Chapter fourteen: I insist

When they started to talk, I stepped away from him. I don't want to know what he is going to say why I am with him or what happened. I just don't want to hear my brother's panicked voice and curses. I tried to look for my phone again.

"Miss, are you looking for this?" a boy in his early twenties came somewhere holding a cellphone. I tried to recognize it and my eyes widened when I clearly see the color of its case.

"Oh! H-How did you get that?" I asked looking at him and taking my step near him.

"I found it in the sand, still lucky not to step on it. But when I picked it up, I saw this." he flipped my phone and I gasped when I saw the screen --- cracked.

"Oh my God! How did it happen?" he handed it to me and I inspect all its possible damage. "It landed only in the sand right?"

"Yeah, but there's a stone on where your phone landed and the screen cracked when it hit the stone."

"Oh my!" I just said shaking my head. I think I need to buy a new one.

"Thank you, by the way. Ahm.. what's your name?" I asked him smiling.

"Roger." he offered his hand for a handshake but before my hand touches it, there is Alex's hand already accepted it for me.

"My name is Alex, her husband. And you don't need to get to know my wife's name anymore. Thank you. You can go."

"Ohh!" Roger gasped and my jaws dropped. "I'm sorry, man. I'm just giving your wife her phone." He explained and brought his hand on his side.

"And you already did. So, what are you still waiting for?" his face held so much authority.

"Oh, yeah.. yeah. I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Thank you, Roger! My name is Rian!" I shouted at his retreating back. He looked at me and smiled and I also smiled at him before I turned to a serious face of Alex.

"I already gave him my name, why did you still have to give yours" he has an annoyed expression.

"That was rude, you know! He's just asking for my name but you bit me. That's all I can do to thank him."

"He just wants to touch your hand!"

I gasped at his answer.

"Oh my God! What's happening to you? Why did you do that?"

"Do what?" he looked puzzled.

"Acting so strange suddenly, letting the world knows that you're my husband and claiming me as your wife?"

"Because that's we are. I am your husband and you are my wife."  he just said with a shrugged.

"Argh! I know that! But what I'm asking you is why are you acting this way?"

"What way?" he's now smirking.

-'Am I going to win this?"

"Argh!" I don't know what to say next. I stomped my feet and walked away from him. I walked to where Cari and Ryan standing. Ryan is talking to the police while Cari is probably waiting for me.

I hugged her when I get to near her. He hugged me back.

"Hey, are you okay now?" she sounded concerned but there is her grin on her face.

"Yeah."

"Ohhh.. I'm sure you are, now." her grins started to spread on her lips.

"Cari!" I warned her. "Is that your way of comforting your bestfriend?"

She chuckled. "Oh, trust me. All I want to was to hugged you and comfort you, but there was someone who bit me by doing it. And it's okay because you calmed by his touched." she whispered the last word.

-'My God! how many times do I have to hate my bestfriend in my whole life?'-

Then Ryan walked to us. "Rian, are you okay now?"

-'Sounded like Cari.'-

"Yeah. Thank you." I nodded.

"Let's go." he grabbed Cari's hand.

"I'm going with you." Alex came suddenly from Ryan's behind.

"You should be." Ryan punched his arms.

"Yeah. Your cuts need to clean and put some bandages." I agree with Ryan. It's the least I can do to thank him.

"It's okay. No need to worry about it." he just shrugged and throw his hand on the air.

"So stubborn, are you?" I can't help my voice rise because of his 'i don't care' attitude.

"Whoah! Your wife's getting grumpy! Let's go." I glared at Cari. "I mean... Alex you should come to clean your cuts." she added grinning.

"It's okay, it's nothing serious-------"

"Fuck your excuses!" I cut him off as I grabbed his right hand and pulled him towards the direction of our hotel. I heard Cari and Ryan's laughed from behind but I don't care because my stubborn of a husband keep on declining to clean his cuts.

"Hey.. Hey, baby. I should be the one pulling you, not the other way around." he said chuckling.

"Shut up!" I huffed while continuing my fast walk.

"Oh, that's it. You leave no choice." I heard him say and the next thing I know is that he threw me on his shoulder and smack my butt cheeks.

"Oh my God! Put me down! You bastard!" I tried to punch his back but I found it hard and my knuckles get hurt every time I try.

"Na-ah! Wrong word. Your husband and not you bastard?" and he mimicked my voice.

"Why are you doing this? I can walk!"

"I know. But you keep on pulling me and I think you're in a hurry, so I need to carry you." we're now walking to the elevator. " And you should also put some ice on your face."

"Okay. I'm not gonna pulled you, just put me down!" I said ignoring his last sentence. I can feel the slight of dizziness right now.

"Nope. Sorry you're late." and we entered the elevator. He closed it without waiting for Cari and Ryan.

"We're nowhere, put me down."

"Nope!"

"I'm feeling dizzy." I don't want to say it out loud but it just came out from my mouth.

"Ohh..." and I felt my world back into normal again. He put me down on my feet. But because of dizziness, I almost fell to the elevator floor when if he didn't catch me.

"Baby, I'm sorry. Are you okay?" he asked concerned. I wanted to punch him, but I don't have so much energy to do it. He pulled me and put my face on his chest.

