Chapter 7

Lefou's POV

  Gaston silently pleaded with me to attend his first redemption class with him today at breakfast and I was more than happy to do so (I also have a hard time resisting him as you probably know). Adam is keeping it light today because he doesn't want to overwhelm Gaston. That's very considerate of him given that Gaston tried to murder him recently while he was in beast form. Gaston is sitting a desk that reminds me one that a child would sit in while attending school and I'm sitting in one next to him, patting his knee gently when I notice him bouncing it a lot and/or tensing up. He's doing a marvelous job so far though and I'm very proud of him. 

        When it comes time for a five minute break, Adam leaves the room and gives the two of us space for a moment. I get down on my knees in front of him and look directly into his eyes, all while stroking his hands gently in mine. "Gaston, you're doing a marvelous job. I'm so proud of you. I know that rehashing your mistakes makes you anxious but it also makes you quite brave. You'll get through this darling." His anxious expression shifts to a cocky one. "Darling? That's a new one." I blush and begin to stutter. "I-I-It accidentally slipped out. I-I'm sorry Gaston. He chuckles lightly. "It's okay Lefou. To be honest, I quite enjoyed it." I blush even further and bury my face in my heads, groaning in the process.

          Gaston laughs even harder and removes my hands from my face. "Don't hide from me Lefou, you know I enjoy looking at you." He winds up blushing a bit after saying that to me. The two of us move apart quickly when Adam enters the room again. He gives us a strange look but doesn't question our rather intimate moment. We continue on with business as usual with the rest of the class. When class ends for the day, Adam gives Gaston a small smile and nod of approval. "You had a very good first day Gaston, keep it up! We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your day. That goes for you too Lefou." With that being said, we're allowed to do as please until dinner. 

         I choose to give Gaston a tour of the library and he loves it despite not being a reader. "Lefou, although I'm not a reader as you know, it's so peaceful in here. I could sit by your side and do some deep thinking while I leave the reading to you." I smile. "That's fine by me. Thank you for keeping me company. Although I don't mind being in the library alone at times, I do enjoy company more often than not." Gaston then dives into a tale about how he actually used to be a big reader as a kid and it takes me by surprise. "You know Gaston, it's never too late to get back into reading if it's something that interests you. Reading frequently keeps the mind sharp and the imagination running wild. In other words, being an avid reader is very beneficial." 

          Gaston gives me a sincere smile. "I'll keep that in mind. My favorite books as a child though were all of the ones that had happy endings. My childhood was crummy and reading about fictional happy endings provided me with a source of comfort that I was lacking." My heart breaks a bit at that but I keep a brave face on. "I'm glad you had that source of comfort. I wish I could have been there for you in earlier years." He nods. "Me too but you're here for me now and that's all that matters to me." I give him a soft smile. "I agree." 

I hope that you guys liked this chapter! Also, my latest book "Floating Adrift" is now available for purchase in both paperback and eBook versions. The links are down below: 

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084DG7P3H/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Floating+Adrift+Mary+Whitney&qid=1580869758&sr=8-1

eBook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084GJX2SX/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Floating+Adrift+Mary+Whitney&qid=1580869934&sr=8-2

-Mary