Chapter fifteen: Confrontation

Rian's POV:

I sighed as I continued walking. I don't want to assume things that I know wouldn't be possible. I take a deep breath and inhale the morning breeze that fills my nostrils.

I looked up and the sun now begins to become visible from my view. I take a sip of my coffee.

"Good morning." I almost stumbled and I choked on my coffee when Alex came to my sight.

"Baby, I'm sorry." he held my shoulders and rubbed them as I cough so hard because of the coffee.

"Why did you do that?" I glared at him when my breath calmed and punched him in his chest.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you didn't notice me earlier." he took my hand, smiling.

I blushed and took my hand as I continued to walk. That's when I noticed that he was wearing a jogging suit.

"You came from running?" I asked not looking at him.

"Yeah. How about you? What are you doing here in this early in the morning?" suddenly he stopped walking so I also stopped. I turned to look at him only to find him looking at me seriously. "Aren't you afraid that maybe there's another one like that fucking man walking around here?"

"Ahmm.. at this early? I mean it's not even seven o'clock. Who on this earth would be drunk like that man last night?"

"Oh.. baby, we are in California. A city that doesn't sleep. You should be more careful. What if I didn't hear you screaming? What could possibly happen to you? Fuck!"

"Hey! It's done. Anyway, thanks. I didn't say thank you yesterday, so thanks for coming on time."

He sighed.

"Your welcome. Just don't do this next time. Don't walk alone! You can call me or send me a message if you're going to walk alone like this."

"How can I call it alone if I have a companion?" I just muttered to myself.

"Rian! I'm fucking serious!"

Huh, he heard me.

"Why are you offering your help now? You're not doing this for the last four years. So, why are you helping me right now?"

I waited for him to answer, but I didn't hear anything. He just sighed.

"It's okay. You don't need to answer, I understand." I take a sip of my coffee.

"No, I can't answer your question. Not now."

I looked at him.

"Why can't you answer right now? Is it a hard question?"

"Drop it, for now, Rian." he said with finality.

"Fine." I huffed and took a sip again. "Coffee, do you want?" I don't know but I offered him my coffee. I am expecting him to decline my offer but to my surprise, he smiled and take my mug from my hand.

"I thought you're not really going to offer me. I'm so thirsty, you know." he said before he brought it to his lips.

He drink exactly on where my lips touched the mug. I didn't wear any lipstick or lip gloss so there's no trace of my lips on the mug.

I gulped as I saw his lips sip the coffee from the mouth of the mug.

-'Oh shit! we've almost kissed.'-

His Adam's apple is moving up and down as he gulped my coffee. I turned my gaze away from his lips and Adam's apple before he could notice me.

"It's taste good. Did you make this?" he asked sipping.

"Yeah. It's just classic. Coffee, sugar and cream." I said with a shrugged.

When I looked up again, the sunrise shining through my lashes. It's so beautiful. People usually appreciate sunset than sunrise, I love sunrise than sunset. For me, it's a new beginning and symbolizes new hope.

"Thank you." he said smiling while returning me my mug.

But to my disappointment, the mug is already empty. My eyes widened when I found it.

"Alexander Jonathan! You drank all my coffee!" I shouted his full name unconsciously.

He laughed with his carefree laugh. I'm going to praise him with that laugh if we were just in a different situation. But of all the things that I loved the most... my coffee. He drank all my coffee!

"Oh.. I love how the way you mentioned my full name. How it slips through your tongue." his laughs died and became serious.

"Because you didn't leave me even small amount to sip! You drank it all!" my eyes still in wide as I motion my mug in his face.

"Oh! did I? I thought you're giving all of it." but he just said nonchalantly as if it's not a big deal to me and I will just let it pass.

"Argh! Alex!" I stomped my feet on the sand as I glared at him. I found myself comfortably calling his name.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm just thirsty." he said in between his laughs and put his hands on the air. "Okay, let's go." he suddenly added.

"What--- I mean where?" did I heard him right?"

"Come on, let's go. We're going to buy you a coffee."

My eyes widened. "No! It's okay. I'll just go back to the hotel and make some refill."

"Nope, I insist. You're going with me and we were going to buy coffee and something for breakfast." he said taking my hand and starting to walk.

"I - I told you, you don't need to do this." he suddenly stopped and I bumped on his chest as he turned around quickly.

"Sweetheart, if don't want to walk you can tell me. I can carry you myself in any way." my eyes widened again and he smirked.

"Fine!" he just chuckled.

While walking, I looked at our intertwined hands. My small hand perfectly fits on his big hand. It's as if it was moulded perfectly for each other to hold. I smiled inwardly and continue to walk. I noticed him keep on glancing at me while we walk.

"What?" I asked when I caught him once.

He shook his head and just smiled.

"Weird." I muttered to myself but he heard it and turned to me. He didn't say anything. He smiled again.

I found my inside screaming and dancing in excitement. I felt like a teenager who took her hand by his crush for the first time. But in my situation, it's my husband. And it's just my husband taking my hand for the first time in our four years of being married.

We entered the coffee shop we've been on our first day here with my friends.

"What do you want?" he asked turning to me.

"Classic coffee." I shrugged. "As you drank all my coffee." I added rolling my eyes. He chuckled and we walked towards the counter. Everyone's eyes were now on us. I don't care! Mind your own business!

