I walked in one afternoon and she was sleeping. She looked so tired. But I really wanted to talk to her. I started putting my things down, trying to wake her subtly. I coughed a couple of times, but she still didn’t wake up, so I shook her lightly.
“Sabrina…” she moaned, turned over a little and went back to sleep. “Sabrina, I really need to talk to you. Can you wake up? I’ll make you a cappuccino..”
“Oh, God, not another one of your lectures…”
I took a deep breath. “No, actually not.” I made the cappuccino and handed it to her. “I’ve been thinking. A lot. About our conversation.”
“Which one, Jasmine?” Sabrina sat up and listened to me. She seemed
completely disinterested, but rubbed her eyes. They were swollen and she had dark circles under her eyes.
“I miss you. And college isn’t what I thought it was going to be. It was supposed to us in college, not me doing my thing and you doing yours. I want us to be friends again. I want to be part of your life. I want to be part of your friends’ lives. After all, I was here first.” I grinned.
Sabrina grinned back and sat up. “Jazz, do you mean it? I mean, you really want to hang out and loosen up a little bit?”
I was nervous, but I agreed.
“Well, there is a party tonight…nothing special, just a bunch of friends getting together before Christmas break. We’re just going to chill out and listen to music. What do you think? You want to go? Just you and me?”
“I’d love to.” I felt like we were in high school again, just for a moment. “What should I wear?”
“NONE of that plaid, preppy stuff. You’ll totally get laughed out of the place. No, I’m going to help you pick something out. Oh, this will be fun. I’ll give you a makeover! You won’t even recognize yourself!”
We started talking again, like we were in seventh grade, Sabrina started working on me, and a couple of hours passed by really quickly. It really seemed like old times. Sabrina was more excited than I had seen her since we got here. I was nervous – more than I had ever been. But, college is definitely different. And, being as immature as I was, maybe it was time for me to become more open to the realities of the world. Especially if I was going to be a journalist. College was a place to start.
All afternoon, I kept justifying it in my mind, but decided that, to be a good journalist I had to be able to experience different things. I couldn’t write about college life watching from afar – I had to be part of it. What the hell. I was kidding myself and knew that I was going to a party with a bunch of college kids, but Sabrina was with me and she wouldn’t let anything happen to me.
Chapter Four
Sabrina and I spent the afternoon blowing dry our hair, putting on loads of makeup, and picking out the perfect clothes for the party. Sabrina was convinced that we wanted to make a good impression since everyone was going home for the holidays – “give them something to look forward to coming back for”. She wore jeans and a very slinky blouse that showed her entire back and she tried to do the same for me. We compromised on jeans, boots and a tight shirt but it was very festive – it was black, covered in sequins and very fitted. I felt extremely uncomfortable, but I was determined to make it a good evening. She kept adding eyeliner to my eyes and tousling my hair – “loosen up”!!! she kept saying. “You’re going to have a blast. You’re going to be the newbie – none of these people really know you, right? They probably won’t even recognize you as great as you look… So you can “BE” whoever you want. No one knows anything about you – and what goes on at frat parties, stays at frat parties, so why don’t you just really try for once to loosen up? Try to enjoy yourself, OK?”
I frowned, looking in mirror.
“Are you sure I should go anywhere like this? I mean, I look so…risqué…God, if my parents saw me…”
“THEY WON’T. Stop worrying and let’s go!!”
No – that’s just a polite way of saying slutty. I had tried on several different pairs of jeans and blouses before deciding on this. Along with the hairdo and the overdone makeup, I felt like it was perfect party attire. At least that’s what I told myself.
Should I bring a camera? I mean, this wasn’t like a going away party or a birthday party. It was a “get blasted-have fun” party. Everybody took pictures, uploaded them onto Facebook and let the world know what they were doing. If I did something that might surprise old friends back home, I wanted them to know about it. Just to be on the safe side, I grabbed my Kindle, knowing that if I didn’t feel comfortable, I could always find a quiet corner and read and let Sabrina have her fun. And, it had all of my contact phone numbers in it just in case I needed to make a call. I would have more need for it than money or anything else. Makeup was a no-brainer – I never put on makeup in public. I looked at Sabrina and stopped for a moment.
Sabrina grew up in a family that was middle class, but she had two older brothers and a younger sister and never really got a lot of attention. Her mother worked at the local grocery store and her father was an accountant, but didn’t make a lot of money. They lived a normal life, but they weren’t wealthy like we were. And, her parents never seemed to care very much about what she was doing or who she was with. They always felt safe knowing that she hung out with me, so sometimes, she would come to my house and her dates would pick her up there and then drop her off there and she would spend the night. Her parents never knew the difference and my parents were usually in bed. But she was always gorgeous. Even when she woke up, she looked like she had just put on her makeup, her skin was flawless and her white-blonde hair was always straight and perfectly in place. She had fabulous blue eyes that always sparkled. When I was little, I liked imagining she was a fairy who could grant wishes because of her eyes.
“How do you always manage to look like that?” I asked her as we were about to leave. She was grabbing her purse.
“Like what?” She knew exactly what I was talking about, but liked playing humble.
