Page 7 of Escape

“Hi, Mom.”

“Jasmine! I have been waiting for you to arrive. Where are you?” Her voice was frantic as she piled on the dramatics.

“I have the reunion in about thirty minutes. I won’t be coming by tonight.” I clicked the call over to speaker and continued the brown liner that made my eyes pop.

“Honestly, I don’t know why you didn’t just come stay with us. The guest room is much nicer than that sketchy little motel.”

My unglossed lips curled in a smile. She really believed that I could only find a room in the crappiest motel in town, just as I’d hoped. I knew she wouldn’t dare set foot in that place.

“It’s really fine, Mom. I won’t be spending much time in the room, anyway. Plus, I know Dad likes his space.”

It was true. Not even my mother could deny the fact that my father would rather be the last person on Earth than spend time with his family. Sometimes, I wondered why he decided to have one or why he stayed married after my siblings and I left.

She huffed in surrender. “Yeah, well…I would have at least liked to help you get ready. What are you wearing, anyway?”

Here we go.

“Just a dress, Mom. Listen, I really have to-”

“Hopefully a flowy one with those hips you've got. Remember, these are people you haven’t seen in ten years. They’re going to be assessing every inch of you. You’re already showing up without your husband, you can’t have a single roll or wrinkle!”

There it was. The first criticism. One of the many reasons I didn’t want to visit home.

“I gotta go, Mom. Talk to you later.”

Whatever insult she was spitting next was cut off as my finger slammed into the phone, hanging up. I sighed in relief as my music started playing again, but my mood had been dampened.

It was like I was transferred back to 16 and was sitting cross-legged in front of my mirrored closet doors, smearing on as much makeup as I could to cover the freckles that dusted over my nose. My mother would always tell me a smooth, even complexion was ideal. Then, my father would shake his head as I walked by, saying, ‘You look fast with all that shit on your face.’

For me, it was a never-ending, losing battle between the two. My younger brothers, the perfect, private school twin boys with twin full-ride football scholarships, were a whole other story.

My mother’s words replayed in my mind as I looked at myself in the mirror. Everyone would be assessing each other, but that was only natural. Eyes would be on everyone, not just me. Besides, if anyone said anything, Ariana would stand up for me…I think.

It was only one night. I’d likely never see any of them again. The thought should have brought me comfort, but it fell short.

There was only one person whom I would have been nervous to see and she wasn’t on the RSVP. So, there was nothing to worry about. I could do this.

I slipped on my dress and matching heels, doing one last turn in the mirror. My brain screamed at me to change into cozy pajamas and take advantage of this luxurious room. Order room service and binge until I was sick. But something else was pulling me out the door. Curiosity. Nostalgia. Whatever it was, I needed to at least try.

Chapter 6

Jasmine

Not knowing how much I’d be willing to let go and have fun, I decided to call a car to take me over to the reunion. I left at the exact time it was supposed to start, to hopefully avoid a long line. I also hated being the first one to arrive, twiddling my fingers and finding something to do while I waited. I preferred getting there late and disappearing into the sea of people.

When I pulled up, there were almost no cars in the school parking lot. I pulled up a picture of the invitation on my phone to make sure I got the date, address and time right. I scanned it over three times, comparing it with the calendar and clock on my phone.

The driver looked back at me, her voluminous, orange hair glowing like a halo around her soft-featured face as the street lights illuminated through the window. She was beautiful. Her small smile twisted my stomach.

“Here we are,” she said with a wink. “Good luck.”

Confirming I was in the right place at the right time, I tipped the gorgeous woman and climbed out into the cool evening air. Looking around me, I noticed that there wasn’t anyone outside. I didn’t think I’d been that late, but maybe everyone else was just freakishly early. I clutched my bag to my stomach and took a few deep breaths.

Muffled, upbeat music drifted from the building and into the streets as I walked closer to the entrance. The noise comforted me. At least I knew there was actually an event happening inside.

Reaching the building, I noticed just how run-down it looked. The structure had already been old and crumbling when I was in school, but it now seemed to be deteriorating.

Weird they still let kids attend in such a condition.