Love Me And Leave Me?

EIGHT YEARS LATER

Jasmine’s POV

Jasmine Maya Bryant

The only daughter of the wealthy Maya Bryant and Mrs Bryant. No way! “Wealthy” is an understatement.

A girl with all the money would never stoop so low as to make friends with someone who is not of the same category as me. Never!

Because of this statement...

People say I’m pompous... Well, whatever! At times, it depends on your reaction towards me.

Less introduction ’cos you will get to know me more quite soon.

**

I could not stop smiling as I gently sipped a cup almost filled with strawberry drink.

“Looks like no one has stepped on your nerves today,” Jennie said.

Jennie is not in the same category as me, but I still don’t know how she turned out to be my friend... not just a friend, my best friend. Almost everyone stayed away from me, or rather, I stayed away from them. I made just a few friends, and Jennie is the only intimate one. Surprisingly, she has a character which is the exact opposite of mine.

“Jasmine!” she hollered.

“Yes?” I paused sipping from the cup and raised my head to listen to what she had to say.

“Did you win a lottery or something? You’ve been smiling like never before. I actually noticed since you came to school this morning,” Jennie said.

“Well, I was not gonna keep it a secret from you anyways,” I said, still smiling. It’s just hard for me to stop.

“Hmmmn, so what is it?”

“Mike and I are dating.”

“Whoa!” She smiled. “Since when? And why didn’t you tell me until I asked you just now? So if I didn’t ask... I won’t even know.”

“I’m sorry, bestie. Since yesterday.”

“You weren’t hiding it away from me after all.”

“So after school yesterday, he told me he likes me. He said he wanted me to be his girlfriend... Of course, you know I like him too, so I didn’t hesitate before giving him a YES and... and he pulled me closer and...”

Jennie cut in. “He kissed you?” she asked.

“No, he hugged me for a while... It was warm. I wanted a kiss, but I guess he doesn’t wanna rush things yet,” I said, smiling non-stop.

“I hope I won’t hurt you if I say that it doesn’t look like you are dating Mike,” Jennie blurted.

“Why not?” I asked.

“Okay, let’s say he is your boyfriend, but you slapped him today in class b’cos he shook hands with Mara, so?”

I frowned.

“I ought to. Do you even know that I beat up Mara in the restroom before coming to the cafeteria to have lunch with you?” I said without feeling remorseful.

“Oh Jasmine!” Jennie hit her hand on her forehead.

“So you wanna start preaching, don’t you?”

“Mara has done absolutely nothing wrong... It’s not as if it is wrong to have a handshake with anyone... It’s nothing but just a form of greeting,” she said.

“That’s what you think... You’ll see, very soon Mike will come to me and apologise for flirting with some stupid girl.” I smiled, folding my hands boastfully.

“Well, he is here, but not with the sorry look,” Jennie said, and I instantly turned to see a furious Mike walking towards us... Err, I wasn’t expecting this kind of look.

“Mike.” I stood up, wanting to hug him.

“Listen, Jasmine, it’s okay to be clingy and, in fact, it’s fine to be crazy about me, but it’s nonsense when you do the extra part of it,” Mike said.

“And I won’t lie to you, I don’t understand,” I told him with a confused look.

“Yesterday you yelled at me b’cos I waved and said ‘Bye’ to a student. This morning, you slapped me b’cos I received a handshake from Mara in front of you... As if it’s not enough, you beat her up and gave her wounds and bruises... Are you crazy?” Michael yelled at me.

“Mara deserves what I’ve done to her, or even more... See Mike, I know Mara really well... She’s a bitch, she is...”

“Shut it! Mara is hospitalized. Happy now, huh?”

“Yeah, I’m glad, and I don’t care even if she’s dead,” I shouted back and rolled my eyes at him.

“What?!!” Mike and Jennie exclaimed simultaneously, making the other students in the cafeteria stare at us, most especially me... I heard one telling another, “It’s the rude and proud girl, she gat no manners.”

“It’s over between us,” Mike said.

“What the hell are you saying, Michael? We just started this relationship yesterday, only a few hours ago, and you are breaking up with me today... Is there any sense in that?” I said, now upset.

“I just couldn’t wait, huh?” Mike simpered.

“Mike, I never thought I would date you for a day.”

“And I never wanted to date a witch!” Michael fired back before walking away.

“I’m so sorry, Jasmine. I’m not on Mike’s side, but I would tell you the truth, you are the one who is wrong,” Jennie said.

