UNEDITED
16. In The Morning
Jasmine and Carter hadn't woken up to an alarm, like normal people that morning, but instead sun came beaming in through the large bay window behind the couch in Jasmine's studio. She was sprawled out on top of Carter, her head on his chest and hand entwined with his. A blanket lay covering them both, though with each movement it inched closer to falling on to the ground. Jasmine's eyes flitted open as the sun leaked into them. Her mouth opened into a yawn, but her head remained on Carter's chest. When her eyes opened Carter was already looking up and smiling at her.
"Morning gorgeous," he said softly by her ear, his speech drawling slightly from his tiredness. Carter bent his neck to kiss her cheek. She smiled, her eyes squinting.
"Hey," she smiled back at his sweet gesture. Jasmine shifted to sit up and pulled the covers off of herself and Carter in the process. The blankets dropped to the floor with a dull thump. Jasmine put her feet on the floor, it was fairly warm, meaning that the power must be back on, but she didn't remember leaving the air conditioner off last night before the power went out. She moved towards the window, wondering what damage the storm had done the night before. She knew it had been pretty bad when they had fallen asleep the night before. Looking out the window Jasmine saw many trees that were split from lightning; she didn't think that it was that close to her house. Many things were blown over into neighboring yards. Then she looked down into her own yard and driveway, suspecting flower pots and things to be strew across it as well. Her eyes widened as she saw her dad's car in the driveway.
He was home. 'What's he going to think?!' her hands went up and ran themselves through her hair in a panicked motion. 'I was alone...all night...with a guy in our house...a guy he doesn't even know. A guy he barely knows, not to mention he's only met him once!...a guy I didn't even ask if I could have over...a guy I just brought in...that I've only been hanging out with for barely two months! I'm going to be in so much trouble.'' Jasmine's brain went into freak panic mode. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't move, it seemed that her feet had become glued to the ground underneath her. But why should she be worried? If she explained everything, it would be okay, right? Her dad would understand. 'Yes.' She thought. 'He has to understand. He just has to. I mean the storm was really bad last night, he'll get it. I mean he is a fireman, so he would only want everyone's safety. I couldn't just let Carter drive home in that...it's not like we did anything anyways. I don't have to tell him we kissed. I don't really have to tell him anything.' She thought as she made her way back over to sit on the couch near Carter who was now sitting up on the couch, stretching with a yawn. Jasmine was right though, they didn't do anything. But if you had left any two other teenagers home alone with no parents going to be coming at all, the same could not be said.
Carter could immediately tell that something was wrong. Just in the way that her posture now slumped, and her face now blank. Jasmine ran her hands through her untidy hair a few more times before putting her head in her hands and mumbling to herself. Carter slid over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. He could immediately tell that something was wrong when Jasmine slumped down onto the couch beside him
"Is everything alright?" Carter asked taking her face and looking at her as though he was inspecting it. She nodded and tried to smile, but her big brown eyes were full of worry. "What's up?" Carter asked again, taking her hand and placing it in his lap.
"My dad's home." Jasmine began as she looked down into her lap. She couldn't risk tearing and breaking down in front of him, but the more her brain thought, the more stressed she became. "Which means he'll have to know you're here, I mean he probably already does, you're truck is in the driveway and I didn't ask if I you could stay the night. I didn't even ask if I could have you over. Not that I was expecting him to come home. But he could think that we did something. Not that we did and...Oh I'm such an idiot, I'm going to be in so much trouble and-" Carter's lips met hers again, she melted into him again, just like before, smiling into the kiss. Jasmine moved to wrap her arms around his neck, then began tangling her fingers in his blonde hair. Carter wrapped his arms around her waist, then pulled her back down on top of him on the couch. She was laying on top of him again, still kissing him fervently, passionately. Carter could feel Jasmine's smile all throughout the kiss, and when they broke apart it was still predominant on her face; she was giddy all over again. "That was a really nice way of telling me to shut up," she smiled with a small giggle. Carter grinned back at her, his face beaming, he moved the hair that had fallen in front of her face and went to tuck it behind her ear.
