SPELLBOUND

Evie pressed her lips tight. "You know… I… even if I let you stay on, I will still need to go to sleep. So, there's really nothing you can entertain yourself with in here." she explained carefully, keeping her tone gentle and light. 

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. I'll find something to keep me occupied while you're asleep." He said confidently and Evie's brows creased.

"S-something interesting? Like… what?" She quickly looked around her room, scanning to see if there was anything that she had missed which could keep him interested. After looking, she turned back to him and frowned as she could not think what was it in her room that could be interesting enough.

Seeing her frown, Gavrael chuckled out oud. "Hmm… watching your sleeping face is plenty enough interesting for me," he smiled, and Evie blinked. Disbelief filled her large clear eyes even as a slight hint of confusion sparked within those depths. How could watching her sleep could be interesting? If ever, that would be the most boring thing that she could think of!

"You're kidding. That's definitely not something interesting –" Evie started to object.

"Oh, but it is, Little Butterfly, very interesting!" He cut her off and he said those words so confidently without any doubts. It was as if he was more than sure of it and Evie could only look at him, speechless. "Maybe because I like watching your sleeping face?" He added and before she could react, she was suddenly lifted from the ground.

She gasped in surprise as she found herself in his arms. Dread was about to bloom inside her again, thinking that he might abduct her for the second time, but the next second, she felt her back landing on something soft – her own bed.

Her eyes were wide as she looked at him. "W-what are you doing!" she exclaimed, her heart beating ferociously now.

"Putting you to bed, Little Butterfly." He answered and the fright in her heart settled immediately, maybe because she could not see neither mischief nor malevolence in his eyes.

The next thing he did made her fright completely dissolve as he grabbed the blanket which was folded at the foot of the bed and flicked it open, only to cover her up all the way till her neck. Then he pulled a chair right next to her bed and sat there, his eyes never lifting off of her.

"Now close your eyes, you said you need to sleep now, didn't you?" He said in a low voice.

Evie just looked at him mutely. She was at a total loss and had no idea on how to deal with this person at all. Everything he does just frighten her or render her completely speechless.

"Quit staring and sleep, or could it be that…" he narrowed his eyes slightly, "could it be that you're just like me? You can't sleep because you're unable to take your eyes off me too, right?" a mischievous smile played on his lips as he said that Evie blushed beet red.

"O..of course not! H-how could you expect someone to sleep if she's being watched like this?" she huffed. 'The nerve of him! Could he get anymore conceited?' Evie thought silently.

"Oh… I thought you'd feel the same thing I do." He fell silent for a long while. Then a sigh escaped his lips. "Fine," He finally said, and Evie thought he had relented and would finally stand up and leave her to sleep in peace.

But to her shocked surprised, he suddenly jumped into her bed and laid next to her, facing her.

Her eyes nearly bulged out. "W-w-what are y—y-you doing?!" She stammered out in fright.

"Since you don't want me watching you sleep, then, let's sleep together." He said smiling and Evie felt her patience snapped. She was about to rise to push him off her bed but because he was lying over her blanket, Evie could only struggle, pushing at him as hard as she could.

"No! Absolutely not. You can't just casually lie on a girl's bed like that –"

There was a thud that echoed inside the room after much struggling and Evie found herself on top of him, while he was on the floor.

Evie was frozen as she looked down at him, their faces so close that it caused his fiery blue eyes to suddenly look so intense. It felt like there were icy flames in them, mesmerizing her.

"If it's wrong for me to lie on your bed then I wouldn't mind the floor." His pleasing voice echoed as a heart stopping smile curve across his lips. "I definitely wouldn't mind this sleeping arrangement as well," he added as his hand moved to the back of her head and gently pulled her head down to have it resting on his chest. 

Evie was unable to move. She heard his loud heartbeats thumping away and she felt her own skipped a beat too. He was… he was warm as well… wait, no. This is…

Suddenly, she pulled away and frantically climbed off him.

"F-fine… you can stay. But no sleeping on my bed or touching me. If you don't agree with my conditions, then you may leave." She told him and Gavrael slowly sat up, leaning his back against the bed, as his piercing gaze fell on her.

For a moment, Evie became utterly nervous at the look he levelled at her but almost immediately, he smiled. He threw his head back and laughed out freely without inhibition. Evie was startled at his actions.

"Alright, your wish is my command, my little butterfly." He said, making her speechless once again.

Time passed but Evie still could not seem to fall asleep. She had her eyes closed since a long while ago, but his presence was just too strong. There was truly no way she could sleep with him there. Was he still staring at her?

Slowly, Evie opened her eyes and saw him resting his head over his arm that was on the side of her bed. And she was right, he was watching her.