A WATTPAD FEATURED STORY
?Love pays no attention to color?
Jasmine Karesh never thought she'd spend her senior year of high school struggling to accept her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis, a disease that forbids her from forgetting the scho...
Jasmine couldn't help but notice Bianca's eyebrows raise, though, and how she was about to say something but quickly caught herself.
Some things never change.
Shayan cleared his throat. "Out of all the times I've visited Bianca, Maria or the Head Officer was always here. This time though, we could speak freely and when she told me what she knew, we were able to connect the dots." His eyes widened. "I think we're on to SS's identity, Jas."
Jasmine was paying rapt attention. "What do you know?"
Bianca explained the situation, disgust lacing her voice. "When you were found unconscious near the playground, I was getting arrested. It was so off-protocol from a typical arrest that I knew something was up. I tried my hardest to get Maria to see reason too, but she said the proof was too unforgiving for her to budge."
"I found you that day, you know. I was with Selena and we saw a black mask laying beside you. Selena and I assumed it belonged to Bianca and called Maria over to the scene. She rushed off to your house soon after, saying she wanted to inform your parents that you were taken to the hospital. But when the police came to arrest Bia, Selena was gone," Shayan added, his hands flying all over the place.
"And I was being arrested over a piece of planted evidence," Bianca muttered. "Maria found the phone that sent you the messages in my bag. That was enough to convict me, I guess."
Jasmine still looked confused. "What does this all even mean?"
"In short?" Shayan exchanged a glance with Bianca. "We think Maria and Selena are working together as SS."
She shook her head. "Selena and I may not be on the best terms right now but she would never try to hurt me. She's our friend, Shayan. How could you turn on her so easily? Where is your loyalty?"
"Loyalty? My loyalty only goes to people that deserve it and that comes down to my family, Bia, and you. Where's your instinct? Don't you feel something's off between you and Selena? Something more than just a few secrets?" Shayan retorted with a scowl.
Bianca sighed. "We will not achieve anything by fighting. Shayan, I assume that the rest of the department will be back soon, so take Jasmine and go before it's too late." Her eyes moved to her niece. "And as for you. I want you to open your eyes past that misleading trust of yours. I need you to stay safe so you can keep Karina and Aditya safe, so you better not screw me over. Is that a deal?"
"But Aunt Bia-," Jasmine started, walking back towards the cell.
"No but's. I may be your Aunt, but you still need to listen to me. I see things you don't and so does Shayan. Your love blinds you, and that's normally a good thing, but not in this case. You have to stay alive and you need to believe us for that."
She looked back up at Shayan who was nodding during Bianca's speech.
"I won't believe you. But I'll listen to you."
Shayan rolled his eyes. "That's the most you'll get from this stubborn woman, Bia."
"Oh, I know." Bianca slowly smiled, her wrinkles more prominent than they ever were. "Give the kids an extra kiss for me, Jas," she called out as the two walked out of the station without a hitch.
It was too easy.
Jasmine leaned against Shayan's truck when they reached his parking space. She closed her eyes for a brief second with a hand to her forehead, wanting to deny Selena's intentions for as long as possible. Shayan sat on the hood of the vehicle and watched her curiously.
"I know it's hard to believe, but we just want you to be cautious. That's all."
Jasmine opened her eyes and returned his gaze. "I don't want to think so badly of her. She's a good person, Shayan. I could never imagine Selena wanting to hurt me or Bianca."
"You can't imagine it but I can. You're forgetting that I was friends with her too. The only difference is that I was never as invested in her as you, so I can see when she's acting differently," he said, taking her hand in his.
"She gave me a gun," Jasmine mumbled under her breath.
"What'd you say?"
Her eyes flashed once it finally dawned on her what the gift really meant, "Selena gave me a gun," she repeated.
"She what?" he exclaimed. "I can't believe you accepted a gun from her!"
"Neither can I!" she screamed back, running her fingers through her hair like a maniac.
Shayan hopped off the hood of the car and jumped into the front seat, his hands already gripping the steering wheel. "We have to go get that gun. Get a move on, Jas."
She scurried into the passenger seat and strapped herself in when her phone buzzed, again and again. Her heart was pumping blood faster than a herd of elephants trampling a Safari group when she opened the first message on her screen.
Mom: Jas, come home!
Mom: Jasmine, is Karina with you?
17 Missed Calls from Mom.
Jasmine's hand flew to her lips as her mind automatically flew to the worst case scenario; someone had kidnapped Karina. She sent a silent prayer to whatever force was guiding her life, begging for her theories to be wrong.
Karina had to be safe. This had to be a mistake.
"What's going on, Jas?" Shayan asked, leaning over his seat to see the phone.
She ignored him and opened the second message.
Aditya Karesh: Did you take Rina?
Aditya Karesh: Is this some kind of joke?
Aditya Karesh: Where is she? She must be with you!
6 Missed Calls from Aditya.
"Jasmine!" The man beside her yelled, but to no avail. She was already opening the third and final message.
My dearest Jasmine,
I think it's about time you realized exactly how much you can lose in a split second. I think it's about time you realized that I'm not playing around anymore. This is it. The end is near.
You probably already have an idea of what you have lost. Don't worry, you will find what I've taken from you, soon. But when you do find them again, you will have to choose. Who stays and who goes. It's all up to you.
SS
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The next chapter may hurt a few of you and a few of my characters. Dare I say, I'm quite excited. How about you?
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one comes out Monday! I've changed my update schedule to Mondays and Thursdays so I can finish this story soon! Hope that's okay!
Also, make sure to vote and comment your thoughts. Jasmine's story is slowly coming to an end and I'd like to see how you feel at this moment in time.
