Purple Romance

Chapter 145: Close yet apart 5

Jordan Attoh entered one of the rooms in his villa and sat on the bed. The room was painted and designed pinkish and the stuff in the room were all either pink or purple, a girl's favourite colours. This was the room of his younger sister who was out of the country due to ill-health.

Jordan Attoh picked the small photo frame that hanged by the bed's side and looked at it. This was the last picture he took with his sister before the car accident that year.

''Are you doing well, Ivy? I will come for you very soon, kid sis'' Jordan said and put the frame back. Just next to that photo was another picture of a woman and Ivy. They were all smiles and looked happy in the picture.

Jordan picked the picture and looked at it murmuring ''why is this picture still here? I hope you are now having a nice life without me, Yvonne?'' Jordan folded the picture from the middle leaving only the side of Ivy's face visible before he placed it back where he picked it and left the room.

.....

Paige got down from a taxi and walked towards her apartment tiredly. Her eyes were heavy with sleep and she could barely carry her own weight along as she walked. She was so tired from the work she did at her three part-time jobs today that it wore her out completely.

A car pulled over just beside her and she turned and saw Joel and a woman in the car. That was the same woman she saw the last time ''Paige, are you coming back from work?'' Joel asked her and she nodded her head not having the energy to reply back.

''You must be Paige. I've heard so much about you'' the woman spoke first and Paige just stared at her without saying anything.

''Joel is always going on about his little sister, is really nice to finally meet you like this'' Amy added and Paige just watched them go back and forth with their introduction. It was probably because she was tired or simply too lazy to reply.

''Paige, this is Amy, my secretary. We had some work to do at home and she came around. I'm sending her back home'' Joel explained and Paige found it strange and awkward but she didn't say anything.

''You must be very tired'' Amy added.

''Go on inside and take a rest. I will see you tomorrow'' Joel said and Paige nodded her head finally saying.

''Okay, good night'' Paige said to them and went away to her apartment gate.

Joel watched her with a conflicted gaze. He found it strange that Paige wasn't acting like her usual self. She is always shy and blushing in front of him but today she didn't do any of such thing. He wondered if she was really tired or maybe he was the one overthinking things.

''Joel, Joel are you alright?'' Amy called him twice and asked as he seemed paced out. Joel came back to his senses and turned to Amy.

''I was just worried about her. Let's go'' Joel said and drove away but Amy who was a bystander thought otherwise. His eyes and facial expression told her it was more than just being worried about someone but she didn't voice out her opinions.

Paige got to her room and threw her bag on the floor, slumping into her bed, she sighed and closed her eyes as the face of the woman beside Joel came to her mind. ''Turns out, a sexy career woman is his type. You are so pitiful Paige'' she murmured and pulled her body into the bed and slowly drifted into sleep.

...

Paige arrive at school holding a can cola drink as she walked towards the car park. She didn't have classes early so she rested enough at home before going to the school.

Paige got to the car park and didn't see Jordan. She frowned and murmured ''Where is this guy? He hasn't even called me today. So, strange. Where could he be?''

Paige stopped walking and asked herself strangely ''wait! Am I actually thinking about Jordan right now? I should be happy he hasn't called. Well, is good he hasn't called, I can have the whole day to myself'' Paige added and opened the car drink ready to sip but it barely reached her mouth just a little before someone snatched it from her. She licked the little that got into her mouth.

'"Shit. Who dares to snatch what's mine?'' Paige said and turned ready to scold the culprit only to see Jordan sipping the cola. She blushed while looking at him. She had just touched that same place with her lips and he was drinking from there.

''This is refreshing'' Jordan said and looked at her blushing face and asked ''why is your face so red?''

''Nothing'' Paige answered and touched her face. ''You scared me, why don't you make noise when you are walking?'' Paige asked.

''Why? Were you saying bad things about me?'' Jordan asked as he walked towards a new car.

''Does that car belong to you?'' Paige asked since it was a new one, different from the previous ones.

''If not, does it belong to you?'' Jordan turned and asked her.

