by Seven Steps
I searched for the best escape route but being in the middle of a row made escape nearly impossible. I glanced at Ollie, but he was staring straight ahead, as if paying rapt attention.
“You may ask, how is this working so far? Well, I’m happy to report that graffiti arrests are already up by twenty percent in just one week.”
Mr. Mann clapped, and the rest of the school joined in. All except me. I was frozen in place, wondering how I had gone from a straight A student to a wanted woman.
“Which brings me to my next point. You. Each and every one of you can help us in this fight against graffiti. How? By being our eyes and ears. You have often heard it said that if you see something, say something. That is what we are asking of you. If you see anything suspicious, like a spray paint can, someone with spray paint on their clothes or fingers. Or even someone who smells like paint, report that to your principal, and he will report it to me. If we all work together, we can make New York City a safer place.”
I slid farther down in my chair, sniffing my sweater. It didn’t smell like paint, but my outside jacket might have. There was probably paint on my boots too. The old Jasmine would have freaked out if her clothes had paint on them. This new Jasmine only cared about one thing. Actually painting.
Applause broke out around me, and Mr. Mann stood up to shake the commissioner’s hand.
“Going a little overboard, aren’t they?” Sophia asked. “I mean, a task force? They make it sound like they’re about to take down the mafia.”
I grimaced and looked down at Cole’s reddening face. I wondered if Sophia knew that Cole’s father pretty much ran the Russian mafia in New York City. Probably not. A secret like that would stay with as few people as possible. Me, Bella, Ariel, and Eric.
“The point is that graffiti is gross,” Purity said. “Whoever’s doing it should be arrested.”
Sophia shrugged. “I don’t know. I think some of it is pretty cool. Those RATZ tags aren’t just words. They’re art.”
“Art and graffiti aren’t the same thing.”
“It could be,” I chimed in. “What’s the difference between painting on a canvas and spray paint on a wall?”
“Five hundred dollars,” Purity said.
“If da Vinci spray painted the Mona Lisa on a wall, no one would call it graffiti.”
“Why would da Vinci spray paint the Mona Lisa in a dirty alleyway?”
“Art is art, no matter where it is,” I argued. “Whether you spray it or paint it or draw it, it’s still art. And the people who make it should be celebrated, not hounded and arrested like common criminals!”
Sophia threw her hands up in defense.
“Whoa, calm down. It’s not like you’re out there spray painting on walls.”
I sat back and crossed my arms over my chest.
“It’s probably just some homeless teen with a spray can trying to make a statement.”
I wanted to scream at her that that was not who the RATZ were. That I was one of them. That we were artists and we had something big planned. But I didn’t. I sat there and kept my mouth shut, because if I told anyone, that would be the end of the RATZ. And, possibly, my freedom. Tagging walls wasn’t something we could do for fun anymore. This was serious. We could be arrested and put in jail.
But how would this affect the virtual tag? Would they still go through with it, knowing the risk? Would we stop tagging altogether? Was this assembly the end of the RATZ as we knew it?
48
I found myself playing with my salad and trying not to stare at the table across the aisle.
Ollie, Jean, Jeff, and Able had given up sitting on dumpsters and were now back inside. Ursula Meyers did not look thrilled by it.
Ollie and I were playing a very unique game. One where every time I glanced across the tables, I caught Ollie’s eye, then I looked away super-fast, like I wasn’t looking.
It was a terrible game, and I had no idea why I kept playing.
Maybe to torture myself?
Maybe because I wanted something I knew I couldn’t have.
“Jasmine! Who are you looking at?”
My eyes widened, and I looked across the table at Ariel, who was staring in the same direction I was trying not to stare at.
“Is Andrew over there?” Bella asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
“No. Andrew’s behind us,” Ariel said, turning back toward me. She lowered her voice.
“You weren’t looking at Oliver Santiago, were you?”
I shook my head so hard my neck hurt. “No. No. Definitely not.”
“Well, he’s the only half decent looking boy over there.”
“Nope. Not me.”
“Why would she be staring at Ollie when we set her up with Andrew?” Sophia asked.
“I was not staring at Ollie,” I said.
Bella chewed her sandwich thoughtfully, then swallowed. “What’s going on? You haven’t even mentioned Andrew since Ronnie’s party. Is everything okay?”
I caught myself mid frown, but it was too late. Bella had already caught it. And worse, Ariel saw.
“Did he do something to you?” Ariel asked. Her cheeks were turning red, which meant somebody was about to have a very bad day.
I waved my hands in front of me wildly. “No. Really. He didn’t do anything.”
“I haven’t seen you two in the lunch line together or him walking you to class anymore. You don’t even mention him and—”
She looked behind me. Her mouth opened wide, and her eyes turned wild.
I turned around in my chair.
Andrew was sitting at the table with his friends.
And another girl.
Maxine Walters, cousin to Dana Rich. Andrew kissed her neck, which blond-haired, blue-eyed Maxine giggled about and swatted him away.
Ariel growled, then ran over to the other table before Eric could catch her.
Crap!
