Recap -

Xander opens the door and again my gut instinct proved right.

Jasmine's POV (Continuation) -

The odour of a familiar cologne assaults my senses as I stare at the man standing on the doorstep. He is wearing black jeans and a blue color fitted top along with black and white sneakers.

The man is holding a very large bouquet of Jasmine flowers that are successfully hiding his face and filling my inner being with dread. After six years, six damn years, I am still not ready to face what happened, to face him.

"Hello, Jasmine. Long time no see," the man says as he lowers down the bouquet, revealing his face.

You know how in movies, they show the time freeze and everything going in slow motion. This is exactly what happens with me, my blood runs cold and I can guarantee my face would have paled. I stared wide eyed as Xander, Al and Jay-Jay introduced themselves to him.

"Nice to meet you all. I am Aman, Aman Malhotra, Jasmine's childhood best friend," he says, as he keeps the bouquet on the nearby stand and goes on to shake hands with my friends.

Suddenly, my brain decides to work and pump blood into my body. All the pent up anger surfaces back into me. All I see is red, but I keep my mouth shut.

How dare he come here? How dare he meet me after six years, after what he did? How dare he introduce himself as my childhood best friend? As the questions keep popping in my mind, my head starts to feel dizzy. I shake my head to knock some sense into me.

This is not the right time, Jazz. This is not the f***ing right time. I have to keep my emotions in check. I don't want others to be dragged down in my mess.

I look at Al and Jay-Jay, who are animatedly talking with Aman about God knows what. But, looking at them, I realize this slick hasn't changed one bit. Shaking my head, my eyes meet Xander's blue orbs. His expression is really serious, like he is trying to figure out something. I quickly conceal any emotions that might have looked out of place.

"Jessie, you okay?" Aman asks, touching my forearm. His fake concern wants me to gag at him.

Instead I inhale a deep breathe and plaster my most polite smile as I step back, creating some space between us.

"Why? Yes, of course, I am fine, especially that you are here. So, what brings you here, Aman?" I ask, saying his name in a sickly sweet voice. Though, in reality all I wanted to do was spit it out like venom.

"We haven't met since so many years. I was coming back from Japan. So, I talked to Aunty (Aunt) and told her I wanted to meet you, before heading back to India. She also thought it was a great idea and we both could use some catching up," he says as he flashes me another smile that obviously I don't return.

"Also, these are for you," he says, before giving me the Jasmine flowers. I instantly step away from them, like they were plague. I would rather die than take anything from him.

"I can't take these, Aman. Though I do appreciate the gesture," I say with a forced smile. However, it seemed everyone was oblivious to my internal dilemma, just like they were six years before.

"It's okay, Amen. Don't worry about Jazz. I'll take them to my house. Why don't you come to my house? That's where Jazz is staying for this summer," Al butts in, before I could stop her.

"Sure, I'd like to know Jessie's friend."

"It's Jasmine," I reply, absentmindedly. When I realize what I had said it was too late. I see four pair of eyes staring at me. Al and Jay-Jay with confusion, his with a taunting challenge and Xander seemed to be in another world.

"I would appreciate if you'd call me Jasmine. Nobody calls me Jessie anymore," I reply with a hint of suppressed anger.

"Okay, Jasmine."

"Excuse me," I say as I excuse myself while others go in the living room, talking amongst themselves.

I take a deep breathe as I reach the garden, as if his mere existence suffocated me. Well, it indeed did. I angrily dial my mother's number. After third call, she finally picks up.

"Pari (Angel), what is the hurry? I was washing dishes, sweetie," my mom answers me as she picks up the phone. I feel a bit guilty, thinking I made her run towards her phone. But, then I remember why I called and the guilt takes a step back.

"Why?" I ask her calmly or as calm as I could be at the moment.

"What why?"

"Why did you tell him I was here? Why did you send him here? You could have at least informed me about his arrival."

"So, you could run away from him or you could avoid him, like you have been doing for the past six years?" my mom asks and I can hear the undertone of anger. For some weird reason, my mom literally loves Aman Malhotra, the very existence that I despise more than anything.

