Ginelle's pov
"Masha, Elle, I missed you." Mayella smiled from her father's arms at both Grey and I. Her school uniform was quite pretty though it made her look so small.
"I missed you too," I smiled back and watched as she shyly stuffed her head into her father's chest. How adorable.
"Won't you introduce me, Grey?" Mayella's father asked as he adjusted her small pink bag that dangled on his forearms. I could trace the hint of a smirk though I wasn't so sure.
"Papa, this is Elle." She cupped his face, well his beard mostly, to get his attention. "She is my new friend and Masha's friend too." Mayella smiled at me as her father turned to me.
"Nice to meet you Elle," he outstretched his hand to shake mine as he balanced Mayella in the other. I didn't bother to correct my name, everyone went by the short form anyway.
Only Grey called me Ginelle.
"Likewise, Mr Williams." We shook hands and he smiled briefly at me. I saw him look back at Grey but didn't say anything.
"Mayella, you play the piano?" I remembered she had just won an award from her music class. She must have been so good at it. I could barely play a flute.
"Yes, papa has always taught me." She was definitely a father's girl, having not even gotten off him yet. How I missed my younger years when I too would get carried around.
Grey was unusually quiet and I turned to face him. I thought he would speak more to the people he was familiar with the most. He was looking at me with a hint of a smile on his face.
My cheeks flushed and as though I couldn't help myself, I smiled back. If his almost smile was this contagious, I wonder what the real one could do.
"Elle, where is Dalton?" Mayella asked before I got lost in the grey pools that seemed to take me to another planet everytime I looked into them.
"Over there, Leila is coming with her." I pointed to the left where I could see them through the crowd. Dalton was running towards us while Leila and Lora tried to catch up.
"Dalton?" Mr Williams rose his eyebrows at his daughter who now twisted in his arms wanting to get down. She made grabby hands towards Dalton and he appeared to unwillingly set her down.
Mayella jumped into Dalton's arms as soon as he got to her and I gushed at how sweet they were being. Grey seemed to like their little gesture of affection though the same couldn't be mentioned about Mr Williams.
He sternly looked at the boy was hugging his daughter as if his life depended on it. Grey however took his side before he stepped in and I heard them speak in hushed tones.
"Maya, have this." Dalton outstretched the palm of his hand to her after they had pulled apart. There were three chocolate sweets which she happily took.
"Mayella," Mr Williams called her when Grey couldn't constrain him any longer. I'm sure no father would idly stand by and watch a boy get that cozy with their daughter.
"Papa, this is my other new friend Dalton." He stared at the young boy as if confused on what to do. He might have never been in such a situation before.
"Hello Maya's father," Dalton greeted him as he bowed his head slightly in respect. Mr Williams seemed stunned for a moment but he gathered his composure.
"Hello," he slightly ruffled his hair, the respect in the lad having taken him off guard and I felt proud of Dalton. Lora and I had always taught him to be respectful.
Mayella was sweet to share one of her sweets with Dal and the other she gave her father who had now moved to talk to Lora.
"Louis has just called," Leila whispered once she came to my side. I rolled my eyes as I let her continue. "I need to get back to work." She glanced on my right where I knew Grey was standing.
"It's fine, I shall go with Lora." I didn't want to ask if Louis had called her in about work because she usually dodged the topic. She hugged me goodbye and sprinted off.
"I forgot to ask if you were okay." I went to stand beside Grey who had been watching Mayella and Dalton run around him as they chased each other.
"From work," I had forgotten to check if he was hurt in any way. Yesterday I had been so distracted that I even forgot that he'd been away in the first place.
"I'm fine," he replied though my eyes squinted just the slightest. I usually did that when I thought someone wasn't telling the whole truth and surprisingly it worked on Grey.
"Just a scratch." He added and my face dropped in a frown. So he really had gotten hurt! I worriedly looked at him as I moved to stand in front of him.
"Where?" I didn't know how small a scratch was to him. I looked all over his face and body not finding any visible wound. He could have been quiet the whole time when he was in deep pain.
"It's nothing," he tried shaking me off but I was adamant on knowing where he was injured. He gave in after my pointed glare and pointed at his left arm.
I was just about to examine his arm but Lora returned to us before I could do so. Apparently Mr Williams was supposed to report to a meeting this afternoon so he had to leave.
Dalton and Mayella had promised to visit each other over the short break of which their parents nodded in agreement. Mr Williams wasn't so against the idea as he previously was.
"Ginelle," Grey called just as I was about to leave with Lora and Dalton. Mr Williams stopped to look at us and I suppose he was waiting for Grey.
"Can we hangout?" He didn't seem to mind that we had company. I was still getting used to him, glad that he was speaking longer though still quiet with others.
"Right now?" He nodded just as I said the words and I laughed softly though he looked confused. Perhaps as to why I was laughing. He was so enthusiastic for this that it reminded me of a puppy.
"Sure, I have to tell-" he cut me off telling me that they were gone and just as I turned my back, none of them were there. Even Mr Williams seemed to have left.
"I didn't bring my car with me," Grey spoke as if he had suddenly remembered. "Will you be okay? Are your legs fine?" He tried looking down though I was in closed shoes today.
I assured him that I was okay though he suggested with a straight face that I would let him carry me if I got too tired. How was I even going to manipulate an injured man. I hadn't seen his injury yet but right now I chose to trust his judgement.
Since it was past noon, we decided to have lunch together. There a famous place nearby that Leila had brought me a few months ago and I decided to revisit the area today. It was famous for its fries and chicken.
