Chapter 54

I straightened from my slump against the door and looked at my father. He seemed more nervous than when I got his lame birds and bees talk, but I suspected my mother had put him up to this. “No, Dad.”

“Your mother is worried about you. She’s been working a lot, and thought maybe—”

“Dad, I promise, I’m fine. Please tell her there isn’t anything to worry about. I’m fine with her being gone more. It’s the holidays, I understand, and I’m not doing drugs, definitely not. She has nothing to worry about.”

“Okay, but don’t forget you can always talk to us.” My father turned abruptly into the school parking lot. “About anything. Okay?”

“I know, and I will, but there’s nothing to worry about. Thanks for the ride.” I jumped out and closed the door before my father could add anything.

It was better that my dad got stuck with the, are you on drugs talk, because he didn’t overreact like my mother. I was grateful they cared enough to notice I slept in my clothes and had red eyes, but I sure wasn’t going to tell them I had been crying with one of my two girlfriends?

How should I react to finding out my girlfriend’s cousin was really her sister, I wondered during math class? Then, I asked myself fifty other questions I couldn’t answer. There were too many things on my mind, and it was going to hurt my grades unless I—What? Suddenly, drugs didn’t seem like such a bad problem to have.

After third period, I ran into Jasmine in the hallway. Without thinking, I hugged her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine,” Jasmine said and gave me an even bigger hug. “I would have hugged you first if you hadn’t beat me to it.”

I knew the big smile on Jasmine’s face was a front. She hid behind that happy, I’m great, I got it going on persona. I held her hand and leaned back against the lockers. “Are you alright? How’s Susan? I know how upset she was last time your dad...”

Jasmine waited patiently until I finished and said, “Stop asking so many questions at one time.” A more genuine smirk appeared. “You’re spending too much time with Susan. She never waits for an answer, either.”

“Sorry. How is she?”

“She’s gonna make it. She’s strong, but she needs... “ The first bell rang. “Shoot, we don’t have time now. Meet me for lunch.”

“Sure, yeah, of course, that’d be great.” I sounded like an over-excited dweeb, but I was a freshman talking to the hottest girl in school while people I knew passed and saw me holding Jasmine’s hand.

“Don’t get so excited. I’m the lucky one, lucky to have you.” Jasmine’s lips seemed sweeter in the presence of my peers.

After she walked away, a friend rushed over. “Dude, now you got some explaining to do. That load of crap you gave me last time isn’t going to fly this time. You just kissed Jasmine Davis in the main corridor. People noticed, you better have something for me after school.”

“Yeah, sure, Bill,” I said. “Gotta go. Later.” I might have been troubled by my friend’s presumptions, or his expectations, like I had been before Thanksgiving, but today there was a no vacancy sign on my head.

Outside the cafeteria, waiting for Jasmine, thoughts flooded my brain. I knew people had spoken to me, but I couldn’t remember one thing they said. Then, after five minutes, all my freshman insecurities returned. She’s not coming. You’re going to sit here like a dumb ass, and Jasmine is never going to come.

“Hey, sorry I’m late. My teacher made me stay so he could talk about my missing homework. Jeez, you’d think I was stoned or something with all the questions about how everything was. I think they have gone too far with this new teacher awareness crap.” Jasmine released an uncharacteristic huff.

“Don’t feel bad, not only did I get it from my teacher about being late, my dad asked if I was on drugs.” The word dad replayed in my brain, and Jasmine’s glistening eyes confirmed I had been insensitive.

I plowed on, hoping to shift the focus and explained everything, including my mom finding me sleeping in my clothes. “Come on, let’s get something that’s not turkey.” I almost said shit as I grabbed Jasmine’s arm and pulled her towards the door. Maybe she didn’t miss the turkey dinner and turkey leftovers? I wished I could never say anything that might upset her again.

“Hey, maybe we can help each other pass our finals?” I wasn’t joking, just making small talk, but Jasmine laughed anyway.

“Oh yeah, I heard you were a great teacher, but I don’t think the things you taught Susan will be on any of my finals. Although, I’m not totally rejecting the idea of studying with you.” Jasmine’s smile was weak at best, but I could tell it was heart-felt.

We walked to the back side of the thick crop of trees that sat in the middle of a large grassy area outside the cafeteria. “I’m so glad it’s sunny today. Yesterday, was the grayest day,” Jasmine said and leaned back against a tree without finishing her thought.

I looked at the beautiful young lady sitting on the grass and my appetite was consumed by butterflies in my stomach. The sun sparkled in Jasmine’s blond hair. I noticed a few tiny freckles under her eyes that I had never seen before. My nerves tingled and my heart fluttered like I was seeing a gorgeous girl for the first time. Somehow, in her broken state, Jasmine had become a fragile flower and not a goddess. My heart is speaking to me, isn’t it?