Dependent on Life.

‘What the fuck are you doing here Jenny!’ Val had Jenny up against the wall as she smirked.
‘I’m here to see Jimmy’s kid.’
‘She doesn’t want to see you, now get the fuck out!’ Val pushed her towards the door, then Jenny smiled and walked over to her extending her arm for a handshake.

I’m Jen-’
‘Jenny Miles I know.’ Jasmine wasn’t really interested on why she was here or even interested in talking to her she was just being civil. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I wanted to meet the famous daughter of Mariah, we were friends back in high school it’s sad that she passed away and I’m sorry for your loss.’ She shook her head, with fake sympathy dripping from each word she let fall past her lips and Jasmine knew it but decided not to do what any normal person would do is this situation.

‘You little bi-’ Val started but Jasmine cut her off with a smile and Val dropped her hands to her side confused, Johnny stood looking at Jenny with hatred running through his veins like water to pipes, this women had caused nothing but pain to all of them but especially Mariah and Jimmy.

‘I’m not that famous, but I do have to go now homework calls. It was a p-pleasure meeting you.’ She put on her best smile and walked past Jenny as she smiled and left the house. As soon as the door shut Jasmine breathed in and out heavily and Val noticed pulling her into her arms and holding her tight, Jasmine wasn’t sad or looked like she was about to cry no she wanted to hit Jenny in the face, with a slab of concrete. Twice.

‘You know I expected you to knock her lights out what happened?’ Val said in a calm tone.
‘I wanted to avoid the situation of me getting hit by a 20 year old woman, or her go to jail.’
‘Jasmine that was the woma-’ Johnny started but was cut off.

‘I know exactly who she is, I know what she did, why she did it but for some reason I can’t bring myself to hate her..it’s just not me..I’m sorry I didn’t handle that like you would have wanted me too but I’ve had a rough day and I just wanted something to go smoothly without it ending in a screaming match or someone’s hands around my throat.’ Jasmine realized the last bit she had said and slapped her hands to her mouth as Johnny looked at her with a furrowed brow.

‘Someone had their hands around your neck..like they were strangling you?’ He said straight out.
‘Y-Yes..’ She couldn’t do it anymore she couldn’t like to them she had to at least tell someone the truth.
‘W-Why didn’t you say something when I picked you up I could have spok-’
‘I’m sure I’ll be fine uncle Johnny just first day attracts drama to everyone you know? I’m the new shiny toy and they all what to play, some will be nice and others won’t be I just have to accept and get used to that.’ Jasmine shrugged she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out to see that she had three messages. She ignored them for now and followed Val and Johnny to the kitchen, Val was making dinner everyone’s favourite Jasmine watched and Johnny too seeing as he thought there was nothing better to do but in all honesty he just wanted food.

After a while of talking about her day and how Jenny came to the house and destroyed her plans of being happy Val had asked Jasmine how her day was but she said she would rather explain it once rather than four or five times within the same night, Val nodded and went back to cooking.

Then, Michelle, Brian and Zacky had come home. Noticing Jasmine was quiet Michelle gave her sister a questioning look but Val simply gave her the “I’ll explain later” look.

Jasmine remembered she had gotten messages on her phone and checked them.

Papa Jim: Hey baby girl I will be home soon! I have a surprise!
You: Dad..what do you have planned?
Papa Jim: If I told you it wouldn’t be a surprised now would it?
You: Good point..Okay I guess I’ll have to wait til you get home -__-

Uncle Mattie: JASMINE ARE YOU HOME? ARE YOU ALRIGHT? IS VAL OKAY?
You: Woah.. woah calm down uncle Mattie, I’m home..I’m okay, val is well..uh she is cooking so I don’t know if she is mad or okay? Wait why wouldn’t we be okay?
Uncle Mattie: I was talking to her when she got a knock at the door, she answered it and then told me she was going to kill someone..then hung up, I called her back and she answered saying she was a little busy with Jenny..What exactly did she mean she was “Busy with Jenny”??
You: Oh uh..yeah Jenny kind of stopped by..long story short Val almost bashed her to death..something must have been said before I got home but uh..well I’ll explain when you get home.

