Ch.11 “Why?”

Jasmina’s POV

I stood up immediately from the chair. My bag fell from lap noisily to the floor. “What do you mean he’s missing?” I had shouted out in anger and I saw a variety of emotions shift all over his face. He pulled his glasses away and gently laid them on the table before standing up to address me. “His car is gone. He isn’t with his friends…he’s nowhere on camps; I checked. You were one of the last people he was with. Do you have any idea where he is?” I felt a sudden wave of disbelief and confusion pass over me. “I…he…I just, don’t know where he is.” He too began to look down at his feet as a sigh escaped his mouth.

He placed his hands on the desk while still maintaining his gaze with the floor. I heard soft sobs coming from him. I never thought I would see this man cry. “I can’t lose him. I’ve already lost his mother…I can’t lose him too.” I felt a pain in my chest for him, for myself as well. As much as U-Kwon had frustrated me and pissed me off….I knew I had feelings for him. I walked over to him and grabbed his hand. He looked up at me surprised. “Sir…I promise I will do what I can to find you son.” I didn’t want to waste valuable time by uttering more words. I began to exit the room. I was just through when I suddenly began clenching my fists. I could feel tears b in my eyes but I was too proud to let them fall. “Damn it U-Kwon” I mumbled under my breath.

U-Kwon’s POV

The liquid burned as I swallowed it down but I welcomed the affect it was beginning to have on me. I slammed the glass down onto the table and began laughing. “Give me another!” The bartender shot me a worried and annoyed look yet slid me another drink. “You should be lucky I’m even paying for these” I said as I brought the drink to my lips. The bartender turned away and began mixing various drinks for the few customers that were here. My phone kept vibrating in my pocket no doubt from the onslaught of calls and messages I was getting. I pulled it out and saw several missed called from the gang and even a few from Jasmina.

I scoffed turning the phone off and shoving it back in my pocket. Why would she even care? She probably hated me. Hell she had the right too. The thought of her hating me ensured that I drank down three more full glasses. Everything was toxic right now. My life was a waste. I had nothing and no one in it. Why did she have this affect on me? I looked at my shaky hands and could feel myself turning into some kind of monster. I brushed my hair out of my face and didn’t hesitate to gulp down another drink. “I think you’ve had enough.” I looked at the bartender and laughed directly in his face. I stood up wobbly from the chair and attempted to throw a punch at him.

He dodged easily as I went tumbling to the floor. I felt a pain in my leg where the cut was. Despite me trying to attack him, he still had the decency to help me back up. “I don’t need yours or anyone else’s help!” I shoved him away from me and messily made my way out of the bar. I stepped out of the bar and the cold wind hit my face. I felt a chill settle in the middle of my spine as small droplets of rain landed on my face. The weather seemed to be quite erratic lately. I stumbled into a small puddle and laid there for a moment before finally deciding to get back up. Great…another ruined suit.

I smiled slightly to myself remembering when Jasmina had first ruined my other suit. I fumbled grabbing my keys out of my pocket. I went to insert them into the car door but they fell out of my hands and went right down a sewer drain. “Just my luck” I said to no one but myself. I decided to ditch my dirty dress coat despite the cold weather. It honestly wasn’t that bad….kind of felt nice. My shoes clicked against the cement as I left the parking lot with a head full of thoughts.

Jasmina’s POV

I turned the radio down so I could focus more clearly on the road and everything around me. The night life was crowded and cars lined the streets everywhere. I lost count of how many times I got honked at for weaving in and out of traffic. I honestly hadn’t the slightest clue where I was going to find him. I decided to try and check all of the places that we had been together hoping that it would get me somewhere. I checked the ice rink and the hotel; nothing. I made my way to where the party had been held….once again nothing. I pulled into the back parking lot and began walking around.

Part of me felt like giving up but I couldn’t give up on him especially now. I went to circle back to my car when I saw U-Kwon’s car out of the corner of my eye. I instantly ran to it and checked inside. I pressed my head up against the window and saw nothing inside but darkness. I looked down and saw the jacket he had been wearing earlier covered in dirt on the ground.  I turned around at the sudden sound of a door closing and keys jiggling. The bartender was closing the place up for the night. “Excuse me…but have you seen my friend?” He turned to me somewhat expressionless. “I have to know what they were like to have seen them.” This seriously wasn’t the time for him to be sarcastic.

