SHADOWS IN THE HALLWAY

Jasmine tightened her grip on her mother's old scarf while staring at the court doors. The truck driver who had killed her mother had been let go, having found insufficient evidence against him. Her father, Dr. Stephen Carter, placed a hand on her shoulder. "We will get through this, Jazz," he said, steady surgeon's hands, but thick with sadness.

Jasmine is an 18-year-old teenager, bright with beautiful eyes, an A student who attends Griffin High School in New Jackson City, She was born to a Nigerian-American and a Haitian Mother. She wants to major in journalism, and her Grades are already getting her into Yale.

Three months later. Jasmine forced herself to concentrate on her history essay set by Mr. Aldridge: yet another Personal-Recollection essay—"Describe a moment that changed you." She scoffed. How about the moment I saw my mother die?

"Jasmine?" Mr. Aldridge's smooth voice cut into her thoughts, the half-Caucasian, half-Japanese teacher leaning over her desk, cologne too close. "You've been distracted. Maybe we should address your… struggles after class."

She stiffened. "I'm okay."

Ambivalence colored his smile: it never reached his hazel eyes. "I insist."

That night, her father was again late from work—another emergency surgery. Jasmine scrolled through her phone and noticed a notification: @HistoryBuff42 liked your photo. Her Instagram was private; only followers were supposed to like her posts.

She blocked that account too.

The next day, a note with short red fonts drifted from her locker: "You have her eyes. —D."

Jasmine's blood turned to ice.

"Dad, I'm being stalked," she burst out that night.

Dr. Carter set down his scalpel-sharp knife. "Who?"

"My history teacher. He's being…weird. Then this." She showed him the note.

Dr. Carter's jaw clenched. "I'll take care of it."

Mr. Dean cornered her after school. "Jasmine, you've been avoiding me." His fingers grazed her wrist.

She recoiled. "Back off."

His grin dropped. "You don't understand. Your mother—"

"What about her?" Jasmine's pulse kicked up.

A shadow crossed his face. "She... knew me. Before the accident."

Jasmine froze. What?

Before he could add anything else, the voice of her father thundered in the span of the corridor—"Jasmine." Dr. Carter approached, white coat billowing like a shield.

Mr. Dean turned pale. "Stephen."

Jasmine caught her breath. Do they know each other?

Her father filed the scariest voice she could ever remember, composed of ice. "If you come within a hundred feet of my daughter, the police will never find a trace of your body."

Dean's eyes were frantic, guilty, and scared. And then he took off.

Jasmine swung to her father. "What was that? How do you know him?"

Dr. Carter sighed. "Because he is the reason your mother was on that road."

She melted!

Dr. Carter took his daughter outside the corridor and appeared in the cafeteria. Jasmine sat at one of the benches, while her Dad stood close to her.

My dear Jasmine, I think this is not the best place to explain this!

But how, Dad? she responded......

I need answers, Daddy!

Jasmine said! standing up as a stroke of tears broke through her cheek, she cleaned it with her handkerchief immediately,

Dr. Carter breathed in.....

We need to go home now, Dr Carter.....

It was already a few minutes before school closed.

Jasmine dashed out of the cafeteria, weeping silently as she headed to her Dad's SUV Hyundai parked in the Visitor Garage. Her Dad appeared immediately, entered the car and drove home as they both sat silently. They got home and Jasmine dropped her school bag and demanded her Dad's presence.

He walked towards his daughter, knelt before her and kissed her on the forehead, and promised her he would tell her what he discovered.

He sat on the Italian cushion,

Took a sharp glance at his daughter, who was waiting to hear from her Dad.

Dr.Carter, breathed in once more as he summoned up courage to his daughter the truth

She had an affair..................

who? Jasmine responded