Ginelle's pov
I had everything set.
Lora had already texted me on what I was supposed to do in her absence, ranging from managing the registers, coordinating the other workers and handling a delivery. It didn't look difficult but it was a little bit much for me.
I didn't handle well being the center of attention especially around peers, my confidence wasn't the greatest not to mention how I struggled to form words when approaching new people.
So far all was well, we'd cleaned the bookstore and dusted off the shelves. I had assigned various people to check across all sections to ensure that all books were in their right genres.
No one was giving me a hard time though I wished Jordan would be here. He was the only workmate I was used to apart from Lora and we were great friends. He had called earlier this morning informing me of an urgent matter he had to tend to back home.
I cross-checked the stock records once again as I sat at the register counter flipping through the massive book. It was only noon and there were already a number of customers. Most of them were parents and students buying books for the new academic year.
I had stuttered twice when wrapping up books for two of my customers today but the sweets in my bag had helped a lot. The sugar really made me feel at ease and more collected thus my bag never ran short of those.
The wall clock on the left struck one and I knew who to expect when the door softly chimed. Leila. Her auburn hair flowed behind her from the wind that blew outside, almost covering her entire face.
"Girl, still holding up?" Leila's not so quiet voice filled the deafness of the room but I pinched her arm as I led her into a small store room behind the registers. There were hardly any people at the store at this time of the day but I told someone to checkout.
"Don't you have work?" I asked Leila when she plopped on the small coach by the corner where a pile of boxes stood. Being a Tuesday, I knew that her company, Perth Media, was swamped with a lot of activities.
"Louis let me off," she rolled her eyes chewing some gum as she waved her pretty hands at me. Her nails were painted in a bright white polish that matched well with her black dress that framed her figure quite well. I had a pretty friend.
"Really?" I eyed her as she sank deeper into the couch closing her eyes for a second. Louis was infact her boss as his father owned the company. I had met Louis through Leila a number of times where the two claimed to be friends but I don't think that was the case.
"Yeah, he sent his regards by the way." I walked away from the door where I'd been standing incase someone came up to check out a book. I didn't know bosses gave their workers random breaks unless their company's terms of service was that lenient.
"What's in that bag anyway," I took the black bag on the table and hastily unwrapped it to see a flask. I peeked at her then opened further. If it was food, I'd be very much surprised because with her appetite it was far from possible.
"Drink up all that soup, your coughs are getting worse." I grimaced at her words but felt grateful at her actions. She had checked up on me severally after picking me up two days ago in the rain. I had stayed in her apartment for those days under her 'care'. Apparently Perth Media offered accommodation to all their staff so I no longer lived with Leila.
"Are you sure it's okay to miss work though?" Louis was a friendly guy but I still didn't want Leila to get out of her way just to check up on me. I wasn't a baby though I didn't understand why almost all my friends saw me as one. It was really unfair since I didn't even know how to argue with anyone.
"Louis knows you're unwell anyway, so it's no big deal." I suddenly remembered something and ran out of the room for a second to take my purse from the chair where I'd left and rummaged thought it in search of something. I had almost forgotten.
"Here," I dangled the anklet to Leila whose eyes widened and she rose up from her seat when I walked towards her.
"No way, where did you get it?" She took it from my hand and stared at the jewel in awe. I knew she'd like it. Leila was confident with herself and she stood out in the crowd with her beauty. Standing beside her I looked like a boy with my face bare and lack of any feminine accessories.
"From a shop back home," I barely replied before she leaped on me and crushed me in a tight embrace. She pulled apart to pinch my cheeks and I attempted to glare but she laughed at my antics.
"Thank you Elle, it's pretty." She pulled away and stared down at the piece playing her fingers around it.
"Let me try it now," she sat back and excitedly unclipped it securing it on her left ankle. It complemented her quite well but then with her attire, it wasn't appropriate for the office.
"This is so pretty!" She twirled around then looked my way. "Take a picture for me, please." She quickly unlocked her phone and handed it over to me where I snapped a few photos.
She was still fanning over her anklet when a strange message came from her phone. It was from Louis though I didn't understand a single thing of what it meant. It didn't look work related either but before I thought further, Leila snatched the phone out of my hands and her cheeks reddened when she saw the notification.
"Does Louis need you back?" I asked cautiously when the creepy smile on her face died down. She shook her head as she fumbled with her phone and shoved it back into her small bag.
"When is your delivery coming up?" Leila evaded the topic and I didn't pry further. I knew she had a queer relationship with Louis and at one point I thought they were lovers. That was just my assumption and with my lack of knowledge about men, I was no good judge.
"At three!" I shrieked when I noticed it was already two. I still had to check the stock for the delivery. That was the task that I was so anxious of because I had to talk to new people. Lora had always handled this and I prayed for half of her confidence.
"I'll be gone by then, will you handle that by yourself ?" I nodded encouragingly as I chugged down the soup before it went cold. Later on I cleared the room for the delivery as Leila handled the register.
"Elle, I got called back." Leila popped in half an hour later and she took her pouch by the couch throwing her items randomly in it. She massaged my shoulders briefly then after she was certain I looked okay, she left.
"See you tonight," she waved over her shoulder on her way out and the door closed after her. I was planning on moving back to my apartment soon after I got better and relieve Leila of the burden of dropping me to work.
My fingers twitched as I went through the final records and I suddenly started to get more anxious. The delivery was coming up, some nature books and also a display book for this Friday. Leila had helped me redesign new ones after my sample card got lost.
