Obliterated Beginnings

• 23 •

I nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

His eyes darted. "You're... going?"

"Yes. I just said so."

"You did, but I thought—" He shook his head hard, cutting himself off. "Okay. Let's go then."

God, I hated this new strain between us. Couldn't we just go back to how we used to be? Before him telling me that he had feelings for him, and him almost—Jesus—kissing me?

When I said that I wanted us to be friends, this awkward, soul-killing thing between us wasn't what I had meant. But I made my bed, so I had to lie on it.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, following behind him as he walked out of the classroom. Eventually, I fell into step with him and I suddenly realised, that I missed being in close proximity with him. Really, really missed it. I know that I said that I didn't like people being in my personal space, but with Axel, it didn't feel like hew was invading. It was... welcoming. Strange, but refreshing.

Just like everything else about him.

The walk to the stadium wasn't long, but the sun was beating on me with a vengeance and made it feel like it was.

The stadium was just a huge circle. There were rows and columns of seats arranged in a circular pattern and at the middle of the circle, was a track and a field. The track was outside the field, so, really, the field was at the centre of the stadium.

All in all, the stadium was red(the overall colour. And the tracks), blue(the chairs), green(the field), white(the lines on the track) and beautiful. It was also empty right now, which made it all the more appealing.

I looked around, then to Axel, who I caught staring at me. "So, what do we do?"

"I need to go change. Can you sit on one of the chairs and wait for me? I'll be out real quick."

I nodded and proceeded to sit on a sit in the first row while he walked out the same way we had come in. That was probably where the changing room was. The seats weren't actual chairs. They were small and hard and surprisingly comfortable, but I suppose sitting on them for a long time wouldn't be advisable.

Axel came back out a few minutes later in shorts and a sleeveless tank top. My heart raced on seeing how light he appeared against the dark black of the materials he wore. Axel was caramel. Not as light as Dexter, but light nonetheless. And the black clothes he was wearing right now, made it all the more obvious.

Well, when he said he was going to run, I didn't expect him to do that in his school uniform, did I?

He gave his bag to me, which I dropped on the seat next to me—but not before giving him a glare, which, surprisingly, made the corners of his mouth twitch in amusement—then he gave me a stop watch. I stared at it, then at him.

"I'll need you to time me as I run." He explained. "Thats actually why I needed you to come along."

And here, I thought he just needed my presence, I thought sarcastically. Okay, maybe not that sarcastically.

"I don't know how to use it."

"I'll show you. Here."

He leaned down to explain how it worked. Pressed the start button, stop, and clear. I was paying attention to what he was saying. I really was, but his masculine scent was also assaulting my senses and it was suddenly too much for me.

"I understand." I said, and took watch back from him, anxious for him to leave already.

He nodded and stepped back. There was a wiry fence separating the seats from the track and field, but there was also an opening to allow people pass. He walked past it and onto the track then he stopped and turned to look up at me, as if eh was just realising that I wasn't following him.