Chapter 23: Chapter 23

XXIII

I couldn't believe it, but we did it.

We've actually managed to spend an entire day together.

He was being nice, funny and charming, and I was having an amazing time.

We ended up spending two hours eating those poor tacos because we talked so much during. I had no idea where we got so many topics, but we did.

First off we started to talk about our favourite books. I was amazed to see that Axel loved to read, just like me. When you look at him, you'd think that reading was the last thing he would do.

I told him my plans for the future, how I was going to study English literature after high school and then hope to become a Publishing Editor or something like that. He didn't say much about his plans for the future and I didn't push it.

It also turned out that he hates cats. I have no idea how it came to that, but he said something about them having too sharp claws for his liking.I mentioned Harry Potter after that, which turned out into Axel being a huge fan. He got into a speech about how great the book is and how the movies ruin the story. I disagreed because the movies are obviously very well made as well and it basically turned into a great argument and a pillow fight.

He won but then I was sulking so much about it that he had to apologize and make me tea.

I so had him wrapped around my finger. He huffs as he brings me tea, obviously annoyed with me and my sulking, so I give him a kiss on a cheek to make him less annoyed.

"Thanks." I say and he smiles a bit.

"You're welcome." he replies and grabs the bottle of the beer again.

I slightly frown at his action.

"That's not healthy, Axel." I say and he rolls his eyes.

"Beer is a drink from a plant. It's fine."

"It's alcoholic." I push and he frowns.

"You're doing it again. You're trying to change me again." he accuses me and I sigh.

"I'm just trying to show you what's bad for you. It's called taking care of somebody."I explain.

"I know what's bad for me. I don't need you taking care of me." he continues and I purse my lips.

"We're going to argue again? About the same thing?" I ask and his frown slowly disappears, realizing that I'm right.

He sighs and puts the bottle on the table, pulling me closer to him on the couch and putting his arm around my waist.

He sits up on the couch and leans his head on my neck. "I'm sorry, you're right, it's odd for me that somebody is trying to take care of myself." he says and I frown.

"Why's that?" I inquire.

Axel takes a few moments to reply. "Nobody has really showed me that they care since my parents passed away. Amber used to hug me and talk to me more but I became so mean to her that even she stopped that." he confesses and takes my hand with his, playing with my fingers.

"I don't know why you do it." he admits and I bite my lip, thinking about the answer.

To be honest, I don't know. There is something about him that makes me want to stay in his company despite his attitude. The moments when he is amazing and completely different than he seems to be in public make me realize that that is the real him.

He is an amazing person, it's just that bad things happened to him and he blocked everyone out and put on a façade.

"I do it because I think you're a great person." I say and he snorts.

"Yeah, right."

I frown. "I think you have a beautiful soul, Axel, you just seem to hide it with everything you have. And I enjoy being in your company when you're like this." I explain.

"Like what?" he asks.

"Nice and charming. Completely different than the way you are with your friends." I tell him and he shakes his head.

"I'm not a good person, Soph." he says and I push him off of me.

"Why do you keep saying that?" I say and throw my hands in the air.

He frowns."Because it's true?"

"I don't think it is." I tell him and he grabs my hands again.

"Well, then you're the only one who thinks that."

He pulls me into his chest again and I bury my head in his neck as he lays down on the couch,  intertwining our legs.

"What was she like? Your mum?" I suddenly ask and he stiffens, stopping his movements.

I look up at him, afraid that I had taken it too far, but after a few moments he begins to speak.

"She was a great woman." he begins, a distanced look on his face. "She worked a lot; too much, if you ask me, but she still took her time for her family."he gulps.

"She took care of all of us; so much that she had forgotten to take care of herself. I think she was depressive." he admits and I take his hand in between mine.

"Still, she knew how to make everyone around her happy, even if she was miserable. Our dad wasn't the best husband, she caught him cheating on her many times but she still remained married to the fucker because she wanted me and Amber to have both parents." he gulps.

"They died in a car crash." he finishes and chuckles. "So fucking cliché."

"I'm sorry." I say and he shakes his head. "You've nothing to be sorry about. My dick of a father deserved it, but she didn't." he says and I wince a bit at the way he talks about his dad.

"I was an asshole to her, you know." Axel says after a few moments. "I came home drunk every now and then in my freshman year, that's when it all began. And then in the sophmore I began smoking. She used to scream at me and throw my cigarettes away. She deserved a better son." he continues.

I gulp, feeling extremely touched by his story. It was obvious that he adored his mother and it must've left a big scar in him when she passed away.

"After the accident two years ago, things got worse because she was not around to try to stop me from doing all that shit anymore."

"I'm here now." I say and he laughs.

And then suddenly the door bell rings and we hear the doors open, followed by steps further into the house.

"Hey, fat-face!"

I'd recognise that cheerful female voice everywhere. It's Amber.

Axel groans and I quickly attempt to get off of him, but unfortunately, I'm not fast enough.

"Aunt and Uncle want to talk to you-" she continues but as soon as she steps into the living room, she is cut off by the sight of me and Axel laying on the couch.

She frowns in confusion. "Sophie?" she asks.

Axel clears his throath. "Amber."