My mind went back to two days ago when I had left home. I thought back of the man who had helped me throughout that evening. The grey color of his eyes that stood out the most filled over the form I was going through and I shook my head to focus on recording the numbers.
His warmth and protectiveness swept over me and I closed my eyes to reminisce the foreign feeling. It was oddly comforting and I felt the urge to meet him again though the only thing I knew about him was that he served in the military.
A small tap came in front of me and I shot my eyes open as embarrassment washed over me. Here I was daydreaming when there was a customer in line.
I offered an apologetic smile as I stood straighter to attend to them when I was met with familiar grey striking yet calm eyes. I shook my head to clear my absurd thoughts chastising myself for my unprofessionalism.
I did a double check and I suddenly felt warm all over. It was indeed him and I was surely not in a vision. I stared up at him, his features striking out now that it was daytime and I took a good look of him.
He was tall, way past my 5'2 frame that resembled a cat beside lion. He was bulky too, his arm muscles making the large black shirt he was wearing appear smaller. He was tanned, his complexion blending along with his facial hair. I had never seen a man this handsome.
"G-Good afternoon sir," I stuttered for the third time today as I wiped my sweaty hands over the back of my jeans. He didn't have any book in his hands so perhaps he needed help or something else.
He didn't reply to my greeting and I began to feel uneasy. Being ignored was one of the most painful things to experience but perhaps he hadn't heard me.
My throat felt dry, a lump forming and my nostrils suddenly clogged that I wheezed out an indecent cough. Luckily I had covered my mouth earlier enough when I felt it brewing.
"Are you okay?" His deep voice came through seconds later as he moved closer to the glass separating us, an uneasy look on his face.
"Yes," I replied feeling much tempted to get a sweet so as to feel slightly better. I waited for him to say something, peeking discreetly under my lashes when he didn't.
"Yours?" His voice sounded crafty again as if he was first using it as he stretched a familiar orange card before me. So that was where I had lost it.
"Yes, thank you very much." My short chubby fingers briefly touched his long ones as I took the card from him and I was struck at the warmth he radiated. My hand was pale and numb, perhaps I was a cold blooded mammal.
"My name is Ginelle," I don't know where this confidence came from but I felt the urge to continue a conversation. I dropped my eyes to my chest for a second to confirm if I had put on my name tag and luckily I hadn't so it wasn't depressing.
"Ginelle," he repeated my name in a whisper that I could have missed it if I wasn't listening closely. My friends called me Elle, nobody ever called me by my full name. It felt so different with him though I couldn't place why.
"Grey," my eyes stopped tracing the veins on his hands when he spoke next and I looked into his eyes. Coincidentally, his name matched his eyes. It was endearing. I wonder if his parents had named him so because of his eyes.
I was just about to speak out my thoughts but a truck honked outside and I knew it was time to handle the delivery.
"I need to handle that, excuse me for a moment." The words came out unusually softer but I didn't care much. He nodded in understanding and I took the new stock form and rushed out.
There were four delivery men who had already started the unloading and after I finished cross-checking the books, five extra large boxes were dropped off after they had signed the required papers.
It wasn't as hard as I had expected though I suspected Lora had to have thoroughly talked to them. The truck drove out of the parking almost ten minutes later and I stared down at the boxes. No way I could move those with my barely there strength.
I walked back in to return the signed forms and get a few colleagues to help. Grey still stood by registers and his huge back turned my way when I walked in despite being the quietest possible.
There was no one in sight other than him and I pulled a long sigh. Where was everyone when I needed them? I could have left the boxes out there but then it rained almost every night.
"Need help?" I turned around in surprise to Grey's voice that came up behind me. He moved around so quietly and could still trace the smallest of sounds.
He stared down at me as how a cat looked after her kittens wanting to please them. This wasn't good. Using a customer for your own gain but then perhaps he wasn't one to begin with. He hadn't picked a book yet.
"I just need to move some boxes outside." I mumbled quietly feeling terrible that I was working him. He had offered after all. He nodded at my words then I led him outside as he followed closely.
He folded the sleeves of his shirt till his forearms and my eyes stuck to his every movement. He really had large arms managing to carry two boxes at a time. His muscles flexed under the black shirt when he moved and I had to make sure I wasn't drooling.
In no time, all the boxes were inside though Grey didn't look as if he'd strained in any way. He still appeared as collected as before everytime I peeked at him to confirm if I had overworked him.
He rose his eyebrows when he noticed my not so discrete glances so I smiled in gratitude, "Thank you again, Grey." I looked up at him, disappearing into the storm of his eyes.
There was a ringing phone by the left that brought me back to reality and I stepped back from my staring. I picked up the call nervously, "Lora?" She asked about the delivery and I explained that it was smooth and there were no hitches.
She then asked whether I had brought the boxes inside and I mutely nodded accidentally looking back at Grey who was still watching me. I dropped my eyes then answered verbally. Good thing she didn't ask how. I finalized the call asking her to greet Dalton and she promised to come by on Friday with him.
"Grey?" I softly called when I placed the phone down. I didn't feel okay with letting him just go after helping me. Maybe I was really soft-hearted as Leila had said.
"Could I buy you ice-cream?" It was to show my appreciation for him but then his face changed. His usual passive form slipped to a warm look akin to that of a newborn baby.
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How is it going so far? Any thoughts about Grey? Ginelle?
Their personalities? Do they fit each other?
(๑˙❥˙๑)