Forgetting Billions | ✓

09 | Forgetting Storms

JASMINE AWAITED Selena's trademark series of knocks, a secret message they had created in their freshman year. She tapped her foot against the wood flooring to a rhythm only her mind knew, checking her watch in between rests. The soft creak of the gate opening caught her attention and without another thought, Jasmine swung the door open. When saw her best friend with a raised fist, about to knock on the door, she released a sigh of relief and swiftly took her arm.

"Can we go to the Rocks?" Jasmine asked, walking them to the car parked outside.

Selena nodded, "If that's what you want, we'll go."

They both climbed into the car, Jasmine wrapping her cardigan around herself tightly as Selena revved the engine, and the duo sped off to their favorite place to calm down: the Rocks.

The Rocks were built off of a public beach that almost always remained vacant. A large mass of stones stood about half a mile from the sand and from the moment they sat atop them, they felt as if time and space cease to exist.

Within ten minutes, they arrived and parked along the beach entrance, beginning their short hike to the Rocks. Jasmine averted her steady gaze from the sand and found Selena watching her with an odd expression on her face, resembling something between curiosity and confusion.

"Are you going to Evan's party tonight?"

"I kind of have to, considering the host happens to be one of my closest friends. But why are you suddenly going? I thought your parents wouldn't let you," Selena said, toying with the striped black, red, and yellow bracelet dangling off her wrist.

Jasmine looked behind them to see two sets of footprints embedded in the sand. No one seemed to be following them. She released her cardigan and flexed her fingers, curling them into a fist and then out into a palm, over and over again.

"They'll let me if I say I'm sleeping over at your house." she raised her eyebrows at her, forcing a small, mischievous smile onto her lips.

"Jasmine—," Selena began, shaking her head with disapproval, when Jasmine cut her off.

"Evan needs his two best friends to come to his own party. How would it look if I didn't go?" Jasmine replied defensively, wrapping the woolen cardigan around her once again.

They approached the Rocks at last, and Selena took a seat on the highest stone, Jasmine beside her.

"You're right, but are you sure you want to go? It just doesn't seem like your scene," she pointed out, her head tilting to the side as she watched her best friend with piqued interest.

"Why can't it be? I'm probably the only high school senior who has never been to a party. I think it's about time we changed that." Jasmine bumped her shoulder with Selena, who stiffened at the touch. Jasmine's smile faltered as she took one look at her best friend. "Something wrong?"

Selena snapped out of her trance and flashed a grin at Jasmine, "Of course not. I was just thinking about why you'd suddenly want to go to a party. And then I remembered that Shayan was going," she teased.

"He's nothing more than a friend Selena."

The waves rolled against the edges of the gray rocks and Jasmine lied back against them, her head resting on her arms. Selena joined her, propping her head up with her palm.

"Then you wouldn't mind if I went for him?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

Jasmine snorted, "Yeah, right. Evan already has you locked and loaded."

"Oh, really?" She rolled her eyes, "Evan can say whatever he wants, but I don't think I can ever see him that way."

"That's a bit rude, don't you think?" she responded, wanting to protect Evan the way he does for her, "Evan deserves to be treated better."