The floor was cold and rough under her feet. Thunder cut through the sky. Jasmine's clothes are stuck to her body, water dropped from each step, but she didn't care.
She kept walking, each step heavier than the first.
The highway was brightened by the street lights. Her foot came to a stop in front of the brighed, right behind one of the streetlights. In that position, no one could see her, and that's what she wanted.
The road was deserted, few cars passed by. She looked past the bridge, her eyes going over the city.
Tears missed with rain water rush down her face. She closed her eyes and opened it, grabbing hold of the railings in front of her.
Among the city lights she could see, one stood out, a billboard with the picture of her sister, Kera. It wasn't very clear from where eshe was, but she had seen it a million times and could make out the image with her eyes closed.
Jasmine felt her chest tightened as she stared at the word, "Star Girl."
Would that have been her if she had lived the life she wanted? She asked, her throat felt stuck, air couldn't pass. But that billboard and it's content were the list of her concern.
Her mind reverted back to five hours earlier.
Her boyfriend had been lowered into mother earth. He was six feet below. Fresh tears poured out of her eyes as she remembered this. It was raining and he was alone, under the ground.
His family blamed her. She blamed herself too. If he hadn't chosen her, he would still be alive.
When he introduced her as the woman he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with, not only did his family vehemently opposed the idea, they disowned him when he refused to break up with her, stating that they would not take on a liability as a daughter-in-law.
They dismissed him from the company and made sure he didn't get any job elsewhere. They blocked all his card, seized his cars and houses.
His family thought he'd breakup with her in no time, but he didn't.
Jasmine had been abandoned by her family for a long time, she lived with Liam and he provided for both of them since she couldn't find a job. No one wanted to hire her.
He didn't stop providing for them even after he lost all financial support from his family. He took various jobs, worked 21 hours each day and died of over exhaustion.
She bit her lower lips, wanting to hold back the sob, but she couldn't. She let's go of the railings and drop down on her knees.
If she was better, more fitting like her sister, would things have been different? She shook her head, answering her own questions.
There was no use crying over spilled milk. She can't go back to undo the past. She stood, a new resolving building within her. "I'm sorry Liam, I'm sorry," her words was muffled between sobs.
"I should have worked hard, I should have done what I wanted." She cried. Liam did all he could to be the perfect boyfriend but she didn't do the same.
At the funeral, his family had stopped her from coming close. The guest had judged her. No one care to know if she was hurt.
She had lost him too.
Jasmine picked herself from the floor. Her legs wobbling as she stood.
Not even her family cared. She was an embarrassment to them. Kera has been present, but she didn't spare her a glance all through. She basked in the praise and admiration the guest had for her.
When she was younger, Jasmine had always wanted to sing, she had great passion for music. But she couldn't pursue it. Aside from being ridiculed from a young age because of her size, her stepmother and others made it a point to remind her that she was a mistake and a liability.
She was an illegitimate daughter, her mother left her with her father after birth.
All this coupled with the constant bully she experienced while growing up made her partially mute.
She developed selective mutism. That was she first stage of her losing her dream. Then she met Liam who stood by her and encouraged her, slowly, she began speaking fully.
However, chasing her dream was impossible, since she always had to step back for Kera.
Although she lost her dream, she had Liam. They stared as friends and slowly progressed to lovers.
She loved every minute they spent together. He loved all her flaws and his love was enough for her. And now he was gone.
As Jasmine held the rails again, her eyes were pinned on the billboard thousands of feets away.
"I can't do this anymore. I can't do this without you Liam." She said in a low voice. Rain poured on her, blurring her vision.
She climbed on the railing and moved over, so her back was now facing the water. It was cold and dark, but it would be better.
Her life has always been dark, and Liam was the only warmth she had, now that he's gone, she was once again thrust in the cold.
"It will be better to end things." She whispered to herself.
She made to release herself when a hand suddenly grabbed her.
"What are you doing?" The voice said but Jasmine didn't hear because at that moment, the sky rumbled.
"Let me go." Jasmine pleaded in a weak voice. But the hand didn't.
She couldn't see the face of the person trying to hold on to her because of the rain, whenever she looked upwards, water fell directly into her eyes.
She tried to yank her hand off his but his hold was stronger and he was beginning to lift her. She doesn't want to be saved.
She leaned forward and took a mouthful of his skin in her mouth, biting hard into his hand that was holding her.
He didn't expect that, his hold on her hand lessened and before he could tighten it, her hand slipped off from his.
Splash!!
She fell into the water. The man stood there staring blankly for a while.
"Jas, no!!!" He yelled and without thinking, he jumped in too.
Splash!!!
Jasmine spread her hand apart as she sank further into the sea.
April 18, 20025, Liam was buried.
She closed her eyes and took in as much water as she could waiting for death to take her.
And it did.
April 18th, 20025, Jasmine died.
There can only be life if there's the will to live, and Liam took that will with him six foot below.