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Description
          The days were growing shorter as time passed and the sky was always blanketed with dreary gray clouds. On October 13th, the wind was finally carrying the beginnings of a frosty winter chill. That day had always held a tremendous significance for Jasmine. It was a bittersweet day that she anticipated with excitement and aversion for many years previous.
          It was midmorning when Jasmine first approached the docks. A light and misty fog still hovered over the bay when she arrived, yet the place appeared to be completely abandoned. Jasmine walked to the edge of the dock, her heavy boots creating a muted thudding sound as she walked. A scent of salt and rotting wood hung in the air. Jasmine breathed in deeply as she leaned against a tall wooden pole that rose out of the murky water. She stared into the mist and waited patiently for him to come.
          “How ya doin’ kid?” said a rough voice behind her.
          Jasmine turned around. Her gaze fell upon a grown man standing nearby, one that she had grown to know very well over the past few years. The man had never divulged his given name to her, but had instead adopted the pseudonym Riddle. He wore the same gray coat, now frayed and faded from habitual use, and an old hat that cast a light shadow over his eyes. He took one final drag on a cigarette he was smoking and proceeded to toss it, still smoldering, into the ocean.
          “You shouldn’t do that. Cigarettes have over 200 types of poison in them, you know,” said Jasmine.
          Riddle removed his hat, revealing shaggy and unwashed hair. In a manner of feigned respect, he bowed deeply to Jasmine. “And a very good morning to ya too.” He straightened and replaced his hat on top of his head, slightly tipped to the right, the way he liked it. “Now is that any way to greet your old friend? Here I haven’t seen ya for a whole full year, Jazz, and you wanna jump off like that. No respect, I’m tellin’ ya.” He shook his head in mock disappointment, but proceeded to sit down, dangling his feet over the edge of the dock.
          “Now you know I didn’t mean it like that,” Jasmine replied, taking a seat beside Riddle.
          “Of course I know ya didn’t mean it. But ya always did like spoutin’ off those impressive facts that ya always seem to know,” Riddle replied and patted her lightly on the back.
          Jasmine smiled briefly. He did seem to know her well. Her academic accomplishments were the source of her greatest pride.
          Riddle shifted his gaze from the bay over to Jasmine. “So how ya been? You look like you’re doin’ better since the last time I saw ya.”
          “I’m doing fairly well. School seems like it will go smoothly this year and I’m starting college applications in November.”
          “Good, good. That’s good to hear,” Riddle said absently. He seemed to be more focused on fiddling with his lighter. It was a habit Riddle always seemed to revert to when he was bored. Watching the dancing orange flame, Riddle asked, “And how’re your little friends? They doin’ okay too?”
          Jasmine sighed. “Yes, they’re doing fine. Same as usual.” While same as usual wasn’t necessarily bad in her case, it still managed to dampen her mood slightly. While the people she surrounded herself with were nice, like most people are, they were not the kind of people that she felt she could confide in. That had been a chronic problem in her otherwise stable life.
          Riddle pocketed his lighter and looked at Jasmine with a concerned face. “So what’s exactly wrong then, kid? You sayin’ ‘same as usual’ is the equivalent of ‘shut up, I don’t wanna talk about it’ to everyone else in the world.”
          Jasmine wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them to her chest. “You know how they are. They’re just… not very trusting. Or trustworthy, for that matter. No matter how long or how well I know them, it doesn’t seem like they want to involve themselves enough with my life to listen to my thoughts or problems. I guess they just don’t seem like the right kind of people to confide in.”
          Riddle nodded and looked thoughtfully out of the water and two companions fell into silence and listened to the gentle rumble of the waves. Eventually, Riddle broke the silence. “Ya wanna know what I think about all this? I think that you’ve got trouble connectin’ with most people and instead ya seem to shrink away and hide rather than confrontin’ the actual problem.”
          “You’ve always known that about me. I inherited the passive aggressive gene,” Jasmine said distractedly. She paused, then continued. “It’d be nice just to forget about it all for a while.”
          “Yea, but you and I both know that ya can’t just drop everythin’ and leave. You’re just not that kind of person and you’ve got a lot goin’ for ya. It’d be a waste to give it all up now just for nothin’.”
          “Well how come you get to do that and I don’t? You had a lot going for you at one point in time,” Jasmine replied with a hint of resentment in her voice.