Uncle Mattie: wtf. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

Jasmine opened the last message, she didn’t know who the message was from and became confused when it said
Unknown number: I’ll see you soon Mae (:

She couldn’t think of who would be seeing her soon and she didn’t know how that person even got her number. Jasmine watched her Aunt Val make traditional spaghetti after she decided that tacos could be tomorrow’s dinner, while Johnny sat there staring at his niece he couldn’t help but stare she reminded him so much of Mariah that sometimes it pained him to look at her in fear he might cry, Mariah had helped Johnny so much in his years of high school that she became like a sister to him.

There was a point in Johnny’s life where he had all about given up for months and months people tried convincing him that there was more to life then moping around and drinking all the time but after a while they all gave up, his parents even had given up they believed that there was no changing his mind, but Mariah thought otherwise.

She thought that Johnny just needed that push, the lift in his life, she did everything for him not out of pity or because she “had” to but because she wanted to from the bottom of her heart she wanted to see Johnny happy and she stopped at nothing to do just that, she had even gotten herself suspended and arrested because of it but she said she didn’t care because she believed she could pull him from that horrible point and turn it around.

After months he began to see what not only Mariah was doing for him but what everyone else had done for him even if they did give up, he wasn’t mad though he was grateful they tried and turned his ways around he was more happy and stronger than ever before, he owed Mariah everything for not giving up. So he made a promise to himself, he would do anything for Jasmine even if that meant he’d have to go to jail or risk his life.

‘Johnny? I think we’ve lost him guys, there is no hope!’ Zacky fake cried Michelle and Brian laughed. Jasmine giggled and did her usual cough thing, they all stopped what they were doing and looked at her as she started to cough instead and Johnny tapped her back as she coughed but it didn’t help Val grabbed a glass of water and set it in Jasmine’s hand she swallowed and her throat started to hurt but she ignored that and smiled as they all relaxed a little and Michelle just had to ask why Jasmine always did that.

‘J-Jasmine, why do you do that honey?’ Michelle asked timidly, she feared the reaction Jasmine would give.
‘Ahem, I do it because when I was younger Terry had hit me in the throat with a plank of wood..my voice has never been the same since, so whenever I eat or laugh I choke..it’s normal so you guys have nothing to worry about.’ Jasmine said it like the time at the hospital when Jimmy asked her. At first the choking was so bad she would cough blood, but then after a while she had gotten used to it that she didn’t even noticed she would do it, but Mandy had noticed that even the slightest hit to her throat would cause her to choke.

Jasmine thought back to her day, she had been strangled. Not once but twice. And one of them happened to be by a guy who was bigger than her and probably more stronger than her too if it weren’t for Lucas that guy Xavier probably would have bashed her or something.

‘Val?!’ Matt yelled from the front door.
‘KITCHEN!’ She responded, she knew he was going to be mad that she had hung up on him but when she saw Jenny she couldn’t help but feel..somewhat hateful. She didn’t even know how Jenny found out where they lived or why she was even there, Jenny kept being smart ass to Val and she just couldn’t take it anymore she began to pound into Jenny’s face and the sound of the front door had stopped her when she saw Jasmine she threw Jenny up against the wall and wrapped her hands around her throat, she could see Jasmine had cringed at the sight of this but she could not show weakness in front of Jenny Miles. There was no question about it.

Matt’s footsteps could be heard as his musclier frame appeared in the kitchen, everyone greeted him except Val who had her back turned as she cooked. ‘Valary? Aren’t you going to say hello?’

She sighed. ‘Hello Matt, how was your day?’
‘It was fine..Why was J-’ Matt was cut off by Johnny.

‘Hey Jasmine can I talk to you upstairs please?’ He looked at Zacky who nodded knowing this was going to turn into some sort of argument. Jasmine stood and followed Johnny upstairs, Matt waited until he heard the sound of the door shut to continue speaking as Brian, Michelle and Zacky watched for the argument they knew was going to happen unfold.

