How to Steal a Heart

~ Chapter 9 ~

AXEL'S POV

It's been three days

Three full days

I haven't talked to her or seen her since our argument. I could laugh at myself if I wasn't so upset. I tried to tell myself that Victoria was just a phase. I would soon remove those striking blue eyes from my conscience. 

The reality was: I felt bad. 

I should've never said anything to her. I should've just held her and kept quiet. Then when I fucked up, my ego didn't even allow me to run after her. It's just that my emotions were mixed. After the way, she left me high and dry at the party. Then to find her crying on an old swing set. My mind was in a haze and I was acting on pure instinct. 

The sound of a chain-breaking catches my attention, "Shit!"

My punching bag was on the ground. I let out a few more colorful words before shoving the bag aside. I had a match tonight. It wasn't a big one, but I wasn't focused. My mind was elsewhere. I've been training since twelve-thirty when I realized Victoria had not planned on showing up to school today. I wanted to apologize to her. Even if I didn't end up apologizing I wanted to see her. Set eyes on her, make sure she was okay. 

"Get your head right!" Romano's voice boomed from the overhead track. "I didn't bet on you for you to be distracted. You will pay if you lose tonight." 

I fucking hate the grumpy bastard

But he was my boss and I had bills to pay. I don't even look at him as I sit on the bench to get water. I clench and unclench my jaw. 

I just wanted to get a glimpse of her goddamnit! Just a look, then I'd be fine. 

"What the hell is going on with you?" Kaiden asks, sitting next to me on the bench. Kaiden was the only other person out of the boys that fought. The rest kept to racing and other activities. 

Tyler nudges him, "He's thinking about that girl."

I roll my eyes at them. I don't know how I managed to steer clear of the blue-eyed beauty all these years. I was definitely sure that I was aware of her presence a little more than she was of mine. Jace, Kaiden's brother, told us about a hot girl that handed him his ass a few days ago. He took a picture and sent it to us. He was shocked, never before having to deal with a girl getting testy with him.

Then we saw her in the library that same day. Now it seems we always cross paths. She infuriates me to the fullest extent, yet I still continue to go out of my way for her attention. 

"I can't focus," I sigh, rubbing my face. "That was her last night."

We were there for a gathering, discussing the match that was to go on today. Kaiden was talking to a guy that had been giving us problems. That was the only reason we were there. Halfway through I heard soft sniffles. I originally thought it was a little girl, after all, we were at a playground. When I turned the corner I saw the silhouette of a female that I hadn't stopped thinking about. Even in the dark, I could recognize her. 

"It was? What was wrong?" Noah's face etched in concern, I felt a spark of aggravation. I slowly back that feeling away. I know he didn't mean it like that and if he did I shouldn't care. 

"She wouldn't tell me, then we got in an argument." I sigh loudly, again cursing myself for my actions the previous night. 

"Bro, how do you go from giving her puppy eyes all night to arguing with her?" Tyler sits on the ground in front of me. He was exaggerating a bit with the puppy eyes part, but I won't deny - I most definitely was looking at her at the party. 

I shake my head, I didn't want to talk about it. 

"I need to fix that bag." I gesture to the bright red bag laying on the ground. 

"The match is in forty-five minutes."

<3

"Stone."

I made my way to the middle of the ring. The mat already smelled like sweat and blood. The lights were low, the crowd was loud. The guy that was against me matched my physique. If I could get my fucking mind in the ring, the match would be over in ten minutes. 

No matter how much I tried to ignore it or act like it wasn't happening. My eyes were still searching the crowd. They looked through all of the girls' faces, not satisfied. I knew she wasn't here. She'd never been here, so why was I now searching for her pretty blues?

The announcer shouted the signal.

The match had started

The guy punched me in my jaw immediately. I pushed all thoughts to the back of my head and let my anger rise. I retaliated by kicking the back of his knee. Punching him in the stomach, then his nose caught my knee. 

There was only one rule: No rules. 

He was fast, faster than me. However, I have more endurance than he has. He was new, throwing hard punches on the first round. I couldn't falt him, he wanted the fight to be over. I did too. 

I had taken him to the ground, he was pinned. He weakly tried to brace himself for the punches. I actually felt bad for him. I was throwing punch after punch. His face started to make my knuckles hurt. I was silently praying he would pass out or tap out soon. The last punch must've hit him at just the right angle as he was out cold. 

The ref pulled me off of him, holding my arm in the air. He was shouting encouraging words at the crowd as the poor boy was being carried out of the ring. The crowd's volume grew even louder if that was even possible. I couldn't help my eyes carrying over the crowd. Many faces, but none of them hers. 

I collect my money, walking roughly into my changing room. The young boy threw a few pretty powerful punch to my ribs, I was now starting to feel it. My lungs are cramping, I didn't even know that could happen.

Packing up my stuff has to be the worst part of this. After every match, you have to pack your belongings when all you really want to do is go home. I tried not to glance at the mirror, I could feel the heat in my jaw. I knew it would leave some kind of bruise. 

Maybe she'll ask about it-

That was dumb.

Why would she care?

The crazy thing is I would tell her the truth in a heartbeat, really anything to get her to talk to me again. The lovely banter we have can't end this soon, right? I let in and look at my jaw. It was pink with purple blotches. It wasn't bad just irritated, although, it would be leaving a bruise. 

However, the colors of my jaw weren't what caught my attention.

It was the mesmerizing blue eyes in the mirror looking back at me