Purple Romance

''Why were you all looking for me as if I went missing?'' Lisa asked the trio as they walked to the car park together.

''Nothing, I got worried when I didn't see you'' Paula said to her.

''Are you going with Andy? I will leave with Leslie then'' Lisa suggested.

''Oh, let's meet at home.  All me if you not coming back, okay?'' Paula said and Lisa smirked.

''You know me so well'' Lisa winked at her before going over to Leslie's car.

Andy gave Leslie a knowing look and the latter understood before he opened the car for Lisa.

''Bye, Paula. See you at home'' Lisa waved as their car drove away.

''She is with Leslie. Nothing will happen to her. Leslie will protect her'' Andy held Paula's hand after noticing the worried look in her gaze.

''That man. Will be sound evil if I say that I want him dead?'' Paula asked and looked at Andy, ''you know that kind of heavy feeling that envelopes you before something bad happens? I am feeling it right now''

''Paula, you are only allowed to see and hear good things. That man, I don't know what is going on but I will let Leslie protect Lisa. He cares about her more than you think''

''Let's go'' Andy walked with her to their car.

…..

Lisa closed her eyes after noticing the gaze of Leslie on her while he drove.

''Don't ask me, we promised not to be curious about each other's private lives'' Lisa said to him.

''I wasn't going to ask'' Leslie replied.

''Really? That is a relief. If you ask, I would begin to think that you want something more than what we have. I am someone who has no love. Don't expect it from me''

''Give me your phone'' Leslie stretched his hand towards her.

''Why?''

''Just give it to me'' he said and pulled over.

''Okay'' Lisa handed her phone over and Leslie took it.

''Password'' he asked and she sighed before snatching the phone back and using the fingerprint instead of the password. her actions seemed suspicious.

After taking the phone back, Leslie went to her contacts and added his name as her emergency contact. He frowned after looking at her contacts.

''You only have ten contacts on your phone?''

''Oh''

''Don't you have friends other than Paula and Jordan?''

''I have now. I collected Mira's contact, Carly's contact, Jessi too and oh, Maria and Calia. Now that makes it 15 contacts''

''That makes it a total of ten. The rest are food delivery, fire service, paramedics hotline and the hospital'' Leslie looked at her realising that he didn't even know her at all.

''Why are you looking at me like that?'' Lisa asked. His gaze was penetrating deeper into her soul and it ached her. She felt naked under his gaze.

''You make me want to be curious about you and how you have been able to come this far, but I won't ask but not because of the rule that exist between us, but because I don't want you to run away from me''

Lisa looked at him and clenched her hands tightly against her gown. He had unknowingly guessed her right. that was the kind of person she was. She would always run away before she formed any kind of relationship with another person.

''I have a feeling that you are going to avoid me or run away to a place I won't be able to find you when I start getting curious about you, so I won't ask neither would I try to find out anything about you'' even if I've already found something, I have to pretend that I don't know in order to keep you close to me' Leslie added the latter part to himself.

''Now you are the one making me feel guilty. So annoying!!'' Lisa said and looked out the window.

Leslie smiled and started the car. Today, at the wedding, he had unknowingly found out something about her. The man he had asked the security to take away. He had gone to meet with that man and had found out that she was a nurse who was sacked because she had an affair with the hospital's director, but he didn't believe it. He had made up his mind not to believe anything he heard unless it was from Lisa herself.

When Andy called to tell him that she was in danger, he had been worried about her. It was then that he realised that what he felt towards her wasn't just ordinary affection. At that moment, she meant more than just someone he had sex with. She was much more than that to him, but she wasn't ready.

After been with her for a while, he had come to know her a little. If she didn't want to talk about something, she would play it off as a joke but she would also get angry if she was pushed to the wall. She would avoid such a situation completely. She was that kind of person.

With her head turned, Lisa was secretly shedding tears. She felt so ashamed of herself. It wasn't even her fault; why couldn't she just say it out loud? She had kept the secret bottled up inside her and it was already three years since that incident.

She looked at her wrist which still had the slit scar on it. she had attempted to take her own life five years ago because of the pressures of her work. That was the time she had met Paula. She was saved by her back then.

It still felt like yesterday.

Five years ago.

Hill Hospital.

''Hi, Lisa''

''Hi, Amber''

Lisa smiled and greeted her colleague nurses as she walked with the dressing plate towards the emergency ward. Her nurse uniform which fitted her was at her knee level.

She pulled the curtains apart revealing a young lady, ''good morning, student'' Lisa said and the lady frowned.

''I am not a high school student'' she said and pouted her lips.

''I know, how do you feel? I was asked to check how you are doing. The doctor will be here soon''

''Oh''

''So, how do you feel? Do you have a family? I haven't seen anyone come here to visit you since you came here''

''I am alone. My mother lives far away and my sister is out of the country. Why, is there something I will need a guardian for?''

''Yes, your hospital bills and…'' Lisa didn't finish when the patient spoke.

''Can't I just take care of those for myself?''

''Where is your identification card? Usually when you come to the hospital for a surgery, you are supposed to have a guardian with you. The hospital will not do ay surgery for you without the consent of your guardian. What is your name?''

''Paula Abdul, 18 years, student of K-University, first year''

''Paula, don't you really have anyone that can sign the consent letter for you?''

''Can you be my guardian then? I really don't have anyone'' Paula said and Lisa chuckled.

''You are oddly bold. We don't even know each other, what makes you think that I will be willing to help you? What if you suddenly die under the knife?''

''I won't die'' Paula said surely.

''You sound confident''

''That's because I know I won't die. It's not like I am going in for a heart transplant. It is just removing of a tumour inside my head''

''If you call me big sister once, I will think about it''

''But, you look like you are my age?''

''I might look young but I am 21 years so I am older than you''

''Oh, big sister, will you help me?''

''Sure, but you have to come out alive, okay?''

''I want to use the washroom, can I?''

''I will help you'' Lisa said and stood up. He helped Paula to sit up before getting down from the bed.

They walked toward to the washroom and Lisa stood outside while Paula went inside alone.

''Lisa'' a male voice called at the hallway and Lisa looked up. Her gaze became unsettled as she clenched her dress tightly walking over.

Paula got out of the washroom and saw Lisa enter the door leading to the stairs and she followed her unknowingly, pulling her IV pole along.

When she got to the door and was about to open she realised it wasn't locked and there were two voices coming from there. Paula leaned behind the door and watched inside.

''Sir, please I don't want to have anything doing with you. I came here to work. I want to be able to do my work well''

''Lisa, I am the director here. If you agree to my terms, I will make sure that you are well taken care of. You won't have any worries in the world'' the hospital director said and touched Lisa's hair.

''Sir, please stop touching me. I don't want to go out with a married man. It is against my beliefs''

''Your beliefs? Hey, you little slut I read your file. You have a trashy father who is in prison and a mother who is in the hospital. You have nothing to offer, just your pretty face. Do you think that if I didn't add your file to the nurses that were supposed to be posted here, you would have gotten the chance to be here?''

Paula pursed her lips as her blood boiled. She looked ahead and saw two nurses walking towards the stairs. She looked inside and saw the man forcefully pulling Lisa closer to himself and she stepped backwards and spoke in a loud vice.

''Where is Nurse Lisa? Have you seen Nurse Lisa around here?'' Paula asked the two nurses.

The door opened and Lisa walked out, she straightened her dressed and said to Paula.

''Paula, are you done?''