Allergic to Roses

Third Wheel's Keep On Turnin'

Axel's POV

"Axel?"

I lifted my head up from my curled up position on the floor and my eyes widened slightly as I saw Harley walk out with Wesley next to her, his arm wrapped around her waist. My eyes trailed down to his hand and I felt a cloud of anger swirl up inside me.

I grinned a little and tried to act nonchalant towards Wesley being there, "Hey, Sparky."

She raised one of her eyebrows up, and smiled a little bit, "Want to tell me what you're doing outside of my apartment?"

I didn't have an answer for that. In the moments before this, waiting for her seemed like a good idea, but now, not so much.

"Actually, I was waiting for Jordan." The lie slipped out easy, and I didn't think twice before spilling it.

Her eyes narrowed a little bit and she immediately turned around, Wesley's arm falling limply back to his side as she stormed through the door frame.

"What was that about?" Wesley asked me.

I shrugged, "I don't know, man."

Thirty seconds of awkward silence later, and I saw Harley's head re-appear in the door, Jordan by her side. I began to tap my foot slightly, trying to get rid of the nervousness creeping up inside of me.

"Uh, hey, Jordan," I said, giving her an awkward wave of my hand.

She smiled warmly, "Hey." I motioned for her to follow me to the elevator, and I pressed the button. "I'm in my pajamas..." she said lightly.

"It's all good."

Wesley and Harley jumped in the elevator after us, and I sighed as I realized Jordan was going to have to actually come back to Duncan and I's place if I was going to fully get away with my lie.

When the elevator dinged, I muttered a small 'bye' to Harley and Wesley, but didn't hear anything back as steel the elevator doors shut.

Jordan shrugged off my hand which had crept up and held hers and she stared at me with her eyes wide and nostrils flaring as soon as we heard the elevator start moving again. We were outside Duncan and I's apartment, the door in front of us.

I pointed at her face, "That isn't a very attractive expression."

My comment only seemed to make her more mad, as she brought her hands up and mimicked them chocking something. "This, is going to be your neck if you don't tell me why the hell you included me in your little plan to win Harley back."

I shook my head a little, "Win? I practically already have her."

Jordan's eyebrows shot up and she snorted, "Dude. She isn't anywhere close to liking you, not after you got all cocky and macho."

"What the hell does 'macho' mean?"

"It means, like to be, uh...I-" she was struggling trying to find words to describe it. She suddenly sighed and dropped her hands back down to her sides, "I don't really know how to describe it. I guess like thinking you're all tough?"

I rolled my eyes before turning towards the door and loudly rapping my knuckles against it three times.

"Did you forget your keys again?" Duncan's voice yelled through the door, slightly muffled by the inches of wood.

I ignored his question, "I've got a surprise for you!"

Jordan's eyes widened as she realized I was talking about her and she looked down. She was wearing a ratty Yankees t-shirt that had multiple holes in it and you could see a bright red bra underneath. She also had on spandex and she suddenly flushed bright red from the lack of clothes she was actually wearing. "I look like a hooke- Hey Duncan."