A/N Here is the latest installment! Sorry for the long wait, everyone. But everyone review, you guys rock my world!

Chapter 18

"Can we leave now?" I asked impatiently, finally finding Brad, glued to a honey-haired chick's mouth.

"No," mumbled Brad, swatting me away.

"Fine," I huffed, and I tossed my fifth empty beer bottle into the trash. Oh, give me a break. I was stressed. I opened a sixth and brushed back back my hair with my fingers. I slumped into a leather sofa and took a deep gulp.

"Hey Suze. Partying much?"

I dropped the bottle from my lips to see who was bothering me now. It turned out to be Paul.

"Go away," I snapped, raising the beer to my lips again.

"Aw, come on. Not so interested in me now, are we?"

"I thought you had to be a 'host'?" I mimicked.

Paul's fingers lingered on my leg, and I looked up at him. He was so amazingly good looking. So hot, I wouldnt really mind pinning his picture to the wall. He leaned in to kiss me again, but I brushed him away.

"I gotta go," I said, handing him my beer bottle, and dragging Brad out of the door.

xxxx

"So," I said, as Brad and I were walking home in the cool moonlight. "Was that your precious Kelly Prescott you were attached to tonight?"

Brad snorted.

"I wish," he said. "No, that was her soul-sucking servant, Debbie."

"Hm," I said. "So do you like her?"

Brad snorted again.

"I dont like Debbie Mancuso anymore than I like sleazy Paul Slater. We just...go hand in hand, I guess."

I remained silent. I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, I may mention Paul. We had reached the front door by this time.

"You wanna come up to my room and talk?" asked Brad, finding his keys.

"Um," I replied weakly. "But give me a few minutes."

I walked into "my" room to find Lizzie asleep in her princess bed. However, Jesse was reading again on the window seat. Loser. Even I had been partying tonight. Then again, like he had anyone to party with.

As he saw me walk in, he put his book down and stood up.

"Susannah," he said, nodded.

"Jesse." I had to acknowledge him, but I didnt really care. I was still a little confused from Paul's house.

"Whats that on your wrist?" Jesse asked sceptically, walking over.

"I dont know," I replied truthfully. "A rash, I think."

"Poison oak," said Jesse firmly, taking my wrist and holding it up to the light. "You probably caught it in the forest with Brad."

I gasped. "How-"

"Sssh," Jesse silenced me.

"You should try putting a poultice of gum leaves on them," he interrupted.

"Oh, OK," I said, managing not to sound too saracastic.

He frowned at me. "Little yellow flowers," he said. "They grow wild. They have healing properties in them, you know. There are some growing on the hill behind the house."

"Oh," I said. "You mean the hill where all the poison oak is?"

"They say gunpowder works too."

"Oh," I said. "You know, Jesse, you might be surprised to learn that medicine has advanced beyond flower pultices and gunpowder in the past century and a half."

"Fine," he said, dropping my hands. "It was only a suggestion."

I shook my head. Did that mean I'd been out with Brad on the hill before? And that Jesse was an expert on 19th Century medicine?

"Another vision?" Jesse asked, dropping my wrists.

"Yeah," I replied, dazed.

"About what?" asked Jesse curiously, walking backwards towards the window seat.

"Oh nothing much," I said. I didnt really want him to know he was in most of my freakish dreams. But I did want him to know about medicine...

I tried to encourage him. "So, what can you do, Dr Jesse?"

Jesse looked scornful.

"I'll have to think," he said, and then he disappeared. Uh. Guys.