I know what I said….but I read this and didn't think it was half bad, so….enjoy?
Prologue
"Dig, if you will, the picture."
-Prince
"Jazmine, you're my girl and all, but you're almost eighteen." Cindy charged through the sea of nervous freshmen, ignoring Jazmine's pleas to drop the "Jazmine-Needs-a-Life" debate. "You are almost eighteen, right?"
"Well, yeah. My dad just…."
"Uh-huh." She scowled, shoving a freshman out of her way. "Look…it's time to say fuck the system and get active, hoe! I mean damn, what's high school without one boyfriend? You haven't even partied with us!"
"I know, I know." Jazmine sighed, glancing towards a view that didn't exist. "But-"
"No buts." Cindy shot Jazmine a look. "You don't have a life, dating experience, or freedom!" She snorted. "Do you even have your permit yet, Jazmine?"
Nope.
But she refused to admit that aloud.
"Cindy, I'm fine. Really." Jazmine weakly shrugged her shoulders, pushing down waves of embarrassment churning roughly in her stomach. "My dad's rules are for my own good. You know he's just doing this to protect me."
Cindy folded her arms and leaned in close. "Your dad's dumbass rules are to control you." She frowned hard, waving her hands. "Because seriously, if your Mom were still alive, she'd hate this. She'd-"
"Cindy, seriously!" Jazmine stiffened uncomfortably and glared at her. "Leave my mom out of this!" She shoved her hands in her pockets, shrugging with an indifference she didn't feel. "You make it sound like I've never even done anything!" She scoffed, turning back to face her. "I've done plenty of stuff in high school, Cin!"
"Like what?" Cindy hesitated, raising a brow. "Define stuff. Because last I checked, reading all day doesn't count."
"Wasn't talking about reading." Jazmine narrowed her eyes defensively. "I kissed Shawn quite a few times, even if that never went anywhere." She snapped. "And Vince, too." She smiled, glancing back towards the other end of the hall. "I mean, technically that was only a dare, but hey….still counts for something, right?"
Cindy just stared at her, blinking.
"Okay, fine…." Jazmine deflated, throwing up both her hands. "I'm a lame virgin who can't drive. Happy now?"
"Ecstatic." Their other friend, Alyx, grinned, calmly strutting down the hall. "Why is Jazmine referencing Clueless?" She turned to wrinkle her nose at some girl fighting to get inside the gymnasium. "And why is that girl pulling on the door like that?"
"New day, same Jazmine." Cindy shrugged, hoisting her backpack up on her shoulder before turning her attention down the hall. "I don't know what her ass is doing though." She snorted, shaking her head. "Coach doesn't play about the weekend. She might as well wait 'til Monday."
"Poor thing." Alyx frowned. "She'll learn." She looked at Jazmine, sighing. "And speaking of poor things….what are we gonna do about this one? Has she embraced rebelling against Robo-Daddy yet?"
"Ha!" Cindy laughed, grinning. "See?!"
"Alyx, really?" Jazmine raised a brow, flushing beet red. "I'm not even that bad!"
But Alyx was too busy talking to Cindy to listen.
"I told her what to do!" Alyx exclaimed, pausing her chat with Cindy to wave at her study partner, Brian. "Her DA daddy is never home! She should get out, live a little! At worst, all she'll have to do is take the punishment if she gets caught." She shrugged. "And it's not like her mom is there to stop her, so…."
"Alyx!" Cindy hissed, whacking her arm hard. "Think before you speak, bitch!"
Jazmine blinked, stuck on the fact that she'd really just said that about her mom.
Alyx winced.
"You know I didn't mean it like that, Jazmine." Alyx frowned, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I wasn't thinking, I swear." She pleaded. "I'm sorry, really sorry, Jazmine."
Jazmine knew that, but it didn't make what she said any easier.
Because truth be told, it hurt.
It hurt bad.
"It's fine." Jazmine shrugged, not sure if it was fine at all. "I know you didn't say it out of spite."
Alyx nodded and flipped her shoulder length curls behind her, staring Jazmine down with a serious expression.
