[completed]ultimate chocolate mission! (joshua)

[JASMINE MEL CASSIDY]

"Jasmine, could you do me a favor and close the shop?," Jasmine's mother asked while walking through two double doors that separated the chocolate shop from its kitchen. That's where the world's delicious chocolates were made by hand. Jasmine was sitting on one of the stools at one of the many tables that decorated the interior of the shop. "Sure," she replied, watching her mother run in and out of the double doors trying to make sure everything was locked up and in their right places. "Mom, don't worry. I'll make sure everything is locked up before I close the shop," she said as she hopped off the stool. Her mother stopped scrambling around and smiled at Jasmine as she met her half way. "Thank you," Mrs.Cassidy said before pulling her daughter into a loving hug.

Jasmine hugged her mother back and took in the smell of chocolate for the one thousandth time today along with her mother's scent. She smelt of creamy caramel and french vanilla. "You're welcome. Now, hurry to the store before it closes," the water elemental commanded her mother. She knew her mother wanted to buy some ingredients for some new chocolate she'd been trying to create and this was the only time she would have to get those ingredients before the store closed. As soon as they'd pulled apart from their hug, Jas's mother hurried to grab her coat. "Oh! I almost forgot to leave the keys for you. How can you lock up the shop without keys?" Mrs.Cassidy asked with a chuckle,"here." Jasmine stared down at her hand as the keys were laid down on it.

"See you later!" Mrs.Cassidy yelled as she walked out the entrance of the shop. Jasmine was so caught up in the moment that she almost forgot there were still people in the shop, though there was only a couple. They were sharing a mug of hot chocolate. A sigh escaped Jasmine and she suddenly realized she envyed the couple. They looked so smug next to each other and she wished she was in their place. She wished she was sharing hot chocolate with her special someone. 'Will it ever happen?' she asked herself and walked behind the counter. Jas pulled out any chocolate that was left in the case, knowing her parents disliked leftover chocolates and normally threw them out.

Suddenly a thought popped up in Jasmine's mind about a certain person. 'Joshua...He likes chocolate..I wonder if he'd ran out of chocolate and needs some more like last time when I saw him here....Before I got sick...' she thought to herself as shivers traveled down her spine. For a few months Jasmine was hospitalized with pneumonia and just a few days ago she was released. During her months in the hospital she was unable to eat chocolate, nonetheless much other things. Another thought popped up in her head and her stomach started to growl. 'What if Josh and I go looking for chocolate....I have nothing else to do and I'm starting to get sick of eating things my parents make....sounds fun...' she thought with the biggest smile on her face. The water elemental quickly cleaned the case out and placed the chocolates into a box and locked the case, then pulled her phone out. Jas texted Joshua: Meet me at Sweet Secrets, I need your help ASAP! -Jasmine

Once Jasmine texted Joshua, she made sure everything was put away in the kitchen and locked up, then waited for the couple to finish their hot chocolate so she could wash the mug. She grabbed her thin winter coat and threw it on before locking the shop up. 'Hopefully, he's got my text by now...I should be more worried about him actually showing up...It's cold out here..' she thought to herself as she stared at the busy streets. She shivered as snow fell. The sun was still out, beings it was only two in the afternoon, but it wasn't helping her state. She wished she'd brought a thicker coat.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Joshua was typing away rapidly on his laptop when his phone rang, alerting him to the fact that he had a new text message. He did not look up from or pause in what he was doing, so focused was he on the sentences that appeared on the screen before him. Had the ringtone been Boombox he would have known that it was Nell and glanced immediately to affirm that she was all right but anyone else could wait a minute or two. Or five, as that was the amount of time that it took for him to finish the paragraph that he'd been writing and editing. Medical school was a tiring experience but it was one that he enjoyed. It would be a couple of years before he did his clinical rotations and started to get some real experience in the field of medicine beyond what he had done in the Academy's medical wing or as a hospital volunteer but for now he took what he could get. He was out of college, that was what mattered.