“Like you just stepped off of the cover of Vogue. No matter where you go, you always look stunning. I hate going anywhere with you because I can’t compete. Everyone is always looking at you and then they glance at me and look back at you.”
Sabrina hugged me and said, “You are just a worrier, as always. Look at you…” she stopped and turned me towards the foyer mirror. “You look amazing. Tonight is going to be different. Let’s see who they look at now.”
I had to admit that I did look pretty good. Better than I usually looked, but I didn’t usually care about looks – I felt like it was superficial. But I had always been secretly jealous of Sabrina and I was glad that we were going together tonight. People would see us together.
I smiled and grabbed my purse as well and we locked the dorm door. “Whose car are we taking?”
“Don’t worry about a car. Let’s catch a cab – we’ll grab a ride home. The traffic is going to be terrible.” I didn’t realize it at the time, but she knew that neither of us would be in any shape to drive home if we made it home and there was no point in taking a car.
Chapter Five
We heard the music two blocks away from the party. I could see that there were lights, we could hear voices loud enough that they traveled for miles, laughter, an occasional scream of laughter…obviously, a party that was in full force. It was at someone’s home – it wasn’t on campus. The campus security would have been all over this gathering, so clearly, it was far from the campus security and the rules that accompanied them.
As we got closer, I could see the party. The house was amazing – a pale yellow colonial, two story classic home with pillars, spectacular gardens and cars parked all over the yard, the street and anywhere there was an empty place. People were stumbling all over, falling, bumping into each other and into random trees and bushes, jumping out from behind trees, and trash was already piling up all over the grounds. All I could think about was the people who owned that beautiful home and what they must think – or did they even care?
There were so many rich college kids that it didn’t surprise me at all to think that this was, perhaps, a simple “college house” that someone’s dad had purchased for his precious son to allow him to attend college while daddy could continue with his money-making ventures with no worries. But it was the house that every little girl dreams of – the one that you move into with your husband, 2.5 kids and a dog…
“God, Sabrina – this looks pretty wild. Do you know any of these people?” I elbowed her and she was already waving to two guys.
“Of course, Jasmine – you’re going to love this. Come on – this is going to be great!” She started walking faster and towards the crowd and I just followed.
Police in college towns tended to overlook college parties that weren’t directly within the boundaries of the college most of the time and college kids really didn’t seem to care anyway. The police saved most of their energy for serious emergencies – college kids who got into fights, missing students, break-ins, and other such events which were unfortunately, common in a college town.
Three guys that I didn’t recognize stopped in front of us. “Hello, ladies…” they were eyeing Sabrina and I from head to toe. I suddenly felt incredibly naked, for lack of a better word. “You ready to party?” One handed us both plastic cups with drinks in them and Sabrina took hers without a thought and chugged it down.
“This is great! Thanks – I’m Sabrina and this is,” she motioned towards me, “Jazz.”
I corrected her. “I’m Jasmine. What are we drinking?”
They laughed and one answered, “Christmas cheer, sweetheart. You both look amazing tonight – are you here alone or can we give you the tour?”
One of them came closer to me and held out his hand, as if to touch my shoulder. As his hand was about two inches from my shoulder, I moved away and turned, as if looking for someone.
“My name is Jake. I’m a sophomore. Who are you again, beautiful?” He started to touch my hair. I looked over at Sabrina for some sort of direction. She was already too busy and too occupied chatting with the other two guys.
“Look, I’m sorry…” I hesitated. “ – we’re actually meeting someone here.” I swished his hand away from my hair. “Maybe next time.”
I turned in the other direction and grabbed Sabrina with me. I heard one of the guys behind us mumbling…”bitch” and they kept walking. I looked back to make sure they weren’t following us, but they were already talking to two girls who were wearing matching mini-dresses and who were more interested and less choiceful than we were.
“Whatever – can you believe those guys? I mean…” Sabrina looked aggravated.
She stopped walking and faced me. “Jasmine, we have to talk.”
She took me by the shoulders. “I’ve known you all your life. You are the kindest, most decent person I’ve ever known. You’re the girl that everybody wanted to grow up to be, including me. But we’re here! We’re in college. All of our dreams are coming true. You are going to be an amazing journalist one day and who knows what I will end up being, but you have GOT to loosen up. There isn’t anything that says you can’t be an amazing journalist and have fun while you’re doing it, you know?” I could not believe that I had agreed to this. I had never felt so out of place in my entire life. I so did not want to be at this party.
“Sabrina – are you sure about this? I mean, is this really important to you because I…”
“JASMINE!! Those guys were totally hot and you just blew them off. No one says that we had to hook up with them or anything like that, but we could have talked, maybe had a drink…”
“Sabrina, this just isn’t my thing. I don’t belong around people like this. I mean, how can you just come on to guys like that? They don’t even know you and you don’t know them – what’s gotten into you??” I paused, but couldn’t stop.
