Chapter 19 (Jasmine)

He said he wanted to check something he'll be here soon and indeed he was.

He walked into the room and I swear everything went still, I thought Parker looked nice but Jared looked wow. "I know right", Priscilla whispered into my ear, I may have said that out loud. Well you guys ready to go or what he said as though he hadn't noticed the atmosphere in the room. "Well, handsome prince, maybe you want to invite your princess to prom in a nicer way", Priscilla said as she moved away from me to hold Jared's ear.

"Oh yeah sorry" he said and walked to me who was busy pretending to not have seen his exchange with Priscilla. "Um...Ja...Jasmine", I don't get why he's nervous like I'm some stranger. "God what is this a teen romance movie, I already know I'm going to the prom with you why are you stuttering", I chuckled and just placed my hand in his," I'm ready to go anytime kind prince" I said and we both laughed.

"Before we go I think I should speak to your mom first you know, since I'm taking her daughter out and all, I'll be back soon my dear" he winked at me and walked into the kitchen where my mother had returned to leaving me a blushing mess.

Jared returned with my mom, God knows what they were talking about that had them laughing so much. "Well you guys have fun", my mom patted his back as he walked back to me and took my hand in his, "You guys look really this evening", my mom said to us, "I know right, you have a really good looking son-in-law" Priscilla butted in.

I didn't get what she was saying immediately and you should be sure that I looked like a tomato when I finally got it. I looked at her and she had a mischievous grin while my mom smiled warmly at us. "Please bring my girls back on time and take care okay" she said and escorted us out the door. This prom is no different from any other, true, I've never been but I always hear stories so at least I know what to expect. We sat in the limo and chatted on our way to the school.

We could hear the music as we approached the school. There was a red carpet and we had to walk the carpet, take a picture and show our ID, take a tag and then get inside. The prom committee added the ID check and tag to make sure that anyone that came in was a student and also that nothing bad happened so we were all safe.

"Okay everyone can go do their thing and we meet up here at the end. If anyone has to go home earlier inform at least one of us and then we can help you go", Priscilla said the moment we got inside. "Now that that's settled we can split up. Please have fun out there I don't want to meet you all gloomy after this and you're not allowed to leave before one hour got it?" she directed at me, after all I was the one who was uncomfortable, Yes ma'am Jared said and she pulled Parker away to talk to some other people in our class.

"Okay, now what do you want to do?" I asked Jared he was the one who convinced me to come after all, "Let's get punch first", he said and dragged me to the punch bowl. He asked the people in charge for two cups and then tasted mine. He smiled to show it was okay and then gave it to me. "Woah, I like your dress", one girl approached me from behind, "Th...thank you, yours is nice too" I complimented a bit shocked.

"You're in my chemistry class, do you remember me?", "I think I do, you're Susana right?" I asked with a smile "Oh its Stacy but that's okay and you're Jasmine", "Yeah, I'm sure everyone in our year knows me by now", I said with a sad smile. Honestly I didn't want to talk about it, "Oh yeah, I'm sorry that you had to go through that" she said with a sad smile.

"Oh you don't have to apologize I'm getting better anyway", she smiled "I know you'll be fine. Have fun", she said and walked away with her punch, I'll see you around she waved at me and left. "Well, see who's already making friends", Jared smiled from behind me, for a moment I forgot he was there. "She came up to me, I was being nice that's all", "Well if you say so princess", we walked around and spoke to some people I couldn't really dance because of my leg but Jared convinced me to slow dance with him when the music started playing.

We were still dancing, well it looked like that but actually we were just looking at the people around us and laughing, until someone tapped me from behind. "Um...can I...um...talk to you" Miranda said. That girl really has some nerve to come back again after I told her I didn't want to talk the first time, "I'm not sure I want to talk to you Miranda", I said in a tone that surprised even me, "Princess, I think maybe you should give her a chance to explain", Jared whispered to me and I turned to him, "Jared what is there to explain? I don't need to hear how she planned to get me raped...", "I know but at least hear what she has to say, even if you don't want to".

