
I turned around and nearly doubled over in relief,” Jas what the heck is wrong with you?! Who sneaks up on a person like that?!” I yell at my best friend, Jasmine Dalca, who just grins sheepishly at me like she didn't just scare my soul out of my body,” chill girl, a little scare never sent anyone to their graves” I was just about to argue otherwise when she interrupted,” you going on your lunch break right? Lets have a chat together before you go back" she says and drags me to our usual coffee shop.
At the table, we ordered our usuals, I with a latte and Jasmine with an espresso. Why would a lady like a sweetless drink such as that is beyond me,” so wassup girl, How's it been? I was out to surprise you and figured you'd still be going to the sanctuary” Jasmine states as she takes a sip of her coffee.
Jasmine and I are childhood friends, we've been through a lot together, both good and bad times. We are a contrast though in appearance, where I'm a 5’3 redhead with grey eyes, straight nose, round lips, and some freckles on the bridge of my nose, Jasmine is a 5’8 blonde with blue eyes, pointed nose, full lips with a character that screams ‘don’t fuck with me’.
It's always been our dream to go to university together but unexpected grief strikes out of nowhere, leaving me here trying to build myself up and her in another country moving on with life as per her parents’ instruction.
Jasmine as an only child sees it as her responsibility to build herself to the expectations of her parents, but I admire her perseverance.” It's been good, started working in the library after high school so I'd say a dream come true’’ I smile at her as I take a sip of my coffee,” of course that's be a dream of yours” she shakes her head playfully and I shove her while snickering,” whatever, I also got admission into the school I told you about “ I share the news with her, we may not see each other a lot anymore but we always make sure to keep our friendship alive through calls and chat,” that's wonderful babe! So happy for you” she smiles happily and squeezes my hand,” thanks hun, now what have you been up to in London?” I ask her and we keep on chatting and updating each other on our lives till my break is over.
After the coffee date, we hugged, and said we would see each other later. She'll come around in the evening to greet my parents and hang out for a bit, maybe even for a sleepover.
As I walked back to the library I had that eerie feeling of being watched again and turned around but still found nothing suspicious, I quickly walked back to the library,’ maybe I'm just being paranoid’ I thought to myself, and continued with my work.
I continued with my work till it was close to closing time, Tommy came out of his office looking haggard and walks towards the table,” you look like a mess” I tell him, he gives me an ‘are you kidding me look ‘ and rolls his eyes “thanks, I feel like one” he says and stretched his back out,” ill be heading out first then, use your keys and lock up after your done” he says and walks towards the door,” sure thing” I say just as he's out of the door and get started on clearing the place for lock up.
After locking up, I collect my bike and cycle towards the spot I visit frequently but not as frequently as I would have hoped to.
I arrive at the cemetery and walk up the silent steps towards the place where one of the most important people to me rests now. I walk towards the tombstone and kneel in front of it in loving memories of our son and brother Mihai Alexe 2003-2015.
I stare at his tombstone for a while remembering the day I lost a part of me, my twin.
We were on our way back home from school as usual, I, Mihai and Jasmine as always, when a car from nowhere speeds right at us and drives away to get out of trouble, next thing I know I'm waking up in the hospital to a fractured hip with 4 broken ribs, Jasmine with a fractured leg and a concussion and the emptiness of hearing that the one I shared a womb with was gone, adding depression to my list of wounds.
I blink slowly at his grave and smile softly at it, “Hi Mihai, I'm back again, I'm sure you missed me” I stare at his picture on the tombstone, my lookalike but male, we both inherited my mum's looks but where I took my dad’s eye color, he took mum’s.
I sit with him and tell him about everything including my admission,” so ill be gone for a while and won't be able to see you for a while, sad news I know but ill be here at every single break so don't miss me too much okay” I tell his picture, after a moment of silence I get up and dust my dress,” see you later Mihai, I promise to bring your favorite chocolate next time” I whisper before I walk out of the cemetery.
As I step out feeling solemn and with a heavy heart, I grab my bike and just as I am about to hop on and ride home, a van stops abruptly and 3 masked men rush out and 2 of them grab me,” What the-who are you-help! Let me go!” I thrashed in their hold but it was of no use, they were too strong, I screamed but the place was silent, the absence of any living soul, the third one walked up to me then yanked my hair and I felt a sharp sting on my neck before everything went black.


