SECRECY

Chapter 4

School. Its mandatory but we all hate it. That's life, I guess, right?

So, yeah, school was starting tomorrow. CeeCee and I planned to go out to some stores to get back-to-school clothes. You know, without Adam. But, Adam being Adam, he wormed his way into coming. Not that CeeCee minded or anything. Just another chance for her to make-out with him while I stalked away disgustedly.

I mean, sure, I was happy for them and everything, but they didn't have to go and shove their tongues in each others' mouths while I was present. They really don't realize how gross they can be at times.

My mom drove us to these outlets in the next town over. I absolutely despise malls, so outlet stores would have to do. If I had to, I would go into a mall, but not unless I absolutely had to.

"Come on, Suze," CeeCee said, pulling me toward her favorite store. Adam went off somewhere to shop by himself for a while. You know, 'cause shopping with us is so horrid.

"Hold on," I said. I put my head in the window to grab the money my mom was dangling between her fingers. I snatched it, said a quick, "thanks," and ran off with Cee toward the Delia's that was conveniently located right in front of us.

Apparently there was a sale going on, so, you know, we did what girls do when there's a sale: buy the whole store out.

When I was on line for check out, I thought I heard someone say my name. I know it wasn't CeeCee, because it was nothing like her voice, and she had gone off anyway and would've just called my cell to figure out where I was instead of going to look for me.

Curiously, I turned around and saw a beautiful girl with sleek, long black hair, deep brown eyes, and very tan skin. She must have been Hispanic.

Wait a second. She looks familiar . . .

"Marta?" I asked disbelievingly.

Her face immediately lit up. "Oh, my God, it is you!" she exclaimed. She ran over to me and gave me a huge hug.

When she pulled away, I took a good look at her and said, "Wow. You look good."

She grinned. "You do, too." I blushed at the compliment. I wasn't quite sure if she really meant it, because she looked like a super model in comparison to me. She laughed. "Now I know why Jesse was—" she stopped abruptly and shook her head.

"Why Jesse was what?" I asked curiously.

"Never mind," she said. "So, what's new with you? It seems like forever since I've last seen you."

I blinked. I let the thing with Jesse slide and answered her question. "Not much, actually."

She looked at me weirdly. "That's it? There's, like, no guy or something to brag about?"

I blinked again. Guy? Wow, she was sadly mistaken. "Um, no. I don't have a boyfriend."

She dropped the subject immediately. She kind of looked embarrassed now, actually. And I felt bad, because it was kind of my fault that she was embarrassed.

"Miss?"

I turned around. Oh, yeah, I was still in line, and apparently next. I went over to the register and bought my stuff, which totaled to about half of what my mom gave me.

I guess you're kind of wondering where in the hell CeeCee is. Well, she went off to find Adam, because she claimed that I took too long to pick my stuff out.

Well, excuse me. I like to make sure my clothes look good on me before I actually buy them. I hate returning stuff. It's a waste of my time. Not that I have much of a life as it is anyway.

I waited for Marta to pay for her stuff and walked out of the store with her. We started walking to where I assumed CeeCee and Adam were. The Rain Forest Café.

"So," I said. "Is, uh, Jesse here somewhere?"

She turned to look at me and smiled. I wasn't quite sure what she was about at the time, but thinking back on it now, I was kind of obvious about everything. "Yeah. He refused to go shopping with me, so he went to get some lunch while I shopped."

I laughed. "Yeah, that sounds like him all right." I paused. "What about your other sisters?"

She laughed too. "They're out shopping with my mom somewhere. I figured I'd go with Jesse for school shopping, since it would be less of a hassle. Of course my sisters wanted me there to help them pick out their school clothes, but whatever. They can deal without me."

If it was possible, I think she talked even faster than me. But I usually just do it when I'm nervous or anxious. She just . . . does it.

I blinked. "Okay."

She laughed again. "Sorry," she said. Then she changed the subject. "So, how're your step-brothers? And your mom and Andy?"

