Jasmine felt all cried out and pulled away from Tarmesha's embrace. "Thanks, Tarmesha. You're a good friend."
"That's OK Jasmine, anytime you want to talk you can just call me or text. I hope things get better for you."
"I think they will. After all, they can hardly get any worse." She laughed, and Tarmesha joined in. "Uh, before I go there's something I need to be honest about. One of the things about the transformation is that I have a much more sensitive sense of smell. I can tell things about what people are feeling from the way they smell."
Tarmesha was blushing fiercely under her chocolate-brown skin. Jasmine took her hand. "It's alright, Tarmesha. Really, it's OK. I think--I think I might feel the same way. It's hard to tell with so many new feelings over the last day, but when you were holding me I felt--something. Ummm, can I see you tonight?"
Tarmesha smiled with mingled joy and relief. "Do you think you're ready? I mean, with all this other stuff going on. . ."
"All this other stuff is what I'm going to need a break from. Mom's gone nuts with the girly-girl stuff, and if I have to listen to any more of Klondike's disney princess routine I swear to god I'm going to strangle her with her own sparkly belt."
The two girls laughed. "OK" responded Tarmesha "I've got basketball practice till 8, meet outside the gym around quarter after?"
"It's a date." Jasmine squared her shoulders and marched back to where her family was waiting. For the first time since her transformation she thought she had something to look forward to.