The Fighter *ON HIATUS*

Chapter Nine: Party

"So, are you ready to go to a party in a few days?" Axel asked the next day after school while we were working out. I was running on the treadmill while he was next to me, controlling the speed.

"Ugh, I don't know. I just agreed to it because Lillian wanted to go with Kyle... I don't even think I have anything to wear."

"Mm, good point, I've seen your closet..."

"Hey!"

"Sorry. You know I'm right though..." He trailed off, thinking for a minute, before suddenly hitting the stop button on the treadmill. "Alright, go get changed. We're going to go shopping."

"Wait, what?"

"We're getting you something to wear for the party! Come on!"

My eyes widened, and I quickly went to the locker room, changing back into the clothes I had been wearing that day. When I went back out, Axel was already changed and waiting for me. "Are you sure we want to do this? I mean, I don't have to..."

"Come on, it'll be fun, and you'll look hot for the party." My jaw dropped, and he smirked, turning around and beginning to walk to the exit. I hurried after him, deciding not to respond and looking down, trying to cover my blush.

We drove most of the fifteen minutes that it took to get to the mall in silence. My mind was racing from what he said, slightly upset that he would only think that about me if I wore different clothes. Finally, he said, "I'm sorry if what I said was weird..."

"Oh, it's fine..." We sat in silence for another little while. "I mean... You don't think I could look hot if I didn't get a new dress?"

"No! Shit, that wasn't what I meant..."

"It's fine! I mean, you don't need to call me hot or anything, you're with Raven, and girls like her are hot and girls like me aren't and..."

"Delilah!" Axel interrupted, laughing. "First of all, I'm not with Raven... Second, you are hot... We're just friends, so I don't want you to think I'm creepy for saying anything like that..."

I instantly felt the heat rushing to my face. "I, uh, I don't think you're creepy for saying that... No guy has ever said that about me. So, thank you..."

"Really? No guy? Not Landon or the guy you had sex with?"

I laughed at that. "No. Landon wasn't that kind of guy. He rarely complimented me... And the guy I slept with... We barely talked. It wasn't anything romantic. More like a business contract."

"Wow, super sexy."

"Oh, I know."

He chuckled as he pulled into a parking spot. "Alright, let's go, Delilah."

We walked around the mall until we found a store that sold clothes that he saw that might be good. He piled clothes into my arms to try on in the dressing room. The first dress was a floral skater dress that went down to my knees. "You look cute," he said, looking me up and down. "But that's no fun," he smirked. I went back into the dressing room, next trying on a t-shirt dress, which Axel decided was too casual. Next, I tried on a black strappy bodycon dress. "Well, well, well," Axel said when I got out of the dressing room. "It looks like third time might be the charm..."

"Really?" I asked, going over to the mirror and looking at myself. The dress clung to my body, showed off the little cleavage I had, and made my butt look better than I had seen it before. "Are you sure it's not too much?"

"I'm positive. You look... sexy, Delilah." I covered my face as I felt myself blushing, and he came up behind me, grabbing my hands and taking them away from my face. "It's not a bad thing! I think we should get this one, but if you don't like it, we can get something you like."