Their Cinderella, His Precious Princess

Chapter 8 - Living Next with the City Girl

Chapter 8 - Living Next with the City Girl

* * *

“I appreciate your proposal, but it will still be a no. Getting married just because we did it is just plain stupid. I won’t ask you to take responsibility for something like that.”

Grandpa Max, Grandma Cara, Jamie, and Anastacia are discussing the proposal inside the kitchen. Grandpa Max was called before they started their little meeting. He was flabbergasted when Simon told him about his brother’s sudden marriage proposal.

The old man couldn’t help but feel that he was dreaming like Jamie when he heard such a thing. For him, a zombie apocalypse is much more possible than that brute’s marriage.

Jamie’s siblings are waiting for the news of their “brother’s marriage”, but the eldest won’t just let them in since it was a delicate topic. They were left in the living room with some boiled sweet potatoes.

He can’t let them hear that their brother committed an atrocious act after failing to use his brain. He is already notorious for being an annoyance when it comes to that department, and it was Jamie’s wish that his siblings wouldn’t lose their trust in him due to that.

People may call it pride, but it was his last saving grace for being the eldest in the family.

However, the woman, to whom that saving grace is being directed, is not cooperating at all.

“What do you mean, Anastacia? It will only be proper for us to get married since we already did it. People will call you names should they learn that you slept with a man that is not even your husband.”

As if a striking shiver crawled down Jamie’s skin, Anastacia’s smiling face turned cold after what he said. The man is only stating the way of life in the countryside. It was always a matter of honor for a woman to be wed to the man who first beds her.

It has been that way since before he was born, and Jamie is determined to correct his mistakes by applying that rule.

What he doesn’t know is that it was the opposite for a woman born and raised in the city. Such a pre-historical mindset no longer applies to them. Bonding with a man that is not their husband is no longer considered taboo by society.

After all, most women born in the city are living their lives away from their families. They are surviving through their independence, and it has made them stronger than ever. Jamie would never ever understand such a thing since he hadn’t stepped out of his comfort zone.

They are two conflicting souls that need to be hammered down first before they can be aware of their differences. Acceptance is still far away from their existence.

“That is not the right reason to get married. So what if they label me as such? Who will be living with you forever should we get married? Is it them?"

“Anastacia. Just think about it. You would be shooed away if you were to continue this stubbornness.”

The old couple is just listening to the two as they throw their arguments. It was no longer a marriage discussion, but an exchange of their beliefs. Grandpa Max can’t butt in since it was awkward for him to discuss such a thing; however, Grandma Cara is thinking differently.

She knew and could understand Jamie’s point. It was taught to her that a woman’s virtue could only be protected if she was to be wed to the man who first touched her. There is no other way but to nod her head and pray that the partner that will be chosen for her will be a good one.

It was the only option for her and for every other woman in that place.

That is why she finds Anastacia’s words somewhat fascinating. Her way of defending herself and choosing to stand on her own is a thing that she will never dare to do.

“I don’t even know you, Jamie. The same also applies to you. Are you just going to wed someone right after a single mistake of yours? I gave you my consent, so you don’t have to be like this. We are both adults who wanted to do that, so please stop this annoyance.”

It was another valid point, but nothing had sunk into Jamie yet. Or maybe, he could understand it, but his pride is refusing to let go of the responsibility that he needs to bear.

In any of those cases, all Anastacia could feel was her rising irritation as their argument went on. It was the worst scenario for her. Being forced to marry someone just because he claimed her once is just the personification of greediness for Anastacia.

Jamie’s words and rebuttals are suffocating her deep within.

“What if you got pregnant? Stop being selfish, Anastacia.”

That was the last blow. A slap, coming from the woman’s fragile hand, echoed in the room. The silent old couple could only look in awe as the scenes unfolded before them. They are entertained and astonished at the same time.

Butting in might help Jamie and Anastacia, but they are afraid that the two will soon transform into ferocious beasts that will push them away.

Without saying a single word, the old couple decided to just enjoy the show and let faith do its work for the two animals before them.

“I’m not a f*****g pig! Go find your partner somewhere else. I’d rather lead a spinster’s life than be married to a man with a shallow mindset like you.”

And like a usual drama, Anastacia walked away from the room, packed her bags, and threw herself out of the house. It was an amazing sight for the couple and Jamie’s siblings. They can’t believe that they were able to witness such an occurrence during their lives.

It would have been funnier if not for the fact they were discussing a serious problem.

The people who were left inside the house are now contemplating whether to help the rejected man named Jamie Gray or to just let the day end while doing nothing. Everything happened so fast that they are starting to think that it was just a dream.

Just too bad, since it was a harsh reality that none of them could escape.

* * *

It was still before noon and yet the sky was already dark. Any moment from now and the rain might pour like it was the last thing that it could do on Earth.

Anastacia might start running helplessly if she was in her right mind, but the anger that she was feeling was making her unconcerned about her surroundings. Her wrath at the argument that she escaped is seriously eating her from within.

It might have been a funny scene for those who witnessed it, but it was a very crucial matter for her. The word “selfish” triggered an enormous animosity in Anastacia’s mind.

The past that she is escaping is greatly connected to that word and she was not able to fully turn her back away from those people. Bygones can’t be bygones when it comes to that situation for her. Most important of all, a marriage out of the blue is just something that Anastacia wouldn’t choose no matter what.

She had enough of men trying to tie her down, and it would be the last thing that she would want to happen right at that moment.

However,…

Not a full ten minutes passed, and the anger seething from Anastacia suddenly washed away. The dark sky finally poured the water that it was containing and the open field that the woman was walking to didn’t have a single spot that could protect her.

All Anastacia could do was silently cry as she took more and more steps away from the people that she had recently met.

Like what the rest of those people think, she is starting to believe that what she is experiencing right now is part of a dream. She didn’t know whose dream it was, but all she could ask now was for it to be over before she finally gave up for real.

The wind blew harder as the water from the sky fell more, and the woman’s destination was still far from where she currently is.

Time passed by like her enemy and the sky was still as dark as ever until Anastacia decided to stop walking. Her legs are about to give in since the station is nowhere in sight. She is not even sure if she is still on the right road, since she just runs without thinking about where to go first.

Being impulsive has never been her way, and she is teaching herself now that she shouldn’t do such a thing again. Anastacia learned the hard way that it wouldn’t help her to be overly emotional.

Out of fatigue and hopelessness, Anastacia sat on a big rock on the roadside and looked at her surroundings before letting out a big sigh. The place is as deserted as ever and not even a single soul, besides her, could be seen around.

“Croak… croak… croak…”

Ah, no. It was too soon to say that there was not a single soul that was with her. Right beside the big rock is a humongous toad that is bigger than her hand. It was sitting a few millimeters away from her feet and was in the position where it is ready to jump anytime it wanted.

Her anger aside, Anastacia thinks that all the goodness in the world left her body the moment it sticks out its tongue to catch a fly.

Anastacia’s disgust could be seen on her face like it was the most natural thing in the world. She hurriedly stands up to get away from the beast, but the woman then later regrets it with all her might. Anastacia slipped straight to the now muddy paddy field.

She is covered in mud from head to toe since she fell flat to the ground. No more tears or any kind of sound came from Anastacia since she witnessed another horror when she tried to get up.

The field was filled with toads and frogs and all she wanted to happen was to pass out and forget everything in an instant.