It was almost midnight and Stella was sleeping peacefully in her room, lost in her dreamland. But this was interrupted when she heard some strange noises downstairs. She woke up, put her robe on and walked out of her bedroom.
"Evan! How many times do I have to tell you to ring the freaking doorbell before unlocking the door?"
She walked down the stairs only to find the house completely empty.
"Maybe I was hallucinating!" She thought to herself as noting in the entire house seemed out of place.
Stella walked towards the kitchen to get some water, still sleepy and unconsciously pricked her finger by the pointed shelf edge while grabbing a glass. The sudden piercing made her jerk back to consciousness as she noticed a few drops of blood ooze out. About to get a bandage, Stella heard knocking on the door and Evan walked in.
"Waiting here to welcome me, Wifey?" he smirked at her.
She walked towards him and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, "Go freshen up!"
Stella turned around to leave but Evan held her by hand and pulled her towards himself.
"Ouch!" Stella felt her finger ooze blood again.
"Are you fine? Let's go get this wound cleaned up." Evan said gently.
He picked her up in bridal style and walked to the bedroom. He cleaned Stella's wound and tucked her to sleep. Then he walked downstairs for dinner.
The couple was married for more than 2 years now. A high school love story, all promises kept, was good as new till date, even after 11 years. He could still remember that day when he first proposed to her. They were 15 and Stella was so angered by his proposal that she complained to her parents. They then explained to her that there was nothing to be so angry about and handle things with maturity. That's when she gave him a chance, from friends to lovers to a married couple.
Evan was lost in his thoughts when he heard Stella shriek and ran towards the bedroom to see her still panting in sleep. He helped her wake up and sit upright.
"Hey, you're okay! It was only a nightmare, look I'm here with you" he comforted her while handing her a glass of water.
"It was so real" she replied, "The nightmare! As if I was present there in that situation. And..and I'm so cold."
He pressed his palm on her forehead, "A slight fever."
"I love you" Stella buried herself in his chest, smelling his fragrance.
"I love you too" he hugged her back. "But, rest now, we'll go to the clinic in the morning" and kissed her lips.
"Can we go to the park tomorrow?"
"Only if you're not sick, darling!"
"I'll recover till the dawn, I promise!"
Tucking her to bed again, he took the other side of the bed, watching her innocent sleepy face as she drifted to the dream land again.
"I will protect her at all costs" he spoke to himself and fell asleep.