“Sabrina – you promised that this was going to be fun. I’m not stupid and I’m not trying to be a bummer. But I’m totally not into this weird, drug-using, kinky sex gig that is going on at this school. It’s everywhere. The teachers are snorting with their students between classes! I’ve seen them right in the classrooms, like no one is even looking. Girls are like laying on top of each other on the Green and making out in the middle of the morning and people just walk by like there ‘s nothing to it. And, that’s totally their business – but it just isn’t who I am, you know? YOU DO know – so please try to help OK? Let’s try to compromise just a little. I’ll loosen up and talk a little more, but let’s try to keep it clean, OK? I’m not interested in meeting any guys or leaving with anyone – I just want to have a drink or two and then let’s go, OK?”
“Jasmine, how about one more drink…” I was already shaking my head.
“No – not right now. I just got this one!” I knew I was ruining her night, but I just wanted to go home. “Look, let’s just go in and see what’s going on inside, OK??”
Sabrina grinned, locked her arm in mine and said, “Perfect. On one condition.” I was afraid to ask.
“What?”
She popped her hair back, held her shoulders back and said, “Work it” and grinned. Meaning, start shaking my butt, acting like I was not myself and just entertain Sabrina. I knew there couldn’t really any harm in it, so I took a breath and we walked into the front door. Or should I say, I walked – Sabrina cat-walked into the door.
Being as gorgeous as she was, she automatically commanded attention whenever she walked into a room. She was dressed the part and guys started coming out of every room, out of the woodwork, just to get into her personal space and hopefully, get in a word edgewise. I just stood back behind her and stayed quiet. She was one of those people who everyone just wanted to be near. I loved her because I knew her when she was a kid – she was as close to a sister as I had ever had. But, as she grew up, she became more than just a pretty girl. She knew she was beautiful and she used it to get whatever she wanted. I felt very uncomfortable sometimes watching her play a room. But she was my best friend.
The enormous front room had five giant flat screen televisions surrounding the walls. I was right outside - this home was obviously not someone’s actual residence, but a home that had been purchased for a college student to use while attending college. GOD – where do people get money like that?
The televisions were all blasting live video – from Madonna oldies to Miley Cyrus swinging nude on a wrecking ball – straight to her fabulous twirking debut, played over and over. In front of two of the televisions were at least thirty girls, in their underwear, twirking right along with her, and no one was even paying attention. They had taken off their jeans, pants or whatever they had worn and had thrown them all over the room.
Three girls were making out on the piano bench inside the left side of the room, one had already taken off her blouse, down to her strapless bra, and no one was paying attention to them either. They were as close to having sex in front of a room full of people as they could be without actually doing it.
I looked at Sabrina and started shaking my head ‘no’ – “Sabrina – are you sure this is such a …” I turned to find her, but she was already gone.
“Sabrina?” I called louder. “Sabrina?” NO SHE DIDN’T. She had already ditched me. Who did she leave with? I didn’t even see her talking to anyone. But it didn’t take her long and she wasn’t really choosy about her company these days. In fact she fit in perfectly with this crowd and now I was alone.
I was so angry that I started looking for my bag and for the front door. Completely ready to go home, I remembered that we had no way to get home. She had my credit card because we had stopped at the store on the way, I had no cash, and my only other choice was to walk home, through that front yard again, alone, and then in the dark. I could have killed her. I started towards the door and I accidentally dropped my bag. I bent to get it and bumped into someone. Thinking it was her, I started griping as loud as I could…
“Where have you…” and then I looked up and realized it was
n’t her. It was a young, very handsome guy. In fact, the most handsome guy I had seen in Memphis, maybe in my life. I was tongue tied for a moment and just stood there. My first rational thought was ‘Remember you’re at what could basically be considered a straight up sex party and this is a guy who’s looking at your chest’. But then he spoke and I was intrigued, just by the sound of his voice.
“Hey, are you alright?” He helped me with my bag and patted my shoulder. “You look really upset. Did something happen?” I still didn’t answer, but finally gathered my thoughts enough to answer.
“I’m fine. I’m leaving. Thank you.”
“Whoa – just stop for a minute,”. I couldn’t help but notice – I don’t know if it was the smell of the room, the beat of the music, the unfamiliarity of this place, but for a moment, all I could notice was his eyes. As blue as crystal and an honesty or trustworthiness or some quality that I had never seen. He had brown wavy hair, a plain T-shirt and jeans and nothing that was fake or trying to impress, which automatically impressed me. He wasn’t calling me ‘beautiful’ or ‘honey’ or anything artificial. He seemed truly concerned about me.
“My name is Jonathan.” And there it was. Jonathan. I couldn’t stop staring at him and I couldn’t get my words to come out right. I couldn’t believe that I was actually star-struck for the first time, but now I knew what they meant by that phrase because here I was. One of those girls who was stopped in my tracks by a guy. Five minutes and now Jonathan was a person who I would never be able to forget.
“Of course it is.” For a moment, my guard went back up. “And I bet I’m the first girl you’ve met tonight and you don’t have a girlfriend and you’re only here to help.” Let’s see if bitch-mode runs him off. I waited for him to waive me off and walk away, but he didn’t.
Girl Seduced (The Girl Interrupted Trilogy Book #1) Page 2