The Update

a short story by Kirsten Stillman (Grade 12)

She glanced at the clock on the dash of her car. Shoot! She was late. Her aunt wouldn’t wait for her to start dinner. She only hoped that the food wouldn’t be cold by the time she got there. She hurriedly put her car in park in the driveway of her house and ran inside to grab her forgotten cell phone. Just as she spotted it sitting on her desk, the screen lit up and her Linkin Park ring-tone shattered the quiet in the room.
She glanced at the number, intending to let it go to voicemail. The name on her screen made her look twice. She suddenly knew something wasn’t right. Matt never called her. She frowned, then opened the phone and put her ear to the receiver.
“Hello?” She greeted, thinking that maybe he had dialed the wrong number by accident.
“Jazz?” Matt’s voice sounded unsure and hesitant, something it had never sounded like before. “It’s Matt.”
“Hey,” okay, so he didn’t dial the wrong number. Why was he calling? Their friendship had grown somewhat distant over this last school year, and the fact that he was calling her in the summer was very strange to her. “What’s up?”
“Are you busy right now?” He asked; his reluctance to answer her question caught her attention.
She hesitated. The miserable tone of his voice didn’t escape her notice. He sounded so miserable that Jasmine sat in her desk chair. “What’s wrong, Matt?”
“I’m at… I was wondering if you could come get me…” His voice cracked.
She stood up, heading to her car. “Where are you?”
“At Pat’s house,” Matt answered.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Jasmine answered, climbing back into her car.
She closed the phone and started the car. Then she remembered. She was late for dinner at her aunt’s house. She bit her lip, looking at the clock again. Then she nodded to herself and dialed a familiar number as she drove the opposite direction of her aunt’s house.
“Hello?” Her aunt answered after three rings.
“Aunt Jane? It’s Jazz. Listen, I’m going to be late for dinner… Would you mind if I maybe brought a friend?”
“A friend?” Her aunt asked, surprised. “Well, sure. I’ll try to keep something warm for you.”
“Thanks! You’re the best!” Jasmine exclaimed gratefully.
Her aunt chuckled. “I know,” a teasing smile showed in her tone.
“I’ll see you real soon,” Jasmine said.
“Okay, honey,” her aunt replied, then hung up.
Jasmine glanced at the clock again, 8:10. She wondered again what was going so horribly wrong that made Matt call her. As she pulled up the familiar long driveway that led to Pat’s house, she noticed a lot of cars parked in a long line. A party, she guessed. But how long has the party lasted? Pat, who used to be one of her best friends, was now known as the best party-thrower in the entire school. His parties lasted for days, which were often held when his very rich parents were out of town on one of their many business or pleasure trips.
Jasmine parked her car in the middle of the driveway by the front door and walked nervously up to the front door. She had never attended one of Pat’s parties, but knew what went on at one. She had no intention of doing drugs, drinking, or doing any of the other things that went on at his parties, but it was still an uneasy feeling to be at one.
(continue to Part 2)