Gentle Request

I was back to not wanting to cross paths with Jordan and his mistress, Aggela. I wanted to hide in my room again, forever if possible. But once again, ma Nana was back to not having it. Even though I was too distressed to express it, I couldn't help but wonder if Ma Nana was beginning to enjoy nagging me a little too much. Just the previous night, she had been nagging me about coming out from my room and joining Jordan for dinner. And now, she was nagging at me because I had decided to remain in my room. If my mind was at peace, maybe I would have expressed how confused she was making me feel. But I had no strength in me to spare, so I just sat there on my bed, staring at her vapid.

"Omorfi, there is no way I can let you stay alone in your room like this. You must leave your room now." Ma Nana insisted.

"I don't want to." I whispered exasperatedly.

"There are no options. You do not make a choice!" Ma Nana stamped. "Come out. Spend time away from the mansion. Go see our Kaiti, she have not seen you in a while now and have been asking for you a lot. Kaiti miss you, you should go spend the day with her. She go to the beach alone these days, it looks sad watching her there without you. Go to her, kallos." Ma Nana urged.

True enough, I had forgotten about little Kaiti ever since Jordan got back. I had been so consumed in my own drama, that I forgot how the little angel had been by my side through Jordan's absence. And I had abandoned her just like that, right after he got back.

I felt guilt tug at my heartstrings. Ma Nana was right.

"Fine, I'll go spend time with Kaiti at the beach. Will you let me breath now?" I said as I got up to my feet.

"Good! Better. Yes, of course, I will let you breath now. Go, go out." Ma Nana replied, sounding relieved and happy.

When I got to the beach, Kaiti was standing barefooted at the shores, throwing stones into the wave. The little girl still couldn't swim, mostly because she was never allowed into the water. So even though she enjoyed spending all her days at the beach, she had all her excitement from the shores and never tampered into the water. She would pick up seashells, or build sand castles, or throw stones into the ocean. Anything but get into the water.

Kaiti looked up, and when our eyes met, she flashed me the brightest, cutest smile that immediately made me forget all about how shitty I was feeling. She ran towards me, and I bent down to scoop her into my arms. All the dark clouds suddenly faded, and was instantly replaced by bright sun rays.

My day remained bright for as long as I stayed at the beach with Kaiti, but the shadows returned as the evening began to draw close and I had to return to the mansion. If I could, I would have camped out at the beach with Kaiti, as I didn't want to return to the mansion without her, and I knew that Jordan's men would never let me stay at the servants quarters. There was nowhere else to go but back to the mansion, and I had to return early, so that I could avoid running into Jordan or Aggela. I definitely had no plans of coming down to dinner.

I stole my way through the front door as I entered the mansion, sneaking stealthily up the stairways to my room. I didn't want to risk running into anyone. As I walked past Jordan's door, I literally floated like a feather in air, praying all the while that the door wouldn't open. I heaved a heavy sigh of relief when I finally got to my door, slid in and shut the door behind me. When I looked up, I was met with the biggest shock.

Jordan was standing at my bedside.

He looked up when he heard me come in, and as soon as our eyes met, I gasped, backing up into the door. He seemed surprised to see me, as if he wasn't expecting me to be there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked with shaky breath.

Jordan looked at me in silence for a moment, his eyes unreadable. Then he turned fully to face me, pocketing both of his hands. This movement made his shoulders square up, stretching the tight-fitting T-shirt he had on, and emphasizing the mold of his upper body. I was briefly distracted by the beauty of the friction of the fabric against his body, but then I immediately remembered him sitting bare chested on his bed, and Aggela standing in her sheer night robe at his door. And the gathering cloud of distraction quickly dispersed. I pushed my chin forward and asked again im a firmer voice.

"Why are you in my room?"

Jordan remained silent for another brief moment, then he finally spoke.  

"Maîa said you were out at the beach." He said.

I thought he had something more to say, but he fell silent again.

"And that is why you are in my room?" I urged.

"You were with Kaiti." Jordan said, and once again went silent.

"And? Is that something so wrong?" I asked.

"I also hear you brought her into the mansion in my absence, and you wouldn't listen to the staff when they tried to stop you. You know I made a rule against that, right?" He said.

