Life Through a Lens

16. In The Morning

What had happened? Well it seemed to be everything. All of their emotions came flooding out, crashing into each other like two waves. It was unstoppable. It might have even been crazy. Who knew this was going to happen? They both had begun to let each other in, and there was no way of stopping it now.

"Well you were rambling things that aren't true, nonsense actually." Carter said, trying to sound smart and smiling up at her. Jasmine cocked her head to the side, confused by what he meant. "First of all, I don't think you need to worry because while you were all frantic early last night, I'd call it a panic attack...but anyways. Your phone started ringing. I saw that it was your dad on the caller ID, so I picked it up and explained everything." He told Jasmine. "He's okay with everything, he understands. I mean he was okay with me staying the night. Plus we didn't even do anything, you're still as clean as crystal," he smiled up at her. A relief ran through her body, and every muscle relaxed. Jasmine placed her head down on Carter's chest and slowly let her eye lids close once more. "Your dad seems pretty chill actually." He began afterwards. She looked up at him with a sarcastic smile, questioning in it as well. But she was glad that he liked her dad. Jasmine rubbed her eyes again before actually getting up.

"We should probably go down stairs for something to eat; my dad will probably laugh at the fact that you're wearing his old college clothes." She smiled and plucked at the track pants that he was wearing.

She knew that her dad had originally wanted to be something other than a fireman, she never knew what, but he couldn't have just gone to college for nothing. Her dad never talked about college much. Jasmine he knew that he had degrees, but he had went and became a fireman instead. Though she knew he loved his job, she had always wondered why he went to a top school, passed, but never accomplished anything with it. Probably because it was where he met her mom. Yes, they were college sweethearts, fell in love almost instantly, and their love was as real as any others. They had gotten married as soon as both of them had gotten out of school. Their love never dwindled, though Jasmine's moms' mind slowly did. Her mom had forgotten what and who she loved. And when she remembered, the love was more of a hatred turned so by the depression. But her dad still loves his wife no less than before, but Jasmine knew that it was hard for him. It was hard for all of them, especially an eight year old Jasmine who had to mature and toughen faster than the usual child.

Jasmine led him from the attic, the stairs creaked as Carter and Jasmine walked down them and into the kitchen. Her dad was sitting on a stool sipping from a large mug that was presumably filled with coffee and reading the newspaper. Jasmine's dad was a bit old fashioned like that, and at home he simply refused to use his computer for anything other than work. While the coffee, he drank on a daily basis like most adults. There were two pans out of the cupboards, one on the stove the other in the sink.

"Good morning sleepy heads," Her dad said with a small, but hearty laugh looking up from the newspaper he was reading. Jasmine's eyes wandered over to the clock which read 11:48.

"Morning dad," Jasmine walked over to give him a hug before she turned towards Carter who was running a hand through his hair as he yawned. "Your mom knows about you staying hear right?"

"Yeah, I let her know last night, around when your dad called. But she'll probably want be home sooner rather than later," he replied with a stretch. Jasmine's dad noticeably smiled at Carter's responsibility while taking a sip of his coffee.

"Well I can cook up some breakfast before you have to leave Carter," he dad said, moving towards the stove. "Or is it lunch seeing as it's almost noon?" He laughed at his own joke.

"That's very kind of you Mr. Peters, but my mom usually likes to make pancakes and eggs for me and my sister on late mornings like this. Thank you for the offer though," he smiled back politely.