What had happened? Well it seemed to be everything. All of their emotions came flooding out, crashing into each other like two waves. It was unstoppable. It might have even been crazy. Who knew this was going to happen? They both had begun to let each other in, and there was no way of stopping it now.
"Well you were rambling things that aren't true, nonsense actually." Carter said, trying to sound smart and smiling up at her. Jasmine cocked her head to the side, confused by what he meant. "First of all, I don't think you need to worry because while you were all frantic early last night, I'd call it a panic attack...but anyways. Your phone started ringing. I saw that it was your dad on the caller ID, so I picked it up and explained everything." He told Jasmine. "He's okay with everything, he understands. I mean he was okay with me staying the night. Plus we didn't even do anything, you're still as clean as crystal," he smiled up at her. A relief ran through her body, and every muscle relaxed. Jasmine placed her head down on Carter's chest and slowly let her eye lids close once more. "Your dad seems pretty chill actually." He began afterwards. She looked up at him with a sarcastic smile, questioning in it as well. But she was glad that he liked her dad. Jasmine rubbed her eyes again before actually getting up.
"We should probably go down stairs for something to eat; my dad will probably laugh at the fact that you're wearing his old college clothes." She smiled and plucked at the track pants that he was wearing.
She knew that her dad had originally wanted to be something other than a fireman, she never knew what, but he couldn't have just gone to college for nothing. Her dad never talked about college much. Jasmine he knew that he had degrees, but he had went and became a fireman instead. Though she knew he loved his job, she had always wondered why he went to a top school, passed, but never accomplished anything with it. Probably because it was where he met her mom. Yes, they were college sweethearts, fell in love almost instantly, and their love was as real as any others. They had gotten married as soon as both of them had gotten out of school. Their love never dwindled, though Jasmine's moms' mind slowly did. Her mom had forgotten what and who she loved. And when she remembered, the love was more of a hatred turned so by the depression. But her dad still loves his wife no less than before, but Jasmine knew that it was hard for him. It was hard for all of them, especially an eight year old Jasmine who had to mature and toughen faster than the usual child.
Jasmine led him from the attic, the stairs creaked as Carter and Jasmine walked down them and into the kitchen. Her dad was sitting on a stool sipping from a large mug that was presumably filled with coffee and reading the newspaper. Jasmine's dad was a bit old fashioned like that, and at home he simply refused to use his computer for anything other than work. While the coffee, he drank on a daily basis like most adults. There were two pans out of the cupboards, one on the stove the other in the sink.
"Good morning sleepy heads," Her dad said with a small, but hearty laugh looking up from the newspaper he was reading. Jasmine's eyes wandered over to the clock which read 11:48.
"Morning dad," Jasmine walked over to give him a hug before she turned towards Carter who was running a hand through his hair as he yawned. "Your mom knows about you staying hear right?"
"Yeah, I let her know last night, around when your dad called. But she'll probably want be home sooner rather than later," he replied with a stretch. Jasmine's dad noticeably smiled at Carter's responsibility while taking a sip of his coffee.
"Well I can cook up some breakfast before you have to leave Carter," he dad said, moving towards the stove. "Or is it lunch seeing as it's almost noon?" He laughed at his own joke.
"That's very kind of you Mr. Peters, but my mom usually likes to make pancakes and eggs for me and my sister on late mornings like this. Thank you for the offer though," he smiled back politely.
"Are you sure?" Jasmine asked, pleading in her eyes, she had just spent the whole night with him, but now he was running away as though it was a bad thing; something he should be ashamed of. But for goodness sakes they didn't even do anything!
"Yeah, I'm sorry Jaz, but do you know where my clothes are?" He asked. "I think my mom would question my new threads, and I'm sure your dad will be wanting his college clothes back," he replied nodding towards her dad as he put his hands into the pockets.
"Actually, they suit you much better than they ever did on me son," Jasmine's dad replied, Carter took to be called son as nothing, though Jasmine noted it right away. "But your clothes as just down there in the laundry room, I threw them in the dryer last night so they wouldn't be too damp this morning." Jasmine's dad explained leaning his head in the direction on the laundry room.
