Broken

People Can Change

 

May sipped her smoothie and looked around the restaurant, looking for Axel. He had promised to meet her there to hang out and get to know each other. The only things she knew about him was that he was English, loved music, and was gay. The only things he knew about her was that she was American, went to an art college, and had absolutely no love life.

As she was looking around, she spotted a familiar face. Matt. Oh God, what was he doing here? When May looked closer, he saw Blair hanging off his arm, in skin-tight jeans and a low-cut red top that flaunted her fake D-cups. Matt was clad in a gray T-shirt and and light-washed jeans. His dark hair was styled into that "just-rolled-out-of-bed" look. May had to admit, he looked hot.

But what was Blair doing with him? May had thought he could do better than fake blondes like her. Wait, why was she concerned with Matt's love life? They were just friends...right?

She watched as Matt and Blair sat down at a table on the other side of the café. Blair was talking to Matt, but he wasn't listening. Instead he looked up and caught May's eye. They looked at each other for a few moments, their gazes never wavering. So much passed between them, even though they weren't even speaking. Finally, Matt turned away and faced Blair as she kept prattling on about herself.

A few minutes after the stare-down, Axel showed up, plopping down in the chair opposite May. His long legs didn't fit under the table, however, so he had to scoot back a little to stretch them, and they still stuck out a little on May's side of the table.

"Sorry I was a bit late," he apologized, his cheeks flush. "Chris delayed me...if you know what I mean." At this, Axel gave her a sly smile and a wink.

May laughed and studied him some more. Sure enough, there were a few hickeys on the side of his neck, his pink lips were a little swollen, and his hair was mussed.

"I feel like a father saying this," he began, "but how was your first day of school?"

"It was great," she said sarcastically. "I almost got in fight, some egotistical guy keeps bothering me, and I'm stuck with him for the rest of the semester."

"No need to be bitter, Little Red," Axel said, chuckling when she glared at him. Why is it that everyone came up with that nickname for her? It only made her think of Matt, sitting across the café from her.

"That's what he calls me," May found herself saying.

"Come again?" Axel questioned, a puzzled look on his face.

"That's what the guy at school calls me," she supplied.

"Lovesick, are we?" he replied, raising one eyebrow.

May blushed scarlet. "No, I just..." She trailed off. "Anyway, how was your day?"

"If you call losing your job and your keyboardist a good day, then yes, it was marvelous," Axel said bitterly.

"You lost your keyboardist?" May said. Realization dawned on her face. "Oh, you're in a band, aren't you?"

Axel grinned. "Lead singer and guitarist."

"Well, if it helps any, I'm a keyboardist," May said sheepishly.

Axel's face lit up. "If you can play Someone Like You by Adele in A and in C, you're in."

"I can play those, plus in G," May said with a smirk and a glint in her eyes.

Axel laughed. "Look out, we've got a bad-ass over here."

May laughed along with him. It felt so good to actually have a real friend. Nobody wanted to be her friend in high school due to what had happened in eighth grade. Guys had sometimes approached her to ask her out during senior year, but she had always turned them down without a second thought.