I gazed at Jordan in disbelief and amazement, then I looked away, shaking my head. For a moment, just for a small moment when I saw him standing there in my room, I thought he had come to talk about what I had witnessed that morning. I didn't expect an apology, no I didn't dare demand that much. But maybe, an explanation or clarification. Clearly, I had been mistaking and delusional. Because there he stood in all seriousness, talking about rules!

"Rules?" I scoffed as I lifted my eyes up to meet his again. "You are going to talk about rules? You expect me to keep to your rules while I am being held captive here in your mansion, on your island, away from my life? You expect me to live by your rules too? Shouldn't rules apply to free people, who have a choice in how they live their days out? Why, I am already imprisoned for rules I didn't break. I'm already living in your jail! What more could you do to me if I do break your rules? Tell me Jordan, would you kill me then?" I raged, charging towards Jordan gradually as I spoke.

I was standing only breaths away from Jordan when I stopped talking, and if I wasn't so small in front of him, he would have felt my hot breath washing over his face.

To my surprise, Jordan's face broke into a small smile, which continued to widen until it resulted in a chuckle, and then a full blown laughter, so that he had to step away slightly and look away to conceal his amusement. I couldn't believe my eyes as I stood there, watching Jordan laugh. I felt rage begin to boil in my blood, and I badly wanted to hit him.

With some effort, Jordan stopped laughing at last. He had to bite his lips shut to keep himself from laughing out loud again. And when he looked up at me again, his eyes looked dead serious. All trace of amusement had disappeared.

"I didn't know you were captive here." Jordan said.

"What?" I cried in disbelief.

"I thought you were the mistress of the house." Jordan went on.

"What?" I interrupted him.

"You said so yourself last night, when you demanded for your rightful place at the table." He shrugged.

I lost my voice for a small moment. I was in too much shock to express anything at all.

"Are you trying to make fun of me right now?" I asked in a small voice.

"Were you trying to make fun of yourself last night? When you played to role of mistress and commanded Aggela to move along, you seemed so confident, so sure. Was that you making fun of yourself?" Jordan asked, his eyes hardening.

I was blinded in rage and I wasn't thinking anymore when I lifted my hand in attempt to strike Jordan's face, but Jordan stopped my hand midair, spun me around and pushed me back down upon the bed. He leaned down on me, pinning me down with one knee between my legs and his hands hold mine up against the bed. I tried to struggle free, he was too strong and my effort made no impact.

"Let me go." I screamed.

"What are you trying to do?" Jordan asked.

"Are you asking me right now?" I cried in disbelief.

"What game are you trying to play? Are you trying one of your little tricks on me?" Jordan howled, his breath hot against my face. I was startled still when I heard the seriousness in his voice.

"What are you talking about?" I asked gently.

"Why are you trying to get me confused? You talk about being held captive, and take every chance to show how much you hate me. So, why are you acting all jealous?" Jordan asked.

"What are you talking about Jordan? I'm not acting jealous!" I cried.

"You are! You've been acting like a jealous lover ever since Aggela got here. First, you were mad at me for no defined reason, then she kissed me to rile you up, and you react by disrupting our dinner. And this morning, you looked so hurt when you saw her leaving my room. If you hate me so much, why do you care?" Jordan asked.

"I don't care! You've been imagining things up!" I yelled at him.

"No, I know what I know. You are playing a sneaky little game, trying to get me confused. Is this part of your ploy to entrap me? Does this work on all your target? Did you use it on Daren?" He said through clenched teeth.

"Let me go you bastard!" I growled with all my strength.

A moment passed as Jordan and I glared into each other, our breaths burning against our skins.

Suddenly, the door gave way and Ma Nana stumbled in.

"Kallos, is everything okay..." She was saying, but stopped abruptly when she saw Jordan and I.

"...oh." The old maid gasped, backing away quickly. "...I'll, I'll just...uhm, I'll just leave." She stuttered.

"No! Stay, Maîa. I'm done here!" Jordan barked at the fleeing old lady, as he rose to his feet, letting me go.

"Okay." Ma Nana said. She stood awkwardly at the door, clearly wishing to escape.

Jordan began to walk away, but stopped briefly at the door.

"Stop trying to confuse me. Act right." He said without looking back, then he walked away.