On Sunday, I sat in church beside Melaney, pretending to listen to the sermon, but actually replaying the events of the charity ball in my mind. After the fireworks, Tyler kissed me so fervently my knees wobbled and I saw stars. I would've collapsed into a heap of fluffy tulle if Tyler hadn't been holding me up. The stars in my eyes might've been the aftereffects of the fireworks, but I preferred to blame them on Tyler's expertise.

"That was your goodbye kiss, since I doubt your stepfather would let me kiss you goodbye at your door," Tyler explained, grinning, probably at my dazzled expression.

"Thank you for a memorable evening. I'll never forget it." I meant every word.

Tyler led me back through the dark bedroom (which, due to its large size, must be his parent's room) and down the hallway and the stairs. No blindfold needed this time, since I already saw my surprise. Most of the other guests had left. I didn't see Dean or Mrs. Price anywhere, but I didn't care because the night was too perfect to mar with revenge.

Pastor Bob's microphone shrieked and ripped me out of my reverie. I jumped up off the pew about an inch above the mauve cushion. Pastor Bob scowled and Melaney smirked. I bowed my head in embarrassment and examined the mauve carpet, realizing how well the ugly mauve mums on each side of the podium matched the carpet and the seat cushions and how much I disliked mauve and all shades of pink. I wrinkled my nose at the overpowering odor of the mums. They made my eyes water.

I hoped The Rents hadn't noticed my minor disturbance, or I'd get a lecture about paying attention to the sermon because the Pastor's words were "food for the soul" or something like that. At the thought of food, my stomach grumbled so loudly that Megan, who was on the other side of Melaney, giggled, and Mrs. Kline turned around and shushed us.

Pastor Paul stared straight at me and continued his preaching, "In Romans 12 verses 17 to 19, Saint Paul tells us, 'Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord.' Here Saint Paul is quoting Deuteronomy 32:35. 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near, and their doom rushes upon them.'"

The whole time Pastor Bob recited those Bible verses, he never took his eyes off me. I wondered if he could see the evil in my soul. I wanted to slide under the pew and hide from his penetrating gaze. "Let me end this week's sermon with the last verses of Romans 12, 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if your enemy is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.' Let's stand and pray the Lord's Prayer together."

The congregation stood and recited the Lord's Prayer, words I had memorized before I could even read. Daddy taught them to me. But I couldn't say the part, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. You are dismissed," Pastor Paul declared.

I couldn't escape from the sanctuary fast enough. Needing fresh air, I rushed down the aisle before anyone blocked it and out the glass doors without greeting a single person. Fortunately, the congregation was used to my rude behavior.

I stood in the grass at the side of the church, taking deep, cleansing breaths of the crisp, fall breeze, and waited for Melaney, while she politely said goodbye to everyone around her. When she finally reached me outside, she asked, "Where's the fire?"

"I couldn't breathe in there," I explained. "Who was texting you? I felt your phone vibrate several times."

Melaney checked her messages. "Dean wants you to meet him at Green Avenue Park this afternoon, probably to apologize for telling Tyler your secret." Before Sunday school, I had informed Melaney all about my evening at the ball with Tyler and Dean.

"He said he wants to apologize?" I asked, shocked.

"No. I'm just assuming that's the reason for the meeting. He should feel guilty about his behavior."

"He should," I agreed. "Can you go with me to the park?"

"No. My Uncle and Aunt Miller are coming to our house for lunch. Maybe, you can take Hannah," she suggested.

I didn't want to use my three year old foster sister as an alibi, but it wasn't like she would tattle on me. Hannah didn't speak. I planned to persuade Hannah to run around inside the house, so The Rents would allow me take her to the park to release all of her excess energy.

* * *

My plan went off without a hitch. Hannah skipped beside me on our way to the park, while I pulled her red Radio Flyer wagon filled with snacks, books, and pillows, in case she got too tired to walk. I was supposed to meet Dean at the covered picnic pavilion beside the jungle gym. I saw him sitting at a picnic table, but he wasn't alone.

A stylish, thirty-something women sat next to him. He looked annoyed, and she seemed contrite. I was too far away to hear their conversation, but I lip-read the words, "I miss you." Dean noticed me standing there, so I waved at him.

"Hannah, do you want to play on the jungle gym or the swings?"

She pointed to the swings, so I parked the wagon, sat her on a swing, and gave her a big push. She squealed and giggled. She would swing happily for hours, if we stayed that long.

Dean and the mystery woman walked over to me.

"Hello," I greeted them and would've introduced myself, but the woman glared at me as if she wanted to claw my eyes out.

Dean remembered his manners and made the introductions. "Addison. This is Jasmine, my foster sister. Addison is a friend of my mother, and a client of mine."

The jealous expression left Addison's face as soon as she heard I was Dean's sister. "It's nice to meet you, Jasmine," she purred politely. "Dean, I'll call you later."

She strolled over to the bench where the other moms sat watching their children play on the jungle gym. Her black cashmere scarf dangled behind her like a cat's tail.

I recognized Addison from the costume ball. She was the pretty Snow White who danced with Dean. I shook my head in disapproval as I realized something scandalous. "That woman was your 9:00 appointment."

"I told you that you wouldn't approve," Dean stated with his usual nonchalance.

"She must be twice your age."

"She thinks I'm a senior in college."

"But you're only seventeen!" I gave Hannah another big push, and she giggled.

"Not according to my fake driver's license."

"You're jail bait. Why did you lie to her?"

"I didn't lie. Diane had mentioned I was a senior, taking online courses. So when Addison saw me, wearing a Cornerstone State U. t shirt and holding a mixed drink at one of my mother's infamous book club parties, she just assumed I was old enough to drink."