I ran back and grabbed the jacket off of the ground. “He was wearing this. He’s also kind of an ” I said while trying to hold back the sudden grin I felt wanting to creep across my lips. “Oh yeah…I know him” a smile came across his face and I couldn’t help but bring mine out as well. “He was here a little bit ago.” I perked up slightly. “Really? Where did he go?” He looked like he was getting annoyed but I didn’t care; I needed answers. I got into his face. “Look guy, I need to know where he is now!” He backed away slightly. “I don’t know…honestly. He left here about two hours ago completely a mess.” I gasped and walked away annoyed. Where the hell was he! Part of me wanted to kill him when I found him….if I found him. I couldn’t worry like that though.

I quickly made my way back to the car and got in. I gripped the wheel tightly and took a short moment to regain some sanity before I started the car and drove anywhere. With the car on I peeled out of the parking lot. I reached for my phone and tried dialing him once more; straight to voice mail. I threw the phone down but picked it back up once I heard it ring. “Did you find him?” I heard shuffling in the background and several voices. “No…we’ve been looking everywhere. I ran around all over campus and around all of the clubs on this side of town.” I sighed hearing Jessica’s words. “Why do I feel like this is my fault?” I slowed down my speed to better listen. “Jasmina it’s not your fault. Don’t worry we’re going to find him.” I felt those b tears again but held them back once more. “Come on Jessica we gotta keep looking.” I could hear one of the guys in the background talking to her.

“Gotta go Jasmina. Stay safe…we’ll find him.” She hung up and I sat my phone down on the seat. The streets had finally cleared. I’d been out for what felt like forever searching. The rain from earlier had stopped making it easier for me to see all that was around me. I to more and more empty streets than I would have hoped too. He would decide to go missing in one of the biggest cities. I shifted the car and to a bridge. I slowly crossed it looking down at the endless building before me. Strangely it was empty despite the usual bustle of the city.

I looked forward and saw a figure leaned up right by the edge. It was him! I slammed my foot on the gas and charged towards him. I slammed the brakes, put the car in park, and flew out of the car in an instant. He looked surprised by my sudden appearance but the look of surprise was replaced by a drunken façade. “Where the hell have you been? We’ve all been out looking for you!” I went to grab him but he shoved me away from. “Come on U-Kwon just get in the car….now is not the time for games.” He laughed as he stumbled from his stance.

U-Kwon’s POV

“I’m not going anywhere with you or anyone.” Every time I moved I felt more and more dizzy. I couldn’t stand in a still position for more than three seconds….hell I don’t think I couldn’t even count to three at the moment. “You’re drunk as hell, get in the car.” She put her hands on her hips…something my mother would have done. I smiled up at her but she didn’t look amused at all. “Why are you here Jasmina?” She looked at me questioningly and annoyed. “Trust me I have better things to do…I just need to get you home.” I backed up slowly to the short brick wall that served as a block. “You don’t care…no one does.” I looked over the edge and saw what seemed like an endless height beneath me. “U-Kwon….don’t. Step back to me.” She reached her arms out towards me but I ignored them.

“Just go away!” I screamed out to her but she ignored my screams and slowly made her way towards me. “I’m not leaving….I won’t leave you.” Those felt like fake words. “Everyone leaves! What makes you think you won’t?” I stared at her angrily but a look of compassion showed across her soft face. “I don’t know….I’m here right now though. I won’t leave you, I promise” I wanted to believe what she was saying but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I stepped up on the ledge. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” I went to step off but I heard a scream. Suddenly I felt her hands pulling me back and I hit the pavement hard.

I landed on top of her and sat up instantly. “Don’t you ever do something like that!” She wrapped her arms around me and began crying into my neck. Her tears were warm. Why did I love this girl? Why did she save me? I decided not to question anything else as I wrapped my arms back around her. I attempted to stand but fell back to the ground practically helpless. Jasmina rose from the ground and gently helped me up. She wrapped her arm around my waist and brought my shoulder around her neck in attempts to help me into her car. I felt a pain in my stomach and a burning sensation in my stomach. Suddenly the contents of my heavy drinking came spilling out of me.

I heaved as Jasmina kept her arm around me. “Just get it all out.” She ran her hand over my head comfortingly. I felt so sick and gross right now. I didn’t dare look into a mirror right now. “Let’s go get you cleaned up and get you some rest.” She opened the back door and slid me into the car buckling me in. I don’t understand why she was helping me….lord knows I didn’t deserve any of it. She hopped into the front seat and looked back at me through the rearview mirror. I muttered a thank you before passing out in the back seat of the car with a sharp pain building in my head. I was definitely going to regret tonight in the morning.