‘Valary, why did you let Jenny Miles into the house?’ Matt asked calmly, thinking Val would snap but she didn’t
‘I didn’t, After I said to you “I have to kill someone” She pushed passed me and walked into the kitchen thinking you guys were home when she found no one was home except me she asked where Jimmy was. I told her he was out doing some stuff and that she needed to leave but Jenny being Jenny kept being a smart ass to me.’

‘Why didn’t you just kick her out then?’ Matt said like it was the obvious thing to do.
Val dropped the spoon and spun around taking two steps forward in Matt’s face. ‘That’s what I was trying to do! It’s a bit hard when you keep calling me asking what the hell I was doing! I had to throw her up against the wall! Then Jasmine walks in just as I put my hands around her neck and started to squeeze tighter!’

‘I still don’t see why you let her in..’ Matt muttered lowly but obviously not low enough because Valary had heard it and gotten right in his face this time she was mad and she wasn’t afraid to let Matt know that.

‘What the fuck would you have done then? There is only so much I could have done, it was only me in the house! Maybe you could have gotten her out but me? No! I couldn’t! So tell me all the little theories you have floating around in that head of yours Matthew’ Val Barked.
‘I think you invited her over, you were the only one in high school that had become friends with Jenny after Mariah left and none of us understood why, hell Val what were you thinking? Being friends with Jenny after all she put Mariah and Jimmy through after all she put all of us through!’
‘You think that I invited her over because I decided to be the grown up in the situation and be nice back in high school? Are you an idiot?’ She raised an eyebrow now shouting.

‘I wouldn’t put it past you for you two to end up friends again.’
‘Well..I see that you don’t believe me, it’s nice to know your own husband doesn’t believe what really happened.’ Valary shoved passed Matt’s shoulder and grabbed the Keys to her car but someone’s hand stopped her looking down she saw Matt’s hand and rolled her eyes. ‘Let go of the keys.’

‘No.’ Matt protested.
‘Fine I’ll walk.’ She stated dropping the keys and headed for the door but her husband’s buff arms had pulled her back from the door and she struggled in his arms. ‘Let. Me. Go.’

‘If you promise you won’t go away and tell me why you’re so mad.’
She turned in his arms and pushed he let her go. ‘I’M MAD BECAUSE YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME! JUST BECAUSE I MADE FRIENDS WITH JENNY AGAIN BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL DOESN’T MEAN I FORGOT WHAT SHE DID TO US ALL, I DID NOT INVITE HER OVER I’M PISSED BECAUSE YOU THINK I DID, THAT I WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE WHO UPSETS THE ONES I LOVE!’
‘SHE BETRAYED US VAL! SHE BETRAYED US AND YOU BECAME FRIENDS WITH HER! WHY? IT’S LIKE YOU DIDN’T CARE THAT MARIAH HAD JUST ALL OF SUDDEN DISPPEARED! SO WHY? WHY DID YOU BECOME FRIENDS WITH THE ONE BITCH THAT RUINED EVERYONE’S HIGH SCHOOL LIFE, THAT RUINED ALL OF CHANCES OF BEING HAPPY FOR THE FUTURE..HM WHY!’ Matt yelled really wondering why his wife did make the decision to be friends with Jenny after all she did to them.

Val breathed in and out for a few minutes before answering. ‘Because I wanted to keep the peace, Mariah would have wanted us to at least keep the peace..and that’s what I did. I did it for her, Jenny knows that. She was mature enough then to realize that what she did was wrong, but now I see it as she was faking it because the way she spoke to Jasmine today was like she was always friends with Mariah it made that hate come back..So don’t stand there and tell me that I’m a fucking idiot or that I’m stupid for at least trying to move on, because I’m not.’ Val turned on her heels to walk out and then stopped and turned back locking eyes with Matt ‘Oh and also, I did fucking care that Mariah had just up and disappeared, there was nothing I could do it was Mariah’s decision to leave she didn’t want Jasmine growing up around people like Jenny because as you can tell by today Jenny would and does find a way back into our lives just so she can destroy it!’

