“Jake” Jake closed his eyes tightly when he heard the voice of the person he has been earnestly trying to avoid since yesterday. Jake didn’t stop neither did he slow down.’This stupid gossip'”Bro wait up” Blake called again as he jogged over. He pulled Jake to a stop.”What is it?” Jake asked faking annoyance.”Hey don’t do that with me.” Blake warned. “How dare you ask your secretary to put me off..it’s that how you treat your own brother?” Blake asked slightly raising his voice in mock-anger.”What do you want now?” Jake asked impatiently as he looked at his watch, which Blake noticed.”Are you going to see her again?” Blake asked in his full gossipy tone with a small smile tugging on the side of his lips.”See who?” Jake asked feigning ignorance making Blake eye him evilly.”You’re going to be like that huh?” Blake asked.”Be like what? Just tell me what you want, I’m in a hurry” Jake urged him.”Since you want to act dense, then I’ll be shameless. You like her?” Blake asked wriggling his brow teasefully.Jake glared at him before turning away to continue on his path, but Blake ran up and blocked his path.”Come on tell me. I helped you out remember. Don’t tell me you’re going to be shameless and not return the favour by telling me the gist right?””At least now you know you’re not the only shameless person in the family. Now get out of my way before I send to an orthopaedic ward with broken ribs” Jake glared at him.”You won’t dare…Just tell me already. Why was she there? You don’t like clingy girls and from the way I remembered things you were the one being clingy…You even have to go to the hospital just to stage an act…bro you’re indeed shameless. Wait don’t tell me you got hooked” Blake eyes popped in surprise at the realization that his thought might be true.”Hooked on what? Jake asked in confusion.”You know what I’m talking about. Don’t act so innocent with me. I may be your younger brother but I’m stupid okay. I know this things” Blake said with a confidenf smile.”I still don’t know””On whatever she served you that night” Blake wriggled his brows again with a knowing smile. Jake frowned when he finally understood what Blake was hinting at.”One more word from you and I’ll kill you” Jake threatened.”Okay fine…Just go see her and hurry back. I’m dying to get the full gist okay” Blake chirped.”Then you just have to die” Jake said as he pushed past Blake.”What you don’t want to return? You want to elope with her? She looks like my potential sister in-law, don’t make us miss out on the wedding” Blake yelled behind Jake. He took to his heels when he observed Jake was looking for something to throw at him.”What a gossip” Jake sighed.Jake could feel his heart race as he drove down to pick Jade. He thought of several ways he could talk to Jade about this and apologize, but no matter how hard he thought of it…nothing felt right. He has never done something like this before.What should he say? How should he start up the conversation? Should he be direct about it? What if Jade’s get angry and decides not to forgive him for lying to her? What should he do then?He had made her sacrifice more than eight hours of her weekends. Hours she could have spent with her family, friends or maybe doing whatever she liked. He also didn’t stop there, he just had made her take care of him for a whole day when she could have been at work being effective. How did he start this lies in the first place?Jake didn’t know how to go about this. He couldn’t device the right approach for this. Maybe he shouldn’t heed to his grandfather’s advice. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that he has done the exact same thing she hated the most.How would she feel? If he were in her shoes how would he feel?…Jake couldn’t stop thinking about all this myriad of questions.Would she believe him if he told her he has only done this because he wanted to spend time with her? Would his reason suffice and cover his wrong? Or would it scare her away? This was the same reason why he had started all this. He didn’t want to outrightly tell her that he was attracted to her in ways he couldn’t understand, and that he would love to be close to her to figure out why. That would have put her to her heels.Jake could feel his head ache from all the thinking and he didn’t even realize that he has arrived his destination. Jake was pulled out of his reverie when he heard Jade knock on the window. He quickly unlocked the car to let her in.”I’m sorry” He apologized with a smile not quite reaching his eyes.”It’s okay Mr Jake. I guess your mind must be occupied with work especially after being absent for two days” Jade said as she stepped into the car.”Hmm” Jake simply mumbled.”Mr Jake, how are you feeling now?” Jade asked.”Are you sure you’re up for this? I’d advice you just rest today. Your body needs time to rest don’t you think so?” Jade asked with concern hinted in her voice making Jake’s guilt double.”I’m fine” He muttered. Jake couldn’t bring himself to stare at Jade in the face so he tried not to make eye contacts with her and Jade somehow noticed it.”Let’s go” Jake said and Jade replied, “Okay” as she strapped in her seat belt.Jake stole glances at her from his peripheral vision. His heart was thumping so hard that he felt his ribs could break. This was going to be hard than he thought.Was he really going to do this? His chances of losing Jade were high and he was really doubting if he should carry on with this plan.’It would be hard or even close to impossible if the other person found out about this from another source’ His grandfather’s words resounded in his ears. He slightly turned his head to look at Jade who was busy with her candy crush game as usual. His lips gently curled up