Amy sat in front of her vanity table with a small card in hand, her eyes fixed to it as she kept trying to guess who was behind it.She had received her usual package and today there was a note attached to it. But what made it more awkward was the fact that it was delivered to her house and not the office.It read….’Hope to see you tonight.Love. E.H’Amy was confused by what was written in the note. See her tonight? Where? Who the hell was this? She knew no one with the initial E.H.Amy couldn’t bring herself to ignore the note. Even when she had tried to take her mind off it something kept pulling her back to it. If it had been days ago, before her unfortunate rejection by Blake, she would have thought it was from him, and she would have anxiously looking for something sexy to wear and not mind her mother’s silly tea party.Something in her wanted to know who this mysterious person was, but another part of her also didn’t want to know. There was a certainty she’d probably tear that person apart, limb by limb.’I dare you to show up before me’ Amy dared in her head, angrily throwing the card on the table.Amy was pulled out of her reverie when she heard a knock on her door.”Amy?” Her mother’s voice came as soon as she opened the door.”Mom, I haven’t given you permission to enter” Amy said as she quickly slipped the card into one of the drawers. She didn’t have the energy for some question and answer section.”Well you didn’t say I shouldn’t, and need I remind you that this is my husband’s house which you young lady is currently living in, so I can walk in however and whenever I like. You can give the orders when you finally get married and move into your husband’s house” Mrs Walker lectures while Amy rolled her eyes surreptitiously.”Ya whatever” Amy replied as she picked up her hair comb.”I see you’re not still ready” Mrs Walker said as she approached the vanity table. She reached for the comb to help Amy comb her hair.Amy looked at her mother through the mirror, “Do I really have to come for this party? I mean you throw this tea parties all the time, and I contribute my quarter by running all those errands for you and you have never asked me to come, so what’s different this time?” Amy asked, her eyes fixed on her mother, who in turn paused her hand and returned Amy’s gaze.”Because you darling have never seen my friends, and also they will be bringing their children too. So believe me you are not the only one your age who will be present tonight” Mrs Walker said assuringly.”Anything special happening?” Amy asked curiously. She knew about this parties, it was usually just the women, so why were the children being dragged into this?”Nope, just we bunch of oldies trying to connect with the kids and wanting them to know each other” Mrs Walker replied fluidly as she resumed combing Amy’s hair.”Then is Lair coming too? Because If he isn’t, then I’m not going. I feel like I’m the only one you can bully and force into going to things like this” Amy complained with a frown.”No, he is not going. He has alot of lecture note to prepare, I heard his class starts on Monday””And I have work on Monday too” Amy rebutted.”Does your work involve saving lives? The answer is no. I’ve asked you to stop working in that firm and come join us””Join you?” Amy asked raising a brow.”You mean going back to school to study law and become a lawyer or a jugde like you, dad and big bro? Hell no, thanks but no thanks. I like my job. Not everyone likes being government officials” Amy said with annoyance. It was good enough that majority of the family were in the legal system of the country already, but definitely not her.”Why are you so rebellious? Must you join your brother in being rebellious?” Mrs Walker asked.”It’s no one’s fault you have rebellious kids, mom. Like they say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” Amy said with a fake smile while her mother smacked her by the arm. “Ouch””Manners young lady” Mrs Walker chided with a smile. Amy was the only one among her kids with a foul mouth and a ill temper. She would always say whatever she had in mind regardless of the other party and that’s her mother wanted her married as soon as possible before she reveals all her flaws to all the men out there.”But seriously Amy I would love you to be there with me tonight. Your brother isn’t coming and if you don’t come I might be the only one who will arrive there without her children. Give your mother some face okay, and you also know I’m the host right? And by the way something good might just happen to you” Mrs Walker said with a sweet smile, while Amy raised a brow suspiciously at her.”Something like what?” Amy turned to face her mother.”Something like meeting new friends or maybe you can see someone you’ll like. Isn’t Jade the only friend you have? You might meet someone that could be your friend too” Mrs Walker added. Amy could feel there were some inner meaning to her mother’s words but she couldn’t tell. This woman was a renowned judge who has served as a lawyer for years. When it came to lying it came to her naturally and her expression was top notch, enough to sell you a fabricated lie.Before Amy could open her mouth to say something else, her mother beat her to it.”You look beautiful. Now add more colour to your cheeks and use a bit more gloss. I want you to shine beautifully like your mother’s true daughter” Mrs Walker said, planting a kiss on Amy’s hair.Amy watched her as she sauntered out of her room.”That woman is being suspicious”____________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?”So you can play?” Jade asked rhethorically. Even when she knew the answer she just couldn’t help herself from asking. Jade snickered when Jake said, “Yes” nodding affirmatively.Why does everybody lie? Why do people keep doing this to her? Why does everyone tell her lies? Cale had lied to her for five years because of him she had met Jake who in turn was now currently lying to her. Was she this gullible to people? Someone they could always deceive with lies? Someone they could easily use and toil with?If Cale had lied to her because he was using her to achieve