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the dream that you 
wish will come true

──● cinderella
CINDERELLA

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✦

Jas doesn't even know what to say to him.

"The light is green"  Her mouth spits out words before she can even think of them, desperate for an explanation to give to Calvin for asking him to kiss her. Honestly, she's still reeling herself from the fact. The memory hits instant replay, an implosion of butterflies re-igniting in her stomach as she feels her cheeks heat in shades of soft warmth over her skin. Steeling her own glance away from Calvin, she seems him frown a little, looking back to the light. 

It's still red, and Calvin's frown deepens, "No it's not-" Before he can finish his sentence, the light switches, and Jasiri's sigh of relief is borderline audible as she sinks a little deeper into her seat. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see her companion's head shake slightly as he begins to drive again, but falls silent himself as her thoughts run in bursts on the raceway in her mind.

She never even told Calvin she was seeing someone, mainly because the more that she thought about it, the more red flags she probably should have noticed. Their 'relationship' had barely even been labled as that in the beginning, and although he was nice to her for the majority of the time, he often did blow her off in favor of friends.

Probably not just friends.

The thought sent blooming anxiety into her abdomen, intertwining with the wave of glitter that had encompassed her heart at being kissed so gingerly. Calvin was a good kisser, wasn't he? She couldn't very well say that, considering the circumstances and all, but still, it was a nice thought to have regardless.

The other reason she hadn't told him had to very much do with the little crush she'd had on him before he'd left for France. Calvin was very easy to crush on though, plenty of girls adored him in High school, and not just because he was wealthy. He was articulate, and educated, and spoke very deliberately. Of course, he was a little apathetic at times, but it wasn't in the same way as someone unemotional. It was simply that he had restraint over most of his emotions, and it could come off as rather stuck-up some of the time.

Still, Jasiri liked that he was a good listener. He'd never called her annoying, even when she rambled, and he seemed to soak up everything she said as much as possible, as if it was somehow vital to his own lifeblood. She'd always told him everything, so how exactly was she supposed to explain that he didn't know she'd been dating someone for over six months now?

How was she supposed to explain that she'd dated him to get over Calvin?

Just to be clear, she had liked Lars. He was cute, and funny, and kind to her, so her feelings for him were real, they just weren't like the ones she felt for her best friend.

She was so lost in her thoughts, body tense and stiff, she hardly even noticed that Calvin had pulled into the driveway of her grandfather's estate, putting the car in park before turning back to face her, "Jas-"

"My boyfriend cheated on me." An explanation is already flooding out of her, and as much as she would like to stop and collect her thoughts to have a calm, mature conversation about this, Jasiri knows it's not really in her nature. "HIs name is Lars- and he was the one who kept staring at me, and I didn't want to let him know it hurt, but it really really did." Jasiri takes a deep breath, sucking in oxygen to press forward with her rant, avoiding Calvin's eyes. "Of course it hurt, I mean, how could it not have- but I saw him and I didn't know what to do, and I've always thought you were handsome, I mean, who hasn't you know-" She takes another breath, desperate to spill all of the information out before he can even attempt to inturrupt her. "He cheated on me with a model, I think she's one of Rune's friends, and I don't know how to tell Delaney cause I don't want her and Rune to fight if she is one of her friends. And maybe I had a crush on you before you left and then I was going to tell you over text but that seems pathetic, and then you posted on instagram with those two girls on the beach and I thought that maybe I'd read into things so I just dated someone else too cause maybe I was just idolizing you and I don't really know what I was thinking." Jasiri exhales then, finally lifting her head up to meet Calvin's gaze, who honestly looks about as calm as Jasiri would have liked to have been herself.

"Are you finished?"

She nods, half-out of breath as her nails dig into the leather cushion of his car.

"What kind of a name is Lars anyway?"

"It's short for Larson." Jasiri isn't really sure why he asks, thrown off for a beat as confusion scrunches her facial features. 

