Zoya smiled at her sadly and moved to embrace her. "Oh, my friend. I understand, sweetie," she said and then she pulled back and gave Jasmine an encouraging speech. "You listen to me, Jasmine Khan. You're going to end up being a world-famous writer and you're always, always going to have me, get it? And Riz. You can come live with us when we get married. Now cheer up and think positive."
Jasmine sighed and tried to concentrate on the book she had been reading but it was no use.
"I'm just going to go and lie down in my room."
In truth, she was going to go and see if Hamza was around. She found him in the kitchen with his wife. They were laughing over something and he had his arms around Alisha but when he turned and saw Jasmine standing there, his smile faded.
Alisha was busy stirring something on the stove so her back was to Jasmine. "It'll be nice once we move to the mansion, Hamza," she was saying. "Just one more year and we can be rid of her. I'm so glad you've decided to make peace with your father."
He grew still and Jasmine gave him a twisted smile before turning and walking out the front door. It was raining again. She walked for a long time and did not stop even when she heard the sound of a car following her. Upon reaching her favourite bridge, she hugged herself as the rain drenched her, not caring that she was shivering, not caring if she caught hypothermia and died on the spot.
She deserved to die like this. For wrecking someone else's home. They were happy together and that was why he didn't want to marry anyone else. That was why he did not miss Jasmine as terribly as she missed him whenever they fought. He did not need her. She was just a distraction for him.
"Jasmine?"
"Fuck off," she said bitterly as Hamza reached her.
He grabbed her arms and turned her around roughly to face him. "What do you think you're doing?" he grated, looking angry. "Get in the car."
"No!" She wrenched her arms away from him and stepped back. "Leave me alone. I hate you! All you ever do now is hurt me."
He stood there and compressed his lips as the rain fell all around them. "Please, Jasmine. Alisha did not see you leave. I told her I was going to the store. Please let me take you home before they know you're missing."
She looked away, feeling a numbness creep up on her. "You're just using me. You don't love me," she accused.
"I love you. I do, okay. I was angry. Please, Jas. Let's go home," he begged with a strain in his voice.
"You know what you mean to me, Hamza. You know this!" she cried out. "Do you think I can get on with my life if you ignore me even for a minute?"
"You ignored my calls that day," he stated calmly, his posture stiff.
She gave him an incredulous look. "I didn't do it on purpose. I can't believe this. You're doing this for revenge? Is this what love means to you? You're so twisted!"
He closed the distance between them and pulled her to him to kiss her hard, his fingers digging into her arms. "You're mine, Jasmine," he growled. "You will always be mine. I don't want other guys to even look at you."
She collapsed against him when he released her mouth and held him tight. "I'm always faithful to you, love. You just choose not to see it. Please don't treat me like this. It hurts."
Hamza held her for a few more seconds before leading her to the car. "Let's go. You can sneak in from the back door and I'll make some excuse about why I'm wet," he muttered.
As he laced his fingers with hers and drove them back to the house, Jasmine felt her mood lift and suddenly, all was right in her world again.
****
The Ugly
7
One year later
"May I come in, sir?"
Hamza smiled without looking up from his laptop and said, "Only if you're prepared for what might follow."
Silence greeted his statement and when he glanced up, he froze. Zoya and Jasmine were both standing in his office doorway staring at him. Beads of sweat appeared on his upper lip and he let out a breath, thinking fast. "Come on in, you two," he said firmly and shuffled some papers. "Um...sorry, Jasmine but I marked your latest assignment and I'm happy to say that you got an A plus. I know it was quite difficult but you did great."
Zoya had taken a seat but Jasmine was still standing there, moistening her lips. "Um...that's...really surprising," she said quietly. "I expected a B plus or just an A," she confessed.
He smiled. "So you were not prepared for the A plus, after all. I guessed right."
She nodded. "Yes. Yes, you did."
Zoya let out a dramatic sigh. "Excuse me for the interruption, sir, but Abbu wants to see me at the mansion now. I'm done for the day so can I go?"
"Of course. But don't stay the night. Your finals are coming up and I need to supervise your studies," he told her.
"Okay. I'll ask uncle Ali to drop me home after dinner. You should come too. Abbu wouldn't mind. I know he's asked you."
Hamza did not reply but went back to his work. Zoya sighed again. "Khuda hafiz, then. You can get back to your boring discussion about Jasmine's brains now." She winked and disappeared out the door, humming to herself. Jasmine started to move towards the desk.
"Close the door."
"Oh, right."
