Last night had been a lot of fun. Emina and I had watched our movie, then we walked around and did some window shopping. Basically, we were girls doing girl things like legitly shopping and giggling at lads and stuff. Just don't tell Samir that we giggled at lads He would flip his shit It would do this beautiful pirouette and be flipped as fuck. Just don't tell him.
But now, I was hangin with the crew. And by that, I mean eating breakfast with Jasmin, Nermin, Jusuf, and Luka (I was eating a scone that was bigger than my hand, maybe even bigger than my foot). A couple of other guys where here too. They had introduced themselves as Alen Hamzic and Amel was so young, I couldn't believe he was part of this crowd. He, like Nermin, looked at me with puppy eyes.
"So, El," Amel called me by Nermin nickname, "You staying in Pontefract?"
"Well " I started.
"So, lads," Emina cut in (phew), "are you going to eat this food or what?"
"But-" Amel started.
"Eat."
"Yes, ma'am "
The question did make me think though What was I going to tell Emina tomorrow? Maybe she'd give me more time to think? I should have asked for more time in the first place I didn't even really know these people yet. How could I feel comfortable enough to stay? But I did feel that way. Something was telling me to be here. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I just felt like I belonged here. But that was crazy! I hardly knew these people! And yet, I felt like I'd known them my whole life
"El," Nermin said, waking me from my thoughts, "What do you want to do today?"
"Is there really anywhere to go but the beach?" I asked.
"We could go into Featherstone," he suggested.
"Don't you have school today, anyway?" I asked.
"Oh, yeah School " Nermin goes to a local school along with Amel.
"So it'll just be the five of us," Luka said.
"Luka, we have that thing to do today. Remember?" Jusuf asked him.
"What th- Oh yeah, that thing. Yeah, totally."
"You too, Alen."
"Aw, man!"
"I guess it'll just be you and me today," I said to Jasmin. He looked up, startled.
"Oh, yeah. I've got nothing better to do."
Jasmin and I were at the beach, once more. We were kind of awkwardly walking next to each other without saying anything. That's when I got the bright idea to speak up.
"So, how long have you lived here?"
"Uh, my whole life, really." That was a stupid question
"Yeah, I guess "
"How much longer are you staying in Pontefract?"
"I don't know "
"I think you should stay here for a while. You could learn to like it here."
"I do like it here, but I don't really know why "
"Yeah, thanks," he smiled.
"That's not what I meant! I mean, you lads are great, but I'm just worried about how fast I felt comfortable here. It's actually sort of frightening, if you think about it "
"I see what you mean, but I still think you should stay a while longer."
"Well, Emina's wanting me to stay too and I told her that I'd tell her tomorrow if I was staying or not, but I think I'm going to ask for more time Maybe about a week's more time "
"I think that would be fair."
"Hey, look! Our castle is still there!" I ran up to it to see that it hadn't the detail it had before, but the basic structures still remained.
"Since you hadn't made a sand castle before, does that also mean that you've never made a sand angel?"
"Well, yeah, I guess?"
Jasmin plopped down into the sand and started waving his arms and legs like you would to make a snow angel.
"This is where it's at," he grinned, "You should try it."
"It just looks like you're getting sand all over yourself. I like this coat, so I think I'll decline," I replied.
"Oh, come on. Don't be such a kill-joy," he smiled. His smile
"Nah, I think I'll pass, Jasmin."
"Well, fine then. Have it your way."
He pulled me to the ground and sand got all over me. I picked up a handful of sand and threw it at him. He picked one up and threw it at me. The war began.
We were running up and down the beach, throwing sand; getting hit by most of it, and dodging some of it. I threw some sand at his face, knowing he would turn away from it. While his back was turned to me, I ran behind a large rock to hide. I stood still and listened to see which way he was coming around. I was looking over my left shoulder as I was attacked from the right.
"Got you!" he cheered as he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me into the air. I squealed and begged him to put me down.
"Seeing as you are properly covered with sand, I will," he said.
"Why did I have to get my $200 coat dirty again?" I asked (It wasn't really $200, more like $120, but ya know, still nice).
"Ah, shit! I'm so sorry! I'll pay for the dry cleaning, I promise!" He was beside himself.
"I just wanted you to see that it's not that bad to get dirty, I guess " he said.
"Jasmin, I have two younger brothers back home. I know how to play in the mud," I laughed.
"Ah, that's why we don't scare you so much, you're used to being around lads," he laughed also.
"Oh, yeah. Every weekend, there'd be about 12 or so at my house 'cause the lads liked to have their friends over."
"What about you? Did you have any friends?"
"I had a few, but I wasn't quite as personable as the lads. And what friends I do have, are very tight. They're like sisters to me." I smiled as I remembered my friends.
"If you where so tight," he asked hesitantly, "why did you leave?"
"We all left in our own ways. Some of to college, Ena went to live with some family in Russia, and I left on a road trip."
"Do you still keep in touch?"
"We used to Skype every week, but then I stopped checking in as often because it's hard to find free wi-fi. Now I check in every month or 2. But it's always a party." I smiled at the memory of our last conversation. The topic had started as "Uuuugh homework" then went to "Oooooh lads" to "Shoes!" to "Guess what I just saw here in Russia" (Emma had seen a mouse do something ridiculous) to "Shit, it's 3 in the morning already?!" to "'night everybody, love you!"
