My Mr. Artist

Chapter 25

Morning hues casted on his face through the curtains as if peeping to look who the person inside was, this made him stirred and half-awake with mild headache as if the alarm was really ringing inside his head. With enough efforts, he finally managed to sit up from his lying position. He first turn to look at the source of light while squinting his eyes, it must be early morning, Saransh concluded. Then he looked at himself, lying on the carpet was just for name, most of him was spread out on the cold floor. Both his legs were numb, clothes and hair disheveled, eyes burning and sore head, he took deep breaths, turned sideway and sat while taking support of wall behind him and then once again opened his eyes, looking forward just to get froze, the burning eyes which were hard to open, now didn't even want to blink for a second.

On the couch, opposite to him was her, in a fetal position as to keep herself warm, soundly sleeping, she looked so small all bundle up like this. Saransh felt as if all the pain from just a moment ago had vanished as he continue to look at her, he still remember how she curled up in his arms last night, her soft touch, her sweet smell, the almost heart attack he experienced when she suddenly got out of car and run towards the middle of road, her soft apology, her hugging him tight and not wanting to let him go, her embarrassment and then...... her sudden coldness and distant behavior as they reached near her society eventually entering her house. This made the small smile on his face fade away as he remembered what happen after that.

_

The entire meal last night was silent and awkward, Saransh looked at her few times, she was eating less and drinking more, he wanted to stop her but with what right! as he was the reason she was like this. Suddenly bitter taste filled his mouth and he grabbed the beer can which he had kept to a side cause he had to drive back and started gulping in one go. This silence with both drinking away their own sorrow lasted for more than half a hour.

" Ansh, if, i said IF, we were married but you don't love me, maybe i also don't love you but due to family expectation we got married. Suddenly i learn that my husband has some Ex who he still meets and even go to her house, say that he still love her and even kiss her, how will i feel as your wife? " Kiyah scoffed at the end as if she was mocking herself, she wiggled the beer can in her hand, her eyes focused on the distant view as if she was really contemplating on everything she just spoke right now. 

Saransh took another can just to empty it within seconds, then he flung his head backwards onto the backrest of the couch, face tilted upwards, eyes closed as if he was not the subject of this conversation.

Kiyah also didn't care about his response as she continued, " I would care, even if you don't love me, even if i don't love you but i would still care as you are my husband, i would still care..." 

There was a pause 

" Is she beautiful? "

" Is she also three years younger than you? "

" Does she also accompany you when you paint till wee morning hours? "

" Does she patiently wait on the side and in anticipation to see how your painting will turn?"

" Does she also falls asleep only after you embrace her in your arms?" 

" Does she also like to call you ansh while having sex......

" KIYAHHH" He suddenly stood up as he threw the nearby flower vase across the room resulting a loud shattering sound but still no one acknowledged it as Saransh glared straight into Kiyah's unreadable eyes. He was breathing heavily because of angry he felt the more she spoke whereas Kiyah looked back at him, totally calm, almost as if she was just a spectrum in this drama.