Summer breeze, makes me feel fine

Blowing through the jasmine in my mind

Summer breeze, makes me feel fine

Blowing through the jasmine in my mind.

The mellow words drifting through my mind as I drove along the deserted highway. Images of how my mother would always sing along to the Seals and Croft song played in my car as I drove down the long deserted highway. Tears threatened to escape as the song played on. It's funny how in life, simple things most people take for granted are the things you remember the most once somebody is gone. Granted I was never the best son growing up. Like most children I went through the I'm so embarrassed by you stage.

You see my mom was blind making her eye's look almost white. I hated her… to me, she was such an embarrassment. She ran a small shop in our little village mainly consisting of home remedies for cold's and things that she created out of herbs from her garden. In the summer she collected little weeds, shell's by the ocean and whatnot's sometimes to sell at local craft shows and flea markets… anything for the money we needed to survive. Though the village loved her, I on the other hand was mortified by her. 

There was this one day during elementary school. I remember that it was career day and my mom came. I was so embarrassed at the time. How could she do this to me I wondered. I threw her a hateful look not that she could see it and ran out. The next day at school… “Your mom's creepy? How could you bare to look at her with those creepy eye's!” they taunted me.

I had wished that my mom would just disappear from this world so being the bad son I was I said to my mom,

“Mom, why can't you get that fixed. You’re making me a laughing stock. Why don’t you just die?”

My mom did not respond. I guess, I felt a little bad at the time but at the same time, it felt good to think that I had said what I’d wanted to say all this time. Maybe it was because my mom hadn’t punished me, I thought that I hadn't hurt her feelings.

Regrettably I had never been more wrong, that night… I woke up, and went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She sat there crying, so quietly, as if she was afraid that she might wake me. I took a look at her and then turned away in shame. Because of the thing I had said to her earlier, there was something pinching at me in the corner of my heart. I had learned something new that night, something I carried with me always that night.

It is not that the eyes are blind, but the hearts. I was the one who was blind because I only saw her exterior.

Even though I hated my mom and our desperate poverty. I realized that the one's who picked on others were the blind ones. They were to blind to see my mother for the happy strong soul she was. I learned the hard way that the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing at all and that was exactly what I did. I allowed my school mates to tease and taunt her because I was too much of a coward to defend her. Why? Because I was afraid I would have no friends. Saddest part was I was still alone and lonely in spite of all that.

You're probably wondering why am I mentioning my mother? It's all in thanks to her I met the one woman who became my truest friend. As I stated before we were poor and out of all the things I remember the most, are the old memories of warm bonfires toasting marshmallows, rainy days that always felt sunny and first kisses and that's where my love story began.

Seunghyun watched the tiny drops as they landed against the train window as the world zipped pass by. Inch by inch the train raced on stopping closer to their destination. His excited feeling grew closer, his adrenaline pumped through his veins. This was the first time he had ever left the small village and couldn't help but be excited. Due to all the hard rain though the train was delayed.

It was late at night by the time they reached the cabin's. His mother had already paid and he wasn't about to give up and go back just because they were late. After all they already made it thus far. Hopefully they would understand about the delay and not give their room away. Seunghyun took in his surroundings and breathed in the freedom he was finally experiencing. Paying the cab driver he grabbed his duffel bag and ran as fast as he could inside through the pouring rain. The first thing he noticed was the attendant behind the desk was a girl his age. Her hair covered her face and looked like she hadn't brushed it in a while. 

"May I help you?" The front desk attendant asked him flipping through another page of her magazine before darting her eyes past him.

"I'm checking in." Seunghyun answered annoyed dropping his bag by his feet. 

"Name?" The girl asked curtly. She looked up and immediately dropped her magazine and focused intently on Seunghyun looking.

"Seunghyun Choi." He answered. He shifted uncomfortably under the girl's staring as she chewed her gum loudly. "Is there something wrong?"

"You have a bugger hanging out of your nose." she laughed.

Flustered at the rude girls outlandish behavior Seunghyun quickly ducked and wiped his nose with his shirt hoping no one noticed. Looking up his face instantly flushed out of awkwardness. She had been leaning over the desk watching him with a smirk on her face holding a tissue in her hand.

"Your funny." she giggled.

"And your weird." he blurted out

"Well," she paused. "You look stupid." She shrugged it off like it was no big deal and began looking through a book on the desk. He assumed it was the appointment book.

"I'm sorry sir, but your name isn't on here."

Was she for real? he wondered.

"But I do have an Elizabeth Choi." she smirked.

"That's my mom and the reservation is under her name." he answered gritting his teeth.

"Oh you mean to tell me the pretty blind lady, who that the cab driver helped instead of you is your mother." she huffed looking at him like he was gum stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

Embarrassed he looked down at his shoes feeling uncomfortable and a bit foolish by the girl.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place. Here's your room key." the girl said handing him the key." she half smiled still looking at him like he was Satan himself before going into a full out laugh.

"You should see your face right now." she teased. "Your lucky your cute, next time please show some manners." she grinned going back to her teenie bop magazine.