That should be good for now, he thought, saving it and closing the laptop before standing up and pulling his phone from his pocket. He expected a text from one of his close friends, perhaps, as they were usually the only ones who kept contact on a semi-regular basis. He did not expect the name that flashed up on the screen and he blinked in surprise and re-read it to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Jasmine? Jesus, haven't heard from her in ages. He still went to the chocolate shop run by her parents (it was chocolate, how could he resist?) but he hadn't seen the girl herself since she'd taken ill a few months ago. He raised his eyebrow at the text and shot back with a smooth, 'It's rude to make demands, you know.' That was his serious way of joking around and he wouldn't be surprised if she thought he was quite literally offended. On the contrary, Joshua was already downstairs and reaching for his coat. He didn't have anything better to do and if she was in some kind of trouble, well, there wasn't much he wouldn't do for a friend.

The white Aventador pulled up in front of the chocolate shop and Joshua stepped out, closing the door behind him and eyeing his old friend critically. "You're not dying. I demand to know why I've been forcibly dragged from my home if not to embark on a perilous rescue mission." There was a huff in his voice and a dramatic edge to his tone as he shook his head in mock disappointment. It was hard to tell that he was only kidding. That was the selling point of Joshua's humour—it wasn't usually interpreted as humour at all. No wonder a lot of people got the wrong impression about him.

He looked irritated as flakes of snow drifted and settled on his shoulders and in his hair, glancing up at the sky for a moment as if it were his greatest enemy and the dispelling the offended flakes with a flick of his wrist. A wash of warmth swept over the area and chased away the cold as effectively as a summer day. He loved being a Fire, and now that he was graduated he didn't feel the drain on his stamina at all from such a small feat. "You missed a lot," he told her, holding up his left hand to showcase the silver band wrapped around his ring finger. He was proud to say that he was married, that Nell was his wife now, that they'd defied anyone who'd said they were too young to think about a serious future together. He loved her, he didn't need anything more than that. It was a shame Jasmine had been sick during those times but he couldn't blame her for it. No, this was his way of filling her in. He didn't say anything about the fact that the scar on his face had been reopened and was marginally worse, however. He hadn't been able to hide the injuries when the cast had adorned his wrist but now that it was gone he daintily avoided the subject wherever possible. "I hope you're feeling better, at least?" Now Josh was being serious. Enough with his dicking around, he wanted to make sure she was okay. What were friends for?

[JASMINE MEL CASSIDY]

'He came and he was fast at it...wow,' the water elemental thought as she watched Joshua open the door to his car. Well, technically it'd only been about fifteen minutes, but Jasmine was slightly occupied with the coldness traveling quickly up her covered arms and legs that she hadn't noticed the fire elemental pulling up in front of the chocolate shop while she tried to warm herself up. It was the sound of his door opening that pulled her full attention towards Josh and his fancy car. Filled with a sudden jolt of joy at the sight of her friend, Jasmine said in a musical tone,"Thanks for showing up! I'm glad you could make it here." Joshua's disappointment hit a string in Jas's heart, but she tried her best to keep the smile on her face that she wore just a few moments ago.

'Of course I'm not dying...' Jasmine thought to herself before she replayed Josh's words in her mind. More snowflakes fell and Jasmine hugged herself to keep warm. Thinking more about Josh's words started to rise something up in Jasmine. Anger. Jas was known to be super happy and bubbly, but occasionally she would fly off her rocker and get alittle mean. And rude. This was one of those moments. "I don't remember texting you that I was dying, or did I?" she practically snapped at him, remaining the smile she tried so hard to keep on her face. She looked similar to someone placed in a straight jacket in a mental hospital.

