3

Somewhere in San Diego

Me (yelling): Man, haven't you seen my bag? I've been looking for her ever since, I can't find her.

Mom: and why are you screaming like that? Do you think someone's keeping your satchel here? Where did you leave it?

Me: bah on the coffee table there. I put it there yesterday when I got home from college. She can't have disappeared on her own. She has no feet to go alone.

Mom: I haven't seen her. Go find it elsewhere.

Me: one of these days I'm going to kill one of your children I swear. I'm sure it was one of them that did it to me again. Let them buy their shares if they want to use it.

Mom: I don't meddle in your things. You're the biggest, by the way.

Me: yeah that's it. Anyway, I'm off. I have class this morning.

Mom: take care of yourself my dear.

Me: thank you mum. You also. Bye! I kiss her warmly as I leave.

My name is Cassandra JEAN. Everyone I know calls me Cassie. I am 23 years old. I am in the second year of my first cycle of medical studies called preclinical cycle. Before that, I did 4 years in medical biology. I come from a rather modest family if you can call it that. My mother, Sandra Jules, had me when she was 18 years old and since that day she has devoted herself to making me "someone" in the truest sense of the word.

She and dad never got married in church. When they found out about the pregnancy, they wanted to do it. But they had to leave it for later and manage the most important thing, that is to say prepare for my coming into the world. But from later to later it never happened. However, they loved each other very much until death. They had two children after me: Sarah and Jefferson who are 15 and 13 respectively. They are both in college.

We had a quiet life until the day my father died tragically. I was 17 when this happened. Because of this, I had to lose a school year. Sometimes I tell myself that my mother is very brave because she alone continues to take care of the three of us. And so far we've gotten used to it. We don't have everything we want like those rich kids, but we have the essentials. Most importantly, we love and respect each other.

Today, I'm going back to school. Christmas time is over, no time for useless stuff. This year is my year, I have no room for error, I repeated to myself. My life and that of my family depend on it. I arrive on time at the campus. I walk down the hallway to get back to my classroom. There's quite a hubbub outside but I don't pay too much attention to it. My first class should start any minute. I had problems that made me barely start classes. What was I already saying? To see the posture of the students, the teacher is already there.

-Ah! A woman said to myself as I entered the room.

It's not that I have a problem with women, far from it. But they are... how to say... uh! Weird. I walked briskly around the room trying to find a seat fairly quickly and quietly. But that's without counting on my clumsy side. I drop one of the seats as I pass.

The teacher who, at the moment, was doing the introductions for new students, stopped and looked at me as if she wanted to kill me on the spot. Then issued a warning against me.

Her (scowling): young girl here is the 2nd year of medicine, not a music class. So you look good young lady when you walk into my classroom.

Me (shaking with fear): Okay ma'am.

Her: it's Doctor young girl, Doctor FOSTER.

Me: Okay Doctor! I hastened to say.

What did I say ? They are all weird women when they have a position of decisions. It may be a way to gain respect from the male sex, but sometimes they go a little too hard. She continued to present her course to us as if nothing had happened, how she will do for the distribution of marks as well as the rules to follow for her course throughout the session. She also told us about the content of the said course. She is Dr. Hailey FOSTER BROWN, our professor of cardiology.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch. Later in the evening I quickly got ready to go to work as usual. Well, yes, I found a little job in a local restaurant. I tell myself that this will allow me to manage certain primary needs and at the same time help my mother and my brothers. The owner? I never saw it. It is said here that he only travels for the important stuff. Anyway, that's not going to stop me from working.

I've been working at this restaurant for a month now. There I met Jeannine Jacques, a Frenchwoman just like me. She is a nice girl to whom life has not been at all tender. But who, despite everything, tries to make ends meet. That will make me one more friend. Apart from my girlfriend Luna VELASQUEZ, a little Spaniard who attends the same university as me, I had no other friends until then. And there again it is exaggerated as a presentation. She and I are not that close.

Jeannine (coming towards me with a tray): Cassie you should go serve tables 7 and 11. They've been waiting for us for quite a while now.

Me (taking a tray): I'm coming, I answered him.

Jeannine: hold on. The lobster is for table 11 and the others there are for 7.

Me: uh...okay.

I quickly served the 11 as it was easier for me. Once I was done with number 11, I went back to the kitchen to get the order from the other table. While advancing I had a bad feeling. But I had no idea it was going to be so serious. Going to serve the 7, I came across this person that I would never have wished to meet in such circumstances "her". Oh my God! It's really bad luck. Of all the restaurants in the area, she had to choose this one for dinner. With all these people and more.

Panicking, I didn't know what to do. I hesitated for a long time before deciding to turn around in a hurry. Except that I turned around too quickly, ignoring the weight of the tray I was carrying in my hands. In my step I stumbled and I went backwards. I just had time to emit a shrill cry when I fell to the ground. Then, black hole.