Flabbergasted Seunghyun just groaned and smiled taking the key's from the counter and walked away. He only managed to take a few steps before the girl ran once more.

"Oh and by the way, you never had a bugger in your nose. I said that because I thought it would be funny and by the way since I know your name, my name is."

"I don't care." he stated cutting her off.

That was my first impression of her. I couldn't help but snicker as I drove down the highway. At the time I wistfully wanted that moment to fad from my memory forever and never in my life run into that girl ever again. Thankfully that didn't happen as she to some extent stalked me out of boredom. My second memory of her was just as silly.

Rain still poured down the next morning and Seunghyun couldn't do a thing. Bored out of his mind within he stared at the old tv sitting in the lounge. The thing barely worked and every channel that came in had nothing but static. This was his first time ever seeing a television that still had wood paneling and rabbit ears.He tried playing with it hoping it would help. He still couldn't believe they would have a television here this ancient

Time seemed to pass by slowly as he sat there but the bonus part was, the weird girl was no where to be found.

That was minutes until the girl of his dreams came along. Her shiny black hair looked slightly damp as she wore it partially up in a braid. She smiled shyly radiating nothing but beauty at him.

"May I join you?" her soft sweet voice asked.

All Seunghyun could do was smile and nod.

"I'm Sandara but everyone calls me Dara for short." she shyly smiled again extending her hand.

For a temporary moment Seunghyun's mind went completely blank as he stared into her innocent eyes. She was perfect. No other woman would ever measure up to her perfection.

"Your suppose to give her your name back, not drool on her numskull."

BANG!

Seunghyun closed his mouth and turned away annoyed hearing the voice he was hoping to never hear again. This time her hair was brushed and pulled out of her face showing off her big doll like eye's. A detail Seunghyun failed to miss last night. She still wore clothes twice the size of her that were meant for a boy. The only thing that fit her were her torn jeans that revealed scrapped up knees and scabs that looked like were picked at and her green converse. From head to toe she looked like a muddy boyish mess.

"I wasn't drooling."

"Really, because I've seen saint bernard's that drooled less then you." she grinned.

Dara laughed and Seunghyun couldn't help but grin hearing her pretty voice.

"You two must be friends?" she asked.

"No! No." they answered in unison. Seunghyun slightly louder.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry." Dara answered looking uncomfortably.

"No reason to be." he assured her making her smile again. "Would you like to play hide and seek or something, since we can't do much else because of the rain."

BANG!

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Seunghyun shouted annoyed that she kept interupting them.

"Fixing the tv." she scoffed.

"How did you do that?" he asked amazed. He forgot all about Dara for a split moment as she stared at the picture perfect television.

"You just need a magic touch." she scoffed again taking a seat on the floor changing the channel.

"What are you going to watch?" Dara asked.

"Better yet who said you can sit with us?"

The weird girl glared at him before smiling sweetly at Dara. "Nightmare on Elm street." She turned and glared once again at him. "Because I can."

"Well I was here first." he scofted at her sounding childish.

"Yeah! Well I was here second." she retorted sticking her tongue out at him.

"Yeah! Well I was still here first."

"Why are you being like this?" she asked."If it's about last night, I'm sorry. Geez! Your a sourpuss."

"You two fight like your brother and sister." Dara laughed quieting them up. "So is this movie scary?"

"Not to me."

"Because your an alien." he chimed in under his breath.

"I'm a what?" she questioned.

"Nothing."Seunghyun grinned.

"Oohhh!" the girl squealed running off.

Maybe he would get off lucky and she wouldn't come back but he knew that was going to be an impossible pipe dream. She was back within seconds with the largest bowl of popcorn we had ever witnessed. The young girl took a seat on the floor inbetween the two separating them a little. Annoyed Seunghyun gave in and sat back and quietly watched in a fuming silence. Soon enough a smile appeared on Seunghyun's face as Dara gasped in fright. This was his chance to be the hero who protects the princess he thought.

"Are you okay Dara?"

Her wide eyes said it all though she tried to brave. Seunghyun scooted closer to her grabbing her hand.  "You can hide into me, If you want." hiding his smile attempting to be cool and brave.

His happiness lasted all of two seconds after she squeezed his hand in appreciation. The large bowl of popcorn had came flying at him seconds later as muddy girl screamed. Kernal's landed everywhere, his hair, his lap and one somehow landed in his ear. Dara had let go of his hand and shifted to the other end of the couch as the weird girl cowardly jumped up and cuddled into him for safety. This girl was going to be the death of him, he swore to himself pushing her off.

"I thought it wasn't scary." he barked sourly.

Sheepishly she pulled herself off of him looking down.

"I'm sorry."

Rolling his eyes he gave her a quick bitter smile. "Apology accepted. I suggest cuddling up with someone else next time."

The look on her face was one of murder as she glared at him like he said something indignant to her.

"Excuse me?" she asked. "I did not cuddle with you, I huddled out of terror. I'm sorry you misinterpreted that, but I did not, I repeat DID NOT cuddle on purpose with you!"

"I'm going to go." Dara interrupted them sounding uncomfortable.

I broke it up since it was over 20,000 words. Hope you don't mind. =)

Up next first kiss.