Jazmine placed another bobby pin in her hair, forcing another curl into place. She squirted some hair product onto her hands, massaged them together, and then began running them up along the backside of her hair in an upwards motion. She proceeded to pull at the top of her hair, where her curls were, fluffing her hair up slightly. She had small ringlets hanging loose just in front of her ears, and had laid her baby hairs down perfectly. She took a small, dense brush and smoothed it over her baby hairs once more as precaution.
Cindy released a strand of hair from her curling wand and pulled it away, allowing the strand of hair to fall in front of her shoulder in a tight curl. She sprayed it with a few spritz of hairspray before moving on to her final section. Once she was done, she ran her fingers through her curls, loosening them up a bit more for a bouncy, "effortless" look. Her now curly hair shaped her face perfectly, with little need for touch ups or a second look. She stood up and made her way over to where her dress was, hanging in Jazmine's closet.
Cindy had come over to Jazmine's house that Saturday afternoon to get ready for homecoming. She and Jazmine had gone earlier to get their makeup done professionally by a family friend of Jazmine's that gave them both discounts for the services. They had resolved to doing their own hair at Jazmine's house before slipping into their carefully selected dresses. Cindy's was a two-piece dress that was a crimson red color. The top was halter-style with glittery sequins adorning it with intricate designs. The skirt had a glittery "belt" and stopped around her ankles in a form fitting style. She had gotten silver heels and earrings to accent the dress.
Jazmine's dress was a little more "out there". Jazmine was not one to wear over-the-top clothes for formal occasions, but when Cindy had first spotted the dress in a sales window, she had practically forced Jazmine to try it on. Of course, Jazmine complied, and while she did fall in love with the dress, she felt it was a little too extravagant for homecoming. Nonetheless, Cindy had already been waiting in line, dress in hand, prepared to purchase it herself, to which Jazmine stopped her and paid for the entirety of the dress.
Jazmine's dress was a dark purple one piece that reached her ankles. It was form fitting, like Cindy's, and hugged her body tightly. It had thin straps and a borderline appropriate plunge that was deep enough to show off enough cleavage. The deal breaker for Cindy had been the back of the dress, which was cut low, stopping just above where her bellybutton would be had it been in the front. The dress was solid color, but had glittery sequins along the straps. It was simple, but it made a bold statement that Jazmine was not used to.
Jazmine helped Cindy into her dress before having Cindy help her slip into her own. Once the dresses were on, all they needed were the accessories and shoes. Cindy pulled on her heels and was at least four to five inches taller than normal, making her look like a goddess. Jazmine pulled on her shoes, and also gained a few more inches to her height. However, she was still nowhere near Cindy's goddess-level height.
"Are you ready? "Cindy asked, nudging Jazmine's side. Jazmine only stared at herself pointedly in her full length mirror, "Are you sure about this dress? "she then asked absently, "Don't you think it's a little too revealing for homecoming, Cin? "
Cindy rolled her eyes, "Of course not! "she replied, throwing her hands up in exasperation, "You're gonna be the best lookin' one there, and I know Huey's gonna love it. "
Jazmine smirked to herself. Cindy's phone chimed and she picked it up. She had received a text from her mother, to which she speedily replied to. Afterwards, she pulled up her Twitter and began scrolling through. She rolled her eyes when she came across a particular post from a particular photo.
Mathew had posted an update on his current plans for homecoming. It made Cindy want to puke to even see anything about him. Jazmine had told Cindy about the incident with Mathew at the game the previous day. Cindy had also thought it was odd for Mathew to be trying to come on to Jazmine when it was widely known that she and Huey were dating. Cindy despised Mathew beforehand, but now loathed him even more. He was proving to be bothersome, annoying, and suspicious.
Speaking of suspicious, Jazmine had also told Cindy about what she had witnessed between Huey and a mysterious girl in the stands. Jazmine had told her that she later found out from Huey that this mysterious girl who had tried to pry Huey's attention from Jazmine was called Lela, and that she was a new student at their school that was in one of Huey's classes. Jazmine had managed to casually get Huey to tell her that Lela was from Africa, and that she had moved to America as a young child.
