"You all right Rey?" Shyra asked gently putting her hand on his head. "You must have a fever."
The things Charles and Rajiv taught were not unknown entirely. He had been so chivalrous with women before anyway. But this time, it was different. This time, he was head over heels for this woman while her feelings were tepid. He didn't know if it was alright for him to want to kiss a woman passionately who would barely hold his hands.
So he spoke as low as possible, gulping down his burning passion, and letting out a mild voice, "Shyra?"
"Yes?"
"Would it be alright if I stayed here tonight?
By your side?"
"If you aren't feeling well, then, sure. I'll ask Nora to prepare a room for you."
"No love," spoke Rey as he held her hands to his face, "I want to stay by your side today. Don't worry I am not thinking of doing anything you don't consent to."
He held his head up to meet her gaze, what his voice could hide, his eyes could not. His burning gaze met Shyra's cold concerned look beneath her glasses. Finally she spoke, "Alright, let's finish the dinner first."
She sat down by his side and fed him the rest of the soup with a spoon. Rey was dazed. Shyra must have thought it was due to his fever. But Rey knew it was not the fever. It was something much more intense than fever or any other sickness. There was not a single medicine in the whole world that could free him of this intense feeling nor was there a single human being who could possibly hope to. Including the woman sitting across him, feeding him gently as if nursing, while her eyes remained stone cold. Rey's heart was clasped so firmly that now the one who had unknowingly held onto it, could not ever loosen it, not that he wanted it either. This feeling of sweet prickling pain in his heart, it couldn't just had been the cold.
"Follow me," said Shyra as she kissed him lightly on the lips and held his hand to lead him to the room. But his grip loosened, that gentle soft kiss on his lips felt like the blossoms of Spring had graced him lightly, his knees weakened. He could no longer stand on his feet. Like the bursting violas falling apart, Rey's dizzy body fell on the hard and cold wooden floor. His helpless hands still stretched out to her direction. With his slight conscious, his blurry eyes saw the lady hurriedly reaching to him, probably unsure of what to do as she held up his head in her arms, a gentle smile appeared and his hands touched her concerned warm eyes. He fell unconscious.
Rey could feel someone breathing close to him. He slowly opened his eyes to see his beloved. But to his disdain, it was Rajiv. He was sleeping soundly right by his side. Rey jerked him a bit, "Rajiv! Rajiv! Oi!"
"Let me sleep Honey, I am tired," Rajiv spoke softly.
"..." Rey was speechless. He gave him another jerk.
Then suddenly he got a funny idea! "Shyra! Yes he is sleeping. No no he said not to wake him up," Rey spoke softly near his ears. Suddenly Rajiv woke up, straightened his shirt and looked around anxiously.
"Did she use a whip to train you so well?" Rey chuckled.
"You're such a!" Rajiv picked up a pillow and smacked it on Rey's face.
"What? What? Say it! I doubt you can curse in her house!" Rey laughed and picked up another pillow to smack Rajiv. As they were pillow fighting, Charles, who was sitting on the chair at the corner of the room, got up, hearing the ruckus.
"Honestly! Don't be so noisy so early in the morning boys-" Rey and Rajiv had already flung a pillow at him and it smacked him right at his face.
"Morning Charles!" They laughed as it hit him.
Before he knew it, even Charles had joined the fun. As three grown adults were rough-housing, Nora knocked on the door. The three froze in their positions and she quietly walked in with water and medicine in a tray for Rey. She placed the tray on the nightstand.
"Doctor's orders, Mr. Rey, you must take ample rest before indulging in any exhausting activities. Also I would be more than grateful if the gentlemen preferred to keep it down. Miss has just gone to bed after a long day. Now please excuse me. Good night." Nora spoke without letting them reply and excused herself quietly shutting the door behind her.
At first they burst out laughing then they restrained themselves remembering what Nora had told them. The old scientific clock in the hall rang two bells. So it was 2am in the morning. Charles let out and deep sigh. His eyes were red. He had worked all day long and when he had thought he would be able to finally rest, Shyra had screamed on the top of her voice, "Help!" - urging him and Rajiv to rush to her. They were all hallmates in the same building so it was only natural for them to react in such a way. But wasn't only Rajiv or Charles who had rushed over to her. Their respective partners had also responded quickly.
While Rajiv had taken a saucepan and Charles had taken a iron pan as weapon, Rajiv's fiancé had brought a meat knife and Charles's girlfriend had pulled out her gun. He glanced at Rey who was trying to hold back his laughter. His face was still all red from the fever. 'This giddy man has no idea what death awaited him just three hours ago!'
"You all got summoned by Shyra?" Rey asked yawning.
"Pretty much," Rajiv responded lazily. "Now, if you may, Mr. Rey, I and Charles would very much like to go to bed. We have had a long day."
"Isn't it gonna be a long way home?" Rey asked as he took the medicine and prepared to fall back to bed.
"Very much so. This fine fellow right here needs to cross 10 yards to go back home while I, my dear fellow, have to cross 6 yards back home. We will see you later. Take good care of your health, Sir!" Charles shouted almost like a drunk person.
"You're getting Imperial Charlie boy," Rajiv laughed as he put his arms around him and left the room.
Rey was a bit confused. "Yards? did he say that they needed to cross yards?"
As he laid back down, someone knocked on the door. "Come in."
It was Nora. She gently informed him to use the intercom if he needed anything as everyone was going to sleep. Nora was about to excuse herself when Rey asked her hesitantly, "Um...Nora?"
"Yes?"
"How many yards away does Rajiv live?"
"Roughly 10. Although I must say that was a question I didn't expect."
"Oh it's nothing I just wanted to know how far he lived!" He smiled nervously.
"Far? He lives right across the hall!" Nora said as she pointed to her right.
"Huh? But didn't you just say 10 yards?"
"Ye-es. Because you asked in yards."
"Yes, yes, my fault. Go to sleep Nora you must be tired," he chuckled.
"Sure Sir. Also-"
"Yes?"
"10 yards is roughly 30ft Sir," stating this she hurriedly excused herself.
"..." Rey was speechless. It had slipped his mind completely that yards was a unit of measure. Anyway, he needed a good sleep. He wanted to see if Shyra was alright but didn't want to disturb her at such a wee hour.
Also what would he say the next day to Rajiv? Did she already tell him that he fell unconscious just after a light kiss? Did Charles also know? Did they think that he just got a high fever from that? He already had a low fever before he left home. It was snowing so the breeze was cutting through the skin like a knife! Moreover, he had walked his way to Shyra's home as he was afraid of vehicles in the snow. So when he reached her house, he was already half covered in snow and his fever had risen considerably. He would have fell unconscious anyway probably but it had happened at such a sensitive moment!
Damn it! Damn it! He cursed inwardly. What did Shyra think of all of this? Did she think that he was a faint hearted man who collapsed from a kiss? Rey wanted to crawl into the ground and possibly never come out. He was so damn embarrassed about it all!
But suddenly amidst his chaotic thoughts, he remembered the warm cozy feeling of Shyra's arms! Her concerned eyes as she had hurried tried to pull him up. Her hands were mostly soft and warm in contrast to her usual eyes. But this was the first time he had felt her body heat! Even if for a slight moment! The comforting feeling of tepid water engulfed him and he quietly went to sleep.