Always, Tulip

▫️Eight

Ginelle's pov

I'm surprised.

Turning right to briefly listen to Leila then back and I find Dalton gone. Frantically looking around only for him to back to us after a while. Coming with Grey is yet another surprise but the stuff in his hands surprises me the most.

He appears relaxed with Dal holding his left hand and his right one tucked into the side pocket of his brown pants. His leather jacket is unzipped and I can see the broadness of his chest from the black shirt that clings on him.

He looks good, he always does and when I meet his eyes, they're still trained on my face that I look away embarrassed. I hope he isn't offended with me checking him out openly.

"Will you join us, please?" Dal doesn't hesitate to ask him and from the corner of my eye, Leila shifts then clears her throat.

"Leila, this is my new friend Grey." I look between the two of them and whereas Grey only nods once, Leila's eyes seem to widen and she appears as if she's about squeal but I quietly press her hand.

I'm still not sure if Grey just came to the park at random. He still has the almost yellow bunny ears on a tight grasp. Dalton still waits his answer but then Grey bends down and whispers something to him.

His eyes however remain on me in the crouch that he's in. His long legs spread out as he balances himself on his toes. My hands move to the waist of my dress and I begin tracing the patterns there.

I'm nervous and flustered under his gaze and he does seem to notice too because his eyes follow the movement of my fingers. They remain fixed there till he finishes talking to Dalton then rises up to meet my eyes.

"Grey came with his friends!" Dal exclaims soon after as he squishes himself into Leila's lower body. "Let's go and join them," he looks at me then back at Leila with his pleading eyes.

Leila looks at me once for confirmation and I nod. Dal watches us keenly and as soon as I give my consent, he's off to Grey's side. I smile at his eagerness as we follow behind them.

"So," Leila whispers beside me as she bumps my hip against hers. "Your friend?" I drop down my eyes for a second as my cheeks warm up at the tone of what Leila is suggesting. Grey and I were just friends.

"I was going to tell you soon," I usually don't keep things away from her, especially the ones that I feel confused about. My friendship with Grey is special to me and I hope she's okay with that.

"You know I don't mind," Leila's bright smile adorns her face and her auburn hair matches the colour of her eyes. I envy her beauty and she's so natural too.

"Oh my!" Leila shrieks and I look ahead to what has her so excited. Grey and Dal have stopped several feet away from us. I didn't realize we were that slow.

Leila tugs me forward and I realize they were waiting for us to catch up.

"Hurry up!" Dal whines as soon as we're by their side as if he's bored waiting. Grey looks down at my hands and I cast him a small smile. His eyes don't linger for long because Dalton is already on move.

"The swings are there," he points to the left and I assume that's where Grey's friends are. I'm excited to meet them and hopefully we all get along.