          Riddle pulled out a small flask of liquor from his jacket pocket and took a small swig. “At one point in time, I did. But, no point in livin’ in the past. Live in the now, ya know? And now, I might as well live accordin’ to my rules. It’s just doin’ what is practical for your own life,” he replied coolly. “You’ve got potential, kid. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. If ya really wanted to be a classic rebel teen, I have no doubt that ya could party with the best of them. Truth be told, kid, the only thing that seems to be holdin’ ya back is yourself. You forget how well I know ya, and let me tell ya, intrigue’s one thing. Actual wantin’ it is another.”
          Jasmine sat quietly, a reserved and inscrutable look on her face. True, she didn’t necessarily want that life, but a small part of her always remained fascinated by it. Jasmine had never possessed an unruly spirit, though her mind constantly created illusions of what it might be like. She wanted to know what it was like to go to a party and get drunk just because she could. Although her better judgment always prevented her from it, it was ever present in the back of her mind. She knew that it would most likely never happen, but even so, she couldn’t help but be tempted. It made Jasmine feel somewhat guilty. Surely there had to be a balance in between the two extremes of always playing it safe and living a life full of risks.
          Riddle interrupted her thoughts. “What’s on your mind, Jazz?”
          Jasmine remained silent.
          “Are ya thinkin’ about him?” Riddle asked her gently.
          Jasmine stared out into the bay. “Yea. I am,” she mumbled distantly. Seven years ago, in that same place, was where her father had died. It was still very clear in her mind. He had decided to go out fishing on the rocks, despite the dark and heavy clouds, and had told Jasmine and her mother to stay on the docks. The last she remembered seeing him was a monstrous wave coming up unexpectedly and swallowed him up. October 13th. The anniversary of her father’s death.
          “Ya can’t blame yourself for what happened, ya know.”
          “You tell me that every year.”
          “And I shall continue to tell it to ya until ya actually believe it. It’s proven to be more difficult than I thought it would be.”
          Jasmine smiled weakly. “Is it wrong? To feel guilty, I mean, for not taking risks like he did.”
          A pensive look appeared on Riddle’s face. “I think,” he said, still partially lost in thought, “that it’s not wrong to feel guilty about it. You’re definitely not the first and won’t be the last person who’s acted out of guilt before. But ya shouldn’t let your fear of risk rule your life. I think that’s what you’ve been doin’. Risk isn’t for everyone, but ya can’t hide from it forever. There’s no possible way to do it.”
          Jasmine smiled. “You know, I hate it when you’re right. You understand me more than I do sometimes.”
          “It’s only by chance that we happened to click, but now I feel responsible for ya, if ya really wanna know. How and when we met, kid. That’s the reason why. I found ya when ya were at your most vulnerable, and even worse, when ya had no one to talk to about your dad. I guess ya find out things that ya don’t normally do about people when they’re in such an uncertain and troubled state. The normal barriers that people have aren’t there. It’s almost remarkable, if ya really think about it. The situations that lead to it never seem to be good, but all kinds of truths and realizations seem to surface when they normally wouldn’t have on their own.”
          The sun was beginning to set now and the ocean reflected bright yellow, orange, and pink hues. The clouds that had blanketed the sky earlier in the day now appeared in brilliant painted shades. The sun warmed both Jasmine and Riddle’s faces as they watched. As the sun finally disappeared under the horizon, Jasmine and Riddle sat quietly together.
          “You’ll be here next year again, right?” Jasmine said, with the same uncertainty that she always felt at the end of the day. But there was no response.
          “Riddle?”
          “Jazz, ya know how much I care for ya and how much I want for ya.”
          Jasmine sat confused. “Of course.”
          “And I think that now, ya would be better off without me here. You’re already grown. You don’t need me to reassure ya about your actions or whether or not your feelings are justified. It’s somethin’ that ya need to learn by trial and error on your own, simple as that. Independence is somethin’ that ya need right now.”
          Jasmine sat silently, staring, but for some reason, understanding everything completely.
          Riddle had a sullen expression. “Solace is a magnificent word, ya know. Absolutely amazin’. It’s an alleviation, a relief from pain, anxiety, or trouble and it sounds pretty to boot. In years comin’, take solace in the fact that you have grown to be an intelligent, well disciplined, and accomplished person.”
          Riddle paused for a moment, then looked her straight in the eye. “If ya want anythin’, you should go after it, kid. Make me proud. Set the world on fire.”
          Jasmine smiled. The two slowly rose and began walking. From nearby, Jasmine could be seen leaving the docks alone.