I jumped up, hot on Ariel’s heels, trying to pull her back, but she was too fast.
She reached Andrew a good five seconds before I did, which was enough for her to start the attack.
My best friend leapt onto Andrew and started slapping him in the head.
She was screaming. “You think you can cheat on my best friend and get away with it!”
“Ariel, no!” I cried.
Eric shoved past me, grabbed Ariel around the waist, and pulled her off him. But it was too late. Andrew was already red-faced and angry.
“Tell your crazy girlfriend to stay away from me!” he shouted.
That set Eric off.
“What did you call her?” he demanded.
“I called her a crazy, loud mouth—” He didn’t finish the sentence before Eric pulled back his fist and clocked him in the face.
No!
By that time Ariel had recovered and set her sights on a new target. Maxine. She was yanking at the girl’s hair and calling her a homewrecker.
I pulled at Ariel’s waist, desperate to get her off the poor, innocent girl, who could only flail her arms and scream.
Finally, I detached Ariel from Maxine’s hair and stood between them.
“Ariel, we’ve broken up!”
Ariel’s face was beet red, her breathing labored. “What?”
“Andrew and I are broken up. We’ve been broken up for days.”
Her eyes widened.
Her mouth formed an O shape.
She was about to say something, but then someone grabbed me by my shoulders, spun me around, and slapped me hard across the face. It was Maxine, and she was angry.
And right behind her, Dana Rich came running up. And behind Dana was Ursula.
I grabbed my hurt cheek.
The noise in the cafeteria grew to deafening levels. It was like I was looking at the scene in slow motion.
Maxine and Dana lunged for me again, but Bella and Sophia were ready for them. They yanked the girls back while Ariel pulled me back to safety.
When Ursula pushed past them to get to me,
Ariel stood in front of me.
“You going to hit me too, cousin?” she asked.
“Maybe, cousin.”
The two stared at each other like they were ready to claw at the other’s skin.
Meanwhile, the fight with Eric and Andrew had spread to a fight between Eric, Cole, Ollie, and Jeff, and the entire table of the F.E.W.
When the tides turned in the F.E.W’s favor, Jean and Able stepped in.
Able used his strength and weight to toss the members of the F.E.W to the side like rag dolls, while scrappy Jean used her fist, legs, and teeth to plow through the boys like she was some sort of super karate ninja.
When did she learn to do that?
By the time the faculty broke up the fight, the tides had turned in our favor. Most of the F.E.W were crawling away, and Dana, Ursula, and Maxine were all on the floor crying.
Someone yanked me up by my wrist and pulled me to my feet.
It was Mr. Khan.
“Jasmine Patel, I’m surprised at you. To the principal’s office. Now!”
I stumbled forward, joining my friends in my march to the office.
Leaving a trail of bodies behind us.
49
Our lunchroom brawl earned us a day’s suspension, Saturday detention, and a phone call home.
My parents were not going to be thrilled when they got that voicemail.
The eleven of us left school and took the train over to Bella’s apartment where we recuperated.
It was odd, seeing the RATZ mixed in with my friends. Seeing Jean’s blue hair next to Southern debutante Purity. And Able’s big body next to Eric’s and Cole’s muscled ones.
It was even more unnerving sitting next to Ollie, on the same couch Andrew and I had sat on only a few nights earlier.
Cole ordered pizza, and Bella gave everyone ice packs for their eyes and swollen knuckles.
As I looked around at my friends, I knew this was all my fault.
I should have told them what was going on. I should have let them into my life.
Instead I hid, because I was afraid of what they might say or think. It was time to set things right for once. To stand up and take responsibility.
“Guys, this is all my fault,” I said. “I should have told you I wasn’t with Andrew anymore. I’m sorry.”
“Why didn’t you?” Ollie asked. “Say. Anything. I mean.”
I sighed. “I was afraid. They’d done so much for me to be with Andrew. I didn’t want to let them know I couldn’t keep it together.”
“And why didn’t you tell me? All this time I thought you had a boyfriend.”
I dropped my eyes. “I know.”
“Was that on purpose?”
“Yes.”
“Why? Princess, you knew how I felt about him…” He paused. “How I feel about you.”
I raised my eyes to him. “I’m sorry. I should have been honest. I should have told you.”
His eyes held mine. They were so sad. So defeated.
I put my hand on his arm, trying to impart a small amount of comfort, but it felt like whatever I did it wouldn’t be enough. I’d acted deliberately, and I had hurt him.
I was sorry for that.
“Um… we accept your apology,” Sophia said loudly. Then she looked pointedly at me, then at Ollie. “Especially since you leveled up.”
Ariel shushed her from across the room.
Ollie’s hand went over mine, and I shivered.
There was no lie to keep us apart now.
No little untruths to help me keep my resolve.
Without the threat of Andrew, Ollie would come after me. That much I knew. I just wasn’t sure how long I could keep my convictions before he tore my walls down.
And what would happen when he did?
“Well,” Cole said, standing up. “Now that you know what we do to guys who break Jasmine’s heart, maybe we should have a little talk with you.”
