‘Happy?’ Boyce thought he was far from this word, he did not know the meaning of it.
“Do you think I’ll be happy?” Boyce asked.
Jasmine turned to him, “Are you showing off your happiness to me?”
‘He said he will marry Wendy but asked if he will be happy?”
Boyce smiled helplessly, “Do you think I’m showing off?” he continued, “Jasmine, I…”
‘I’m not happy, it wasn’t loved that brought Wendy and him together,’ he wanted to say this.
But their conversation was interrupted by a small kid.
“Ms. Burke…” A boy ran over.
“What happens, Kirk Lester?” Kirk Lester was a second-grade student.
“Chris fell and hurt his leg, he’s bleeding.”
“Where is he now?” Jasmine stood up at once.
“In the classroom.”
Jasmine hurried to the classroom. Chris was inside with his knee bleeding. Jasmine walked over and was startled by the opened wound on his knee.
“How did it happen?” Jasmine asked as she knelt.
“I fell on a rock during chicken fight game.” Chris was good academically but he was also mischievous. The chicken fight he mentioned was not fighting with real chicken but a kind of game the students played.
It could be individual or team where the player hopped around on one-foot tuck up using hands and try to knock their opponent over with the knee, the one that fell, or let go of the tucked leg lost. It was a favorite game amongst the boys.
“Kirk, please bring my first aid kit.” She prepared some basic medicine and medical tools at home knowing that the boys were naughty.
Kirk dashed out while Boyce followed and stopped at the window, looking inside.
The classroom was simple, the red paint on the desk was faded, and the floor was built with bricks. There was a huge blackboard at the front with a small wooden desk, the chalks and duster were neatly lined up.
Some kid decorated the room using a plastic bottle that was cut in half as a flower vase and put it on the front desk.
Though simple, it was harmonious.
Kirk came back with the first aid kit, Jasmine took out the betadine and cotton bud but seemed afraid to apply on Chris’s knee as she didn’t want him to feel pain. But the weather was hot, the wound could be worsened if it was left unattended.
“It might be painful, but hang in there.”
“Will you leave us, Ms. Burke? We don’t want you to go,” Chris said, sobbing.
“Who said I’m leaving?” Jasmine frowned.
“Mr. Weeks said you are a prestigious university student and are more talented than he is, it will be a waste if you stay here.” Chris asked while sobbing, “Ms. Burke, will you leave?”
“He’s lying. I’m going to start now, be a man and stay strong.” Jasmine poured some betadine onto the cotton bud and began to clean his wound.
Chris raised his head, looked away from his knee, and divert his attention by speaking to Jasmine, “Ms. Burke, who’s the man you saved? Are you close to him? You were anxious and almost cried, it was also the first time you raise your voice on me.”
Boyce’s gaze on Jasmine darkened, he was too looking forward to Jasmine’s answer.
“He… He’s someone I know, like a friend. I’m sorry, I won’t raise my voice at you again in the future.” Jasmine focused on cleaning his wound.
Boyce was disappointed slightly, she mentioned that they were ‘like a friend’, so he was merely a friend?
‘Who am I to her? A stranger?’ Boyce felt complicated.’
“If you aren’t close, why do you care so much about him?” Chris asked.
“You asked too much as a young boy,” Jasmine frowned.
“Please tell me, I’m injured.” Chris looked at her, smiling.
“Something beyond my control, understand?” she said.
Her status did not match him. Her father was a gambler, her mother was a murderer while Boyce was a police officer with a high position.
Her appearance will only affect him negatively.
She thought she could help him if she worked hard, but it was a joke.
He was already successful, but she needed another ten years to keep up with his pace.
Help? Only someone with clean and powerful background could help him.
“What does that mean?” Chris asked, he didn’t understand that.
Jasmine looked at him, “It means something that one cannot control.”
Like how she couldn’t control her birth family.
“If one can’t control something related to oneself, who controls it?” Chris was curious.
Jasmine touched his head, smiling, “You’ll understand when you are older.”
“I think talking can divert my attention, I don’t feel pain at all.”
“That’s because I’m not touching your wound…”
“Ouch!”
Jasmine cleaned the dust off his wound and wrapped it as she spoke.
“Stay still.” She reminded.
Chris nodded.
Jasmine saw Keith standing at the door as she came back with the first aid kit, “Have you brought the clothes?” Keith nodded. “He’s taking a shower, let’s have a seat outside.”
“Okay,” Jasmine said.
There was a huge tree beside the window and a cement chair down the tree. They sat side by side under the tree.
Boyce came out after the shower and saw them from the window. He frowned as he saw Jasmine and Keith sitting next to each other, he disliked it when Keith got close to Jasmine.
New Book: Beginning with a Daring Encounter
Celsie was tired of being labeled as an introvert, workaholic, and dull virgin by her friends. Determined to prove them wrong, she made a bet that she would do something daring on her 25th birthday. Now that the day had arrived, it was time to fulfill her promise. On her daring to-do list, there was one task: a one-night stand with someone.