Chapter Nineteen, Part One

            “And this is the anatomy of the body,” Professor Leah explained, running her hands over the diagram over the projector. She started indicating the different parts, but Yasmine wasn’t focused on that at all.

            She rested her cheeks on her palms, and propped her elbows on the desk. There were several papers on her desk, scribbled with notes on the human body. Yasmine was taking a variety of classes—but had decided to set a goal for a Master’s degree in Science of Anatomy. Hopefully, she’d get to be some kind of nurse or doctor.

            Yasmine sighed heavily—it had been three weeks since Lily had done her little … confession. She was still shocked—but confused as well. Why would she feel that Aaron would leave her? He was faithful, whether he was with Yasmine or not. She sighed again, and pressed her fingers to her temples.

            It was June, and summer was at its peak. Samuels City was a small city in Washington—it received the right amount of weather. Well, usually. Lately, it was humid and muggy outside, despite summer just beginning. Aaron and Lily’s wedding would be in a couple of days, and Yasmine didn’t know how to feel. How would she face Lily—or Aaron for that matter?

            “Class dismissed,” Professor Leah announced, interrupting Yasmine out of her thoughts. Chairs scraped against the floor and everyone stood up, gathering their books. “I hope to see everyone at graduation!”

            “Graduation?” Yasmine wondered out loud.

            A petite girl in glasses looked over at Yasmine. Her name was Alyssa. She didn’t talk much, and Yasmine never really talked to her—unless they were partners for some kind of project. Alyssa was nice, and smart, but mostly quiet, so she didn’t really give off any impression.

            “Yeah, graduation’s tomorrow—well, for us.” Alyssa walked over to Yasmine’s seat. “Didn’t you know?”

            “Er, I forgot,” Yasmine replied, scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. She was so focused on Aaron’s wedding, and Lily’s backstabbing attitude, and James, that she completely was oblivious to anything else around her. Like in books, she was becoming one of those girls that only revolved her world around relationships—Yasmine scrunched her face up in disgust at the thought.

            After waving goodbye to Alyssa, Yasmine walked out of class and headed to the parking lot where James’ car was parked. James had finally come back to classes.

            Ring-Ring! Ring-Ring!

            Yasmine’s phone started blaring from her shorts’ pocket. She fished it out her pocket and accepted the call. “Hello?”

            “Yasmine?” Hailey’s voice asked. “Where are you?”

            “In the parking lot, why?” Yasmine asked.

            “Are you going to move in today?”

            “Yeah,” she answered. “I’m just waiting for James, and then he’s going to drop me off home so I can pack while he gets my stuff from his house, and we’re both going to meet at your dorm.”

            “Okay, then,” Hailey said. “I’ll see you later?”

            “Yep,” Yasmine confirmed. “Bye.” She snapped her phone shut, and just as she did, James came jogging up towards her.

            “Sorry,” he apologized, panting, as he rested his hands on his car and caught his breath. “Am I too late?”

            “No,” Yasmine chuckled. “Ready to go?”

            James nodded and unlocked his Lexus, throwing his backpack in the backseat as Yasmine did the same. They drove listening to some recent pop music on the radio. Pretty soon—thanks to James’ furious driving—they were parked up at Yasmine’s house.

            “Here you are, my lady.” James cut the engine off. “I’ll pick you up in an hour or something, sound good?” He turned to her, a smile on his face.

            “Yeah,” she replied, leaning in for a kiss. “Thanks for the help.” Yasmine grabbed her backpack, and hopped out of his car and turned back around. “You go now, I’ll go in,” she urged.

            “Okay,” he responded. “Love you.” He started his engine up again, and zoomed across the street.

            Yasmine started at him for a couple more seconds before turning to her one story house. How could she do this? It would be the first time she’d come back home after stupidly running away after his little confession on cheating on her mom. Would it be too awkward?

