Colin called Topher's cell. He knew he'd pick up and the chances were high that he knew about Colin's fuck-up, but he had to try. Jas wouldn't talk to him. Or worse, she would because she was 100X better than he was, but he wouldn't force that on her.

As the phone rang, he considered what he would say. The phone picked up. It wasn't Topher.

"Hello, Colin." Scott answered coldly. "Why are you calling Toph?"

Sighing Colin took a breath and shot his only shot. "Because I fucked up, Scott. And I'd rather check with Topher how badly I screwed up, then hurt her more."

Scott listened and gave the simplest, most honest answer he could. "Horribly, Colin, that's how bad you've fucked up. She's like a ghost. I watched her when she finally told Toph. She actually blames herself. Do you know how fucked up that is?"

"It wasn't her fault. Shit." Colin groaned. "I haven't slept with the woman who answered my phone." He left out the 'yet'. "She's someone I was helping, platonically. She grabbed my phone by accident."

"Why would she act like a girlfriend?" He asked accusingly. "She answered and told Jas that you were a couple."

Another groan came out of Colin's mouth. "Complicated story, Scott."

"Well, figure the story out, Colin. Because you're not talking to Toph with a half-assed excuse and a non-answer like 'complicated story'. He'd kill you on the spot with just his glare." Scott said, calm, but still pissed. "You hurt Jasmine, Colin. She gave you an open hall pass, and you took it and ran. Then, instead of manning up and telling her that you found someone else, or whatever other complicated bullshit you're trying to pull, she found out from your 'platonic' friend."

"Scott, please," Colin begged.

Scott stopped him. "Get your shit together, Colin. Then call Toph again. Hope for the best, because I tell you, it doesn't sound like you're there yet. Good luck!" Then the phone went dead in his ear.

Great, just fucking great. He ruined it. And for what? For Ally Darling and her messed up world? Jesus. Shaking his head he wondered how to fix the mess he'd created by trying to help a neighbor.

JASMINE'S PARENTS' HOUSE DAYS LATER

"Why haven't we seen Colin, yet?" Jasmine's mother asked, putting the roast on the table for dinner. "His mom hasn't said anything about him visiting her, but now that you're home, why hasn't he come around?"

Jasmine stiffened. She had hoped that she'd have more time. Time to figure out how to break the news of their break up. She'd been home for less than a week, and already she was asking. She sighed, but Scott spoke up for her.

"He's probably just busy. Wedding season, and his band does big business this time of year, right Jas?" He was giving her a weird look, so she agreed.

"Yeah, Ma, he's booked solid for the next couple of weeks. Between rehearsal and the actual performances, he'll be busy for awhile." Jas was happy that her voice was steady. She wasn't even playing with her ring.

Dinner went on, no more questions about Colin, but Jasmine wondered about Scott's interruption. He rarely broke into the conversation. He still felt a little uncomfortable with her very Catholic family, but tonight was different. Deciding to have a little chat with her future brother-in-law after the meal, she ate and wondered if he'd heard from Colin.

Once dinner finished, her family retired to their own devices, and she cornered her brother and Scott. "What was that about?" She asked, watching Scott's face.

Topher broke in and tried to lessen the blow. "Colin called my phone and Scott answered."

Jas's eyebrows rose in shock. "And I'm just now hearing about this, why?"

"Because, Jas, he doesn't have his shit together. He called to find out how 'badly he fucked up'. And offered some lame ass story about how he had been helping some chick with her issues or something and they were 'platonic' and she picked up his phone by accident." Scott rolled his eyes. "I told Toph and we decided not to bring it up. He hasn't called back, and we knew that you'd listen to him and find a way to forgive."

"Way too easily," Topher added. "You are the most understanding and empathetic human we know, Jas. You'd take him back in a heartbeat, and we're not sure he deserves it."

"So you chose for me?" Jasmine asked, hurt again. "Whether I listen to him or not, Topher, you should know that it's my choice." Her eyes filled with tears. "Everyone, Colin, you two keep making my choices for me. I gave him permission to play the field, hoping that it would sow his oats or whatever. I did that. If he fucked up, that's on him and me. Yet, you two decided to keep me out of the loop. Why did he call you anyway? Why not just try me?" She was in pain. The hurt, kept cutting deeper. Her tears came hot and fast.

"He didn't want to hurt you if you didn't want to talk to him." Scott said, shocked by how badly she was taking everything. "We didn't want to hurt you."

"Do I look like I'm hurt?" She asked, falling apart in front of them. "Do I look OK? He's been the boy I loved, turned to the man I loved. He hurt me, sure, but this," she gestured between them. "This tears my heart out. I trusted you."

Topher grabbed her in a tight hug, feeling like he was trying to keep her together. "Jasmine, please, understand. We didn't want this, this pain that's pouring out of you. We wanted to let you heal, then if he'd figured out his excuse, you could make that choice." He shushed her as he pulled her into her room. Scott closed the door as Jasmine cried herself out. "We were going to tell you, Jas, I swear. We just wanted to give you a chance for peace."

Pulling away, Jasmine looked at him and Scott. "I know you thought it was for the best. I know your hearts were in the right place." She sat on her bed. "You have to know that I need a choice in things. I want to be able to decide whether or not to hear him, OK?"

They nodded, looking uncomfortable. "We get it, Jas." Scott answered. "If you want to talk to Colin that's your choice. Just don't be too soft-hearted. Please?"

She agreed, and asked them to leave her alone. She needed time. Time to come to grips with what she learned. Time to decide if she wanted to talk to Colin. Time to figure out what was next for her.

They left and she laid back on her bed. A bed that once held Colin and herself, during trysts when their mothers were at church volunteering and their fathers were at work. She remembered their first time, it was here. No candles, no roses, just in her bed, finally touching like they couldn't touch one another enough. Being careful, but free with their intimacy. It was right, and perfect.

Was she ready to say goodbye to that? To him?

COLIN'S APARTMENT

Getting ready for a wedding gig, Colin could barely look at himself in the mirror. He knew this wedding was going to be huge, but he couldn't seem to psych himself up.

A wedding, another one, just wasn't going to bring his mood up. He'd sing the songs the couple picked. He'd make the regular announcements for first dance, father and the bride, and when they were ready to cut the cake, but his mind would be on a house close to his childhood home. He'd be thinking of Jasmine every moment of tonight, no matter how glitzy the wedding was going to be.

His bandmates were worried. Worried he would drop the ball or that he'd make some slip up that they wouldn't be able to rebound from. They didn't need to. Colin could do the wedding list blindfolded and sick. It was automatic and came easily. He'd even be able to fake enthusiasm.

As he finished his tie, he glanced at the mirror. Jasmine always joked that he looked like a boy playing dress up in his suits. And today he felt like a phony. She would have been able to see straight through his careful facade. Only her and his mom could see through any lie he told. One of the reasons he hadn't been home to visit in awhile.

He chuckled darkly and turned from the sight of his own face. "One of the reasons," he muttered. "Not the important one."

He hadn't been home because he was terrified he'd see Jas and not be able to stop himself from running to her. That he'd force his presence on her and hurt her more. And that in hurting her his family and hers would see him for the fraud he felt like.

Grabbing his guitar case, Colin locked the door and ran downstairs. He didn't notice that Ally was leaving too, or that she was with Jake Adams. It didn't matter. He was still upset that she hadn't mentioned his phone call from Jasmine. That she clearly didn't notice that Jas was a contact in his phone and she still took it upon herself to declare that they were a couple. It was for the best that she didn't try to talk to him. Not now.

Number: It doesn't matter, because the ONE they each want is out of reach.