''How many cars do you have?'' Paige asked curiously.

''Don't try to know. You will get shocked and fall sick. Didn't you know? The only thing I am lacking now is a woman to spend the money I have'' Jordan said and looked at Paige. Paige blushed and her face became red. Her mind was going overdrive.

What did he mean by such a sentence? Was he asking her to be his woman or was he just tell her what he lack?

''What are you thinking about Paige Payin. You were not thinking that I was asking you to be my woman. Are you?'' Jordan intentionally teased Paige and her face grew redder.

''Who even wants to be your woman? The woman that can handle your bratty attitude isn't even born yet'' Paige said and pushed Jordan away.

''I bet you did'' Jordan insisted and Paige screamed at him.

''I said no''

''I see you more often, don't you have anything doing? Why are you always hanging around my man?'' Mirabel said as she stood at a distance. Jordan and Paige turned at once and saw her coming closer to them.

''I am not your man'' Jordan said sternly to Mirabel.

''I have lectures. Excuse me!!'' Paige said and walked away.

''Paige'' Jordan called out but Paige didn't turn around, she instead walked away faster and a car pulled over right in front of her and Jordan watched as Paige got into the car of the guy. He saw his face and remembered him quite well. He was the same person who held her hand and dragged her away the other day.

"What have you been doing with that woman lately?'' Mirabel asked displeased.

''She is called Paige'' Jordan said and walked away.

...

''Where are we going? I still have lectures'' Paige said as she sat inside the car.

''Have you forgotten about our appointment?'' Anthony asked and Paige looked at him clearly confused.

''What appointment? Did I agree to go somewhere with you?'' Paige asked him and noticed Jordan's car pass by them. She briefly saw his face when she heard Anthony asking her a question and turned.

''I sent you a message this morning, telling you that I wanted to show you something. Have you forgotten or did you not see my message?'' Anthony asked again as his eyes drifted to Jordan's car that was now in front of them.

''I didn't check my messages yet this morning'' Paige said and took her phone to check.

''Who is that man? You seem close to him?'' Anthony asked and Paige simply chuckled. She didn't deny neither did she confirm it. She was just like that. If she didn't know someone well enough, she would be guarded against them especially people who pop out of nowhere acting all friendly with her.

''I just saw your message but I have lectures so what do we do now?'' Paige looked up after checking her phone.

''I can wait till you are done. You can't bail out on me after reading my message. I just got here and I don't have a lot of friends. Since you were the first person I talked to, I want us to be friends. Maybe close friends than what you have with that man?'' Anthony said referring to Jordan.

''I am not sure I am following you but what Jordan and I have is a little complicated so is best not to try and get in between us. I will go to my lecture hall from here'' Paige said and turned to open the door when Anthony held her wrist again.

''Is there something else?'' Paige asked as she looked at his hand on her wrist. Anthony took his hands away from her.

''Are you angry? Did I say anything wrong?'' Anthony asked in a rather sympathetic manner drawing pity from Paige.

''No, you didn't do anything wrong. I am just not used you acting all friendly and touchy with me. Don't jump to conclusions yet, is not that I don't want to be your friend but can you not hold my hand like that?'' Paige said to him. She looked at his face but she couldn't read anything because his expression remained neutral but the foreboding feeling within Paige was just something she couldn't ignore.

''No worries, I understand. You are the campus belle, so is natural that a lot of men come up to you and you need to be careful with them. I won't cross the line again but promise me we will still be friends. Let's go out with your best friend some time'' Anthony said nonchalantly and Paige smiled.

''Sure, and I am not the campus belle. I don't believe in such things, then, I will go now. See you around'' Paige said and got down from the car. The atmosphere in the car soon changed to a chilly one as Anthony whose face was calm and collected a moment ago turned into a sly and sinister one. He stared at the retreating back view of Paige and sneered.

''Quite the stubborn type, are we? You played with my brother and labelled him as a stalker and you are here having a nice life. To think my brother became a vegetable because of you, Paige Payin'' Anthony lifted his lips into a half smile and drove away.