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“Whatever,” I grumble. I hate having this secret. “I’ll text you later to let you know what’s up.” Before he says anything else, I hang up.
The drive home is quicker than what I’d consider safe. My heart’s beating a mile a minute as I walk into the house and straight to Jasmine’s room, taking the stairs two at a time.
“Jaz?” I knock on her door. She doesn’t answer, but I can hear muffled noises on the other side. “Jaz, I know you’re in there. I can hear you. Are you all right?” I don’t wait this time. I turn the knob and enter.
She’s sitting on her window seat, eyes distant, watching the trees sway in the breeze, hiding her face with her long raven hair. My heart achingly shudders because I know she’s crying. She always hides from me when she cries.
I slowly approach, sliding my fingers down her arm when I reach her. Her shoulders shake more with the touch. “Jaz, what happened?”
She sniffles and takes a moment to gather herself before looking up. Her eyes are red-rimmed and swollen. She hasn’t uttered a word, but whatever happened is bad. She rarely cries when Margret yells, and even if she does, never this hard.
“She… she yelled at me in front of Marisol,” she sniffles again. “She said I was disgusting, that I smelled, and it’s why I’ve never had a boyfriend. Nobody wants to smell a dirty pig like me.”
My arms wrap around her immediately and pull her close. “You know better than to listen to her.”
“I know. It wasn’t really what she said, but that she said it in front of Marisol. I don’t want them to know any more than they already do. I don’t want either of them to feel sorry for me, and I know she’ll tell Alex.” She wipes the last of her tears off her cheeks using my shirt.
Margret pisses me off more with each passing day. “You want to watch a few movies tonight, or go to a party with me and Alex?”
“I don’t know,” she whines.
“Come on, Jaz. I’ll even stay sober so you can drink.” I raise my eyebrows up and down in a silent challenge. She never drinks. “It’ll be fun.”
“All right. When are we leaving?” she asks as she pulls herself together, sounding determined to move on with her night.
Great. What did I get myself into? “Just promise me you’ll have a good time.”
“I will.” Her eyes are sparkling. I really don’t like where this is heading.
“I’ll let Alex know we’ll be ready by nine.” I know I’m asking for a world of trouble with that look in her eyes, but it’ll be completely worth it to see her happy.
“Okay. I need to find something to wear.” She hops up to go through her clothes. “Is Marisol coming?”
“I don’t think so. You know she doesn’t enjoy going out.”
“I’ve tried to talk her into going before; she just doesn’t get along with a lot of the people you hang out with. They only put up with me because I’m there with you. Otherwise, they wouldn’t let me through the door.” She smiles over her shoulder, not caring in the least whether my friends like her.
“Now you’re just being ridiculous.”
“No, Jace, I’m being real.” I know she’s right. I just don’t want to admit that the people I hang out with grow vainer and irritating with every year that passes.
I stand to leave. “Oh, and by the way, shower first. You’re stinking up your room.” A deep belly laugh erupts out of me as I dodge the clothes hanger she throws across the room. “Be ready by nine,” I holler as I make my way to my room.
~~~~~
Jasmine’s ready and dressed by nine sharp. She may only wear jeans and a shirt, but that doesn’t hide the curves she’s showing off.
“What the hell are you wearing?” I ask accusingly.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“You should put on a hoodie or something. I have one at the end of my bed. Grab it and we’ll go.” I turn to grab water from the fridge.
“Jace,” she growls, “I don’t want to wear your stinky hoodie. I look fine.” She glances down at herself, insecurity showing all over her face.
I sigh. She looks fine. I just don’t want any of my horny friends to get any ideas.
“Fine… whatever.”