"They're all good and well. Not really much to say about them, really." I didn't really know what to say. I wasn't really into my step-brothers' personal lives, but they seemed okay to me. And my mom and Andy were as happy as they always were. There wasn't really much I could tell her.

"Okay," she said. "Well, then, how are you? Got any crushes or anything? I'm gonna be going to your school, so I should know about all the hot guys that go there."

I laughed. "Actually, no. I'm not really into the guys at my school. I mean, yeah, sure, some of them are really hot, but I just can't imagine myself with them. But, I will point out a few of the hotties when I see you in school."

She grinned. "Sounds like a plan."

Soon enough, we arrived at the Rain Forest Café that was the central eating place at the outlet stores. I looked around, seeing if I could spot CeeCee and Adam, if they had come in here at all. I caught a glimpse of some really, really white-blonde hair and immediately knew that was CeeCee. You couldn't miss her hair for anything.

I gestured to Marta to follow me. "Hey," I said, pulling up a chair at their table. "Way to wait for me, you guys."

CeeCee looked up at me. "Well, sor-ry," she said, mocking some of those preppy girls from school.

I just smiled and shook my head. "Come on, Marta. Grab a chair." She did and sat right next to me.

I started giggling when I saw the look Adam was giving Marta. I felt like that was a good time to introduce her to them. "Adam, CeeCee, this is Marta. Marta, these are two of my best friends, Adam and CeeCee."

She smiled and shook their hands. Adam was still looking at her, wide-eyed. CeeCee just smacked him in the back of the head, which resulted in his eyes returning back to normal size again. "Jeez, Suze," he said. "Bring over the super model, why don't you?"

Marta laughed. "Please, I'm no super model," she said.

Adam just grinned. "I beg to differ."

CeeCee smacked him again and he shut up, but not before letting out a very obnoxious, loud, "OW!"

"So," CeeCee said conversationally. "How do you two know each other?"

I looked at Marta and she looked back at me. "Um, well," I said. I wasn't really sure how to explain it, since CeeCee and Adam didn't even know who Jesse was, so I couldn't just say she was Jesse's sister or anything . . . "You know how I told you I used to have a best friend here but he moved away?"

CeeCee nodded. "Yeah . . ."

"Well, he came back a few days ago. And this is one of his younger sisters."

"There are more of you?" Adam asked incredulously.

"Adam, shut UP!" CeeCee yelled at him.

I laughed. God, they were so funny. They fought a lot like this, but you knew they were absolutely perfect for each other.

Right then, Marta's cell phone rang. "Oh, sorry," she apologized. She took out her phone and answered it politely.

"Oh, hi, Jesse," she said. And, for some odd reason, my heart fluttered a bit. Just hearing his name did that to me. Okay, this is weird . . . "Yeah, sure," she said. "We're in the café . . . we as in Suze and two of her friends . . . yes, Jesse . . . okay, see ya then," and she hung up.

"Jesse's gonna come over here in a few minutes," she announced after she hung up on him. Then she added, "GOD, he can be so annoying sometimes. Too overprotective."

I laughed. "He seems the type. Although, he really has changed a lot over the years, so I really don't know anymore."

"Oh, no," she said, grinning maliciously. "He's still the same little Jesse that likes to pull down his pants in front of you."

My eyes widened considerably. Oh, my God. I cannot believe she just said that. And in front of CeeCee and Adam of all people! Oh, they'll never let me live this down. "Marta!" I exclaimed.

CeeCee giggled. "You never told us, Suze." And then Adam said, "And I thought you were a virgin!"

I glared at both of them from across the table. "Oh, shut up," I snapped. "We were, like, eight, okay?"

They all laughed at me. Yes, at me, not with me.

Mean people.

"Sorry, Suze," Marta said, still grinning, "it just slipped out."

I rolled my eyes. "Bull shit it did," I said. But I wasn't being serious. I honestly didn't really care. I mean, it was kind of funny and all, and . . . well, just a tad bit embarrassing.