"Aap janti hai hamara yeh matlab nahi tha. Kya apne kabhi yeh socha hai ki shayad, shayad hamara usse na milne ka koi reason hoga? Har bar, har bar aap uska side kyu leti hai, Mamma? Ham jante hai voh aapki best friend ka beta hai, par voh bhi galat ho sakta hai. Aur voh galat hai!"

(A/N: Translation - You know I did not mean that. Have you ever thought that just perhaps, perhaps I do have a great reason to avoid him to disagree to meet him? Why do you always take HIS side? I know he is your best friend's son. But he is a human too, he can be wrong too and this time he is wrong!)

"Enough! Hamme nahi pata ki six years pehle kya hua tha, jiske karan tum dono ki ab baat nahi hoti, jiske karan tumhari friendship khatm ho gayi thi. But, ab bhaut ho gaya hai, Pari. Hamme kuch nahi sunna, tum Aman se baat karogi aaj aur abhi. Bye!" with that being said, my sweet mom hangs up the phone.

(A/N : Translation - Enough! I don't know what happened six years before that you two suddenly stopped talking to each other, that destroyed your friendship. But, enough is enough, Angel. I don't want to hear any excuses. You are going to talk to Aman today, in fact right now! Bye!)

I let out a small scream in anger and frustration. Don't get me wrong, I really love my Mamma. But, at times she can be hell of a stubborn. Yup, I get the stubbornness from her.

I turn around only to crash into someone. I look up to see, Aman looking at me with a smirk playing on his lips.

"So, how did the talk with aunty go?" he asks me, though I am pretty sure he already knows the answer. He's a real smooth talker and my mom trusts him a bit too much for my liking. I glare at him in response, my silence answering his question.

"What are you really doing here, Aman? After what you did six years, you can't expect me to talk to you. Come on, I thought you were smarter than that," I say sarcastically.

"Everything is fair in war and love, Jessie," he says with a smirk. I can feel goosebumps on my arms. He knows what effect the nickname has on me. Damn, this bastard for using one of my weakness against me.

"Don't call me that ever again," I stay at him with pure venom.

"As you wish, sweetheart," he replies, staring at me.

"I am not your sweetheart. Just get the hell out of here!" I snap at him, my patience disappearing with each second.

"Well, if you really want me to, then I won't disappoint you. But this is just the start Jessie, we are going to have so many more encounters," Aman says as he forcefully pulls me in a hug. I push him away immediately, but he only laughs as if it's a pretty normal thing to forcefully hug someone.

He leaves silently, while occasionally turning back to see me. On the way, he meets up with Xander and the two end up staring at each other. I don't like it, the last time when someone managed to crack Aman's calm yet sick demeanor, the storm that followed wrecked that person very badly and for some reason I don't want that to happen to Xander, to anyone.

After a few seconds of staring at Xander, Aman leaves, but not before winking at me. I look up to see Xander, for the first time in six years it seems like someone is finally on my side instead of the slick's, that someone can see through him, his fakeness.

"Where is Amen? Did he already leave? We were having a real great conversation, but then Oreo jumped out of nowhere and chased Amen out. Did you meet Amen, Jazz?" Al asks as she too joins me in the garden.

"Yeah, he left right now," I mutter, not really liking the idea of Al hanging out with Aman alone. At least Jay-Jay was with her.

Just then Oreo comes running towards me. I crouch down on the ground as I ruffle my Oreo eating buddy's hair and hug him.

"Thank you so much, Oreo," I whisper to him as I pat his head lightly.

"Where did Amen go?"

"It's Aman, Al not Amen. If anything, he is just the reincarnation of the devil himself," I mumble the last part to myself.
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Hello Fellas!
How are you all doing?
I can't believe the lazy me updated three days in a go😂😂

Anyways, what are your thoughts about Aman? You liked it?

Till the next update, keep shining ;)

- Love Addy :)