Ginelle's pov
The weekend had been full of fun but it was now over.
Sigh
Work was waiting and there were lots of tasks to be done. They obviously couldn't be procrastinated, Lora was so strict when it came to work.
I had worked all morning, sorting out the data from the previous mega sale and calculating the costs incurred while creating a chart to evaluate the progress.
It was tedious but who could I rely on? Obviously not Jo, he sucked at this.
Being the dedicated worker I was, Lora had given me an early lunch and I couldn't miss the sly smirk she'd been sending my way.
Everytime I zoned out or appeared distracted, which I wasn't, Lora had been wriggling her brows at me.
I knew what she was thinking of and my flushed face didn't seem to help the case. I blushed everytime.
Despite busying myself with work, glimpses of Grey had occasionally popped up into my mind.
Whether it was the almost there smile he send my way or the dimple on his left cheek, a feature of him always showed up in my thoughts.
I was also still over the moon after Saturday evening when I'd received a text from Grey. It had taken me a whole hour to figure out what to say.
In his text, he had asked whether I'd arrived home safely. It was close to 9pm and I assumed he was already at their camp.
After getting over my fussing, I had eventually replied and he acknowledged my text a minute later then wished me a good night.
I don't know why I even remember when he texted back. Perhaps this was due to my good memory, I reasoned out.
I also had to admit how great it felt to hear from him. That expectant feeling I got everytime I picked up my phone hoping to find something from him.
I hadn't heard anything else from him since then and I had contemplated texting several times, only that I didn't know what to say.
He could also be probably busy and I was the type to sulk if you didn't reply soon enough. I think I had developed a crush on Grey.
Leila had at one point explained this feeling as so and the collection on my little bookshelf back home pointed to that direction too.
Of course I had kept this secret to myself, not even Leila knew about it. I still didn't know how to react or what to do even. It was my first.
How embarrassing for one who was 25 years of age.
I knew nothing about men other than them being male, which wasn't an explanation in itself but this giddy feeling I got when I thought of Grey wasn't usual.
I didn't feel this excited when talking to Jo or Louis. Of course they were my friends and I didn't want to feel bad about that but that was how things were.
"You've been toying with your phone all morning!" I gulped, when Lora took the seat in front of me, coming back to the present.
"No reason!" I squeaked out, placing it on top of some books on my desk. I avoided looking at her eyes, she easily read me.
"Didn't say there was one," she crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back. Her sly grin already on so I brought up something else.
"Dalton's fine?" I had just seen the lad one day ago, but I had to evade Lora's questions. The questions I didn't seem to have an answers to.
"Of course, he was quite excited about school this morning." I leaned closer, a smile forming as I interlinked my hands.
"Really!" Lora nodded, a smile on her face too. How great this friendship was blossoming. I was already missing their cuteness.
"I wanted to ask-" she was cut short by loud chatter at the entrance and I was grateful. Whether it was about Grey or Mayella she wanted to know, I was glad for the distraction.
"Ellee!" Louis rushed in with his arms spread out and his head tilted slightly upwards. Leila similarly followed, though a bit calmer.
My noisy friends were here.
I stood up smiling and got squished into their tight embraces, majorly Louis'. I hadn't seen him since the new year.
"My, you got taller?" He took a step back to get a better look then shook his head as he tsked. "Still a shortie," he chuckled, playfully widening his eyes.
You wouldn't believe he was a senior manager at Perth Media and Matthew Harrison, the CEO of the top media group was in fact his father.
"Louis, how's the company?" Lora asked, prying his attention from me. He smiled brightly as he offered a peace sign, "All good."
"How have you been Lora?" His tone was pitched as he added, "You're dazzling as usual." She laughed off patting his arms away.
"Elle, ready?" Louis turned to me as I relaxed into my seat watching them amusedly. Leila after being quiet the whole time gave me a questioning brow.
Were we going somewhere? I wondered.
"We're having lunch together," Leila filled me in as I looked at Lora. She didn't seem surprised about this. So this had to do with the early lunch.
