I gazed around the room, eyeing the decor and people watching, one of my favorite pastimes, when my eyes came across a head of soft looking dirty blond hair. I froze, there was Axel, looking beautiful as always, with a tiny blonde with big curly hair, sharing a pizza. Any doubts I’d had about whether we may have been more and whether he felt it too vanished. This was the hardcore proof I needed before my eyes.
As if feeling my eyes on his back, Axel looked over his shoulder and his eyes locked on mine instantaneously. I wondered if I looked as shocked as he did to see me, while with his guest. He looked at me and to the pretty blonde and then back to me, guilt sketched across his face. I looked away and tried to focus on whatever it was Hunter was trying to say to me. Axel and his friend finished and got up, leaving. Not even a minute later my cell started vibrating. I quickly read the message.
Hey, I was just catching up with a friend but would you like to get together now or tonight?
I felt my blood boil, did he actually think that I’d want to see him after witnessing him with his other side piece. It didn’t take him long to find someone else to warm his bed and take out. How had I been so stupid, thinking I was something special? I couldn’t believe I hadn’t learned anything after what happened between Chris and I.
“You okay Leah?” Hunter asked, putting his hand on my arm caringly, I nodded slowly.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said, putting my phone away. Screw you, Axel. Seeing him with the blonde had cemented all my convictions that we’d never work. I had a nice guy on my arm and I was going to make this work and Axel would see he wasn’t the only one seeing other people tomorrow.
“So, tomorrow night I’ll pick you up at nine?” Hunter asked, smiling into my eyes and grounding me once more.
“You sure you want to drive?” I asked, shocked, Chris would never have offered.
“Yeah, I don’t mind being the designated driver, then you and your girls can relax and have fun and I can stay by your side all night,” he admitted making my heart speed up ever-so-slightly, Hunter was too cute sometimes.
“That’s really sweet.” I smiled. “Nine is great, thanks.” I was nervous for tomorrow night, for seeing Axel but the plans were set now. There was no getting out of it.
Axel
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT WAS going on with Leah. Before I had left for Germany, everything between us had been great, amazing even. And then when I got back, we had an incredible night together and after that, it was like none of it had ever happened. She was done. Maybe we hadn’t been on the same page, maybe she was over me. Maybe she’d just been using me to have sex all along. But we’d come so far, I could tell she felt things too. When I saw her at the pizza parlour with her two friends and some guy I’d never seen before, I was shocked. Leah was clearly fine and her phone was working. It confirmed what I was in denial about; that she had just been ignoring me and didn’t want to see me. It hurt so much to see her out and about with her friends enjoying herself, when I’d been going crazy trying to get a hold of her, worrying about her and missing her. She didn’t care about the havoc she’d been wreaking on my emotions, while she pushed me away. I left with Ruby and messaged Leah as we walked to my car.
“Is that the girl you are all gaga over?” Ruby asked, one eyebrow hitched up in suspicion.
“Yeah, the brunette,” I said, unhappy with the outcome of my lunch now.
“She is pretty hot,” Ruby stated, grating on my nerves. Leah was insanely fucking hot and clearly not into me.
“Did you see the look on her face when she saw us together?” Ruby cringed.
“Look?” No, I’d been too busy focusing on the fact that she looked amazing and was out with her friends and a guy had his arm around her back. Who was that fucker? “What are you talking about?” I asked with more frustration than I’d intended.
“Dude, she looked at me and then back at you like three times, like she was in shock. I think she thinks we’re a thing,” Ruby concluded.
“Shit fucking balls,” I cursed, slamming my hands down on the steering wheel.
“We have to get back to work now, before we’re late,” Ruby stated, ignoring my little tantrum.
“Ugh,” I sighed and reversed my car out of the lot. All I’d planned to do was go out for a nice lunch with one of my friends and co-worker and it had completely blown up in my face.
“Ruby, what do I do now?” I asked, feeling pretty helpless at the moment. She looked me over for a long time and then answered.
“From everything you told me over lunch, I don’t think you should do anything more. You’re getting kind of clingy,” she told me bluntly.
“So, I let her believe I’m seeing someone else and we’re over?” I nearly shouted at the stupidity of her thinking.
“No, just wait for her to come to you.” Ruby shrugged like it was simple.
“And what if she doesn’t?” I questioned, getting tired of her useless advice.
“Axel, she will. I saw how she looked at you, she’s into you. Really into you and she’ll come to you,” she said, making my spiked blood pressure lower a little.
“But if she doesn’t?” I asked, my voice hitching ever-so-slightly.
“At least loosen up for a few days, you don’t want to be some crazy guy harassing her,” she warned, I took that to heart. No, I’d never been like this
