GIFTS AND PRESSURE
1176 Words
Chapter 12
Jasmine’s phone wouldn’t stop ringing. At first, she tried ignoring it. Then muting it. Then throwing it across the bed in frustration. None of it helped. The screen lit up again.
Jason calling again.
Tessa glanced over from where she was laying comfortably on the floor with snacks spread around her.
“Okay,” she said slowly, “I need to know if he’s trying to contact you or summon you from the dead.”
Jasmine groaned and rubbed her forehead. “He’s actually insane.”
Tessa reached for the phone before Jasmine could stop her. Her eyes widened immediately. “Thirty-four missed calls?” she said loudly. “Jasmine, this man is unemployed emotionally.”
“Tessa.”
“I’m serious! That’s not concern anymore.”
Jasmine took the phone back and dropped it beside her. “I ignored him for a few hours,” she muttered. “A few hours.”
“And he reacted like you disappeared off the planet.” Silence settled briefly.
Jasmine leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling.
“I don’t even know what to say to him anymore.”
“Good,” Tessa replied immediately. “Then don’t say anything.”
Jasmine looked at her.
Tessa sat up straighter. “No, seriously. Every time he does something insane, you soften it. You explain it away. You protect him.”
“I’m not protecting him.”
“You are.”
The words came quickly because they were true. Tessa sighed and tossed a pillow onto Jasmine’s lap.
“You’ve been carrying this relationship on your back for months while he acts like a prison warden with emotional issues.”
Jasmine couldn’t even argue.
Tessa studied her for a moment before her tone softened slightly. “You know what scares me?” she asked quietly.
Jasmine frowned. “What?”
“You don’t even look surprised anymore.”
That hit harder than Jasmine expected.
Because somewhere along the way, Jason’s behavior had stopped shocking her. It had become normal and that realization made her stomach twist. Before the mood could sink further, Tessa suddenly clapped her hands loudly.
“Anyway. Enough sadness. We’re going out.”
Jasmine immediately shook her head. “No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“The party starts tonight.”
“I said I’m not going.”
Tessa sat up completely now. “And I said you are.”
Jasmine let out a tired laugh. “Tessa, I have tests next week.”
“You always have tests.”
“Because I’m a student.”
“And because you stress yourself for sport.”
Jasmine rolled her eyes. “I need to focus.”
“You need one normal night.”
“I am having normal nights.”
Tessa stared at her blankly.
“Your boyfriend tracks your breathing and mysterious rich men keep texting you from unknown numbers.”
“…Okay, maybe not normal.”
“Exactly.”
Jasmine looked away again, fingers absentmindedly playing with the sleeve of her hoodie. Tessa noticed immediately.
“You’ve been trapped inside your own head lately,” she said more gently. “Come out with me tonight.”
“I don’t really feel like partying.”
“You don’t have to party hard. Just exist somewhere that isn’t your room.” A pause.
Then Tessa smirked slightly. “And honestly? Stephanie is going to be there.”
Jasmine blinked. “What does that have to do with me?”
“That girl has been acting like campus royalty for three straight months. My point is, we’re going to show up looking better than everyone else, eat free food, judge people silently, and leave.”
“That actually sounds a little tempting.”
“I know.”
Jasmine laughed quietly despite herself.
Then sighed.
“…Fine.”
Tessa jumped up immediately. “I knew you’d see reason.”
“But nothing crazy.”
“Of course.”
“And we’re not staying too long.”
“Absolutely.”
“And if anything feels weird, we leave.”
Tessa paused briefly. “That last one was less fun, but okay.”
A knock interrupted them before Jasmine could reply. Both girls looked toward the door. Tessa frowned. “Were you expecting something?”
“No.”
Jasmine stood slowly and walked toward it anyway. When she opened the door, a delivery man stood outside carrying several expensive-looking boxes.
“Delivery for Jasmine.”
Her stomach tightened instantly. “I didn’t order anything.”
The man simply checked his device. “It’s already been paid for."
Jasmine signed reluctantly and carried the boxes inside while Tessa followed behind her with growing curiosity. “Oh, this is rich people behavior,” Tessa muttered. “I can feel it already.”
Jasmine carefully opened the first box.
Inside was a dress. Elegant. Dark satin fabric that practically glowed under the apartment lights. The second box contained heels. The third held jewelry.
And the fourth—
Tessa gasped dramatically. “There’s another dress.”
Jasmine looked over. Tessa slowly lifted it out of the box and held it against herself.
“…Okay, wait,” she whispered. “This is beautiful.”
Jasmine already knew who sent them before spotting the envelope resting neatly inside the final box. Still, she opened it anyway. The handwriting was familiar.
For tonight. Don’t refuse. — Jason.
Tessa peeked over her shoulder. “Well. Subtle.”
Jasmine folded the note immediately, irritation building in her chest. “It’s always like this,” she said quietly. “Every problem gets covered with gifts.”
Tessa nodded slowly this time instead of joking because she understood. The dresses weren’t kindness"
“If we don’t wear them…” Tessa started carefully.
Jasmine already knew the answer. “He’ll make a scene.” And neither of them wanted that. Tessa sighed dramatically before holding the dress against herself again.
“Well,” she said, trying to lighten the mood, “if emotional manipulation comes with designer clothing, I at least refuse to look ugly.” That finally earned a real laugh from Jasmine.
Tessa smiled immediately after hearing it. “There she is.”
Jasmine shook her head, looking back toward the dresses spread across the bed. Everything about them was perfect.
The sizing, style and colour choices. Jason knew her too well. And somehow, that made the gifts feel even heavier.
Her phone buzzed again.
Another message from Jason.
Jason: Wear the black one.
Jasmine’s expression hardened instantly. Tessa saw it immediately. “What now?”
Without speaking, Jasmine held the phone up. Tessa read the message and slowly lowered the dress.
“…Okay,” she muttered. “That’s terrifying.” Because it meant he already knew exactly what had been delivered.
And maybe— what she was thinking too.
Jasmine stared at the screen for a long moment before locking the phone and setting it down again. That uneasy feeling returned immediately. And deep down— she knew tonight wasn’t going to end normally.
- Writer
