EVA
Today, Abi had one of those classes that took an extra hour after normal school time to conclude, which meant that we weren't going to be picked up until then. In other words, I wasn't leaving the school anytime soon. Thanks to them, I now had an extra hour to overthink what the Principal had told me to death.
I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a magazine wanted me for a model.
Me!
That was the part that I was finding hard to believe.
I didn't want to go and wait out there where the other students waited for their parents/drivers to come pick them up. With my face on the cover of the magazine, I suddenly felt too exposed. Like everyone was looking at me. Of course, it was all just in my head, but I couldn't shake the feeling.
I couldn't get out of my own head.
So I decided to go back to class, hoping that it was cleared out by now. What I didn't expect, however, was for Axel to be in class. My class. Not his.
What was he even doing here?
Narrowing my eyes at him, I took note that he was lacing his shoes. He had his head bent low, so he couldn't see me. He was sitting in one of the back seats and chasing his shoes. He ditched the black sneakers he usually wore for school, for a green shoe. It didn't look like a sneaker. It didn't look like anything that I had seen before, to be honest.
I pushed my shoulder back and stepped into the class. I had silent feet, so I didn't know why he looked up immediately I came in. Almost as if he had heard me. Our eyes locked for a moment before he looked away.
He got up, slung his bag over his shoulder, then walked over to me slowly. "I was just looking for you."
"Really? Why?" I asked, shoving the remainder of my books into my bag to get busy. He was standing behind me, just a few feet away and I was stalling so that I could put off looking at him for as long as I could. Which wouldn't be that long, really, seeing as he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. And it would be ridiculous to continue avoiding him.
We were acting like the last week hadn't happened. Like how normal friends acted. That was good. Very good. It was exactly what I wanted, wasn't it?
"I want to train for a while before I go home, and I thought that since you're free, you could go with me. An hour tops, at most."
A frown found its way to my face. "Why do you think I'm free? It's closing. I'm going home."
"It's also Monday and Abi has an extra class." He explained, shocking me completely, "I don't know how long it lasts, but since every subject lasts an hour, I'm guessing this one is no different."
I finally turned around, staring at him in surprise.
"How do you know Abi has an extra class every Monday?"
He shrugged. "You've said it before."
He wasn't meeting my eyes. I mean, he was, but he only held eye contact for five seconds max, and then he was looking at the nearest object. I guess I wasn't the only one feeling this new awkwardness between us. I thought about how hard it was for me. Was it that hard for him too?
"Okayyy." I drew out the word as I thought about what to say next, "Where do you train?"
"The stadium."
Yes, that was right. The school had a stadium that I had never been to. Going with him, would be killing two birds with one stone. One—I got to hang out with him(not that I particularly wanted to), and two—I finally got to see the inside of the stadium.
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.
"You're going to have to come down here." He shouted.
I got off my seat, not scared to leave our bags there because we were the only people in the stadium then joined him on the track. Well, I stood off to the side.
He moved to the starting line, regarding me, "Okay, this is how its going to be." He said, completely serious and it was a really strange look on him. I couldn't remember ever seeing him this serious. It was different and... hot. "You can count down from three, and the moment you say 'go', you start the watch. Do you understand?"
Dazedly, I nodded. I wasn't sure that my mouth was capable of producing sound at the moment.
"Okay." He said, satisfied with my nod. He lowered to the ground and then knelt, taking the universal pose that athletes took before running. "Ready?"
I nodded again, clearing my throat. "Three... two... one. Go!"
He took off like lightning. One moment he was at the starting line, the next he was running towards a mark on the track, not too far from the starting point. I stopped the watch immediately he crossed the line and called the time out to him.
"Eleven."
He frowned. "I can do better."
I didn't know much about sports but from the expression he wore, ten seconds weren't his target. And that was how we continued. He would run, and I would record and then tell him the time, as he jogged back to the starting line.
"You know what?" He called suddenly as he jogged back one time, "I think you should stand at the finish line. I think from where you're standing, you don't get the time I finish accurately."
I knew what he was saying was true. I had thought the same thing. Still, I said, "You're just saying that because you keep running between ten and eleven seconds."
"Yes." He didn't even argue. "Im faster than that."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm tired of standing anyway."
I didn't know if I liked this serious version of Axel more. When he was his usual self, he was unbearable, but now, he was too serious. He hadnt even smiled once. He was just too concentrated on running and beating the ten seconds.
He jogged off and came back with a stool. I didn't know where he got it from, but I didn't ask. I simply took it and sat down where he wanted me to—the finish line, while keeping a hawk eye on him.
I called the count-down from three to one, but just as he started running, I stopped him.
"No. Go back. You started before I said go."
"I didnt!" He protested.
"Go back."
Silently, he gave me his middle finger as he went back to the start line. I couldn't help it, I laughed and I caught a smile on his face.
This time when he ran, it was different.
"Nine point five seconds!" I whooped and he jogged over to me from the finish line, wiping sweat off his face.
"What?" He stared at me dubiously, "Let me see." He took the stop watch from me and stared at it. The moment he saw the figure, a wide, heart breaking grin split his face. "Its nine point five!"
"That's what I said!"
"I beat Usain Bolt's world record!"
"What? No way!"
"I can't believe it either!"
I didn't know why we were shouting, but it felt wrong to stop.
Suddenly, he picked me up and spun me around. Just as quickly, he dropped me, and I quickly held on to his biceps, because the world was swirling all around me.
"I'm sorry," he said, "Its just... The fastest I've ever run. And I was excited. I didn't know when..."
He was apologising. Was I paying attention to that? No.
When my vision righted, the first thing I noticed was that we were standing so close to each other. Second, was how shiny and golden his skin looked due to sweat. Third, was that I was still holding onto his sweaty—and thick biceps.
Fourth...
Fourth, was that he was staring at my lips with a dazed expression.
And I wasn't sure that I minded one bit.
Hello, lovely people! I missed you.
I promised that I would update a few days ago, and I did, because I always keep my word(at least I try to).
Sadly, however, my book still has zero reads on Inkiit because a certain group of people have refused to download the app and support me 🔪. Please GO DOWNLOAD THE APP AND GIVE MY BABY SOME LOVE 😭
Thank you, ily, until next time 🤍.