            She sucked in a breath. “I can do this,” she whispered to herself before walking up to the house and pressing the doorbell. It felt weird to be ringing your house’s own doorbell, and getting nervous going inside.

            There were a couple of shuffling noises on the other side of the door before the door swung open—Yasmine’s father on the other side. “Honey, you’re back!” he greeted, giving her a tight bear hug.

            Yasmine smiled against her father’s chest, and hugged him back. A moment later, she pulled back and grinned. She really missed her father when she wasn’t thinking about all the cheating. “I missed you, dad.”

            “I missed you too, kiddo.” Her father opened the door a little wider. “Well, come on in, honey.”

            “Actually, dad,” Yasmine stepped inside, “I’m here to get my things, since I’m moving in with Hailey.”

            Her dad frowned. “Oh… Okay.” Yasmine shifted uncomfortably on her feet. “Well, c’mon, go get your things then. I don’t want to intrude.”

            “Thanks.” Yasmine gave him a wry smile and headed down to her room. Maybe, it wasn’t too awkward—but it definitely was awkward, and things between them wouldn’t ever be the same.

            Ignoring all the tension, she quickly fished out an old pink suitcase she randomly had, but never used. Yasmine stuffed all her things—clothes, shoes, bed sheets, makeup, accessories, and toiletries. She was in the middle of zipping up her suitcase when something shiny caught her eye. It was coming from the closet. Yasmine opened the closet door wider and saw the sun reflecting the glass of a framed photo. It was her mom and her… before she had died.

            For some reason, tears prickled her eyes. Yasmine had stopped crying over her mom a long time ago—gotten used to her mom not being there—but everything just rushed back to her: the last night in the hospital, her dad cheating, Yasmine’s own cancer, every problem she had in her life.

            She clutched the photo and cried and cried. It felt so good to let everything out, to let her guard down for once.

            “Everything’s going to be okay,” her mother’s words haunted their way back to her mind. Her mother would always say that and stroke Yasmine’s head whenever she would cry, or had a problem.

            “Mom,” Yasmine whispered, her voice cracking from crying. “I need you. Please mom, come back. I love you. I need you. I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m going to die, mom. And, I think my relationship might be a lie. What do I do, mom?” Disappointment fell upon her after getting no reply from the photo—like she had expected her mom to talk back and come hug her.

Ring-ring! Ring-ring! Ring-ring! Ring-ring!

            Yasmine’s eyes slowly opened, her eyes searching for the source of the loud sound—her phone. Her hands patted her nightstand and finally grabbed her phone. “Hello?” she said after accepting the call.

            “Yasmine?” James asked. “Are you done yet? It’s been over two hours.”

            “Two hours?!” she exclaimed, jolting up. Somehow, she had managed to crawl to her bed and fall asleep crying, holding her mom’s picture in her hand. “Gosh, I’m so sorry, James! I fell asleep and I—”

            “Breathe. It’s okay,” he assured. “I’m outside right now. Are you done, though?”

            “Er, yeah.” Yasmine nodded even though James probably couldn’t see her. “I’ll see you outside.” She hung up and grabbed her suitcase, but before she left she looked at her room for the last time—the room she grew up in. Yeah, when she was little she had imagined leaving her house for college eventually, but she got accepted to a nearby college so she didn’t, but here she was, ready to leave. It just felt sad—like you were leaving a piece of you. Memories flooded her mind; all the times she spent in the room—the house for that matter. But, now she was leaving.

            Yasmine wiped away escaping tears and walked down the hallway. She must have the puffiest eyes right now. Her dad was watching a football game. She stared at her father for a few more minutes wondering how she would live without leaning on her father. Her heart hurt at the thought. It must be harder for her father—letting his daughter move out.

            “D-Dad,” Yasmine said. “I’m leaving now.”

            He abruptly stood up and turned off the TV. His eyes shone, as if he had been crying too. Yasmine’s eyes started tearing up just at the sight. “Um, okay, kiddo. I’ll be here if you ever want to come back.”

