"Jazmine-chan. Focus your breathing. You must direct your energy from within and let it flow through your body. That is how you achieve peace."
"I'm trying!"
"Shhh. Not so loud."
Miho and Jazmine are in a meditative pose. She invited Miho over to hangout and study in her apartment. To find herself doing some sort of weird meditation technique has been quite a bizarre turn of events.
"Breath..."
Jazmine follows her advice and tries to inhale slowly.
"Breath." Miho repeats.
She tries again.
Miho coaches her. "Please... be more natural."
"I can't!"
"All I can say Jazmine-chan is... that you are a very troubled person. Or you have too much energy. I really cannot tell."
Jazmine laughs. "Sorry can't help it."
"Goodness me... you are a young adult, how are you failing so badly at breathing? So troublesome."
In a way, Miho reminds her a lot about Huey. She's stoic as a rock. All that Jazmine can do is giggle at her muttering.
Jazmine apologizes "Sorry! Maybe I can make us some tea and we can just go back to studying."
"Okay dokie. Enough meditations. Let's go back to work."
It's a simple day just like that. It's one of those many moments in life where a person just goes through the motions. She has breakfast, she goes to class, then she has freetime at home. It's simple living that Jazmine would've been accustomed to if it wasn't for Huey.
Huey isn't really someone who would sit idly and just do nothing all day. He keeps drilling to her mind about 'living each day like it's the last' which is something that Miho agreed to and complimented on his wisdom.
"Interesting. Who told you that saying?"
"My boyfriend."
"Ah yes... the imaginary boy that we haven't seen before?" Miho teases her.
"Gah! I don't want to talk about boys! I want to study!"
She smirks. "I have a quote as well. It is 'stay hungry, stay foolish.'"
"Miho, I don't really know what to do with quotes like that... where does it come from?"
"It's a quote from Jobs-san. Steve Jobs, I mean."
Jazmine taps her cheek. "Oh. Stay hungry, stay foolish?"
"You must always be hungry for success. And you must always be eager to learn like a fool. It is a wise saying, we have one similar in Japan."
"Well. I'm hungry."
"You are always hungry." Miho agrees.
She jokes. "Does that mean I am wise if I'm hungry?"
"Sure. You are very wise. Almost as wise as Steve Jobs."
"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic!" Jazmine giggles.
"Oh! That reminds me!" Miho exclaims.
"What is it?"
"My big brother is coming to visit in a few months! He is a very sarcastic man!" Miho's true accent slips through when she starts talking about her brother.
"That's great. Is he from Japan?"
"No no. He is a businessman in California. He was the one who taught me that quote. He's very very wise."
"Oohh. Tell me about him then." Jazmine looks at all the lecture notes on the table. Studying can wait, she's more privy to girl talk at the moment.
"His name is Hiro. He's very smart but a very bad trickster. He always pulls pranks with the teachers in school."
"That's funny. What did he do?"
"No no. It is horrible. We respect our teachers alot. My brother is umm... evil? Yes. He's really evil sometimes."
"Oh. He's evil?" She pictures Hiro as an Asian version of Riley.
"There was one time where he hacked into the computers of the school. He was like a mastermind and he played pranks on the school computers. The poor teachers could not figure out his identity."
Jazmine looks surprised. "What? Did he change anyone's grades?"
"No... he did not change grades. He only plays jokes and not for cheating. And there was no need because he was very smart. He runs a computer company."
"Oh... okay. Are you proud of him?"
"He is annoying. But I am very proud." Miho smiles.
"Maybe I can meet Hiro someday then."
"One day you can. He is coming home for Christmas. I will have to be ready for his pranks."
Jazmine has never seen Miho so energetic before. She was always this gloomy and quiet girl who keeps to herself but when she starts talking about her brother, her face is almost glowing, Jazmine has found out that she has a very wonderful dimple in her smile.
Do Asians have dimples? Jazmine has seen a lot of smiles in her day, but Miho is actually very sweet once she starts opening up to people.
Perhaps this is the same look she gives to people whenever she brings up the topic of Huey. She's always gotten compliments on her smile that way, sometimes it got the attention of guys whenever her face starts glowing and her giggles echo throughout the room. How many times does she have to tell them that she's in a long distance relationship! A girl isn't allowed to be happy and cute without soliciting a response from guys!
