Two Months and Three Days (Sinister Romance #1)

Chapter 5 (Part II)

"The second stage of idiocy," Arina was cross with herself. She suddenly realized with horror that she had forgotten everything she had just read. She couldn't remember a thing. The words jumped before her eyes like dragonflies, slipping past her brain faster than the speed of light. An hour had gone by but Arina hadn't learned anything. Now, she would have to read it all over again. Although, Arina was certain that she wouldn't remember a thing even if she did read the book a second time.

By the time she closed the book and her notes, it was completely dark. She was wide-awake despite her sleepless night.

The second night after meeting with him was just as painful as the first.

Arina tossed and turned on the couch counting sheep, cows, and giraffes before finally giving in to sleep. A good night's sleep wouldn't hurt. Her night shift at Umka was coming up and then she would need to head to the university for her chemistry exam. She only had two exams left but they were the most difficult: Chemistry and Anatomy of Domestic Animals. If she didn't get any sleep today she would simply fall apart tomorrow.

Nellie returned home after midnight. At first she busied herself in the hallway but then she heard Arina in the kitchen and walked in.

"How come you're still awake?" Nellie stretched her arms and yawned, pouring water out of the kettle. She smelled of wine and tobacco smoke. She was supposed to have her exams too but Arina didn't want to know how exactly she was preparing for them.

"Can't sleep," Arina sighed.

"Still thinking about your Shaman?" Nellie smirked.

"Korshun," Arina corrected her. "I'm not thinking about him. It's just . . . something," she didn't know how to put it into words. The events of yesterday had begun to vanish from her memory but she felt sad and empty as if she were standing alone in the middle of a huge field without the slightest idea of where to go, and where to hide from the cold night air.

"Are you nervous?" Nellie asked her again. Arina nodded. Nellie went to her room and came back holding a pack of pills in her hand. She got them from Andrei whose parents owned a pharmacy.

"Phenazepam?" Arina frowned.

"Why not? It's a great sleeping pill."

"It's a tranquilizer, not a sleeping pill."

"So what? You need a tranquilizer now, my little fool in love. Otherwise you're going to be tossing and turning all night again."

"I'm not in love," Arina shook her head.

"Okay. Well then, you're just a fool. Do whatever you want. I'll leave a pill for you on the table. Are you working the night shift tomorrow?" Arina nodded and Nellie made a mental note. She could call someone. Arina would not be home the entire day and all night. Nice!

Nellie left. Arina suffered for another half an hour and finally took the pill. It was still better than spending the night thinking about the man who walked by, stopping for a second only to disappear forever. And although unsolicited thoughts were still making their way through Arina's tired mind, the sleeping pill was already working, dissolving them into blissful nothingness. Nellie was right again. The right pill at the right time had never hurt anyone.