It took a moment for Jasmine to realize what she had said just a while ago and quickly apologized. Jasmine kept her arms wrapped around herself as a frown set upon her red face. Jack Frost was biting at her nose, at least that's what some folks say. "I'm really sorry...about just then," she apologized again. Her glaze quickly drifted to the floor. Jasmine stole a glance at Joshua as he looked up at the sky to see if he had a mad expression on her face. A small chuckle escaped her lips as her brown eyes widen. "You don't like snow, do you?" Jas asked eyes glued on him. Jasmine let out a gasp as her body suddenly grew warm and so she dropped her arms. Her eyes were even more wide as they stayed planted on Josh, that's when she realized what just happened. Another laugh filled the area. "Oh! Haha! I forgot you were a fire elemental....you did that just now, didn't you?"

Jasmine's sudden outburst was soon forgotten as she kept laughing. "Of course that was you! I'm so dumb," she said, more to herself than out loud. She forced herself to stop laughing when he mentioned she'd missed a lot. Jasmine gave Josh a strange look before her mouth dropped open at the sight of his ring. "You're married? Wow! I never saw that coming, but then again I have a feeling a know who the wife is....You and Nell make a very cute couple, by the way" Jasmine said with a big smile,"too bad I missed your wedding, though. I bet it was beautiful." Jas wished she'd been there since she knew both bride and groom, but she didn't miss much thanks to some students gossiping about it at the academy. At first she was unaware Josh and Nell knew each other and was even engaged, but also that was brought up in the gossip.

Jasmine tried to avoid looking at Josh's scar on his face, but ever since she'd apologized for being rude, she couldn't help but notice it was silently opened. She couldn't remember if he'd had that scar when they'd last ran into each other, but it looked old. Jas couldn't estimate how long, but she didn't want to seem any bit rude by asking. Her eyebrows shot up as she looked at him. "Oh, that...I'm feeling a lot better, though sometimes it feels like I can't breath. Short breath...But maybe I'm just exaggerating some...I don't know. Don't worry about me. How are you, besides happy you're married," Jas said while sighing. It didn't take much mental work to see Josh's body language was saying he was extremely happy even if he didn't say it. A cough came from her lips as she stood there, arms still around herself. She guessed even though she was warm now, wearing that thin coat outside, she might have caught a small cold.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

At first the Fire graduate saw nothing amiss about his comment, waving a hand to dismiss her thanks. "I'd have tried to make time if I was tied up in something. It's been ages since I've seen you." She might not have been the sort of close friend that he started worrying about if they didn't so much as text over the course of a couple days but she was a friend nonetheless and it was good to see her again after so long.

That is, until she snapped at him. When Joshua got angry, the rage was instant. From the comment that incensed him to the reaction there was always very little pause at all. As the Fire graduate was the sort of person who had a habit of assuming everyone else experienced these things the same way that he did, he had figured she was fine when she hadn't bit his head off right away. If Josh had been anyone else, he might have apologised for his sarcasm the moment she made it known that it bothered her. Instead he took offence to her rage and felt his own flare up like a blaze. "Telling me you need help as soon as possible suggests that you're in some kind of urgent need, doesn't it?" His anger burned in gray eyes that held hers with a hard stare. "No need to take my fucking head off about it." He normally didn't get all too bothered when people misinterpreted his sense of humour but when they snapped at him and provoked his temper, well, it was fair game.

She apologised and he pressed his lips together, drawing in a breath through his nose. "It's fine." His tone was a bit tense but that was an after-effect of the outburst. He had a hard time calming down once something had upset him. Many people in his life had suggested that he get help for what was obviously a problem but he refused and often became even more upset when they told him he should see some kind of a shrink.

It was good to steer the conversation away from the little snag they'd hit and so he shook his head, scowling now at the sky instead of his friend. "Hate it." It was cold, it was wet, it required shovelling out of your driveway, it got deep, and it was an absolute nightmare to walk the grounds of the Academy during winter. Rogue snowballs were everywhere and sometimes elementals would sit with piles of packed ammunition and throw them at anyone who happened to come within range. He hated it. If he saw them coming he could melt them before they hit but that required him to be on constant alert... and to have eyes on the back of his head, which he didn't. His trick with the snow seemed to surprise her and his terse expression gave way to a small half-smile when she laughed, catching on. "Well it didn't heat up of its own accord, did it?" That would be a lifesaver, pockets of heat in the winter chill. He remembered his absolute loathing for the snow and cold back before he'd learned to manipulate heat. Being Fire granted him resistance but that didn't mean he liked it any better.

