Lily & Axel

Chapter 2 - Are We Just Friends?

"Merry Christmas!"

The entire house was decorated festively, filled to the brim with white, green and red. There was even a plump man in a red suit handing out gifts to each and every one of the guests at 7-2's Christmas party at Rachel's mansion of a home.

Soft footsteps approached.

"Hey Axel... thanks for inviting me. This party has been really fun and I'm really glad all of our class could make it."

I looked over my shoulder and Lily was standing there staring at me, shining more brightly than usual due to her white one piece dress. She was holding a wine glass filled with a dark red cranberry juice and when she noticed my gaze, she smiled.

"Thanks for coming."

She continued to smile at me but was soon after dragged away by Wendy and the other girls so I ended up rejoining William and the boys. They were discussing about a ball that was gonna go down later that night and how the girls were definitely waiting to be asked out. I turned to look at Lily and thought about if she was like that.

But nah, Lily wouldn't be waiting for anyone.

As the night progressed, guys were asking girls to be their dance partners and the number of non-paired people dwindled until only 6 in the class were left... 2 of which were me and Lily.

I approached Lily who was leaning against the wall closest to the drinks, awkwardly shifting closer and closer until I was standing side by side with her. I really wanted to dance with her (mostly because it'd give me a free chance to hold her) but the words wouldn't come out.

Lily... would you give me the pleasure of dancing with you?

The words... they rung and filled up my head but I couldn't do it.

"Why aren't you dancing with the others Axel?"

Of course, like always Lily was able to break me free of my self induced restraints.

"I... well I couldn't find someone to dance with."

My eyes were cast to the ground. I was so nervous and embarrassed that I couldn't dare to see Lily's expression.

Peek.

Lily made eye contact with me and I fell backwards, astonished by her sudden appearance from below. She smiled at me before she started to speak.

"You know... if --"

"Lily would you be my partner for the dance?"

A boy from our class named Tom had approached. He held out his hand towards Lily and gestured at her to take it. She hesitated a little, looked at me and quietly waited for affirmation.

I wasn't sure why she wanted me to give permission but I quietly nodded and she took his hand before being led to the ballroom. After they entered through the door way, I slumped against the wall, my heart had sank and my head ringing and my vision blurry, an aftermath of the shock I just had.

"It's over now," I sighed.

After looking like a guy drunk and depressed during his mid life crisis, I got up and decided to go home.

Huff. Huff.

Heavy footsteps stormed behind me before a pair of hands grabbed my shoulder. William, out of breath and panting like crazy had stopped me from leaving.

"Where's Lily and where are you going?"

I pointed towards the ballroom door.

"Tom asked her to dance with him."

William could see the tears forming and didn't pry anymore.

"Axel. Hey, just stay for the food afterwards. I'll keep you company."

I didn't want to accept his sentiment. I really didn't.

But I gave in and nodded.

The ball finished soon after and everyone quickly gathered back in the adjacent dining hall for the last bit of food to come out. I stood around with William and some others, still shaken by Tom interrupting Lily and asking her to dance. Shaken by my cowardice and not saying that I was already her partner. Wanting to see her, I scanned the room but she wasn't anywhere to be found or seen.

It seems that Lily had left early with Tom after the ball.

William could tell how I was feeling and grabbed me a plate of food before walking me home. We talked the entire way, obviously his way of taking my mind off of things.

"Don't give up just because you think it's over."

I looked at William and he grinned, and when we reached my house he slapped my back as I walked through the gate.

"If you don't do anything, she won't know anything either."

I turned back and William waved, before heading off home himself. I slapped my cheeks and decided that during the Christmas break I'd become more courageous and find the chance to ask Lily out.

The next day I woke up to find out that for the break my family and extended family were going to head to a family villa.

I sighed, falling onto my bed and staring at my phone.

How could this day get any worse?

Sad about not being able to hang out with my friends during the break, I went onto Twitter to see what people were doing.

"Ah, so a lot of pairings hooked up after the dance."

Most of the recent tweets were about my classmates starting to date their dance partners and that they were going to spend the day together.

Sigh. How nice.

I scrolled down a little more and my heart fell, sinking even more than the night before. My lips shook, as I read the caption out loud.

"First date with Lily... we hit it off... during Rachel's party... thanks for inviting us..."

It can get worse.