"Look at it this way, after tomorrow you'll be done with highschool and you can put all this behind you so please, just resolve whatever you have with her so you can at least finish with no grudges. Also, don't you think she'll be relieved because she got to explain herself? Isn't that a good thing huh?", "But Jared..." he cut me off "No buts. Just hear her out and if it makes you feel any better I'll be around so she doesn't do anything to you, okay?" he convinced me and I turned back to her "Fine, I'll talk to you but lets get seated first my legs are starting to hurt", I said and we made our way to the seats at the back of the room with Jared holding my hand.

He knew that I was nervous and squeezed my hand to encourage me. He sat away because he wanted us to settle this ourselves but I could still see him watching us from where we sat.

Jared better be right about this. I feel very uncomfortable sitting with her and the tension is just too much. I hope I feel better after this because I'm already getting the urge to leave. At first I was angry at her for what she did but now I'm just disappointed and sad that my best friend would do that to me and come to think of it I'm kinda curious, "Why?" I asked her finally.

We had been sitting around for almost five minutes and I was getting slightly annoyed that she asked me to talk and she's just sitting there fiddling with her dress. "Huh..." she looked up at me, "Why did you do that? Why did you drug me? Why did you leave me alone with him? You didn't you even try to get help, why did you do that to me Miranda?" the mere memory of that night made me want to tear up. "Jasmine I swear I'm very sorry...", "I didn't ask you to apologize Miranda, I asked you a simple question, why?" I said raising my voice but I lowered it when I realized I was almost screaming.

"I didn't plan to drug you I swear. Emmett gave me the drink and asked me to give it to you. You know that since we got to final year he was always hovering around you and...and I was um...kinda jealous because you seemed to be getting all the attention and you weren't really giving him the time of day.

So when he asked me to invite you to the party...", "Wait, he asked you to invite me? Are you for real Miranda? Have you ever been my friend huh?" I cannot believe this girl right now, when had I ever not been a good friend? I realized that my breathing was becoming uneven so I tried to calm down. "Calm down Jasmine, calm down" I quietly whispered to myself and wiped off my tears before looking back at her, "So you convinced me to go to the party?", "a...a...and... he made a few moves and you still wouldn't mind him so he asked me to give you the drink an...and at first I didn't think anything of it.

But then I was watching you from inside and you seemed a little off' I looked at her when she stopped "...Yes continue" my voice shook a bit as the image of me going unconscious played in my head and fresh tears began to flow, "Before I could get to you he did and when I followed him into the room, he asked me to leave or he was going to tell my mom that I had sneaked out to attend the party so I left" she said while sobbing and I was really getting annoyed.

"How dare her cry after putting me through so much pain. So you sold me out because you didn't want to get grounded for what a week or two?" I questioned with a sarcastic tone, "It's not like that...", "Then tell me what it's like Miranda, tell me please because I'm having trouble understanding how my best friend would invite me to a party that she wasn't allowed to attend to get raped by a boy she knew I didn't like". I screamed at her and this time I didn't hold back my tears I was breathing heavily and that tingling feeling I used to get where it felt like something was walking on me was back. "I don't know why I agreed to talk to you, you're a horrible person" I screamed at her.

Jared came over I guess he heard my screams, he immediately hugged me, "It's okay princess, I'm here nothing is going to happen to you", I looked back at Miranda and she was walking towards me, "Don't come near me", I screamed again moving out of Jared's grip and tried to walk away from her. "I'm very sorry Jasmine, I hope you can forgive me someday.

I didn't mean for anything to happen to you" she said and walked away still crying, such a pretender. I tried to walk away too but Jared hugged me again from behind," I shouldn't have made you talk to her. You were not ready, I'm sorry princess", "No its not your fault and I got to find out how horrible she actually is. Right now I just want to go home and stay in my room", I was emotionally drained .

"Oh no we can't go yet", I looked at him with a shock face as I wiped off my tears. "Come on let's go he let me go and held my hand and we walked out of the hall in the direction of the classrooms. He entered a random class that had the streetlight streaming into the class." I can't let you go home with a sad memory of prom" he placed his phone on the teachers table and started playing a slow instrumental.

"Whenever I feel sad or stressed I listen to an instrumental and I feel better maybe it'll help you too", he walked to me and hugged me again and we swayed to the music." Feeling better now?" he asked after a while, "I always feel better around you instrumental or no instrumental" I said with a smile, "Good to hear princess", he said and kissed my forehead and we continued to move around with me melting in his embrace.