Once again, Abc is fast asleep. He is carefree and has all the time in the world. He has completely forgotten what today is. To be honest, I do not think he forgot about the sale; he simply forgot the date. His friends called his phone endlessly. He kept snoring.
And then he shot up.
He must have heard his mother coming upstairs. He grabbed his phone just as she reached the door. She had come to wake him, but paused, confused at seeing him awake on his own. She let out a sigh and went on with her day.
Abc called his friends, but they had already left without him. Now he had only one person left to go with, someone he disliked. He invited him anyway.
"The weather has been hot these days, right? Ha, Ha.." his friend tries to start up a conversation.
"Yeah… totally… it is something."
"Why did I invite him…" abc thought.
Jasper is the name of this friend. He isn't someone Abc particularly likes, but Abc doesn't dislike him either. Jasper isn't good at much; in fact, he is bad at almost everything. His gullibility frustrates Abc more than anything else. Even so, Abc remains Jasper's only friend, and Jasper never complains about him. Their relationship could best be described as a kind of rough camaraderie. Although Abc doesn't respect Jasper, Jasper is genuinely fond of him.
"Anyway… what've you been doing these days, Jasper?" Abc asked in an awkward tone.
"Oh, I've just been watching this damn series, man. Game of Thrones has me hooked. Thanks for the recommendation."
"Finally something good came out of your damned mouth…" Abc whispers.
"You say anything?"
"Nothing, nothing. So… who is your favourite then?"
"Probably the John guy... I don't remember his name, but yeah. Him."
"...John Snow?"
"Yeah, him."
"Great choice, man. Great choice."
"What about you? Who do you like?" Jasper asked.
"Tyrion Lannister," Abc answers.
"Who is that?" Jasper asks casually.
Abc blinked twice. "...you don't remember him?"
"I, ah, don't remember him, yeah." Jasper laughed frankly.
"..." Abc stood speechless.
This conversation is more dry than the Sahara desert. They have known each other since childhood, yet the atmosphere between them is still painfully awkward. Jasper's phone rings.
"Sorry man. I really wanted to go to that sale with you."
"Let's meet again soon."
Abc nods in agreement as he steps off the bus.
Jasper stays on board. He has other plans.
Abc has walked barely fifteen meters when he suddenly hears a deafening bang.
The bus he was on moments ago has met with an accident.
Abc freezes, turning back slowly.
His eyes widened.
Just moments ago, he was chatting on that bus.
"...Jasper?"
The blast shakes him, of course it does. Anyone would freeze. Anyone would feel their chest tighten.
But the grief does not stay. Not for long.
At first, Abc stands still, his hands clenching.
His chest tightens, his heart racing.
He has never stood this close to death.
Something else begins to press into his thoughts.
Two strange incidents now.
Two days in a row.
Both are too sharp to overlook.
Jasper's death slips from his mind faster than it should.
Almost unnaturally fast.
And without realising it, Abc is already thinking about everything except Jasper.
Then it hits him.
"...Jasper."
Abc swallows once. A small rush of panic rises in his chest.
He looks at the wreck, searching for anyone who made it out, but no one does.
He does not cry.
He only feels the quiet, uncomfortable weight of losing a friend.