*~*Julie*~*

"So anyway, what do you think about this?"
Jasmine stepped out of her clothes to reveal her two-piece swimsuit.
"Uh...a bit over the top." I said. "Chuck your boardies on."
She put on her blue and black board shorts and I nodded in approval.
"MUCH better."
My sister could go to all lengths to impress a guy. And I knew exactly which guy she desperately wanted to impress. It wasn't really THAT hard to figure out.
"Kewl, let's go."
Jasmine raced down the hallway and I stared after her in disbelief. I knew she was sporty but where did she get the energy from to run THAT fast? I ran after her, trying to keep up.
"Jasmine...wait...I...ow!!!"
I had run into Mark, who was going the opposite way down the hall. I fell over backwards.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry Mark!"
"No problem."
He held out his hand to help me up. I accepted it and he pulled me up.
"Thanks..."
"Anytime..."
Our eyes connected. I began to walk away.
"Um...Julie?"
I turned around, my heart skipping a beat then pounding against my ribcage so hard and loud I thought that he must be able to hear it. I scolded myself for getting so excited.
"I...never mind..."
He turned and disappeared into the bathroom and I was left with a breaking heart.

*~*Mark*~*

I leaned against the bathroom door with sweat beading on my forehead. I had been this close...Then I reminded myself that I had been that close for years. But I was also just that little bit too far away. I glanced in the mirror, hurriedly sweeping my hand through messy spiked hair. I slammed my hand on the bench, and then shook it slowly, the pain shooting up my arm. The door opened a little and Christian popped his head around the corner.
"Oh, I thought there was no one in here."
He turned to leave but I stopped him. He looked at me, blue eyes shining with expectancy.
"Chris..."
"Yeah?" he answered.
"Have you ever been in love?"

*~*Christian*~*

The shock of the impact of those words was like a punch to the stomach. I stepped back, my thoughts on Jasmine. That's when I knew I truly didn't love Lesley, that my feelings for her were only skin deep.
"Yes," I said softly.
"I think I have too."
"I wouldn't advise it."
"Why?"
"You'll only succeed in a broken heart."
"But Julie will never..."
I looked up at him and saw him in a new light. At first I had thought that he only liked Julie because she was attractive but now I knew it went further then that.
"Julie? She's a nice girl. Don't let her go."
I pivoted once again to walk away but Mark stopped me with words that had a ring of harshness to them.
"Why don't you take your own advice?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it's obvious that you love Jas. And she's smitten over you too. I've seen the hurt in her eyes every time you walk by, oblivious to her love, and even though I only dated her for a while I still can't stand to see her hurt. She's one of my closest friends."
I breathed in deeply. This was too close to the truth and I didn't want Mark to know the truth before I got a chance to tell Jasmine. I decided to deny it.
"I don't love Jasmine."
"Oh cut the crap! Quit lying to yourself!"
He was right on there but I continued.
"I'M NOT! I could never love Jasmine! I love Leslie! I couldn't care less if I never saw Jasmine again!!!"

*~*Jasmine*~*

I sank slowly to the floor, tears stinging my eyes. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on Mark and Christian but I couldn't help overhearing Mark ask the question. And then what Christian admitted...it was all too much. I rushed to find Julie before either of the two guys could spot me.
"What's wrong?" Julie asked when she saw my tear-stricken face.
"Christian said...that he couldn't care...less if he...never sees...me again!!!"
I said through sobs. She immediately hugged me and I let it all out, the tears, the pain, the heartache. My heart was being trown piece by piece by one single person and one sentence has ruined years of longing. I cried until I could cry no more and then I grabbed my towel.
"Let's go now." I said, rubbing at my eyes. Julie nodded and we headed down to the beach.

*~*Ben*~*

I watched the two girls head down to the beach and I sighed, seeing Jasmine's face.
"You stay here," I said to Paul. "I'll see what's up."
He nodded and I went down to the house and found Mark and Christian talking intently.
"What did you do to her?"
"Who?" Christian asked, breaking away from the conversation.
"Jasmine. She's down at the beach and she looks terribly hurt."
Christian swore then said to me, "Go comfort her. I'll get changed and be right down."
I raced down and saw Julie and Jasmine already in the water. Mark had followed me, and him and Julie went to meet each other, leaving me and Jasmine alone.
"Are you alright?"
Jasmine nodded, her eyes rimmed red. I swiped a loose strand of hair behind her ear, brushing her cheek. She seemed surprised and I caressed her face.
"You look beautiful when you're sad."
My lips brushed hers softly. I put my arms around her, savouring the moment. I wasn’t quite sure if this was “fun” as Paul calls it or this might actually amount to something.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
I pulled away and saw Christian’s furious face. Jasmine was on the verge of tears again.
“I told you to comfort her!!!”
“I was comforting her!”
“Not in THAT way!”
“ENOUGH!!!” Jasmine screamed blocking her ears. “I’m out of here!!!”
She left and Chris glared at me before heading in the opposite direction.

*~*Christian*~*

I picked up my notebook and a pen. The inspiration of a song came to me instantly and I wrote, tears patching my eyes.
“Hello”
I dropped the notebook in surprise and I saw Jasmine standing there.
“Hi.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Well, it’s been long enough. I love you Jasmine.”
She shook her head.
“Not from what I heard.”
She told me the exact words I said to Mark and my blood ran cold. I didn’t mean them. I had just wanted to get Mark off my back. I didn’t realise those words could do damage.
“I didn’t mean them!”
“We all do things we don’t mean yet we keep on doing them.”
Jasmine left and I swore, kicking a tree. I left, a wave of sadness washing over me. The beginning of the end of the rest of my life had just begun.

*~*Jasmine*~*

I watched as Christian stomped away from some secluded bushes. I noticed he had left his notebook on the ground so I opened it up to the page he had just recently been writing on. What it said brought tears top my eyes. I covered my mouth, the tears coursing freely down flushed cheeks. I tried to choke back a sob but I failed. I read what it said again, sinking to the ground, onto my knees.

*I said I’d never leave you
I said that I would never let you down
I needed a chance to prove my love to you
Time is through
Everything I told you
And everything I did I feel was wrong
I didn’t know the words I said would make you leave
Please believe
And all of the days just pass me by
So I pray and I’m asking why
All that I ask is one more try
Cause I never want to say goodbye
If only I listened to my heart
Then maybe we wouldn’t be apart
Now all I can dream about is you
And baby that’s all I do*
I’m so sorry babe.

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