chapter 8
Jasmine pov

Sidney, Tatum, and I, all gathered around a small table in the corner of a nightclub we're downing shots to celebrate me going to college with them

Tatum was real close with the owner who lets us in to drink all the time, every employee here knew us.

"We should get margaritas, " Tatum says excitedly lightly slurring her words. Sidney laughs shaking her head. "Yeah no, your cut off," she replies pointing at her.

Tatum quickly looks at me to back her up, I sigh rolling my eyes giving in looking at Sidney.
"Come on Sid, One more round of shots," I ask sweetly.

She hesitates but then sees Tatum's pleading eyes and hands together. "Fine" she gives in.

"Yes! I was gonna anyway." Tatum, she said going to the bar dancing through the crowd.
Sidney turns to me, the lights in the club were pretty low but I could tell she had something on her mind. "What is it?" I ask. She snaps out her thoughts and sighs shaking her head.

"You'll spit it out eventually," I say putting my eyes back on Tatum, who walks up sitting three shots on the table.

"Tonight we toast to us!" Tatum says hanging Sidney a shot. "To Jas joining us in college," she adds handing me my shot, "and to me getting into the sorority I wanted," she says excitedly. Sidney and I look at each other and roll our eyes.

We all down the shot, I was for sure drunk I'm usually a heavyweight but it's been a while since I got to drink.

"Can you believe that stupid Stab movie is out tonight?" Tatum brings up randomly killing my mood immediately sidney groans.

"You said we wouldn't talk about it tonight, another reason why we went out in the first place," I say gesturing around us. " Tatum rolls her eyes, "I know sorry, it's just we should've sued Gale and you know it, half her book is a lie."

"You read it?" Sidney asks wide-eyed tatum looks between me and Sid's head tilted "You guys haven't?"

"No, we lived it didn't think we needed to" I reply making Sidney nod her head agreeing

"In her book, Billy stays with Sid and she changed the ending to her shooting him instead of me." Tatum says disapproving.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom I'll be back," I say getting up grabbing my purse I couldn't sit there and think of that stupid book

After I use the bathroom I meet back up with Tatum and Sidney, the rest of the night was going well, Sidney felt sober enough to drive.

On our way out our mood is immediately killed, across the street multiple police cars were parked outside the movie theatre we all look at each other, We knew the Stab movie premiered
tonight.

"Come, let's go," I say gesturing them away from the scene as we go to Sidney's car, after a 30 minute drive of Tatum trying to convince me to move into their dorm and me saying no I was finally home I rented out a condo close to the college with the money I saved from my old job.

After a nap Jasmine woke up to the sound of her phone ringing, reaching over to her bedside table and bringing the phone up to her ear, greeting the person on the other end groggily "hello?
hello?"

"Hello, Jasmine." A modulated voice said back.
"Yes?" Jasmine asked, a tired yawn escaping her lips.

"What's your favorite scary movie?" The modulated voice asked her. "Who is this?"
"You tell me." The modulated voice responded,
Jasmine reaching over and picking up the caller id system. "Cory Gillis. 555-0176."

"Oh, shit!" Cory swore, "Shit!"

"Hot flash, Cory, prank calls are a criminal offense prosecuted under penal code 653-M."
Jasmine was interrupted by Cory hanging up on her

"Hope you enjoyed the movie." "Time to change numbers again?" Hallie McDaniel, her roommate asked, walking up to her bed.

"No, it'll die off eventually." Jasmine responded, shaking her head. "It's opening weekend. We'll see how it goes."

"Okay." Hallie shrugged as Jasmine got up and walked toward her desk, when she heard a voice she never thought she'd have to hear again on the tv "You know, Ron, uh, it's not an easy thing to be accused of a crime you didn't commit,particularly one as heinous as murder, by your own daughter none the less."

"But how do people treat you now that they know the truth about your innocence?" The interviewer asked Cotton, as Jasmine slowly walked forward to stand in front of the tv.

"Most people are cool." Cotton responded,
"There's some who still keep a safe distance, which is odd for me, 'cause l've always been sort of a people person."

"But you were wrongly accused!" The interviewer said. "You were fully exonerated."

"Yeah, well, that and a nickel will get you a cup of coffee, even that's not true anymore." Cotton joked, earning laughs from the crowd.

"Well, certainly, with Gale Weathers book, and now the movie, it's set the record straight for Cotton Weary." The interviewer told him.

"One would think, but, uh, Gale's-Gale's been terrific." Cotton shook his head.

"Hey! move your ass, okay?" Halle broke Jasmine from her stupor, hitting her arm with the towel in her hand. "You're late, don't forget about the martini mixer tonight at the Delta Lambda Zetas."

"I don't think I'm going to be able to make it, Hal." Jasmine said, turning to walk out of their
room.