Jazmine teases back. "Perhaps this 'Hiro' is imaginary. I'll only be convinced when I see him."
"Hush Jazmine-chan!" Miho playfully punches her arm.
Caesar's date didn't really go so well. To everyone's shock and horror, her friend Jillian didn't really click with him.
Over the weekends, they were more or less avoiding each other and Jazmine was left to simply observe and act as the mediator between her friend and Mr. Woodcrest Wonder.
It was very weird. Caesar got along with her cousin Adrian can't well but it doesn't seem to extend to Jillian. For reasons still unknown, they both decided not to pursue a second date.
Such is life anyways. Some things are just never meant to be, and more often than not, a first date isn't guaranteed to have a sequel. Jazmine has never really been in those waters before. For some reason, she's embarassed to admit that she has never dated anyone else before. Anyone else except for her 'imaginary boyfriend' so she's a little inexperienced in that department.
"I'm just destined to die alone I guess." Caesar shrugs.
"Oh don't say that Caesar! I'm sure you'll find the lucky gal! A girl would be lucky to be with someone like you!"
"Nah... it's hopeless! I'm doomed!" Caesar jokes, making light of the situation.
She giggles back. "Come on. Stop being so shy. Let's meet up with our friends."
The two have been sharing a sibling bond over the time they spent in uni together. She learned to do Caesar's hair for him since his mother is usually an hour's drive away back in Woodcrest. From then on, their friendship just naturally moved forward from their frequent hairstyling sessions.
Caesar is from Jamaica and like Huey, he has a troubled past with his parents. He mentioned how his mother partly blamed herself for Granddad's death and how his dad got a new son from the girl he was cheating on.
Caesar doesn't really know what to think about having a half-brother. He saw his picture from a postcard in the mail. Was he supposed to be happy? Was he supposed to write down a reply? His dad cheated on his mom and with the divorce they moved to America to make a better life for themselves. The whole thing is a lot more sad than a silly little breakup between friends.
"I kinda... feel bad for you Caesar..."
"Really? How so?" He lifts an eyebrow.
"Well... Cindy."
He groans. "Uhuh."
"Then Jillian."
"No big deal." He smiles.
"How do you manage to make jokes and be happy about everything? Even when it's sad, you still find a reason to smile."
Caesar shows his white pearly teeth. Maybe Adrian and Caesar can have a contest to see who has the whiter teeth. He laughs. "I don't know. You don't need a reason to smile I guess... you just need to keep pushing forward and be happy. There's no use to being miserable you know?"
No use being miserable.
She responds. "Huh. I guess so."
"I kinda have to thank you actually."
"Why?" She asks.
"Well you smile a lot. And you're always so innocent and energetic all the time."
"Hmm? I guess." Jazmine giggles.
"See?! You're giggling all the time! All I'm saying is that I learned from the best."
"Well. You're welcome. It never really occurred to me I guess... so you're happy because you see me happy all the time?"
Caesar rubs the back of his head. "I mean... I wouldn't phrase it like that."
"I'll take that as a yes then! You're really sweet Caesar. I know that when you find the right one, she'd be happy to be with a smiling goofball like you."
"Heh- Thanks. And umm... I uhh..."
"What is it Caesar?"
"I decided that I'm not gonna share my dad's name anymore... Caesar was my father's last name."
"Oh. I see." Jazmine nods.
"Just call me Michael."
"I like Michael better." She smiles. "Let's get back to our friends k?"
Sara without an H nearly had a heart attack when the group discussed the process on becoming a licensed veterinarian.
"YOU'RE TELLING ME WHAT?!"
The whole process of getting the license and taking the oath is actually a pretty grueling task all things considered. It isn't a simple 4 year degree like some other jobs require.
To become a veterinarian requires 4 years of advanced math and biology. Then you have to be on a competitive waiting list for medical school. And then you also need job experience with a clinic on top of that. And then you start actual vet school to get a certificate.
At the end of it all you get licensed and certified—somewhere along the way you take some sort of doctor's oath but for animals.
The whole process made Jazmine dizzy when Huey gave her a lecture on those things. Understandibly, her friend looks like she is almost going to faint.
"I NEED TO DO WHAT?!" Sara panics.