‘You knew about Jasmine..you knew Mariah was pregnant?’ Matt said with sudden anger.
‘Mariah made me swear not to tell.’
‘You knew and you didn’t tell any of us? You kept it to yourself for how long Val? How long until you told someone?’ Matt got into his wife’s face as their foreheads touched, but not in a loving way a more angry approach is how Matt wanted to go.

‘She didn’t want anyone else to know.’ Val hissed through gritted teeth as she tried to push Matt’s head away from her.
‘WE COULD HAVE HELPED HER! WE ALL COULD HAVE SUPPORTED HER! BUT YOU HAD TO KEEP IT TO YOURSELF BECAUSE YOUR SELFISH!’ Matt didn’t move his head as Val pushed him away, she backed up into the door hard and grunted in pain as the door knob was digging into her back because of Matt pushing his body into hers.

‘I’m not selfish if she wanted me to keep it to myself, I’m a friend for respecting her wishes, if I was selfish I would have told you.’ Val fired back. Brian and Zacky knew they had to step in now as the argument was getting out of hand, Michelle stepped in between the arguing couple and tried to stop them from yelling but it still went on, Matt thrashed around in Brian’s and Zack’s arms but they didn’t give in.

‘THIS IS ALL ON YOU! THE REASON MARIAH ISN’T HERE IS BECAUSE OF YOU VAL! THE REASON JASMINE DOESN’T HAVE A MOTHER AND WHY HER FATHER IS SO SCARED IS BECAUSE OF YOU! YOUR JUST SELFISH!’
‘THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO MATT! THIS IS NOT MY FAULT!’ Val felt hot tears threatening her eyes.

‘WE COULD HAVE HELPED HER VALARY, SO WHY THE FUCK DIDN’T YOU TELL US! THIS IS ALL ON YOU.’ Matt spat thrashing even worse than before.

‘FUCK YOU! I DID NOTHING WRONG! I WASN’T BEING SELFISH! I WASN’T! MARIAH WAS PROTECTING JASMINE! SHE KNEW IT! SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING! I TRIED! I TRIED TO STOP HER BECAUSE I DIDN’T WANT HER DOING IT ON HER OWN! BUT SHE DIDN’T LISTEN, SHE WAS AN INDEPENDENT PERSON, SHE WASN’T DEPENDENT ON US! SHE HAD MONEY IN HER ACCOUNT FOR HERSELF LIKE SHE KNEW SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD HAPPEN BUT SHE DIDN’T USE THAT MONEY FOR HERSELF IT HAS ALL GONE TO JASMINE! AND I DIDN’T WANT MARIAH ENDING UP ON THE STREET! SO I GAVE HER THE MONEY I HAD SAVED UP! SO GO FUCK YOURSELF FOR TELLING ME I’M SELFISH BECAUSE I DID ALL I COULD TO STOP HER BUT WHEN I KNEW SHE WOULD GO EITHER WAY I GAVE HER MY MONEY SO I KNOW SHE’D BE SAFE!’ Val snatched the keys from the coffee table and walked out the door, Michelle followed her but Val told her she needed to be alone, her twin nodded and hugged her before going back inside.

Matt stopped thrashing around as soon as those words left his wife’s lips, he didn’t know about Mariah saving up all this money like she knew it was going to happen, he didn’t know about Val giving the money she saved to Mariah.

He felt a stabbing pain in his heart but it was an emotional pain, hot tears escaped his eyes but he didn’t let the others know he was crying until he dropped to the floor and Michelle rushed to his side hugging him as he cried out loud in both rage and complete sadness.

He didn’t mean to blame Val, he honestly didn’t. He didn’t know who to blame, he wasn’t sure if blaming Jenny Miles was right or wrong anymore, because like Val said Mariah wanted them to move on and no matter how hard Matt tried he just couldn’t.

Every time he heard her name it shot through him like bullet to the heart, he hadn’t fully recovered from the death of his best friend, no one really had recovered they were all hidden behind walls trying to seem so strong when on the inside they were all broken.

None of them truly understood why Mariah left, they had all thought it was because of Jenny and it partly was but it was mostly because she was pregnant and afraid that Jimmy would reject her after all they had been through she had a feeling that Jimmy wouldn’t want to be a father at the age of 16, so she ran away but not before telling Valary.

