Don't come near me

The entire journey to their new house which is a bungalow gifted by Anastasia’s parents to her went in a complete silence. The car halted in front of the bungalow. Quickly the driver stepped down the car and opened the door from Alexander’s side. 

Alexander stopped down the car and looked at the bungalow painted in white with intricate patterns engraved on the pillars there. He turned and saw Anastasia was going to step down on the ground when he stopped her. “You cannot set foot on the ground,” Alexander asserted. 

Anastasia raised her head up to look into Alexander’s eyes. “What?” she exclaimed with a confusion. 

“I will carry you from here till the room. It’s a kind of ancient belief that a bride should not take her first step on the newly wedded house alone. Instead, her husband must carry her to ward off the evil,” declared Alexander. Anastasia scoffed upon hearing his words. “I don’t believe in such superstitions,” she said and almost placed her heel on the ground when Alexander without her notice carried her up in his muscular arms. 

“What are you doing? Leave me,” she said protesting. 

“Don’t struggle. I am just doing what our culture has mentioned,” Alexander proclaimed and turned to go inside the bungalow. He climbed the three stairs and then walked inside the huge door of their new house. “We are inside the house so, leave me.” Anastasia said in a commanding tone. 

“I have told you already that I will leave you as soon as we will be inside our bedroom,” Alexander pronounced sternly. 

“How do you know where is the bedroom when this is your first time coming here?” Anastasia asked him. Alexander did not answer. Climbing the stairs, he reached near their bedroom whose door was already opened. He got inside along with Anastasia and placed her gently on the king sized bed. Forthwith, Anastasia moved back when her hands touched something soft. She turned to look and found the rose petals beneath her hand. 

“Don’t come near me,” Anastasia said with an affirmed tone. Alexander smiled which confused and at the same time terrified Anastasia. Alexander then removed the black blazer, followed by the bow tie. “Wh-what are you doing?” Anastasia asked, stuttering and moving back on the bed. 

Alexander glanced at her as he unbuttoned his collar button and then sleeves button. Folding his sleeves up he leaned towards Anastasia who laid back on the bed. “Step back. Don’t you understand words?” Anastasia muttered. Her back touched the mattress while Alexander was hovered over her. “Even if we are married, it does not mean you can do whatever you want to do with me. Did you forget what the priest told that you have to respect me,” Anastasia said in a single breath. 

“When did I say I was going to do something? I indeed respect my wife,” he replied in his husky, deep voice and picked the envelope placed beside Anastasia’s right shoulder. “I was picking this up,” Alexander said, showing her the envelope and straightened himself up. 

He opened the envelope and found a card there. “Tomorrow is our wedding reception,” he said while reading something on the envelope. He then turned to look at Anastasia who was still somewhat terrified. 

“Wife,” he called her. 

“Huh?” Anastasia immediately responded. 

“How long do you want to stay like that? Are you tempting me to come to the bed?” Alexander asked her. 

Anastasia chuckled and sat up on the bed. “Don’t call me wife ever again. I will be honest with you. We both know this marriage has no meaning. I have married because I have to fulfill my only ambition. Once I will achieve my goal, I will free you from this marriage. I will divorce you,” pronounced Anastasia. 

Alexander shook his head and then spoke. “Fine I won’t call you Wife. I will call you Ana. But why do you think I will divorce such a beautiful woman like you? What if you started loving me?” Alexander asked with a smirk. 

“That will never happen,” Anastasia proclaimed proudly. 

“You will fall for me, Ana,” Alexander told her with a smile on his lips. They both stared into each others eyes for a while. “This bungalow is quite big. You can take the oth-other room,” Anastasia stated. 

“Umm… I wish I could do that but tomorrow my father- in- law is shifting here. I won’t be able to live in a separate room,” asserted Alexander. A smile carved on Anastasia’s lips when she heard her father would also live with them there. She was now relieved. “But you should go now. Suit yourself in the other room. I am tired and I am sleepy too,” Anastasia said as she put off the heels and pressed her heals from her hands. 