"That sounds nice, apart from the fact that you can only check in every month or so Hey, that'd be a reason for staying here."
"Yeah, 'cause Samir and Emina have wi-fi." (Sarcasm)
"Well, they don't But I'm sure Jusuf would be more than happy to let you use his."
"Yeah, probably." We walked a little more in silence. It wasn't as awkward as the first time.
"Hey, Jasmin," I started, "Why do you guys want me to stay so badly?"
"Well " he seemed taken aback by my question, "I don't know I guess we just feel connected to you somehow?"
"I sort of feel the same way I just can't explain it. But I'm still going to ask Em for more time."
"Fair enough," he smiled.
At lunch time, we went back to Emina's house. Apparently, she serves all the lads all their meals.
"You are a mess!" she scolded, "Is this your fault, Jasmin?"
"Not entirely," I said.
"Well, get those clothes off and give them to me. And take a shower to get all of that sand out of your hair." Emina reminded me of my mother.
"Yes, ma'am," I said before heading up stairs. Emina gave me a basket to put my clothes in and I filled it up. I stuck a note to my coat that said that Jasmin was going to dry clean it for me, but to pretty please beat all the sand off it that was possible. Everything else could go through washer/dryer for all I cared.
I took my toiletries bag into the bathroom with me; it had the shampoo I preferred in it. I also needed my face stuffs. My shower was decently short for one of my showers- I didn't bother shaving- and I was out before anyone missed me. There was even some food left!
We were having samiches. Make your own. So I decided to use no bread and just put some cold cuts onto a plate with some cheese slices and ate that (I'm not much of a bread person). Jusuf, Jasmin, Alen, and I sat in front of the tv and watched an episode of Supernatural that was on; it was about werewolves. The lads couldn't stop snickering for some reason. Maybe some kind of inside joke.
After that episode finished and another came on, I slipped away into the kitchen to talk to Emina.
"Hey, Emina," I started, "I wanted to maybe ask for another week to think things over?"
"That's perfectly fine, Sweetie, it was too much to ask for you to decide by tomorrow," she laughed, "I'm really glad that you asked for more time, to tell you the truth. I was afraid that you'd panic and leave if the deadline was tomorrow."
"Yeah I was scared of that too "
"So you want to stay?"
"Sort of, but I don't even know why I was talking to Jasmin about this earlier."
"You'll find your answer soon, I'm sure," she smiled.
"Thanks, Emina. Your confidence is reassuring." I smiled and helped her finish cleaning the kitchen.
"Ah, just doing women's work, I see," Jasmin said as his head peeked around the corner. He had a big grin on his face.
"Aww, did you miss Elma?" Emina cooed sarcastically.
"Oh, hush, Em " Jasmin pouted. His head retreated to whence it came.
"lads," we said unanimously.
"Are you talking about me?" Samir asked as he came into the kitchen.
"Yes, defiantly," Emina said before giving him a kiss. What they had was so beautiful I just prayed that I'd have something like that someday.
"Samir, there's something we need to talk about," Emina told him.
"O k?" he said, cautious.
"Elma will be staying for a few more days than we thought."
"Really now?" He was trying to repress a grin.
"Yes. Like, 7 to 10 more days "
"Well, if she needs to. But I want her out of my cottage as soon as possible," he joked, "She doesn't do anything around here." I smiled; it had been a while since I had been around people that had a sense of humor this nice.
"I promise that I will kick her to the curb as soon as possible," Emina joke.
"Whoa, were did Mr. Nice Samir come from?" Jasmin asked as he came back into the kitchen, "I've never seen him before."
"Well, you're usually not listening to me," he replied, back to his serious self. 'Way to go, Jasmin,' I joked. Well, at least that was taken care of.
*Jasmin's POV* (while watching tv with the other lads and Elma had already gone into the kitchen to help Emina)
"lads, I need your help," I begged as soon as El (that's what I call her in my head) was out of hearing range.
"With what, dude?" Jusuf asked as he turned to me. The others gave me their attention too.
"I don't know what to do "
"About Elma?" Luka asked.
"Yeah "
"Dude, it'll come to you," Alen promised.
"But what if it doesn't? I don't know what she wants at all "
"Come on, man!" Jusuf started, "She wants a home! Some where she feels she really belongs."
"I know that, I just don't know what she wants when it comes to me."
"It's the same, Kole; exactly the same. Just make this feel like home for her. Romantic type stuff will come later, after she's established herself here," Jusuf reassured.
"So, just be friends with her for now?"
"Yes, exactly," Luka said.
"But I don't know if I really want to be 'just friends' with her "
"It could be that she does want a relationship, but now just isn't the time. You're going to be just as conflicted as her when it comes to that kind of stuff," Alen said.
"But for now," I said, "I'll just be her friend. I'll sway her to stay in Pontefract."
"That's good, Jasmin. And remember, it's gonna be lots of little things," Jusuf said.
I got up and went to find Elma, I missed her too much But I would just go with the flow.
Hope everyone enjoyed! I would really like to hear from you guys, ya know? So please review! :)Kole is Jasmins my country Jasmin is a boys not pronounced how you think it is.