Peaches

Chapter 4

(Max P.O.V.)

What did she mean ‘they didn’t get the chance’? I decided against my thoughts of leaving her alone and left the classroom without sparing a glance to anyone.

Sure I didn’t know the girl that much, but I had a strange feeling when ever I was around her. To be honest when I locked her in that cold room it was kind of by accident… We were talking and getting along just fine and then she brushed her hand past mine, you know in all the movies and books they say that there’s like a set of fireworks going off just beneath your skin? Turns out its true… When she brushed past me I freaked out, I mean I’m the schools bad boy, I can get any girl I want but what I felt for Jasmine scared me. A lot. I didn’t even know her that much, just thinking that the feelings would pass, I pulled the prank on her and she ended up getting a cold. At first I felt bad for her and wanted to apologize but we ended up laughing it off.

So here I was chasing after her and then I realized something, something important. I had no idea where she went. Bursting out of the schools front doors I made it to the side walk just in time to see her retreating figure disappear over the hill that heads to the local convenience store. Chasing after her I finally got within hearing range and called out to her.

“Jasmine!”

She stopped abruptly in her tracks and slowly turned to face me. Her eyes still had that cold emotionless look about them but they were also clouded with something else, sadness? She blinked a couple of times still looking at me emotionless before turning around and walking away.

“Jasmine!” I yelled again running after her

I finally reached her and grabbed her hand to stop her walking off again, “Jasmine, come on. The Jasmine I know wouldn’t walk away from a fight with Alissa like that. Are you an Alien?” I asked joking hoping to lighten the mood a little

Pulling her hand from mine her face stayed the same emotionless look.

“You don’t know me Max, and if you did you would know that I don’t want to talk about Alissa right now. Actually I don’t want to talk about anything” She began walking away again. Believe it or not, I missed the old Jasmine, she was happy and laughed a lot and I admit we argued but I would prefer that than having this Jasmine not talk to me at all.

Running to her again I grabbed both her hands this time pulling her to a stop, “Help me. Help me get to know you” I smiled at her

She blinked a couple of times and her usual blue green eyes lost their sad tinge. She sighed closing her eyes and shook her head, “Sorry, I don’t mean to be like this. It’s just… I don’t talk about my parents…” She trailed off giving me a sad smile

An idea popped into my head and I let go of her hands slinging my arm around her shoulder, “That’s okay, mission cheer up Jasmine is underway. Now as for getting to know each other… Why don’t we both take turns in asking questions and then answer them at the same time? Yeah?” I asked looking down at her

Her beautiful smile returned and made my smile turn into a full on grin. Nodding she looked forward and we began to walk again.

“Okay I’ll go first… What’s the main feeling your feeling right now?” I asked

We both paused for a second and answered at the same time, my answer was peaceful whereas hers was hungry.

“Hungry?” I asked raising an eyebrow at her

She smiled sheepishly and nodded, “Yeah I was on my way to the local convenience store down the road to buy some food when you found me…”

Laughing I nodded, “Okay your turn”

Tapping her chin thoughtfully she finally asked the question, “Favourite fruit?”

“Peaches” we answered in union

We both stopped in our tracks looking at each other like the other had grown another head. “You like peaches too?” She asked quizzically

Nodding again I answered, “Yeah I have since I was a kid. They’re a magical food” I grinned cheekily at her making her laugh

With my arm still around her shoulders we walked together asking questions until I finally asked the question that had been eating at me.

“Jasmine” I paused nervously, should I really ask this? Is it too personal? Mumbling a yes sound I stopped at turned to look at her, she stopped too and looked at me confused, “Um, I was wondering… if you’d tell me what happened to your parents?” I asked nervously

We stood there for a second just looking into each other’s eyes, sounds romantic right? But all I could do was watch the emotions flash through her eyes, anger, pain, sadness; venerability and to many more to recognize… Looking away I suddenly blurted, “No it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me. Sorry that’s probably a little personal…” I trialed off dropping my arm from her shoulders

I heard her sigh beside me, “No it’s okay Max, I should probably talk about it…” Snapping my head up I looked her in the eyes, “You don’t have too-”

She laughed lightly, “No it’s okay, really”

Nodding I stayed silent. “Well, twelve years ago, I was at home with my parents. I remember I was begging my mother to let us have peaches for dinner…” She trailed off looking up at me with a small smile on her lips

“My mum thought it was hilarious when I gave her my best puppy dog look and asked for my fathers opinion. He came in and agreed with me, he picked me up and twirled me around the kitchen. Then a couple of minutes later came a crash.

These two guys came in, one seemed alright like he was dragged along but the other man…” She paused looking away, “The other man was evil. I was five at the time but I knew from the moment I heard his voice that there was no conscience, he was dark, pitch black inside. Together they walked into the kitchen to find the three of us standing there and the dark man; he- he pulled out a gun”

“Oh” was all I could muster at the time

She continued on with a far way look in her eyes, “He fired at me first. But it just grazed my arm,” She paused and shrugged of her hoodie. Underneath she was wearing a white tank top, but what caught my gaze was a scar along her bicep. I lifted my hand up and trailed the scar with my finger and looked into her eyes, they had a sad look in them again, after I dropped my hand she pulled her hoodie back up and continued on, “What I didn’t realize what that, at the time my father was holding me, the bullet grazed past my arm and hit him right in the heart. We fell to the ground together where we heard another shot. My mother was laying down on the other side on me with her hand still intertwined with my fathers, my dad told me to pretend to be asleep and that he loved me…” Clearing her throat she continued on, “I must have lied there for over an hour, just pretending to sleep. Finally I got up the courage to open my eyes. Both my parents were lying on the ground with their eyes closed and I thought they were just pretending to be asleep like I was. But they, they were…”

“Dead” I finished for her; she nodded as a single tear slipped down her cheek

“Hey” I said wiping away the single tear, I cupped her cheek and smiled warmly at her trying to lighten the mood, an idea popped into my head. Still cupping her cheek I wiped away the wet trail the tear left and dropped my hand, “You’re still hungry right? How about we go and get some peaches from the shops?”

She smiled a sad smile and nodded sniffing a little.

“I think that’s a great idea,” She said finally smiling

Grinning I grabbed her hand I ignored the tingles that shot up my arm and began to pull her down the side walk towards the shops to buy our favourite food. Peaches.