Chapter 11: Chapter 11

XI

I look up at him, eyes wide open and terrified and he locks gazes with me.

"Come, let's go, quckly. It's okay, just breathe. Breathe and be quiet." he grabs both my arms and tries to pull me with him, but I'm in shock and simply can't move my feet.

Without a single word, he lifts me up bridal style and starts moving so fast, but so quetly I'm actually amazed.

"It's okay, everything is okay, we just need to be silent." he continuously keeps whispering in my ear. After what feels like infinity, we make it back to his car and he quickly unlocks it and puts me on my seat.

He closes the door and another shot goes off in the distance, making him run to his car door.

He doesn't take the time to put his seatbelt on, instead he turns the gas on so hard that the engine roars and he drives off so fast, all the dirt from the ground lifts up into the air.

"Fuck!" he suddenly yells and slams the wheel, while going way over the speed limit back from where we have come.

I jump because he startled me, and start to cry.

And by crying, I mean hysterically sobbing. Too much has happened in the last few days and it finally all comes flowing out of me.

Axel looks toward me. "No, don't cry, please. I hate to see people cry."

Ironically, that makes me cry even more.

"P-please, get me h-home." I hiccup.

"Are you sure-" he tries to object, but I'm not having any of it.

"Home." I say more forcefully.

He purses his lips. "Fine."

I decide not to comment on his attitude, because I know that is just how he is. I have more important things on my mind, anyway.

Just a few moments ago, I witnessed a person die.

Probably.

I start gasping and Axel gives me a worried look. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know that would happen. I never would've taken you for that walk if I knew. God, the entire day is ruined..." he rambles on and hits the steering wheel. "I'm such an idiot."

He doesn't say anything else and a few minutes later we are outside my house.

I grab the door handle and stumble outside. "Thank you for driving me back." I say and turn around.

“You okay?” he asks me.

I open my mouth to reply but I don't know what to say, so I shut it back closed. Axel exhales and runs his tattued fingers through his hair. “Look, I gotta go. I'll see you soon, okay?” he says and drives forward quickly to shut the door I left open, then backwards to get out of the driveway and then he speeds off at the same speed he drove out of the woods.

***

I stretch out, stiff from lying on the bed for the past three hours, and wipe the fresh tears away from my face, wiping them angrily against my sweatpants. I feel so stupid and angry with myself for behaving the way I have.

I never should have spoken to Axel, I shouldn't have saved him that night and I definitely shouldn't have kissed him. Who knows what I might have gotten involved in now. Somehow, I know he has something to do with what happened today in the woods. He's involved, no matter how little his role is, he is definitely involved.

And I must know in what way or I will never be able to sleep again.

I hit my head against pillows and groan. Damned human curiosity.

Somehow he's all I see when I close my eyes even though I've only known him for two weeks. And I hate it.

A knocking sound from the window brings me out of my thoughts and I frown and look towards the window only to see Axel sitting on the bench of the tree and knocking on my window. Quickly I move to let him in.

“What are you doing, you could have fallen down!” I whisper-yell at him but move out of the way so that he can come in.

“Yeah, well, I didn't so just let it go and keep that window open, okay?” he says.

“Why would I do that? So that you can sneak in at night or when I'm not at home and steal everything?” I ask and he glares at me.

“You think I'd do that?” he asks in a very low voice and his fingertips tilt my head upwards- He is so close I can smell his cologne and detergent.

“I don't know. I don't know you.” I reply, gulping.

“Then why did you let me in just now, Sophia?” he presses, coming closer to my face anf I shiver as his warm minty breath hits me. I have no idea what to reply so I stay silent, waiting for him to kiss me.

Unfortunately, he lets go of me and takes a step back, looking around my room and making me think over the cleaning I did and didn't do.

"There are no cars in the driveway and I didn't see anyone moving in the past ten minutes. Are we alone?" he asks, picking up my picture frame with my parents.

“Why do you want to know that?” I can't help but ask and he looks at me over his shoulder.

“You know, we're not gonna get anywhere if we just answer each other's questions with new questions.” he comments and lets his eyes move down my body, leaving a hot trail behind them.

“We're alone.” I say and he nods. »Good. What do you want to do?" he asks and I get an idea in that moment.

I look up at him. "Could you read to me?" It was a thing that always relaxed me and God knows I need relaxation at the moment.

He smirks. "You want me to read to you?"

I nod, still looking up at him as he shakes his head in disbelief. »Well this is a first. What do you want me to read to you?"

I think about it for a second and then reply:"Princess Diaries. The second book, where Michael comes into play."

He groans. "That book sucks."

"How would you know? It's not like you read it." I mumble.

He doesn't reply and I look up at him.

"Seriously?" I gasp. "You? Read Princess diaries?"

He raises his brows and grins. "What's so wrong with that?"

He picks up the book, his tattooed hands with busted knuckles looking ridiculous holding the pink-cover of Princess Diaries."You don't really seem the type with the whole "bad boy" act you have going on." I explain, making air quotations.

He takes a deep breath. "You wish it was just an act."

I raise my brows in question and look up, but he shrugs it off, not wanting to elaborate. He sits on the bed, kicks off his shoes and leans on the headboard, then looks up at me. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

I gulp and take a step towards the bed and he reaches out and pulls me on the bed, making me squeal. “Axel!”

“You're so damn slow.” he defends himself.

“Yeah, well you're way too rough with me, I'm a person, not a doll!” I reply and he sighs.

“You're making me read you Princess Diaries out loud. I think I have the right to be a little rough.” he says and pulls me up against him, putting his arms around me and begins to read. Suddenly I'm glad that he's unable to see my face as I'm quite sure it's the colour of a tomato at the moment.

We spend two hours laying in this position; he often makes remarks about how horrible the book is and how stupid the author is, but I can hear from his voice that he secretly loves it.

I laugh at most of his remarks and realize that he has completely made me forget about what happened earlier; he has also made me forget about all the doubts I had about him.

As the words escape his beautiful, plump lips, and I lay there, listening to his deep voice, I realize for the first time that there are indeed some feelings buried in my chest, making me care about him.