Valary had convinced her to wait two days so she could give her something, so Mariah waited. Two days later Val had given her money and had even stolen some of her parents money to add to the pile, Mariah didn’t tell anyone where she was going because she herself didn’t know where she was going Val had even given her separate money for travelling, Mariah said good bye and just left.

She didn’t tell Jimmy, or her father not that he cared. No one but Val got to say goodbye and Val wanted so much to tell everyone that she knew Mariah had left and that she was pregnant but she couldn’t go back on her promise, she tried after countless times to tell her best friends and even her boyfriend but when she tried to she felt guilt rise and shut her up.

So until the day she saw Jasmine in the hospital she kept it to herself, living with that secret knowing one day she may just lose everything because of it but she was doing it for Mariah.

(Meanwhile upstairs.)

Johnny knew Val and Matt would get into an argument and pulled Jasmine upstairs, into her room shutting the door. Jasmine sat in the corner of the room with her legs to her chest she hated it when people yelled it scared her, with guilt filling her insides this was her fault they were fighting, in the end it all went back to her that no matter what, all the blame should have gone to her Jasmine was so brainwashed that she was even blaming herself as her Uncle Matt and Aunt Val argued.

Johnny tried to distract her by asking what happened at school and if she was happy but she didn’t answer she just stare at the door and listened to what was being said and even Johnny found himself listening. Until the yelling stopped and the front door slammed, the sound of a car reserving and speeding up the street told him that either Val or Matt had left.

‘Jasmine, this isn’t your fault.’ Johnny sat next to her but she snapped her head in his direction giving him a “what the fuck?” look.

‘How can you say that? How can you sit there and lie to both yourself and me? You know that they are arguing because Jenny had figured I was Mariah’s and Jimmy’s daughter and wanted to snake her way back into your lives then try to get to me just like she had gotten to my mom, when she came over she knew she had accomplished something so she left. She knew Matt wouldn’t believe Val so now because of me, Aunt Val and Uncle Matt are fighting I bet before this they rarely ever argued and that this is the worst argument yet. I knew being here would ruin your lives, that’s why I tried to leave but even after I tried to leave, I ended up coming back because I thought “hey things are going to get better give it a shot.” I was wrong.’ Jasmine stood to her feet pacing around the room while she spoke.

‘Because after I came back from the hospital not only was I having fucking nightmares every night and still am, I get told the truth about Jenny Miles! Dad leaves me because he was so pissed and I was forced to go back to McDonalds and wait for Uncle Matt but as soon as I walk in the door who the fuck do I see? Malak Waldon. Terry’s son, the guy who took my innocence, raped me every night until I was 14 told me that I was a worthless piece of shit, drove me to the point where I would ask him to kill me to put a fucking bullet in my head. I get home..then the memories come flooding back when Uncle Matt calls me by the name Terry and Malak used to call me “Jas Baby.” It scared me, I knew he didn’t mean it nor did he know but I couldn’t move. Then a few days go by and everything’s fine and peachy then I get to school I get people looking at me like I’m a fucking weirdo I get girls strangling me in bathrooms and guys strangling me in hall ways! Then I come home to Jenny fucking Miles trying to show me fake sympathy. So if this isn’t my fault then why does everything that happens end up involving me?’ She shouted, she didn’t mean to shout at Johnny she didn’t even mean to tell him about Malak or what happened at school it just came out. Even though Mandy had told them she says things she doesn’t mean when she’s mad, she will know what she says isn’t right because she will apologize for words that had been said.

Johnny just sat there staring at Jasmine as she paced shouting louder and louder, she admitted to having suicidal thoughts and a few other things. Johnny knew if she was just quiet and sitting down she wouldn’t be admitting any of this, she would find a cover up and he knew that so he listened to everything she had to say, until she felt she was done even if it meant he had to sit there all night he would sit there and listen to her. She was talking about how her whole life she had to keep things hidden, she herself had to hide her emotions her feelings, she mentioned Mariah’s name and stopped just stared out the window and breathed in and out heavily.

