She couldn't take it anymore. The waves of impulses were getting higher and higher. She was overdosed. Without her control, she let her head out the window. She shouted unto the green planet. The dosage of euphoria was getting higher and milder.
"You stop."
She heard him curse loudly, but ignored him.
She continued feeling the cold breeze. She seemed to enjoy playing with every strand of her hair.
"Jasmine stop."
She turned her gazes looking back at him. But—
"AHHH…"
"NOO…"
The tires crinkled as the BMW uncontrollably pulled over the hills. The rocks fell; it shattered and weathered unto the Earth. The ferns slowly unleashed its roots. Huge green trees revealed their nudity. The surroundings began to rotate, but Jasmine felt no headache, for fear built up. She never heard him say anything. She was defeated by her own voice. She was left shocked. The entire Earth rotated quicker than its normal rotation. Her bile strode back and forth. Maintained a pan on her head. She heard something howled from the remote. She would like to check it, but whenever she did, she ended up wanting to puke. She pulled back her bile.
The car gave in— not too soon, but finally doom. Jasmine's head rotated; her vision blurred. Tears slowly pulled down from her eyelid when she saw drips of fresh red blood stains from the car. The heavens began to fall apart. The foggy surroundings were even more misted by the dripping raindrops of the skies. The green scenery at the remote slowly dulled. Gravity pulled them down.
"Ja--as mine…"
Jasmine could hear the familiarity of the voice. It seemed to route her from its lineage.
"Jasmine…" it said again.
The voice faded, and husked. When she turned to face him, a familiar image displayed. She almost forgot what she'd been through when she saw the person—.
"Hey, Jasmine. Wake Up."
"Wake Up."
"Jasmine."
"Huh."
Her eyes went back into reality. She eyed him from the corner of her eyes and rested her head.
"Are you okay?"
He touched her forehead for examination. His hands felt heavy and rough, but she could sense comfort. The lines in his forehead grew. She could smell his masculine scent. The next thing she did was beyond her control—
Jasmine hugged him, like a daughter happy to meet her father after a long time of separation. She sobbed in his chest. She could feel his hands on her head. He gently brushed his hands on her head.
"I'm scared." I
Jasmine soaked herself in his chest. Hot saline liquid started to drip from her eyes.
"Shh, it'll be fine."
He hushed her.
"How?" Jasmine's voice was hoarse.
"Do not cry. Do not worry about anything."
Jasmine didn't say anything. She let the air throw comments in state. Her emotions were piling up again.
"We are already here. We get out now once you're done. Hush now."
"We are already here. We get out now once you're done. Hush now."
His voice was soft and low, audible enough to penetrate her eardrums. It felt like she was lying in the bed of cotton. She felt the gentle strokes of rough hands in her silken hair. It was then the moment she realized that her hands encircled around him so tight. She let loose her arms.
"It's okay," he continued stroking in her hair.
Icy sweats began to unleash from her sweat glands.
"I'm okay now," she muttered.
Yet, he didn't seem to listen.
"You know what, I also once had a daughter…"
"Once had?"
"Yes, once had."
"She was also like you," he continued.
"Where is she now?"
She slowly loosened her grip on her arms encircling in him, and met his eyes.
"Gone." His voice was rasped, difficult to scribble those words like something was stuck in his throat.
"Gone?"
The sweats started to dry on her forehead.
"She vanished. Escaped. Had none."
He gritted his teeth every period he'd taken.
"I'm so--sorry to hear…"
"Belinda."
She stopped, glued her eyes on, those pair of eyes deeply focused on the vacant road.
"What did you say again?"
Jasmine tried to regain her composure and fathomed his complexion. She could barely eye him for the nth time— sharply staring at the transparent black pane of the BMW. She registered his face on her mind. Lines were visible in his forehead; his face was flabby, it shrunk due to the loosening of fat; wrinkles were already visible. Her face was tanned and creased. The earlier serious sardonic handsome facial complexion was superseded with dry leathered subtle hue. Jasmine's eyes had sensed tiny fragments of black hair on his face, a mustache was beginning to grow back on his shaven face. His nose was broad. She lifted her eyes to meet his; it was full and lively but not big. She struck out when those brown Phoenix eyes perfectly suited her. She noticed nothing, even the dried cheeks that were loose from his eyelids.
