Chapter 24: Chapter 24

XXIV

We stay like that for a moment, all of us completely stunned.

"What are you doing here?" Amber finally asks.

"I live here-"Axel starts to say but doesn't get to finish.

"No, not you, Axel. I meant you, Soph.  What the hell are you doing here?" Amber cuts Axel off and takes a step into the room, putting her hand on her waist.

"What the fuck do you care?" Axel asks with an angry voice and I try to yank myself off of him again but he holds me tight to himself.

"You really a are a fucking asshole you know? I fucking told you to leave her alone and you couldn't help yourself. I don't care about other girls, Axel, but I swear I'll rip your balls off if you hurt Sophie." she threatens.

I'm left off completely stunned. Dear god, she is scary when she's mad.

"Look, Amber, I'm sorry-" I begin, but she's not having it. She points her finger in my direction.

"You! I thought you weren't speaking with him?"she demands.

"I wasn't, but he came to my room last night and he apologized, and well..."

"Oh my god! Did you guys fuck?" she screams and throws her hands in the air.

"No!" I shout in shock at her question.

"Why the fuck do you care?" Axel asks again and I finally manage to escape his grip and stand up from the couch.

Amber glares at me, but then her eyes soften. "I told you that he's bad for you, Soph."

Axel grunts behind us and stands up ass well. "You're my sister, you're supposed to me on my fucking side."

"I'm going to be on whoever's fucking side I want to be!" she screams at him and takes a step in his direction, so I quickly step between them.

"Amber, calm down." I say and she frowns.

"You calm down! I'm not the one screwing around with my best friend's brother!" she bites back and I take a step back.

She's right.

I'm a horrible friend.

Axel softly places his hands on my hips from behind me and comes close so that I'm leaning on him. Amber's eyes watch us closely and it doesn't look she's going to stop screaming any time soon.

"You two are the worst couple ever." she finally says after a moment.

"We're not a couple."

"Tell me about it." me and Axel say at the same time.

Amber rolls her eyes at Axel's statement. "Of course. You have commitment issues. I'm so glad I'm single, looking at you two."

I gulp and look at my feet, repeating his statement. "We're not a couple."

"Well it sure fucking looks like it." she says and huffs. "I want an explanation on how this happened."

"You'll get a fucking explanation some other time. Today is mine and Soph's day so piss off." Axel says and pulls me closer to prove his point.

I blush at his words and how good they sound.

Amber stands there for a minute more, simply looking at us and thinking. "Fine. But you and me, we're gonna talk tomorrow." she says and looks at me.

"Aunt and uncle want to talk to you. Something about some money you owe them." she says, looking at Axel before taking a few steps back, under the doorframe.

She gives us one last look. "You two are the worst couple ever." she says again before storming off, out of Axel's house.

He sighs and falls back on the sofa, pulling me with him and burying his face in my neck. "Why is there so much fucking drama since you came into my life?" he asks and I shrug.

"I could ask you the same thing."

We stay at his place for an hour or two more, watching Iron man because Axel wanted to watch it, before I stand up and tell him I have to go back home. He pouts a bit. "Already?"

I laugh. "It's going to be night soon, I've been here all day."

He nods. "Yeah, okay. Come, I'll give you a ride."

He grabs car keys from the cupboard next to the hangers and the doors while I put on my coat and shoes.

Axel puts his shoes on as well while I watch him. It's weird how he can look so elegant doing such an everyday thing. I watch the way his muscles move as he grabs his leather jacket and puts it on. He smirks when he catches me staring. "Enjoying the show?"

I blush and look away. Axel grabs my hands and starts leading me towards his car. We drive in silence for a few minutes before he finally speaks. "I had a nice time today."

I nod. "Yeah, me too. Especially if you don't count the two little visits we had."

"I'm sorry about those." Axel apologizes.

"It's okay." I comfort him. "I'm a little afraid of Amber tomorrow."

"You don"t have to go." he says and I shake my head.

"No, we have to work through this. It just really sucks that she doesn't support us." I say and Axel gulps.

"Well you have to get used to that because nobody does support us."

I look out the window. He's right; it's a fact. However, that doesn't stop it from giving me an awful feeling.

"What will you be doing tomorrow?" I ask Axel and he frowns for a moment, but then relaxes his face. "Nothing much, you?"

"I have to study. I'll read a bit, too, probably." I answer and Axel nods and slowly stops his car two houses from mine.

He looks at me and smiles, dimples showing in his cheeks. He moves closer to me and tucks hair behind my ear. "You're so beautiful." he says and I blush under his gaze. "I'll come by in a few hours to check on you, okay?" he asks and I nod.

"Okay. But if you're busy you don't have to." I say and he shakes his head.

"No, of course I'll come. Have a nice time okay?" he smiles, a genuine smile and I can't help but return the smile. He looks even better now that his face is healed from the cuts and bruises.

"I will. You have a good time too." I say and I peck his lips.

He grins and closes his eyes. "Bye, baby."

"Bye." I say back and exit the car.