"Two black coffee, please with 2 sugar and 3 cream." he gave his card to the cashier. " How about for your breakfast?" he looked at me again.

"No thanks. I'm fine."

"No. You're going to eat!"

"But I' m-----"

"Or I'll have to feed you myself?" he smirked.

I gasped and glared at him.

-'wow! way to make me obey!'-

"Fine!" I huffed. "2 slices of chocolate cake with raspberry filling."

He smiled and I rolled my eyes.

"2 slices of chocolate cake with raspberry filling for my wife and just give me another slice of it." He ordered but he's not looking at the cashier, he's staring at me.

"You're really a fan of chocolate, are you?"

"Why? who doesn't love chocolate? It's my favorite flavor."

"I know." he gets our order and we seated at the nearest corner of the shop. He gave me first my food before he take his own. We're sitting opposite to each other.

"Thanks." I said not giving him a glance.

I started to slice my cake and savor the frost that is melting inside my mouth. I can help a small moan that escaped on my lips. I noticed him stopped. His spoon also stopped mid-way to his mouth and stared at me intently with his jaw clenched. Then ee dropped it.

"Sorry." I muttered and I continue to shove my cake on my mouth. I unconsciously licked my bottom lip because of the frost left on it when I shove my last bite of cake.

"Fuck!" I looked at him, confused and shocked was written on my face.

"Don't do that again!" he narrowed his eyes on me while gripping the poor spoon. His knuckles turned white.

"Do what?" I asked him really confused.

-'What did I do? I can't remember doing anything. I'm just eating. I did sorry for my moan.'-

He sighed. "Nothing. Let's go." he stand up and take his phone from the table.

"But you haven't eaten your food." I bite my lip again as I felt a little embarrassed. I finished my cake on that split of minutes?

"I'm good. Don't worry about me. Just bring your coffee." he waits for me to stand and take my coffee. He takes my hand again and intertwined with his as we walked out of the shop.

We're walking back to where we came from earlier and I noticed him being silent. Is he seriously like this all the time? Being playful and naughty for a while but in a span of seconds become serious and cold? Well, he still holding my hands right now, it's just that he's not talking to me. And it really bothers me for some unknown reason.

"You suddenly became silent, Mr. Smith. Why?" he stopped immediately when he heard my voice. He turned to me.... now smiling.

-'Huh? Seriously? He's smiling again? What the--- bipolar?'-

"I'm just thinking something, Mrs. Smith." he answered smirking.

Now it's my time to become silent.

In all of God's glory, why did I ever mention his last name? Forgodsake! Why did I forget that it's also my last name?

"Care to share that something?"

-'Oh... Rian, you're digging your own hole.'-

He smiled. "Someday." was his only answer.

I just shrugged and didn't force him to speak. I don't want to spoil this small moments that we have. At least for me.

We are now in front of the hotel, walking towards the elevator.

"You don't need to come with me. I can go on my own." I told him while taking my hand from his hold. But he just looked at me and tightened his hold on my hand.

"I know. But I want to do this."

"Okay." I said stepping inside the lift.

"We're going out after this. We're going to buy you a new phone."

My head snapped immediately on his direction.

"And I told you to don't bother yourself. I can buy myself a new phone!"

"And I also told you that I insist!"

"Why are you really doing this? Why do you need to do this?" I asked him the same question that dancing again in my mind.

"You really wanna know the answer?"

my toes curls in anticipation of what will be his answer.

ding..

The elevator door opened, we stepped out and started to walk in the hallway towards our suite.

"Why, Mr. Smith?" I stopped him by pulling my hand. And because he didn't expect this, I successfully get my hand.

"Do I really need to answer that?"

I can't believe this man! He is such a bipolar!

"Yes-----" my mouth hanged open and stopped what I am about to say when he pushed me to the nearest wall and caged me by his hand on the side of my head and the other is on the side of my waist.

"Because Mrs. Smith, you are my wife! I am your husband! My last name is at the end of your name and we are married four years ago! Is that enough to answer your questions?"

"But four years have passed and you didn't do any of this before, so what's the difference between those past four years and now?" my voice almost became a whisper as I looked into his eyes.

"Because this is what I should've done the first time. To ask you what you need, to ask you if you're okay... to make sure you were okay." I'm not sure if it's sadness the thing I can see in his eyes.

"But-------"

"And last night, I was scared, Rian! It's my first time to be scared and mad at the same time in my whole life, when I saw you lying on the sand and on top of you was that motherfucker bastard!" he said gritting his teeth and clenching his jaws.

I gulped. He's scared? He was scared for me? But why? And I remember how he became a madman last night.

"I'm trying to delete that memory. I was scared too." I said looking down on his chest. "But you came and you saved me." I looked up again to see his eyes, but it held a serious expression.

"You promise me from now on... you wouldn't walk alone in any dark areas. Or even walk alone on your on!"

"What? You know, I can't do that!" I pushed him on his shoulders but he didn't budge.

"And why is that?" he narrowed his eyes.

"Walking in the dark areas... yes. But walking alone on my own, my God Alex... I am not a kid anymore. It just happened once and it's because that man was drunk!"

"No! I am telling you Rian, you will do as I say. It's for your own safety."

He pulled back himself but he took my hand.