Frozen

3.3

She saw me before I saw her. I was dozing off again without meaning to when I heard someone sit down next to me. It gave me a fright but when I saw it was only the young girl again I relaxed.

"Hello!" She handed me a bag with a hot sausage roll in it, "how are you?" The way she spoke was not in the least bit patronising. She was honest and friendly. She seemed to genuinely care about my well being.

"I think I'm alright." I replied, "Are you?" My voice cracked and I blushed. She nodded then looked deep in my eyes.

"Why did you say you think you are alright?" She questioned. I thought for a moment before answering.

"Well, because no one in this world really cares if I am okay or not, so if I tell them that I think there is nothing wrong with me they won't question it. If I went round telling everyone how awful my life is they would feel obliged to pity me, which I don't want. If a homeless guy with nothing but the clothes on his back thinks he is alright then what reason has a rich person got to be sad?" My explanation was long and came out in a very hoarse, gravely tone. She nodded at me as though she understood.

"I care." She said simply. For the first time in many years I smiled at another human being. It was nice to be able to do it. I was aware of the gaps in my gums and cracked lips that sat in front of yellowing teeth but it was genuine.

"You never answered my question... Are you alright?" I asked her, conscious of the fact she didn't reply.

"I am always fine." She reassured me, "What's your name?" She asked me. I searched my brain for a few moments.

"I... I don't know..." I said slowly. She looked surprised.

"You don't have a name?"

"Well, I do, I used to, but no one's asked me for a while so I just forgot it." I explained. She looked very sad for me, "Cheer up, Miss. It's only words. The quicker they are said, the quicker they are gone." She looked thoughtfully at me for a few moments. I watched her study me out of the corner of my eyes. I wondered what she saw. I don't remember the colour of my eyes, nor the colour of my hair. I thought I might ask her but I changed my mind and asked her what her name was instead.

"Jasmine." She replied.

"Jasmine... That's a pretty name. I like it." I told her honestly. She blushed slightly and mumbled a thanks. A few moments passed and we sat quietly. I offered her half of the sausage roll but she declined. I decided this girl, Jasmine, was a real human being. Well, obviously she was real but I mean she was whole-hearted.

"I came over early to sit with you." Her statement brought me out of my daze. I swallowed my mouthful of sausage roll.

"Why?"

"You looked tired yesterday, so I thought, if I came early you could eat the sausage roll and then you can sleep for an hour or so without having to worry about anything. I mean I'm okay because I brought a book with me," she pulls out a book by an author called Michael Grant. The title is "Gone". Out of politeness I would have enquired what it was about but instead I thanked her graciously, ate my sausage roll and close my eyes. I had nothing she could take from me so I was comfortable. For some reason I trusted this girl. The last thought that went through my mind was that snow had begun to dust the pavements around us in a coating of white, then I fell into a deep peaceful sleep.

"Mr..." I was being shaken awake, "Mr... I'm sorry I have to wake you up but I have to go back to school." I had a bad taste in my mouth that you get after sleeping and I fumbled to get my hands out from underneath the duffel coat. As I sat up it fell off me. I stared at it, then at Jasmine. She was soaked from head to toe and shivering slightly. The duffel coat covering me was the one that she had been wearing when she came over and sat with me.

"Jasmine... No, you shouldn't have..." I began, lost for words. She was cold and in a now thick snow drift had given me her coat to protect me from the chill. I was speechless.

"I have to go now, Sir. I'm sorry but I have class now." She said and stood up. I handed her her coat.

"You shouldn't have given this to me, your soaked!" I exclaimed. She waved it off.

"I think out of everyone you deserved a nice warm sleep for once. And besides, I'll dry off. Keep warm, go for a walk or something, don't sit around too long, you'll get frost bite."

"Walking is my favourite pass time in winter." I assured her. She smiled and waved at me. I watched her walk away from me. I couldn't help but smile. I wish she knew how much her simple acts of kindness were impacting my life. On shaky legs I stood up, dusted the snow off my shoulders and breathed in deeply. With a new emotion brewing in the pit of my stomach, I began to wander in and out the crowds. Little did I know that that new emotion was happiness.

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