Jasmine's New Chevy Cruze

Jasmine walked around the car, it was beautiful and with the insurance money that she had received from her car accident, it was well within her price range. The Red 2011 Chevy Cruze LTZ glistened under the beams of the sun. She glanced back into the dealership, and then looked at her sister, "what's taking the salesman so long, I could have been in there and made ten copies of my drivers' license and back again.

"Jasmine," replied her sister, "it has not't been that long, besides he said he needed to find the keys and get a dealership tag, and the man did look a little up in age."

Finally the dealer returned smiling, he handed her over her drivers' license and the key to the car, and he walked behind the Chevy Cruze and stuck the dealership plate on the back. "There should be at least an half of tank of gas in the car. Take all the time you want, see how smooth this car rides, I guarantee you will want this car."

Jasmine looked at her sister with a big grin, she was very excited about this major purchase and besides Mark there was no other person in the world she would have wanted to be with her at this very moment. With her petite frame, Jasmine slid behind the steering wheel onto a two tone cocoa and light brown seat and looked around, that smell, she just kept inhaling the new car smell. If she bought this car, this would be the first new car she ever owned. She put the key in the ignition, something that really was not't necessary because it had a remote start on it; she switched the key to on. She couldn't't even tell that it was on, the motor was so quiet. She grabbed hold of the leather steering wheel and allowed her hand to slide around until she had made a complete circle. This felt good; it seemed like a perfect fit, not too big just right. Next she adjusted the mirrors and the seat, and pulled back the cover over the sunroof because she wanted to enjoy that beautiful sunny sky. This was what she loved the most, the sunroof. Tiffany was on the other side already trying to find her favorite station on the radio.

She pushed the power button down on the window, to say something to the salesman before pulling off. "I won't be gone long an hour the most, I just want my fiancee to look it over and give me his opinion before I make a decision."

"That's fine, take all the time you need and enjoy the ride and tell me what I have to do to keep you in this car today?"

Jasmine smiled, rolled the window up and fastened her seat belt; she glanced over at Tiffany to make sure her seat belt was fastened as well.

The car rode smooth, and the sound of Phyllis Hyman on the radio made the ride even more pleasurable after all she was her favorite singer of all time. Maybe that was a sign for her to buy the car. Tiffany cranked up the radio and they both began to sing. Jasmine couldn't't wait for Mark to see her driving this beautiful machine. She couldn't't wait to see his reaction and how proud he would be that she was doing this on her own. She had taken him a couple of times before, while looking for a car, but he would get in an argument with the salesman over the price, then he would storm out of the dealership angry and she would leave behind him looking at the ground too embarrassed to face anyone. So the last time that had happened she had decided to take her sister instead with her.

Jasmine had done her homework over the Internet about the car, the value, what the dealership may ask for it and what in reality she could probably talk the dealer into accepting as a bid.

The car rode beautifully, this was the one, she felt it, this was the one, but still she had to discuss it with Mark.

When she was two blocks from his home, she asked her sister to call his phone using her cell phone, once it began to ring, Tiffany handed it over to Jasmine. On the third ring he answered.

"Yeah," he answered.

"Mark, honey what's wrong?"

"My idiot boss just called and told me the last furniture delivery I made, I scratched the dresser on the side and that it would have to be replaced and half of it would come out of my paycheck."

"Well honey did you scratch the furniture?"

"You sound just like my idiot boss, yeah I could have but the doorway to her house was so narrow and I was tired, I was just ready to come home and have a beer. So what the company can afford it, Jasmine I made a mistake get off my back."

"I am sorry Mark," Jasmine knew that she couldn't't reason with him and she hated it when he was irritated because somehow things always seem to turn out to be her fault. To change the subject, she said, "I'll be there in two minutes be standing at the front door of your apartment."

"Why?"

"Because sweetie I have a surprise."

"What is it?"

"You'll see!" replied Jasmine, "I love you."

The phone went dead he did not even say goodbye to her, he just hung up. Jasmine glanced at the beautiful diamond ring on her finger, but the beauty did not take away the apprehension she was beginning to feel every time she was around Mark: his temper with people when things didn't go his way, his love of alcohol when he was in a bad mood, always blaming everyone especially her when things didn't go just the way he had planned. But she had convinced herself, things would change once they got married, he was just stressed out with her buying a new car, planning for the wedding. He was the love of her life and she had met him when he delivered furniture to her home, he was so polite and so handsome. With the excuse that he had forget to get her to sign the slip for her delivery, he had returned to her house and someway he managed to get on the conversation if she was single, upon finding out that she was, he had asked her out. With little thought she immediately said yes.

He was so nice to her and the night that he purposed to her was so romantic, at their favorite bistro downtown, on one knee he did it before an audience. She could not help but say yes. But it wasn't until after he had put the ring on her finger that he began to change.

When she was offered a promotion on her job and went from an insurance sales clerk to sales manager, he did not share in her happiness; instead he started complaining that the new position would take more time away from him and their relationship. He even brought up about what if once they are married decide to have children, how would that affect her being a mother. He bringing up being a father just made her happy and she agreed with his reasoning and so she turned down the promotion. He also complained that she spent too much time with her girlfriends and family so to make him happy, she reduced that time also.

When she got hit in her old car by a woman who ran a red light and she received her settlement, he insisted that she buy a new car, instead of what she wanted to do buy a used car and put the money towards their wedding. So Mark and she went through the arduous task of test driving cars and haggling with car dealers. But the last time they had went together and Mark had made such a spectacle of himself and her, she decided that would first find the car and just let him see it, let him know the offer she would make on the car dealer and do all of this on her own.

