The Eyes Have Me

Chapter 6

Over the last three weeks, I have worked, hung out with my friends - Axel included m, and I have kept in contact with Abel. I have been happier than I have been lately. I am happy since my brother is moving here, and yes it is sad that he had to leave home, too, but I am happy with him being here, too.

Abel and Kade are moving here in a week! They asked me to find them a place to live which I have using the money they sent me for the deposit on their new home. They have found jobs at the Inn for when they moved here.

Today Axel and I are hanging out together minus Callie and Mylo as they have to work tonight. I am looking forward to hanging out one on one with Axel, so we can have the time to know each other better. Yes,  we can do this with Mylo and Callie, but alone it is way more intense.

"Hey Axel," I greet as I meet him at the laser tag place after my work shift since Axel worked for a couple of hours this morning with Mr Brown.

"Hey Arrow, how are you?" he returns with a sexy smile.

"I am good, thanks," I shyly reply with a tiny smile as we head inside the building. "How are you?"

"Better now that we are hanging out together," he answers with a wink which causes me to blush darkly while I duck my head in order to try hiding the blush.

"Me too," I shyly admit on a murmur.

Peaking at Axel through my eyelashes as we stop at the counter to pay for a game. Axel isn't looking at me, so I have a small amount of time to study his profile. He has a strong jawline that I find perfect, too with the strong, sharp line that I think could cut glass.

"You do know starring isn't polite, right?" Axel comments with a joking tone, and a wink as he turns his face to look at me.

My face instantly burns as I mumble; "I wasn't starring. You are imagining things."

Axel lowly chuckles at my answer as an employee walks over to help us. I already have out my wallet in hand to pay for my half of the price when Axel shakes his head as he tells me it is on him. My jaw drops in disbelief as I try to insist on paying for myself, but this falls on deaf ears.

"Thank you," I softly tell him after we are directed to the playing are as I place my wallet back into my back right pocket.

From the corner of my eye, I see the employee smirking at our interaction. There are four others in the playing area when we arrive, and another employee tells us the rules before having us break off into two teams. I am not teamed with Axel which makes me sad, but I won't complain as it would be rude of me to do so.

"Okay, my suggestion is to go after the person you came with," a girl with strawberry blonde hair quietly suggests with a smirk.

The three of us agree with her plan as we pull on the vests with sensors, and then grab the laser gun-thingies before the employee tells us the game will be starting in a minute.

Glancing over to Axel, he smirks at me with a competitive glint in his eyes that tells me he is coming after me, too.

Game. On.

Smirking back at him, his smirk falters for a second before it comes back full force. Fifteen minutes later, the game is completed, and it was a close match between Axel and I before I won.

"You are very good at this game," he praises as we walk from the building, and he actually sounds impressed.

"Thank you. Honestly, I thought you were going to get me for a second," I tell him as we arrive at his vehicle.

"I thought I almost had you, too, but you were quicker," I answer as we climb into the vehicle, and I grin over at him.

"Have you ever been paint balling?" I ask as he drives us to a nearby cafe for a light, dinner. 

"Yeah, a couple of times with friends," he says as he turns right onto the main road. "How about you?"

Nodding in response even though he doesn't see me as I fondly smile at the memories; "Yes. I went with Abel a couple of years ago."

"You seem to get along well with your brother," he states, and he sounds like he is an awe of that possibility.

"We get along great," I agree with his statement. "We were super close while we were growing up. I know our relationship might be weird to others, but it's who we were as brothers."

"No, to me that doesn't sound weird," he instantly says, though he sounds thoughtful. "It's nice that you too were as close as you were."

When he falls silent for a moment, I curiously ask; " Do you have any siblings?"

"Nope, but I always wanted siblings while growing up," he answers in a wishful tone. "I have always been close with granpa, though."

"That is awesome that you two have that relationship," I reply with a slight nod of my head.

We spend the rest of the drive to the cafe talking away. When he parks outside of the brick building, I frown when I read the name of the place.

Turning to face Axel, I am confused; "Reid's Cafe? Do you know if this someone's first or last name?"

He smiles widely at me; "This place is named after the owner and his family. James Reid is his name, and he is the owner who is around 60-years-old, and has been here since he turned Red."

"That is cool," I mumble as I chew on my lower lip while thinking.

I don't want to let myself become hopeful that there is any chance that this man and I might be related in some way.

"Come on, Arrow," Axel says, pulling me from my spiraling thoughts, and this is when I notice he is standing outside of my now open passenger side door with a smile.

Entering the cafe, are are seated almost immediately by a young person, and given menus.