A Challenge To An Arranged Marriage

You Do Care

A person that truly loves you will never let you go, no matter how hard the situation is.

- Unknown

"I am still waiting, Ian" Lisa announced as she crossed her arms over her chest giving him a stern look. 

"You know what? I don't care. Do whatever you want. Roam around an unknown city with an almost stranger I don't give a shit anymore. But don't come back to me crying on shit because I warned you!" Ian yelled passing his hand through his hair. 

"That was not my answer Ian and the-"

"Listen to me, Lisa! I am not eligible to answer to any of your questions! Did you just forget that the marriage is just an agreement and nothing else! So please just stop behaving like my god damn wife!" He shouted getting into a hold of her shoulders. His hold was not painful or hurting instead it was desperate. 

"Lisa, keep your distance from me, please. Things are not always as easy as they seem. If you don't want to get hurt, then stay away." His last sentence came out as a whisper as he leaned forward with his one hand still on her shoulder and other leaning forward and caressing her cheek. 

"Please." He repeated placing his forehead on hers for a second before walking out of the room. Everything happened in a span of time that she couldn't even figure out what to say. Whatever it was, it was bothering him a bunch. She could hear the desperation and pleading in his voice. But what was so bad that he had to keep his distance from her? Though she knew Ian wouldn't like it she couldn't leave it just here. Whatever it was, she was very determined to find answers to it.

She waited for a long time for Ian to return back but it was midnight and there was still no sign of him. She settled down herself on the couch in the room and decided to take a nap still waiting for him. But as soon as she closed her eyes darkness consumed her.

**** 

Lisa groaned in frustration as the sun rays directed itself right on her face. She could hear the noises of the cars and their horns coming in through the window. Which was probably open.

 'Open? But I closed the door.' She thought and instantly sat up on the bed. What was she doing on the bed? Last night she fell asleep on the couch waiting for Ian. 

Light snores distracted her from her thoughts shifting her attention to the couch. There was Ian sprawled all over, with his legs still hanging down the couch. His eyes were closed and lips slightly parted while some of his hairs were covering his forehead. A smile hung on her face as she witnessed him deeply snoring. He looked at peace; it was like no worries in the world could reach him. 

He stirred and moved his legs trying to fit one of it on the couch and failing at the same. Lisa got up from the bed and closed the slightly open window, restricting the source of disturbance to his innocent sleep. Before she could think of anything, she started walking towards him settling herself on her knees, kneeling towards him. She moved her fingers tenderly on his cheeks, caressing and touching the rough skin. She couldn't understand what the problem he was carrying was, but she knew how deeply it was disturbing him. The only reason to which she knew she couldn't stay away. 

She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek which she just touched. At the very instant Ian opened his eyes, looking at his wife on her knees with her face too close to him. He just had to lean a little forward and he could taste those pink lips of her again. Her breathe tanned his face as she made no attempt to move back. She shifted a little close, licking her lips and leaning forward. She closed her eyes waiting for his lips to meet her but that never happened as Ian moved back and sat up on the couch. 

"I thought I made it pretty clear last night for you to stay away from me." He whispered calmly with a hard look on his face as he bore ahead him, refusing to look at her. 

"I... I am sorry" she breathed out getting up on her feet still looking at him. "How did I end up in the bed?"

"I put you there. You were shivering when I came back, so I put you in bed." He answered shrugging his shoulders walking toward his bag. 

"I was waiting for you. You didn't come back till late." She replied playing with her fingers.

"You shouldn't have waited for me. That is not your thing to do, you shouldn't care." He answered turning back to face her. 

"But I do care," she said with a slight smile appearing on her face. He released a scoff before pacing to the other corner of the room. 

"I am going to take a shower; I have a meeting in an hour. This time wait for me to be back, we would view the place because you are still not mature enough to make the choice of taking the right person with you." He informed walking towards the washroom with his towel and clothes in his hand. 

"Ian?" She called out before he could enter through the door. He stopped in his path but didn't turn back to gaze at her. 

"You do care." She breathed out with a still smile on her face. 

"What?" He asked surprised turning back to look in her direction. 

"Last night you said you didn't care about whatever I do. But you do Ian, you really do." She replied walking slowly towards him. "Any other person at your place wouldn't have bothered to put me on the bed because I was shivering in cold, any other person wouldn't have cared if I went out to visit this place with a stranger. " She informed now standing face to face with him. 

"So, Mr. Ian William Arthur, you do care." She concluded placing a kiss on his cheek.