The Lying Game

14.

I wipe my face from my tears and go back to my phone. "Jasmine, I'm fine."

"But you sound like you've been crying."

"No," I do the best cough that I can muster.  "I'm just sick."

"Emani are you sure you're alright?" Jasmine asks.

"Phoenix asked me about you." Jasmine is easily distracted and can switch subjects without thinking twice about what we were talking about before.

There's a slight pause. "Really? What did he say?"

"He asked me if I had talked to you and I said no. He said that you haven't been returning his calls."

"I don't ever wanna face him again." Jasmine says.

"Why?" I ask, not comprehending her sudden statement.

"Because he probably thinks that I'm some easy person. I have never had sex with a guy after only talking to him for a few hours."

There's a knock on my door. "Hold on Jasmine I'll be right back."

I go to open the door. I unlock the chain and squint my eye through the peephole. It's a women but her face it covered by a hat so I open the door. Once I see who it is, I swiftly try to close it. My strengths aren't enough as the door opens open wide.

"Nice try" Jasmine smirks as she ends the call on her phone. "You have been crying." She points at my puffy cheeks. I swat her hand away.

I sucky my teeth, I wanted to be alone today. "Jasmine what are you doing here?"

"Being a good best friend." She walks more inside my apartment. "Damn, this is really sad to look at." She refers to the vacant furniture. "How long have you got?"

"I have a week to leave before the realtor finds out that I'm here." I pronounce. "But back to Phoenix."

"Oh right," Jasmine looks around, but with there no seating she sits on the floor. "I'm too embarrassed Emani. I have standards and he made them all go away." She crosses her arms. "So I'm not going to talk to him no matter how many times he calls or tries to contact me." Jasmine states with her head held high. I don't believe her.

"He seems to really like you though. I'd say give it a shot, even though he's a player just like Wi-" I stop talking before I start to cry again.

Jasmine sighs and shrugs. "I don't know E,"

"How was it?" I wiggle my eyebrows.

Jasmine tucks a hair behind her ear and her face turns red. "It was okay,"

"The great Jasmine blushing," I gasp. "I didn't know any man could make Jasmine Brooks blush."

"Shut-up" She gushes.

"Pass me your phone." She willingly complies. I unlock her phone with my thumb-print and go to her contacts. "Jasmine it's obvious that you like him so talk to him." I hit dial and pass her the phone. "You set the rules." Her eyes look like they could bulge out of her socket. I know she instantly regrets giving me her phone, but she should've saw it coming.

"Hello?" Phoenix's voice emits loudly because I put the call on speaker.

"Phoenix it's me."

"Mi sol, I've been waiting for your call." Jasmine's face lights up and she giggles like a four-year-old girl. She points to the phone and looks at me. I nod my head in confirmation and Jasmine takes the call in my bedroom. A sudden sense of accomplishment washes over me because I did a good thing. Jasmine has not had the best track record with men.