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period math class, I find thinking about anything other than Jasmine is impossible. It has been almost two years since I had seen or spoken to her. I knew when I saw her again that I would react in some way, but I didn’t expect this kind of reaction. This is an emotion that I am not going to start to analyze for fear of what I might find. Instead, I settle for replaying seeing her this morning in my mind.
    When I knew her, she was a tomboy. She hung out with Jace and all his – our – friends, doing guy things, but now she dresses in girl’s clothes instead of oversized boy’s clothes. Her hair is the same blonde with red highlights that I remember, but now it is long; cascading past her shoulder blades. All that bright golden hair surrounding her face makes her blue-green eyes more noticeable. If someone wasn’t careful, they could get lost in those eyes. Her soft, pink lips have filled out, making them plush. The further my eyes traveled down her body, I realized her lips were not the only things that had filled out… She has curves in all the right places. It was hard to keep my face straight and my jaw from dropping at the sight of her. Thank God I kept my cool.
    When that cabr ón she was with told me to back off, I wanted nothing more than to slam my fist into his face, then I thought that it would upset Jasmine more. That was the last thing I wanted to do, especially after how distraught she looked. I took a deep breath and decided to walk away. That was a first for me in a long time.
    I heard Andrew warn her to stay away from me , which made me want to turn around and finish what he started, but I realized that she didn’t say a word… she didn’t say anything at all. I don’t know what I was expecting from her, so maybe no reaction is for the best. I am nothing like the person I used to be. Before the accident, I cared, but now I don’t, and it’s that simple. It is better if she stays away from me; best for the both of us.
    The day dragged on. It had been a long time since I actually made it through an entire day of school. As I said before, keeping my grades up would be easy, whether I attended class or not.
    By the time my last class rolled around, I couldn’t wait to get it over with and get the hell out of here.
    As I turn the corner to biology class, I almost run right into Andrew.
    From t he expressions on the faces of him and his friends, who are there to back him up, quickly showed me that he was here waiting for me, and it was not a coincidence. I quickly size them up and figured I can probably take them all, or at least give them a good run for their money. Andrew just decides to stand there and stare at me, so I figure I should get this show on the road.
    “Can I help you with something, Andrew?” I ask in a calm , but bored tone.
    “Yeah, Navarro , you can stay away from Jasmine.”
    “What makes you think I want to be around Jasmine?” The question throws him off. He wasn’t expecting me to relent.
    “Good. Then you won’t have a problem doing it.”
    Now I want to mess with him.
    “Who said I didn’t want to be around her?” I step closer to him, our chests almost touching.
    “You don’t scare me, Alex. Jasmine wants nothing to do with you – she doesn’t even want to be around you.” He sounds so sure of himself.
    I stare him down .
    “And how do you know she doesn’t want to see me?”
    Half of me wants to know what he knows, and the other half of me wants to piss him off. The outcome I desire more proves difficult to decide.
    “ She told me that if she saw you again, it would be too soon. She couldn’t be reminded of the person who took her brother from her, and that when she looked at you, she saw your father.”
    Andrew’s words rock me. Another piece of my heart chisels away and drops into the empty abyss that is eating me alive. I keep my face unbelievably calm for the storm that’s raging inside of me. The sight of Andrew makes me want to go wild and beat him