“No need,” Ollie said. “I’m not in the breaking hearts business.”
“Good to know. Because if you mess this up, you won’t have to just deal with me. You’ll have to deal with her.”
He pointed across the room to Ariel, who feigned innocence and gave us a ‘who, me?’ face that made us laugh.
I was so thankful for Cole. He was amazing at breaking the tension in the room.
Someone turned on the television and the room broke out into small conversations. Purity and Able trading tips on gardening and recipes.
Jean and Sophia ribbing each other with small, good-natured quips.
Ariel and Eric disappeared somewhere, while Cole and Bella cuddled on the couch with the dog.
“Can I talk to you outside?” Ollie asked.
Crap.
This was what I’d been dreading.
I didn’t want to have a conversation with Ollie about us. Especially since there could be no us. But his earnest eyes propelled me to follow him out the front door and into the hallway.
I tried to keep my reasons around me.
My parents wouldn’t approve.
And he was a criminal. Well, technically I was a criminal too since I was now suspended, and I’d tagged government property. I had to scratch that off the list as well.
When did I drop down to one reason? There seemed to be so many before.
We stood awkwardly in the hallway, him eyeing me, me keeping my eyes downcast.
“So, what’s up?” he asked.
I shrugged. “What do you mean?”
“Look, can we be honest for once? Why didn’t you tell me you and Andrew broke up?”
“I don’t know.”
“Honest. I need you to be honest.”
I sighed. Well, since he asked…
“Because I wanted to keep you at bay.”
“Why? Because it’s obvious we like each other.”
“Is it?”
He stepped forward, trapping me in his arms. And just like that, my body rebelled. My breath quickened. My heartbeat went into overdrive. My knees got weak.
Even I would laugh at me if I denied our attraction.
“When we’re near each other, our bodies go crazy. I’m sure you feel it. I feel it too.” He gently took my hand and put it on his chest. I felt it beat wildly through his shirt. It made me feel powerful, to know I had this control over him. He always seemed so calm and collected. Maybe I was driving him just a little crazy too.
“Tell me why we can’t be together.”
“Ollie, you’re great. You are. But, but… I just can’t.”
“Tell me you don’t want to be with me,” he said.
I want to be with you! Everything inside of me screamed it. My entire being wanted Ollie.
But I was so afraid.
“Princess.” My eyes rose to his. “I will do whatever you want me to do. If you want me to just be your friend, then I’ll be your friend. But if you want me to be more, then I can be more too. I can be more than you could ever dream. But you have to let me know what you want. I want to be with you. Do you want to be with me?”
I didn’t have to think about it. I didn’t have to ponder or muse. I wanted to be with Ollie. Yes, the thought of it was terrifying and strangely thrilling, but I wanted to be with Ollie.
But could I allow myself to be that vulnerable? That open?
I remembered what he said to me at Ronnie’s party.
Just let go.
It was time for me to follow his advice. It was time for me to just let go.
“I want to be with you.”
The words came out in one long breath.
And just like that everything was on the table.
All the things I’d been trying to avoid were out there.
And it scared the crap out of me.
He stepped closer, his face moving closer to mine.
Was he going to seal it with a kiss?
My entire body went on red alert.
This was the moment I’d been wanting for so long.
And now t
hat it was here, I didn’t know what to do. Where should I put my hands? How should I move my lips? How did my breath smell?
He moved even closer, and his lips brushed against mine with the tiniest of pressure. Then, he smiled against them.
“Then I will do everything in my power to make that happen,” he whispered, taking a step back.
Anticipation and frustration grew inside of me, but I swallowed it down.
He stepped back and took my hand, turned it over, and pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin on my wrist. My entire body shivered, which made him smile wider.
I managed to squeeze out, “Don’t look so pleased with yourself,” but it came out breathless and without any of the sass I wanted it to have.
What can of worms did I just open?
50
I arrived home later than I thought I would. We had hung out at Bella’s house until nine before we left. Which only gave me an hour to clean up and get to the Starbucks at ten.
I didn’t hear anyone home. My parents must’ve finished their fight and flight thing early.
As I sped through the house, my foot stepped on something.
I stopped and picked it up.
It was a red piece of silk. When I shook it out, I saw that it was a… nighty? There was a red nighty in my living room?
My first reaction was absolute disgust.
Then, there was a little ray of hope.
If there was lingerie in the living room, maybe Mom and Dad had finally reconciled.
Maybe they had stopped arguing and finally started listening to each other. I could only hope.
I put the nighty on the back of the living room couch and kept walking, my mood soaring, and my hope alive.
That night, we arrived in Queens at the Johnson Dry Cleaners.
They had a blank wall on the side facing the street. Able had scoped it out earlier.
“What if the cops show up?” I asked. We were sitting outside of the dry cleaners in the van. “This isn’t an alleyway. There isn’t any protection.”
“Relax, Princess. It’s legit.”
“But what if we get caught?”
“Getting cold feet?” Jean asked with a chuckle.
“No. I’m just worried. That’s all.”
