Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Ready to greet Leo, Paige dashed outside but to her surprise, saw no one. Paige's brows puckered in a frown and she turned around in confusion. That was when she spotted the bouquet of red tulips lying on the front door.

How had she missed it?

With hesitant steps, Paige walked to the front door and picked it up. Her heart beating wildly against her chest. And searched around for a note, but found none.

Again, she turned around in confusion, tulips in hand as though she expected Leo to materialize before her. Once again, she was disappointed. Her baby blue eyes became bright, and she felt like cursing out in frustration. And in that moment of desperation and weakness, and longing, she fished out her phone and dialed Leo's number.

He picked up on the first ring. Oblivious to the torment going on within Paige

"Hello."

His voice low and throaty, and filled with surprise at getting a call from her.

"Did you come to my apartment this evening?" Paige sprout out in a small voice filled with uncertainty.

Leo kept quiet for what seemed like an eternity. "How did you know?" He said at last.

"My friend saw you from her window."

He sighed as though he hadn't wanted anyone to discover he had been there, and Paige imagined him rubbing his temples. "Yes, i was at your apartment."

"Well, why didn't you come inside?"

"I didn't think you will want me to."

"You didn't think I would have wanted you to?" Paige muttered to herself with a frown. What was he saying? "I would have wanted that more than anything."

He kept quiet, and Paige could tell he was regretting it. "Well, I didn't know that."

Suddenly, Paige became very shy. There was still one thing she wanted to know. "I'm assuming you are the one who left the tulips."

"Did you like them?"

"They are beautiful," Paige muttered, wishing she can see his face now.

"Not as beautiful as you."

The words tumbled out of his mouth so sincere, Paige sucked in an audible breath.

He chuckled. "What? Surprised am calling you beautiful? Oh Paige, you are beautiful and tempting. You don't know how much I think about you."

Hearing that, Paige felt a warm feeling spread through her. She couldn't believe it. "How much?"

While she waited for him to answer, Paige went to sit on the stairs. Curling her toes. It was cool outside, the type of air that chilled the body if one stayed too long outside. And if scantily dressed, as she was dressed in a pink tank top.

"All the time. Principessa. Every single time." Came Leonardo's voice.

"I don't believe you?" Paige said in disbelief. She couldn't bring herself to believe she occupied his mind that much.

Why, she did have many sleepless nights and agonizing nights because she thought Leo was avoiding her, and here he was saying she occupied his mind. Paige didn't know what to make of it. It thrilled her as much as it confused her.

His response was to chuckle softly. And she imagined him throwing his head back.

"Oh, Paige, if you know what goes on in my head. You won't repeat that statement to me."

"Then tell me."

A pause, but tense.

"I think I will prefer to say it physically. Well, let me not keep you. I'm assuming you are inside watching a movie."

Paige's heart sank. He wasn't going to tell her. "No, actually am outside our apartment."

"And your visitor? I'm assuming he is  gone?"

"How do you know I have a visitor?" Paige frowned.

A good five seconds passed. "I saw him."

A strange inflection edged his tone, a bitterness that went unnoticed. It was a sensation that had Paige wondering if he had been jealous.

Jealous of Finn? Now that was plain ludicrous. What was there to be jealous about? She did pick Leo over Finn in a heartbeat. Besides, she and Finn were friends. She had told him that much.

He cleared his throat. "Well then, let me not keep you any longer." With that, the call disconnected

Paige sighed. How did their good conversation turn sour at the end?

But she didn't allow that to ruin her good mood. She was already regretting agreeing to go on four dates with Finn. They were yet to go on any date and yet it was giving her so much trouble.

"Aiish." Paige stepped inside the apartment and went to sit with Finn, who immediately asked her where she had been. And she replied with Naomi. After which he turned back to the movie, he was watching. Paige sat beside him, but she wasn't happy. She couldn't help replaying the conversation with Leo in her head and when she couldn't take it anymore, she turned to Finn and said,

"I'm sorry Finn but I can't keep seeing you like this."

Finn turned his head towards her in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Paige sighed. This was going to be tough, but she will get through it. "I know I agreed to give you four dates…"

"And?"

A pause before she continued. "I have changed my mind, I'm only going to give you one."

"You can't be serious. You promised me." Was Finn's outburst.

"I know what I promised you, and I feel bad for breaking that promise. That is why I decided to give you one date as compensation, after that, I don't want you to come to my house. Or ask me to meet up with you somewhere."

His face turned into that wounded expression that always stirred her pity, and Paige clenched her eyes. Her voice filled with passion. "Do not look at me like that."

"Like how?"

"I know that look."

"Come on, you can't expel me from your house entirely," He whined. "How will I cope without your company. Perhaps I can come as a friend."

"You and I know that's not what you will be thinking when you come."

"You don't play fair, do you." He sighed and buried his head in his hand. He looked pathetic. Paige pitied him.

Sighing, Paige decided to get herself a glass of water from the kitchen before Finn started protesting his cause again, but as she stood up from her chair, Paige was quite unprepared for the wave of dizziness that consumed her.

The room tilted before her, and her vision blurred. She swayed and staggered before she sank hurriedly back into her chair.

"What's wrong?" Finn was at her side at once.

"I don't know."

When she opened her eyes, Finn and Naomi were hovering over her. Their expression grave.

When did she get here? Paige thought.

Finn was touching her forehead, checking her temperature, while Naomi was biting her lips. A contemplative look on her face.

Paige didn't have the energy to pull away from Finn. She didn't like them worrying over her like this.

"I'm fine," she muttered, even though she can feel her head starting to turn again. Not only that, her stomach was acting up.

Finn carried her to the sofa and laid her there. All she wanted to do was close her eyes.

"I thought you were going to faint." He muttered.

Naomi followed them, looking at her with that motherly look that suggested she knew something Paige didn't. Paige hated when she did this. If she knew something, she should go ahead and say it!

"Finn, can you keep an eye on Paige till am back?" She said at last.

"You are leaving me with Paige? Where are you going?" He looked worried.

Naomi smiled. "Don't worry, I will be back soon." And went and placed a kiss on her forehead. Paige frowned. Why was everyone suddenly treating her like she was sick.

Few minutes later. Naomi returned.

"How are you feeling?" Naomi asked.

Paige was lying on the sofa.

"Not bad."

"Where is Finn?"

"I sent him home. He was making me uncomfortable."

Naomi nodded and sat beside her. "I got something for you." She threw her a package, which Paige caught and exposed the contents, and to her dismay fished out a pregnancy test.

"You think am pregnant?"

"We don't know that yet until you check."

"It's that why you rushed off like that. To get this." Paige waved the pregnancy test. "Why did you have to get this. I like not knowing."

"So you suspected something too."

Paige shook her head.

Naomi sighed and hugged her

"All that is left now is for you to check."

Few minutes later, Paige came out from the bathroom. The pregnancy test in her hand.

"Well," Naomi asked, anxious for her.

"Two lines. Oh, Naomi, what am I going to do?"