Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Mediator characters.
Okay, don't expect updates this fast. I was just in the moment. But I do hope you guys like this chapter. There's a TINY bit of Jesse in it, but not much. Next chapter there will be plenty for you Jesse-mongers to feast on.
SECRECY
Chapter 2
I just blinked. I couldn't comprehend what my eldest step-brother had just told me. It was too surreal. It was . . . too good to be true.
"What?" was what ended up coming out of my mouth.
Jake rolled his eyes. "Jesse's moving back, Suze. He just called me an hour ago — how he knew my new number is a mystery to me — but anyway, isn't it great? After all these years?"
I blinked again. "You're serious?" I didn't want to get my hopes up. The thought of one of my best friends coming back after all these years . . . I just didn't want to jinx it.
"Yes, for Christ's sake!" he yelled.
Then my face broke out into a huge smile. And, well, the thing I did next surprised me. And Jake, too, apparently. But it was because I was under the influence of happiness and I wasn't thinking, okay?
Or, that's what I hope it was.
I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him. And, in the heat of the moment, he hugged me back. Then, as soon as we both realized what was happening, we both pulled away. I coughed and muttered some kind of apology.
I just . . . I couldn't believe it. It's been, what, five years? I mean, excuse me for being all happy-go-lucky. You would be too.
(A/N: Oh, I would, if I knew Jesse was coming to see me. But, well, that's different from what Suze is feeling. For now. Hehe.)
I looked up at Jake in giddiness. "When?" I asked.
He smiled. "Tomorrow."
If its even possible, my grin widened even more. Then I proceeded to jump up and down and scream, "Oh, my God!" over and over again.
Okay. You can stop laughing now.
I'm serious.
Then I stopped jumping up and down and looked at Jake. "Oh, my God. I have to get him something. What should I get him?"
Jake just rolled his eyes. "Suze, you don't have to get him anything. I'm sure he won't care."
I shook my head. "No, I need to. I - what should I get him?" I repeated.
He rolled his eyes again. "God, I don't know, Suze. A book, maybe? I remember he always used to read a lot, even when we were kids."
I beamed. "Great! Thanks! Now, get out, I'm going to take a shower."
He blinked and then shook his head. "I'll never understand you," he muttered and walked out the door.
- § -
The lady at the bookstore just blinked at me. "Hon, there are quite a few books here to choose from."
"Yeah, I can see that," I said.
"Well, what's this man interested in?" she asked. "The man you're getting the book for."
Oh, God. How the hell am I supposed to know? I haven't seen him in a helluva long time. How the hell am I supposed to keep up with his reading preferences.
I tried to think. What was that one book he kept telling me about when we were ten? That book that looked like it was as thick as all of my textbooks and CeeCee's and Adam's textbooks put together? Something, something Plato?
Oh, come on, brain! When I want you to work, you don't; but when I don't need you to, you do.
Then it came to me. I looked at the lady. "Never mind. Can you just tell me where I could find a copy of Critical Theory Since Plato?"
She looked at me like I had three heads. "Wow. This man of yours isn't really into light reading, huh?"
This man of mine? Somehow that didn't sound so bad. But . . .
EW! No, this was one of my best friends! He could practically be my brother! If, you know, we were related.
I nodded, not even bothering to correct her, and she led me to an aisle where there were plenty of extremely thick books. And then I saw it sitting there on the shelf. Just as I remember it in Jesse's hands.
Only a little less worn.
I grabbed it and followed the lady back up to the register. When I looked at the total on the register, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.
That much for a frigging book? If you want people to read, why the hell do you make the books cost so damn much?
I sighed resignedly and took out my wallet. I opened it up and handed the woman a fifty. I'm not even going to tell you how much change I got back. It wasn't enough, though. That much I knew.
Stupid Plato and his stupid book.
I went home and wrapped the present. Only, well, the wrapping paper wasn't really the right occasion, but whatever. It said 'Happy Birthday!' all over it, but hopefully Jesse would ignore that and not mock me for it, like I knew he would.
Then I thought of something. I had to buy him a chocolate bar to go with this. Not just any chocolate bar, either. It had to be a Wonka bar.
It was sort of a joke from when we were little. Whenever we went to the store with our mothers, we insisted on getting Wonka bars instead of regular old Hershey bars. My mom always just shook her head and bought it.
The only reason we insisted on getting them was that we absolutely adored the Willy Wonka movie when we were little, and we thought that if we bought Wonka bars, we could get a golden ticket, too. Then I realized that it was just a movie and it couldn't happen.
But, anyway, it was for the joke's sake, okay? So, that's why I was getting a Wonka bar for him. Hopefully he would remember and not think I was crazy for buying him chocolate.
So I went out to the store to get the chocolate bar for him. When I got back, I wrapped that too and put it on top of the book and tie the two together with some ribbon I found.
Hm. I did a pretty good job on this. Maybe I could go into the gift wrapping business or something.
I put the present on my desk and went to go into Jake's room. I knocked on his door and he said to come in.
"So," I said, leaning against the doorframe. "What time is he coming tomorrow?"
Jake looked up from where he was reading from his history book. "He said his flight is supposed to come in around two tomorrow, but he's gotta unpack and everything, you know."
"Okay, let me rephrase. What time is he coming here tomorrow?"
He smiled for some reason. "Not really sure. Maybe around five, I think."
I nodded. "Alright, then. Thanks."
"Not so fast," Jake said.
I turned around. "What?" I asked.
He smiled again. "What did you get him?"
"Okay, don't laugh. I didn't know what to get him, so I got him that Critical Theory Since Plato book thing. I remember he always used to run around and tell me all about it and I'd tell him to shut up 'cause it was boring." I laughed at the memory.
"Ha, I remember that," Jake laughed. "Good choice." He paused. "You know, I was talking to his sister a little while ago, and she tells me that our Jesse was quite the heartbreaker back at his old school."
I snorted. "Jesse? Oh, jeez, she can't be serious. Who was it? Marta?"
He nodded. "Well, we'll just have to wait and find out, right?"
I nodded. But the thing is, I didn't want to wait. I wanted Jesse here, now. I wanted to go down to the beach and build sand castles like we always used to do. Sure, we were older now, but it seems as appealing now as it did back then.
- § -
The whole next morning and afternoon went by so slow. I just wanted to scream.
But then four o' clock finally rolled around and I decided to take a swim in the pool Andy built last summer, to pass the time.
So I threw on my swimsuit and did a few laps in the pool. When I was done with that, I just grabbed a raft and floated.
I must have fallen asleep, because I was stirred when I heard Jake calling my name. I opened my eyes and looked around, realizing I was still lying in the pool.
I got out and dried myself off and was about to go back inside when Jake walked out back to where I was. Following him was David, Brad, my mom, Andy, and . . .
I stared in shock, my jaw ajar. No . . . could it? Could that really be him?
You know, I was talking to his sister a little while ago, and she tells me that our Jesse was quite the heartbreaker back at his old school.
"Suze," Jake said, "Jesse's here."
I think I all ready realized that, dumbass.
I closed my mouth and looked at Jesse again. Man, had he changed.
No wonder Marta said he was a heartbreaker.
A/N: Okay, so that was chappie 2, now review?