The Counselor » gxg [UNEDITED]

06.

Alessandro's POV

Maurice glanced at my hand, before she looked at me after I tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear. She cleared her throat.

"Ah, thank you." She mumbled, and I just smiled at her as I was slowly moved my hand away. Silence filled in the room afterwards.

Why did I do that?

That is what I thought to myself before I continued eating. Maurice also resumed with eating. Eventually, we finished our food. After a while, she got up and began cleaning up the table which got me taken aback.

"Oh, let me handle that--"

"You have babied me enough today." She cut me off, chuckling afterwards. "Let me handle this one, where is the trash bin located though?" I just pointed at the area of the treehouse where the trash bin was. She nodded in response, then threw the paper boxes along with the other disposables. She returned with a rag, then wiped the table clean. 

I watched her clean the table. She slid the rag across the table. Afterwards, she caught the dirt which were left on the table with her palm on the side of the table, and left to throw them into the trash bin. I could not help but to smile with how down to Earth she is despite her status.

She came back in.

"So, now that we are done eating... isn't it time for you to tell me something?" She mumbled as she was applying alcohol to her palms, glancing at me.

'"Oh, yes, right." I said distractedly, I was lost into my thought earlier that I nearly forgot that I have told her that I will answer her question after finishing her meal. I glanced at the window to take a look if the sky was starry tonight.

"Hold that thought for a second." I uttered afterwards, then got up and took the cushions with me as I climbed down the ladder leading to the main treehouse. I settled the cushions on the platform since this sight can be better seen down here. 

Afterwards, I climbed back up and called the attention of Maurice. I gestured her to follow me, and she did so. I assisted her in getting down the ladder until she has settled down on the cushion. The sight of the starry sky over the city lights can be clearly seen.

I can see the delight in her eyes with what she was seeing. I sat down next to her.

"Do you like the view?" 

"Yes. I did not know that I can enjoy a view like this without the need of travelling so far."

"Well, I am glad that you do. I just thought that having this view right in front of your eyes would help you not to get bored out of my story time." I murmured the second sentence though, but it still seemed that she heard it since she chuckled.

"Nice try, I still caught what you said last." She commented, and I just could not help but to flush about it. 

"No need to be embarrassed about it. Everyone has his or her own set of strengths and weaknesses. Narrating may not be your cup of tea, and that is totally fine." She continued, then turned to look at me. "I just wanted to know about the story about your discovery of this place, hoping that could help me in knowing you more. No matter how boring nor senseless it may get, I will listen." She then broke the eye contact that we had, and looked back to the view.

Again, this girl just made my heart pound crazily. I tried to calm myself down before I speak since I did not want to stutter and make it too obvious that I got fluttered.

"Well, yeah, I am usually messy when I am narrating, so it is obviously not my cup of tea... but I will do my best to get it together for you." I uttered, glanced at her, then cleared my throat before I continued. "Starting with how I knew this place, my aunt used to bring me here when I was a child. Her house was near here, and my parents usually dropped by her place before to have someone watch over me. My parents do have a difficulty in giving trust to people who is merely a stranger to them, so that is why we did not have any helper nor housemaid at home. So, yes, going back; my aunt brings me here every afternoon up until nighttime if my parents do not pick me up too soon."