"What?" Hallie asked loudly, "Don't even try to bag, okay? 'cause you promised me."

"A vague promise at best." Jasmine rolled her eyes, walking out of the room.

"Nobody's asking you to join, okay?" Hallie followed after her. "It's a party, free beer, meet the girls."

"Hallie, you know me and organized religion." Jasmine said, turning back around
"It's a sorority." Hallie corrected. "Worse."

Hallie sighed before speaking, "Look, Jas, just lower the walls for the next few days, the self-induced isolation you got goin is not healthy"

"I'm fine." Jasmine said simply. "I'm fine." Yes, I know. I'm fine is stretched tightly across your face."

A girl suddenly ran up to them and put a hand on her chest, "Check out the news." Hallie and Jasmine both shared a look before Hallie raced back into their room, Jasmine staying in the same spot for a moment before following after
her.

"The two Windsor College students were murdered last night during a sneak preview of the new movies Stab the police haven't released any information except for the victims' names.

But a press conference is scheduled for later today The victims, Maureen Evans and Phil Stevens, were both Windsor seniors."

"Where's Randy?" Jasmine asked, swallowing heavily. "He's got Film Theory this morning." Hallie responded, Jasmine turned and walking out of their room.

"Where's Randy?" Veronica asked, swallowing heavily. "He's got Film Theory this morning." Hallie responded, Jasmine turned and walking out of their room.

Now walking down the hallway, Jasmine hoisted her bag up her shoulder and pushed open the door to leave the school, the reporters already outside waiting for her.

"Jasmine! Jasmine! Jasmine, did you know the victims? Do you feel threatened by the murders?"

"No comment." Jasmine responded to all their questions, walking down the steps. "Do you think there'll be more murders? what can you tell us about the victims? how about the police? we just need one statement." Jasmine ignored all their questions, pushing past them to walk across the campus to Randy's film class.

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Jasmine walked up to the class room Randy's film class was held in, walking around to the other side of the door so Randy could see her, watching his face drop into a look of worry as he spotted her, using her index finger to wave him
over

Randy grabbed his books and stood up from his seat as the teacher dismissed them, only to turn back around as a girl in the class asked him.
"So, Mr. Originality, how would you make it different?"

"I'd let the geek get the girl." Randy responded, turning around and walking out the class room door, down the hallway with Jasmine following after him.

"We need to talk about the murders, Randy." Jasmine insisted, Randy quickly shaking his head as they reached the door. "No, we really don't."

"Three hundred people watched, nobody did anything, they thought it was a publicity stunt, for Christ's sakes." Jasmine said, continuing to follow after the boy.

"And it would have been a good one too." Randy said back, using an accent. "It's starting again,
Randy." Jasmine told him.

"It's not." Randy denied, pausing in his tracks causing Jasmine too stop also. "A lot a shit happens at the movies, people get robbed, shot, maimed, murdered, multiplex is just a very dangerous place to be these days."

"Yeah, and you are in extreme denial." Veronica told her stubborn friend. "And you should be too, this has nothing to do with us."

Jasmine smacked her friends arm slightly in frustration. "Randy, a guy in a ghost face mask hacked up two people in a movie theater telling our life story."

"Coincidence?" Randy tried, although even he couldn't deny she had a point there Jasmine stopped her friend from walking any further.

"You know what happened at
Woodsboro, Randy, you can't ignore it."

"I know, Ronnie, but I don't want to go back there again, can't we just go back to our pseudo-quasi-happy existence?" Randy asked, only to quickly look over at the person approaching them. "Hello, vanessa, how ya doin'?"

"Hey Jasmine." vanessa said, leaning forward hugging. "I heard, you weren't in class you okay."

"Yeah, I know I skipped, I couldn't take all the
that's her looks." Jasmine told him, causing the boy to sigh heavily before asking. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Well, you got any tricks for getting me back to a pseaudo-quasi-happy existence?" Jasmine asked, glancing back at Randy. "I might just have one for that." Vanessa responded. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah? what is it?" Randy asked the boy.
Instead of responding to Randy's question vanessa leaned down grabbing something out of her bag handing it to Jasmine

"no way I been wanting to watch this." Jasmine grinned hugging her before dragging her away from Randy as he stared after them before following after the best friend duo
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Jasmine walked hand in hand with her bestfriends and with her friends up to the swarm of reporters while still keeping a safe distance, when Randy suddenly grabbed her arm and dragged her to his side. "Jasmine, look, it's Gale Weathers, Star of the Gale Weathers press conference, based on the book by Gale Weathers, soon to be a major motion picture starring Gale Weathers."

"Be kind, Randy, she saved our lives." Sydney told him. "She had calf implants." Randy said, looking closer at the woman. "I'm gonna get closer.

