Chapter 149: Subtle like it's almost not there 4

Back then and now, a lot of time had passed by gradually but today was the first time she was in a place alone with Joel with no distraction. Paige smiled subconsciously as she stood staring at the company building that had taken the very spot of their former apartment.

The town's reconstruction company had paid them off for the eviction and had even given them new apartments which was now their current apartment where they lived.

Paige shook the memories that came away and turned. She saw Joel walking towards her with two cups of ice cream and she smiled. She couldn't believe she had spent 7 years of her life been in an unrequited love with him.

''Here, your favourite banana ice cream'' Joel stood beside her after giving the ice cream to Paige.

''You still remember that?'' Paige asked surprised.

''Off course I do. Looking at this place that has been redeveloped reminds me of the old times. You used to wait over there anytime I was coming back from school'' Joel said and pointed at a spot.

''I know, right? I? It has been so long already. Time really does fly'' Paige said and they looked at each other. The ice cream was fast melting away.

''Eat the ice cream before it melts away'' Joel reminded her and Paige nodded her head.

''Where is our next destination?'' Paige asked as she ate the ice cream.

''Take a wild guess'' Joel teased her and Paige smiled with cocked brows.

''The park by the riverside Carly and I used to go hide?'' Paige asked and Joel nodded her head. ''No way'' Paige screamed excitedly.

''Yes, way. Let's go'' Joel said and held Paige's hand and they walked away.

The riverside park held so many memories for both Carly and Paige because it was one of the places they used to play and the place she used to spy on Joel back then. Paige stopped walking suddenly and a thought came to her mind. She seemed to have gotten lost in her thoughts, stopping abruptly  Joel also stopped and turned to look at her.

Paige looked at Joel and felt confused. Why was he suddenly bringing her to all the places they have been to in the past? Why was he acting unlike himself suddenly? She couldn't get used to it and she felt like something wasn't right with his actions.

''Paige, are you alright?'' Joel stepped closer to her and asked worriedly. Paige looked up and their faces got closer to each other.

''I…'' Paige didn't know what she wanted to say but she felt that Joel was leaning in closer to her and she lowered her gaze.

Joel touched her chin and lifted it up to meet him halfway. He leaned closer and Paige closed her eyes, getting ready for their first kiss but something wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to be seeing someone else's face at that moment. Joel who didn't know what was going inside Paige's head almost touched her lips when she instinctively pushed him away from her side.

Paige realised what she did and clutched her fists ''I'm sorry'' Paige said apologetically.

''Is alright. Maybe I was being too rush. Let's go'' Joel said.

''I am suddenly hungry. Let's go and get something to eat first'' Paige said suddenly not wanting to visit the riverside park anymore.

''I forgot. Let's go, I know a restaurant that has opened recently'' Joel said and they walked towards the car awkwardly.

Paige berated herself internally. Why did she have to think about that bratty Prince at that particular moment?

...….

BJA Restaurant

Joel pulled out a chair for Paige to sit before sitting across her. A waiter walked to them with two glasses of water and a menu book.

''What would you eat?'' Joel asked Paige.

''I will have the chef's specialty for the day'' Paige said to the waiter.

''I will have the same thing'' Joel added and the waiter nodded her head before leaving.

Paige looked at the restaurant. Jordan had brought her here before, she thought. Paige shook off the memories and looked at Joel. He was staring at her and she blushed.

''Why are you looking at me like that?'' Paige asked.

''I was just thinking, how I never really looked at your face well until today'' Joel said and Paige smiled.

The waiter arrived with their food which was abalone seafood noodles and placed it on their sides of the table ''enjoy your meal'' she said and bowed before going away.

Joel pulled Paige's plate to his side and picked the cutlery saying ''your hand is hurt, let me feed you''

Paige flushed and shook her hand saying ''no need to do that for me. We are in a public place, besides my hand is fine''

''No, let me do it. You always serve others, let me also serve you today'' Joel insisted and forked out the noodles for her. Paige looked around before she leaned in to take the food.

''This is so embarrassing'' Paige said as she took the food into her mouth.

''What is embarrassing about this. I've fed you before, so what's wrong with doing it again?'' Joel said and forked another bite for her. Paige opened her mouth and just then her eyes darted to the entrance and she saw Jordan and Lucas entering the restaurant.

Paige choked on the food as their eyes met and Jordan stopped to look at her. Lucas who was at the back bumped into Jordan and stopped. His eyes followed Jordan's direction and he also saw Paige.

''Paige, have some water'' Joel said and picked a glass of water to give Paige.

Paige came back to her senses and looked away. She took the water from Joel and drunk a bit of it before placing the glass down. Joel turned and saw Jordan who was still standing at the same spot and recognised him.

''Is he the one who hurt you?'' Joel asked as he stared at Jordan. Jordan his left hand tucked into his jeans trousers.

''He is nobody. Don't pay attention to him'' Paige said and took the fork from Joel's hand adding ''I will eat myself''

''We can go somewhere else if you want'' Joel suggested as his eyes followed Jordan who had gone to a table to sit.

''No, let's just eat and get out of here'' Paige said and looked at Jordan's direction briefly before eating her food.

Lucas sat next to Jordan at the table and nudged at him asking ''that must be the boyfriend of our campus belle. He was the same one who brought her to school the other day, right?''

Jordan merely looked at Lucas without saying anything. He turned and stared at Paige who had ignored him completely and felt angry for a reason. She has refused to take his calls and he was worried, yet she was out here having a date with her crush.

''Hey, Jordan, are you okay?'' Lucas asked and Jordan didn't mind him. ''Don't tell me you are bothered by her? What is wrong with you Jordan? Are you in love with her?'' Lucas asked and Jordan looked at him sternly saying.

''I will never love someone as stupid as her. She is just someone I liked to play with but not anymore. You can take your time with your food, I have things to do'' Jordan said and got up, leaving the restaurant. As he passed by Paige's table, he stopped and looked at her before going.

Lucas chased after him and smiled at Paige before leaving.

''They didn't even order anything before leaving'' Joel said and Paige smiled.

''That's not my business'' Paige added.

........

Jordan's villa.

Jordan went into the gym in his villa and started exercising. He was doing all kinds of workouts just to make him focus and stop thinking about Paige but the scene that he stumbled upon, of Joel feeding Paige was still vivid in his mind and he was angry more at himself for thinking too much about it.

Jordan continued to hit hard on the punching bag as the face of Paige kept crossing his mind. The way she looked at him. The ways she ignored him like he was nothing. The way she smiled towards Joel and looked so love struck made him angry each time the memory came.

This week, she has left him to go with another man and now she ignored him because of her stupid crush. Jordan frowned and stopped punching the boxing bag. He fell tiredly on the floor and laid on his back as he thought about the question Lucas asked him.

''Do I really like that stupid woman? That is not possible. I was just playing with her. I can never like someone who is so naïve and stupid like her. She can't even tell right from wrong. She can't even differentiate between someone with good intentions and someone with bad intentions. Stupid woman. How can like her?''

Jordan sat up and looked at the phone on the chair. He stretched his hand and took it. He looked at the phone before unlocking it and dialled Paige's number but it went to voicemail. Jordan chuckled.

''She blocked me?'' he said questionably. ''Fine, I won't care about her anymore''