"I don't like her, "Cindy announced suddenly, as if reading Jazmine's thoughts. Jazmine nodded, "I know, I don't like her either. She gives off such a weird vibe; I can't stand it. "Jazmine walked over to Cindy to help her slip into her dress, and Cindy did the same for Jazmine. It was a little difficult to slip into their shoes one the dresses were on, but when they had, they both gained a couple inches in height. Jazmine walked back over to her vanity to pick up a perfume and spritz a little on her. She passed it to Cindy, who did the same. They helped each other pull on their necklaces and earrings, before finally standing in front of Jazmine's full length mirror to admire their work.
"Well I think we look poppin', "Cindy said, flipping a curled piece of hair over her shoulder. Jazmine nodded, "I can't wait for Huey to see this, "she blushed slightly at the large dip in the front of her dress, but she forced herself to turn away so Cindy wouldn't notice.
"What time is it? "Cindy asked, looking at her phone to answer her own question. Her long nails clicked against the screen in a satisfying noise. Both girls had gotten their nails done: Jazmine's purple, Cindy's white. "It's almost 6, "Cindy said, "They should be getting here soon…, "
At her words, a knock came at the door. Cindy squealed and lunged over to the bed to grab her purse and phone, "Cindy, be careful! "Jazmine gasped, worried about Cindy's new dress. Cindy slung her purse over her shoulder, phone in hand, "Are you gonna get yours or what? "she asked, flashing a pearly grin. Jazmine nodded, grabbing her own purse and phone and left her room with Cindy.
They made their way downstairs, where Jazmine's parents waited, "Oh, you look so beautiful honey! "Sarah sniffed, "Mom, "Jazmine groaned as her mother snapped a picture of her. Tom opened the door, revealing the two Freeman brothers. Jazmine inhaled sharply, and Cindy coughed nervously.
They had told the boys the colors of their dresses so that they could match them, but they hadn't known what they would be wearing. Riley wore a pair of black slacks with black shoes, a black bowtie, and a silky red button-down shirt. His cornrows were freshly done and pulled back out of his face. Huey wore something similar; black slacks, black shoes, a silky dark purple button-down shirt underneath a grey vest, and a black tie. He had tamed his afro slightly, although there wasn't much he could do to tame it completely.
When Huey spotted Jazmine, he felt his heartbeat quicken. Riley had the same experience when his eyes landed on Cindy. The girls approached them, equally nervous, "Well, we need to take some pictures before you go! "Mrs. Dubois announced, breaking the silence. Huey and Riley snapped out of their trance like state to look over at Mrs. Dubois, who had her phone in her hand and a smile on her face.
After a few quick pictures with each other and as couples, the four made their way out to Dorothy, Granddads car that he allowed Huey to borrow for the night. Huey opened the passenger's door for Jazmine, while Riley helped Cindy shimmy into the backseat before climbing in after her. Huey sat in the driver's seat, backed out of the driveway, and took off.
The drive there, Cindy did nothing but take pictures of herself with Riley. Jazmine giggled as Riley began groaning and complaining about Cindy's need to take a million selfies with him, but complied nonetheless. Meanwhile, Huey had casually grabbed Jazmine's hand with his own, lacing his fingers in between hers. She tightened her grip on his hand and turned to look at him. She smiled as she studied his face, and turned away when he had stopped to glance at her at a stoplight.
Finally, they reached the school. Riley helped Cindy out of the car first, allowing her to loop her arm through his and they sauntered away, never once calling out for Huey or Jazmine. The pair didn't mind; they hadn't been planning to spend the entire night with the younger couple anyways, and were fine with them walking off. Huey went around the car and opened Jazmine's door, helping her out. She caught him looking at her as she exited, feeling his eyes on her exposed skin. She smiled to herself.
He escorted her inside towards the cafeteria, where the dance was being held. Upon entering, the two were met with bright, flashing lights that changed colors. The whole cafeteria had been transformed almost overnight into a glitzy showroom. There were tables set up along the sides for people to sit at, with the center of the cafeteria having been cleared for a dancing area. Silver, purple, blue, and glitter streamers were hung from the ceiling, and the ceiling itself was almost covered with silver and purple balloons. Glitter was strewn almost everywhere, and there was little to no lights other than the multicolored flashing lights and a few over by the tables.
