The sky was already dark when Boyce arrived.
Jasmine and her classmates were having barbeque beside the stream on the hill. They brought charcoal, various meat and vegetable skewers and some DIY vegan skewers. The guys helped in cooking the skewers, while the girls helped to set up clothes in front of the tent and placed drinks and fruits on them.
Jasmine was a little distracted. She kept looking at her watch and estimating how long was it until Boyce arrived.
“Jasmine, what’s wrong? You looked distracted after picking up that call,” one of Jasmine’s classmates laughed at her, “Did you miss your husband?”
They were close friends of Jasmine’s, so they knew she was married.
“I wasn’t,” Jasmine looked down, “I was thinking about the clothes on the balcony. I wanted to go home and…”
“Don’t be a killjoy. It’s dark, and it’s not going to rain tonight. The clothes are fine on the balcony,” one of the guys who was cooking the skewers overheard their conversation chimed in.
“He’s right. You don’t come out with us often, so don’t be a killjoy this time. Furthermore, it’s getting late. How are you going to get back to the city? It’s dangerous. You better stay.”
Everyone was convincing Jasmine and told her not to leave. It was getting late, and the road going downhill was dangerous.
Jasmine couldn’t say anything. She took out her phone and texted Boyce to ask him whether he was coming.
“I’ve arrived at the foot of the hill,” Boyce replied.
Jasmine looked at her classmates and said, “My husband came to fetch me…”
“Wow, your husband is here?” Jasmine got surrounded by three girls before she could finish her words, “Ask your husband to come here. We want to meet him.”
Jasmine felt awkward, “I…”
“Don’t be stingy. We won’t take your husband away from you. We just want to meet him,” Jasmine’s classmates wanted to meet the man who Jasmine loved and protected.
“He’s busy. He often has time…”
“Alright, Jasmine. Don’t be a killjoy. Introduce him to us. We might not have to chance to meet him next time.”
Jasmine felt resigned. They were pretty close friends. It wasn’t good to reject them so harshly.
So, Jasmine texted Boyce: Can you come up please? My classmates wanted to meet you.” she added, “I’ll reject them if you don’t want to.
Boyce replied after a while: I’ll come up.
They were Jasmine’s classmates. If he refused to meet them, it could affect the relationship between Jasmine and her classmates.
Jasmine smiled and replied Boyce: I’ll come to meet you.
Boyce replied: I’m fine. The road downhill wasn’t exactly easy to drive.
Jasmine texted: I know the way. But you have to drive slowly. That’s it. I’m coming to get you.
Jasmine kept her phone away and stood up, “I need to go get him. He didn’t know the way.”
“I’ll go with you,” a girl stood up, “We’ll look out for each other.”
Jasmine agreed, “Sure.”
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