when he saw that cute concentrative look she always has on whenever she played that game.This mundane things she does are the things he really couldn’t get enough of. Jake sighed out subconsciously as he returned his attention back to the road.His sigh gained Jade’s attention unknowingly to him. It was then she realized that Jake was unusually quiet. Though their trip to the game house wasn’t really a chatty one, but it wasn’t usually this quiet. Jake would always ask one or two of those annoying questions she always prayed he wouldn’t ask.Jade observed the creased line on his face and she swore in heart that she preferred him when he smiled.The frown was unusual. Could something be wrong with him? Was he angry? Jade cleared her throat to gain his attention and Jake turned to face her.”Mr Jake are you angry?” Jade asked when she remembered this was the same countenance he had the other he was angry.”I’m not” Jake replied. Of course he wasn’t angry he was just facing a life challenging situation.Jade pondered on his reply for a few seconds before nodding her head. If he said he wasn’t then he wasn’t.They continued the drive in utmost silent even though Jade was currently busy with her phone, she still couldn’t shake off the fact that something might be wrong with Jake. But she couldn’t force it..the man has said he was fine.When they arrived at the game house, Jake booked a private as usual before whispering something into the attendants ears. Jade was a bit suspicious of his actions but she quickly shrugged off the feeling. She has been too suspicious of the man. Maybe it was time she got past what happened between them and saw him in a new light. He has been of good character since their second encounter at his office.How ironic could life be. She never suspected the man who pretended to be right by her even though he was the son of the devil. But here she was, always suspicious of the man that has always revealed his real nature to the world.Cale had acted like he was the right man, and not once did she grow suspicious of him. But the one has never hidden his promiscuous self from anyone but rather kept his struggles to himself was the one she was always suspicious of.’Maybe she shouldn’t be too judgemental of him, after all no one was perfect”What was she even thinking?’ Jade chided herself. She was obviously thinking too far. The problem is, something was up with Jake and she was beginning to concerned about it.”Come on” Jake gestured at Jade pulling her from her train of thoughts.Jade couldn’t help glance at Jake every now and then. She was more than sure something was up with Jake but she couldn’t tell what it’s. As a matter of fact, she had observed some change in him two days ago when they had that lengthy conversation back at the hospital. His countenance had changed after she had answered all his questions and she was a bit puzzled when he asked her to go and rest. Even when she had objected and decided to stay behind a bit longer so she could help him later if there was anything he needed, Jake still asked her to go. For a moment there she thought she had said something wrong that might have pissed him off.Seeing him today with that same look was making her believe that indeed maybe she might have said something that angered him. But what was her offence?Jake was the one who had asked her series of personal questions that she shouldn’t have answered but she had rendered her answers. But what could she have done, when he looked like he needed all the help he could get and like her answers were his last resort.’She was only trying to be of help. She didn’t commit any crime, so if he was angry, he should probably go fix it up. No one should blame her or get vexed with her’ Jade screamed in her mind. But no matter how hard she tried to convince herself with all those words, she still felt bothered.Jade sat on the sofa her eyes were glued to her phone in hand but her attention on the man who for some reason was the one setting up the game instead of the attendant. She took quick glances at him every now and then as he acted busy even when he was not. She saw how clumsy he was, even with the game console.Jade couldn’t help it anymore. She sighed as she dropped her phone and gazed at the man.”Mr Jake are you mad at me?” Jade asked. Her curiosity has gotten the best of her.Jake was shocked by her imprompt question. ‘Where did that idea come from?’ Jake asked in stupefaction. ‘He couldn’t have given her that idea from the way he has been acting right?’He had wanted to open up his mouth to say ‘no’, and tell her he wasn’t angry and she should be the one angry with him. However he didn’t get the chance to say so when Jade said,”Because if you’re angry over anything I had said the other day….then I’m truly sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you with my answers” Jade could remember how emotional she had been with her reply. Jake stood rooted as he watched Jade apologize for something she didn’t do.How was he going to say he was the one at fault?”Miss Jade you shouldn’t apologize. As a matter of fact I am the one who have wronged you. I’m sorry if I have made you uncomfortable with my mood. I’m truly sorry” Jake said, his heart thumped hard against his chest wall.Jade was surprised by his sudden apology. Why should he be the one to apologize and how in God’s name has he offended her? Jade was completely lost by Jake’s word. She couldn’t make sense of it.Jake saw the stunned look Jade was shooting at him. He knew she was confused. So far he has realized Jade wasn’t the type to hide her emotions. Whether she was sad or happy, one could see her emotions on her face. The girl was that simple.”Mr Jake I don’t understand what