He was surprised to find out that she didn't know about the engagement but then he reminded himself that he'd met her after he'd already went around telling any friend in sight and that he'd never worn a ring when Nell was only his fiancée and so only she had a physical symbol of the commitment. Now their rings told everyone that they were together and he wore his with pride. "That's my wife," he confirmed, any remaining ice in his expression melting as it lit up with a smile. "We'd been engaged for a while, tied the knot in October. Shame you couldn't make it." He wasn't angry, though, and didn't sound it. He understood that some people didn't have their schedules free simply because a wedding was going on. People had jobs, lives, and in Jasmine's case, an asshole of an immune system. He was sure she'd rather have been at the wedding than in the hospital so there was nothing to hold against her. "We've got pictures and all, I could always show you." If she wanted to know how it had looked, at least.

As he was studying to become a doctor, Joshua always found himself concerned when his friends developed health problems. It was the worst when they refused to see anybody about them but for the most part he was worried no matter what they were doing to prevent the illness. Until it was gone, he thought about them often. "Woah, should you go back to your doctor and get that checked out? You wouldn't want it to be coming back or anything..." He hated sounding like a mother but he couldn't help himself sometimes. "You would know if you were exaggerating." She knew what she was feeling. He didn't, of course, but Jasmine would know in her own mind if she was playing it up a little. She told him not to worry and he resisted the urge to snort in exasperation. Don't worry, she says. Yeah, that's going to happen now. He might have been concerned but he didn't like to irritate people, so he allowed her to drop the subject as she wished. "I'm fine. I've got a job now and I'm going to medical school over at MHU." MHU was Maple Hollow's large university. It was odd to be going to school somewhere other than the Academy and it was just as strange to be going to his ex-school to work instead of learn. "And Nell and I are doing well, of course. How's your family?" He liked her parents, they were good people. And they made amazing chocolate, which was a bonus in Joshua's opinion.

[JASMINE MEL CASSIDY]

Eyes shining brighter than Christmas lights on a Christmas tree, Jasmine hopped in glee at her fire elemental's response. After discovering the news of Joshua and Nell's wedding, she'd been relying on gossip, around the academy and Maple Hollow, to fill her in on all the vivid details of the wedding she'd missed out on. Sadly, she didn't pick up much and that was the only resource that came to mind at the time, but at the sudden mention of pictures Jasmine wanted to slap herself. Hard. Why didn't she ask if anyone took any pictures? Why not have asked Annabel or Josh for photos of the wedding? She would have had a better chance picturing the wonderful day when Joshua and Nell said their 'I do's at the alter and sealed their union with a kiss. Well, of course she still can, but that doesn't make her any happier than before. What's wrong with me!? This is why I should have kept more in touch with Josh...

"Yes, please! I'm terribly mad at myself for missing out on your wedding. It'll make me feel a tad bit better if I had pictures of the real thing instead of horrible and lacking details I had to eavesdrop for...." Jasmine practically yelled out at Josh, though the last bit was barely a whisper. She'd meant to say the whole eavesdropping thing in her mind, not out loud. Nice one, Jasmine...

Jasmine shook her head at Joshua's response. "I don't need to see anymore doctors for a while..." She responded, turning her gaze to Joshua's fancy car. She needed something to look at and momentarily distract her and oh! There, just sitting there in front of them, happened to be his parked Aventador! Nothing like a nice car to distract a sixteen year old. Anyways, it wasn't like Jasmine was afraid of being around doctors. Nope, but she was sick of seeing them. It mad her stomach hurt whenever she'd come in contact with a doctor or at least anyone in the medical field. Whenever doctors are around that means someone's sick or injured, whether temporarily or severely. Being trapped in a hospital and having to see a doctor or nurse every few hours a day, it really changes a person and makes them see doctors in a different perspective.

