*~*Flash Back*~*

**Jasmine**

I stumbled through the forest, tears blurring my eyes. I was only eight years old but I knew what moving house meant. It meant new house, new school, new friends, new everything. And I hated it. We had moved eleven times in the past five years and all because of Dad’s job. Julie could handle it, even though she was my younger sister, she could always make new friends at the click of the fingers. Me? It took me forever to find new friends and I didn’t even know why. I was never popular, maybe because of my insecurity of moving houses all the time and afraid to get close to people in case I would be whirled away again in the blink of an eye. I sat down on a large rock, trees enclosing me and making me hidden to the world. I sat down and sobbed my heart out. This was the best place we had ever lived at. Because of all the animals in the forest and on the beach, I didn’t need friends. I loved all animals. And now I would be leaving them too. It wasn’t fair. And now we’d be moving again in two months. A snap of a twig alerted me to a presence and I held my breath willing myself not to cry. A small boy just a bit older than me came into view. His blonde hair was bobbed neatly and fell over his forehead.
“I heard crying. What’s wrong?”
I started crying again and he came and sat down beside me on the rock and put his arm around me. I told him everything and then cried until I could cry no more.
“My name’s Christian. What’s yours?”
“Jasmine”
“That’s a pretty name. I like that name. Want to come and play over at my house?”
I nodded and he took my hand and led me over to the cottage. His Mum greeted us at the door with a smile on her plump face.
“Hello, dear, what’s your name?”
“Jasmine.”
“Could she stay and play, Mum?” Christian asked.
“Why, that would be a good idea! Would you two like some icecream?”
We both nodded enthusiastically and she ushered us inside. I found that the tears had completely gone.
The time had come to leave. Christian came over that day, my new best friend, with a glum look on his usually cheerful face.
“Mum,” I started. “Could we go for a walk?”
Julie looked at me. She had known Chris before I did apparently but she also knew that no one could be as close to each other as Christian and I was.
“Yes, but only very quick.”
We raced through the forest, scattering squirrels and birds left and right. We finally stopped at the rocks. We sat down.
“I’m going to miss you, Jasmine.”
“I’m going to miss you too.”
We hugged and I felt familiar in his arms.
“I wrote a poem for you!”
He read the piece of paper I handed him.
“You know what?” he asked.
“What?”
“You’re my bestest friend in the whole wide world and I’ll love you forever and ever!”
I started crying again.
“I love you too!”
Mum finally came and had to tear me out of Christian’s arms.
“No! NOOOOOOO!”
Christian’s sad face was the last thing I saw before tears overwhelmed me.

**Five years later**

I laughed as Sara-Lee told me a joke I’d heard and the other girls around me laughed as well, including Julie, Mark, Paul and Ben. I had almost forgotten my past life. All except one thing. Christian Ingebrigsten. His sorrowful face the day I left is still fresh in my mind. I longed to see him again. And what was even better was that there was no more moving around. Dad retired from his job so we’d be staying here for the rest of our lives.
One day the homeroom teacher announced, “We have a new boy joining us. He’s just moved here and I’d like you guys to make him feel welcome.”
I looked at Julie interestedly. I was in my boy crazy stage. Hopefully he was cute. He walked in and I nearly fell off my seat. Cute, he was gorgeous! And awfully familiar. His hair cut had changed so that his dark blonde hair fell neatly to either side of his perfect face. The joy of living was still apparent in his hypnotizing blue eyes.
“Everyone meet Christian Ingebrigsten.”
Julie glanced at me, a smile streaking her face and I nearly jumped out of my seat then and there and hugged him but I managed to keep cool until lunchtime, when I ran over to Julie. She squealed.
“It’s really him!”
“I know! Isn’t it amazing?!”
“Go get him, tiger!”
I walked up to Christian and tapped him on the shoulder. I didn’t expect him to recognise me as I’d drastically changed since when I was a little girl. Sure enough, his eyes held no recognition.
“Sorry, do I know you?”
I beamed at him, flicking my hair out of my face.
“Yes! My name’s Jasmine Graham…”
His face looked shocked and his jaw hung open before it broke into an over happy smile.
“Oh my God! Jasmine! It’s really you! I missed you heaps!”
I bounced up and down.
“Me too!” Then I sobered slightly; about to admit my love for a boy I hadn’t seen for five years. “Do you remember…”
“Hey, Christian!”
Christian stood up as a stunningly beautiful girl walked over to him. She put one neatly manicured hand to his back and pulled him forward for a kiss. I stood there watching, gobsmacked. He pulled away.
“Oh yeah, Jasmine, you know Leslie?”
I nodded silently. Leslie was the captain of the cheerleaders and the most popular girl in school. How could I NOT know her?
“She’s my girlfriend.” He grinned proudly.

