The Corner Store

Chapter 34 - Since when do you know what 'rendered' meant?

Axel's POV:

The drive to our apartment felt weird. Landon was usually the one talking about a girl he met and I'd be nodding my head where I thought was appropriate. Today, he was silent. He didn't even make a joke about me sticking to the speed limit. I could tell that whatever happened to Lara today - or almost happened - really shook him. The Landon I know is there somewhere. The idiot who chokes on his own saliva or just by breathing wrong. The same idiot who dislocated his finger giving my little sister a pinky promise.

I haven't completely lost him, but he's slowly slipping away.

"She's okay, you know that, right?" I asked, filling in the unbearable silence.

He scoffed, the intensity of which left a fog cloud on the window.

"I warned her. I warned her about that guy. Something about him just doesn't feel right. But she's just so... so blind. So damn stubborn." He whispered out.

"I know, I never liked him either, but you can't just force her to listen...."

"Why the hell not!?" He shot out, catching me a little by surprise.

"Because you just can't, man. That's not how it works. The best you can do is just..."

"Please don't say 'watch her from afar' or some other bullshit I can break your nose for."

"Landon what else are you going to do? You had your chance, bro. Now you can either protect her from afar, or just let the whole thing go."

"Like hell I will. No one lays hands on Lara. I will end him."

His words dripped with venom and his tone was a little worrying. He usually wouldn't make good on threats, but knowing how much he cares for that girl, I don't think he would hesitate to actually murder him.

"Did you at least talk to her? When you went after her in to the house?"

"No, I couldn't say anything. All it took was one look man, and everything I wanted to say to her just disappeared from my mind. Just the fact that she was in front of me rendered me absolutely speechless."

I was dumbfounded for a second.

"Since when do you know what 'rendered' meant?"

Who is this dude?

"Shut up, Nikolson. You're not the only one who's in love. The only difference is that you have your girl, I still have to fight for mine."

"What is she supposed to do, read your mind? You can't even understand your own mind, you idiot. So wait, wait. What do you propose happens? She gets slammed in the head, fall into a coma, wake up with telekinetic powers to be able to read the thoughts you're too scared to even utter to yourself?"

I knew my words were merely adding fuel to the fire, but the faster he came to terms with the reality of the situation, the easier it'll be for him to face the inevitable - that he might have to let it go; let her go.

"You know me, I never believed this love nonsense, because gross, cooties, but she's different man; she gets me. We laugh at the same things, we like the same foods, even like the same shows. I would burn the whole world if it meant she gets to be warm, so seeing that nobody, that lowlife almost lay a hand on her? Lord knows what would've happened if you didn't stop me."

He was slowly going down the same path psychopaths go before they completely lose all objectivity.

"And do what exactly? Landon, do you hear yourself? I understand what you're going through but please, don't do anything our lawyer can't get you out of. If you're going to keep being like this then you need to man up and grow a spine. We're not mind readers, no one in this day and age picks up on social and behavioral cues unless you're studying a serial killer. So if you're too afraid to speak your mind and convey your feelings to her --to her face--like an adult, then you can't get mad when she doesn't read it for you."