his lame dreams, then what was Jake’s reason? To sleep with her again? Was that what this was? An antic to bed her for the second time? Jade’s thoughts were running wide making her shut her eyes tightly. All this thoughts were suddenly becoming too depressing, and she could feel her heart rate increase as anger began to seep through her bones. This was unfair.Just at the point when she was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe Jake wasn’t as bad as she thought or as the tabloid and internet painted him to be. Just when she was beginning to think there was some good inside of him and that she shouldn’t judge and criticize him because of the flaw he had, this suddenly happens?His sincerity which he had showed her and his speech of being overwhelmed with work, of leading a rigid and boring life, and his quest to seek out fun filled things to do were just an act? An act to deceive her? To what end?To sleep with her perhaps?”Ja…” Jade’s silence was making Jake extremely uncomfortable. It would be better if she got vexed, yelled at him anything other than this silence and stoic gaze on her face. He couldn’t take it anymore.”Why?” Was all Jade could ask. Maybe he had another reason behind all this. Jake felt his body stiffen the moment he heard that question.’Why?’Why he was hanging around her? Why he started all this? Why he started lying just to be around her? Why he kept thinking about her when he shouldn’t have? Why he can’t take the thought of her out of his mind? Why Jade’s name suddenly became the only name he wanted to call? All this questions, all this why’s…he didn’t have the answer to them either.He desperately wanted the answer for himself, but no matter how hard he had tried to come up with one, he just couldn’t. The more he tried to figure it out, the more he came out blank and even more confused with newly developed questions.Jade watched in silence as Jake couldn’t come up with an answer.”I thought as much” Jade said in self mockery as she scoffed. She locked herself for being so naive again as to let someone else lie and fool her this way. When Jake couldn’t reply her, she thought he was too ashamed to tell her the truth. That his only reason was because he wanted to fool her so she could let her guards down, and then he could have his way with her.”It’s not what you think?” Jake hurriedly said out when he noticed Jade’s look, but that only earned Jade’s glare.”Mr Jake you know what I’m thinking?” Jade asked sarcastically.”If you know then tell me. And please do also tell me what I should also think of all your lies” Jade said angrily. Jake couldn’t blame her for getting angry at him, he sure deserved whatever Jade threw at him at the moment.He could tell she felt like she has been used. He didn’t know what have happened to her in the past, but he knew whatever it was has played a huge role in making her think this way. The girl must have suffered from a hurtful experience.”Jade give me a moment to explain this” He said with a pleading tone, not noticing the continous use of the word ‘Jade’ and not ‘miss Jade’. When Jade didn’t reply, he took that as a cue for him to continue. He dropped the console to the ground and looked at her intensely.”Firstly I want to say I’m truly sorry. Believe me I truly am…I didn’t mean for things to happen this way. I never meant to make you feel the way you’re feeling now. And I know you think I did this because of what has happened between us, I completely understand and I don’t blame you for seeing me as nothing but a jerk, it’s just my sad nature and I totally get it. But the truth is, I didn’t mean it that way. I didn’t do this to deceive you so I could get to sleep with you again. I’m not saying that such thoughts didn’t cross my mind, because it did, I’m not innocent. I thought about it a million times, but I promise it was just a fleeting thought. I sincerely had no intentions of hurting you or making feel used or insulted.I know I lied and that was bad, but I didn’t lie because I wanted to fool you, never! It never did cross my mind to do that to you. And if you ask me why i have been lying to you a hundred more times, I swear I still won’t be able to provide the answer you need, because I also don’t know. I don’t know why I lied, or why I started it in the first place.I think at first I could say I was completely lusting after you, like who the hell wouldn’t, but that changed because right now, I…I just want…to know you, and I like hanging out with you. I didn’t know how to tell you this and that was why I lied, and I kept lying even more.Right now, right this moment this is me being as truthful as I can be. There is no hidden agenda elsewhere.I have come to realize how stupid my actions are because I know I have hurt you with them and that’s why I’m sincerely begging that you please forgive me Jade. I’m not forcing you to do that now, because I know have broken what ever little trust or respect you might have developed for me, so I won’t try to do or say anything that will pressure you, but please forgive me” Jake apologized with all his heart. He didn’t know if his apology was good enough or if it will ever be good enough but that was the best he could do for now. Maybe he shouldn’t have said some of the things he said, but this was who he was, and as the occasion called for him to be sincere with his apology, he had thought it best to say everything that laid in his heart.Now that he has tried been honest it was up to Jade to make the decision. The thing is would Jade be able to overlook his wrong and forgive him or would she resent him for being another man who chose not to lie and use her emotions against her?Jade was rendered speechless by Jake’s apology. She tried finding the words to refute his apology but she couldn’t come up with one. She didn’t expect his apology to feel this intense, so much that she could feel the anger in heart disperse.There was so much sincerity hovering over his words. In as much as she wanted to stay angry at him, because truly he has really hurt her by doing something that revolted her so bad, she also felt that his apology was too