you mean? How have you offended me?” Jade asked out, she was both shocked and confused.Jake raised his gaze to her. His eyes were locked to her as he slowly walked towards her, his hands were sweating and several alarms were blaring in his head signalling him to abort this suicidal mission, but something else in his heart was endearing him to continue with it.Jade’s eyes followed his every step and she felt a warning bell set off in her head. He was getting too close. Was his real nature finally coming out now? Jade thought about telling him to stop right there and not take one more step towards her, but she felt her lips were suddenly too heavy to move. She just remained fixated to the ground as Jake finally stopped two feets away from her.He took deep breaths to calm himself. This felt like nothing he has ever felt before. He was sure he has never been this nervous in his entire life. Even when he held his first meeting back when his father first brought him into the company, he was sure he never felt this nervous. And all this was because of one girl, Jade.Jade was making him feel all the kind of feelings he has never felt before. And all these feelings she has ignited in him were all new and weird.’This is it Jake …It’s now or never’ He encouraged himself.”The thing is, I have wronged you in so many ways that I can’t even begin to ask for your forgiveness, especially when you’ve been nothing but kind and considerate with me, but I have taken your kindness for granted” He paused.”You might chose not to forgive and I will completely understand. But just know I’m truly sorry for breaking your trust and for tricking you the way I did””Mr Jake I’m confused. What did you do?” Jade asked impatiently. She was also beginning to feel nervous. Jake’s eyes were still locked to hers as he tried analyzing all her expressions.”Remember two days ago at the hospital when you thought I was sick, ” Jake paused again while Jade nodded.”The truth is….I wasn’t sick” Jake said with a low voice while Jade’s eyes bulged with surprise.”You…weren’t?” Jade asked in confusion, her eyes looking the man over.”No I wasn’t. I lied to you and I’m sorry. I just wanted you to bring the files to the hospital” Jake added, his eyes searching Jade’s.”To do what?” Jade still didn’t understand.”To…””To test me?” Jade asked. She didn’t understand why he would do something like that. Was this done to toil with her conscious? What if she had decided not to stay behind even when her boss gave her the day off.”No!” Jake declared panicly. “I swear didn’t want to test you or do anything like that” Jake explained in a frightened tone. He could feel his heart wall tighten as the tension rose.”Then why?” Jade stood up to her feet. “Did you want to punish me?” Jade wouldn’t have seen it as an attempt to punish her if Jake wasn’t spewing all this nonsense right now. She has indeed spent her day nursing him, taking care of him…but all for what? So he could have fun watching her? Was this all she meant?…Someone he could lie to and use at his will? What was the meaning of this?Jake’s heart raced frantically when he began to notice Jade’s eyes. He should explain himself right?”Mr Jake what else should I know?” Jade abruptly asked, her voice was somewhat cold and distant. Jake’s heart skipped a beat when she asked that and he slowly nodded his head.Jade scoffed, “I thought as much?””What else?” She asked boldly. Suddenly she wasn’t trying to be careful around him. Something in her was feeling hurt.. something she didn’t feel like she could feel anytime soon. She didn’t even know why.Jake stared at her for long seconds before turning to the T.V.”This”Jade didn’t understand what she was supposed to look at or most importantly, what she was supposed to see. She was about asking Jake what she was supposed to see when suddenly the screen of the T.V suddenly lit up revealing the title of the game.’Demon souls’Jade was highly confused at the moment. Her eyes were fixed to the screen, she still hasn’t fully grasped what was going on. She saw Jake pick up the game console and his action heightened her level of confusion. Jade watched in both shock and surprise as Jake started playing.She couldn’t believe it.Demon soul was a game that was praised because of its outrageous level of difficulty, and its level of difficulty to combat was one of the reasons the game received more reception in various part of the world mostly in the west. The level of difficulty was intended to both evoke classic video games and provide a sense of challenge and accomplishment for players. This aspect proved demanding for it’s producer, partly because of his fear that him and his team would be asked to lower the difficulty in order to make the game more accessible.For a game that could incorp 6 players Jade could see how well Jake was doing fine on his own.For someone who claimed he has never handled a game console before, he was doing pretty well. Even with the few lectures she had given him she was sure he wouldn’t be this good. That was impossible!Jade was stunnned as she continued to gawk at the ongoing game. Her eyes slowly returned and settled on the man who was playing it. This was not happening.Jake paused when he felt her gaze on him. His hands subconsciously lowered themselves, while his eyes desperately searched that of Jade’s, but no matter how much and how hard he looked he couldn’t find anything. Her gaze was inscrutable and it made him uncomfortable.”Jade…” He called out softly. Jade who’s eyes were settled on him darted to the screen of the T.V one more time. Jade chuckled out but definitely not out of amusement. She couldn’t believe this. Another lie?
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 61