“Not like I’m heartbroken,” I lied.

“You are, it’s scribbled on your face,” she said, wanting to make me calm.

“I wanna be alone, please,” I said, leaving the cafeteria to sit where there were few students. I should not cry after all, I wasn’t completely into him yet... I consoled myself while fighting back the almost-dropping tears.

I got home with an earphone on my head... Jennie had said music aids in terms of sad and moody situations... I needed it right now, although the song I played initially frustrated me at a point.

“Hi Mom,” I sheepishly greeted as I sat on a chair opposite her instead of going straight to my room.

It’s of no use telling her what happened in school today...

She thinks I don’t have emotional feelings, everyone thinks so too because I act like I do not...

“What, Jasmine... you don’t like music?” my mom said.

“I need this song more than anything else,” I told her, faking a smile. “Me and love don’t get along.”

“What?? Do you derive joy from seeing me annoyed? I didn’t give birth to a lesbian... What are you turning into, Jasmine?” Mom shouted.

“A lady that doesn’t need a guy in her life,” I said.

“A complete definition of a lesbian.”

“Oh Mom, we are not gonna talk about this again,” I said, taking my bag and heading to my room.

“Of course we are! I won’t sit and watch my daughter go astray. Why, Jasmine? Why do you choose to have the worst attitude?” my mom continued to yell.

I scoffed, looking around for the housemaid, Helen.

“Helen!” I called.

“She left,” Mom replied.

“When would she be back?”

“She quit.”

“Why?!”

“She didn’t say.”

She’s joking, right? We had a small quarrel not too long ago... now she’s ruining my mood even more than what Mike did in school...

“Bad news, isn’t it Miss Jasmine?” Alex, my annoying brother, mocked me while coming out of his room.

“Get out of here!” I yelled at him.

“Oh, you wanted Helen to help you with your bag and get you something to eat when you can simply walk to the kitchen yourself... No, you cannot, right? Lazy brat!” he insulted.

“Mom!”

“Return to your room, Alex, and continue with whatever you were doing,” my mom said.

She hates to see us quarrel, but we do quarrel almost every day.

“Well, let’s see how someone would survive without Helen,” he smiled wickedly before entering his room.

That hurt because it’s true.

Maybe today has been planned to be my worst day.

“Mom, we need a new Helen, we need a new househelp,” I complained.

“We do not. We can do everything ourselves. I will do the cooking and Alex will too. You should learn too, Jasmine,” Mom said.

“No, Mom. Helen didn’t only cook for us, she did everything I wanted, everything!” I said, folding my arms, hoping for a positive response from my mom, but an annoying one came from Alex.

“In case you don’t know, I do... I know why Helen quit, it’s because of the hefty work you made her do. You never gave her space to breathe, you maltreated her. You are such a spoilt and slothful thing!” Alex shouted from his room.

“Do you have a death wish?!” I screamed, pulling off my shoes and throwing them at his door.

“Relax, Jasmine, we all want a changed you... You are...”

I interrupted her.

“I know, right. Mom, we are wealthy.” I applied stress on the word wealthy. “We shouldn’t go through any form of hard work,” I said before storming upstairs to Dad’s room.

Dad will always give me a listening ear and a satisfying answer.

I got to Dad’s room, knocked once, and entered without waiting for Dad’s response.

Dad was with his P.A, Mr Jeremy... Uh, did I call him personal assistant? Dad’s servant instead!

“Excuse me, I wanna talk to my Dad,” I rudely said, scorning at him too.

Not like he’s on the same level with Dad, he’s one of those poor people.

“Please leave ASAP,” I shouted at Mr Jeremy.

I saw him scorning at me back... Is he stupid?

“What’s the problem, Jasmine? He was about to leave anyway, you don’t have to shout at him,” Dad cautioned.

Mr Jeremy turned to go. He whispered, “Miss, you don’t wanna lose everything, do you? Mind the way you talk to me.” He whispered into my ear, then walked to the door and exited.

He’s always saying that whenever I yell at him... Whatever! He’s saying nonsense... there’s nothing he can do... He can never harm me.

“What’s wrong, Jasmine?” Dad asked.

“Helen quit, hire a new househelp,” I said.

“It’s no big deal, but you made it look like one. Jasmine, you are not meant to make a fuss over everything!” Dad said. Obviously, he too does not like my behavior... I took after him, Mom said Dad used to be so quarrelsome.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I mumbled.

“Well, it’s okay.”