Purple Love

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"How dare you drop the wine?" My father’s voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. “I... it slipped,” I stammered, eyes wide, feeling every gaze burn into me as the ceremony ground went silent. Emeka was nowhere to be seen. No reassuring look, no quiet word of comfort. He’d just... left. --- “Where is he? Why hasn’t he called me back?” I murmured for the hundredth time, clutching my phone. “Still no answer?” My best friend, Ada, glanced over at me, her brow furrowed in concern. “Nothing. Not a word, not a message. He’s blocked me everywhere.” I took a shaky breath. “It’s been a month, Ada. I can’t believe he’s really gone.” “Do you think he’ll really leave, just because of that?” she asked, trying to sound reassuring. My heart twisted. “You didn’t see his face that day. When the wine glass slipped… It was like everything broke.” Ada frowned, the memories of that day flickering in her eyes. “Sofia, it was a mistake. Just a glass of wine! He must know that you didn’t do it on purpose.” I clenched my fists, frustration boiling up inside me. “In his family, nothing is just a mistake. That wine… it was meant to be a symbol, a tradition. They think I brought shame on them.” Ada’s face softened. “You were supposed to hand him the wine to symbolize your commitment. And yes, maybe it didn’t go perfectly, but it’s not like you ran away!” “But it’s the way they see it. And Emeka…” I paused, struggling to find the words. “He’s vanished without a trace. Left the city, blocked me on every platform, even had his friends ignore me.” “What if it’s his family that pressured him?” she offered, touching my arm. I bit my lip. “I thought he’d fight for me, Ada. After all, we’ve been together since secondary school. Emeka’s been everything to me. My first… my only.” I whispered the last words, feeling a surge of both pain and longing. Ada sighed, her eyes meeting mine with a sad smile. “What are you going to do?” “I don’t know. I’m not even sure where to look.” I looked around the empty room, filled only with echoes of memories. Just then, my phone buzzed. A message? Could it be him? I glanced down and felt a surge of disappointment. It was just a reminder about the family gathering for my cousin’s birthday this weekend. Still, I tried to hide my reaction, but Ada noticed. “Family again?” she asked, giving me a knowing look. “Yeah. I’ll have to see all of them.” I forced a smile. “Can’t wait for the endless questions about Emeka.” --- Two days later, I found myself at my uncle’s grand house. It was the very place where I’d first met Emeka, and the memories came rushing back. "Sofia, you’re here!" My aunt pulled me into a warm hug, completely oblivious to the turmoil inside me. “Yes, Auntie,” I mumbled, trying to sound cheerful. “You look so grown up! Remember when you first came to the city?” she laughed. “You were just a little thing, fresh from the village, so shy and quiet.” “Oh, I remember,” I said, managing a small smile. “Feels like another lifetime.” She smiled at me knowingly. “But now, you’ve become a beautiful young woman with a bright future. Just wait, all the right things will come in time.” I nodded politely, but my heart felt heavy. No one knew the truth of how shattered I felt inside. --- As I sat quietly in the corner, sipping on my drink, snippets of that first week at my new school flashed back, the memories vivid as if they’d happened yesterday. The school halls, bustling with rich, well-dressed students… and the unwelcoming stares they gave me, an outsider. I’d been so excited that first day, wearing my best clothes, hoping to fit in. But I’d quickly realized how different I was. “Excuse me, can you help me find my class?” I’d asked a group of girls, who looked at me like I was something unpleasant stuck to their shoe. “Is this new girl seriously talking to us?” one of them had sneered. “Yes, Piggy, what’s the problem?” the fair-skinned girl—the obvious leader—had added, her voice dripping with mockery. My face burned. “I… I’m just trying to find my class.” She smirked, nudging her friends. “This one doesn’t know her place.” I’d turned to walk away, feeling their laughter echoing behind me. But suddenly, one of them stuck her leg out. I tripped and fell, landing hard on the polished floor, my books scattering everywhere. Their laughter grew louder. And then, I’d heard a calm voice that cut through their laughter. “Hey, leave her alone.” I looked up, blinking through the blur of tears, to see a boy with a quiet, commanding presence. His gaze softened as he looked at me, and for a moment, everything else faded away. “You okay?” he asked, offering his hand. I’d nodded, barely able to speak, my heart racing. That was the day I’d met Emeka, the boy who’d become everything to me. --- My uncle’s voice jolted me back to the present. “Sofia, come here, meet Mr. Adigwe. He’s visiting from Lagos,” my uncle said, gesturing to a tall, sharply dressed man by his side. I forced a polite smile. “Nice to meet you, sir.” “Ah, you must be the young woman I’ve heard so much about,” he said, giving me an appraising look. “Yes,” I answered, struggling to maintain my composure as his gaze lingered a bit too long. My uncle, oblivious, simply beamed with pride. “So, Sofia, any news from Emeka’s side?” my aunt asked casually, just as I’d feared. I swallowed hard, feeling everyone’s eyes turn to me. “Well… we’re just taking some time apart right now,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Oh, I see,” she said, pursing her lips. “A shame, with everything his family has… You wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity like that, my dear.” Her words stung. The reminder of Emeka’s wealth felt like a slap, as if that was all that should matter. “Excuse me,” I murmured, quickly retreating to the balcony. As I stood there, staring into the night, I whispered to myself, “Where are you, Emeka? How could you leave me like this?” But the night gave no answers, and I was left with only silence.

------ “Are you okay?” His voice was the loudest and most commanding sound I had ever heard, cutting through the confusion in my head. His hand was strong, warm, pulling me to my feet after I’d tripped, and for a moment, I forgot where I was. “I’m fine,” I mumbled, trying to collect myself. My face burned from embarrassment. The whole hallway was laughing, and I was still on the floor, barely holding onto my books. “You sure? You fell pretty hard.” His eyes were intense, yet his smile was soft—too soft, almost like he was teasing me. “Yeah, I’m okay,” I said, a little too quickly. I couldn’t look him in the eyes. “Thanks.” He nodded but didn’t let go of my hand. “I’m Emeka,” he said, his voice lowering a little, as if he wasn’t sure whether to keep holding me or let go. “Sofia,” I replied, finally meeting his eyes. There was something in his gaze that made me feel like I wasn’t a stranger to him. “New here?” he asked. “Yeah,” I said, feeling my heart race. “First day.” He s