Arranged Trouble

Chapter 2

Bella

I'm first to enter the restaurant, Axe and our mums behind us. I'm not sure where our dads are but I'm too hungry to wait.

We pause at the counter in front, waiting for someone to book us in. When someone appears Axe is the first to speak "We've got a table booked under the name Moore".

I move my eyes to him, looking up at his tall figure. "Yes sir". The man checks the list and leads us to our table. I nudge Axe "Where did the manners go?" I ask him. Silence. "You know, usually people say hi or hello".

He ignores me again so I pester him once more "why's it under your name anyways?". He looks down on me this time.

"One more comment and I swear down" His brows are furrowed and his jaws slightly tense. Someone's got a temper. "Why?" I ask, "what are you going to do?" I ask the last of my questions... so far.

He looks behind to our parents and holds a hand up "Sorry, I've just got to have a word with Bella" He smiles, taking my hand. I don't have time to reject because our parents were getting giggly and he was already pulling me away. He knows exactly how to get away with this.

"What are you doing?" I barely shout, trying not to cause attention in the middle of the restaurant. I try to pull back but my strength doesn't match his.

He takes us down a hallway, I'm guessing leads to the bathrooms or kitchens. He moves me against the wall, leaving himself towering above me.

I look up, shocked at his sudden tension. His shoulders are up and his jaw clenched so hard I'm afraid it'll break. Was he this stressed this whole time?

"What's wrong?" I ask him, his hand hasn't left mine but I can't let go because she's holding in so tight.

"You don't get it do you?" He asks, looking away from me. He's looking towards the doors at the end of the corridor. "Get what?" I looking between him and the doors.

He scoffs at me and removed his arm, the distance between us growing. "We're not here for your birthday, Bella".

Axels words had been playing on my mind since we left the corridor. He didn't explain what he meant, although he did apologise for scaring me. Not that I was scared.

We're currently sitting at the table, I assume we're waiting for our dads because they're still not here and we haven't ordered. There's 2 empty chairs, both on the ends of the long table.

"There's my little princess" I hear my dads words before I see him. Before I can turn around his arms wrap around my shoulders, he plants a kiss to my forehead. He sits on our side of the table, Axe sitting in front of me.

My dad and Axe exchange nods to each other and move their napkins to their knees, I do the same.

Axels dad sits on the opposite end, when I look over his frown disappears "Happy Birthday Bella". Everyone gets dug into a conversation but me and Axe. Which is the usual, we listen but don't participate.

I don't mainly because I have no clue who or what we're talking about. I also get the feeling we aren't invited to discuss their matters. Axe catches me staring at him, he frowns but in a guilty way.

His words replay in my mind "were not here for your birthday, Bella" if not my birthday then what? I realised we haven't broke eye contact and I suddenly feel flustered. My eyes dart somewhere, anywhere else.

"How's your day been Bella?" My dads asking me from the side, usually I don't get dragged into conversations. "Quite good, went shopping with a few friends".

My dad doesn't look happy anymore "Not with that Nathan guy again was it?"

"No, I went with Scarlett" I look away, playing with the napkin on my knee.

"I told you I don't like Nathan." I don't know why he thinks it's necessary to tell me because I know, and I already stated that I wasn't with him. "I know" my words came out quieter than they should have.

"Who's Nathan?" Axel asks, looking between me and my dad. His frown still isn't gone and I wonder if he ever relaxes and if he does, does he have wrinkles?

Before I can answer my question, my dad speaks "Some poor boy that Bella's got herself mixed with." He rolls his eyes away from me and to Axe "A bad influence is what he'll be"

He huffs and goes back to his conversation. I don't speak, and I don't look at anyone. My nerves are making me feel sick. I'm not sure what's worse, my dad being pissed about Nathan or Axel telling me we're not here for my birthday.

Nathan is just a sweet guy I met while picking up coffee, he knows my friend Scarlett and I got to know him too. I have no intentions on dating him or spending all my time with him like my dad thinks.

My actual plan is to set Nathan and Scarlett up. Although I think they can tell I want them to get together. I try to think of other things to distract me. I hadn't even noticed my leg bouncing underneath the table from anxiety.

When I look back up it's Axels eyes that meet mine, again. His leg brushes mine under the table. The slight movement made me relax a little, although I'm not sure he did it on purpose.

But I assume he did because he's not frowning anymore, if anything he looks sad or concerned. I can't tell though, I can't read him. He's the first to look away this time.

After we've finished our mains we order dessert. I ordered hot chocolate fudge cake. The tables conversation begins to go quieter for the first time tonight.

My dad clears his throat and looks at me, all eyes on the table move to him. Complete silence.

"Although we're here for my beautiful Bellas birthday tonight, we'd like to give her a present. Or some big news" he winks across the table to Axels dad.

A/N

Heyyy. How's it going? Second chapter already 🤭