A Challenge To An Arranged Marriage

He Stayed

  "So it's true when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love." 
― E.A. Bucchianeri  

"Oh god, could you stop for a while? We have a while to see around. Calm down." Ian screeched raising his hands in the air in a frustrated manner. 

"I know! But I want to see this all today." Lisa answered with her voice tracing pain and disappointment. 

"Why?" Ian asked slightly peeking, he knew what the answer could be but he still wanted to hear it from her. She released a low scoff before she turned back still moving that is she was now walking body faced him. 

"Because I don't know if you would be here with me tomorrow." She answered simply turning her head back glancing every sight she could through the museums. Ian could feel the feeling of guilt spreading all through his body. She had trusted him too much. He didn't deserve such innocence. 

"We should visit our next spot, Lisa," he said putting his hands back in his jeans pocket. He knew she didn't hear him, as she was busy staring at the portraits hanging on the wall. 

"Ian?" She suddenly called staring at him, with her eyes filled with tears. 

"Why are you crying, Lisa?" He asked abruptly pacing towards her, taking her face in his hands. With his free thumb, he rubbed off the stray tear that fell off her eyes. 

"What happened?" He whispered in the softest tone as he kept searching for an ounce of discomfort on her face. She shook her head and faked a smile at him. 

"I will tell you" she muttered staring right into his eyes "But later" she concluded with a low giggle, along with her eyes pleading him not to continue this any further. He knew he didn't have a choice, neither did he wanted to push her to tell the truth, therefore, he just slightly nodded. 

"Now let's get to the light show of yours." She beamed suddenly moving his hands from her face and taking them along, running towards the exit. They soon reached their location and watched the whole show of light at the Eiffel tower for an hour. The Eiffel tower coupled with the lighthouse on the Tower top that sends out its light beams during the same hours. As for the glimmering lights, this ten-minute show is added during the first five minutes of each hour on the hour. The sight was beautiful, just gorgeous. 

Lisa placed her head on Ian's shoulder as they continued to watch the view together. 

"Thank you" she suddenly whispered with her head still resting on his shoulder. 

"For what?"

"For bringing me here, for being here. Just thank you" she greeted moving her head from his shoulder, looking in his eyes. Ian slightly turned his head to look at her. There breathing was close, just a movement and their lips could connect. Before that would happen Ian turned his head ahead, looking straight at the view again. 

"No need to be, it was not my choice anyway." He whispered releasing a low chuckle of disappointment. She decided not to say anything. She knew he was doing all of this to just keep her away. 

"Why were you crying in the museum?" He suddenly asked, again tilting his head to look at her.

"Well... this place brings back memories, many memories." She answered letting out a low laugh. "My mom met my father here, as I was told, her father was an artist here and she lived her whole life here. My father, he came here for some business. Then one day, he saw my mom, which was the day he experienced love. The type of love, where anything and everything you do for your partner is not sacrificing, it's a wish. The wish or choice to make them happy. He extended his trip for a little while, to spend time with someone who he just met two days ago. But they didn't care because they were in love. Soon after he returned back because the company was falling apart without him. But he promised her that he wouldn't leave. And you know what he did?" She asked him, with her eyes filled with tears. 

"He stayed. He didn't leave her. He came back to here soon enough and asked her to marry him. He proposed aside the same museum. They didn't care about what their families told them. To them, they were all that mattered. They had each other. They had their love." She finished looking straight at the place with her tear rolling down her cheeks. 

"That's beautiful." It was the only thing he could say. He had seen an angry or sad Lisa but this Lisa was different. She was not crying, just remembering and living at that time. The outer part that she showed the world, of how strong she was, was down. This was the original her. A girl waiting for a guy to love her with everything he has. To fall so deeply for him, that it might hurt. But the only question was, was he worth her love? 

They didn't talk anymore, both sat there in the stairs admiring there view with the comfort of silence. Reserving every part of that moment for whatever they were gonna face in the future, to happily devote to each other. 

****

"Lisa! Get up! I am giving you one more minute, if you don't get up I am going to throw the whole bucket of water of you! Get up, you idiot!!" she could hear Cole yelling bouncing around the room, sometimes hitting her with a pillow or sometimes yelling in her ears but she didn't even move her eyes. 

"You are giving me a headache. Wake up before the boss is back!" He yelled finally making her open her eyes. She sat up on the bed rubbing her eyes not caring about the death glares she was getting from him. 

"What time is it?" She yawned placing her hand on her mouth. 

"The time of your death. I am trying to wake you up for an hour now!" He yelled again slamming down the blanket previously placed on the bed. 

"Jeez, calm down boy." She said getting up from the bed making her way towards the open window, beaming with sunlight. 

"I know you don't value me enough to let me live but have some mercy. You know, boss has strictly informed me to stay away from you and I still risked my life to come here to see my best friend. Have some humanity!" She knew he was right. After that night Ian went straight to his room and held him by his collar, slamming him against the wall, warning him to stay away from her."

"He won't be back until 3 pm. Chill, it's just 1 right now." She whispered looking at the watch "Whoa its 1 in the morning" she repeated and glanced back at the watch to confirm. 

"Yes, it's fucking one the morning Lisa! What did you guys even do last night?" The question made her remember every moment they spend together yesterday. They came back late, busy admiring the stars in the sky. They didn't even realize how late they were until Cole ranged her up asking for their whereabouts. For all, she knew that he was keeping himself distance on purpose, not because he wanted to. 

"What are you doing here?" An angry Ian spoke from the door.