16 and my life is over.

“Bzzt Bzzt!”

I slid open my cell phone and retrieved a new text message from my best friend Samantha.

Need to talk ASAP! Can you meet me in an hour?

Squinting at the message, confused but slightly excited at the sudden excitement in the middle of my boring Sunday afternoon.

 Sure, what about?!?! And where, your place or mine?  I responded.

 It seemed only a moment before my cell alerted me to a new message.

Neither, the park.  At the bench where we watch the weird hot dog vender.  And bring a gun to kill me please!!! 

I was more than curious at this point and decided to call Samantha to figure this situation out.

“Hello…..?”  Samantha’s voice questioned into the phone.

“You mind telling me what the heck is going on!!!”  I demanded into the cellphone. 

“Uggghhh!!!!......”  Samantha replied, obviously rolling around on her bed, I could see her hand covering her eyes. Best friends have a sixth sense to that stuff  ….Something big must be going on I thought.

“Why am I supposed to bring a gun to kill my best friend?  Can you clue me in here?!”  I broke the silence.

“I can’t tell you here, it needs to be at a public place where I’m not near my parents.”  Samantha whispered. 

“Ok, ok!  Why do you sound all Leo Di Caprio?  Is the mob coming after you?!”  I joked, trying to pick up on any clues she may slip up on.

“Jazz, I can’t talk right now, meet me at the park in 1 hour.  Please!”  Samantha pleaded into the phone.

Her voice was distressed, I went into protective mode instinctively. 

“Ok sweetie, I’ll be there.” 

Walking over to the park, only a half mile from my parents home I took the time to mull over the conversation I had with Samantha moments ago.  What could be so important and secretive that she couldn’t tell me over the phone, or at her parents house…. No way she could be pregnant???  That is just about every teenage girl’s nightmare.  Being the prego in school, being ostracized, having your parents be all disappointed their daughter messed up so bad.  No, not my Sammi, she’s too smart for that.  Ok, that’s the worst possible answer.  Maybe she stole money from her parents to buy some clothes and she can’t get the money back without them knowing…. No, No that’s not it either.  Come on Jazz, think….

“Ooopfh!”  I was stopped suddenly in my tracks on the sidewalk.  Looking up quickly, I shook my head of all the crazy thoughts and saw a dark haired boy  looking down at me, arms open, palms up, motioning a “what the hell, watch where you’re going!”

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there.”  I tried to smile through my nervousness

“It’s ok”  He said, brushing himself off as if he’d been hit with a sand storm. 

“Just look when you’re crossing the road.”  He joked.

Phew! I breathed a bit easier, “I will, I will, I’m sorry, again about the whole...”  I trailed off, holding my hands out to motion over his torso that I had just plowed into.

He wasn’t moving.  He was still standing in my way.  What was happening?!! 

“Hey, um.. my name is Doug.   I just moved here with my family.”  He threw his head back non chalantly motioning up the street. 

“Oh, yes.  Hi, um my name is Jasmine, I’m a lifer.  Never lived anywhere else.”  I laughed confidently.  I could feel my eyes start to sparkle and a rush of heat rose in my cheeks.

 “Oh nice.” Doug smiled warmly.  I could see little flecks of green in his chocolaty brown eyes.  He had a serious dimple on his right cheek and that handsome face perched atop a broad set of shoulders.  Holy cow this boy was seriously cute! 

“Um, well I hate to crash into you and dash but I’m supposed to be meeting my friend over at the park so I gotta go, it was really nice meeting you, Doug..right?” I tilted my head, trying to be aloof, playing it cool.

“Yeah, Doug, Doug Richards.  Maybe I’ll see you around then Jasmine.”  He swiftly moved his entire body from my path and gave a small wave, as if to say, ‘see ya later.’

My heart was elevated as I hurried over to the park benches to meet Sam.  Wow, what luck!  Maybe it was a good thing Sam couldn’t meet at home; otherwise I may have never met Doug Richards! 

I could see Sammi sitting on the bench, hands clasped in her lap looking down at them. 

“You look deep in thought Sammi.”  I said trying to break the uncomfortableness of the meeting.

“Thank God you’re here!” She jumped up and hugged my neck tightly.  I hugged her back and she let go and sat down immediately, motioning me to join her. 

“So, can you please tell me now what the heck is going on you crazy girl!”  I tried to lighten the mood.  But the seriousness on her face was not budging. 

“I don’t even know where to start so I’m just going to blurt it out.  I’ve been thinking of ways to say this but none of them sound right.  Please don’t’ hate me!”  She begged.