Chapter 20: A Night to Remember

***10:04 P.M. | Jason***

Finally I said, "Onise, can we go somewhere and talk?"

"Of course we can!" she said happily.

"I'm so sorry, Tamia," I said to her as I turned around and walked away with Onise.

I know I shouldn't have left Tamia like that, but I also know that Onise likes to make a scene whenever she can, and I couldn't let that happen.

"Let's just skip prom this year and get out of here," Onise said when we got outside the school. "Hey, there's a party in Beverly Hills and—"

"Onise, let me stop you right there," I said, cutting her off. I was silent for a while because I didn't know where to start. I was finally face to face with the girl I fell for all those months ago, but she broke my heart by ignoring me. Now she was back— and wanted me back— but I knew it was because she found out that I was likely falling for someone else... *and I was*.

Finally, I took a deep breath because now I knew what I was going to say.

"Onise, when we first met, I really liked you. Even the kiss we shared was magical, but when I didn't hear from you afterward, I was heartbroken... until I met Tamia. She didn't even know who I was— she just enjoyed my company, and I enjoyed hers. Slowly, I started to fall for her, but I kept holding back because I didn't want to make you feel the way you made me feel."

"Jason, listen to yourself," said Onise. "We shared a special connection when we met. That kiss was magical... you can't just get over something like that so easily."

"But you never tried to get in contact with me," I said.

"I know," said Onise, "and I'm sorry. I just got really busy with my movie and when too much time passed by... I was too embarrassed to reach out."

"Until you heard I was seeing someone else," I said.

"I... I didn't want to lose you," Onise said sincerely.

"Well... you don't have to," I said. "We can just be friends and hang out whenever. But as for a romantic relationship... that's not gonna happen."

"Fine," Onise said, and then she walked away. I could see tears start to form in her eyes before she walked off— which is why she walked off.

I felt horrible. This is exactly what I didn't want to happen, but I truly did not want to be involved in a romantic relationship with Onise. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder.




***10:14 P.M. | Tamia***

I finally found Jason outside of the school building... talking to Onise. I didn't want to eavesdrop, but I also had to know what he was saying to her. *Does he want to get back together with her? Or was he letting her down easily, away from our entire senior class?*

"Jason, listen to yourself," said Onise. "We shared a special connection when we met. That kiss was magical... you can't just get over something like that so easily."

Hearing her say that made my heart drop. Jason did tell me that they'd kissed and gone on a few dates, but hearing her say it made it more of a reality.

"Until you heard I was seeing someone else," said Jason.

"I... I didn't want to lose you," Onise said.

"Well... you don't have to," Jason said.

My heart dropped again. *Was he really thinking about getting back with her? What about us? What about everything we just went through?* Luckily, he hadn't finished his sentence.

"We can just be friends and hang out whenever. But as for a romantic relationship... that's not gonna happen," he finished

"Fine," Onise said, and then she walked away.

I stayed where I was for a moment. Not only because I didn't want Jason to know that I was eavesdropping (although I knew he wouldn't be mad), but also because something Onise said weighed heavily on my mind.

Finally, I walked over to him.




***10:19 P.M. | Jason***

It was Tamia's hand on my shoulder.

"I broke it off with Onise. Officially," I said. I was so happy to have finally closed that chapter in my life, and I was ready to start a new one... with Tamia.

"I heard," she said. She wasn't looking too excited, so I was confused.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Yes," she replied, "... and no."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

She took a deep breath. "I kind of overheard the whole conversation," she said, "and Onise is right."

"About what?" I asked. I was a little afraid of where this was going. If she heard the whole conversation, then I know she heard Onise say that we had a connection and it wouldn't be easy to get over that. But I was... at least I was pretty sure I was.

"She's a busy actress, which explains why she never contacted you over the past few months," Tamia said. "You're a busy musician and... I don't want the same thing to happen to us."

"But it won't," I argued. "I'll make sure that it won't."

"I know you'll try," said Tamia, "but when you're traveling all over the world with your brothers, you're going to get busy and you won't have time for me."

I started to argue with her again, but part of me knew that statement had some truth. I've already traveled all over the world, and it's exhausting. There will be times when Tamia and I won't be able to talk— not just because of me traveling and performing, but also because of the different time zones I'll be in. But then I thought of a solution.

"You can come on tour with us!" I said excitedly. "We're not leaving until the summer, so you won't miss school."

"Jason, I can't do that," Tamia said. "You know I'm applying to college."

I forgot all about that. I guess because college wasn't going to be an option for me. My brothers and I have found so much success from our music that it wasn't really necessary... at least not right now. I wanted to ask Tamia to take a year off, but I also didn't want to put my own selfish desires before her studies.

"You're right," I said instead. "So... where does this leave us?"

"Where we always were," she replied. "As friends."

"Best friends," I corrected and she laughed.

"Yes," she replied. "You truly are one of my very best friends."

Instead of going back inside the school, we decided to enjoy our senior prom away from everyone else and stayed outside. We talked and laughed, and honestly, it was nothing like I imagined my prom to be— it was much better. Definitely **a night to remember**.