Heart Strings|GirlxGirl

Planning The Future

Axel sat on the edge of the couch, her guitar resting on her knee, untouched. Her fingers traced over the neck absentmindedly as her mind wandered. She had been thinking about Freya nonstop lately. Her smile. The way she made Axel feel like the world could be put back together, piece by piece. But there was a shift inside Axel now—a realization, as clear as day—that it was time. Time to make it official. Time to put everything she had into something that mattered more than anything else.

Freya. She wanted to be hers. She wanted the world to know. She was tired of sitting on the sidelines, unsure, waiting. Axel needed to do something about it. But how?

She picked up her phone and texted Lia, sitting across from her in the band’s shared living space, deep in conversation with Mino. They had been talking for hours, as they often did, discussing the intricacies of their relationships and the way things had changed over the past few months. Axel couldn’t keep it in any longer. She needed to talk about it, to get it out.

Axel: "Lia, can we talk?"

It didn’t take long before Lia's response popped up, brief but telling.

Lia: "Of course. What's up?"

Axel leaned back in her seat, glancing at Mino, who had been quietly strumming his bass. They were in the middle of a jam session, but Axel couldn’t focus. Her heart was pounding too fast. She had to get this right. Her mind buzzed with the idea of asking Freya out, making things official, but it felt like so much. She wasn’t sure how to navigate it, how to say the words.

Just as she was about to type again, Lia stood up and walked over, sitting beside Axel. Her gaze was soft, understanding, and Axel couldn’t help but feel grateful for her.

“You’ve been distracted all morning,” Lia said, her voice casual but not dismissive. “What’s going on?”

Axel hesitated for a second, then let out a breath. “I think... I think I want to make things official with Freya. I mean, I know we’ve been spending time together, and things are... good, but I want to make it real. I want to be her girlfriend, you know?”

Lia’s eyes softened with a knowing look. She’d seen Axel and Freya grow closer, but she hadn’t expected Axel to actually voice it. She could tell that Axel had been carrying the weight of these feelings for a while.

“That’s huge,” Lia said quietly. “But I get it. You’ve been dancing around it for a while, and it’s clear you care about her. But it’s not just about telling her. It’s about making sure you’re both ready for it. You want to know that she’s in the same place.”

Axel nodded, running a hand through her hair. “I’m not even sure what the next step is. I mean... how do I even ask her? What if she’s not ready, or what if it messes up what we already have?”

Lia smiled gently, placing a hand on Axel’s shoulder. “There’s no right or wrong way to do it, Axel. But you have to be honest with her. Tell her how you feel. Don’t hide it. If you want her to be yours, then you have to tell her. And then just see where it goes from there.”

Mino, who had been listening from across the room, put down his bass and walked over. He glanced at Axel and Lia, then joined them on the couch. “What are we talking about?” he asked, his voice was light but curious.

Axel let out a soft laugh, relieved that Mino wasn’t shying away from the conversation. “I think I’m ready to make things official with Freya. But I’m not sure how to go about it. What if she doesn’t feel the same?”

Mino leaned back, his expression thoughtful. “Look, you’ve been spending all this time with her. She’s your person, right? Then she probably feels the same. People don’t just open up to someone the way she has with you unless they want something more. If it’s what you want, go for it.”

Axel nodded, but a knot of nerves still lingered in her stomach. “I guess I’ve been thinking about it for a while. But actually saying it... it’s different. What if she doesn’t want that from me?”

Lia glanced at Mino, then back at Axel. “You’ve been through a lot together. You’ve both been patient. Maybe it’s time you stop holding back. You’ve already proven that you’re both willing to invest in this, so just take the leap.”

Mino raised an eyebrow. “And if you’re really unsure, just remember that you can always make her feel special, right? A little surprise wouldn’t hurt. Maybe do something that’s completely unexpected. It’s not always about the grand gesture—it’s about showing her you’re serious.”

Axel bit her lip, her mind racing. “Yeah, maybe. But what if she’s not ready for that? What if I push her too far, too soon?”

Lia gave Axel a soft smile. “Then you take a step back. But I don’t think you have to worry about that. Just be genuine. That’s all she’s going to want. Be yourself.”

Axel looked at her friends, her support system. They had been through so much together, and in this moment, she realized they were right. She didn’t have to overthink it. She didn’t have to plan out every detail. It was about being honest with Freya, about letting her know how she felt.

With a deep breath, Axel smiled. “Okay. Yeah, I’m going to do it. I’ll talk to her. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page. No more waiting. No more second-guessing.”

Lia and Mino exchanged looks, then grinned. “You’ve got this,” Mino said, his voice reassuring. “Just don’t overthink it too much.”

Axel nodded, feeling a sense of clarity she hadn’t felt before. Maybe this wasn’t going to be as hard as she’d made it out to be. Maybe she was just getting in her own way. It was time to let Freya know what she felt, to take that step, and see where it led.

And maybe, just maybe, she would finally find the answer she’d been searching for all along.

With a smile, Axel stood up, her resolve strengthening. She was ready. Ready for the next chapter. Ready to make Freya hers.