Joshua's comment made Jasmine think. What if I get sick again? Then I'll be stuck in a hospital for another month or two! I don't think I'm ready for that... Jas considered her chances of being stuck in a hospital with pneumonia again and finally came up with a conclusion. "After you're done helping me I promise, no pinky promise, I'll go to my doctor.." She said, holding out her pinky at Joshua. It may seem kind of child-ish, but Jasmine believed in pinky promises and till this day she'd never broke a single one. "Oh! That's pretty cool. I'm suppose to be graduating next year and I still don't know exactly what I want to do as a career, if I even make it through this year. Being away from school so long, I doubt if I'll catch up on my studying." She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout, but she soon smiled again. "It's really nice to hear that you two are doing good. As for my parents...They're the same as ever. It doesn't seem like they change much, but maybe that's just me because I see them pretty much everyday,"

Jasmine had almost forgot the chocolates she'd gathered up for Josh as she walked over to his car. "I almost forgot about these. They're for you as a thank you for your helping hand. I have a mission that I need your help with. It involves chocolate," Jasmine sung the last word as she held the box of chocolates up. Thinking about her mission for chocolates made her whole body tingle and dangerous smile sat on her face.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Jasmine seemed excited at the prospect of pictures and Joshua's lip twitched briefly in response. His brows arched slightly when she confessed of eavesdropping, however, and he paused a second before chuckling. "You have my number, you could have called and asked, you know!" It would have been a lot easier to hear it from the horses mouth as opposed to going around and relying on the grapevine. People could be incredibly unreliable. "If you're curious about anything, just ask. And I'll get you those pictures soon." He didn't talk much about his personal life but the wedding was common knowledge amongst family and close friends.

Frowning, Joshua observed his friend with a critical gaze. She had turned her attention toward his car as if she would rather not talk about her illness but it didn't stop the Fire elemental from feeling concerned. It was ingrained in him, his nature. He followed her gaze. It is a nice car, but really. His lip twitched as he shared a private joke with himself before turning his attention back to his friend. When she looked back at him she seemed to have changed her mind, pinky-swearing that she would go and visit a doctor. He wasn't much into things like pinky promises but if it made her feel better then it couldn't hurt. He'd made such promises with his wife before. He lifted his good hand and linked his pinky with hers, nodding. "Good. It won't hurt if nothing is wrong but it'll catch it early if there is. I wouldn't want to hear that you're in the hospital again." He was loyal and he was protective. If he could be a good influence and convince her to see a doctor, that's what he would do.

She was young compared to him. Sometimes he forgot, being that most of his friends were closer to his age. They had met through the chocolate shop that her parents owned and he frequented so it hadn't been until several conversations that he'd found out they went to the same school. "You've got plenty of time to figure it out. Hell, half the people I went to college with didn't know what they were doing, either." He was lucky in that he'd found his calling young. Not everyone did. His expression dipped into a frown when she expressed worries about passing the year, however. "Hey, is it really that bad? I could help you out if you're in over your head. I've got the time." He didn't really have a lot of time but he would make time for a friend in need. He was intelligent and good at studying so she wouldn't be the first friend whom he'd helped out of a tight spot. His wife had been one of his partners way back before they were even friends.

As he thought about it, Joshua realised that his parents hadn't changed much either. He didn't live with them any longer but he still couldn't think of a time when they'd been much different than they were now. Maybe it's a family thing? "They're both in good health, I hope." She hadn't mentioned anything to suggest the contrary and so he was hoping they were all right.

He tilted his head in her direction when she next spoke, pausing in his stride when it was revealed Jasmine had something for him. He blinked in surprise and then smiled when she handed him the box of chocolates. "You spoil me, you know that? But thank you." It was certainly appreciated. It was common knowledge amongst his friends that he could never have enough sugar and chocolate. Which was apparently what this mission of hers involved. So she'd dragged him all the way out here for the sake of chocolate? If he'd actually been busy this might have irritated him but as he didn't really have anything better to do, he brushed it off. "Okay," he said slowly, "so what are we doing, exactly?" He was on board either way but he was curious.

