It was different now having someone to walk to school with instead of just by myself. To share breakfast with another instead of just my parents. It was Monday now, so it was officially the first day of Jasmine going to school from my house.
"Here's a sticky bun and a Flinstone vitamin." My mom says, handing both of us a plate with them on it.
"Ooh." I said, taking a bite out of it.
Dad didn't say much. I had a feeling he wouldn't say anything because of how he was. On the way to school, we didn't see no sign of Eddie or his gang anywhere. I had a feeling I wouldn't since he usually is lurking out at night.
When we headed to school, the school was clustered with people gazing at a poster. I tried shoving past them so I could see what the big focus of this commotion was.
"Ugh, I can't believe there isn't going to be a performer at this year's talent show on Friday." Someone groaned. Then I glanced over at Jasmine and I smirked. She caught me smirking and her eyes widened.
"No way." She says, getting out of the crowd but I stopped her by holding onto her arm.
"Come on Jas! You'll do great." I promised her but she shook her head.
"No, truth is I don't think I'm that good." She admitted, biting her upper lip.
"Jasmine, I heard you sing. You're amazing, and I know you'll do great at that talent show." I insisted to her.
"I don't want to." She declined again, and luckily just in time, Topanga and Cory went up to us.
"Topanga! Cory! You came just in time." I exclaimed, acknowledging their presence.
"What's going on Shawn?" Topanga asked.
"Jasmine won't try out for the talent show but she should. She's such a good singer and she needs to let her voice out there." I informed them, and Topanga agreed to my idea right away.
"Really? You never told me that Jasmine," Topanga pointed out, "you should really sign up for it." Topanga persisted, and Jasmine sighed. She slouched a little, perpetuating her lips from a smile to a frown.
"I don't know guys. What if people hate my voice?" Jasmine pointed out, looking down at her feet. Her eyes didn't meet with ours.
"They won't, and if people tell you any different, you know I can deal with them." I reminded her, and she lifted her gaze up to mine.
"Come on Jasmine." Cory spoke, trying to pursue her as well.
"Alright, I'll try out." Jasmine finally agreed to it, and I kissed her on the lips.
"I guarantee you that you're going to do awesome." I promised her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and we all headed to Turner's room in pairs.
:::
During passing period fourth hour, I heard singing from the room. The voice was so familiar, and I easily recognized it. It was Jasmine's. I followed the sound of her voice, not caring if I was going to get in trouble for being late to class. When I went to the door, it was cracked open. Jasmine didn't notice me there at first since she was more focused on singing, and playing the piano. I walked in discreetly, trying not to make her stop singing. Her voice attracted me so much. As I was paying close attention to the lyrics, I got lost in space. All I could hear was her, and nothing else. I sat by her, her being unaware of me being in the room. I heard her singing these lyrics that sounded very meaningful to me.
And I wanted it that way.
I listened to the lyrics closely, touched by how well written they were.
"There was a time when I was alone
Nowhere to go and no place to call home
My only friend was the man in the moon
And even sometimes he would go away, too
Then one night, as I closed my eyes
I saw a shadow flying high
He came to me with the sweetest smile
Told me he wanted to talk for awhile
He said, "Peter Pan, that's what they call me
I promise that you'll never be lonely, and ever since that day
I am a lost boy from Neverland
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan
And when we're bored we play in the woods
Always on the run from Captain Hook
"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me
Away from all of reality
Neverland is home to lost boys like me
And lost boys like me are free
Neverland is home to lost boys like me
And lost boys like me are free
He sprinkled me in pixie dust and told me to believe
Believe in him and believe in me
Together we will fly away in a cloud of green
To your beautiful destiny
As we soared above the town that never loved me
I realized I finally had a family
Soon enough we reached Neverland
Peacefully my feet hit the sand
And ever since that day
I am a lost boy from Neverland
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan
And when we're bored we play in the woods
Always on the run from Captain Hook
"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me
Away from all of reality
Neverland is home to lost boys like me
And lost boys like me are free
Neverland is home to lost boys like me
And lost boys like me are free
Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy Darling
Even Captain Hook, you are my perfect story book
Neverland, I love you so
You are now my home sweet home
Forever a lost boy at last
Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy Darling
Even Captain Hook, you are my perfect story book
Neverland, I love you so
You are now my home sweet home
Forever a lost boy at last
And for always I will say
I am a lost boy from Neverland
Usually hanging out with Peter Pan
And when we're bored we play in the woods
Always on the run from Captain Hook
"Run, run, lost boy," they say to me
Away from all of reality
Neverland is home, to lost boys like me,
And lost boys like me are free.
Neverland is home, to lost boys like me
And lost boys like me are free."
After she sang the last words, she stared at the piano for a while. Then her eyes acquainted with mine. Her eyes expanded, a worried expression forming across her face.
"Did you listen to the whole song? How long were you staying there for?" She interrogated. Instead, I just smiled.
"Yup, and for a while now." I answered with a smirk.
"Did you like it?" She asked, her voice mellow and at low volume.
"I loved it, did you write that?" I asked her. She nodded.
"I wrote it a while ago actually." She answered.
"It's so good, Jas." I praised, and she smiled, then furrowed her eyebrows in confusion after the bell rang.
"Aren't we supposed to be in class now?" She asked.
"Forget class today. It's last hour anyways. Instead, I just want you to sing to me." I murmured. Our eyes locked, and we held that gaze for a while now.
"What if we get caught?" She reminded.
"Who cares. I just want to be with you and hear you sing." I said softly, and she smiled. She returned her focus to the piano again, and I decided to wrap an arm around her waist, scooting closer to her. I sat in there all class hour listening to her voice and watched her play the piano.