CeeCee was still grinning, trying not to burst into laughter. And I knew Adam was trying to make himself not say anything else about. The inner battle must have been very fierce.

Just as Adam's inner battle was lost and we was about to say something, I heard a cool, slightly accented voice from behind us. And by the look CeeCee was giving him, I knew he must be really hot.

I recognized the voice as none other than Jesse de Silva. "Susannah, I didn't think I'd see you here . . ."

I turned around and flashed him a smile. "Didn't think or was hoping?" I asked.

He just rolled his eyes. "After all these years, you haven't changed a bit. Well, personality-wise, I mean."

I cocked my head to the side and let my arm rest atop the back of the chair. "Oh? And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I think you know what it means," he said.

"I—" Well, I was going to say something, until I was so rudely interrupted. And it wasn't even by Jesse either.

"As much as I'd love to hear you two bicker all day, I am kind of wondering who the hell this guy is, Suze." I turned around to see CeeCee cocking one eyebrow and smirking.

"Fine," I said. "CeeCee, Adam, this is Jesse, the—"

"The one who pulled his pants down in front of you?" she asked nonchalantly.

Oh, I am so going to kill her.

I was afraid to look back at Jesse, afraid of his reaction. But when I peeked a look at his face, I was surprised to see that it was bright red.

Oh my freaking God. Jesse was embarrassed.

All I could do was point at Marta and try and keep myself from laughing. Although, I'm sure my face showed that I so desperately wanted to — but shouldn't — laugh.

Everyone was laughing but Jesse and I. After all, the joke was on us. Literally.

But I couldn't hold it in anymore. So, I let out a huge laugh. The laugh was more like a guffaw and just a little humiliating. But not as embarrassed as Jesse must have felt right now.

I clammed up soon, though, when I saw that Jesse was looking a little too embarrassed. So, I stood up, patted him on the shoulder — which also merited a weird look from him — and got him a chair to sit down in.

"Jesse," I said. "Come on, loosen up a little. I wasn't even the one who said it; it was you're ever-so-lovely sister here."

He just shook his head and sat down in the chair I provided for him. I sat down too, and gave CeeCee a look that said, "You. Are. Dead." Needless to say, she shut up for the rest of the time we were there.

- § -

"Suze, you coming with us?"

CeeCee and Adam were getting in CeeCee's mom's car. CeeCee's mom, obviously, was here to pick us up and drive us home. That's how we arranged it, at least.

I looked back at Jesse and Marta, who were looking at me expectantly.

"Nah," I said, turning back to CeeCee and answering her question. "I think I'm gonna catch a ride with Jesse and Marta. I'll see you guys later, though?"

CeeCee nodded and Adam said, "Of course," and then CeeCee's mom drove off.

I went back and started walking with Jesse and Marta toward Jesse's car. I walked next to Marta, since walking next to Jesse seemed a little awkward, with what happened today and all. I mean, it shouldn't have bothered me, but it did. Not a lot, but, you know, it still did.

"So," Marta said, "that was . . . interesting."

Jesse and I exchanged looks. I would say it was more than interesting. Fascinating, really. Fascinating how embarrassing it was.

Although, it was still funny. I know looking back on that day I would be laughing my ass off. Well, maybe not laughing that much, but it would still merit a few laughs — or giggles, depending on the mood.

We arrived at his car. He unlocked the doors and opened up the doors for us, being the gentleman he is. I smiled at him and climbed in the back seat.

When he dropped me off at my house, they both said their goodbyes to me and Marta said, "See ya in school tomorrow! And don't forget our deal!"

I just shook my head and walked in my house.

What a day that was.

Disclaimer: The Mediator characters belong to Meg Cabot, not me.

A/N: I realized that I used the word 'really' a lot in this chapter. I didn't mean to, but once I realized it, I didn't really (see?) feel like changing it. But anyway, please review. Lots.