Jasmine pulled into the front of Mark's apartment, and there he was standing on the front porch with his six foot frame and ebony brown skin. She blew the horn as she pulled into the parking space.

There he was and he did not't seem happy to see her, his jaw seemed to clinch together and he looked at her with piercing eyes, "Jasmine where did you get this, why did not't you wait for me, I could get you a good deal."

"Well hello to you too Mark," said Tiffany.

Mark did not reply or even look Tiffany's way; he hadn't't even heard her because his eyes were affixed only on Jasmine.

Jasmine saw a emptiness and anger in his eyes that she had never seen before and it made a shiver go down her spine.

"Mark are't you going to say hi to Tiffany and honey I haven't bought it, I was just test driving it, I wanted you to see it first before I made any kind of decision, you know I would never do anything like that before talking to you, don't you."

Mark demeanor began to change and he seem to calm down and he smiled and turned to Tiffany, "I'm sorry Tiffany, how are you doing, do you like the car?"

"Yes," Tiffany replied with a smile.

He then turned his attention to Jasmine and walked over and gave her a hug and gentle kiss on the lips. He walked around the car and inspected it and opened the door and inspected the inside. A smile then broadened across his face, and he replied, "It's nice, I like it."

He once again turned towards Tiffany, "do you mind if Jasmine and I go in inside, I need to talk to her about something very important."

"Sure go ahead," replied Tiffany.

He walked with Jasmine with his hands gently holding the small of her back. Jasmine smiled to herself, because she liked it when he held her this way, it always made her feel safe and secure.

Once they were inside he walked in the kitchen and Jasmine followed. "What do you need to talk to me about baby? You told me already how your day was."

Immediately those piercing eyes returned and his focus was completely on Jasmine. Before she could say another word, "whack" went the sound of her face. Before she knew what happened next, he had her cornered in the kitchen. "Don't you ever go behind my back again and make a decision that we are to make together."

Jasmine immediately reached up to touch her stinging face, bewildered and a little humiliated she began to cry. "I didn't't go behind your back, that's why I'm here Mark to see what you thought. I wanted you to know how much I was going to bid; I wasn't't trying to go behind your back honest."

Jasmine started shaking the cobwebs from her head, "wait a minute why am I apologizing to you, when you hit me, I'm leaving." Still crying she tried to get around Mark.

Almost as sudden as he had became angry, he suddenly became calm. "Jasmine I'm sorry I didn't't mean it. I don't know I just thought, I guess I had a bad day at work and I took it out on you, I'm sorry Jasmine please forgive me. It will never happen again, I promise, baby I love you."

Jasmine looked into his crying eyes barely able to focus because of the tears in her own. He looked so sad, so little and scared. Jasmine knew what she had to do.

"Mark its okay; I know you didn't't mean it. Tiffany is outside waiting for me and I must take the car back to the dealer, let me go to the sink so I can splash my eyes, I don't want Tiffany to know anything about this."

Mark kissed her and agreed, "Yeah okay, please believe me baby, this won't happen again I promise," and he moved from in front of her. "I don't know much about this Chevy Cruze but I am pretty sure you have done your homework on the price. You probably would have had a car by now if it wasn't't for me. Get the car if that is the one you want."

After splashing her eyes with water Jasmine walked toward the front door with Mark closely following behind her. As she stepped out the door, he stepped out behind her. He looked over at Tiffany and gave her a friendly wave, "See you later Tiffany." Tiffany smiled and waved back. He then gave Jasmine another hug and gently kissed her on the lips.

After saying her goodbyes, Jasmine walked to the car, she felt so tired and emotionally drained.

Once she got in the car, she pulled down the visor and inspected her face. No red marks, no swollen cheeks, no puffy eyes, she used the ruse of putting on make up so that her sister would not suspect what just took place. Her hand was still shaking as she applied her lipstick to her face. Not a hair out of place.
She put the key in the ignition and put the car in reverse, she loved the feel of the leather steering wheel and leather gear shift in her hand.

She glanced in the rear view mirror and there was Mark standing on the front porch waving, she waved good bye back. This was a routine that her and Mark had went through hundreds of time, but unlike the other times instead of staring in the rear view mirror until he disappeared out of sight, Jasmine focused on what was in front of her.

After turning on the main highway Jasmine began to think of how Mark had changed since she had agreed to marry him, how more controlling he had become, how she began to see his temper more and more. She thought about how he seemed to blame everyone, including herself on the things that went wrong in his life. She also realized that when he was around she would begin to feel nauseous or nervous inside. She kept trying to convince herself that things would change once they got married, and it was just wedding jitters.

Today however made her realize things were not going to get better. He had crossed the line and hit her. She realized that this car represented so many things; for one thing it was a new beginning, with a car with barely any miles on it. She would be the first owner of this car; she looked forward to traveling many new highways, places and going on many adventures in her new car. She also realized that her new car would be to use a pun, the way she drove out of Mark's life, and that controlling behavior of his, the fits of anger, and especially him putting his hands on her, that would never happen again.

Once she returned to the dealership the salesman ran to the car, she looked at him, he looked worried, but once he saw the smile on her face, he too began to smile. "Mr. Wilson how much will it take for me to get this car?"

"Step inside Ms. James I sure we can come to a mutual agreement."

After haggling over the price and indeed coming to a mutual agreement, Mr. James handed her over two set of keys with shiny new key chains attached to both. Once inside the car, Jasmine put the new keys and key chain onto her old key ring. She then looked at her finger and slowly took the shiny engagement ring off her finger and placed it into the glove compartment. She then put the car into drive and never looked back again.