"I can go grab them," Jasmine, quick on her feet walked down the hall, Carter followed after her. The laundry room was at the very end of the hall, and Carter's clothes were still in the dryer, but no longer damp. Jasmine picked them out and spun on her heel, "You can change in the same place as last night, just throw the ones you're wearing in the hamper in there," Jasmine pointed into the laundry room, giving no affection to the way he was just up and leaving. Just as Jasmine was turning away Carter grabbed her waist and turned her back towards him. He brought her close to him and gave a gentle kiss to her cheek.
"Don't think that I wouldn't love to stay for breakfast, because I really would. But you met my mom, and with my sister leaving, and my dad and all that she's been through, she gets a little antsy when I'm away for so long. She's afraid something will happen without me there to look after Camryn." Carter explained, bringing his forehead down to rest on hers. Jasmine's eyes widen.
"Oh! I'm sorry, no, it's okay, don't worry about it. Some other time," she nodded quickly and added a gentle smile. Carter wraps his arms all the way around her, giving her a tight hug and he brings his mouth closer to her ear.
"Thank you and I promise I will stay for breakfast some time. I promise," he whispers, sending chills down Jasmine's spine. She just wished that he could've stayed. Carter took his clothes and headed into the bathroom.
"But we can talk about when we're going to meet up again for our project while you walk to my truck with me and say goodbye." Carter winked, closing the door behind him, his usual cocky self was showing through again.
☔
After Carter had finished Jasmine threw her dad's clothes in the laundry room and walked him out to his truck, wanting to say goodbye before he left.
"So when's our next project meeting?" She asked elbowing him in the arm as they walked down the driveway.
"Well I'd say as soon as possible, but since we don't know where we're going, or what we're doing, I'll let you decide Miss Photographer. I mean, I did pick last time, so it's only fair if you pick this time," he smirked as he opened the door to the driver's seat of his truck.
"Hmm," Jasmine pondered, she didn't really know where they should go. Then, an idea struck her. She had remember reading something about a local artists' art festival in the beginning of August. Local artists came to sell their art and just for people to enjoy their work. It was a bit later in the afternoon until midnight. Which would give a different and perfect aura for their photos. Plus if she planned it right, it wouldn't be a bad place for a, well if she was lucky, a date. She had seen plenty of pictures of small dangling lights set up around the artist's stations; lights much like the ones in her studio, in Safe Haven, which would be comforting and probably very picturesque. "What about August tenth?" She asked as he slid into the driver's seat. "There's an artist's festival downtown near the boardwalk...it might be good."
"Sounds like a date," Carter replied with a big smile plastered on his face. "I mean not a date, I mean, I didn't mean that. Unless you want it to be...but I meant that-"
"You meant that it would be a great place for our next project meeting place," Jasmine smirked.
"Uh yes. Yeah, that's what I meant," Carter had a careful smile on his face as he scratched the back of his head. Jasmine stepped up onto the side of Carter truck and placed a kiss on his cheek, then stepped down again.
"I'll see you next week then," she smiled as she closed the door to his truck. He was slightly speechless and thought it was cute, but slightly uncharacteristic of her; maybe he really was starting to rub off on her. To Jasmine it was funny how his emotions could change from confident to careful so quickly. Once Carter had come back down to earth, and out of his thought's he started the truck and backed out of the driveway. "Don't forget!" Jasmine called as she waved happily and Carter waved back. Then he was gone. Now Jasmine only had to wait another week to see him. One week until the art festival on the board walk.
A/N
Hi everyone!!! It seems like it's been forever!! Well I've had this chapter ready for a while but my computer crashed so I had a bit of a panic attack. Luckily though I was able to retrieve it! Yay!!!
So anyways I'm back in the swing of writing. So hopefully another chapter will be out soon.
What would your parents do or say if you had a boy alone all night without permission?
Mine would probably ground me for life.
Anyways...
Please read, vote, comment, follow, and her dad is so chill!!!
-nessa