Truly hope you enjoy my prologue if enough reads might actually put up the rest of the story
PROLOGUE
Hello, my name's Jasmine. Quite a common name, yet it means the world to me, for I was named by my beloved father. I guess that alone shows my affections towards my father; I am a daddy's girl. Scratch that, I was a daddy's girl.
Life is quite humorous. It waits until a person is at the highest point in life before it makes its strike and not just anywhere, but at your weakest point - the building brick of your foundation that causes you to crumble, losing yourself.
Hardships are thrown upon us all. It is simply the way we respond to it physically and emotionally that truly defines us.
It was the year 2005, I had everything a kid could ask for at the age of 11 - friends, the happiness but most importantly I had my family which included a loving mother, a newborn brother and a father, whom I considered to be my best friend. However, all that changed the day my mother sat down and spoke to me with tears in her eyes explaining to me about my father's departure, about why he had to leave us, about why I couldn't see him for a while but no matter what she said, it couldn't ease the pain I had to endure that very moment. All I could think of or say was why?, why me?, What have I done wrong?, I'll study harder, I'll be an honor student, I promise to never complain, I'll do all my chores but all this came out as a jumble of sobs as I broke down.
The next morning, I chased after him and told him to stay as I tugged his arm. "You don't have to leave!", I said, but he turned away as if it was against his will and that he had to go. I didn't believe it at first, but later, I thought to myself if he WANTS to leave, he can leave because you know what, I don't need him... or anyone else. That very night I walked into my little brother's bedroom, and as I kissed his forehead, a teardrop fell to his cheek. It was only then did I notice that I had been crying. This was unfair to him, I pondered. He was so young; why must he suffer the consequences of my parents? I vowed that very night to protect him and to always be there for him and from that day on, I depended on no one. No one but myself, me and I.
I secluded myself from my friends and family. I refused to be pitied at anyone who approached me with a smile as I looked into their eyes and saw pity. It was only at midnight that I'd shed my tears in the darkness, not wanting to burden a soul with such misery. I became a cold shell and refuse to show my true emotions to the world. I learned that my tears were a weakness I had to overcome and promised myself to always stay strong. People I was surrounded by question my abnormal reaction towards my father's departure. Some even questioned my affection towards him. It burns a spot in my heart when they'd ask, and I don't t dare let them know that. Nor do I let them know that their artificial sympathy was getting to me. My friends became more distant due to my abnormal behavior. This gave me an opportunity to make new friends - friends who understand that life is unfair.
It was to these people that I poured my heart out too. They were the ones who accepted me amongst them. They may have been labeled as the wrong crowd or the "deviant" of society, but no one understood their pain the way I did, and so, they became my friends...
