Stay with me tonight

Chapter one hundred and eighty-two

Vanessa was sprawled on her bed, and Greg sat on it, surveying the room. This was the first time she'd be letting him into her room, he'd been to other places in the house like the kitchen, the dining room, and of course, the parlour, his usual spot in the house, but he'd never been to Vanessa's room. Well, it wasn't technically hers, it was her room in Anna's house, so he couldn't comment much on the room, knowing that it couldn't have been furnished in Vanessa's style. 

"I'm still not satisfied with your reply," Vanessa said. "I think it's not so good enough," she added. 

"Well, I can't comment so much on it. I know that it isn't your style. I mean, you're staying with Anna in her house." Greg explained. 

"It doesn't look like my kind of style?" She asked again. Greg looked around the rather colourful room, it looked like it was furnished for kids. He didn't know that Anna was the kind that liked really girlie colours. The walls were pink and the floor was a lighter shade of pink. There wasn't really much to see in the rather tiny room. The beddings were orchid, while the curtains were purple. By the right side of the bed was a vase full of flowers which sat pretty right on the top of a drawer, the flowers added more colours to the already colourful room.

"Definitely not," Greg said assertively, still eyeing the room, which he'd been looking at for over five minutes now.

"Are you trying to imply that I'm sort of sophisticated?" Vanessa questioned and Greg answers her with a question. 

"Does that mean that you're saying that Anna isn't sophisticated?" Greg's brow rose in question as soon as he asked his question.

Vanessa rolled her eyes up and smiled at him. He was so good at replying to questions with questions. 

"I give up, Greg," Vanessa said in reply. 

"I've stayed with you long enough. I think I should get going now. You're better now, right?" Greg asked, to be sure that she was.

"Can you stay a little longer?" Vanessa pleaded.

"That was the exact thing you said about an hour ago." 

"I promise, I won't ask for another one hour. Just stay a little bit longer, please."  Vanessa pouted her lips in a bid to win his favour.

"Vanessa, we literally spent the whole day together." He said in a rather calm tone, he held her hands together, caressing her fingers with his.

"I know, but I just- I just don't want you to leave me, Greg," Vanessa said, doing the same to him.

"Can you- stay over this night? I promise I'll let you leave early tomorrow. Can you just stay by my side over the night?" 

"You know that I can't, Nes. As much as I would love to, you know that it's impossible." He placed his palm on her soft face and she nuzzled it, her nose brushing against it. 

"Can I come over to your place instead, then?" She asked, searching his eyes and biting her lips.

"I'm so scared, Greg. I've been dreading staying alone in the house since Anna's disappearance. I know that you have a lot of things you need to attend to, I just-" Vanessa trailed off, she didn't complete her words. Maybe it was just selfish for her to ask this of him. Maybe she was pushing it way too far. He probably wouldn't want her to come because her presence might distract him.

"Never mind, just- just forget that I asked. I- I'll see you tomorrow, Greg." 

"Would it be fine for me to watch you till you fall asleep?" He asked, and Vanessa's gloomy face immediately lit up. 

"Thank you so much, Greg," she said, hugging him very tightly. 

"You can just call me if you need me over the night. I'll be there for you. Is that okay with you?" He asked and Vanessa nodded in agreement, her eyes gleaming. 

"I'm sorry that I can't stay over tonight. I have an artwork presentation tomorrow and I'm barely prepared for it. I wouldn't have minded you coming over if that wasn't the case. I'm so sorry, Vanessa." Greg said, holding her soft palms to his lips which he grazed on them.

"It's alright, Greg, I understand. Thank you for agreeing to stay with me a little longer. I love you, Greg." Vanessa nuzzled on his hand and smiled at him. She shifted in her bed and slept on her side, Greg covered her fully with her blanket and watched as her eyelids closed. It took about five minutes before Vanessa finally drifted off to sleep.