How It Began (Axel x Olivia)

Chapter 17

Axel's PoV

I skidded to a stop, out of breath. I found it. Jesse had lived in a wooden house, far away from the town and on a hill. It seemed like a good place where lightning could strike. I got off my bike, and took a look around the broken shack. The were fallen wooden beams and a few burnt wood scattered here and there.

But now I had lost my chance. I didn't know where Jesse lived currently. He was a strange person but still my best friend otherwise. I turned to see a sign which read, "Work in Progress".

"I wish I had that sign whenever I'm sleeping in class, so our teachers won't call on me." I jumped and spun around to see Jesse, examining the sign behind me. "Jeez, Jesse. At least make some noise when you walk." I said, nearly having a heart attack.

"Why?" Jesse laughed, more like this usual self again, "Do you want to hang a bell around my neck?" I grinned and elbowed him. "And how are you?" I asked, bending down to pat Reuben's little fluffy head. Jesse shrugged, and kicked a piece of stone away. "The usual. My mom still doesn't like me so what's new?" he said dejectedly.

"Well... my mom-." I stopped, realising that what I was about to say sound rather rude. Like I was telling him that I had a mom who cared for me and making Jesse jealous. I looked away, scuffling the ground with my foot. "I was working on the house, and it looks pretty much like how I imagined it to be." Jesse smiled, as if relieved that I didn't finish my sentence.

I turned to him, excited. "Can I see?" I asked, making him laugh. "Sure, lets go." Jesse said, leading the way.

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"Someone's been here." Jesse said, kneeling on the hard wooden floor. "What?" I asked, looking at Jesse as he pointed to a muddy footprint on the floor. Jesse narrowed his eyes and stood up.

"Is this person knows where the treehouse is, then it's not really a secret hideout anymore, right?" Jesse said as Reuben sneezed, his little sneeze echoing around the clearing. "Well, then we can move it." I said, making Jesse smirk. "Yeah Axel," he said, "Let's move the whole tree somewhere else with my amazing tree lifting powers."

I rolled my eyes, laughing. "First you think that I can talk to trees then now you think I can lift trees." Jesse said, and I smiled. However, for a second, he winced, and blinked a little too hard. "You-." I started to say when he sighed.
"No." Jesse said, finally seeming to give in. "I don't know what's wrong with me." Jesse continued solemnly.I sighed. "None of us do."

-End