I Remember Loving You

Chapter 2, Day 1

  When Axels father dropped him off, he got out of the car and greeted me. Axels father and I have never had any fallouts or quarrels and I've been welcome in his home since I met Axel. "Hello Mr. McTetherson," I say with a smile. Just because I'm about to die doesn't mean I'm going to act like it. "How are you today?" He sighs before replying, "Dite, since when have you called me by my last name? Either way, I suppose I'm alright, just a bit sad. I'm sure you understand why.." he smiles softly and looks at me with that sad father look. Normal kids get that look on the first day of kindergarten or the day they head off to college. I never really got that look because my father and I are distant. Don't get me wrong, I love him, but he lives 2 hours away and we don't see eachother often.
  After a few very long and awkward goodbyes, I turn to Axel. "Well, we have 50k, and we're two teenagers infront of a gas station.." I tell him. "Are you saying we should go blow a few hundred on snacks?" He asks me, a curious grin sliding across his face. "Hell yes I am!" I blurt out, before turning and half-jogging into the store. Once I get into the store, I head directly to the energy drink section. Mom never let me have any of these, and I want an energy drink buzz before I sign off of life. I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with Axel today, maybe we'll check what's on at the movies, or we'll go to the mall. Actually yes, we will be going to the mall. As I reach down to grab a can of kidney failure and bad decisions, Axel catches up to me with two bags of chips, a few random bags of candy and a giant slushie. He's shaking and trying desperately not to drop everything on the Cole tiled gas station floor.
  "Need some help there?" I ask him, giggling and grabbing the energy drink from the shelf. "Yeah, that'd be nice." He says, holding out his giant cup of cold cavities and sugar overdose. I never liked slushies, but it's not like we're going broke if I buy this for him. Honestly, if he asked me to buy the world, I would in an instant. I grab the cold beverage and he shifts a bag of chips from under his shoulder to his hand. "You should go grab a basket, that looks like a lot to carry." I point out, smiling. "Noo, this is so easy and not at all hard to carry!" He replies sarcastically. I chuckle and start down the chip aisle, grabbing sour cream and cheddar ruffles and a stack of Pringles. I grab whatever looks appealing to me. By the time I've wandered the store, we have well over a hundred dollars worth of stuff.
  Upon setting everything on the checkout counter, a creepy middle aged man stares at our load. "And how are you two planning on paying $314.87 all on your lonesome? You best put some of this back!" Sure, he's shocked, but he didn't need to comment. "It's alright sir," I say, reaching into my pocket for my card. "I've got plenty of money, no worries!" I swipe my card through the machine with a grin. The man's smile fades and I can hear Axel giggling behind me. "Hey Axel," I say, more quiet now. "Could you order us an Uber, I'd like to go to the mall, unless you dont want to." I say, as the man at the register bags all of our stuff. "No, that's fine," he says, grabbing his phone. "We can go."
   The rest of the day was spent spending aimless money, buying stupid clothes, laughing at crying little kids, and the likes. I've taken so many pictures today, but as we sit at this fancy dinner table, I think I want to take another. "Hey Axel, will you be in my photo?" I ask quietly. "Sure, I love taking photos with you!" He tells me, smiling. I love that smile so much. I turn the pink camera towards our faces and snap a photo, flash off. I stare at the photo, a moment frozen in time. Random people in the background enjoying their meals, waiters and waitresses with food on plates, hurrying to serve eager customers. Dimly lit lights, warm bustling atmosphere. It's funny how a photo can make you think. Someone else here might have a photo where I'm one of the people in the background too. There's a lot of people on Earth. My thoughts are cut short when our waitress sets our food on the table, smiling and telling us that if we need anything, just call her over. We smile and say ok and dig in. The food is good. This place is good. Life, or what's left of it, is pretty good.
   After leaving the restaurant, I turn back to Axel. "Do you want to book a hotel room with me? Maybe it'll be fun." His eyes light up and he smiles, he's loved to travel for ages, and hotels are like travel to him, I guess. "That'd be amazing! I'd love to!" He shouts in anticipation. "Alright, let's look for a nice one then. I say $500 budget?" I half-ask. "Sure, works for me." He replies. For about an hour we search for a room, once we found something and checked in, we plopped onto the singular bed, laughing and smiling. I dont even remember half of Today, I just remember that I had fun. And that I was with the absolute love of my life. We both sat up and looked at eachother, "Hey Axel.." I half whisper. He stares into my eyes. I stare into his. The piercing brown eyes, they're much brighter in the sun, but still enticing in the dark. I lose it, I can't say it yet, no. I have to wait. And even then what will he think. "Um...nothing." I say, "but you've you've something there.." I wipe one of the curls away from his face. He smiles, I laugh, and we click off the lights.
   "Goodnight Axel."
    "Goodnight Dite."