I've known Jasmine since the beginning of Secondary School. The daunting time of fitting in, making new friends and growing up. Jasmine and Sacha went to Primary School together, and were very welcoming when I started to hangout with them more. Jasmine and I were close from Year 7. We told each other everything. It was one of those friendships you have that you can laugh at the same thing, and no-one else would really get it, and basicaly think you were sad.

Sticking together, we decided to go to the same college. New start we said, full of new people, new opportunities and most importantly in both our minds, new BOYS. Luckily for Jasmine, (the use if th word 'luckily' in this sentence is VERY questionable) she found a new boy almost straight away. At first she would tell me of all the wonderful things he would say to her, how he made her feel.

I admit, I was a little jealous; up until that point no-one had ever seen me as girlfriend material. I was the 'swot' the 'approachable swot'. Forgot your homework? In fact, just relied on me being there to copy it for you the morning of the due date? You got it! Im a push over. Can't say I blamed them though, glasses, frizzy hair, tubby, shy, wasn't the ideal imagine for a randy teenage boy.

Anyway, this new man in Jasmine's life, Kurt, wasn't that much of a looker, but personality should rule them all. If only he had one. Or should I say, if only his wasn't aggressive and possessive.

I started noticing it at college, he was always there and always had a say in what she did. If she began talking about something he didnt want her to, I would see him grasp her hand or knee really tight, like some kind of restraint over her speech. Then, it got to the fact that she couldn't speak to certain people, all of them, co-incidently, male. He took her money without permission and spent it on food. He was greedy with food, and with Jasmine's attention. Skye and I noticed this, and began mentioning things when they were there. We warned her about this, but, he is her first love, she is blinded by that.

I began to lose respect for Jasmine when she started ignoring me for Kurt. She could arrange a day out with me and he would not give his permission, so she would have to cancel. Explaining to her that this is not normal in a relationship and he doesn't control her was hard work, and she never really took the advice. I grew to hate him. I've never really hated anyone, even a bully from school who really got to me, I can't hate her, i forgave her. However, I can never forgive the night he threateend to hit me in a nightclub and lifted his hand to me. Never have i been more scared of what a man would do to me, not even the night I was left alone with a stanger and he was forceful with me. Kurt has an anger in his eyes that looks uncontrollable, i've never seen it in anyone else before. Luckily Noah was there to look after me that night. Jasmine didn't care. I could go on page after page of all the times he has upset her, upset her friends, but knowing that he has complete control over her is really enough for anyone to understand her actions.

She made the decision to move away to Middlesborough to attend university. I'd say, one of her smarter decisions. Just like college, new people, new opportunities, and a new boy. She's known Martin a few years to my knowledge, after they met in Spain, both on family holidays. Ever since, they had kept in touch, and I know how close they both are. Naturally, Kurt stopped any contact as he couldn't control his jealousy, to his mistake I believe. It just made Jasmine and Martin's relationship more private, more sneaky and sly, both not telling thier partners about their friendship. He lives in Middleborough, and she told me that she knew as soon as she moved there, something was bound to happen.

They were meeting up, catching up on lost time. Both were still with their partners, but there was a kiss. She told me how guilty she felt. I told her it was the feelings they had supressed for so long, they had to be expressed. However, it was ok, as they were still "just friends". No..Jasmine, once the barrier has been crossed, theres no going back. She didn't beleive me, but i have personal experience of this, and I could predict what she was going to tell me last night.
"Martin and I slept together, but, it was as if we were byofriend and girlfriend, i think we both just needed to let it happen, and now its going to be fine, i can't tell Kurt, i just know that now its happened, we can get on with being friends."
She is even more naive than I used to be. I can tell you now that more will happen. Kurt has hurt her so much over the past couple of years, and she has been worn down. He has given her no freedom, so now on her own, without his strings, she is playing free. She says she still loves Kurt, but I asked her, maybe quite inconsideratley, "do you love him or are you used to being with him, and can't imagine yourself without him? Will you miss him or just his company and the perks of a relationship?"
She disagrees, but takes my point. What is the point of settling for second best? Maybe even third, fourth or fifth best in this case. There are happy and sad times in all relationships, but you should still be free to be your own person, and still work well as a couple. Its so sad how my once best friend has had to put up with this, and like most of us, learn the hard way.