Grey had agreed after I had asked if it was okay. Perhaps he was allergic to chicken but that would really surprise me. I had never met someone who never ate meat due to side effects.
We took a bus together to the small town ahead since he had insisted. It was really a walking distance though. A couple of people had stared at us when we sat down together.
Maybe because I looked like a baby next to him.
The restaurant was not crowded when we walked in thus we got our seats easily. Grey asked me to order for him and I joyfully asked for what I'd be having.
"You like chicken?" He pulled my thoughts back to him. I had been looking around us and majorly what most people were having. I usually had that habit.
"Of course, don't you?" I was surprised at the question because I assumed everyone liked it. He shook his head and I began to worry because I had ordered it for him too.
"Should I call the waiter back? I'm sorry for not asking before." I felt terrible with my earlier assumption as I looked around for a waiter. Was it even possible to change your order after it was already taken?
Unconsciously I began pick on my fingers as I anxiously looked around. That would be twice the prize and I didn't have the money with me at the moment. Did they accept payment in installments? But that was rude especially for food.
"Tulip," Grey's warm hands encompassed mine and I stared at him for a moment. "I meant I usually don't eat chicken that often but I'd love to try." His words didn't sound convincing. Maybe he was just being nice.
"I meant it, I'll like what you've ordered." Our orders came just then and he released my hands though his gaze didn't leave my face.
I added sauce to my fries and I saw him move his hand slightly forward. I thought he would prefer the chilli but I sprinkled some on his plate. Not as much as I had on mine though.
We ate in silence, me peeking at him severally to check if he was enjoying the food and him offering part of his piece of chicken to me after I was done with mine.
"Sauce," Grey stared at my face, precisely the corner of my mouth. I handed him the bottle but he shook his head and I stared back confused.
He pointed at the corner of his lips and my eyes widened in understanding. I attempted licking the sauce away but that seemed impossible under his darkening eyes.
I rummaged through my purse for any remaining wipes but felt an hand on my chin. Grey stared down at my lips, I guess where the smear was, then back at me. His jaw ticked as I saw him swallow harshly.
The roughness of his thumb grazed over the left corner of my lips as I stared back at him and gripped my purse tighter. His gaze flickered back to my mouth then dropped lower and he pulled back to his seat.
I dropped my eyes to my lap as I tried calming my fast beating heart. I had never experienced something that intense. I could still feel his soft and delicate touch all over again even in my thoughts.
The waiter came to collect our bill and Grey offered to pay. I was still stunned about earlier so I didn't argue much. I couldn't however seem to stop checking Grey out.
Being quite hot outside, he had undone the top buttons of his white shirt and I could get a glimpse of his muscled upper chest. Having taken his coat off too, his arms flexed effortlessly making me jelly.
How could he look so strong even when holding his card out? It was like he was a model, just a simple pose and he'd capture everyone's attention.
"Do you need anything else?" He must have noticed my shameless staring but I shook my head and ducked my head lower. After we got cleared out, I suggested we get ice cream.
Grey didn't protest though he didn't seem surprised either. I had just taken more than enough meat but my stomach still had room for some ice.
I ordered him a strawberry cone after remembering him taking one when we met at the ice cream shop. I had been confused at his preference at first but after meeting Mayella, I understood.
We walked down the lane in the heat as I licked my ice cream as fast so as not to get it smear all over my arms. My phone rang and I struggled to get it out from my purse though Grey held my cone for me.
"Mama," I smiled after receiving the call as her sweet voice came through. "How are you Ellie?" There was a grunt from a side and I assumed papa was with him.
"I'm fine mama," I saw Grey glance at me and I smiled as I took back my cone before his hands got dirty.
"We were planning to come see you next week," she began but papa piped in saying that he missed me. My parents were usually protective of me especially because I was an only child.
They usually visited every month and stay over for two to three days. They would visit Lora by the store and have a chat with Leila if she wasn't busy.
"Of course you can come anytime," I assured them after mama had asked if I needed anything from home. She always brought all my favorites when she visited me here.
There was a loud honk ahead of us from a motorbike. Grey lead me away from the traffic into another crosswalk. I smiled slightly but frowned when I saw my chocolate cone still in his hand and I stared down at the one I'd been licking.
Strawberry
"Where are you Ellie?" Mama asked but I looked at the almost empty cone I was holding. Grey's cone. How had I not even noticed the change of flavours?
"I went to get ice cream," she knew how frequent I ate those. "With Leila?" I shook my head then turned to Grey's side. He too was almost done with his cone. Had he taken the ice cream knowing it was mine?
"No, another friend." She went silent but then hummed and I knew she would ask me about this later. She knew all my friends here.
I hung up after mama told me to tone down the ice cream and junk I was getting and eat proper food. The advice was as good as dead.
"Now look who messed themselves," I playfully smiled at Grey who had my chocolate cream at the tip of his nose. He adorably blinked down at me.
I tugged his arm so he could bend to my level and I giggled at how he resembled a messy Mayella. I wiped the cream off his nose then tapped him twice.
"Clean now," his eyelashes fluttered his cheeks like a curtain as he blinked the afternoon sun away. I playfully tapped his nose again as I pointed at my empty cone in his hand.
"You could have told me," he shook his head as his lip twitched and he tapped my nose this time.
"Yours was tastier," he spoke casually as his tongue raked over his bottom lip. I stared and my tummy twisted in a thousand knots.
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Hello friends, how are you all? I just realized that my updates are usually random so I'm thinking of sticking to certain days(perhaps Mondays and Fridays). Is that better or should I continue doing it randomly?
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