The Girls Under the Tower

Chapter 2- The News

Alice

I couldn't believe what I was hearing! I was finally going to play the piano under the Eiffel Tower.

I know it might sound strange, but I feel like there is something about playing the piano in Paris that will make me feel whole again. I remember when I was younger my mother told me about how she played it under the Eiffel tower, and that was the moment her life changed. I never understood what that meant, that's why I want to go see and experience it myself.

Weird right?

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You are the bestest friend in the whole wide world," I was jumping up and down with happiness, I even gave Jasmine the tightest hug anyone has ever given anyone, a way to express how much I am thankful for what she did.

"I still didn't tell you the bad news," Jasmine said, her voice full of sadness, after I let go of her.

"Aw, do you have too? Why do you got to ruin my happiness?" I pouted.

Of course there had to be bad news.

"When I told mom about the tickets she said that we aren't going, and what bothered me the most was she didn't even think about it," Jasmine said glumly.

"What?" I shrieked.

To say I was upset was an understatement, I was completely devastated. It felt like all of my hopes of going were shattered. Like come on here we have a chance at finally going somewhere that isn't here, then BAM it was taken away from under you.

"I talked to her, but I still don't know what will happen," Jasmine whispered, and then she told me everything she told her mother before she called me.

"Hopefully she thinks about it," I was still holding on to that piece of hope hanging from my heart.

"I hope so," Jasmine replied as if she read my mind.

It was quiet for a few seconds before Jasmine suddenly asked, "What did Brandon want by the way?"

"Oh, he wanted to go out tonight," I replied quickly.

I remember the first time Brandon ever asked me out, it was in the beginning of senior year and homecoming was a week away. At the time I didn't have a date, me and Jasmine kept refusing anyone who asked, but the only one that stood out the most was Brandon. When he asked me to be his date for homecoming I refused, but that didn't stop him from asking again and again and again.

I eventually I gave in, he kept sending me notes in classes I had with him saying "Will you be my date to homecoming?" Every morning when I open my locker, a balloon flies out with a card tied at the bottom saying "Please make me the happiest man and go to homecoming with me." And he would always do nice things like carry my books to class, buy me lunch, walk me to class, etc. The only reason why I agreed was because Jasmine told me to do so. She knew why I wouldn't go and told me that just because she didn't want to go, didn't mean that I shouldn't go and have fun.

The day of homecoming, I got to know Brandon. I found out that he was a really sweet guy and that he had a crush on me for a while. After that, we went on so many dates, and one day when we were walking at the beach he bent down on one knee and asked me to be his girlfriend. The whole thing was so cliché but cute, there was no reason for me not to accept, he was a really nice guy and I liked him. There were so many times he would whisper and tell me I love you, but I never replied to it, because to be honest with you I didn't feel the same way about him. Maybe someday I will, but so far my feelings for him fall into the category of like not love.

"Are you?" Jasmine sounded hesitant asking me this, it almost sounded like she didn't want me to go.

Her attitude towards Brandon was different, I noticed this 5 days ago when Brandon took me and Jasmine to this carnival that opened near the mall. We had wanted to go there ever since we heard it was opened. I noticed the glares they were giving each other, and every time Brandon would wrap his arms around me or try to kiss me, Jasmine would come out of nowhere and yell something like, "Oh my God! Ali, there is a flying pig," or "Is that a chicken falling from the sky?," then when I would look she would say, "OOPS! My bad, its just a crow," then she would pull me away and stick herself between me and Brandon.