Hidden Behind

Chapter 5- Letters

CARTER'S P.O.V

I quietly speed-walked following Jasmine down the hall. I would suspect that girls like, go to the bathroom to calm down, it happened plenty of times at my old school. But I past the bathrooms after about a minute, so that obviously wasn't our destination. As she rounded a corner, I waited for a second before following her, I peeked down the hall, it was dusty with cobwebs in the crevices of the wall. I couldn't see Jasmine. I slowly crept down the hallway, the dim lighting flickering behind me. I past some old classrooms while I made my ,journey down the small tunnel-like passage.

Science

Art

Home ec

Gym. Wait, isn't there already a gym? Whatever.

Meeting room

Office

I passed all the classrooms and was now at the end of the hall, I doubled back, looking for a place she could have slipped away or hid.

But she was gone.

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Jasmines POV

3 days later

I slowly trudged down the busy hall, my eyes glued to the large square ceramic tiles below me. I could feel myself getting violently pushed around but didn't acknowledge it. The voices of the students sounded soft and distant, as if they were in the room next door. My red cheeks stained with fresh tear tracks that ran around the rim of my face. The small smile prominent on my pale face, but was covered by my head facing down. I had been cleaning out some old boxes from the dusty attic, I had found a wooden small chest, about the size of a football. I hesitantly opened the small clasp that held it closed. I slowly lifted the lid over and saw a small letter, yellowed with age and stamped shut with a wax seal. I was curious, so I delicately lifted the small note out of the tiny box. I recognized the pattern that decorated the hardened burgundy wax. It was a small bird, a humming bird, surrounded by small delicate looking flowers and a vine-like rope wrapped around the border of the miniature round design. It was my mothers favorite seal she used the stamp on every letter she ever sent, she loved vintage things. She always said it reminded her of the older days: a simpler time, as she had put it many times.

I now had the small golden coin of the stamp hung around my neck on a gold chain, forever and always reminding me of my beloved lost family.

I slid my finger under the wax, gently and slowly prying it of the paper, making sure not to break the delicate seal. I opened it revealing a note, written in quill and dark blue ink in a easily ledge-able cursive.

Dear my little Jasmine,

If you are reading this, I am no longer on this earth. I knew before we left on our trip there was a chance we would not return, I want you to know I love you, me and your father both, and I am so sorry we aren't able to see the lovely young woman you will become. I am sorry I won't be able to be there for your first crush. That I won't be there to meet your first boyfriend and help you get ready for your first date. That I won't be there with a tub of ice cream for your first heart break. I'm sorry I won't be there for your first day of high school. I'm sorry I won't be able to see you in your prom dress. I'm sorry I won't be there for your high school graduation. I'm sorry I won't be there to help you pick a college. I'm sorry I won't be there to help you pack to move away and cry in your empty room. I'm sorry I won't be able to walk you down the isle on your wedding day and hold my beautiful grand babies. I'm so sorry I won't be there. But I want to, so, so, so very much. I will be there, though, watching you from the heavens above and trying my hardest to help and keep you going. Never give up, I'll always love you. I love you, more than you will ever know.

Love,
Your Mother

I hadn't realized that I had been crying until a tear drop landed on the corner of the paper. I re-read the letter many times. I clutched the coin that hung on my chest and silently weeped on the old wooden floors of our dirty attic. I folded the letter gently and placed it back in the chest I had found it in. I lifted the box gently off the floor, cradling it as if if I had let go it would have disappeared. When I finally got to my room I got on my knees and slid the precious box under my bed, far beneath it so no one would find it. I got up, dusted off my ugly clothing and slipped out of the door. I yanked my bike out of the garage, hopped on it and sped away. I still had a smile plastered onto my face, the first real smile i'd smiled in years.

My mom wanted me to keep going, and I definitively would not let her down.

I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated in for-ev-er! I dropped my phone in a pool.

I know, I'm a freaking genius.

But I kinda put writing a bit to the side but will definitively an going to get back on track!

Loooove ya😘