‘Mom was everything I could have wished for, she was the only women I looked up to but then one night she...she sat me down with my bags packed and told me t-hat she was sick..she didn’t seem sick, to be honest she looked perfectly fine to me. She told me she wanted to leave Huntington she said she need to go on an adventure and I asked if I was going too and I-I..She told me no.’ Jasmine whispered still staring out the window, she turned to look at Johnny but as soon as their eyes met she snapped them to look somewhere else.

‘I-I found these in a book she had given to me to read..I found it when I was fifteen..a year ago.’ Jasmine walked over to the desk in her room and held out the letters that were in her hand. Johnny stood and walked over to her as she dropped them into his hands and turned away on her heels stepping towards the door but stopped without turning she said ‘You can read them if you like, I could never bring myself to read them..just please don’t lose them it’s all I have left of her.’ She whispered and Johnny was sure she was crying but she rushed out the door and down the stairs.

Johnny rushed into his room and put them on his bedside table, then rushed back out down the stairs as he saw Jimmy walk into the door and Jasmine put on a slight smile although Johnny knew she was broken more than before but he couldn’t say anything not in front of everyone.

‘Jasmine close your eyes baby, I have a surprise for you.’ Jimmy smiled excited
‘Uh..Okay..’ Jasmine hesitated but shut her eyes and felt someone grab her hand, the hand holding hers was soft, she knew the feeling of this hand. Snapping her eyes open she saw Lucas standing there with the biggest smile on his face and laughed as she squealed and pulled him into her arms, she was glad Lucas was here she could talk to him without feeling nervous or judged only because she knew him for so long. ‘Lucas?..what are you doing here?’

Lucas smiled and greeted everyone else before turning back to Jasmine as they all left the two teenagers to talk. ‘Jimmy told me it would be a good idea if I came over for dinner one night, we planned this night a long time ago..but we both didn’t know you would be going to school so this isn’t a last minute thing..besides we have a lot to catch up on babe.’
‘I’m so glad you’re here! Come I’ll show you my room!’ Jasmine yanked Lucas up the stairs and Johnny smiled, he turned and saw everyone was smiling even Matt but smiled when Jimmy broke the silence mentioning why Val wasn’t here..Matt’s smile faded.

Jimmy looked at Matt who avoided his gaze, he knew what had happened Jimmy knew that look in Matt’s eyes him and Val had an argument, it must have been pretty bad if Val left. ‘Matt. What happened man?’
‘I-I can’t..no I- sorry excuse I have to make a phone call.’ Matt got up from his seat and walked out the back and Jimmy looked around confused until his eyes meet with Zacky who sighed.

‘Jimmy, don’t freak out or anything when I say this alright, promise me not to yell?’ Zack started and waited for Jimmy to respond. Jimmy lifted his eyebrows, and felt completely confused he thought to himself why would I freak out?

‘Jimmy? Do you promise not to freak out?’ Zack said again and Jimmy nodded. ‘No say I promise I won’t yell.’
‘I promise I won’t yell, now what the fuck is going on come on Baker spit it out boy!’ Jimmy looked only at Zacky.
‘Well uh..today while you were gone Val was home by herself because Johnny went and picked up Jasmine and uh..when they got home..Val was arguing with someone and-’ Zacky cut himself off and cleared his throat he didn’t want that name leaving his lips ever again but he knew one day it would.

‘Come on spit it out!’ Jimmy said running out of patients.
‘Jenny Miles..Val was fighting with Jenny.’ Brian huffed out because Zack was too scared of Jimmy lashing out, they all watched Jimmy as his facial expression went from confusion to pure rage, his hands balled up in fists and his nostrils flared and his jaw tightened as his eyes were jammed shut they all thought Jimmy was going to just walk out of the house and punch something so Brian told him if he needed to he could punch him but Jimmy shook his head slowly but stopped and relax when he heard his angels voice.

