A/N I've decided to dedicate myself to Meant to Be for a while, just for all my little readers! Thanks so much for all the reviews, you put the sun in my day! Its so great to check your emails and find people have your stories have been reviewed. Cheers again, and keep it up! I think once another of my projects is finished, I'm going to put up a story or notice in my forum about the original plot for Meant to Be. Its evolved so many times since then. I'm not expecting to be popular, but I'll let you guys know when its up, just in case. Anyways, read and review, people!

armedwithapen

Chapter 16

"Suze?"

I awoke to find Jake looming over me.

"Damn it Jake, I was asleep!"

"Sorry," said Jake, backing off. "Only, Liz said you looked funny."

I bet "Liz" did. I groaned and pulled my covers tight, over my aching, pounding head.

"Suze? Are you ill?"

Actually, I did have a hangover, but I wasnt about to let Jake know that. Too many questions would have to be answered.

"No, just tired," I muttered. "Lizzie snores like a bull."

"Aw," said Jake, patting me in what I think was meant to be a sympathetic manner. I sat up, frowning, hoping he would get the message and go away. He didnt get the message, and instead started trying to make out.

"Jake...Jake! Get off!"

Jesse appeared with a comical look. I closed my eyes in embarrassment.

"Oh please," said the person in the back seat pleasantly. "Dont stop on my account."

Not realising what had just happened, having had my eyes closed, I assumed Jesse had just said that. I pulled away from Jake and groaned.

"Oh my God," I yelled at Jesse. "Will you just shut up?"

Both the guys present asked "What?" and looked immensely surprised. Oops. My bad.

"Nombre de Dios!" muttered Jesse, and disappeared. Jake just went back to nuzzling in my neck.

"Baby, are you ok?"

Frankly, I was better before he called me "baby." Ever since I've been getting those dreams, I've been feeling less and less more romantic towards Jake and more...sisterly? Ew.

"Jake. Jake! Please! I need sleep. Go back to your freaking video games."

"Fine," moaned Jake, and he wandered off. I sighed, pondering and blushing for a while, then promptly fell asleep.

xxxxx

"Suze," said Andy, passing me some salsa. "Are you ok?"

Oh my God. Did I really look that bad?"

"Yes!" I breathed. "What is so freaking wrong?"

"Nothing," said Andy calmly. "So what are you all doing tonight? Want Brad to show you the action down at the mall?"

The word 'mall' filled me with a petrifying terror. I mean, discount sales, video games and lace panties? No, thank you!

"OK," grunted Brad, who didnt seem to recognise the look of horror on my face. I kicked him under the table.

"Ow! What the-"

"Pass the sour cream?" I asked sweetly. Brad scowled, yet did as I asked. See? You get wasted with them one night in the woods, they're your personal slave the next. What could be so bad about that? Except for the whole vomiting thing. That kinda sucked.

xxxx

"Why the mall?" I hissed at Brad in the back seat of the Land Rover, when Andy was dropping us somewhere. Jake would have been with us, only he had another pizza round. Apparently he was "saving up." Like an alpine-steroed Camaro and a wide-screen plasma screen doesnt quite fulfil his needs.

"Relax," Brad hissed back. "Dad is dropping us at Carmel mall. What he doesnt know is that we are blowing that off and going to some Slater dude's- Dad! Turn the music up!- party. He's vice prez of Junior year. I find him a bore, but all the girls think he's hot. Whatever." He put his feet on his father's headrest.

"Feet down, Brad," barked Andy. "So, Suze, need any spending money? I dont think ya brought much with ya, huh?"

"No," I replied. "But I'll loan off Brad if I see anything."

"Okey dokey," chuckled Andy. "Here you are kids, Carmel Mall. Enjoy!"

Brad dragged me into the mall, pretending to point out the best joystick shops, or those boutiques that stock Dolce and Gabbana... until Andy was out of sight. Then, he pulled me out of the mall and into the cool air.

"Now, off to Paul's!" yelled Brad, in a commanding officer-like way.

"Come on," Paul said. I have to say he looked exceptioanlly fine in his white shirt and shorts. They brought out the deepness of his tan, just like the late afternoon sunlight brought out the occasional strand of gold in his otherwise dark brown curls.

"Suze?" asked Brad, looking concernedly at me. "Are you ok?"

How could I not be? We were by the coast, soft salt spray licking my chin, the cool night breeze caressing my hair. Man, I was in California!

"Of course," I said. "But how long to Paul's house?"

There were a few flaws in my otherwise perfect mood. My toes were itchig from Lizzie's Prada mule, and I was getting kinda cold.

"Not long. Number one, three five..."

Man, I was bored, and not really ready to enjoy the party ahead of me. I mean, I'd be a third wheel amongst couples making out, binge beer-drinking, and stupid games like "Seven Minutes in Heaven." God knows I was never much of a party-goer back home. I was more of a stay-in-the-corner-er.

"Eleven, thirteen..."

Home. I missed it so much. Pizza, Central Park, no Jesse, no Brad, and no strange dreams. Suddenly, the stinging sensation in my stomach occured again, and I found myself throwing up all over Lizzie's Donna Karan blouse. Oops.

"Fifteen, seventeen! Here we are-" he turned to me, and an expression of disgust crept over his face. "Ew."

He rapped on the oor of number seventeen. Blaring hip-hop filled my ears. Then the door opened.

And I was faced with Paul.