Axel's Daisy

37 • Axel

  "We're leaving for Massachusetts. Do you want to come with us?" Mom asked.

  "You're leaving me here?" I stood up, moving closer to her. She avoided my gaze, her lips pressed thin and her face sour.

  "You don't actually want me to come with you," I seethed.

  Scott appeared behind her, his face set in a scowl. "Listen here, kid, we've had enough of your childish tantrums. Either you stay here or come with us," he sneered.

  I glanced briefly at him, then back at Mom, who had an almost sorrowful expression that hardened when she met my gaze.

  "Scott's right. Make a choice," she said, hands on her hips, her scowl harsh.

  "Fuck you both. Get out of my life."

  Suddenly, she revealed a knife she had hidden behind her back. I fought with all my strength, but she slashed me across the neck.

  Waking from a nightmare felt like being pulled from a turbulent sea to the calm of a moonlit shore. My breath came in ragged gasps, each exhale a desperate plea to leave the horrors behind. I sat up to calm my racing heart, but the chill of the nightmare lingered, a haunting touch on my skin.

  After I eased the tension, I turned to see Daisy sleeping beside me. Her chest rose and fell with the gentle rhythm of a lullaby, each breath a soft symphony in the quiet of the afternoon. Wisps of hair framed her face like tendrils of an angel, her eyelids fluttering as she dreamt. A faint smile played on her lips, secrets whispered by the night. Her fingers curled around the blanket, and her eyelashes rested softly against her under-eyelids.

  She was the only world I wanted to be in. I touched her cheek with the back of my hand, capturing the moment in my mind. I wanted to remember her just like this.

  You're so obsessed with her. My conscience teased, but I couldn't help but smile at the sleeping beauty.

  Suddenly, I noticed the mess in the room. Shards of glass glinted ominously, scattered like fractured constellations—remnants of a shattered mirror. Clothes were strewn on the floor, and the closet doors were cracked. I felt guilty for destroying Brady's room, but I didn't remember all the details, only that alcohol had been involved.

  I decided not to wake Daisy and quietly padded to the bathroom to clean up. I took a quick shower to wash away the sweat and changed into black pants and a shirt.

  My phone vibrated with a text from Brady.

  Coach was angry that you missed practice. I told him you were sick today.

   I had forgotten about practice. I looked at myself in the mirror, dismayed. My eyes were dull, weariness heavy beneath my eyelids. My cheeks were flushed, and my nose was slightly red. My hair was pushed back, showing the wrinkles on my forehead.

  Another message pinged on my phone.

By the way, how are you now? I wanted to check up on you, but you were asleep with Destiny.

  I was grateful to have a brother figure like Brady. In many ways, Brady completed me just as I completed him. Our bond was strong, and we clicked easily, our friendship envied by others.

I'm fine now, just need to clean up the mess I made. Sorry about that, bro.

  I replied, and moments later, another text arrived.

  Don't worry about it. I called a cleaner to help you

  Another reason I was thankful for Brady—he seemed to read my mind. Cleaning up the shards and the mess of my shattered heart would have taken too long.

  True to his word, the cleaner arrived. I gave her an uneasy smile as she surveyed the chaos and the sleeping Daisy. I hoped she didn't misunderstand the situation as I avoided eye contact. She might think we were into some kind of masochism.

  Daisy stirred in her sleep, turning to the other side before waking up. She grabbed her phone from the dresser and sent a text. The tension left her shoulders as she sighed in relief.

  "I ditched work, and Indigo covered for me. They finished work already," she explained when she saw my puzzled look. I had forgotten she worked today.

  "It's a good thing we have loyal friends," I teased, and she laughed while nodding. She blushed as the cleaner finished picking up the glass and clothes.

  The cleaner left quickly, not waiting for us to thank her or tip her.

   I went to Daisy as she stood and stretched. Her arms wrapped around me, and I kissed her forehead. We held each other for a while before she excused herself to brush her teeth with my extra toothbrush and freshen up. She still managed to look good.

  "How about a movie night at home?" I suggested.

  Her eyes lit up at the idea. "Yeah, sure. Let's do that."

  Her stomach grumbled, and she blushed, making me chuckle.

  We laced our fingers together as we went downstairs to the kitchen. I gathered ingredients from the fridge and told her to sit at the table. She sat next to me, swaying her legs as I made a sandwich with cheddar slices, tomato, and lettuce, then placed it in the toaster.

  "I make a mean cheese sandwich. You'll be licking your fingers," I promised as I worked between her legs.

  She poked my nose with a dreamy smile. "I'll be the judge of that. It'll be like a competition between you and Dad," she teased.

  I winked at her as her blush deepened. "How is your dad, by the way?" I asked as she wrapped her hands around my neck, playing with the ends of my hair.

  "He's optimistic about the situation. We ran tests, and it turns out it's a small tumor. Dr. Samuel suggested he stay on meds until the chemotherapy later."

  "That's good news, Daisy," I commented brightly.

  "Yes, but I have a crazy idea," she said as I removed the sandwich from the toaster and placed it on a plate.

  "What is it?" I asked.

  "I want to set Dad up on a date with a woman," she announced.