[JASMINE MEL CASSIDY]

Since the third grade, Jasmine has studied hard to reach the first honors. In her eight year old mind, she felt she was in debt to her parents for all the things they've given her with the money they'd earned from making homemade chocolates and selling them at the shop. By getting good grades she felt she'd be paying off her debt. Cute, right? Once, she'd reached her goal she set up a new goal to maintain the first honors till she graduated high school. Now that she only had one year of school left, not counting this year, she still felt she was heaving in debt. She came close to tears as she laid in the hospital bed thinking about her plan to pay back her debt now that she'd missed a few months of school than her current state. Ready to jump right into the school work and catch up with her fellow classmates, Jasmine hired a tutor. Well, more like her parents hired one.

Putting her faith in her tutor was the worst thing she could possibly do. She wasn't exactly a fast learner and when it came time to taking her first test since she'd been released from the hospital, she failed it. Sixty-four percent out of one hundred. Super embarrassing, alright. If Jasmine wasn't Jasmine she'd probably get into it with her tutor. You know, throw a few punches. When Joshua offered to help her out with her studying, tears slowly started to roll down her face. Jasmine! I know you're not crying right now! Pull yourself together. I know you're really happy right now, but come one! This is embarrassing to cry like this in public... Quickly, a hand went flying up to her eyes to wipe the tears starting to foam and the ones already traveling down her face. She was so happy she wanted to give Josh a tight bear hug, but she held herself back. "Yeah, it's that bad...Thank you so much! I really need the help," she said while sniffling.

With the smile still sitting on her cute little face, she nodded quickly. "Yeah, definitely. I'm the only one that seems to be getting sick lately." Now that she thinks about it, she finds it strange how she's the only one getting sick while her parents' were completely healthy. She eats pretty much everything they do and she lives more at home than at the academy. If she'd caught anything, she thought it might have developed from somewhere in the academy, but wouldn't her roommate get sick too? A load of questions filled her mind, but her attention fell back on Joshua as he took the box of chocolates from her as she took beside his car. "Pffft...I do not and you're welcome," she responded while rolling her eyes. When have I ever spoiled you? Never! Not once....

"Get back into your car and I'll tell you then,", she responded before opening the passenger's door and plopping down into the seat. We're coming for you my chocolates! Jasmine grabbed for the seat belt and put it around her. "Make sure your seat belt is on!" she instructed. This time it was her turn to sound like a mother. She didn't realize how she might have been sounding right at this moment, but she knew she didn't want to get into an accident and one of them goes flying out the front window or bashing their head onto the dashboard. She'd blame herself if they'd get into an accident because Josh didn't want to put his seat belt on and so she repeated herself. Whether he ignores her commands or not, she wasn't going to be the fault of his death. Taking a few moments to look around the interior of the car, Jasmine noticed the radio controls and instantly turned the radio on.

"Do you listen to Alex Clare?" Jasmine asked as the song Too Close began to play on the radio station she'd switched to. It's a shame if you don't. He's a good singer... Acting like she had one of her hair brushes in her hand, standing out as a microphone, she sung into her imaginary hair brush. "I don't want to hurt you but I need to breathe. At the end of it all, you're still my best friend. But there's something inside that I need to release. Which way is right, which way is wrong? How do I say that I need to move on? You know we're heading separate ways," she sung out loud before laughing to herself and looking at Joshua. " Oh, yeah. We're going to go around town searching for some delicious chocolate. Do you know any good places besides my parents' shop? I'm sorta on a diet from their chocolate. Silly, right? You probably think theirs is the best or something," she said with a sigh before returning to the song. A few times she'd turn to Joshua and sing the lyrics to him, dramatically.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

Crying made him uncomfortable. It was not that he looked down at those who shed tears in moments of sadness or joy, more that he never seemed to know how to handle the situation. What did he say to someone that was crying? He could deal with tears if they were tears of pain—those he was more than accustomed to, working in the medical wing. Those he could do something about. He could patch things up and then the tears would go away. This? He had no idea what to do with this. "Hey, now, don't cry," he pleaded with her, looking less awkward than he felt. "It's not a problem." He was more than happy to help out a friend. Just please, please stop crying. He felt like a fish out of water.

