Jasmine Browne

Jasmine suddenly woke up, panting with her eyes rounded in fright. Her face was full of sweat rolling down to her neck. The collar of her shirt was wet in perspiration.

Her eyes landed on the alarm clock. She quickly turned it off when it buzzes so loud.

She stood up and put on her flip-flops before heading towards the bathroom.

It was that dream again who hunted her for years. It made her nights, sleepless. It became her daily routine, waking up with sweats drowning her.

She looked at herself on the mirror, intently. Eventhough she had sleepless nights, she couldn't see any dark circles under her eyes. Her face still looks so healthy which made her feel satisfied and curious.

.

"Goodmorning." She greeted her bestfriend named Gian.

"Goodmorning, milky face." He greeted back with a huge smirk plastered on his face before closing his locker.

Jasmine leaned besides Gian's locker while looking at him. Gian copied what she did and moved his face few centimeters away from Jasmine.

"Eww! It's awkward, man." Jasmine laughed as she pushed his face away from her.

"I'm just joking. I should bring a mirror next time, for you to see how cute you are when you blush."

"Hahaha, funny. My face is just healthy and blooming." Jasmine raised an eyebrow at him while placing both of her hands on her waist.

"What ever you say, Jasmine. What ever you say."

.

"In Seismology, Epicentre is the point on the land or water surface directly above the focus, or hypocentre--"

"Ouch!"

"Any problem, Miss Browne?" The lecturer asked Jasmine because of her sudden reaction causing it to disturb the class.

"N-no, Maam." She answerred. The lecturer continued discussing as Jasmine gave Gian an eye-daggered look.

"What?" Gian mouthed.

"You're dead." Jasmin mouthed back.

.

"What?!" Gian exclaimed when Jasmine punched him on the chest as soon as the class ended.

"Why did you threw a pencil on me?"

"You're spacing out. I was just concerned."

"I was about to get into trouble. Did you saw the lecturer's face? Like, she was about to eat me alive." They both started walking towards the Campus' Garden.

The neat and green atmosphere made Jasmine feel calm and cheerful. There's alot of students hanging, some are studying. The garden is Jasmine's favorite spot inside the Campus.

"You really like to hang and chill here." Gian said as they sat on the clean grass under the tree.

"Yeah. This is the place where students builds up a healthy community. Like, they got to gather in exactly one place and enjoy each other's company."

"Jasmine." Jasmine took her burger inside her bag before facing Gian.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you spaced out? Is it because of that dream again?" Jasmine nod. Gian's forehead creased and there was a sign of worriedness on his face.

"How much does it really bothers you?"

"It bothers me alot." Her eyes widen in surprise when Gian suddenly pull her hands towards him.

"W-what are you doing?" Her lips was shaking as she asked him.

"Giving my bestfriend a hug. Come on, don't make your life stupid just because of a dream."

.

"I'll walk you to the apartment, now." Gian offered when they exited from the Academy.

"You don't need to bother, Gian."

"Nah, come on. I insist."

Jasmine just shook her head in disbelief. Gian started to walk which left her no choice but to let Gian walk her to the apartment.

"Gian?"

"Yes? Any thoughts?"

"I was thinking about our project on Home Economics."

It was 6 o'clock in the evening, there were no crowds on the side walk. Few vehicles was going back and forth on the road which made their walk much comforting.

"About your Childhood project?"

"Yeah. What's your childhood story?" Jasmine asked him as they both continued walking.

"There's nothing special about my childhood. You know, climbing trees, playing around and fight with the other kids." Gian looked at her when she remained silent. Jasmine's face was in a bewilderment.

"Hey, is there something that you want to tell me?" Gian was worried when he saw the sadness and confusion in her eyes.

"H-how come I don't remember anything from my childhood? I don't even know my parent's name."

"Some teenagers also experienced it, especially if you're an orphan. You don't need to worry too much, it might cause the anxiety to grow."

.

Jasmine dried her hair after taking a bath. While doing it, her sight landed on her side table.

It's a picture of her on a winter. She was wearing a fancy bonnet and a double jackets on. Beside her is Gian who is laughing while playing with her hair.

The photo was placed inside the picture frame and she suddenly thought that why does she only have a single photo inside her apartment.

She tried to remember the past and the only thing she could remember is waking up from a nightmare like what happened earlier.

.

The next day, Gian and Jasmine was busy making their project on Home Economics.

Gian was busy making a finishing touch on his project by drawing a brown leaves in every corner of his bondpaper.

"Finish!" He announced.

"What?" He innocently asked Jasmine when she keep on glaring at him.

"Nice one, dude. I thought you're going to help me? I haven't wrote anything yet while you already finished yours." She exclaimed while staring at her blank bondpaper.

"Just make something up."

"That's cheating!" She said clamorously.

"We're in highschool, Jas! Everybody cheats." Gian shrugged.

"So, what do I put here--Can I read yours, first? I need some ideas."

"Just read it, okay? Don't copy my work." He warned her.

She took Gian's work and read it.

When I was 5 years old, I got to ditch the house to play every afternoon, I silently do it because my Mom would literally kill me if I she found out that I'm not taking a nap.

I always woke up early, so could watch cartoons on t.v, I also cried because my mother slapped my butt because I still don't want to sleep even if it's 9 in the evening. Now, that I'm a grown up, all I want to do is sleep all day long.

When I'm 7 years old. I always gathered stones and threw it on my neighbor's roof. I also pranked them by pressing the doorbell and when they about to open the gate, I would hurrily ran and hide.

"Seriously, Gian? You're so naughty!"

"Every children is." Jasmine's face went down on her bondpaper.

"I'll just work with my project on my apartment, then I will show it to you tomorrow."

"Great."

Jasmine still can't figure it out why she doesn't have a single memory when she's a kid.

What do I look like when I was younger?

Who are my parents?

Did I have friends?

Have I also done naughty things like Gian?