Ch.5 “Play it Lovely”

Jasmina’s POV

I woke up with the world’s biggest migraine. I had the hardest time getting to sleep. I just laid there for hours thinking about everything he had said to me. I especially thought about the way his warm breath felt as it ran down my neck. {No Jasmina…don’t think like that. You have to be the strong one.} Don’t let him get his way. Reassuring myself wasn’t really working to my advantage.

I was still in bed looking at an alarm clock that read 10:30 in the morning. Wait…he never told me what time the date was? I threw that blankets off of me and immediately ran to Jessica’s room. “Jessica! Jessica! Where the hell are you?” I heard the turning on of a faucet in the bathroom. “I’m brushing my teeth.” She mumbled with a mouth full of toothpaste. “What time did the guys say they were coming over?” She rinsed wash before answering me. “They should be here in like four hours.” Okay that was plenty of time for the both of us to get ready.

I went into the living room and plugged my iPod into the radio so we could jam out while we got ready. Music always seemed to motivate me much more. I stared at myself in the mirror throwing together random images of outfits together. Nothing seemed to fit the occasion. I didn’t even know where we were going! And why did I care so much. He was just a jerk so why did I feel the need to make such a good impression. I tried convincing myself that I was only doing this so I could get him out of my life for good. I shook my thoughts off and went to my closet instead.

I swear I never had anything to wear when I actually needed it. I pushed pass several hangers until I found something that aesthetically pleased me. I went back up to the mirror and held the silk black dress against my body. It went slightly longer than mid-thigh and it flattered my hips nicely. {Yup this will do} I happily thought to myself. The silk felt so good as I slid it onto my body. I zipped it up and ran my hands over my sides making sure everything fit the right way. Next was the hair. Should it be up or down? I swept my hair to the side and twisted it into a dazzling silver clip.

Fortunately my skin didn’t have an outbreak so I put on light foundation and played up my eyes and made them smoky. I looked at the clock and realized that I still had two hours left. What to do…what to do. I paced a little in my room until I heard a frustrated scream coming from Jessica’s room. I went to go check up on her. I walked into her room and saw her standing there in a pair of jeans, flats, and a green blouse. For a moment I debated punching her in the face for her choice in outfit….I decided against it. “Jessica…that is not what you are wearing.”

She looked at me as she frustratingly said “I don’t know what to wear or what to do with my hair. I’m not ready for this date!” Does she not know who I am? I got her! “Girl first off you are going on this date. If I can go out with for brains then you can go out with Thuan. Plus, you have me! I got your outfit already planned in my head.” A scared look flashed across her face. I motioned her to sit down in front of me. I pulled her dark brown hair into a curly side ponytail that cascaded down her neck.

I put light pink blush on her cheeks and a soft pink shadow on her eyelids. The mascara and black liner made her eyes pop. I was very pleased with my work {Go team me!} I threw her a light blue cotton dress with pockets. It was very playful and flattered her…plus I knew Thuan would like it. We both gathered into the living room and sat down waiting for our dates. The awkward silence filled that air until a knock interrupted it. Both of us panicked and stood up abruptly. Who was it? Was it Lay or Thuan? “Hey ladies open up! It’s me Thuan.”

Jessica shot me a worried look and she began breathing deeply. “I don’t know if I can do this Jasmina...we’ve been friends for a while. It’s so weird!” I marched over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. “Jessica you got this!” She didn’t seem very reassured. “Come on in Thuan it’s unlocked!” With a turn of the knob he was standing before us smiling bigger than ever looking Jessica up and down. I swear you could have cut the with a knife. “So…where you two love birds going?” I asked playfully. Jessica shot me daggers. Thuan walked up to Jessica and s his arm around her waist.

“That’s for me to know.” He said with a devilish grin. He began walking with Jessica in his arm out the door. She turned back and glanced at me with a worried look. She mouthed the words good luck to me and then she was gone. I couldn’t wait to hear about how this date went. I was then left in the silence of this apartment alone. I went to turn back to go do touch ups with my makeup but there was a knock on the door. I felt my heart beating faster already. I walked slowly towards the door scared to open it. As I opened the door I saw Lay leaning up against the wall.

“Hey Mina….you ready to go?” Mina….he hadn’t called me that since he left. My heart dropped a little but I put on a strong façade for this evening. “Yeah ready to get this over with” I snapped. I snatched up my purse and walked with him to the car. Moments later we pulled up to the same restaurant where we had our first date. Was he deliberately trying to break my heart?

Lay’s POV

I put my arm over her shoulder and lead her into the restaurant. I could feel her tense up underneath my arm. We were seated in a booth right next to a warm fireplace. She quickly picked up a menu and hid her face from me. So this was how it was going to be? “You know one of the conditions to this deal…is that you have to be nice. That or it’s off.” I heard her grumble and put the menu down. She looked so cute when she was mad. It made me want her ten times more. She was wearing the same silver clip I got her for her birthday two years ago.

