Jasmin leaned against the window, her eyes tracing the raindrops as they slid down the glass. The dull hum of the school bus filled the background, while her thoughts swirled around like a storm. It had been two weeks since the breakup, yet the weight of it still sat heavy in her chest, like an anchor she couldn't shake.
"Are you okay?" June asked quietly from the seat beside her. She'd been asking that question a lot lately. Too much, Jasmin thought.
"I'm fine, June," Jasmin replied, forcing a smile that didn't reach her eyes. June's concern was sweet, but she wasn't sure how much more she could take. Jasmin was the older sister—she was supposed to have it together.
The bus hit a bump in the road, jerking them both. June clutched her book bag tighter. Jasmin glanced at her, noticing how June had changed lately. There was something quieter, more distant about her little sister. She was only fourteen, but lately, she seemed like she was growing up faster than Jasmin could keep up with.
"Anything new happening at school?" Jasmin asked, trying to shift the focus away from herself.
June hesitated before answering. "Not really. Same stuff. Just... drama."
Drama. Jasmin almost laughed. Everything in high school was drama. Relationships, grades, friendships—it all felt so massive when you were stuck in the middle of it. And Jasmin had been in the thick of it, riding the highs and lows of a relationship with Alex that had now imploded in spectacular fashion.
When they got off the bus, the cold air bit at their faces. School loomed ahead of them like a gray, imposing fortress. The two sisters walked side by side, the silence between them heavier than the raindrops.
