One More Chance ☑

11 | Thank You

The next morning I wake up to my phone ringing. With my eyes still closed, I reach for my phone and answer it. "Hello?" I ask with a croaky voice, rubbing a hand over my face.

"Hey." His voice comes hesitantly through the phone.

I pull my phone back to look at the screen and to confirm who I think it is. "Axel?"

"Hey," he says again. "Are you busy today?"

Why would he be asking me that? "No, I'm not," I answer truthfully.

People yelling at each other in the background come through the phone. "I was wondering if you could watch Adam today? I'm at the station until seven a.m. tomorrow and Adam's mom's flight got delayed so she won't be in until tonight. I have no one else to ask so that's why I'm asking you."

"Of course I can," I say without a second thought. As I try to get out of bed, my feet get wrapped in the comforter and I land on the floor with a loud thud. "Ouch," I muffle.

"Did you just fall?" Axel asks, a hint of a laughter in his tone.

"No," I lie.

"Mhm," Axel drawls through the phone. "Adam's here at the station with me whenever you can stop by."

"Okay, I should be there soon." I pull out athletic shorts and a racerback tank top to change into.

"Conley?"

That causes me to pause. "Yes?"

"Thank you for this."

"Of course."

Half an hour later I'm pulling into the parking lot next to the fire department. The town square is quiet but I know it won't last long since it's just morning. I walk up to the stairs leading into the fire department and knock on the door, not knowing if I should just walk in or not.

The door swings open and Caleb is standing there, grinning. "Morning, Vienna. Wasn't expecting you here."

"Hi, I'm here for Adam," I say, grabbing my necklace.

Caleb opens the door wider for me to walk in. "We're all eating breakfast right now."

"Fun," I mutter under my breath as I follow him through the station. There's a weird tension between the two of us now.

We emerge into a room full of people I don't recognize, Jaden, Axel, Adam, and Caleb being the only ones I know. Everyone stops talking to look at me. The silence hangs in the air awkwardly.

"Vienna's here," Caleb says nonchalantly to everyone, pulling a seat out beside Jaden.

"Vienna!" Adam's voice yells as he runs up to me. He wraps his arms around my legs and hugs me.

"Hi, Adam." I rub his head and focus my eyes on Axel who stands up from his chair.

He walks towards me and touches my lower back, sending a shiver through my body, before walking out of the kitchen. "Follow me."

My eyes land on Jaden before I leave, untangling Adam from my legs as I do so. Jaden raises a brow and smiles at me before winking.

Now I can't help think he had something to do with this.

Adam is in front of me as we follow Axel to a room filled with lockers. Axel opens one and pulls out a familiar Spider Man backpack, putting it over Adam's shoulders.

I observe the cute interaction between the two of them as I lean my shoulder on the doorway, a smile lighting up my face. Watching this I can't help feel more attracted to Axel.