Jillian looks confused. "You... didn't know? Sara you're a 2nd year student..."
"I didn't know! *gasps* I'm not gonna be a vet till I'm 50!"
"Well you have to work as a nurse or assistant for a couple years before you get your medical license... A veterinary nurse is pretty much the same thing but with less pay."
"But- But-"
"Relax Sara!" Jillian chuckles. "Have you ever seen a 21 year old doctor? It's completely normal! It's the same thing with judges and politicians."
"But! How am I gonna meet my hunky veterinarian hubby when I'm only an assistant! There's like vet meetups and stuff and you go to these conferences for vets. Like a convention and you discuss medical care and stuff! How am I supposed to get in when I'm only an assistant!"
Miho utters curses in Japanese. "Goodness me Sara... please don't tell you're serious."
All this time, Adrian has been doing his studies. As the group lounge around the local diner, with food and drinks laid out on the table, Adrian is at a different table from the others.
He seems to be doing his biology homework. He told her before that he has a lot of schoolwork to do.
Adrian yells from afar. "Being a doctor is harder!"
Adult life is something that Jazmine still can't wrap her head around. Only a few years ago, she was still depending on her parents and her only worries in life was getting good grades and what clothes she was going to wear.
She didn't had to worry about taxes. She didn't had to worry about 'long-term career goals' and everyday is a minor struggle to simply feed herself. Her mom was usually the one who cooks all the food but the simple fact that she has to plan her meals, go to the store, and actually cook the food has been something that she has definitely taken for granted.
Adrian looks so lonely sitting in the booth by himself.
"Hey." Jazmine walks up. "Mind if I sit?"
"Sure."
"I hate being an adult." She crosses her arms and slouches on the leathery seat. "How are you managing?"
"Well like Jill said. I'm ambitious I guess." Adrian points to all the paperwork on the table.
"Huh- Good luck on that." It reminds her when Huey is working at his office. Adrian's papers is tiny compared to the colossal stacks from Huey.
"Thanks. I'm basically drowning here." He smiles, as the rest of her group laugh at Sara without the H's complete bafflement. They're teasing and gossiping as always. Even Caesar and Jill are going along well despite a bad date.
Jazmine asks. "Why do you have such a good accent? You said you were from Ghana."
"I am. What do you mean accent?"
"I don't want to be rude, but you don't have an African accent. Your english is really perfect."
"Oh! That." Adrian exclaims in agreement. "My mom is actually white. She's from the UK. Ghana was a former colony and so our schools taught us English at an early age."
"You're mixed?"
"Yeah." He responds.
She exclaims excitedly. "Me too!"
"I know it doesn't seem like I'm mixed, it does come as a surprise I guess. I used to be brown-skinned but years in the African sun gave me a lot of melanin." Adrian smiles. "You're mixed as well?"
"I have bi-racial parents. My mother is white too."
"Cool. I like your puffy hair."
She smiles. "Thanks... I like your... skin?" Jazmine laughs. "Sorry! That came out wrong!"
Adrian laughs along. "Thanks I guess! Say... can I call you Jaz?"
"Sure. Now tell me... what the heck did our bio professor talk about? I completely forgot everything that she said...
It's become a ritual for Jazmine to watch Huey's speeches whenever the news channel decides to live broadcast his events. She has popcorn and a #1 foam finger and when Huey finishes she would do a standing ovation in front of the TV. It's actually really fun but to any outside witnesses it would've come across as absolutely crazy.
Perhaps Jazmine has gone crazy ever since he left to do his political work. She can't even describe what his job is to other people. Sometimes he's a charity organizer or sometimes he's advocate for proletariats or an anti-government anarchist. There's really no use putting a label on Huey at this point that even the news is unsure what to call him.
"Look guys! It's my boyfriend!"
She has the girls trapped in her apartment. She managed to invite them to watch Huey's speech together. It's just a small little get-together to finish off Friday.
"YAY! HUEY! YAAAYYYY!" Jazmine cheers when he shows up on the screen.
Miho scoffs while Sara drools all over her shirt. It kinda made Jazmine jealous that other women see him as attractive. She feels disgusted and icky whenever celebrity talk shows obsess over him like little girls on the playground.
"Sara. Close your mouth." Miho sighs.
"Eeep! Sorry!"