Description
          The days were growing shorter as time passed and the sky was always blanketed with dreary gray clouds. On October 13th, the wind was finally carrying the beginnings of a frosty winter chill. That day had always held a tremendous significance for Jasmine. It was a bittersweet day that she anticipated with excitement and aversion for many years previous.
          It was midmorning when Jasmine first approached the docks. A light and misty fog still hovered over the bay when she arrived, yet the place appeared to be completely abandoned. Jasmine walked to the edge of the dock, her heavy boots creating a muted thudding sound as she walked. A scent of salt and rotting wood hung in the air. Jasmine breathed in deeply as she leaned against a tall wooden pole that rose out of the murky water. She stared into the mist and waited patiently for him to come.
          “How ya doin’ kid?” said a rough voice behind her.
          Jasmine turned around. Her gaze fell upon a grown man standing nearby, one that she had grown to know very well over the past few years. The man had never divulged his given name to her, but had instead adopted the pseudonym Riddle. He wore the same gray coat, now frayed and faded from habitual use, and an old hat that cast a light shadow over his eyes. He took one final drag on a cigarette he was smoking and proceeded to toss it, still smoldering, into the ocean.
          “You shouldn’t do that. Cigarettes have over 200 types of poison in them, you know,” said Jasmine.
          Riddle removed his hat, revealing shaggy and unwashed hair. In a manner of feigned respect, he bowed deeply to Jasmine. “And a very good morning to ya too.” He straightened and replaced his hat on top of his head, slightly tipped to the right, the way he liked it. “Now is that any way to greet your old friend? Here I haven’t seen ya for a whole full year, Jazz, and you wanna jump off like that. No respect, I’m tellin’ ya.” He shook his head in mock disappointment, but proceeded to sit down, dangling his feet over the edge of the dock.
          “Now you know I didn’t mean it like that,” Jasmine replied, taking a seat beside Riddle.
          “Of course I know ya didn’t mean it. But ya always did like spoutin’ off those impressive facts that ya always seem to know,” Riddle replied and patted her lightly on the back.
          Jasmine smiled briefly. He did seem to know her well. Her academic accomplishments were the source of her greatest pride.
          Riddle shifted his gaze from the bay over to Jasmine. “So how ya been? You look like you’re doin’ better since the last time I saw ya.”
          “I’m doing fairly well. School seems like it will go smoothly this year and I’m starting college applications in November.”
          “Good, good. That’s good to hear,” Riddle said absently. He seemed to be more focused on fiddling with his lighter. It was a habit Riddle always seemed to revert to when he was bored. Watching the dancing orange flame, Riddle asked, “And how’re your little friends? They doin’ okay too?”
          Jasmine sighed. “Yes, they’re doing fine. Same as usual.” While same as usual wasn’t necessarily bad in her case, it still managed to dampen her mood slightly. While the people she surrounded herself with were nice, like most people are, they were not the kind of people that she felt she could confide in. That had been a chronic problem in her otherwise stable life.
          Riddle pocketed his lighter and looked at Jasmine with a concerned face. “So what’s exactly wrong then, kid? You sayin’ ‘same as usual’ is the equivalent of ‘shut up, I don’t wanna talk about it’ to everyone else in the world.”
          Jasmine wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them to her chest. “You know how they are. They’re just… not very trusting. Or trustworthy, for that matter. No matter how long or how well I know them, it doesn’t seem like they want to involve themselves enough with my life to listen to my thoughts or problems. I guess they just don’t seem like the right kind of people to confide in.”
          Riddle nodded and looked thoughtfully out of the water and two companions fell into silence and listened to the gentle rumble of the waves. Eventually, Riddle broke the silence. “Ya wanna know what I think about all this? I think that you’ve got trouble connectin’ with most people and instead ya seem to shrink away and hide rather than confrontin’ the actual problem.”
          “You’ve always known that about me. I inherited the passive aggressive gene,” Jasmine said distractedly. She paused, then continued. “It’d be nice just to forget about it all for a while.”
          “Yea, but you and I both know that ya can’t just drop everythin’ and leave. You’re just not that kind of person and you’ve got a lot goin’ for ya. It’d be a waste to give it all up now just for nothin’.”
          “Well how come you get to do that and I don’t? You had a lot going for you at one point in time,” Jasmine replied with a hint of resentment in her voice.
