Jasmine

1. 'Brandon Daniels'

2015 (Second Semester)

There's a girl by the name of Jasmine who is both lovely and sweet. But at times she has a bad humour and fiery temper. She barely has friends owing to this unamicable disposition. But, once she finds someone to connect with there is nothing she wouldn't do for the other - that's how her family in particular knew her to be, and, this is how she is longing for Brandon to see her, trusting that if they started dating it would surely progress to marriage - hoping that wouldn't scare him off too!

'Hi Jasmine,

I got your email and think you're a nice girl, but, not for me.

I wish you well on your journey to finding him.

Take care.

Brandon

Like a punch to the gut. Jasmine gasps having not anticipated rejection. There's no way she could leave it there, she thinks, typing up a second email. When she has a sixth sense about something she rarely gets it wrong!

This message is not even dignified with a response even six days after sending it. "I guess it's time to give up", she thinks feeling languid the rest of the day.

Tuesday morning at lunch break Jasmine goes to the cafeteria, visiting an on-campus restaurant named Theo's. Before her turn in the queue, she has a fleeting thought about Brandon and prays to God asking for Him to console her about the rebuff. Serendipitous she looks to her left and spots him with his back partially towards her. It seems he has bumped into someone, a girl, by mistake, and is apologising for his part in the collision. Jasmine sees him smile sweetly at the young lady and she is overcome with jealousy. It should be her that he's smiling at...her he should be faffing over.

Rejection is hard to stomach Jasmine thinks as she types up another email to him.

Brandon,

I trust you're doing well?

I'm having a hard time accepting that you've - to put it bluntly - turned me down. I've never confessed my feelings towards anyone before you, so this is hitting me a lot harder than I ever could have imagined. 

I am writing in hope that you can re-evaluate your decision, or if not tell me something that will make this easier to bear?

With kind regards,

Jasmine

In just a few minutes Jasmine receives a response. 

Unfortunately, I cannot help you seeing as I'm busy and uninterested in getting involved not just with you but anyone in general. 

I wish you well and hope you won't find things as hard to bear for whatever fortuitous reason.

Him merely replying is what soothes her wound. He at least had the heart to make her feel better she thinks smiling although despondent.

Jasmine tells no one about the emails - she is too ashamed to even process them.

With blonde hair, blue eyes, pink lips and a muscular body... Brandon is likely to be favoured by many. And there's probably one amongst the many that has caught his attention because in Jasmine's eyes Brandon was too good looking to be single for long.

Tomorrow it's Jasmine's birthday. Her one wish is to bump into Brandon and that he'll be more amenable towards her.

This does not happen. Jasmine spends the whole day at the computer labs daydreaming about Brandon. It drains her. What she needs, she then thinks, is to find healthy ways expend this obsessive energy. Doing what though? She didn't know.

In two months, Jasmine spots Brandon by the Wits Science Stadium. He's walking with a girl and judging by the bright smile on his face, he's enjoying her company. 

She's pretty, but plain. Yet, with their shared features: similar skin tone, hair and eye colour, along with their down to earth appearance, they seemed like a match made in heaven.

Going past Brandon Jasmine and his eyes interlock, but only momentarily - he looking away after staring at her like a dear in headlights.

"Caught red handed?" Jasmine wants to say in his hearing, but stops herself, walking away with quick steps thinking: "So he was lying about being uninterested in getting involved with anyone?"

Typical man. 

Jasmine never thought highly of them. A synopsis from her? Men are brutish, after one thing and are exceptionally egotistical.

I thought Brandon would be different. I thought he would alter my preconceptions of what men are. Too bad he's like the rest of them. 

After a long and tiring day of teaching, studying and being snubbed to her face, Jasmine curls up in front of the tv watching her favourite soap opera 'Days of our Lives'. Philip Kiriakis diverts her attention from Brandon. Mr. Kiriakis, with his long boy haircut and sweet dimples. Jasmine has a pair of the latter too. 

Has Brandon ever seen me smiling? I wish he would and become bewitched. 

But before she goes to sleep it's Brandon that she's thinking of and can't get out of her mind. The incessant images dancing before her eyes, at different angles, yielding unclipped footage, like montages of a film... The aching heart, dissipating appetite and listlessness?

Love really is a malady - of the heart and mind.