You Were Always Mine

29: Unknown Number

Jasmine

"So the two of you agreed to being just friends but then ended up making out, and you're still just friends, but now you are going to California with him to tour colleges?"

Kelly's face contorts showing all of the confusion that I am feeling within my own self. After dinner with the Graysons, Carter and I have gone back to being friends, we have not spoken about what happened between us in his room, and I am not sure I am ready to yet.
At school, we chatted and hung out like old times, just no more PDA. Of course, all of my friends gave Carter the side eye for a while, but they eventually got over it and allowed him to sit with us in peace.

When I think about the possibility of him and I being something more, what happened at Angel's plays over again inside of my head. I have even begun to have nightmares about it. The unknown numbers that have begun spamming my phone have me on edge as well. I almost told my mom but then ended up changing the subject entirely.

"We're not touring colleges, just UCLA." I reply while rummaging through my summer clothes and packing them into my suitcase.

"Are you even wanting to go to UCLA? Or are you just doing this for Carter?" Her voice has an accusatory tone to it.

"I honestly have zero plans for after graduation. I highly doubt that touring one college is going to change that." I grunt as I zip up my first suitcase and heave it out of my walk-in closet with Kelly following close behind.

"I'm only making sure that you aren't getting into something just because Carter is doing it. You already gave up so much of yourself because of Angel. I don't want to see that happen to you again."

"Carter is not Angel." I say pointedly.

"I know Jas," she replies calmly. "I just don't want you to lose yourself again. You just seem so much lighter lately. Like a weight has been lifted off of you."

That is partly true. Before the phone calls, I really had begun to believe that Angel was moving on, and his threats were just a moment of jealousy. But these spam calls have me anxious. Even at school, I make sure that Morgan never sees me being anything other than a friend to Carter, so she won't have anything to report back to Angel during their hookup sessions. I was going to tell Carter about Morgan and Angel, but then I would have to tell him everything, so I opted not to say anything at all.

"I promise you, Kelly, I will never, and I mean NEVER! Allow a guy to treat me the way Angel did. And besides, Carter and I are just friends."

She rolls her eyes at me. "You two being "just friends" is not going to last long. "You both act like no one notices the way you two steal glances of the other."

I smile despite myself, "Well, even if Carter and I were to get together, and I am not saying that we are." I give her a look, "He would never treat me the way Angel did."

I get my small suitcase for all of my makeup, skincare, and hygiene products, then begin to load it all up with everything I need.

"Enough about me," I give her a smirk, "what's been happening between you and Ben?"

I look on as her mood completely changes, and she begins to fidget. I stop what I'm doing and go to sit beside her on my bed.

"Kels," she turns her attention to me. "Talk to me."

She looks torn between explaining herself or just keeping quiet. I wait patiently for her decision.

"Ben has his moments of being so sweet and charming." She sighs heavily, "but then other times, he acts as though he is God's gift to women. He can really be full of himself, and it is very much a turn-off."