*~*End of Flash Back*~*

**Jasmine**

I shook the memories from my mind. It only brought pain to think about it. I looked back at Christian.
“Do you still have the poem?”
He smiled warmly.
“Of course I do. Every time I get down I read it. That’s why it’s in my pocket at the moment.”

**Christian**

I pulled it out and read it to her, even though we both knew the words, and the eight-year-old spelling, off by heart.
*I no my hart will luv you
As a frend until the end
And I no this is reel
And not just some nu trend
So please don’t 4get me
Thats sumthing u cant do
Becuz even after a while
I’ll stil luv you too*
I knew in my heart that we were destined to be together but I’d been hiding it for five years. I turned at her and I could see tears starting to gather in her eyes. I took her comfortingly into my arms like I did all those years ago.
“It killed me that day when you said that you were with Leslie, the first day at my school.” she said suddenly.
My heart twisted. I wouldn’t have, I thought, if I had known that she was going to be at the same school as me.
“You know what?” I asked, a slight smile on my face.
“What?”
“You’re my bestest friend and I’ll love you forever and ever!”
Jasmine laughed and I was glad, noticing it had been the first time she’s actually laughed for years. All the other times it had been done to make it look like nothing was wrong, that she wasn’t harboring a secret for years. But this was real because the secret had finally made itself known. She was in love with me. And I could honestly say that I’m in love with her. I pulled her closer for a desperate kiss. Her touch was soft and a tear trickled down her cheek. I kissed it away.

**Julie**

I watched with Mark from the bushes. I smiled happily. THIS was how it was meant to be. We hadn’t meant to stumble across them but we did just before Christian redeclared their friendship. I looked at Mark and he was happy that they were finally together. I walked closer to him and he wrapped his arms around me. His kiss was gentle and perfect. I ran my hands through his hair then pulled him closer and his kiss became harder, more passionate.

**Leslie**

I clapped my hands in mockery as I stepped forward towards Jasmine and Chris.
“Oh please,” I said sarcastically. “Is this some real life Dawson’s Creek? Do you make everything so soppy? I knew it all along! Well let me tell you what Jasmine Graham.”
I walked up to Chris and kissed him harshly. It delighted me to see Jasmine’s face glow red with jealousy and rage.

**Mark**

I looked up as Leslie’s voice hissed and I glanced nervously at Julie. Why did she have to ruin things? Everything would be perfect without her! Julie held up her hand, signaling to leave them and only to step in if things were going really bad. It pained me to see one of my best friends hurting as much as I knew Jasmine was at the moment. Now wasn’t the time for Leslie to burst in, while Chris and Jas were reminiscing about old times.

**Leslie**

“Turns out I’ve got my own little surprise too.”
I beckoned my guy in from where he was hiding. The surprise on Christian’s face delighted me immensely.
“Paul?!”
Paul looked sheepish at being discovered. Jasmine gasped.

**Jasmine**

It was Paul with her! And he was saying nasty things about Christian too. I didn't know Paul could stoop so low. But that was what lust would do to you. Suddenly Leslie pulled out a gun and pointed it at Paul.
“And he’s coming with me!”
“Leslie…”
She swung the revolver around to Christian.
“SHUT UP! I thought you loved me…”
She bound and gagged Paul and all we could do was watch. She finally disappeared with her hostage in tow.

**Julie**

“Quick! See where she’s going!”
We raced after her in the shadows, dodging in and out as Leslie looked around nervously. Finally she stuffed Paul into the passenger side of a concealed Dodge Viper. We raced back to Christian and told him. He stood up, fumbling for the keys to the car. We all piled into the car, not bearing to think what would happen to Paul. Ben came outside.
“What’s going on?” he asked, clearly puzzled.
“Paul’s been kidnapped!” Christian yelled out.
He didn’t need any further persuasion and he leapt into the car as well.

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