"I'm sorry." He keep on kissing my hair.

As soon as we entered our suite, I told him to sit down on the couch as I get the first aid kit from one of the hanging cabinet in the kitchen. He keeps on saying that it doesn't necessary but I gave him my most annoyed glare.

When I came back, I took a seat beside him and placed his first hand on my thigh. I started to clean his cuts. I can feel his stare on my face. I find it hard to move comfortably because of it. I sighed before I looked at him.

"Stop doing that!" I huffed and narrowed my eyes on him.

"Doing what?" he smiled innocently.

"Stop staring at me while cleaning your cuts!"

He laughed and I looked again to him.

"But where do you want me to look at?"

"Just look on your hands or anywhere! Just not in my face!" and he laughed again. I pressed the cotton with antiseptic hard on his knuckles that causes him to winced in pain.

"Ouch!"  and I smirked.

"Oops! does it hurts?" I asked him smirking. His grinned disappeared and placed it with a scrunched face.

"You intentionally did that."

"Of course not. Why would I?" and to prove him that, I bring his knuckles near my mouth and blow the cuts."See?" I have a satisfied grin on my face.

He just shook his head and smiled. I already finished cleaning all his cuts and put bandages on his 2 hands, when Cari and Ryan walked in the door.

"How are you, man?" Ryan ask Alex as he takes his seat on the couch. I cleaned all the mess and walked back again to the kitchen to returned the kit. When I came back, Ryan already standing and saying goodbye to Cari.

"Goodnight." he said kissing her forehead.

I just arched my eyebrow when I noticed Alex's smirking at me. Cari walked him to the door and then headed to our room.

"I think you should also go now." I said looking to his eyes. He's staring at me again and it really melts my inside.

"Yeah." he said standing up. "I have to go. I'm going to buy you a new phone tomorrow."

"Hey! You don't need to do that." I said also standing up.

"I insist!"

"But------"

"No buts, Rian. You don't even touch the cards that I gave you."

"Huh!" I gasped as I remember the cards that he sent to me before. "Because I don't need them."

"Yeah." he said nodding. "And you need a phone, so I don't also need your buts."

"You don't really need------" this time he cut me off by kissing the side of my mouth.

"Goodnight, Rian."

I couldn't find any words to say. He just smiled at me and walked to the door. I was just standing on my post.

"Lock the door." he said and he smirked.

"Yeah! I - I - of course!" -'what was that?'-

And then he walked out and closes the door. I plumped down on the couch when he was already out of my sight. I touched the side of my mouth where he just kissed me.

I went to the door and after locking it, I headed to our room to see Cari is waiting for me on the love seat near the window.

"I thought you already asleep?" I closed the door behind me.

"How could I, when there is someone who owe me an explanation?" she has a raised eyebrow. Jenny is already sleeping-----soundly.

"Oh, Cari. Let's just talk about this tomorrow, I'm so tired." I said walking to the bathroom but she stopped me by standing on the bathroom doorway.

"No! You really have a lot of explaining to do. Because I am not blind to see Alex is now starting to woo you!"

"That's not true." I didn't have any choice but to sit on the couch.

"Oh, come on Rian! In denial stage, are we?"

"You're not going to let it passed, are you?"

"You already answered your question! And... I saw Alex how he looked at you when we entered the bar! How he stared at you while you were performing and how he became furious when he knew that man touched you! My God, he was so mad and maybe if not for Ryan and Jack, I'm sure he's gonna kill your attacker."

"But you also stared at me when I was singing and when it comes what he did and what happened outside the bar, I think that's everyone would possibly do when they see the same situation like that. They would surely help."

"Oh yeah! Great! Keep on denying. You're very good at that."

"Denying what?"

"That you also noticed that Alex cares about you!"

"Cari!" I sighed. "I - I don't know. I mean.. the truth is, I don't want to believe in it. I don't want to get used to it." I said trying to find the right words.

"Rian, you're right. Everyone would help if they see the same situation as earlier. But no one would call you his wife in front of everyone! No one would get furious as him like he was earlier!"

"Wait! are you on his side, now?"

"No! What I mean is.. no one would do this to you, 'baby looked at me! breathe for me! Come on, you can do it baby!'"

My face turned into crimson red as she mimicked what Alex words earlier.

"He didn't say that!" I still insist and rolled my eyes.

"Oh.. of course you didn't notice because you were on your panicked state. Don't tell me you also didn't remember how the way he calmed you?"

"I remembered how he was so pissed at the man and then next, he's already in front of me and letting me breathe together with him."

"Tsk..tsk..tsk.. Don't worry, he didn't hug you after that. He didn't even stroke your hair and kissed your repeatedly. And most importantly he never said 'Oh thank God' when you became okay."

"Oh my God, Cari! Do you really want to remind me that?"

She just laughed so loud that causes Jenny to wake up---- not fully and mumbled something.

"Hey, is it already morning? Congratulations Rian." that was all she said before she returned to sleep again.

-'Did she really even woke up?''

We couldn't form a word after that. We just looked at each before we burst out laughing.

(End of flashback)