Running From The Big Bad Wolf

7.

Avoiding Axel was getting harder and harder and so was me convincing myself that he was a bad wolf.

Axel was everywhere. The kitchen, the sitting room, the hallways upstairs. Even the private sitting room mum stopped using when dad left. He was everywhere. So I stayed in my room. I used my bathroom. But I wouldn't let a handful of strange people in my house interrupt my routine.

I still washed my clothes. I still ate my food in the dining room. I still lounged on the couch reading in the sitting room. But whenever I saw or heard him, I would get up and leave. I didn't want to stay in my room all the time though. It made me feel like a little girl being grounded.

I could feel myself ripping in to two. One side is confusion on why I'm feeling the way I am when ever I saw Axel. The fast beating heart, the shortness of breath, mucking my words up, unable to think clearly and the blush that I was mortified on having.

The other half was also confusion but hurt and despair, trying to hold my pain away. I wanted my brother. I wanted to hug him and tell him everything. I wanted Eli back.

I was sitting, slowly picking at my food, knowing that Axel already ate and that was the only reason why I came down. To eat alone. I was still getting those dreams, they were so vivid and felt like it was reality. O would wake up gasping, panting. A thin layer of sweat on my skin and sleep long gone.

I was once again caught up in those dreams, not even noticing that I stopped eating, staring off in to space.

"Caitlyn!" I heard someone snap and fingers clicking in front of my face as I shook my head.

I slowly lifted my eyes to the owner. "Are you okay? I've been calling out to you for a while now."

Suddenly I blushed. I don't even know why. So to cover it up, I snapped. It was that or ramble on. "What do you want?"

Axel raised his hands in surrender. "Hey. To talk?" Then I noticed the bottle on the table. I frowned as I read the label. "Bourbon?" Axel actual looked like he needed one.

"I don't drink." I said flatly, pushing my plate away. I had barely touched my dinner and it was cold.

But Axel went to the kitchen and came back with two glasses and an ice tray. I hate that he just helps himself. I watched silently as he dropped the ice in to the glass tumblers and then added the bourbon.

I stood up, the chair scrapping the bottom of the floor against the floorboards.

"Sit." Axel said without looking at me. I glared at him and he sighed. "Please, sit."

Hesitantly, I sat back down, wearily watching him. He was too close to me. Even though he was two seats away at the table, he was still too close.

Axel handed me the gold liquid in the glass and I mumbled out a thanks but didn't drink it.

"Look, I know how much you hate the situation. Trust me, I'm not a fan either." Axel told me as he swirled the glass around.

I had to give him credit, we both didn't like the situation. "Was it part of the deal?" I asked blankly, remembering his words from the other day.

Axel glared at me with narrowed eyes. "How do you know about that?"

I finally picked up the glass and smelt it before tasting it. It burnt the back of my throat and I hissed it down. "You said something the other day, in the laundry." I told him, staring him down.

Then Axel's face softened.

"What is this deal?"

"That I will look after you for your brother."

I took another sip, ignoring the sensation it left in my throat. "Well, you'll be happy to know that it will come to an end very soon."

Axel frowned, cradling his drink. "Why would that be?"

That made me frown in return. "Well, you said you took over Eli's guardianship of me. That guardianship ends when I'm of legal age." I shrugged, staring at the liquid in the glass.

"When is that then?"

"In five weeks." I downed the rest of the drink and placed the glass on the table. I went to give out an excuse to leave but Axel poured me another drink.

"I don't-"

"Here." He cut me off, moving the glass back to me. Sighing, I accepted it.

"Why are there so many people here?" I asked Axel and I saw how he thought about it.

"They work for me."

"Well, duh. But why are they here all the time. What are they? Security? Body guards?"

Axel didn't answer. Instead, he swallowed what was left of his drink. We sat in an awkward -well, I was feeling awkward- silence, sipping the bourbon in our glasses.

"So, what had your attention earlier?" Axel asked me suddenly and I could feel my cheeks heat up again.

"Nothing." I mumbled in to my glass, taking the large mouthful and placing the empty tumbler on the table and sighed. "I miss Eli."

Axel waited for me to continue and I really didn't want to elaborate but in a way, I felt I had to. "Eli raised me. He helped me with my homework. He cooked dinners and packed lunches and walked me to school, even if he was going to be late. He is my best friend and I miss him. I miss talking to my big brother." I finally let out, picking up the bourbon and pouring another drink.

"To be honest, Caitlyn, I don't know where he is. He was suppose to contact me weeks ago and he didn't. That's why I'm here."

I shrugged my shoulders and took the glass. I'm a shy person, I don't talk much, but this whole fake confidence I was having was slipping and it was getting tiring.

"My mother died when I was thirteen to cancer. Eli was seventeen, my age now. He had to grow up real quick, pause his childhood from as long as I could remember. While he raised me, mum worked two jobs just to afford this place." I don't know why I'm opening up but it felt good talking to someone about it. Maybe it's the alcohol. I've never had alcohol before tonight.

"So where was your father?"

"He isn't a father." I snorted. "More like a sperm donor. He left when I was about five or six. Haven't seen or heard from him since."

Then it was silence again.