            “Thanks, dad.” Yasmine and her father just stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. “Um, I guess I’ll leave now.”

            “Okay, er, stay safe and eat healthy,” he told her.

            “I will,” Yasmine smiled a little, and turned on her heel. She walked towards the door—but each step felt like an arrow through her heart. Who would cook for her dad now? Who would make sure the TV would get shut off after he fell asleep on the couch? Who would make him coffee when we was working on paperwork at three in the morning?

            She dropped her suitcase, and ran back to her dad and hugged him. The tears that she had been holding back smeared all over her face. Without any conversation, she sobbed into his shoulder as he rubbed her back.

            “I love you, dad.” She squeezed him tighter.

            “I love you, too,” he replied, pulling back. “Now, don’t cry, honey. Its not like we’ll never see each other again. You can always visit. I’ll always be here for you.”

            “I know, dad.” Yasmine smiled, giving him a quick hug. “Well, I guess I really have to go now.” She walked towards the door, her father opening it for her. “Bye, dad.”

            “Bye, honey.” He smiled, and shut the door as she walked out. When she was safely out, he let tears fall—the ones he couldn’t shed in front of his daughter.

            “Put that box over there,” Yasmine commanded to James. “Not there, over there,” she pointed a finger at a corner.

            James groaned, but followed her instructions. After leaving her father’s house, Yasmine had met up with James—who stuffed everything he had that belonged to Yasmine in a box—and they had driven to Hailey’s dorm. \

            “You’re going to kill him, Yaz.” Hailey grinned from her bed, a lollipop in her hand. She didn’t even bother helping.

            “Its only one box!” Yasmine protested.

            “But you keep moving where you want it,” Hailey laughed. “You’re such a perfectionist.”

            “Indeed,” she replied, crossing her hands and plopping down on the bed across from Hailey’s—the one she’d be using from now on. The bed shifted, and James laid there beside her, catching his breath from moving all the furniture and boxes. “You still alive?” Yasmine asked, poking him.

            “Sadly, yes.” James sat up straighter. “I should at least get a kiss from all that hard work.”

            “Hmmm,” Yasmine pressed a finger to her chin as if she were thinking. “I don’t think so.”

            “Too bad, I’ll steal one then.” James leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips. Things were getting heated up until Hailey made gagging noises.

            “Guys! Get a room, jeez!” she protested, pretending to cough on her lollipop—as if that was possible.

            James chuckled and checked his watch. “Well, I should go, babe.” He planted another kiss on Yasmine’s lips—but short this time. “See you tomorrow.”

            “I’ll be the one in a graduation robe,” she winked.

            “Wouldn’t everyone be in one?” Hailey asked, raising her eyebrow.

            Yasmine’s cheeks flushed. “Oh yeah.”

            James chuckled once again. “Alright, see you tomorrow, babe.”

            “Bye, love you,” she replied as he sauntered out the door. After the door closed, she sighed and laid down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She thought about what she was going to do after graduation and—“Wait a minute!” Yasmine stood up. “Hailey!”

            “What?” she replied, her eyes leaving some magazine she was reading.

            “We’re really stupid, you know that?”

            “How so?”

            “Graduation is tomorrow. That means, we’re going to have to leave these dorms. Why did I even move in?!” Yasmine asked herself out loud.

            “Oh shit, you’re right.” Hailey threw a pillow at Yasmine. “You dummy!”

            “Me?” Yasmine removed the pillow from her face and threw it back. “You’re the dummy! How could you forget?!”

            The girls ended up having a pillow fight, before falling asleep—thinking about graduation tomorrow, and the life of surprises ahead.

Here's an update! Tell me what you think? I'm going to divide all my chapters now. I have like ten page chapters, and only thirty parts--so I thought maybe I should divide my chapters and make more parts. Anyways, thanks for reading! VOTE VOTE VOTE.

_ Aurie.. :3