-- two years ago --
"Jasmine!" My dad calls from down the stairs. "Someone's at the door!"
"Open it, please." I call back.
"It's Paige!" He shouts back up.
I put my hair straightener down on the counter and run down the stairs. Paige sits on the couch and I grab her hand and we run back up the stairs to my room.
"I can't believe you're going on a date with Shawn!" Paige exclaims.
"Shh!" I place my hand over her mouth. "My dad doesn't know I'm going on a date."
"Sorry," Paige apologizes once I remove my hand.
"Can you help me get the back?"
"Sure." She grabs the tool and I sit down on the cushioned stool in front of my vanity mirror. "Are you excited?"
I shrug. "A little bit. He seems like a nice guy."
"He's the sweetest! You're gonna like this kid." Paige promises.
"Charlie said the same thing," I reply to Paige. "He must be really sweet."
"He wouldn't hurt a fly, Jazz. Trust me, he's been raised right."
I told my parents that I'd be going to a football game with Paige, Charlie, and Matt. Even though it actually was the truth, I just didn't tell them what I'd be doing afterwards. I told them that we were all going to go out and catch that new movie and then eat pizza. But really, I was going to see the new movie and eat wings with Shawn.
My phone buzzes and its Matt texting me. I unlock my phone and read his message. "Matt said he's about ten minutes away. The game starts in about an hour."
"Okay, I'm almost done." Paige says as she goes over the last strand of hair to straighten. "Done!"
My hair now falls a slight inch past my butt. Paige wanted to put some makeup on me, but I refused. I didn't want to get caught in the possibility of a rain storm and have makeup drooping all over my face. That and I knew I would be too lazy to take it off once I got home.
I hear Matt honk the horn of his car, signaling that he was here. Quickly grabbing my phone, cheer wind breaker, and brown leather wristlet, Paige and I head downstairs.
"Bye, daddy." I say to him. "I'll be home late so don't wait up."
"Bye girls, have a fun time at the game." He waves. "Wait! Why aren't you in uniform?"
"It's a friends football game, daddy." I reply.
"Oh, sorry. Have fun."
"Bye," I wave off as Paige and I exit the house.
"Let's go! We got a schedule to follow!" Matt says, tapping at his watch. Paige gives him the finger and he honks back. I enter the backseat with Paige and buckle up as we take the forty-five minute drive up to Shawn's school.
"Are we almost there?" I ask, twenty minutes into the ride.
"Chill," Matt says.
"Matt, leave her alone." Charlie says. "I think she's too excited to see Shawn play."
"Hey," Matt says to me, "try not to get jealous over him tackling other guys."
"Shut up," I jokingly say. Paige laughs behind her hand.
"Ooh, I think someone got a bit defensive." Charlie says.
"I will get out of this car right now." I say.
