Axel's Daisy

10 • Destiny

It was like something switched in him.

  Axel wasn't the Axel I knew anymore.

Over the next two days, he was stone cold to everyone, even nearly coming to blows with his team at practice. There was something off about him. His deadly eyes threatened his friends and anyone who attempted to approach him. Only Brady could stand by his side, grappling him into the locker room.

It was the end of my classes, and I waited for Jade on the vacant bleachers. She was half an hour late, and I had an extra practice lesson at the center for review.

Today was an outcast day. Black clouds sprawled across the sky, billowing in from the west. Their brassy glare drained color from houses and trees and burnished cars in driveways, leaving neighborhoods tinted bronze in the faltering light. The air grew heavy, and the humidity pressed down, suffocating.

The news had reported that it would rain heavily today, but I wasn't aware it would start so soon. The guys huddled together, and the coach told them there would be no training tomorrow due to the bad weather.

"School's canceled tomorrow," Jade's excited voice announced. Then she saw me and pouted. "Just don't think about him. He's a jerk anyway."

We watched the guy who flung his helmet onto the grass.

If only she knew the hidden side of him. The amazing side of him.

Mrs. Alberta called to say that today's practice was postponed. Panic enveloped my body as I bit my lower lip; the review was in three days.

"Don't worry, honey. You'll do great," she comforted me before we ended the call.

Amid Jade's endless chatter as we strolled to the parking lot, the nervous buzz in my brain was a clear sign that I had a lot on my plate. With Axel's mood swings, finals, and the flower review day, I was exhausted.

The floods of what happened replayed in my mind.

I had smiled for the picture, but it was wiped away by the hurt that flickered through his eyes when he saw something on his phone. My heart stopped when a tear managed to make its way down his cheek. I had the instinct to wrap my arms around him and hold him.

The warmth in his eyes faded as he bashed his phone into the plants and sprinted out of the fields. But the look in his eyes told me I was a stranger, and that hurt.

For some reason, it hurt too much.

I had taken his phone the other day; it was still in my dark blue bag. It didn't work—I was really intrigued by why he acted that way. It had to be more than just a silly breakup, right?

I hoped I was right. Nobody knew I had his phone, and I wanted to help him, even if it meant spending some savings to fix it.

He really had good aim.

Jade was my ride for the day since my Honda was having issues. She played some horrible beats as she drove slowly to avoid accidents on the road. I didn't worry about dad; he had his fishing friends over to keep him company. Still, I texted him to let him know I was going to Jade's house.

"The gala was so glamorous—it made the red carpets look shabby," she said, as if she were there again. Her dreamy eyes shone as if she had won the lottery. "And the dresses, Desti, were the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

"Even more than Brady?"

   She gave a mischievous smile. "Yes. I really want to become a fashion designer like mom."

Whenever she mentioned her mom, her face brightened up.

"Watch out!" I screamed as I braced myself for the inevitable, along with Jade's fearful yell.

Her BMW was out of control, making a sharp turn. The wind buffeted our faces, and the smell of the engine filled the car. Fortunately, it was a low-impact collision, but the guy on the other side, known for his quiff, lay on the ground beside his car.

We were lucky it was a low-impact collision due to Jade's careful driving, but the dark smoke from the other car made it clear he wasn't okay. The door was shattered, and it seemed another car had brushed against his on the highway.

I hurried over to him while Jade remained in her seat, massaging her neck and resting her head against the steering wheel. I turned his body over and examined him. He had a swollen nose, deepening wrinkles under his eyes, and injured cheekbones. I gasped when his eyes suddenly opened. The amber in them swirled, capturing me in his solemn gaze.

"Oh my god, Axel!" Jade confirmed my thoughts as she placed a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.

"Call an ambulance fast. He's dizzy and might pass out any moment."

"On it," she said as she dialed for emergency services.

His eyes were blank and terrifyingly vacant. He started to shiver. The pain seemed like a hot, sharp knife covered in salt, slicing through his skin, muscles, and bones, as if lightning had struck him from head to toe.

   I could feel his pain as I supported his body in my arms. I wasn't going to let him feel the loneliness my mom felt when she was alone.