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Reunion (Part II)

17

Jasmine did not have any time to herself later that day. Zoya announced that she wanted to spend the entire day with her and Ali drove them around the city as they talked, ate and shopped like a couple of teenage girls on a dayout. It was fun. Jasmine was happy. Zoya told her that she was glowing as if she was going to be a bride and teased that maybe it had something to do with a certain brother of hers. Jasmine did not tell her which brother it was that was the reason for her glowing complexion and good spirits.

She and Hamza were together again. It had not been part of her plan but it felt as natural as it had a year ago. They were meant to be. Things were going to work out this time around. She belonged to him and he would soon belong to her as well. He had promised her that he would talk to Alisha this time so they could be married properly instead of sneaking around.

Zoya and Jasmine reached the mansion at six in the afternoon and headed to their rooms, both too tired to even talk about any plans for the evening.

'I'll text you,' Zoya mouthed and closed her bedroom door. Jasmine giggled. They were in adjacent rooms and yet, they were going to text each other. God bless technology.

She placed her shopping bags on the rug and her mobile beeped. Grinning, she dug it out of her pocket.

Need to see u, babe. Your room or mine? - A

She was surprised. How had Armaan known exactly when to text her? Then she groaned. Zoya. She was not feeling so friendly towards technology now. Jasmine chewed on her bottom lip. She could not see Armaan anymore. She had to stay away from him and vice versa. She was back with Hamza now and there was no place for another in her life.

I'm coming, she texted back, thinking that since his room was the furthest, it was safer for them to talk there.

Tradition was important here. A girl and a boy did not just meet without a chaperone in a room. There would be problems if they were discovered.

Wow. Really? All I did was text you. - A

She rolled her eyes. Trust him to find innuendos where there were not any. She poked her head out the door, searched the corridors for any signs of life and then hurried over to his room. She had to admit, this was kind of naughty, sneaking around in a place as big as this where it was so easy to get lost without discovery in the arms of a lover.

If only it was her one true love in that room, waiting for her. She wondered what Hamza was doing and when she would see him again. Just the thought made her smile with joy.

She entered Armaan's room, closed the door behind her and her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her. Wow. His room had a balcony. And not just any balcony. It was covered with colourful wild flowers.

Roses and jasmines entwined with each other and created an archway, falling in tendrils to the stone railing below and sliding over it lovingly. There were slender marble pillars which looked new with green, pink and white flora covering them. The balcony overlooked the west side of the mansion where the yellow sun hung above the sands, casting long shadows and giving it an ethereal air.

"Oh wow," she breathed and sighed in reverence. "This is so beautiful."

Now the air contained a whiff of cologne as well. "It is, isn't it?" Armaan murmured from behind her and she turned around.

He was looking devastatingly attractive in a black shirt which had golden embroidery at the cuffs and collar and black trousers. "It's especially beautiful at nights," he told her, moving closer to her. "When you can see the moon and the stars peeking from between the tendrils. It's like you're floating up in the clouds with only the flowers as support. I designed it a year ago," he said proudly.