chapter 3

Guess life is easy, but not for this young person; she is not a social butterfly like any other girl of her age. This woman socializes no one in her institute, she believes in the quote ‘me, myself and I.’

She earned a stupid title in the campus ‘Ms. Nobody’, when she was a freshman. Now sophomore she did not change that much. She is still the girl who is not that pretty, standing 5’1’ ft. since freshman that the whole school knows. ‘Damn! Life is unfair,’ she thought to herself.

Her ash-blonde straight hair’s length reaches her shoulder. Her pale blue eyes look bored. She is a typical Western face woman.

Her name is Jen Willows; she took up computer engineering at Layber’s College and her grades are hanging on a threat. She thought sarcastically to herself while taking up her degree that it is easy but it turns out way easy.

She is the daughter of Casandra Willows and Jacob Willows.

The opening of their second semester is knocking on its door. Rumors spreading in Layber’s College one of the students in their school committed suicide for an unknown reason that student hangs herself in a tree near to the gate of their school. It is pretty crazy because some say it is true but some say it is not.

People believed that the suicide case is because of stress and failures, but Jen thinks it’s bullying. Many people have their own opinions about it. The rumors spreading from one to another become different through time. The information is lacking or added. It has been a month and no one knows who is behind that case.

Some say that history repeats itself there are suicide cases before that remain unsolved.

Jen believes that there are people who know about that incident but remain silent to keep the students on track and not to feel panic about this unfortunate situation. She wants to graduate as soon as possible to leave the campus.

Jen feels that there is a ring finger blocking her nasal airway. She is startled by the sudden contact and pull herself together; she looks on the blue eyes that mirror her, looking concerned. “Mom! What the fuck are you doing? What was that for?” She said loudly while raising her right brow and her hands on her waist.

She suddenly her eyes widen and realizes that she is having lunch with her mom in their house, she wanted to talk to her to feel okay. She rubs her forehead; Jen was lost in her thoughts. She stands properly and faces her mom.

She tilted her head to the right waiting for her mom to reply. Her mom sigh and puts her hands on Jen’s shoulder.

“Oh honey, should you just prepared yourself for your second semester. Why are you so grumpy? Wrinkles do not suit your face. What is in your thoughts that seem to be so deep?” Mrs. Casandra Willows said and pulling her little angel to a hug.

Jen whispers to her mom’s ears while hugging her and softly said, “Mom, I visited you today for me to prepare myself before I go back to my stupid dorm, no! Before I go back to reality. Having you here next to me makes me feel at ease”.

Mrs. Casandra Willows giggles and pull away from the hug. She put her hands in her daughter’s face and thought to herself that Jen got almost all of her features especially her short height but Jen’s eyes are much closer to his beloved man’s eyes that caught her deeply in love.

Mrs. Casandra caresses Jen’s face with her fingers lovingly and she replied to her daughter saying. “Honey, don’t say that your dorm is stupid and do not be like that, I know you have friends patiently waiting for your return there.”

‘As if! If you just know how bad my college life is!’ Jen thought to herself while shrugging away from her mom’s touch.

“You do not have to make me proud, we proud of you and we are always here for you. I believe in you, honey.” Mrs. Casandra said while stretching her lips to a smile.

Jen looks at her mom and feels the love that she is longing to feel in her school life, her mom might be short and chubby but it does not hide her beauty that shines with-in.

When Jen’s walks towards her mom, but a deep lively voice of a man interrupted “Hey my girls! How’s your lunch?” 

Jen looks back and sees her not-so-tall blonde father; Mr. Jacob Willows standing with black his suit and tie. He sprinted towards her wife and daughter pulling them to a big hug. They all laughed.

They pull away from the hug and Mr. Jacob looks at Jen. “Jennie, how are you, my baby? Daddy misses you, my one and only daughter.”

Jen smile at her father and replied to him, “Dad, I am doing fine it is good to see you around, I-I haven’t seen you in a while, I mi-miss you so much.” Tears escaped in Jen’s eyes.

Mr. Jacob wiped the tears in his baby’s face, giving her a guilty smile. He feels so guilty for spending lesser time to his family due to his work knowing that her only daughter wants to see him around.

“Jennie, my bear. I am sorry. Will you like to spend the rest of the day here? Let’s talk about everything. I hope you are not busy,” Mr. Jacob said to Jen. He turns his head to look at his wife who nods to him and gives them a warm smile.

“I am in for that!” Jen said excitedly while jumping from her position.

After the long conversation they share, the laughter, happiness. They all change to their pajamas went to their respective room. Jen puts her phone on the table near to her bed, jumps on her bed, and looking at the white ceiling. Then, someone knocks on the door but did not open it, a sweet voice from the outside said to her “Goodnight! Sleep tight; don’t let the big bug bites.”

She smiles knowing that it is her dad; it is his favorite saying for her before going to sleep since she was a kid. She hugs her extra white pillow and pulls her blanket close to her body as she closes her eyes slowly and drifts to goodnight sleep happily.

Mr. Jacob and Mrs., Casandra decided to open the open and see their daughter sleeping soundly with a smile on her face.

Mr. Jacob snake his right arm to his wife’s waist, Mrs. Casandra gasps and kisses her husband’s cheek, and they look at each other’s eyes and nodded while slowly closing the door of Jen’s room.

The sweet couple headed to their room and sleep.

Morning comes. Jen wakes up and stretches her body. She picks her phone up and looks at the time. She panics; she woke up late it is already noon. Her parents did not wake her up. She runs to the kitchen quickly. She looks around and saw her mom cooking in the kitchen alone.

“Good morning mom,” Jen said sadly.

Mrs. Casandra is shocked and looks behind her to see her upset daughter. “Good morning honey, your dad left early for his work. Come sit, we will eat together.”

Jen knows her father always priority his work than them, it makes her feel so upset. It never changes since she was a kid.

She sits in the chair and waits for her mom to serve the foods; her mom puts all the food in the table and they look at each other eyes. Jen gives her mom a smile and so did her mom.

They eat together silently and Jen suddenly opens her mouth and says, “Mom, I have to head back to my dorm today. I need to arrange my things.” Avoiding her mom’s eyes.

Her mom clears her throat and replies sadly while looking down, “okay honey, and take care.”

After eating, she sees her mom washing the plates in the kitchen. Jen did not want to disturb her mom so she decided to leave her home without saying goodbye to her mom.

She feels reluctant without saying goodbye to her mom; she turns her body to look at their house outside and sees her mom in the window standing, crying looking at her outside.

Jen gives her mom a sad look and her mouth moves slowly that pronounce the word ‘goodbye’ to her mom by syllables.

She hails a cab and gets inside; she let out a heavy exhale.

After a week-

**RINGS**

The school bell ring on the campus.

Jen said to herself ‘the second semester begins!’