Purple Romance

''Paige, may I remind you that the mall only has departmental shops that sells branded shirts which cost about $100 dollars and above? Tell me, do you have the money to buy a shirt costing that amount?'' Carlien asked and Paige pursed her lips.

''I have about $500 dollars in my account. It should be enough to get him a shirt of the same brand right?'' Paige said cautiously.

''I have lost all the energy to care about you anymore. Let's go then but don't borrow money from me because I won't give you a cent'' Carlien said and Paige frowned.

.....

Paige and Carlien arrived at the mall and went into one of the department stores to look at the shirts available. They looked around for a while. Carlien turned and saw a similar shirt of the same color and looked at the picture they took of the shirt and it matched. Carlien patted Paige and pointed at the shirt saying ''Paige, look. Isn't that the shirt we are looking for? It matches with the one at home''

''That's the shirt, Carlien'' Paige said and hurriedly went ahead to remove it from the hanger. They looked at it excitedly chatting.

''Wow. We are so lucky'' Carlien said.

A distance away, Jordan Attoh entered the same department store with another young lady. they walked to the men's section. The lady with him saw the shirt in the hands of Paige and Carlien and turned to Jordan Attoh saying.

''Look, Jordan, that's the shirt'' Mirabel said. Jordan Attoh turned and saw Paige and immediately recognised her.

''I told you, I don't need that shirt again, Mira'' Jordan Attoh said.

''How can you not need it again? That shirt was a gift from your sister. If she finds out that you don't have the shirt again, she will be mad. I am going to get that shirt from those ladies and give it to you'' Mirabel said confidently.

''Don't be stubborn. It's just a shirt'' Jordan Attoh said.

''You refused to tell me who that clumsy girl is that spilt the juice on your shirt. At least, let me buy it for you'' Mirabel insisted.

''I am going to the washroom'' Jordan Attoh said, trying to avoid an encounter with Paige again. he turned and walked away while Mirabel walked over to Paige.

....

Paige stared at the shirt with a satisfactory smile saying ''I should buy something like this for my Joel on his birthday. Is a shame this shirt is going to such an arrogant bastard''

''Do you know you are really pitiful?'' Carlien asked shaking her head.

''Why am I pitiful?'' Paige asked and pouted her lips. Her friend was simply too honest with her words that it sometimes hurt her.

''You are buying a shirt for a man while thinking of another man, that is what makes you pitiful'' Carlien said and turned. She saw a lady walking hurriedly towards them and frowned.

Mirabel snatched the shirt from Paige's hands the moment she got to them and exclaimed ''this is the shirt my Jordan likes to wear the most''

Paige and Carlien exchanged looks before turning to look at Mirabel. Carlien snatched the shirt from her.

''Excuse me little Miss, but we picked this shirt first'' Carlien said and glared arrogantly at her.

''You picked it but you were just admiring it. You didn't even pay for it'' Mirabel retorted back.

''We are buying it. Let's go Carly'' Paige said and pulled Carlien along as she went towards to counter.

Mirabel followed calmly behind and folded her arms watching them as they chatted with the sales girl.

Paige knowing the girl was behind them, handed the shirt over to the salesgirl and asked ''I am paying for this shirt. How much is it?''

''Miss, this shirt is $ 200 dollars, please. How do you want to pay? Card or cash?'' the salesgirl asked.

''$200 dollars? Miss, isn't it a little too expensive. Is just a shirt'' Carlien exclaimed and Mirabel laughed.

''Miss, this is a limited edition shirt and there are only three of these in the world. This is the only one left in our shop and the $200 dollars is already a discounted price I am giving to you'' the salesgirl said politely and smiled.

Paige and Carlien exchanged looks making small talks ''this shirt is expensive like crazy really expensive'' Carlien said to Paige and Mirabel overheard them.

''You are right. The shirt is expensive and I doubt you will be able to pay for it. Let's do it this way. I can buy the shirt from you at a double of the amount, then you will be able to pay for it and keep the change and I get the shirt''

''You are right. this shirt is expensive'' Paige said.

''Paige no, don't'' Carlien tried to stop Paige the kind of person Paige was.

''I am paying for it'' Paige ignored Carlien and the little voice screaming at her as she fished the money out of her purse. Carlien literally face palmed herself as she bit her lips not knowing what to say.

''You are paying for the shirt?'' the salesgirl asked again as Paige counted the money.

''Yes, we may be poor but we know good things when we see one. Wrap it up for me'' Paige announced and Carlien looked at her not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She knew just the kind of person Paige was. Paige had so much pride than she could use.

''Here you go, Miss'' the salesgirl wrapped the shirt and placed it into a gift box and handed it to Paige. She took the money and counted it before she nodded and smiled.

''Let's go'' Paige said and walked closer to Mirabel and said to her 'in the end, I still had the last laugh'' she humped and walked away.

Mirabel became furious and screamed out loud. She turned and saw Jordan Attoh and ran to him saying ''why did you keep long in the washroom? I was bullied here by those two ladies going out''

Jordan Attoh looked at the entrance and saw Paige and Carlien going away and he turned to Mirabel and asked ''are you done shopping? Let's go''

''I didn't even buy anything. I wanted the shirt but those two ladies already bought it. Let's go. I don't feel like shopping again'' Mirabel said.

''I already told you I didn't need the shirt anymore'' Jordan Attoh said as they walked out.

That evening.

Paige stood in front of her opened window staring at the window of the next apartment opposite to their apartment. That apartment belonged to her father's friend called Mr. Mark Lucman, the father of the man she had a crush on.

''I hardly see my Joel these days. Carlien, could it be that he is so busy at work?'' Paige asked. Carlien closed the book she was reading and stood up from the study chair in Paige's room. She walked closer to stand beside Paige.

''Your Joel? Stop wasting your time on this man, Paige. He is out of your league'' Carlien said.

''I know he is out of my league, but, that's why I love him from afar'' Paige said.

Carlien chuckled and asked 'doesn't it hurt here?'' Carlien pointed at her left side chest.

''A little at times, but when I see him I forget about the pain. Is like the pain doesn't exist whenever I see him'' Paige said.

''Can't you crush on someone else? Why does your crush have to be an unavailable man?'' Carlien asked and they both laughed.

''Stange right?'' Paige said.

''Joel doesn't even know you exist yet you watch him from this window every day and night. He only sees you as a younger sister'' Carlien said feeling pity for her best friend.

''Carl, could it be that he never read my letter of confession? He doesn't act like he has seen it before'' Paige said.

''He has, Paige. He is only pretending. Think about it, if you were the one that men wrote letters to expressing their love for you over and again, how would you react knowing well that you can't love all of them at the same time? Take our first year time for an example. You received so many letter and some even stalked you. wasn't it terrible?'' Carlien asked and Paige felt a shiver and shook her head.

''Don't even remind me of that time. I still feel goosebumps each time I time about what that stalker did to me'' Paige said.

''Exactly. One thing I know is that, I delivered the letter into his bag that time but since he hadn't said anything, you should just forget of him. He doesn't belong to you'' Carlien said.

''I can't just stop loving him just because he doesn't care about my love for him''

''So, take my advice and throw away that love for Joel. Focus on someone else and love again. you have loved him for three years now, is enough time for him to reciprocate but he is not so go away from that love.