"Well that's fitting, I suppose." He turns back to the key in the car, pulling it out before opening the door. Jasiri watches as he motions for her to stay sitting, going around the car to open the door for her. In another few steps he's there, swinging it open to allow her to step out. "It sounds like a stupid first name. It tracks cause someone really would have to be stupid to cheat on you." Calvin sighed, closing the door after Jasiri had stepped out and locking the car behind him as her arm slipped into the crook of his, "Although, I've never really understood the idea of cheating."

"Okay, no, I know right- it just doesn't make any sense." Jasiri feels like her mind is running a mile a minute, but it's kind of nice to just talk about all those same raceway thoughts out loud to someone who doesn't mind hearing them. "Like- why couldn't you just break up with your partner? They deserve someone who makes them happy, and cheating certainly isn't going to do that. It just doesn't make sense to me, and maybe it's a different mindset for them, but if you're with the person you want to be with, then why would you cheat in the first place." 

Calvin's skin is a few degrees cooler than hers, and it soothes some of the overheating anxiety that floods her stomach. The air is sweet and summery, and Jasiri can hear the soft chatter of her younger brother from the gardens. Each scratchy step against the gravel is grounding, much like her companions voice when he speaks, "Also, the two girls you were talking about. From the beach. Their names are Charlotte and Danielle, they're dating - well, actually, they're engaged now. They're getting married in December."

Oh.

Jasiri feels herself nod, those jagged knifes of panic smoothing over as Calvin guided her down the back path, around the majority of the estate to the gardens. Already she could see the woven arches and fresh-cut shrubbery dot the landscape. It'd taken time to reshape, especially since it hadn't directly been looked after since her grandfather reached the age where he didn't much care for curb appeal anymore. He'd cut what was needed, for the safety of his grandchildren.

"Are you going to their wedding?"

"I am, I have a plus one, if you'd like to come." Calvin offered so casually, that Jasiri nearly missed the invitation, distantly tucking the file of information away in her head as Calvin continued speaking to her. "And Jas. Just so you know." he glanced at her, his pace slightly slower than hers so they could walk together. "You weren't reading into things."

You weren't reading into things.

Jasiri's own thoughts stall for a beat, rerouting to the part of her brain that still worked as she looked up towards him. She opened her mouth, but no words arrived, so at the sight of him turning back to face her all the same, she snapped it shut all over again. "I did date in France, it's not like I cut myself off completely, and I'm glad you didn't do the same, but the feeling was mutual."

Was.

The word catches on her own tongue, but before she can breathe the word, a silent, pleading question in a way, Calvin smiles. "You said you did have a crush on me Jas, so it's not mutual now, even if my feelings haven't changed." He nodded firmly, turning back to their walk. "Of course, you didn't know that before you asked me to kiss you, so I'll just forget that ever happened."

"Do."

Calvin pauses again beside her, turning, "Sorry, what?"

"Do." Jasiri swallows thickly, words caught in her lungs before she chokes them out. "It's do, Calvin, I do have a crush on you." Sinking anxiety plummets into her chest as she shakes her head, glancing away from him, "It's just- I just got out of a serious relationship- I guess, and I know it wasn't that serious, but I still think maybe another week or two would be good without-"

"Jas." Calvin's voice is calm, reassuring almost before he lifts her head with his fingers back to look at her. "I'm not asking you to marry me. I'm just saying our feelings are mutual then, and maybe, when you feel like you're ready, we could go on a date. You don't need to rush the healing process just because you're feeling a lot right now, I don't mind waiting."

"..really?"

"Well, I certainly didn't mind waiting to ask you out through our entire high school career, not to mention the summer before I left, so really it's my fault for procrastinating."

Jasiri puffs her cheeks out at him, petulantly in a way. "I could have asked you too. I'm a strong independent young woman."

"I just mean Jasiri, that I waited that long, so what's a little more?" His tone is warm now, almost fond before he drops his hand from her face, offering his arm again. Jasiri takes it, feeling heat flood gradually from her cheeks as she slips her arm in the crook of his once again. 