          Riddle pulled out a small flask of liquor from his jacket pocket and took a small swig. “At one point in time, I did. But, no point in livin’ in the past. Live in the now, ya know? And now, I might as well live accordin’ to my rules. It’s just doin’ what is practical for your own life,” he replied coolly. “You’ve got potential, kid. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. If ya really wanted to be a classic rebel teen, I have no doubt that ya could party with the best of them. Truth be told, kid, the only thing that seems to be holdin’ ya back is yourself. You forget how well I know ya, and let me tell ya, intrigue’s one thing. Actual wantin’ it is another.”
          Jasmine sat quietly, a reserved and inscrutable look on her face. True, she didn’t necessarily want that life, but a small part of her always remained fascinated by it. Jasmine had never possessed an unruly spirit, though her mind constantly created illusions of what it might be like. She wanted to know what it was like to go to a party and get drunk just because she could. Although her better judgment always prevented her from it, it was ever present in the back of her mind. She knew that it would most likely never happen, but even so, she couldn’t help but be tempted. It made Jasmine feel somewhat guilty. Surely there had to be a balance in between the two extremes of always playing it safe and living a life full of risks.
          Riddle interrupted her thoughts. “What’s on your mind, Jazz?”
          Jasmine remained silent.
          “Are ya thinkin’ about him?” Riddle asked her gently.
          Jasmine stared out into the bay. “Yea. I am,” she mumbled distantly. Seven years ago, in that same place, was where her father had died. It was still very clear in her mind. He had decided to go out fishing on the rocks, despite the dark and heavy clouds, and had told Jasmine and her mother to stay on the docks. The last she remembered seeing him was a monstrous wave coming up unexpectedly and swallowed him up. October 13th. The anniversary of her father’s death.
          “Ya can’t blame yourself for what happened, ya know.”
          “You tell me that every year.”
          “And I shall continue to tell it to ya until ya actually believe it. It’s proven to be more difficult than I thought it would be.”
          Jasmine smiled weakly. “Is it wrong? To feel guilty, I mean, for not taking risks like he did.”
          A pensive look appeared on Riddle’s face. “I think,” he said, still partially lost in thought, “that it’s not wrong to feel guilty about it. You’re definitely not the first and won’t be the last person who’s acted out of guilt before. But ya shouldn’t let your fear of risk rule your life. I think that’s what you’ve been doin’. Risk isn’t for everyone, but ya can’t hide from it forever. There’s no possible way to do it.”
          Jasmine smiled. “You know, I hate it when you’re right. You understand me more than I do sometimes.”
          “It’s only by chance that we happened to click, but now I feel responsible for ya, if ya really wanna know. How and when we met, kid. That’s the reason why. I found ya when ya were at your most vulnerable, and even worse, when ya had no one to talk to about your dad. I guess ya find out things that ya don’t normally do about people when they’re in such an uncertain and troubled state. The normal barriers that people have aren’t there. It’s almost remarkable, if ya really think about it. The situations that lead to it never seem to be good, but all kinds of truths and realizations seem to surface when they normally wouldn’t have on their own.”
          The sun was beginning to set now and the ocean reflected bright yellow, orange, and pink hues. The clouds that had blanketed the sky earlier in the day now appeared in brilliant painted shades. The sun warmed both Jasmine and Riddle’s faces as they watched. As the sun finally disappeared under the horizon, Jasmine and Riddle sat quietly together.
          “You’ll be here next year again, right?” Jasmine said, with the same uncertainty that she always felt at the end of the day. But there was no response.
          “Riddle?”
          “Jazz, ya know how much I care for ya and how much I want for ya.”
          Jasmine sat confused. “Of course.”
          “And I think that now, ya would be better off without me here. You’re already grown. You don’t need me to reassure ya about your actions or whether or not your feelings are justified. It’s somethin’ that ya need to learn by trial and error on your own, simple as that. Independence is somethin’ that ya need right now.”
          Jasmine sat silently, staring, but for some reason, understanding everything completely.
          Riddle had a sullen expression. “Solace is a magnificent word, ya know. Absolutely amazin’. It’s an alleviation, a relief from pain, anxiety, or trouble and it sounds pretty to boot. In years comin’, take solace in the fact that you have grown to be an intelligent, well disciplined, and accomplished person.”
          Riddle paused for a moment, then looked her straight in the eye. “If ya want anythin’, you should go after it, kid. Make me proud. Set the world on fire.”
          Jasmine smiled. The two slowly rose and began walking. From nearby, Jasmine could be seen leaving the docks alone.