Melissa silently entered her hotel room. Heaving and head heavy with all the memories clashing in her brain, she leaned back on the door and remained there with a blank expression on her face. Moments ago, she had a worded battle with Jasmine. Her best friend insisted on getting a single room for them both—Melissa refused. She knows Jasmine is only requesting for a single room because she wanted to keep an eye on her—that, Melissa cant agree upon.

She needed to be alone. Not that she plans to do anything stupid, but because she needed to fully regained her mental strength, for she believes, her brain has turned into mush.

Having Jasmine around is a blessing, but Melissa's thoughts and disturbed memories are hers alone. She cannot drag Jasmine inside her muddled head.

It is enough to have her best friend stand beside her on the day of the party.

She dragged her gaze across the room and her eyes fell on the neatly made bed. She spent a large amount of time sleeping during their trip because Jasmine did most of the driving, but still, she felt sleepy. Her head feels so heavy, she struggled to make her way to the bed. Once she reached the edge of the soft mattress, she fell limply and faded off to sleep.

(November 2002)

Melissa held her breath as Michael came into view. Her thirteen year old heart thumping erratically on her chest made her body shiver—forcing her legs wooble, she nearly fell on her knees.

"Right, it's time for us to leave." Mika murmured from behind her. The guys with Michael must have thought the same thing, for they too, started to walk towards a different direction—obviously,away from her and Michael.

It took a full minute before Michael reached her. He smiled and held out his hand while saying, "Did Mika say anything to you?"

Melissa answered with a nod. She didn't have the courage to say anything. All she felt was nervousness and the numbing of her senses. She didn't even notice that she and Michael are now holding hands and he was leading her towards a dark corner of the playground.

He sat them both on a ground covered with berduda grass, then he said something, but she failed to hear it.

Then he spoke a bit louder. This time she heard him say "It took a lot of courage to meet you. I hope you can give me an answer. Is it okay if I court you?"

Despite the darkness of their surroundings, Melissa can see him clearly. He appears sincere, and the way he asked permission to court her, held no joke or malice. His obsidian eyes have no trace of indecision, his hands never released hers while looking her straight in the eye.

Amidst the thunderous beating of her heart and shivering body, Melissa answered yes.

He gave her a cute boyish smile and whispered, "I hope my courting will have a good outcome." He said those words sweetly and full of hope, and if it didn't make her look like an easy girl, she would have asked him not to bother with whole courting thing. She would have happily agreed to be his girlfriend at very that moment.

Ringing...

Ringing..

The sound woke her and saved her preciously breaking heart from the dream. Slowly, she opened her eyes only to be assaulted by a ray of light which came from the slightly opened curtain of her hotel room window.

She lazily got out of bed and went to the phone. Upon answering, Jasmine's worried voice greets her ears.

"Bitch, I have been knocking on your door for over an hour. I was close to begging the front desk for a spare key!" She yelled.

Melissa smiled to herself. How lucky she is to have Jasmine with her.

Clearing her throat, she answered, "I'm sorry Jas, I was in deep sleep. I'll be out in a minute."

"No, I want you to open your door right now!" Her friend ordered.

Not wanting to argue further, Melissa said yes and hung up the phone. She slowly made her way towards the door and upon opening it, Jasmine's angry face greeted her.

"I thought you killed yourself. Do have any idea how worried I was?" Jasmine muttered as she made her way inside Melissa's room.

Unable to give a reply just yet, Melissa took a moment to study her friend. Jasmine's hair is tossled, it looks like she had been pulling and scratching at her scalp. Her lashes are damp, which is an indictator that she had been crying. Melissa couldn't help but feel guilty. Had she been so down and depressed, to a point where her best friend deem it necessary to feel on edge about everything she does?

"I'm sorry Jas," Melissa whispered, hoping it is enough to calm her.

Jasmine gazed at her bestfriend. She has no dark circles under her eyes, which is good, It meant Melissa actually spent the night sleeping. Her skin didn't look blotch nor is her eyes puffy. Smiling to herself, she realised—maybe, she did over react.

It was almost one o'clock in the afternoon when Jasmine and Melissa left the hotel. They decided to have lunch at a near-by restaurant called Martha's kitchenette.

Melissa tried to eat in silence but the constant gaze Jasmine was giving her made her drop her spoon to confront her friend's silent question.

"What is it Jas?" Melissa asked irritably.

It took a moment for Jasmine to voice her thoughts. It is bad enough that Melissa had to face her long time love, but being in her home town, Jasmine can't help but ask the question, "Aren't you going to visit your parents?"

The pregnant silence that followed made Jasmine regret her words. If Melissa lacked the strength to face Michael, facing her family needs another level of courage.

"No," Melissa whispered, and Jasmine swore, she heard her friend's heart break.