At that, Shirley headed back to her room on the second floor, but Zacharias suddenly extended an invitation. “Do you want to sleep with me?” Shirley’s steps paused, and her body stiffened. Turning back, she refused, “No.” “How about giving me a massage then? It will help me sleep. I have a whole day of meetings to attend tomorrow. It’ll be terrible if I spend the night sleepless,” the man said, sounding somewhat pitiful. Shirley immediately imagined this man dozing off during the next day’s meetings and found it amusing.
“Do you have sleeping pills at home? Take one!” Shirley suggested. This method would be more effective. Suddenly, Zacharias grabbed her domineeringly. “Alright, I’ll take the pills, but you have to stay with me.” Shirley was at a loss for words, but when she heard that he would take the medicine, she felt somewhat concerned for him. Is his sleep really that bad?
Whether out of empathy or pity, Shirley followed him into his room. Once inside, the man let go of her hand, took out a box of pills from the drawer, and popped one into his mouth, washing it down with water from a nearby cup. After swallowing, he turned to Shirley and said, “I took the pill.” Seeing him take the medicine so decisively, Shirley nodded. “Alright, I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep, and then I’ll leave.” Since he took the pill, he would probably fall asleep quickly. She was also concerned about his other possible reactions to the pill.
Zacharias lifted the covers and lay down on the bed, leaving a side empty.
“Come here. It’s warmer under the covers,” he said while looking at Shirley and patting the empty spot. Shirley shook her head and went to sit on the couch. “I’ll stay here. You go to sleep.” At that, Zacharias turned to his side and fixed his mesmerizing gaze on her, not blinking. Shirley, with her arms crossed, too, observed him. Just like that, the two stared at each other in the dimly lit room.
Soon, Zacharias sighed. “I seem to have gotten more excited.” “What are you excited about?” Shirley asked with a frown. Zacharias didn’t know why, either. Despite taking the medicine, his nerves seemed to be resisting the effects, making him more excited and eager to do something.
“Can I call you Shir?” the man asked in a hoarse voice. Shirley quirked a brow in response. “No, only my family is allowed to call me that. Others are not permitted.” “Well, I’m calling you that,” he insisted obstinately. Shirley looked helplessly at him with crossed arms. Can’t you just close your eyes and sleep after taking the sleeping pill?
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