Though he took good care of himself and rarely fell ill, everyone got sick sometimes. It was never a pleasant experience but it was one that the whole world could relate to. It sucked, but it was normal. "Well, look on the bright side. You certainly don't want your parents to get sick, right?" He was more of a realist than an optimist or pessimist but Josh could appreciate silver linings. Of course, Jasmine probably hadn't wanted to get sick herself but that went without saying.

He raised his brows, not seeing why it had to wait until they were in the car, but didn't argue as he watched the scissor doors rise up before he ducked into the driver's side and settled back into the leather-upholstered seat. Damn, I love this car. What he did not love, however, was people treating him like they owned it. He shot a brief glare toward her when she told him to put his seatbelt on. "I know the basics of road safety, mother." His words were less warm and friendly than those of the previous conversation and it was clear that she'd stepped over some kind of a boundary. Joshua was a master of concealing his emotions but the anger was one thing he could not (and did not try to) hide. She repeated herself and the rage grew. "Give me two seconds to breathe, for fuck's sake. I haven't even started the damn thing yet." He did indeed put his seatbelt on despite his rebellious side encouraging him to defy her and then he was readying to pull out of the parking spot when Jasmine took it upon herself to mess with his radio.

His radio.

A possessive person by nature, Josh did not like other people messing with his things. At least, not without his permission. Had Jasmine asked if she could turn the radio on, he likely would have nodded and told her to have at it. It was only polite to ensure the owner of the vehicle gave you the okay. "Are we forgetting whose car this is?" His tone was clipped and his lips were pressed tight as he resisted digging a deeper hole for the argument to settle into. He might have gotten better about his temper over the years but it certainly had not faded away. He doubted it ever would. "I know the song, but no." He did not sound interested or engaged in the conversation, still irritated about how inconsiderate she was being. He normally would not have minded someone singing in the car, either, if not for the fact that she saw fit to turn to him and distract his attention for the road. "If you're so concerned about me getting us into an accident, why don't you let me drive?" If this kept up, he would no doubt stop the car to avoid such things. He didn't want to get into his first and only car wreck. "I know a lot of places but we won't be going anywhere but the hospital then." God, he was easily incensed.

[He's got such a temper .-. Oh, Fires.]

[JASMINE MEL CASSIDY]

Jasmine knew she might have seemed annoying at that moment when she'd instructed Joshua to put his seat belt on, especially when she repeated herself, but she couldn't help it. She thought she was looking out for him. Plus, she was afraid of her relationship with Nell ending. Who would have known what Nell might have done to her because she let Josh drive around without a seat belt on and then he's the one to die in a car accident. A side from Nell and Jasmine's relationship, she was afraid she'd lose one of her dearest and closest friends, Annabel. The thought of seeing Annabel's face when she'd receive the news that her brother died, was terrifying. Jas didn't want to lose her friendships with two great people because she let their loved one die. Most of all, she was afraid the guy she once had a crush on, would haunt her till she died. Shivers traveled down her spine as she sat across from the fire graduate.

Joshua's glare confirmed his annoyance towards her and she felt like apologizing for practically yelling at him, twice. Especially since she knew he had a temper of his own and she'd probably crossed the line when she took control over his car. Not physically, but you get the picture. After the first command she was getting ready to apology, but then he opened his mouth. Mother. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know I deserved that one. Jasmine didn't take his statement to heart even when he sounded less than friendly. When she'd repeated herself, it was more like a reflex, something she just couldn't help doing. Again, she tried to apologize. Here's my big chance! She opened her mouth once more, but Joshua beat her to the punch. The next set of words that came flowing out his mouth set something off in Jasmine. Calm down, Jasmine...He isn't worth yelling at. Bite you tongue, woman! The water elemental wanted so badly to throw a smart remark back at him, but she pulled herself away from doing it.