"Of course, and you didn't bother to correct her. Are you dating Addison?" I asked, slightly appalled at the thought.

"Not really. Addison told Diane that she needed help with yard work and some home maintenance stuff, because her husband had just abandoned her and their two little kids and took off with his secretary. My mother felt sorry for her and offered my handyman services, so now I mow her lawn, fix her house, and keep her and the kids company."

"So how often do you mow Addison's lawn?" I probed.

"I haven't lately. I quit after she accused me of stealing her necklace."

"Which you did," I stated as fact. I knew Dean too well.

Dean shrugged. "She was getting way too dependent on me, but I put it back after a few days. She found it in her children's toy box when she was cleaning this weekend. She called and apologized for thinking the worst of me."

"And she misses you and wants you to come back. Will you?"

"I haven't decided yet."

The image of Dean holding a toddler on his shoulders at Picnic Creek Park came into my mind, and I had to ask, "Does Addison have a little boy about two years old with blonde curls?"

"Yes, and a little girl who's five. They're playing on the slide now."

I followed his gaze to the two cute children at the bottom of the slide. "That's who you were meeting at the carousel."

He nodded.

I gave Hannah another big push. "Addison cares about you. I can tell."

"I know, but . . . I shouldn't have kissed her. We were both feeling lost and lonely . . . and drank too much. But she's still in love with her ex-husband, and I'm still in love with . . ." He stopped speaking and stared down at the friendship bracelet on his wrist.

"Melaney," I finished his sentence for him.

"Anyway, it's over," he resolved, but the silver specks in his blue eyes shimmered with despair. 

I wasn't sure if he meant Melaney, Addison, or both of them. I'd never seen Dean so sad before. For a second, part of me almost despised Melaney for hurting him. 

I put my arms around his waist and held him tight. I'd do anything to take away his pain. I laid my cheek on his chest and listened to his heart beat rapidly at first and then resume a strong, steady rhythm. My eyes filled up with tears that leaked out onto his shirt.

"Jasmine, it's okay." He massaged my back in consoling circles. "Don't cry."

"I'm not. I have something in my eye." I rubbed my eyes with my fingertips.

"Both of them?"

"Yeah. You always help me. I wish there was some way that I could help you."

"Just be happy, Jasmine. Your happiness is very important to me. Alright?"

"Alright."

We held on to each other for a minute more. Best friends forever. I took a deep breath and inhaled Dean's familiar scent, clean and fresh like a brisk, fall breeze combined with wintergreen mint gum.

"I need to talk to Melaney," I stated, while pulling out of Dean's comforting embrace.

"Don't. This isn't her fault." He sighed. "I should have stayed away from her in the beginning, and then you wouldn't be in the middle of this mess. Melaney is your best friend. She only wants what's best for you, for everyone. Remember when you told me there was no contest? You would always choose Melaney over me. That's what I want you to do."

"Really?" I asked, totally confused.

"Yes. Melaney always does the right thing, and she expects us to do the same." He stated this almost reverently, like she was a saint or something.

"You know she's not perfect."

"She's very close."

I just shook my head again. Love is so blind. That's why I couldn't allow my feelings for Tyler to distract me from my mission.

"So why did you want to meet me?" I asked.

"I wanted to know if you liked your surprise. It was my idea."

"But I never told you about my magic carpet fantasy."

"You didn't need to. How many times did we watch Aladdin together when we were little? Twenty times or maybe even thirty, and when he and Jasmine flew on the magic carpet and sang 'A Whole New World', you always got this dopey expression on your face."

"I did not!" I protested, but I probably did.

"And every time we went to Fables, you demanded that we sit in the booth with the painting of Princess Jasmine and Aladdin, and I wanted to sit in the Peter Pan booth with the huge crocodile chasing Hook's ship."

"The next time we go to Fables, I promise we can sit in the Peter Pan booth."

"It's too late." He pouted. "My childhood is over. I'm all grown up now."

"Hardly," I teased.

"So do you forgive me for talking to Tyler?" he asked with a somewhat anxious expression.

Didn't I always? But I was going to make him earn it. "Melaney thinks you owe me an apology, and she's right 99.9 percent of the time." I repeated her words.

"Okay. I'm sorry for telling Tyler a secret about you without getting your permission first, even though it turned out awesome. Now, do you forgive me?" he asked so insincerely.

"Sure. Why not? But don't let it happen again." I poked Dean in the chest. "I don't need your help with Tyler anym-"

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you," Dean interrupted. "Before I left the ball, Mrs. Price insisted I tell Cinderella she was sorry. She had a tad too much wine, but I figured she meant you, since you were the only Cinderella I saw. Do you know what she was sorry about?"

Oh, I knew, but I wasn't going to tell Dean the whole truth. "She monopolized Tyler all night, and I hardly got to spend any time with him. That's probably what she was sorry for."

He scrunched his nose like something smelled off about my explanation. "She felt really bad about it. She kept saying she was sorry over and over."

Mrs. Price could say she was sorry seventy times seventy times, and I still wouldn't forgive her for killing my father. Not until she told the whole world what she did. "She should be sorry, and you should talk to Melaney, since you don't want me to."

Dean scowled at me. "It's over, Jasmine. You need to accept that. Some couples don't live happily ever after. Real life isn't a fairy tale."

Sometimes reality stinks more than mauve mums.

A/N: Video above is Air I Breathe by Mat Kearney.  

"Every word you speak is the air I breathe."

Do you have a favorite movie that you watched over and over when you were little? Let me know in the comments. 

Forever Remember to Live, Laugh, and LOVE! - 3L