Upon entering, eyes averted towards them, and Huey knew that they were focused on Jazmine. There was no denying that Jazmine wore probably one of the most exquisite dresses there, and the flashiest; as they walked through the crowd, Huey had yet to find a dress quite like Jazmine's. Most of the other girls wore shorter, more subdued dresses. Sure, they still had them decked out in glitter and jewels, but none were as low cut or as revealing as Jazmine's. Huey could see some of the girls turning to look at Jazmine's and giving her sneering looks—which Huey associated with jealousy, and maybe even insecurity.
Jazmine herself felt slightly uncomfortable. This dress was entirely out of Jazmine's usual attire. She could feel people's eyes on hers as they made their way through the crowd, towards a table to eat at. Huey pulled out a chair and Jazmine sat down, thanking him. He looked over towards the food tables lined against a wall, "Are you hungry? "he asked. Jazmine thought for a moment; she was slightly hungry, but she was more nervous than anything, which overcame her need to eat. However, she decided to nod, hoping that maybe some food could ease her nerves. Huey strode over to the food tables and grabbed two plates.
Jazmine was now alone, which was something she was dreading. However, her loneliness was instantly diffused as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd.
"Ming! "she called out, waving. Ming was a yard or two away from her, on the dance floor. She wore a gold dress made entirely out of sequins. It had spaghetti straps, and had a deep slit on the left side. She had her long black hair pulled up into a bun, with a few strands hanging out that were slightly curled. In her hair, she had two golden chopsticks as accessories. She wore a pair of gold heels that made her even taller than what she already was. However, the look on her face was less than happy—Jazmine could see through her perfectly made up face that Ming was upset.
"Ming! "Jazmine called her out again. This time, Ming began searching the crowd, as she had heard her name. She finally spotted Jazmine sitting at a table, and hurried over towards her, bumping into people and apologizing.
"Ming, are you okay? "Jazmine asked, slightly worried. Ming sat down in a huff, her face slightly red from having rushed over to Jazmine, "Y-yes, "she stammered, "I'm alright, "but there was something in her tone that told Jazmine otherwise. Jazmine arched a brow, "Ming, is something wrong? You look so flustered, "she then glanced around, "where's Hiro? "
"He's almost here, "Ming answered, setting her small purse down on the table in front of her. She inhaled sharply and exhaled, "Sorry, I've just been out of breath recently. "her hands remained on her purse, almost like she was protecting it. Jazmine nodded, "Well, Huey's up, I can ask him to get you something to drink if you want, "Ming nodded, "Yes, please, that would be good. Just a water, "Jazmine nodded.
Huey returned with two plates and two bottles of water, "Huey, can you grab Ming a bottle of water? She's not feeling too well, "Jazmine asked. Huey nodded, "Yeah, of course, "he turned around to walk away once more. Jazmine turned back to Ming, but she still had the same worried expression on her face.
"Ming, are you sure you're okay? "Jazmine asked, "You don't look well, "
"I'm fine, "she said quickly, "Where's Cindy? "
"She's with Riley somewhere, "Jazmine replied, looking around, "I haven't seen her since we got into the school; she and Riley took off as soon as we'd parked. "
Huey returned with a water. Ming thanked him and took it, taking a few long sips before recapping it and placing it beside her purse. Huey sat down and began eating slowly; he could sense tension coming from both Jazmine and Ming, but he had no idea what was going on. From the look on Jazmine's face, she was just as confused as Huey.
Ming suddenly stood up, grabbing her purse, "I need to use the restroom, "she stated. Jazmine looked up at her, "Okay, do you need me to come with you? "she asked, "Ming shook her head, "No, I'm fine, thank you though, "and she darted away, weaving through the thickening crowd of teenagers.
"What's wrong with her? "Huey asked Jazmine, "She looked kinda…off, "he took a bite of his small salad. Jazmine shrugged, "I really don't know. She came over here looking flustered and kinda scared, and suddenly she looked like she was gonna puke. "
"You think she's sick? "Huey asked. Jazmine shrugged, "She might be, she wouldn't say. She kept insisting that she was fine. "
Then, the two were approached by a dressed-up Hiro. He wore a pair of grey slacks, a white, long-sleeved button-up shirt underneath a grey vest, and a gold tie. His black shoes were shiny under the lights, and he'd slicked back his black hair, "Hey guys, "he said. Hiro stood up and greeted him as they did a sort of handshake, "What's up? "Huey asked. Hiro shrugged, "Have you seen Ming? "he then asked, "We were supposed to meet at the entrance, but I couldn't find her. "
"Yeah, she went to the bathroom, "Jazmine replied, "I'm sure she'll be back in a few minutes. "Hiro nodded, and took a seat next to Huey at the table.
