Through Happiness

A Nostalgic Breeze

"Three...two...one..." counted Jolene under her breath. 

The school bell rang and everybody rushed out of their seats.

"And there they go..." huffed Mrs Stephenson. She never got to say goodbye to her "wonderful" students. Everybody went outside the classroom. 

The school has ended for the day and the hallways were full of other pupils, causing jest and menace. Jolene however, remained in her seat. She waited until she was the only person left in the classroom. She looked outside the window to see the snow fall slowly. It was quiet. It was majestic and peaceful, only for a brief moment. 

"Serah is waiting by the convenience store," approached Jasmine happily. "All gloomy Jolene!" she said. 

"Wait, he's here?" asked Jolene while raising a brow.

"Yeah, since last month. Wait, didn't he tell you?" asked Jasmine curiously.

"He never tells me anything, not since she-"

"We don't have to talk about...that," abrupted Jasmine. She didn't want to set the mood so dark on a sunny day. They barely experience the sun and its glory nowadays, it's November after all.

"Jasmine, may I have a moment with you?"  asked Mrs Stephenson. 

"Okay! Jolene, wait for me outside, okay?". 

Jolene went outside the classroom without saying a word. Jasmine gave her a worried look which Jolene proceeded to ignore anyway.

While Jolene was about to exit the school grounds, as she looked up to the clear blue sky, she closed her eyes and said...

"It would be nice to spend the winter with you, it's getting a little boring lately."  

Feeling the winter breeze after school on a Wednesday afternoon is the best feeling ever for Jolene. She would go to the nearby convenience store and buy an ice cream to share with someone, the one with two popsicles. The cold didn't stop Jolene from eating ice cream in days like these. She would always go for a nice walk around the nearby park only a couple minutes away from where the store is located. She always does it with someone.

While Jolene was walking on the way to the store, she saw a girl with long brunette hair wearing a white blouse, blue skirt, and a pink dirty backpack with a small imprint on it. Jolene rubbed her eyes, as if trying to clarify if it was real, if she was real. 

"It's winter, nobody would wear such light clothing on a heavy, cold weather like this" thought Jolene. But something within Jolene made her run towards the unknown girl, as if she was being drawn to her, magnetized. She was not thinking of running but as if it was just her gut feeling that told her to do so. She just had to see her. 

"No one was there..." she said hopelessly. 

A tear fell down her cheek without her noticing. She was in the middle of the road.

"Jolene! Watch out!" A truck was moments away, about to hit Jolene but she immediately got to the other side of the sidewalk, slipping on ice. Luckily, a puff of snow catched her fall before she hit her face on the concrete. Her heart was beating so fast that she couldn't breathe properly, everything was blurry. Her mind was all over the place, she felt nauseous. She was trying to get some air, mimicking a goldfish breathing in a fishbowl, gasping for air. The nearby townsfolk were snickering in the background but Jolene paid them no mind.