Summer November 2023 - Jasmine, a young girl alone in her apartment, sleeping peacefully until her life changed forever just by a single knock on her door.
Jasmine lived with her sister, but at that moment, she was alone. She didn't own a smartphone she felt proud of, at least not one she believed was "up to standard" as she often would say but despite having a device, she never considered it useful for social media or movies like the ones her peers enjoyed.
The knock on the door turned out to be her close friend, Charity. Charity had come to visit carrying her phone packed with movies she knew Jasmine would love, and since Jasmine didn't have much to do, Charity handed her the phone to keep her company while she stepped out to see Michael - the guy she was seeing. Charity wasn't feeling well, and Michael had asked her to come to his lodge, a self-contained apartment he lives in, so he could take her to the hospital.
A short while after leaving, Charity called Jasmine and asked if she could meet her at the pharmacy nearby. She needed support. Someone to motivate her to take her medications and endure the injections. Jasmine, although reluctant, agreed. Charity was her friend and she knew her presence might help.
After the visit to the pharmacy, they all headed back to Michael's place to cool off. Arriving at Michael's place, it was his roommate, Albert who opened the door and warmly welcomed them in.
Jasmine, being the introverted one, quickly immersed herself in one of the movies on Charity's phone. The room was calm and relaxed, giving Charity and Michael a chance to have a private moment meanwhile Albert couldn't help but steal occasional glances at Jasmine, intrigued by her quiet presence.
Eventually, he walked over and started a conversation. "What's your name?" he asked casually. "What department are you in?" Jasmine answered politely, a little caught off guard. But soon they found themselves chatting, and she began to relax just a bit.
It was getting late, Jasmine and Charity prepared to leave. Michael and Albert offered to escort them home. As they walked, Albert saw an opportunity and asked for Jasmine's number. At first she hesitated, then gave it to him, though part of her still didn't take her phone seriously. In her words, "That's not what my mates are using". Little did she know at that very little moment, that Albert's question and her reply would mark the beginning of something she never expected.
The days that followed passed quietly—at least on the surface. Jasmine slipped back into routine: lectures, kitchen chores, and the usual silences between her and her sister. Charity would drop by now and then, though even that felt different lately.
Still, something had shifted.
That same night, Albert had messaged her.
Got home safe?
Just four words. But they stayed with her longer than they should have.
She didn't reply.
Not because she didn't want to. But because she didn't know how. Jasmine had never been the girl boys noticed. And if they did, it was never like this—gentle, deliberate. She wasn't used to being seen without being sized up. And Albert… he felt different.
By the third day, she gave in.
Yes. Thanks for checking.
It was cautious. Guarded. But it was something. And surprisingly, he responded right away. He asked about her day—nothing grand, just a simple, How was it? And then she asked about his. Slowly, the conversation took root. He didn't flirt. He didn't force it. He just… showed up.
And that scared her more than any smooth line ever could.
Meanwhile, Charity had become distant. Her usual warmth was fading, replaced by something anxious and withdrawn. Jasmine noticed the way she smiled less, how she dodged questions about Michael, how she stared at nothing for too long.
One evening, Jasmine sat cross-legged on her bed, the room dimly lit by the flicker of a movie still paused on Charity's old phone. She wasn't really watching. Her thoughts had wandered. Then her screen lit up.
Albert: I've been thinking… Can we hang out sometime? Just you and me. No pressure.
Jasmine stared.
Her stomach fluttered. She thought about ignoring it—about retreating into silence the way she always had. But something inside stirred. A quiet part of her that wanted to say yes.
She typed. Paused. Deleted. Then typed again.
Maybe, let's see how the week goes.
She hit send before she could change her mind.
Outside, the city buzzed with warm evening air and the hush of passing cars. Inside, Jasmine felt it—something opening, gently, like the crack of a door she never thought to try.