"So that's her?" Allison asked, sitting down in the spot beside Jasmine. "Yeah."

The girls from Delta Lambda Zetas walked over to them, "Hello, girls enjoying yourselves?"

"Hello, Sister Lois, Sister Murphy." Hallie greeted with a smile. "Hello, pledge Hi Jasmine."

"Hey." Jasmine said back with a fake smile on her face "This must be flat-out hell for you
how are you holding up?" Murphy asked

"I manage" Jasmine replied blankly. "It's really weird, isn't it? to think this fuss is all because of you! I mean, not directly, but in some six-degrees-of-Kevin Bacon way." Murphy continued.

"Hallie, are you gonna being your friend to our little martini mixer tonight?"

"I have a lot of work to do." Jasmine tried, but was quickly shut down by Hallie. "We'll be there."

"Oh, good because Jassy, we have our eyes on you." The Lois said. "You hang in there, and if there's anything we can do, The Delta Lambdas are very sensitive to you plight yeah bye! bye!"

"You gonna start to dress like that once you get in?" Vanessa asked raising her eyebrow "That's not gonna happen." Jasmine replied making her bestfriends laugh

"The Delta Lambdas are the biggest bunch of fuckin-" Mickey was cut off by Hallie. "Hey! I'm pledging Delta Lambda, thank you."

"Oh, my god." Jasmine said, standing up from her spot beside her friends and beginning a walk across the courtyard.

"Dewey? Hey!" Dewey whipped around in surprise only for his face to break out into a warm smile as he realized who was running towards him

"What are you doing here?" Jasmine wrapped her arms around the man, bringing him in for a much needed hug before they both pulled away.

"Oh, I was worried about you " Dewey sighed. "I heard about what happened and I was on the next plane can we talk?"

"Look, Jassy, if there is some freaked-out psycho trying to follow in Billy and Stu's footsteps, you probably already know him. Or her, or them they're probably already in your life they get off on that I just want you to be careful, kid."

Jasmine sighed before turning and standing up from her seat, hanging on to a post that held up the gazebo. "you think I don't know that, Dewey? but what am I supposed to do? Just cut everybody off? Crawl under a rock? What?"

Dewey shook his head softly before responding
"Just watch out keep an eye out I'm gonna talk to Chief Hartley and the local police I'm gonna just hang around I wanna make sure you're safe, if that's alright with you."

"Yeah I'd be honored" Jasmine smiled dewey smiled before grabbing her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as Allison walked over giving Dewey a hug as they walk off

Jasmine walked down the steps of the gazebo and over to her friends who were already walking over to her. "Hey"

"Hey, you okay?" Derek asked "Who was that
guy?"

"An old friend." Jasmine responded, before
Randy walked over to them and continued her response. "Deputy Dewey, Woodsboro's finest What's he doing here?"

"He's worried, our surrogate big brother."
Jasmine replied with a breathy chuckle.

"Nothing like a funeral to bring the family together." Randy said. "I'm gonna go say hi."

"Chief Hartley said the girl was stabbed seven-." Derek quickly interrupted Mickey, aware of how hard all this was for Jasmine. "Drop it."

"Hello, Jasmine." Gale said from behind
Jasmine, causing her to quickly turn. "How are
you?"

"Hi. What do you want, Gale?" Jasmine asked, getting straight to the point.

"Well, I was hoping I might get just a few words with you." Gale responded, moving to the side as the camera man moved out of the way, Cotton Weary a man her cousin convinced raped her mother

"Cotton." Jasmine said in surprise. "Hi, Jasmine." Cotton said back, before Gale started her report "Here we are at Windsor College, where Jasmine roberts has just been reunited since Sydney Prescott her cousin wrongly accused him of murdering her mother"

"What the hell are you doing?" Jasmine interrupted the reporter. "We want to know how you feel tell us everything that's happened, looking back on the last two years."

"Now, Jasmine, I'd just like to say that I forgive and forget, and just like you, I'd like to get back on with my own life." Cotton said, looking for at the camera.

"Do you have any comments?" Gale asked, "You bitch." Jasmine said angrily, stepping towards the reporter who quickly moved backwards.

Derek quickly grabbed her by the shoulders, rubbing them soothingly. "Deep breaths. Lot of deep breaths"

"Oh, Jasmine, share with us, please!" Jasmine turned and punched Gale the same way she had two years ago outside of the police station. "I'll share with you!"

"Okay, okay, okay." Derek quickly moved forward and wrapped his arms around the girl, dragging her away.

"Did you get that on film?" Vanessa asked the camera man with a cheeky smile. "Yes, I got that on film."

Kim speaking
sorry for the long wait let me know your thoughts
2702 words