Secret

Chapter 1 - Tasmin

Tasmin had never told anyone.

Not Thalia, not Natalie, not Michael, not even her parents. It had always been her secret. A lot of people, when they keep secrets as big as hers, feel guilty about what they are concealing. But not Tasmin. People would think she was crazy if she told them.

She had only ever done it about three times, and each time it had scared her. Her power was terrifying. Power, Tasmin thought, is that what it is? Maybe curse would be a more accurate term.

Tasmin looked at herself in the mirror. "Tonight," she said solemnly to her reflection. "Tonight I will do it. I will do it again, for the fourth time. I promise." Hands shaking, she put her red hair up in a messy ponytail. Why did this make her so nervous? She hadn't even begun...

"Tasmin!" A voice called as she walked through the menacing double doors of her high school. Tasmin spun around. Natalie was racing towards her, a piece of paper held high in the air. Her bronze skin shone in the Autumn sun, and her dark, blonde-streaked hair flew behind her as she ran. "Taz," Natalie said between gasped of breath as she arrived at her destination. "I have...amazing...extraordinary...absolutely fantabulous...news!"

"Okay," Tasmin frowned. She wasn't sure how exciting this news actually was, Natalie was always over-enthusiastic about everything. "What is this...fantabulous news that you have brought me?"

"This, my friend -" Natalie waved the piece of paper in front of Tasmin's nose. "- is my fantabulous news." Tasmin grabbed the piece of paper and rolled her eyes. She scanned over the messy writing that was scribbled on it.

My place @ 7. Sat. Bring whatev (friends inc.)

Tasmin raised an eyebrow at Natalie.

"Yeah. I'm ecstatic." She said sarcastically.

"Dude, do you even know what this is?" Natalie said, gaping.

"Umm, no. No clue," Tasmin said, re-reading the paper. What did Sat mean? And the whatev bit?

"Oh, I get it. You need me to translate it for you, nerd girl. You don't read the twenty-first century." Natalie laughed.

"Hey! That's so not true! I just like a touch of grammar to be in what I read, thanks very much." Tasmin insisted.

"Okay, fine - if you say so," Natalie grinned. "It means this: Be over at my place at seven o'clock - obviously in the afternoon - and you can bring your friends!"

There was a silence. "Still not catching on." Tasmin finally said.

"It's an invitation," Natalie practically screamed. "Tasmin, it was in my locker!"

"Oh! Err - okay...who's it from?"

"Are you serious? You don't recognize this handwriting?"

"I don't know about you, but I don't spend my free time memorizing the style of every ninth-graders' handwriting, Natalie!"

"It's Ashton's handwriting! It was his birthday yesterday, and this is the invitation to his birthday party! And it was in my locker!" Natalie said impatiently.

"Ashton..."

"Yes, Tasmin, Ashton. The freaking most popular boy in ninth grade?"

"Oh right, is he the blonde one?" Tasmin asked.

"Oh, for God's sake Tasmin, no. Do you pay any attention to boys whatsoever?"

Natalie paused and looked at her. "Actually, don't answer that question."

"Thalia, do you know who this Ashton guy is?" Tasmin, Natalie, and Thalia sat around a worn picnic table in the lunch courtyard. Thalia nodded, and her auburn curls bounced up and down.