And here I thought it was a special privilege.
"Come on, just go." Lora pushed me to their side when I appeared hesitant. "Jo will join you," she called him from the back where he'd disappeared to.
"We should also catch up on a few things, right Lou?" Leila rolled up her sleeve as she placed her arm on Louis shoulder.
"Might not be a few things," he mumbled under his breath as he sent her a playful wink. I wonder if this was how they acted around the office.
"Man, what happened to your hair?" Louis exclaimed while holding his palm over his mouth once Jo showed up and I laughed at his comment.
"Just a trim," they shook hands and proceeded to bang their shoulders against each other. It looked painful on my side but their laughter seemed to fill the entire place.
After a little persuasion from Lora, we were off. Louis took us to another of his classic restaurants and it reminded me of the one we had visited on Saturday.
At first we'd all been hesitant with Louis. He was born of a wealthy family, too wealthy if I'd add. Leila had introduced him to us after they got acquainted at work.
He didn't seem to mind spending money on us yet we were conflicted on the matter. It took us a while to realize he was no different from us other than his social status.
He also had his eyes on my dear friend, Leila.
I watched him pull out her seat as he held her small hand bag. They suited each other too well just by looking at them. Their professionalism made them look like a power couple.
We had our usual chicken lasagna. The first time we'd come here, Leila ended up almost licking her fingers at how tantalizing the meal was. Louis then brought us here severally after realizing she'd taken a liking to the dish.
"Elle, heard you made a new friend." Louis spoke just as we finished eating. Leila continued to stuff more food into her mouth, her face buried into the plate.
I wasn't even surprised she'd told him. They shared too much details thus nothing was a secret when it came to me.
"Friend?" I head Jo scoff beside me as he chugged down a whole glass of water. "You've met him already?" Louis asked after he heard the snarl at his words.
I wonder why he didn't like Grey.
"Yeah, came to the store severally." Jo replied uninterested as I twirled my fork around, my appetite gone.
"What is he like?" Louis sat squarely, his attention fully on Jo as he furrowed his brows in distaste. I knew he wouldn't say anything positive about Grey and I had to fight the pricking feeling in my eyes.
"Grey is nice to me," I started off, picking on my nails, my face downcast. "He has helped me a lot of times and-" the tears I'd been holding back came out and I tried to wipe them away.
"Let her decide on this," Leila took my hand as she sat closer to my side and I could feel her glare at Louis and Jo.
"The man is trustworthy, I've met him." She added in finality and my head lifted up in surprise to look at her. Leila nodded at my raised eyebrows and I smiled hugging her sideways.
"No man is trustworthy!" Louis countered with Jo nodding vehemently beside him. Leila gave them the look-at-yourself-look as she rolled her eyes.
It felt so much better to have Leila's back. They all looked out for me, worrying I would get into the wrong crowd but at times it felt too much.
I knew I was easily gullible, always thinking the best out of everyone. I never thought negatively about anyone thus in the past, several people has taken advantage of my naivety.
Leila's firm tone had silenced them since they didn't bring the topic up again. We spoke of other random things, the weather and new interesting shows that had been released.
Soon it was time to leave and we all stood outside the restaurant where we would part ways. Leila and Louis were to return to the company while Jo and I went to the bookstore.
"Elle we're just looking out for you, okay?" Louis asked as he pulled me into his arms for an hug. I nodded into his chest as I sniffled back my tears.
I knew they never meant any harm, just being overbearing. He ruffled my hair, his usual playfulness back as he smiled at Leila.
"I'll wait for updates," Leila whispered before they left and I nodded shyly. I guess that meant we would be having our sleepover soon.
We too returned to work and by the end of the day I was dog tired and were it not for our catch-up during lunch, I wouldn't have managed the whole time.
I ended up working some extra hours but Lora was keen enough to let me leave before I missed the bus. Jo had brought me to the bus-stop just on time.
He had apologized all afternoon for upsetting me during lunch and promised to even get friendlier with Grey, which I didn't believe.