She was going to do perfect at the talent show.
:::
"A talent show?" Jasmine told my parents about her wanting to join the school talent show. They were a bit astonished to know a student wanted to try out for it.
"Chet, don't be so sincere," my mom scolded him, then quickly maintaining her attention back to Jasmine again, "Jasmine, that would be a great experience. Plus, I'd love to her you sing. Why haven't you sang in front of us before though?"
"It's just I have stage fright." She admitted, looking down at the ground. My dad snorted, then standing up from his chair to help comfort her.
"Don't be Jasmine. How about you practice singing in front of us? You only have a few more days until then. Just so that way you could be a little brave and sing in front of us." My dad suggested, then taking a seat back down. Jasmine took turns looking from me to my parents, then exhaled out a deep breath.
"Alright," she says, and I went to sit on the arm of my dad's chair, "what song should I sing?"
"Whatever your little heart wants."
Jasmine stood there for a moment, till she opened her mouth.
"
I never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
And nothing else matters.." Her voice trailed off once she saw us with our jaws dropped.
"Was that okay?" She asked in a mumbled tone, and fiddled with her fingers as she waited for our answer.
"That was beautiful." My mom says, and went to go give her a hug.
"Never in my whole life have I ever heard a voice like yours. Yours is so passionate, sweetie." She continued, then letting her go. Jasmine just formed a sly smile.
"Thank you." She says, and I went up to her.
"For singing one of the best Metallica songs on acapella that was pretty damn great. You are going to do great at that talent show and I know it." My dad declared.
"Thank you." Jasmine repeated.
"She sure is." I agreed.
:::
The night of the talent show.
Since Jasmine had a nice dress to where for her performance, we were already prepared. Every day she rehearsed. She brought her acoustic guitar with her, since the song she was going to be performing was one of hers. I was backstage with her, making sure she was ok.
"I'm up next Shawn." She says, her voice shaky. She was the last one to go. I got a hold of her hand, squeezing it, and with the other I set it on her shoulder.
"Listen to me, you're going to do great Jas. I know you are." I reassured her, but she shook her head.
"These contestants are way better than me. Look at them." She pointed out. I peeked through the tiny spaced curtain opening to see a guy juggling with his feet. I scoffed, then looked back at Jasmine.
"I highly doubt some acrobat circus headstand guy will do better than you." I pointed out to her, and a guy behind is standing in a class room on a tricycle heard us since he just scoffed. I flashed him a dirty look. I didn't care, what mattered to me most was Jasmine.
"But anyway, trust me on this," I say, as I get a hold of both of her hands,"I believe in you."
I gave her a kiss, and just in time the Mr. Feeny announced that Jasmine was up next.
"Oh god I'm going." She whispers.
"You'll do okay, now go get them princess." I promised her. Jasmine tried to form a smile, then kissed me on the cheeks before leaving onto the stage.
I rushed to go to seats where my parents were sitting. We got here as early as we could, and we luckily got first row seats. I watched Jasmine slowly walk onto the stage, and she sat on the stool she was in. She gulped, as she was looking through the crowd until she saw me. I smiled at her, and she took a deep breath. She moved the microphone closer to her and spoke her words.
"Hi, I'm Jasmine Clayton, and my talent is singing," She introduced herself,"I wrote this song for someone who saved me. This is dedicated to you if you know who you are."
She placed the guitar in the proper position, and got ready to perform.
She sang the first words of her song, and I recognized them.
Those were the ones she performed the other day.
As I was watching the dimmed light reflecting over Jasmine, revealing her stunning complexion, I listened closely to the lyrics. That's when I realized-
The song was about me.
After the song was over, everyone applauded. Everyone tossed roses at Jasmine, who was cheering her on. I ran up the theater and picked her up, swinging her around. She laughed when I done so.
"You did great!" I exclaimed as I dropped her to her feet. I got her something from my back pocket, handing her a rose myself.
"Aww you got this for me?" She asked me.
"Of course. I knew you would do great." I answered her, and she acknowledged me with a kiss on the lips. Suddenly my parents made it up with us and pulled us in a group hug. We stood on the stage hugging till it was time to go home.
:::
"You did it Jasmine! I knew you would do wonderful baby girl." My mom exclaimed in the truck. I wrapped an arm around Jasmine's shoulder, pulling her closer to me.
"I'm so proud of you." I whispered in her, kissing her temple. She held onto the rose the entire way home. In honor of Jasmine doing great at the talent show, dad decided to pick up a pizza for us to eat. After Jasmine was done with her shower and my parents went to sleep, I stayed up with Jasmine to talk with her.
"You know what I just realized, your birthday is coming up next week." I pointed out to her.
"How is it you know my own birthday better than me?" Jasmine teased, and I got a hold of her, resting her on top of me.
"Since you're important to me of course. I'm going to make it really special for you. You just don't know how I am yet." I hinted.
"You don't have to do much Shawn." Jasmine insisted, but I shook my head no.
"Of course I do. Besides, you deserve it Jas. I may not have a lot, but I do know I'm definitely going to make it amazing for you." I promised her. She smiled, and kissed me on the lips. We exchanged kisses for a while until she snuggled deep into my chest, tired.
"I'm so thankful to have you Shawn. Thank you for all you've done." She acknowledged, then falling asleep.
"And thank you for making my life better than it already was." I whispered.
❤︎
Author's Note: So here's more of Jasmine showing her talent for music! The song is actually written by Ruth B and the song is called Lost Boy. I definitely recommend it!
I also thought Nothing Else Matters by Metallica would be good for Jasmine too.
(Btw love that song)