"Hey, is Ming sick? "Jazmine asked. Hiro arched a brow, "What? "he looked at her, confused. Jazmine only continued: "Before she went to the bathroom, Ming looked really sick. She sat down, had a drink, and looked like she was gonna throw up. "Hiro shrugged his shoulders, "Ming's been feeling bad for a few days, she told me yesterday that she thinks she has a stomach virus or something. She insisted on coming today, though. "
"Ah, "Jazmine nodded, taking a bite of her own salad, "There's food over there if you're hungry, "Jazmine pointed out. Hiro shook his head, "Nah, I'm not hungry yet. "
A minute later, Cindy and Riley had sauntered over, laughing and talking loudly. They had just finished dancing a few songs, and were worn out already, "Already tired, Cin? "Jazmine asked Cindy. Cindy only laughed as she took a seat next to Jazmine, "Boy, they're playing some fire songs. Riley and I couldn't stop dancing once we'd started! "she and Riley shared a laugh.
"Cindy, "Jazmine began casually, "can you go check on Ming? She's in the bathroom, she might be sick. "Cindy sucked in a few breaths before nodding, "Yeah, sure thing, "she said, standing up. She gave Riley a quick peck on the forehead before slowly walking away. After a few steps, Jazmine watched as Cindy removed her heels and began taking long strides the rest of the way.
As Jazmine turned her head to face her friends, she spotted a familiar, yet unwanted, person.
Lela stood off to the side, away from the crowd. she wore a long black dress with a lowcut neckline, like Jazmine's. Her dress hugged her body tightly, showing off her curves. She wore a pair of black heels to make herself even taller, and she had her hair perfectly done. She wore makeup, with long lashes and a bold, red lipstick. Her skin looked almost illuminated in the lights, and Jazmine felt slightly intimidated. She looked down at her own dress and sighed.
Huey noticed her discomfort and turned to her, "Everything okay? "he asked. Jazmine looked up with a fake smile plastered on her face, "Of course, "she lied.
Meanwhile, Cindy had made her way to the bathroom, "Ming, you in here? "she called out. There was only one other girl in the bathroom washing her hands. At Cindy's voice, she rushed out. Cindy began looking down at the bottom of the stalls, and spotted a pair of gold heels. She approached the stall door that shielded whoever wore the gold heels, and gently knocked, "Ming, are you in there? "she asked again.
She heard a hiccup, and a sigh, "Y-yes, I'm here, "Ming replied. Cindy saw the gold heels move as, what Cindy assumed, Ming stood. Cindy heard the toilet flush, and then silence. Cindy knocked again, "Hey so, Jazmine's worried about you. She said that you weren't feeling good and she sent me in here to check up on ya and make sure you're not like, throwing up or something. "
She was met with silence. Slightly annoyed, Cindy put her hands on her hips, "Ming? Why aren't you answering me? "her voice was slightly lowered.
Suddenly, Cindy heard the click of the stall's lock and the stall door opened slowly. Cindy saw Ming's face half hidden by the door as she opened it. Her cheeks were red and her brow quivered as she gripped the door so hard her knuckles turned white. Cindy's hands dropped from her hips and her annoyed expression was replaced with a concerned one, "Hey, are you okay? I can go get Hiro and he can take you home…, "she waited for a reply, but Ming only hiccupped again, "No…please, don't get Hiro, "she whispered pleadingly.
Cindy arched a brow, "Seriously Ming, what's goin' on? Why are you acting like this? Are you sick? "Cindy was trying to figure it out on her own, but couldn't.
The door to the stall opened all the way, and Ming walked out. Her facial expression was pinched, her cheeks were red, and her eyes were watery. Cindy looked down. Clutched in Ming's left hand was a gold purse with a long strap. In her right was a small ruler-like object.
