Chapter 37: See You Soon

*Jasmine*

The next few weeks flew by with Jasmine working with Zain in Uncle Miguel’s food truck, surfing while we weren’t working, and getting everything ready to go to college and Las Vegas. But right now, Jasmine was thinking more of Las Vegas than going off to college.
Zain was leaving the next day to get everything ready for her, and she had planned to meet him there the next day. She just hoped nothing happened to derail their plans.
At the end of their shift, Zain wiped his hands on a hand towel. “Jasmine, my mother, and family are having a farewell party for me tonight before I leave for college, and I want you to come.”
“Of course she’ll be there!” Miguel chirped, smiling as he shot a glance over at Jasmine. “I just hope you two can find a way to work this out. You know, it would be a whole lot simpler if you were going to the same college—”
“Uncle Miguel,” Zain cut him off. “Everything’s going to work out.” He let out a deep breath, biting his lower lip. “If Jasmine comes out to USC, I’ll have to leave her there at the end of the year. It wouldn’t be fair to leave her there alone.”
“No, I was thinking about that,” Jasmine replied. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to go to USC. After all, I won’t know anyone in Tennessee, either. I’ll be starting fresh no matter where I go.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. “At least we’ll be together for a year.”
Miguel’s smile faded. “No, Zain’s right. As much as I love you, Jasmine, Zain’ll have his career to think about, and so will you.” He shrugged. “Besides, you can always keep in touch, and who knows what will happen after you graduate.”
But that was four years from now. Then again, maybe she could work hard and graduate sooner. “We’ll see.”
Zain kissed the top of her head and pulled back to look into her eyes. “So, you’ll come tonight? Mom’s been cooking for three days now.”
Jasmine’s eyes met his, her eyebrows raised. “Are you sure she won’t mind? It’s just for family and I don’t want to intrude—”
“No, not at all!” Zain hugged her closely. “It’s my last night here, so I want you there.”
She nodded, giving him a small smile. Even though she knew she’d see him in Las Vegas, this seemed too final after the summer they had shared.
“Go on, you two!” Miguel flipped Zain playfully with a towel and pulled him in for a one-armed manly hug. “Nephew, thanks for your help this summer. And don’t forget about the promise you made your father.”
Of course, Jasmine knew he was talking about Zain’s promise to become a professional baseball player. “No, of course not,” she interjected. “I want that for Zain more than anything, and I’m not going to stand in his way.”
Miguel pulled her in for a hug, too. “I know you won’t.” He kissed the top of his head. “I’ll see you next summer?”
She nodded, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. “I hope so.” She released him and quickly swiped a hand over her cheek. “But I’ll definitely see you tonight, if you’re sure it’s okay.”
“Sure! It’ll be fine!” A broad grin spread across Zain’s face.
Miguel laughed. “Trust me. His mother loves to cook. And the more people she has to cook for, the better.”
After saying their goodbyes, Jasmine and Zain walked out for the last time that summer.
Zain slid his hand down her arm and took her hand as they headed toward her parents’ condo.
“This seems too final,” Jasmine said, unable to take the silence anymore.
He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry. We’ll have the weekend in Las Vegas before we go our separate ways.”
She stopped at the corner of the condos on the beach and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I wish we had longer.”
“So do I.” He ran his hand gently over her cheek and then cupped her chin. “But the longer we have together, the harder it’ll be to say goodbye.”
“I can check out the programs at USC—”
“No,” he cut her off. “I didn’t want to say this in front of Uncle Miguel, but I want you to experience life before you choose me—”
“But I already chose you.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to have any regrets... about me... about us.” He let out a deep breath. “I want you to date other men, but I just don’t want to see it.”
Jasmine chuckled as tears filled her eyes. “I can’t say that I’m as strong as you are. If I ever saw you with another woman, it’d break my heart.”
Zain moved closer, looking straight into her eyes. “Jasmine, there will never be anyone else for me but you... ever.”
“And there won’t be anyone else for me, either.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Don’t you want me to wait for you?” Pain ripped through her chest. Was he trying to say goodbye?
He let out a deep breath. “Jasmine, if it was up to me, I’d take you away with me and never let you go.”
“But?”
“But it’s not fair to you.” Then he smiled as he took her hand and led her toward her door. “Come on. Let’s go. I’ll pick you up tonight at six. Will that be enough time to get ready?”
She nodded, unable to speak. She just wished they had one more day to go surfing together, one more day to laugh together, one more day to love him.
“Hey.” Zain wiped a tear away from her eye with his thumb. “I’ll see you soon.”
Jasmine smiled, recognizing their standard way of saying goodbye. She could never bear to say goodbye to him for real, and that day would come in less than a week. But they were together now, and she was going to make the most of their time together.
He crushed his lips to hers, causing her heart to pound as he pulled her into his arms, and she opened for him, deepening the kiss. She swiped her tongue over his, committing his taste to memory. All too soon, she pulled back and forced a smile. “I’ll see you soon,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. Then she opened the door and gave him one last look over her shoulder before closing it behind her.
“I thought I told you not to see that boy!”
Jasmine’s heart sank as her father’s voice boomed in the room. She looked over, and her mother was wringing her hands, sitting at the dining room table. Hannah gave her an apologetic look. It seemed that her mother had nerves of steel… except for where William was concerned.
“Father, you lost the right to tell me who I could and couldn’t see when you took a mistress.” Jasmine stormed past him and headed toward her room, but he caught her arm.
“Do not take that tone with me—”
“I will take any tone I please with you.” Jasmine glared at him, her eyes never wavering. “Now. Let. me. Go.”
***
**A/N: Thank you so much for your patience! I'm sorry it took so long to post. From now on, I'll be posting every Monday and Wednesday. Let me know with an emoji what you think. What will her father do?**
Just One Weekend
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