Most people haven't actually seen the real Huey Freeman. In fact, she's pretty sure she's the only one in the world who knows his true self. She feels special in that way—it's her own little secret that she won't ever tell.
People just see him as this muscular drop-dead gorgeous genius, who has brains, brawn, money, and the complete package deal straight out of every woman's fantasy. He's the kind of man that gets born every century or so, the kind of man who's so insanely talented that they change the course of history.
That's what people think of him. A famous person. Like a Julius Caesar or an Albert Einstein. But to Jazmine he's just a really troubled man who desparately needed a hug and a shoulder to cry on. Deep down he's a really sweet and kind man who's just seen too much evil in the world.
Once again, Jazmine finds it really difficult to put any labels on him but all his achievements are laid bare for all to see. She can't deny that he's amazing at what he does. And while she's sitting in her comfy apartment surrounded by friends, he's out there in an evening rally; with a dozen cameras, and a crowd of supporters, all there watching him perform his speech.
Sara is still drooling, Miho is nodding at every sentence, and Jillian is just listening in silence to the live broadcast.
We are in a feudalist society. Of kings and peasants. Of lords and serfs. Our nation is nearing it's 250th birthday and yet is this the life that was envisioned by our forefathers? People are wage slaves, struggling day-by-day to make ends meet in a country who keeps calling itself the land of the free.
What kind of freedom does the single mother have when she has thousands of debt from medical bills?
What kind of freedom does the rape victim have when she's forced to conceive the child of her rapist?
The goddamn irony that we play our anthem in schools! The fucking disgrace when our children start the school day after hearing the words 'land of the free'. Our democracy is a hypocrisy and our government can't even decide if a school shooting is simply a tragedy or a preventable hazard!
She gets another flashback in her head. On a warm sunny day in Woodcrest. Even when he was only 10 years old he was already doing this kind of work. Always talking and speaking his mind about virtually every single thing wrong about the world.
A young Huey sits on top of a soap box. "Prozacs could lead to suicide..."
A young Jazmine is behind her makeshift stall. "But lemonade can lead to smiles. Which can cause dimples!"
Jazmine smiles at the memory. Huey sat on a box and handed out brochures for the whole afternoon while she had setup a lemonade stand. To think that a decade later he would be doing the same exact thing but this time his voice is finally getting heard.
The crowd chant his name, 2 syllables literally boomed across the TV. "Freeman! Freeman! Freeman!"
Jazmine points to the TV dramatically. "See guys?! He's real!"
Jillian laughs. "Okay Jazmine! It was a joke! Of course he's real!"
Miho chuckles as well. "Goodness me... you dragged us all the way here to watch this..."
Jazmine pouts. "Well did you guys have fun at least?"
Everyone groans. "We're so sick of you talking about your boyfriend..." Miho shakes her head fervently.
"We're long distance!"
Jillian mockingly grins. "So?!"
Jazmine lazily argues. "But he's real!"
"You are the most boy-crazy woman I have ever seen." Miho rolls her eyes.
"I liked it! He's hot!"
All eyes turn to Sara. Miho throws a pillow at her.
It wasn't really too fancy. It was just a simple 30 minute gathering to prove to them that her boyfriend is real. She promised free vegan food and because of her last video chat with Huey, she promised that she would hand out his educational brochures about a new upcoming Congress bill.
Miho is the first to leave, having spent her 'daily quota for spending time with people'. Then after half an hour, Sara without the H waves goodbye and packed a bunch of leftovers to take home.
Jazmine and Jillian are left but thankfully she decides to help her do the dishes.
Jillian dries the plates with a cloth. "It was fun by the way... but hopefully I wasn't so rude..."
"What do you mean?"
"We're just joking about your long distance thing... I'm sure it must be hard for you. Being far away from him."
"Yeah... it's hard. Sometimes I just can't get him out of my head!" Jazmine giggles more than she should have.
"Right... but I hope we weren't being too rude when we teased you. Sorry."
Jazmine accepts her apology. "It's okay. I don't mind."
"Good." Jillian smiles.
It turned a bit silent after her talk. The subtle drips of the water, the slight brushing between their elbows while they work on drying their newly-washed dishes.
It's just these simple moments in life that she's been taught to stop and listen. To just catch yourself in the endless flow of life and think about where you are. Jazmine notices the dust culminating at the kitchen cabinets, the soft hum of her fridge, and the steadiness of Jillian's breath.