I alighted at my stop twenty minutes later. It was just after sunset so I decided to grab some groceries though I didn't know what to cook for dinner.
I smiled at the older lady as I paid for the vegetables and fruits I'd bought then happily went up the stairs to my apartment as I hummed softly to a fine tune.
I put up everything in place, the groceries to their own shelf as I tidied up things here and there. We had already established the fact that my house wasn't the neatest.
I changed into some comfortable shorts then decided to get some ice cream. I hadn't had any in a week and that was really a long time for me.
No one would know I was eating that this late anyway, unless I was being monitored and I would also cook later, if I even got the energy.
I plopped on the sofa by the living room, deciding to watch a comedy show Leila had recommended. I rarely watched TV, mostly reading a book in the evenings.
The lights went out just before I turned on the TV that I dropped the tub of ice cream on the floor. I turned left and right into the darkness coiling my fingers into the wrists of my large shirt.
I felt ringing into my ears as I tiptoed towards the drawn curtains. I lived on the third floor of our flat and after peeking out, I realized that the whole area was out of power.
I decided to leave the curtains drawn as I went to check if I had closed my door. I was extremely paranoid especially now that I was alone. Any slight movement would alarm me.
Laying in bed would be the safest place for me at the moment but before I even moved, the ringing of my phone blasted through the silent house that I jumped, accidentally hitting my head on the wall nearby.
I stabbed my toe twice before I got to the phone that was vibrating on the couch. My eyes squinted once I saw the caller that I excitedly picked up.
Grey
"Hello?" I breathed out, relaxing slightly into the seat as a smile spread on my face. His deep voice that I'd been waiting to hear came through.
"Did you get home?" I couldn't stop smiling as I told him that I'd just gotten back. I also told him about my day and what I had done at work.
He hummed in reply as I leaned back into the sofa. What he did was kept as top secret but I couldn't stop myself from asking how he was faring. "Grey, you're safe?"
"Mmh, don't worry." He reassured me and I lifted my legs up so as to sit cross-legged but my knee got hit at the edge of the table that I hissed.
"Ginelle, are you okay?" I could hear Grey shuffle after he had heard the noise. My feet stepped on something cold that I retracted my feet immediately.
"Tulip," he desperately called again after my failed reply and I could hear more shuffling on his end.
"Yes, I just can't see." I plainly stated as I wiped my feet of the ice cream I had just stepped into. What a mess!
"Grey?" He hummed again after I'd told him that we were out of power. I was scared being alone in the dark and the movement outside didn't put me at ease.
"Will you stay with me?" I held my breath after my absurd request, dropping my face into my thighs in embarrassment.
"Always," hopefully I wasn't imagining the sigh that came after his words. I smiled all the more, as I rose up from the coach.
"I'm going to bed now," I told him as I carefully walked through the darkness feeling my hands around and luckily I didn't bump into anything.
"Did you eat?" Grey asked after I had gotten under the covers as I rested my head on my plush orange pillow.
"No, I'm not hungry." I couldn't tell him that I'd been planning on having ice cream.
"Have you?" I asked back as I twisted my hair up in a bun so it wouldn't end up sticking on my face as I slept.
"No," there were some noises at his background, perhaps his mates. I wondered how they looked in uniform.
Mostly how Grey would look.
"So no one has eaten," I laughed softly and I could hear the trace of a chuckle on his end.
"What's your other name?" I remembered that Mayella had called him Masha severally and it didn't sound like a nickname. I just couldn't hold back my curiosity.
"Marshal," the name did suit him, Grey Marshal. It was attractive. I shook my head sideways. How could you find a name attractive?
"Captain Marshal," the words slipped out and my eyes widened because I had never heard Grey exclaim that loud before.
"Oh goodness!" He'd said and I could imagine him running his hands over this face as he breathed out.
✪ ✪ ✪
Our little darlings weren't featured here, let them get some schooling. Don't miss them too much, they'll be back soon.
(๑˙❥˙๑)