Short Stories

Agape Love

"Come on Anushka, people are getting seated now."
Barry grabbed his young wife's hand as he hurried her along towards the stadium. They were going to watch a football match together, the first one he'd ever taken her to. Football was Barry's greatest love - besides Anushka of course.

The stadium was packed with fans already getting riled up about the match. Once they found their seats, Anushka stood up.
"Do you want me to get snack?"
"Oh no, honey, I can do that."
"No bother, I know how you like snack."
Barry smiled. He loved the way Anushka took care of him. They'd met when she had come over from Russia on an exchange trip and they had been together ever since. He couldn't imagine life without her.

Anushka came back with the snacks before the match started. As they settled down to eat, the players walked onto the pitch, the crowd going wild as the referee announced the beginning of the match.
"What is happening?" Anushka asked.
"It's just the beginning of the match."
Football wasn't Anushka's thing, in fact she knew very little about it, but because Barry liked it, she made an effort to be interested too.

And interested he was. Barry was cheering his heart out as the match went on. At times the stadium erupted into happy chants, people standing up and hugging each other. Anushka took it all in, smiling at how adorable Barry's enthusiasm was.

Soon it was half-time, and the snacks were finished.
"Let me go get more" Barry suggested as he got up, leaving Anushka there. He went to get some popcorn this time, a bucket big enough for the two of them to share. It was on his way back that he had a sudden realisation.

Anushka was sitting there amongst all the football supporters, looking out of place but happy to be there. She was only there because of him, and she'd come along so willingly despite having no interest in football herself.
She'd sacrificed so much to be with him - her country, her family, even her career - and she was willing to sacrifice even more for him.

Tears began to well up in Barry's eyes at the amount of love he felt from his young wife. He wanted to deserve that love, and show her that he loved her just as much. She deserved just as much sacrifice from him.
"Are you okay?" Anushka asked as he sat down next to her again.
"Yes babe. I guess I just realised...how much I love you."
"Aw. " She smiled, taking his hand.
"Listen, after this, why don't we go do something you want to do? I don't want you to always be making sacrifices for my sake, I want to make some for you."
"It's not sacrifice when you love someone, but I would like to go to the cinema more often" she responded cheekily.

Barry smiled back and kissed her, having decided that from now on, he was going to be the one making sacrifices. Like Anushka had said, it isn't sacrifice when you truly love someone.