Flowers have begun to bloom in distinct patterns around them, and the soft chattering of conversation can be heard as they round the corner, Jasiri's thoughts soothed for the time being as she looks over to her younger brother and a woman who can't be all that much older than Jasiri herself. She might be twenty-five or so, chipperly planting grown flowers into the turned soil. While she's never officially met Echo, Elliot does talk about her fondly, and seems to be very happy working for her.

Her younger brother, upon seeing her arrive glances up, smiling as he rose to his feet, brushing dirt off of his jeans. "Oh, hey Jas. Hey Calvin" Echo stood too, smiling warmly at the both of them before turning back to gather the seeds she'd brought with her. Elliot just glanced around, looking proud. "We did a pretty great job you know- oh, and did you know that Echo's um- what was it again?" He turned to his mentor, who offered a warm smile right back.

"She's Daphne's friend, she'll be staying with her up in the loft above the shop." Echo nodded, looking content with that. Jasiri noticed the viscious scarring along her arms, deep burn marks running in rivers up and down soft flesh. A shudder darted through her spine, she could hardly imagine what kind of tragedy might have caused them. Instead, she looked back to her younger brother, who nodded.

"She'll be working with me and Daphne this summer at the shop- if she was here, she could help, but she'll be getting here a couple days after your birthday party, right Echo?"

"Right Elliot." Echo's voice bloomed with warmth, practically radiating through each spoken word as she turned back to her work, inspecting the carved shrubbery. 

Jasiri's fingers twitched, absently realizing she'd left her drink in the car. Calvin must have noticed her glance towards her now empty hand, because his arm gently slid from hers, "I forgot something." It wasn't much of an explanation, but Calvin hardly offered to elaborate unless he was asked directly. He planted his heel in the ground, turning swiftly to walk back to the car as Jasiri fought the smile on her face. She knew good and well Calvin didn't forget anything in the car, he hardly forgot anything at all. 

Shaking the fond thoughts from her head, she turned back, only to be met with the wide grin of her younger brother. "So..you and Calvin hmm?"

Heat raced up her cheeks, flooding them with that same soft warmth she'd barely just gotten rid off. Midly scowling, Jasiri swatted her brother's arm. "Don't be ridiculous, I just got out of a relationship, remember?"

"One that you weren't all that happy in, remember?" Elliot's tone is mocking, but it does make Jasiri falter a little. He does have a point, even if it wasn't entirely true. There had been moments where she'd been happy, but those had been few and far between now if she really thought about it. It was like they'd always been fighting about something, always in disagreement about where to go, or who to see, or what friends they wanted to hang out with. 

She shrugs a little instead of really responding, pressing away the minute anxiety that maybe she was doing it all over again, falling into an impossible kind of puppy love that wouldn't make her happy in the end. 

But Calvin had almost always made her happy, and she'd known him for a lot longer than she'd known Larson. He wasn't perfect, no, certainly not, but he did make her happy. He brought her gifts when he came to see her, but nothing over the top or expensive, just something little, consumable most of the time, because it wasn't as overbearing as being lovebombed with gifts that you feel guilty for not having room for. 

She heard the crinkle of stepped on grass at Calvin's approach, stepping up to be beside her again before handing her her drink. Absently, he added,  "You forgot your drink too Jas, I just got it while I was there."

"And what did you forget exactly?" Jasiri's tone is partially accusing, even if it's mostly teasing, eyes rising to meet his.

Calvin's warm in response, leaning down slightly to speak right back to her. "I needed to take off my jacket. It's warm out."

"Calvin could you help me with these flower pots?" Echo looks up, and Calvin nods, passing Elliot as her younger brother frowns after him.

"But you weren't wearing a Jacket?"

"Are you sure?" Calvin's tone is walking the edge of teasing, and Jasiri has to hide a smile under her hand as she watches him pick up one of the large terracotta pots, following Echo's lead.

Elliot turns back to her, eyebrows furrowed in thought, "Was he wearing a jacket?"

No.

No, he wasn't.

✦

✦ WYN ✦

- still sick-

- also it's raining all day here!

What is your characters favorite drink?

──● answers