He looked familiar. She blinked her eyes but remained seeing the same eyes when she opened them again.
"Daddy, please don't." Jasmine heard a sharp voice out of nowhere.
"No worry darling, everything will be fine."
"Daddy, don't. Please."
"Everything will be okay."
"Jasmine?"
She was cut off. The voice was gone.
Then she head something fell on the car. It was an old piece of photograph. She moved her hands to grab it, but before she could act, he gripped her hands, and let the photograph dribble towards the floor.
"We better get out now."
The ambiance changed as nothing had occurred. It appeared that time had shifted with no permit.
He didn't wait for her answer, paddled back the engine to the driveway, and moved towards the basement parking lot. He moved out first and accompanied her.
***
"It's been a long time."
It couldn't be, she thought. The familiar voice went into her ears. She zeroed her eyes on the man leaning at the door of the car.
"Austin?"
Time stopped. Her feet were fastened on her shoes. Her eyes widened, not in terror, but an unexplainable shot of delight. She knew within her heart what its roaring rhythmic melody spoke.
"Are you just gonna stand there and look at me here?"
He grinned, fidgeting with the car keys in his right hand.
"Ms. Shakkira Ballesteros, wake up. You aren't dreaming."
He let out a forced yawn.
Adrenaline rushed on her body; her heart dilated; red stains collaborated with the light make-up blushed in her cheeks. She drew a warm smile and strode her feet as quickly as she got the next minute.
"Austin, you are for real." She hugged him.
"You miss me that much, huh?"
She blushed and awkwardly resisted the hug.
"Hey?"
"I'm out."
"I'm going to meet someone," she continued.
"Isn't that someone like me?" He choked back his laughter.
"Definitely."
She moved her eyes on the busy streets.
"Prove me you aren't lying."
He neared his eyes on her.
"I ain't."
Her eyes were still jerking on the busy streets. The wailing siren of the ambulance made her eyes blink, as it passed by not giving her a warning.
He grabbed her by the arm. "Oh, that was close."
His body was still leaning on the car door, but his left hand was now grabbing her. She was unbalanced, and couldn't be processed in her mind that she was already an inch apart from him. She could sense her short height, only a length of his chin. She could smell his masculine scent.
"Still using the same perfume," she senselessly mumbled.
"For it reminds me of you," he chopped his words spoken in baritone towards her ears.
She left unable to respond; she felt uneven; she couldn't catch her breath.
"I miss you Shakkira… Missing you so much."
He nibbled on her ears.
She turned back to him when her muscles received the impulse from his bite.
"Aus…"
Her throat dried.
He let their position be struck along with the passing vehicles on the crowded street. He didn't articulate any word, nor did he syllabicate anything explaining his gestures. She was also speechless.
"Tsk."
The moment held finality.
Raindrops slowly evacuated down to the earth. The sky roared on the horizon. It darkened.
"We better get inside."
He pulled away from their closure and went inside the car, while she was statue.
"Shakkira, get in," he called her from the inside. His voice was soundless, so she didn't hear.
He opened the window and called her again.
"Shakkira, get in."
She woke up and went inside.
The rain dripped thicker from the dim skies. It soaked half a quantity of her clothes.
"You're soaking wet. You should have been alerted." He almost cringed seeing the draining moisture; he offered her the tissue paper.
"Thanks," she pulled it.
"I have no any extra clothes here."
"As usual," she mumbled.
"Settled with the tissues first. I'll take you to the boutique."
"You don't have to. I'm fine with this."
"No more complaints. We'll go ahead."
He began turning on the engine.
"I said it is fine. Don't belittle me, doctor."
She took off her upper garments. His jaw dropped when he turned to face her.
"Give me the pillow."
He grabbed it at the backseat and offered it to her.
"We aren't transparent right?"
"Yeah."
"Problem solved."
She hugged the pillow, which covered her nude body, and positioned herself properly facing the road.
"Let's go now," she signaled him to go.
Then, the engine crunched for a leave.