Jasmin

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Good Morning." I sigh, his voice just feels like honey sometimes. I unzip my tent just enough to poke my head out to see him still in his sleeping bag. He is wearing a different coloured long sleeve shirt that he must of pulled from his bag, the wiggling around telling me he is trying to get his jeans on again, his hair is disheveled, sleep has already been wiped from his soft brown eyes.

"Morning, we have a bit before we need to head to school. I have a water bottle here for brushing your teeth."

We didn't stay up crazy late or sleep all snuggled. Not really my style. When we got here last night he just walked over beside my tent and put down his backpack. I watched him, sitting on the ground on a patch of worn grass right in front of my tent. I was surprised at how he reacted to my site, even as it was the same way he reacted at the Mission. Look around and settle in. I kept waiting for the lecture, the talk, the questions. Nothing. Just roll out a sleeping bag that was stuffed into his backpack, and place it beside my tent under the fir tree.

"I would appreciate some toothpaste if you have some to spare, I forgot mine." I see him digging in his bag and out comes deodorant and a toothbrush. I blush when I realize I am staring at him. I like the light stubble across his jaw. I pass an old water bottle and my toothpaste and point to my 'spot' just off around my tent and back a bit. Marcus slides the rest of the way out of his bag, unzipping it to find his socks lost at the bottom, and after getting on his shoes he disappears up the hill a bit. I climb back into my tent and ignore my bladder as I start getting dressed. I pulled out some other morning things, my mirror and soap and stuff and left it out so he could find it. I hope he had a brush as I have only a comb for when my hair gets a few inches longer and I need it. I could not look at him when he came back and I crept up the hill myself, tilting my head away so he would not see the blush.

As I got back and we started to pack up and get ready to head to school I realized the one big thing. We would walk into school together.

...

"Hi Jasmin." I look up and see Justin waiting at the entrance for Sally. She rides in with her brother a lot now so she can take longer to get ready in the morning. "Hi Justin, do you know Marcus. He is new this year, transfer to Grade 12." Justin looks Marcus up and down, such a silly male move. I have no idea what he is thinking, but I don't think I am going to like it.

Marcus simply nods at Justin, waiting beside me. All of a sudden Justin looks behind us and smiles. I am plowed into from behind and am surrounded by light brown bouncy locks as my ears are assaulted. I feel an arm in front of me so I don't face plant into the cement steps.

"Jaz, how was your study date." Sally looks up at Marcus. I can just imagine the look she is giving him from over my shoulder. Marcus moves his hand from my arm with a slow slide. I can't stop my own stare with his face so close. It really is the closest we have been together, no matter what Sallys' dirty mind is thinking.

I finally shake off Sally into Justin's awaiting arms. They walk into the school arm in arm with Sally throwing me looks that say we will be talking soon.

Realizing I am going to have to say something to her I quickly think of a solution that may or may not work. Not being a person who enjoys indecision or confusion, I turn to Marcus. My face I know is probably hard as I fight the fear that has my heart thumping.

"Can I just tell her you are my boyfriend?" I say fast and clear like ripping off a bandaid or something. His smile is slow, as all his facial expressions are, like he hears the word and allows his whole body to slowly react.

"I would really like that. See you at lunch, I must find Eric." We both turn to face the school, no we don't kiss or even hold hands, we just walk like we did last night. We part as we enter the school.

...

"How well does he kiss? When did he ask you? I can't believe you spend the night together! How was 'it'? I so knew something was up you offering him help the other day." Sally talks nonstop. It allows me to think of how to answer some of her questions. I finally register a slack in her barrage of questioning.

"We haven't even held hands yet. No kissing, no 'it'. We did homework and ate together." I hiss at my friend, looking daggers at her and hope no one else in the hallway is listening. The stars in her eyes tell me she isn't listening.

"You called him your boyfriend! You have a boyfriend. This is huge." She is at least a bit quieter, but still practically vibrating with excitement. Her hands on my shoulders and shaking me a bit as well. Her big eyes staring into my face with wonder.

I stop. I smile! After hearing that I realize that yes I do, I have a boyfriend. I can't stop smiling for the rest of the day. Sally throws her arms around me as the bell for first class rings. She hugs me tight and we split to go to our different block one classes.

...

I see Marcus and Eric sitting in a back corner of the courtyard and head their way. As I sit down beside Marcus he has started to separate his large lunch that Eric must of brought him, into two piles and sets the smaller one in front of me. I shyly glance up at Eric who is watching the whole scene with a big grin. I am at a loss as to what to do. The biggest shock is that it is Marcus of all people who starts the conversation.

"How was your morning classes? Did Sally talk your ear off?" I nod and smile at the sandwich, just sitting beside him as we eat his lunch.

"It was a full morning and I expect her to finish her ambush after school. She is sitting with Justin and his crowd in the cafeteria. You have math next block, are you feeling ready?" Eric looks like he is watching the slowest ping pong match ever.

"Quite, your analogy of sets seems to work well for me, I feel I will not make a fool of myself in the upcoming test." Still not said quickly but it does come at a comfortable pace. I think he is even more comfortable now than he was when we were walking around last night. I smile at his compliment. He can really be sweet. I swing my gaze over to our spectator.

"Eric how are your classes coming along, any teachers I should look forward to in the coming years?" Trying to engage him in our conversation. He looks at me and his grin is still in his eyes if not on his face, he looks to be concentrating, a look I am used to on Marcus as he is just measuring his words. I did not think my question that complex.

"I look forward to learning all about the person who has opened a part of my friend Marcus I have never seen before." I can not hide my shock at this bald statement. The fact that the person who Marcus showed me the last day is not who he is at home with his friends is news.

Then I grasp the meaning behind what Eric wants. Opening up to Marcus is one thing but to the rest of his 'pack' has me apprehensive. The cryptic message about changing Marcus has my head spinning. What does this all mean. Is having a boyfriend really this big a deal? I mean it is for me, I don't like guys, never really got into the whole 'who is hot' conversation with Sally, she talked about that with others but I never felt the need to join in. This is getting scary if I am expected to open up to a whole community of people who care for someone I just met and want to get to know more. Things are spinning too fast, we haven't even held hands yet, what kind of lies am I going to have to tell to get through this. I stop and concentrate on my breath as I realize my panic is spreading to my whole body. Slow deep breaths.

The deep voice beside me comes to my rescue. "She is Jasmin, that is all you need know."

Eric, who's face had fallen into a confused look when I did not respond to his statement now looks over at his friend with a smirk. "Who else would she be."

I finally get control of my breathing. My whole body feels hollow. I feel movement on my back, Marcus has reached over and was rubbing my back. Shakily I come back to myself. Eyes so dark they are almost black look at me across the table. The hand behind me stops and I quietly stand up and walk back into the school. How can a day that started so wonderfully, turn black and scary so quickly.