"Ming, why are you carrying a ruler? "she asked, confused. Ming gave her a quizzical look and glanced down at her right hand. She then laughed slightly, but it was a sad laugh, "It-it's not a ruler, "she said.
Suddenly, it clicked.
Venus was a little depressed.
It was homecoming at Wuncler Academy, and she was stuck in the hospital. She sat upright in her bed as the TV on the other side of the room played movies given to her by her sister. On the nightstand next to her, a lamp gave off a little light, enough for Venus to see her surroundings. It was seven o'clock that Saturday evening, and all Venus could think about was what everyone else was doing at homecoming.
She had encouraged Cesar to go to homecoming, by himself or with a friendly date, while she was at the hospital. Caesar had told her no, but after a few more minutes of arguing, he seemed to give in. Venus had made him promise to take pictures of everyone there, and to tell her all about the party the next day.
Venus pushed a strand of her silver hair out of her face. Her roots were getting dark, as she had not dyed her hair in a few weeks, and now did not know when she would be able to. Her skin was clear of any makeup, and her eyes looked tired in the dim light. She had just finished dinner, which was hospital food, and had the tray on a stand off to the side, signaling that she was done with her food. A large bottle of water was on the nightstand next to her, ready for her to drink.
Venus had dreamed about going to homecoming with Caesar ever since he'd first asked her. She had planned to go dress shopping with Cindy and Jazmine, and she had already formulated how she'd wanted to do her hair and makeup. She had the night all laid out in her mind, but it never came into the light.
Venus felt tears welding in her eyes, but she forced them away. She knew she had no reason to be crying, but at the same time, she knew she did. She was missing out on so much, all because someone decided to run a red light and almost kill her.
Venus did not remember much about the crash. She only remembered hearing Caesar call out her name before…nothing. There was an empty void in her mind where the memory should have been, but Venus could not get anything to resurface. She was told by her doctors that the crash probably gave her amnesia, but it should have gotten better by now. Truthfully, Venus did not want to remember the crash, so she was fine with never knowing what happened.
Venus heard a soft tap at the door. Wiping her eyes, she spoke, "Come in, "she said. She was expecting to see one of the nurses assigned to her waltz in and take her tray, but instead, she gasped at who entered the room.
Caesar stepped into the dimly lit room. He wore a pair of white slacks with a white shirt underneath a white dress coat, and black shoes. He had on a crimson red bowtie, and had his dreads pushed out of his face. In his hands, he carried a bouquet of fresh red roses. Venus put her hands to her mouth in awe as he stepped in, "Having dinner without me? "he asked.
Venus chuckled in disbelief, "Caesar? What are you doing here? I thought you said you were going to homecoming! "she exclaimed. Caesar shook his head, "Why would I go to homecoming without you? "he asked. Venus shrugged, and began blushing almost instantly.
He approached her, setting the roses in her lap. Venus smiled as she studied them, while Caesar grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to her, "Did you really think that I was gonna go to homecoming without you? "he asked. Venus shrugged again, "I dunno, I just didn't think you'd wanna spend a Saturday here. This place is so boring and depressing. "Caesar laughed, and she giggled along with him, "Well you're not wrong, this place is depressing and kinda boring, "he reached out and grabbed her hand with his, lacing his fingers in between hers, "But you're here, and you're not boring, or depressing. "
Venus felt her face turn red as she looked away, letting her hair fall around her face to conceal her reddening cheeks. Caesar chuckled. He pushed the strands of her hair out of her face and tucked them behind her ear, and he leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek, "I wouldn't wanna spend my Saturday night anywhere else, love, "he whispered.
Venus smiled to herself, and she turned her head to look at him. They pressed their foreheads together and closed their eyes, and for that one moment, the thought of being in a hospital melted away, because they were together.
another little hiatus but I'm back once again. To be honest, I've been having writers block for No Boundaries and Smoke and Shadows. I think I know what I wanna do for those two stories, No Boundaries should be coming to an end soon, but as of right now I can only really come up with the plot for this story. Anyways, what do you think is up with Ming? Or was the hint big enough lol. Veronica should be making an appearance in the next few chapters, and the year is also going to progress a little faster.
xoxo, Queen