sincere to be overlooked.Jade’s eyes were fixed on him as she continually stared at him unblinkingly. Jade could feel Jake’s nervousness as he desperately waited for her to say something. Her heart was in chaos, Jake’s words has suddenly unsettled something in her.Wait! did he really say he thought about sleeping with her? Who the hell says that in an apology?Jade didn’t expect his apology to feel this intense and sincere, so much that she was beginning to feel she’ll feel terrible if she didn’t consider forgiving him.But should she really listen to his apology and simply let things go just like that? To be frank she really didn’t expect Jake to lie to her, and she also didn’t expect herself to feel quite hurt about it, like she was.Jade could not deny the fact that she somehow liked the fact that Jake owned up to his wrongs, and didn’t deny it or try to wringle his way out of it, unlike someone she knew. It showed she wasn’t truly wrong about him in the first place.She felt his sincerity while he spoke, and even now she could tell he was still repentant, something she didn’t see in Cale when he asked for her forgiveness, more when he demanded for it.Jade looked at Jake silently and sighed. Jake felt his heart skip a beat when she did that. She wasn’t going to forgive him was she? He asked himself. It was fine, he completely undestood.He probably shouldn’t ask for what he wasn’t sure he could give. Maybe if the tables were turned, he’ll probably not forgive right away and would definitely have some doubts in his heart too.”Just so you now, that’s weirdest apology I’ve ever heard in my life” Jade said with a straight face.”Huh?” Jake was confused. “I’m sorry” He impulsively apologized again. He didn’t know what to comment on that.”Who apologize with such savage thoughts?” Jade said referring to his confession if him wanting to sleep with her.”Well…I was just trying to be honest with you the best way I can” Jake said awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “I guess I should take that back” He added with an awkwardly embarrassed look on his face which Jade found to be quite cute, making her lips quiver with a smile. Jake’s skipped another beat when he saw that smile but the smile was so quick as Jade’s face regained it’s initial expression. Jake was beginning to think he had imagined it.”I don’t really know what to think of your apology Mr Jake. For some unknown reason I suddenly don’t feel like staying angry at you anymore, but that does not mean that I’m not hurt and dissappointed, because I truly am””I’m sorry” Jake apologized again.”It’s okay Mr Jake, stop apologizing. I’ll accept your apology because you realized how wrong this was and you were humble enough to apologize and correct your wrong” Jade added. That was the truth. This incident has made her see that Jake was not like those typical rich and proud heirs in their society today. His trait of humility in him suddenly made her see him in a different light.Seeing someone as wealthy and influential like him rendering such a sincere apology was something she never anticipated. Because her few ecounters with some wealthy folks had left her with the impression that, all rich people were proud and sassy, but Jake had proven otherwise.”Are you saying… you have forgiven me” Jake asked nervously as his heart began to race anxiously.”Sort of” Jade replied making Jake’s face lit up with joy.”Really, Thank you!” Jake hurriedly said before she could take back her words.”Mr Jake hold on” Jade suddenly became even more serious than she was seconds ago, making Jake slightly panic.”I know you’re a powerful person and what I’m about to say might sound disrespectful, but I’ll say it anyway” Jade said looking at Jake who was playing rapt attention to her.”Your intentions of lying might sound pure and innocent, but the truth is there were still lies. I know I said I have forgiven you but that does not mean I’ll do that every time you do something like that, I’m not that generous. So I’ll appreciate it if you try to be as honest as possible and I’ll try me best to do the same” Jade said with a serious tone.Silence ensued after Jade’s sermon.”I understand. I’ll do my best to regain whatever little trust and respect you’ve had for me, which unfortunately I might have broken” Jake commented.”I hope you do that” Jade said with a smile which made Jake smile too. His heart leaped for joy at this sudden development. Jade’s smile widened when she saw Jake’s boyish smile.”Wait!” Jake’s brain snapped when he finally realized something.”Does this mean you’re still going to ha-ang out with me?” Jake had a nervous smile on his face as he asked. He remembered Jade’s words. She had used the word ‘everytime’, in fact she had used a whole lot of words and none of them indicated that she was going to stop seeing him. ‘Was does that mean?’.Jade almost chuckled when she saw his nervous look. His expression was like that of a baby expecting some sweet candy.”Well…that depends” Jade said. A smile tugging on her lip.”Depends on what?” Jake asked impatiently.”On if you can defeat me” Jade said pointing her chin to the T.V. Sincerely, Jade was actually getting to enjoy his company. It wasn’t like that of Amy and Lair, but it felt good either way.Jake’s eyes lit up when he heard that. Winning her in the game was not going to be that hard. If it was just defeating her in the game he was sure he’ll be successful. He gave off a confident smile, “Sure” Jake replied.”Okay””Can I add something else?” Jake asked suddenly becoming nervous again. He was going to use this opportunity well.”To my condition?” Jade asked raising a brow.”Yes” Jake nodded.”Mr Jake, sorry. But isn’t it too early to start making demands?””I know, I’m sorry but I can’t help it””Okay, let’s hear it” Jade replied.”Can you consider us as friends if I should win this?” Jake asked, making Jade gaze on him harden. Jade glanced at him silently. The silence continued for sometime, just as Jake was about to awkwardly laugh it off and tell her to forget it, Jade suddenly said,”Only if you win.
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 62