Are we forgetting whose car this is? Jasmine mimicked his words without really saying them out load, as she messed around with his radio till she found a good station to listen to. When this water elemental was mad or frustrated, like a lot of other teens, she'd find comfort in singing a song, and that's exactly what she did. Truly it was comforting to sing and she couldn't help the laughs that escaped her as she looked over at Josh. She was still holding grudges against the fire elemental, but she found his angry faces adorable. In that head of hers, she quickly came up with a plan. Singing with driving! Jasmine sung her heart out as she sung to him as he drove, but the fun stopped for a split second when Josh mentioned getting into an accident. This time it was her turn to feel rebellious. She kept singing. The singing stopped completely when he said they'd be going to the hospital. That was the last place she wanted to go, even though she'd pinky promised. She'd still hold their promise till the end, but she wasn't ready to go right now, so she hummed the notes.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you," Jasmine suddenly muttered as she kept her focus on the road ahead of them. Suddenly, she let out a horrible hard cough, that made her hands fly up to her crest. Oi...that one hurt.

[sorry it's taken me so long to reply and sorry about the length.

[JOSHUA DONOVAN DALE]

When he was in a rage, the sound of laughter infuriated him. An innocent sound that would normally go all but unnoticed seeped into his brain like a poison, corrupting his thoughts and filling them with further anger. His hands tightened around the steering wheel, knuckles white and bluish veins standing out against his pale skin. Breathe. Drive. Ignore her. It was not easy for him. He tried to keep his focus on the road but the anger was overtaking him, bubbling and boiling in his blood as if turning it to steam. He wanted to turn and snap at her, anything to silence her, but his smouldering gray gaze stayed fixed toward the front. There was a navy blue van ahead of him and a red Toyota behind—he couldn't risk losing his cool on such a busy stretch of road.

The fact that she continued to sing after he cautioned her against it was almost too much for him. He made a turn a bit sharper than was necessary and his heart jumped for a moment in response. This wasn't safe. It was never a good idea to distract the driver of a vehicle, especially when said driver had serious anger issues. "Do you mind shutting the fuck up?" It was much more harsh than his earlier words and though Josh never raised his voice the rage was not easily missed. His remark about the hospital seemed to silence the Water but the silence did nothing to placate him. The damage was already done.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

That was it, the straw that broke the camel's back. Instead of replying verbally, Joshua's nostrils flared with a heavy intake of breath as he turned down a street he had not been planning to take. It was residential and thus devoid of most traffic, only a rare car or two making its way past. He pulled the Aventador up along the side of this quiet road and did not look at Jasmine as he hit the button that would automatically lift the doors. A fierce scowl was present on his features—he could see it reflected back at him in the rearview. I'm done. "Get out." He was not willing to compromise on the situation. He could only take so much before he snapped for real and as angry as he was, the Fire graduate did not want to hurt her. Not physically.

After she'd exited the vehicle, Joshua reached across the passenger's side to pull the door shut by hand. It slammed a little harder than was necessary and he winced at the sound. This was an expensive car and he shouldn't be taking his anger out on her. A burst of rage was always followed by the crash, almost like the after-effects of a caffeine high, and Joshua leaned back in his seat with a slow sigh. Rubbing at his face and dragging fingers through his hair, he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. His hands were trembling and he almost selected the wrong number in his contacts, having to move down one from 'Neil', a study partner he knew from medical school. He closed his eyes as he heard his wife's voice on the other end. "You free? I could use a little company." His tone was terse and he knew that Nell would instantly be able to tell something was off. He didn't care. He wanted her to know. He needed her around right now. She was the only person who could relax him when he was this upset.