‘Dad..Are you okay?’ Jasmine put her hand to Jimmy’s arm and he relax completely feeling remorse.
‘Y-Yeah just mad we aren’t having Tacos..’ Jimmy lied.
‘HA! Dad didn’t anyone tell you we are having Tacos tomorrow..’ Jasmine giggled and so did Lucas, as they went outside. As soon as the door shut Jimmy looked at Michelle.

‘Where did Val go?’ He asked with a pout.
‘I-I don’t know..she will probably come back in an hour or so..’ Michelle sighed.
‘Should I- call her?’ Jimmy didn’t know if that was a good thing to do.
‘She won’t answer, she is driving.’ Brian shook his head as Michelle dished up food for everyone. Jimmy nodded and sat down at the table as Matt came back inside looking like he was holding back tears but hide it with a smile as Jasmine was talking and Lucas followed behind we sat at the table as Michelle gave us our plates and began to eat in silence.

Until Jimmy broke it by looking at Jasmine and smiled. ‘How was your first day baby?’
‘It was great.’ Jasmine lied. Lucas nudged her and she nudged him back and Jimmy noticed and raised an eyebrow.
‘You sure?’ Jimmy asked.
Lucas nudged her again and Jasmine snapped her head to look at him and he gave her a look which was basically saying “Tell him or I will” Jasmine growled and put some more food into her mouth and chewed before Lucas opened his mouth but Jasmine shoved his fork into his mouth and he shut up and she gave in.

‘I was in the girls bathroom looking in the mirror fixing my hair and these two cheerleaders walked in..telling me what I was wearing was not in style or whatever..anyway One girl Amie touched my clothes and I pushed her away from me and she threw me up against the wall then had her hand around my throat...the other girl told her to leave me alone and I rushed out of the bathroom and into a guy..h-he..’ Jasmine stood feeling uncomfortable with telling everyone at the table so she looked from Johnny to Lucas and they looked at each other reading each other’s mind Johnny let Lucas continue what Jasmine was saying.

‘This guy Xavier, he was trying to sweet talk Mae she told him to go to hell and kicked him in the balls..I laughed at that but then he got up and threw her up against the wall with his hand wrapped around her throat..he let go and I took her away..If I didn’t get detention then maybe that wouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry Mr. Sullivan.’ Lucas apologized to Jimmy and he was shocked that Lucas called him Mr Sullivan and thought that it was his fault when clearly it wasn’t.

‘Okay one, If I ever meet Xavier I’ll kill him..’ Jimmy smiled devilishly ‘Two you don’t need to apologize because of that stupid boys actions because it’s his fault because obviously his dad never taught him to not lay hands on girls. So Lucas don’t blame yourself. And three.. call me Jimmy please.’ He smiled quickly finished his plate.

‘I’m going to kick Xavier in the balls.’ Michelle growled and Brian laughed.
‘Sorry baby but when you’re mad it’s hot.’ Brian wriggled his eyebrows and Jasmine laughed then started to choke like previously that afternoon, Lucas knew it was because Xavier and Lucas’s ex Amie had swollen the muscles in Jasmines throat so he told her to drink warm water and she ran to the bathroom. He told the others she would be fine and they nodded but didn’t move except Michelle.

‘Lucas..how come she still does that?’ Michelle whispered as she started to clear the table.
‘The muscles in her throat will never be the same, nor her voice..it’s weird I never thought it was possible that you could hurt your throat by hitting it so hard..but Jasmine well she seems to find warm liquids work well when getting the swelling down.’
‘Swelling?’ they said in unison.

‘Yeah..whenever someone hits her throat or tries to strangle her, her muscle will swell up and if she chokes even a little bit it will become worse..but if she drinks warm water or tea she should be fine.’ Lucas stated, he knew everything there was to know about Jasmine they were best friends after all, he loved her and knew he always would they helped each other and were there for each other no matter what the circumstance or where they were. ‘Never let her refuse to drink warm water or tea because she will end up coughing blood.’ He said as Jasmine walked out and he helped Michelle clean up.

Matt was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t even notice that Val was standing in the arch way talking to Lucas who was introducing himself, and Val did the same. He also hadn’t noticed that his wife had a busted lip that was until Jimmy saw her and screamed at the top of his lungs scaring everyone.