He looked at me fiercely and pushed me away. "Were you about to kiss me, Jasmine don't you know that is a sexual assault and I thought you told my dad you don't like men that disrespect women."
With a shaky voice, I replied "This is not what you think, why would I kiss a man like you? I don't like men with round heads and red lips, moreover, you are rude toward women."
I quickly entered my room to avoid any awkwardness. I stood behind my door and slapped myself "Jasmine wake up, I can't like a guy who disrespects you at any little opportunity he finds." We were eating the next morning and the old man could notice the tension.
"Did I miss something guys"
We both replied NO, and he offered to take us out. After an hour we arrived at the cemetery, I was a little surprised but the old man was in no mood to be asked a question so I sealed my mouth. On the gravestone, I saw my late brother but I asked myself "Why would sir visit a brother who betrayed him and destroyed his family?"
Later in the day, I asked the old man why he was so forgiving and his answer left me astonished and speechless. I decided to check up on Nicolas since he never came out of his room after visiting the cemetery.
"Jasmine what do you want"
"Nicolas I want to speak to you please, it will take just a few minutes."
"You better not waste my time Jasmine, what is it?"
"Nicolas, are you okay?"
"If that is what you came to ask then leave because I don't recall us being friends to check up on each other. The day I needed you years back when I was dropped from medical school, you didn't make yourself available so don't pretend you care now thinking I will fall for it."
"Nicolas you are talking as if you reached out and I ignored you moreover I am the one that is supposed to make this statement when I called you years back after my mom's death, but you never answered."
Seeing how he shut the door in my face after saying what I said, made me realize how angry he had been at me all these years. I now understood why he acted badly towards me. All these years I thought he had forgotten about me and intentionally ignored my call years back. I went to him to apologize but he ignored me making a big deal out of it.
Later that day I had an idea to get his attention, I stood beside the swimming pool and threw myself inside pretending I couldn't swim. He hurriedly jumped into the pool without hesitation, I had to make the scene real so I got choked on some water. He sent me inside and covered me with a towel. I realized he became soft towards me at that moment so I took the opportunity to apologize for everything I did to him both in the present and past.
I asked how he couldn't graduate medical school with all his bragging the first time we met. He explained how things escalated with the mom and dad which left him traumatized so he was admitted to the hospital for a year. After the hospital, he decided to help his dad in the family business. I asked him what he meant when he said that statement last night.
"Jasmine, I couldn't call because when I got home, all the problems started. The reason I couldn't answer your call was that I was hospitalized. I called as soon as I was discharged from the hospital but the number you gave me was not going through."
"I changed my number after high school, I didn't think you would call since you never did."
We apologized to each other and continued to talk about ourselves asking each other questions. The old man returned from work and saw us laugh at each other's jokes. His reaction was funny but I wouldn't blame him, since we have been on each other's throats since the first day he saw us together. From that day my stay was peaceful and great without insults and being called a flat bum girl.
"Good day, I'm Michael, a friend of Jasmine. Is she home please?"
"There is no one here with that name, no lady is residing here so I think you have the wrong address. Goodbye."
"Hello Jasmine, am at the address you gave me but a guy responded when I rang the bell, saying there was no girl living in that house."
"WHAT! I'm sorry Michael. Let me unlock the door so you can enter."
Michael was a friend I had since medical school and we were in the same department throughout our fellowship so we were a little close. I didn't understand why Nicolas did what he did but I apologized to Michael again not to ruin our good time.
Seeing me for a long time made him more clingy and touchy but I realized Nicolas was patrolling around the balcony opposite where I was sitting with Michael. It made Michael uncomfortable so I went to talk to him.
"What are you trying to do Nicolas? I have a visitor so why are you pacing in front of my friend? First, you told him I don't stay here and now you are doing this. Do you have something against my visitor?"
He just stared at me without saying a word making me look stupid. I decided to go back to my friend while leaving he held my hands tight and said
"Don't leave Jasmine, I don't like him being here"
I felt confused, but I knew a jealous guy when I saw one and Nicolas was jealous. It was nice he felt that way but I had to play hard, I told him
"Nicolas I have a visitor and I can't leave him there all by himself after all, he came because of me moreover why won't you let me see my friend? Is there a problem?"
He was hesitant but still wouldn't let go of my hand, looking at the expression on his face I knew he was jealous. I pulled my hands off his and was walking toward Michael when he said
"Jasmine, I love you and it hurts to see you with another man so please don't leave."