The Arranged Marriage

19

Just as I had feared, the weight of impending disaster hung heavy in the air, suffocating any sense of calm. "Someone is trying to attack us during phase 2," Ash's voice cut through the silence, his tone carrying a gravity that sent chills down my spine. "Oh? But why?" I managed to whisper, the question feeling feeble against the enormity of the situation.

"Because we are better than them, obviously," his words dripped with frustration as he hastily packed for phase 2, his movements tense and strained. I watched, heart sinking, as his jaw clenched and his hands formed tight fists. The turmoil within him was palpable, yet he kept it locked away, unreachable to me.

"Any idea who it is?" I ventured, my voice trembling with both fear and concern. His sudden stillness and the way he turned to meet my gaze with a stoic mask told me more than words ever could. "Bad people," his vague response hung in the air like a dark cloud, leaving me to grapple with the unknown.

"Maybe... we shouldn't go to the phase," the words slipped out, fueled by a desperation to keep him safe. His reaction was swift, his eyes turning cold as he snapped back at me, cutting through my fragile attempt to protect him. "Say what?" The sharpness in his tone stung, and I struggled to find my footing in this sudden storm of emotions.

"Don't you believe me too?" His hurt flashed across his eyes before being swiftly hidden behind a veil of indifference. "No, Ash. That's not what I meant-" I tried to explain, but his walls were already up, shutting me out. "Whatever, Aria. I'm going alone," his final words echoed in the room, leaving me hollow and alone, the pain of his rejection piercing through me like shards of ice.

The uncertainty gnawed at me, each question a dagger to my already wounded heart. What was it about me that made him shut me out? Did he not trust me enough? Was I not a source of comfort and security for him? Did my presence not assure him that he was not alone in this battle?

The doubt crept in, whispering cruel insinuations. Was it because I wasn't part of his world, his work field? Did he feel like I couldn't understand, couldn't relate to the challenges he faced? Or was there something darker at play, something he couldn't bring himself to share, even with me?

A small voice in my mind dared to suggest another possibility, one that I pushed away with a shiver. Was it because of you, the voice taunted, hinting at shadows in his past that I couldn't fathom? The thought sent a chill down my spine, mingling with the ache of rejection and the fear of the unknown.

xxxx

The day before phase 2 was incredibly tough for me. Ash seemed to be avoiding me at all costs. He left for work early in the morning and didn't return until late at night, using work as an excuse to stay away. What made it even more painful was knowing that he didn't have to work so much right before phase 2, yet he chose to keep his distance.

As each day passed, my mind became a battleground of overthinking. It felt like I was suffocating under the weight of unanswered questions and unspoken emotions. And right now, as Ash peacefully sleeps beside me, I can't help but wonder how he can be so calm. How can he find sleep so easily after not speaking to me for two whole days? How can he rest knowing that I'm feeling sad and hurt because of his actions?

These thoughts, like relentless waves crashing against the shore, continued to torment me. They kept me awake at night, turning moments of rest into restless hours of questioning and longing for understanding. The silence between us grew louder, echoing the pain of our disconnectedness and leaving me to navigate the vast emptiness of his absence.

Xxxx

Ash's pov:

The atmosphere was charged with excitement as the 68th Annual Police Adventure Challenge kicked off. "Ladies and not-so-gentlemen, because you really can't survive if you are gentle! Welcome to the 68th ANNUAL POLICE ADVENTURE CHALLENGE!!" The crowd erupted in cheers, but I remained stoic, unmoved by the collective enthusiasm.

"I believe you all are aware of the rules!" The host's voice boomed from the stage, met with eager affirmations from the participants and their families. "YESS!!" Their shouts echoed around me, but I stayed detached, my focus elsewhere.

"Hold onto your partners tight!" The host's chuckle was lost on me as I glanced beside me, only to find an empty space. The chill in the air seemed to seep into my bones, intensifying the emptiness I felt inside.

We were directed to stand at the start line, facing the looming forest ahead. "Is pair one, Mr. and Mrs. David, ready?" The host's question was met with a prompt response, the first pair eager to begin.

"Is pair two, Mr. and Mrs. Ben, ready?" The enthusiastic affirmation that followed contrasted sharply with my own subdued demeanor.

"Let's go! Is pair three, Mr. Gustov, ready?" Mr. Gustov stood alone, a mirror to my own solitary state.

"I'm not late, am I?" A woman in a neon tee with the number 3 caught my attention briefly, likely Mr. Gustov's wife.

"OH MY GOD! YOU CAME?" Her husband's joyful reaction and the ensuing embrace felt distant to me, a scene I observed with detachment.

"Of course, who wouldn't want a free vacay?" Her casual response and the disapproval from her family barely registered in my mind.

"Uh, let's move on. Is pair 4-" The host's voice pulled me back to the present, only for another unexpected interruption.

"YES WE ARE READY!" The enthusiasm from the next pair contrasted starkly with my own reserved demeanor, highlighting the disconnect I felt in this moment.

"Great! Pair 5 won't be joining us due to an emergency. Hope they are doing good! Last but not least, IS PAIR 6, MR. AND MRS. ASHER READY??" The host's announcement brought me back, but before I could respond, a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Ye-"

"YESS!!!!" Aria's declaration surprised me, her presence unexpected yet somehow comforting.

"What? You didn't think that I would leave you alone, Did you?" Aria's playful remark thawed a corner of my icy facade, a hint of warmth breaking through.

"Also, why didn't you take me? I had to walk all the way-" I tuned out as Aria's words washed over me, her presence slowly bringing warmth and comfort, something that I have been devoid of lately.

"-I had to cross the crowdy popcorn stall-"

"-And then I had an Ice cream on the way with KitKat sprinkles-"

"-I was so tired so I had to eat lion-"

Wait, what is she talking about?

"-You should have seen that pigeon attempting to impress the other pigeon. It was hilarious. The other one just flew away though. HAhahah. Oh, look! The competition is going to start!!" she rambles excitedly.

And the competition began.

xxxx

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