 13

I looked at the flask. I looked at Brad. He was giving me alcohol. Did I want to add underage drinking to my list of achievements? And underage binge-drinking at that?

I gulped, still not taking the flask.

"You're so beautiful Suze," muttered Brad. "I hate to see you so troubled. Drown your worries out."

"I can't," I whispered. "My body's suffered enough abuse anyway. In Ohio, I was so depressed, I did...drugs."

I was expecting Brad to back off, but instead, he pulled me closer. "I get it," he said. "You're disturbed. Anyone would be after what you've been throguh."

His face was getting closer, so close i could taste the vodka on his breath. He was obviously drunk. He put one hand on my cheek and pulled my face closer. I shut my eyes and

Another step towards me. Now Jesse was right in front of me.

"Especially," I said significantly, looking up at him. "from talking. That's what I especially need a day off from. Talking."

"Fine," he said. He reached up and cupped my face in my both his hands. "We dont have to talk."

And that's when he kissed me.

On the lips.

I shirieked and pulled away instantly. Why were all these...things about Jesse? Had I really kissed him? I'd barely spoken a sentence to him!

"Suze?"

Jake came runnig onto the decking, worried. Brad stashed away his vodka, and turned to face his brother.

"Suze, are you ok? I heard screaming." Jake knelt next to Brad. "Did you hurt her?"

"I-"

"No," I said calmly. "I...I saw a bug. Bugs give me the creeps."

When I was six, my dad would take me nature trailing in search of bugs. But they didnt have to know that, did they?

My dad. My lovely, stubbly, pancake-cooking dad. Possibly dead. And I hadn't wanted to stick around and check. My eyes welled up.

"Suze?"

I shut my eyes and pretended to yawn and stretch.

"Is nobody else tired?" I asked in feigned surprise. "I'm about to drop! I'll go to my room and get some shut-eye."

Even though it was just seven o'clock, I raced inside, and dodged Andy with his steaming plate of quesadillas or whatever. I pushed open my bedroom door to find no people, alive or otherwise, inhabitating my room. I breathed a sigh of relief. I wasnt in the mood to welcome spectral visitors.

I took some flannel pyjamas that Lizzie had cast aside, into the bathroom. When I emerged, Jesse was lying on the window seat, head buried in Men are Mars, Women are from Venus. He appeared to be chuckling.

"Aw Jeez," I muttered, getting into bed, letting my hair fall down to hide my flushed cheeks. I hadnt forgotten about my previous dream.

"As if you really wish to dream," said Jesse scornfully. "It is, I believe, only seven o'clock."

"Seven-fifteen," I corrected him. "And ever heard of an early night?"

"Yes. My six-year-old sister took them regularly."

I threw back the covers. "Fine," I said. "I won't sleep. Happy?"

"Very," said Jesse, settling back against the window. "What's bothering you, querida?"

I was just about to question his detour from the English language, when I heard a rustling. Both mine and Jesse's gazes turned to the door. Something was being slid underneath it. I picked it up.

It was a note. A note from Brad.