"I just think you owe it to yourself to have some fun." Alyx said finally. "It's your last chance to do something, take some risks instead of playing it safe."
"Alyx-"
"No, Jazmine." Cindy stood next to Alyx, her arms folded. "She's right and you know it." She shrugged. "Why fight the future?"
Jazmine shot her a look.
"Because I'll be grounded for life, and you know it." Jazmine rolled her eyes. "No thanks." She turned to leave. "I'm good, really."
"Are you though?" Alyx softened, her frown deepening. "Jazmine, seriously! We're really starting to worry about you!"
"Worry?" Jazmine's head snapped up. "Why?"
"Because!" Cindy cut in. "You're tucked away in some corner every day, hiding!"
"No, I'm not!" Jazmine gasped. "I just…like a little quiet, that's all."
"Sorry girl." Cindy continued. "But you definitely are." She tossed her hair back. "I mean, look at yourself!"
Jazmine looked down, completely missing the point.
"What?" She checked her t-shirt for stains. "I look good, I just dress…casual."
"No." Cindy corrected her with a shake of her head. "I swear if I put a bow in your head, you'd fit right in with the fifth graders at J Edgar." She frowned. "Plus, you never hang with us after school! Hell, I've never even seen you skip class!" She high-fived Alyx, who wholeheartedly agreed. "We're seniors, Jazmine! It's time to start acting like it!"
"Well, I thought that I was." Jazmine frowned, hurt. "Do you guys even like me the way that I am? Or do you wanna change that too?"
"Of course we like you for who you are." Alyx nodded, reassuring her. "We just think you're holding back." She smiled gently "And we want you to have good stories to laugh at one day, something fun to share when we relive the glory days."
"What she said." Cindy nodded. "We want you to start living."
"Now c'mon!" Alyx shook her back and forth. "Don't you wanna make one dumb decision this year?" She grinned. "Live a little! Shake some ass! Go crazy for a change!" She paused, frowning. "Just don't get pregnant."
"Why would I-"
"Or murdered." Cindy added.
"Or catch an STD." Alyx nodded. "Or-"
"Stop." Jazmine cut her off, glancing down at the floor. "I'm a dork, Alyx." She muttered sadly. "What's the worst I could do? Read an inappropriate book?"
"Are you…not?" Alyx raised a brow.
Jazmine sighed, shuffling her converse-covered feet awkwardly.
"Because I mean…" Alyx pointed out. "That would be a start."
Jazmine groaned.
"Look, you two." She said, twirling a curl around her finger. "I get what you're saying, but I'm not craving much." She sighed. "All I really want to do this year is date a guy, maybe even hook up with someone before UCLA, y'know? Just for the experience."
Cindy's eyes narrowed, making her feel smaller than small.
"A hookup." Cindy gave her a blank stare. "You want to hook up with someone. You who loves love more than anyone on Earth?!"
Jazmine waved her off.
"You know what I mean!" She said. "I want to experience excitement, like you said…but with a guy. And not some meh, blasé interaction where's he more into me than I'm into him, either." She shook her head, determined. "I want something fun before I head off to college."
Alyx squealed.
"Yes, yes, yes!" She jumped up and down. "I can help you scout! Hook up, get some fun in, then off to college in the fall!"
Jazmine grinned. "Exactly!"
Cindy shook her head.
"I dunno guys…" Cindy studied Jazmine. "Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. Maybe you should-"
"Embrace the recipe and have fun." Alyx grinned, quickly glaring at Cindy. "I say go for it, Jaz." She smiled. "Find a random, hot guy, make out with them, then come back and tell us all about it! Better yet, invite us to come with if he has friends!"
"Uh-huh." Jazmine laughed at her eagerness. "Too bad nothing exciting ever happens around here." She sighed, relieved that was true when it came to boring, quiet Woodcrest. "Face it, we'll be doing the same ole, same ole until we leave."
Alyx frowned.
"I hate it when you're right." She grumbled. "We never get to do anything cool around here." She said. "That's why we gotta-"
Her dad's honk cut her off.
"Jazmine, honey!" He pointed at his watch. "Tell Cindy and Alyx goodbye, please! We've gotta get going!"
