Axel

Chapter 8

Maya

I sit down on my couch and attempt to rub the ache out of my toes the second I've kicked my heels off. Why did I wear heels tonight? And not just any old pair of heels, a killer high set. I'm an idiot. 

"There she is." Zak laughs at me as he shrugs out of his jacket. "You needed to lose a few inches, you were far too tall tonight. We've never been eye level with each other before, it was weird."

He's laughing it off, but I don't return the laughter because he's highlighting what I already knew. It's the entire reason I chose to wear such ridiculous shoes. But it wasn't Izaak's level I was trying to get on. Unfortunately, I still wasn't tall enough to look Axel straight in the eye. Which frustrates me beyond all reason. 

"So, tonight was fun." He comments as he drops down next to me on the couch. "You wanna have a drink? Or straight to bed?"

"Actually..." The word leaves my lips before I even have time to fully consider what I want. But Zak knows I'm not in the mood, just from that one word. 

"Say no more." Standing up and retrieving his jacket, he laughs again. "I'll see you tomorrow on campus? Or at Symposium?"

"Absolutely." I smile at him as I drop my foot, leaning forward slightly as he opens the door to leave. "Zak, wait."

He turns and raises an eyebrow. "Everything okay?

"Yeah, I just wondered if there's any update with your girl, Fallon?" The girl from his new study group. He hasn't mentioned her again since he told me about her. 

"Nah, not really." The look on his face and the way he nervously scratches the back of his neck says otherwise. "She's cool, and I am pretty into her, but she's difficult to read. I still don't even know her situation. Single, engaged to be married, I haven't got the first clue."

"Haven't you asked her?" I frown, confused, and he bursts out laughing. 

"Girl, get real! I can't just blurt it out like that, then she'll know I'm into her. I'm a lot cooler than that, come on, gimme the street cred I deserve." He winks at me, then he assures me he'll keep me in the loop where Fallon's concerned, and then he's heading out to his own dorm. 

I get up off the couch immediately and move to deadbolt the door. I check and double check the lock before sighing in relief and heading through to my bedroom. The rose incidents are over, I know with complete certainty that I have nothing to be worried about any more, but I'm still skittish about it. 

Really, I should just pluck up the courage and ask Axel. Since we're all such good fucking friends now, you know, less than a god damn week after his release. It's pissing me off how cool everyone is acting towards him. Shouldn't everyone still be hating on him and wishing he were still rotting in a jail cell? My friends are far too kind and they have the best hearts. Not a bad thing at all, but when it comes to him, god, I wish everyone had more of an inner asshole. 

I collapse down on to my bed, feeling relieved that it's been a while since the last rose incident, but also strangely curious about the whole thing. My head has been firmly in avoid Axel land lately, I haven't given much thought to whoever was terrorising my dorm with shredded roses, and more importantly - why they did it. 

I sit up, frowning, and reach for my phone. I can't do this, can I? 

No, of course I can't. 

I toss my phone back down, chew on the tip of my nail for a moment, then pick it up again. Fuck it, I need to know. I have every god damn right to know. So I decide to do the unthinkable. I need to get Axel's number.