Perhaps this is what heightened senses mean? She's been practicing meditation and enlightenment from the small sessions she's had with Huey a few years ago.
"Hey Jill?"
"Yeah?"
"What happened with your date with Caesar?"
It's been a week since their date. Her friends saw that surprise coming from a mile away because their chemistry had been so obvious. Now the two broke off what would've been such a cute romance without an explanation of why. Although Jazmine isn't really the type to interfere in people's business, it's been a question she's been wanting to ask for a week now.
Jazmine repeats her question. "Why did you break up so soon?"
Jillian sighs. "It's... because of you."
Jazmine looks shocked. "Me?"
"Yeah..." Jillian is normally in a happy mood but this time her voice gets somber.
She asks in a polite manner. "Please. Tell me."
"Michael kept talking about you during the date... I wasn't really expecting him to talk about you so much. But we did."
"What did he say?"
"Oh.. just stories and stuff you did together... all nice things about you. That's why... I just- lost interest in Michael."
Jazmine worries. "I only see him as a friend! Jill, you know that!"
"I know. But the way he talked about you... it made me jealous. Doesn't the guy know not to talk about other girls during a date?"
"He doesn't go on dates often! He doesn't know."
Jill sighs. "I think he has feelings for you. I'm not interested in dating a guy who's still looking at other women you know? If you really wanted to know what happened to our date then there's your answer."
"I don't think Caesar has feelings for me..." Maybe it's just a whole misunderstanding. She's never seen him in that way. Maybe Jillian is just overreacting and simply hurt that Caesar broke an important dating rule.
Jillian immediately apologizes. "Just umm... I'm sorry if that came off mean."
"No... it's okay."
"Just finish the rest... I'm gonna go." She takes her purse and after a short while, Jillian opens the door and pauses at the exit.
Jazmine finished the chore and is sitting at a dining chair, still digesting Jillian's words. So that's why Jillian and Caesar broke off so suddenly. So that's why they're still on good terms in what was supposed to be a disastrous first date.
Caesar has feelings for her? She highly doubts that. She talked to him this morning. They're close of course, they're the only two people in university who came from Woodcrest and she's the shoulder he cried on when he had his breakup with Cindy.
Huey barely cried. She's seen a smile from him. Even a laugh. But the only time she's seen a few droplets was whenever he mourned at Granddad's grave.
Caesar was different. He bawled his eyes out like a raging river. The man was truly hurt when he found out that he was just Riley's substitute. It was weird to see someone so strong and so prideful be deduced to a sobbing mess. The Jamaican guy who was all about fun and messed with the police for a laugh chose to cry to Jazmine when he had a broken heart.
It's a testament to how close she is with him. Caesar was the shoulder she cried on when she found out her parents' divorce. Jazmine was the shoulder he cried on when Cindy basically cheated on him with Riley. Why would Cindy cheat on him with her ex?
Jillian is still standing at the exit, her eyes drift towards a pondering Jazmine. "Your life is perfect. Did you know that?"
Jazmine's thoughts get interrupted. "I don't know what you mean."
"You're pretty. You have beautiful afro hair but your skin is almost pale. You have a rich boyfriend that sends you cash and nice guys like Michael go crazy for you! Hell, even my cousin Adrian has a thing for you. You're even vegan! I can't even take 2 bites of a salad before I start giving up!"
"I- I'm sorry?" She can fully relate to Jill's complaints. She has the same insecurities that Jazmine had when she was younger.
Jillian scoffs enviously. "Jazmine..."
"I- I- Jill... I'm so- so- sorry..."
Jill sighs. "Forget it... I apologize for my outburst... I'm gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow okay?"
Jazmine is too stunned to speak. Caesar has a crush on her? Wait Adrian? Her world is far from collapsing but she's a little shocked at the revelation that she's been the cause of so much stress in someone's life.
She didn't mean to interfere with Jill's date but it all made sense to her. But for the record, she likes Caesar as a friend and she's in a committed relationship with someone else, she can't believe that she has to have a serious talk about Caesar's feelings in the future.
She didn't even notice Jillian closing the door behind her. She's left alone in the apartment to ponder the gravity of her situation.