CHAPTER ONE
It all began in the summer of November 2023. A young girl named Jasmine was alone in her apartment, sleeping peacefully, until a knock on the door changed her life forever.
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 said. 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. 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 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. When they arrived, it was Michael's roommate, Albert, who opened the door and welcomed them in warmly.
Jasmine, always 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, so 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. She hesitated at first, 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, that small moment Albert's question and her reply would mark the beginning of something she never expected.
The days that followed were quiet, at least on the surface. Jasmine returned to her usual rhythm - attending classes, cooking meals for herself and her sister, and chatting occasionally with Charity, but something had changed. That night, Albert had messaged her just a simple, "got home safe?", yet it lingered in her thoughts longer than she expected.
At first, she didn't reply. Not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't know how. She wasn't used to attention from guys, not the real kind, not the gentle kind. Most people barely noticed her and truthfully, she preferred it that way. So she told herself.
Three days passed before she responded.
"Yes. Thanks for checking."
That short reply became the first thread in a conversation that slowly unraveled the walls she had built. Albert asked about her day. She answered, cautiously at first, then she asked about his. His responses weren't laced with flirtation or bravado. He was calm, thoughtful. He listened. That, more than anything, made her nervous.
Meanwhile, Charity had begun acting differently. The bright spark Jasmine had always admired in her seemed dimmed. She was quieter, more distracted, sometimes on edge. Jasmine asked what was wrong but Charity only offered vague reassurances. Still, Jasmine could feel something wasn't right.
One evening, as she sat curled up on her bed watching a leftover movie from Charity's phone, a new message appeared. "I've been thinking… Can we hang out sometime? Just you and me. No pressure", Albert texted.
She froze.
Her heart raced. She considered ignoring it. She considered saying no. But somewhere inside, a quiet voice - one she often ignored - rose and whispered, "Why not?"
She typed.
Deleted.
Typed again.
"Maybe. Let's see how the week goes", she replied.
The city buzzed with its usual hum under the warm night sky. Inside, Jasmine didn't yet realize it, but a door had just opened. One that could lead to a world far beyond the one she thought she belonged to.