Alexander walked out of the room while Anastasia stood up. She carried her long gown dress and went to the closet room. She saw there were no clothes there. “What’s this? Where are the clothes?” Anastasia murmured and also checked the cupboards there. But there was nothing. She angrily came out of the closet room when he saw Alexander there. 

“What are you doing here?” Anastasia asked him. 

“The other rooms are closed. Don’t tell me to sleep in the hall because it is cold,” Alexander stated. 

“Locked?” “Did you check or are you telling a lie?” Anastasia asked with a suspicious look. 

“I know it’s our wedding night and you are nervous but don’t worry I won’t touch you,” Alexander proclaimed. 

“What about our suitcases? There are no clothes in the closet room,” asserted Anastasia. 

“There are no suitcases,” Alexander replied. “We have sleep in these clothes only,” Alexander said when his eyes fell on the necklace but Anastasia took it otherwise so, she quickly crossed her arms. “Where are you looking at? You won’t sleep here. Go out,” Anastasia stated with a stern look. Alexander smiled and went to the bed. 

“The necklace is beautiful. I was looking at that. I will sleep here only, Ana.” Alexander voiced firmly as he straightened his both legs. His head rested on the headboard. Anastasia went to the dressing table and removed the necklace and earrings. She glanced at Alexander who had closed his eyes. After she was done, she once again looked around the bedroom. 

“Don’t you have to sleep?” Alexander asked her. 

“I will whenever I want to,” she snapped at him. 

“So, should I close the lights?” Alexander asked her. 

“Why? Just close your eyes and sleep,” Anastasia pronounced. 

“I wish I could but I am not able to sleep with lights on,” replied Alexander. 

“And I cannot sleep with lights off,” Anastasia replied back. 

“But you are not sleeping. So, I can turn the lights off. By the time you will sleep I will be dozed off to sleep so, you can turn them on,” declared Alexander. 

“Just sleep with lights on,” Anastasia told him. Alexander did not speak anything after that and laid down on the bed. He closed his eyes, trying to get the sleep. Anastasia took a peek of Alexander and then went towards the bed when her stomach growled. She placed her hand over her belly. “I should have eaten something,” she murmured. 

“I can make something to eat,” Alexander voiced. Anastasia forthwith lifted her eyes to look at him. “You are not sleepy yet?” she asked. 

“How could I get sleep in just a minute?” Alexander asked her. He then sat on the bed. “Make yourself comfortable on the bed. I am coming in a while,” he stated and got down the bed. 

“Do-do you know how to cook?” Anastasia asked him. 

Alexander shook his head. “Yes. I used to work in our family restaurant so, I eventually learned cooking,” Alexander replied. 

“Okay. I prefer less salt and less spices,” Anastasia stated. Alexander gave a nod. He wore the slippers placed beside the bed and walked out of the room. As soon as he walked out, Anastasia jumped to the bed and laid down on it. 

“Ahh, my entire body is aching and I am hungry too.” She stretched her arms out and gazed at the ceiling. She started thinking how did she ended up marrying a strange man so sudden. Marriage with no love! One whom she loved, was no longer the part of her life. She used to think her wedding would be like fairy tale stories but it ended up with an arranged marriage. “What he would be thinking of me? Would he be okay?” A tear poured down her cheek. 

How longer she looked at the ceiling even she did not know. Her eyes were getting heavy as sleep was invading her eyes when she heard a voice which woke her up. “Ana, dinner is ready. Luckily, the kitchen already is filled with every single ingredient so I didn’t find any kind of difficulty while cooking.” He placed the tray on the sofa table and went towards her, who was struggling with her gown to get up. 

He stretched out his hand. “Here,” he said, telling her to hold his hand but Anastasia ignored it so, Alexander did not find any other option but to lean to get and grab her arm, making her stand up. "Even if this marriage has no meaning for both of us, still you should not try ignoring me."