Just As I Am

Chapter 3

My parents didn't make me leave until the day after New Year's. I had one week of freedom before I started at Cedar Hill High School. I was so not looking forward to that. I was happy to see Aunt Mia at the airport. She gave me a big bear hug and a kiss on each cheek. She was so excited that I was there, and that made me feel a lot better about the next few months.

We had white hot chocolates at Starbucks while we caught up. The only times we really saw each other was every other holiday. We talked on the phone at least twice a week, but it wasn't the same as being with her.

"Ready to go shopping, Jazzy?" She was the only person who called me that, other then Kelly when she was trying to provoke me.

"Yeah I'm ready." I smiled.

We went shopping for school clothes first, and she bought me way too many things. I'd forgotten how much I loved spending time with her. She was so much cooler than my mom. Mia didn't have a tendency to overreact about every little thing like Kelly. Another great quality was that Mia was willing to compromise. She would listen to the entire case before passing judgement, and then she would explained her reasoning. With Kelly, her word was law. She was always right, which really wasn't the case most times. Not that I was brave enough to tell her that. It was just easy with Mia. I didn't always feel like I was under constant supervision. She allowed me to breathe.

Day one of my week ended with Mia taking me out to dinner at Red Lobster. She knew how much I loved seafood.

"So Jazzy, why did your mother send you out here?" She asked, staring at me with those piercing hazel eyes. She was so beautiful, but she always had been. She was like thirty seven, but she looked to be in her mid to late twenties. She had gorgeous long hair that was pulled back into a wavy ponytail and caramel colored skin.

"She didn't tell you?" I asked, munching on a cheddar biscuit.

"Of course, but I want to hear your side of the story. Who is Eric?"

He is everything! That's what I wanted to say, but I didn't. Should I be honest with her?

"Eric is the person I love." I answered simply.

"Does Eric love you?" Huh? That wasn't suppose to be her next question! I was expecting her to ask his age. I mean, that was the reason I was in Dallas instead of Petersburg. "Well?" She waited.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" She asked, giving me a quizzical look.

"Yeah."

"Are you sexually active?" I almost spit out the bit of the tea I'd just sipped from my glass. I gulped it down and shook my head. "Are you sure?" I quickly nodded. "Look Jasmine, I know you can't help who you love, but you have to be smart about this. You see why your parents have a problem with this, right?"

"Because he's twenty."

"Yes, that's a big part of it, but not the only reason. You're their little girl and you're growing up too fast for them." I hadn't thought about it like that. "Eric is your first boyfriend, right, so how do you know you really love him? Not to downplay your feelings or anything, but maybe it seems so amazing because its new and all you know."

I loved Mia, but she had no idea what she was talking about. I knew that I loved Eric! I could feel it every time I thought about him or saw his beautiful smile. I remembered the sparks I felt when he finally kissed me. So what if he was the only guy who'd ever tried to actually be my boyfriend? I wouldn't feel any differently if I got a lot of attention from guys.

"Its not infatuation." I said defensively.

"Okay, honey. Then these next four months will be easy. If its real, you two should be able to wait for each other."