The girls sighed.
"Just think on what we said, okay?" Alyx put on a fake smile, waving at Jazmine's father from their spot near the exit.
"Fine." Jazmine grumbled, giving her and Cindy a look. "I'll think about it."
Then with that, Jazmine made her way into the front seat of her father's car, exhaling when she set her stuff down.
"There's my favorite girl." Her dad smiled like she'd just come home from kindergarten. "How was the last first week of school?" He asked her. "Anything exciting?"
Jazmine shrugged, ready to go home. "Not really. Same ole, same ole. Nothing new to report"
Her dad stared at her for a moment, as if on to her misery, but to her relief, he dropped it and pulled off.
"Same ole, same ole, huh?" Her dad laughed, shaking his head at her. "That's a great thing to hear."
"Why?" Jazmine scowled, fixing her face when her dad studied her a second too long.
She didn't need him making anymore rules up to control her.
It'd be way too easy for him, especially since he was the top DA in the state of Maryland.
"Because Woodcrest PD is looking for a group of boys and one girl your age." He shook his head, something strangely intense in his gaze. "They've been known to turn communities violent, causing all sorts of mayhem amongst the youth." He turned on his blinker, turning right and then left. "They apparently burned the last school down, nearly killed a teacher in the process. They never found the person responsible, either."
Well, that was interesting.
"Really?" Jazmine's eyes widened, turning to face him. "Why'd they do it?"
"Because they think it's making a point, that it's making people pay attention." Her dad explained. "But it all comes at a cost. Innocent people have been hurt, Jazmine. Not to mention the impact it's had on taxpayer dollars, attentiveness in the schools, destruction of commercial property….." He sighed, studying her with that frazzled look he always got, like she'd up and die on him, too. "The youth are never the same once these kids come in and infiltrate. And we have reason to believe that Woodcrest is next up on their list. I need you to be my eyes and ears on this, Jazmine. If you see anything, you need to come to me so my team can handle this."
Jazmine frowned.
"Sure thing." She thought about it, curious what this meant for her and her friends plans. "Has it helped anyone, though?"
His head snapped to where she was sitting.
"What did you say?"
"You said they think that they're helping, right?" Jazmine nodded. "So…I dunno, has it?"
Tom just laughed, patting her head.
"Oh, pumpkin." Tom smiled. "You always manage to see the good in people. That's what I love most about you."
Jazmine ignored the fact he hadn't answered her question and focused on their long driveway instead, watching as his car inched closer and closer to their four-car garage.
"I know I'm hard on you." Her dad said, still sitting in the car after parking. "But I also know you're a responsible, well-meaning young woman, one who deserves to celebrate, assume a little more responsibility."
Jazmine perked up immediately.
Had he gotten her a car?
A house key?
Permission to date boys?
A lift on the dreaded miniskirt ban?
"I'm changing the lights out at 9:00 PM rule." He grinned. "I know that's what you've always wanted, and now you can finally enjoy it."
Jazmine blinked, officially pissed as hell.
She couldn't believe him. Was he being serious, right now?!
She never went to bed!
She hadn't even been able to since her mom died!
It was literally the only rule she'd ever broken, not like she did much with it. Outside of using it to read or browse the internet, she was still safe in the house like he wanted, even watching a show or two every now and them.
"Instead of going to bed at 9:00, you can go at 9:30!" He beamed, giving her a peck on the cheek. "Now, off you go, princess! I have stuff to handle at the DA's office."
Jazmine nodded, sighing as she stared at the boatload cameras in front of her house, the ones that tracked her every move, even when he wasn't home.
"Okay, Daddy." She smiled, silently screaming inside. "I love you."
I hate you. Worst Dad, ever.
"Love you too." He smiled. "Be safe."
"You too." She waved, watching as he pulled away from her and onto the road.
"You too."
Then she made her way inside, glancing at the huge calendar on her desk, the picture of her mom staring back at her, waiting.
"Just hold on Jazmine." She hugged herself, frowning. "By this time next year, you'll be at UCLA and thriving. Just hold on."
But sadly….
She was seriously starting to doubt that she could.