I smiled slightly and looked down at the menu. I ordered the lasagna while she ordered chicken parmesan and crème brulee. I couldn’t help but laugh slightly as she polished off the crème brulee. She had a bit of it on her chin. I leaned across the table and wiped it off with my thumb. Her face instantly turned pink. I mentally slapped myself for doing that. I had just always done it before and it seemed wrong not to do so this time.

“Why are you doing this Lay?” I didn’t want her to know how much I wanted and missed her. I didn’t want her to know I was a fool for letting her go. “I thought we could talk.” The hardened look on her face remained. “Talk about what? About how you just packed your things and left without a single word?” She had me there. I felt a lump build in my stomach. “One night we laying together in bed and the next I wake up and you’re gone. Not a note…not a single word!” Tears started to build in her eyes and her face began to get red. I wanted desperately to change the subject but I knew she wouldn’t let me.

“I trusted you Lay. I gave you everything…everything! My heart...you threw it away like it was nothing.” That hurt. I could tell she had been holding that in for a long time. I hated myself for hurting her so much…I honestly never meant to. “It was the opportunity of a lifetime Jasmina! Was I supposed to throw it away? Was I not supposed to be happy?” I felt the anger in me rise. She turned her head away from me trying to avoid my question. I reached to get a drink of water to try and calm my nerves. She turned her head abruptly. “What’s that?” she asked concerned. “What’s what?” I followed her gaze to my bandaged hand.

“Oh that…just an accident.” She immediately grabbed my hand and pulled it towards her. She tore off the bandage and carefully analyzed the wound. He fingers lightly traced the cut but it stung. I winced and she looked up at me concerned. I tried to pull my hand away but she wouldn’t let me. “Come on Lay. We need to get this cleaned and bandaged the right way.” She stood up quickly. “Are you coming? Jeez you’re an idiot I swear.” I couldn’t help but smile as I followed her back to my car. I also couldn’t help but stare at her perfectly shaped rear end….I just had to.

The car ride back to her house was silent. She looked out the window her head leaned up against the glass. She looked so deep in thought…both of us were. I breathed in deeply and I caught the scent of her perfume. Play it lovely….so intoxicating. She always wore it. Rain slowly began to hit the windshield. I pulled up next to her apartment. Jasmina remained frozen in the car. {Oh yeah her hair.} I went to her side and opened her door giving her my jacket to cover her head.

She reluctantly took it and ran up the steps to the house. We ran in and we both looked at each other and instantly began to laugh. I was soaked in rain and she stood there perfectly dry. This was almost identical to our first date; the rain and all. “Let’s go get you bandaged up.” She said as she led me to our room…well I guess it was just her room now. Things looked different. I didn’t expect her to keep all of my things. I noticed a few of the small gifts I had gotten her over the years still remained in the room. I felt more guilt hit me in my stomach.

I felt like such a monster for leaving her like this…she deserved better from me. “Sit” she ordered to me. I sat on her bed and she left the room and came back with a small first aid kit. She lightly sat next to me and placed my hand in her lap. She gently cut off the bandage and began to clean to wound. I smiled watching her go to work. “Jasmina…” she continued working but acknowledged my voice. “Remember when I came home from training with that cut on my leg.” She smiled slightly. “Or when I sprained my ankle.”

She began to laugh a little. It seemed like we were actually having a civil conversation together at the moment. My voice softened. “You were always taking care of me.” The look on her face softened as she finished tying a clean bandage around my hand. She looked up at me and for a moment our eyes were locked. I could have drowned in those eyes for days. I put my newly bandaged hand on her cheek and went to lean in for a kiss. She jumped up and went to the complete other side of the room. “Jasmina listen.” I stood up to walk over to her. “No! You need to leave…now!” She put her hands up to guard herself from me. I wasn’t going to hurt her…ever. I grabbed her hand but she smacked mine away yet again.

Jasmina’s POV

“How dare you touch me!”I screamed as I slapped his hands away. He staggered slightly backwards but that didn’t stop him from continuing towards me. “Get away from me!” He said nothing at my remarks and just continued his steady yet fierce pace. I shook my head in defiance and in a failed attempt to get rid of all the mixed emotions I was feeling at the moment. He softly smiled as he neared closer and closer.

Not a smirk, or anything sinister….but a genuine smile and that’s what scared me the most. That smile froze me in place. I could now feel his breath on my face and chills ran down my back as the hairs on my neck stood up; I was scared. I couldn’t back any further away and he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in. I punched and flung my arms wildly. “Let go of me!” His grip only tightened. I could feel my heart tightening.

My emotions were everywhere right now. I didn’t know what to feel or what to think. I buried my head into his neck and began to cry. “I don’t want to love you anymore Lay…it hurts so much!” My tears ran down his neck but I didn’t care at the moment. I fell to the ground and he lowered himself and wrapped his arms back around me. “I don’t want to hurt anymore.” His arms comforted me as he gently rubbed my back. He grabbed my face gently and looked me in the eyes. He spoke softly. “Jasmina…I’ll never hurt you again.” For a few more moments he looked deeply into my eyes and then his warm lips crashed into mine.