How to Steal a Heart

~ Chapter 22 ~

"You do this shit every other week!"

Axel's grey eyes blazing into mine. His face was merely inches away from mine, yet I wasn't threatened. I have been yearning to hear how he feels, as I feel half of our conversations are one-sided. 

"One day you're vulnerable the next day you're pushing me off. If I wasn't so fucking hard-headed, we'd probably never talk," He lifts me to the counter, placing his hands on either side of me. 

"You make it so fucking hard to care about you!"

This line hit, not because it was hurtful, but because it's eye-opening. Not once did it cross my mind that Axel was genuine about caring. I had been pushing him away. 

"I know!" I yell back at up, my hands go to press against my temple as I can feel a trainwreck of a headache coming along. 

"Axel-," I cut myself off with an aggressive sigh, "Fuck."

"This shouldn't be so goddamn hard!" I push him away so that I could pace across the kitchen floor. I needed air, I needed to breathe.

"I'm living a constant lie and I have been for years. Press conference after press conference and social gathering after school gathering. I fake this perfect life," I continue to pace the floor as Axel leans on his counters with his arms crossed. "Somehow the only person that notices is you,"

"And I can't figure it out," I pause and face him. 

"You can't hide it from me, princess," His tone is calmer now, his features have softened. 

"I know," I look down. "That's what scares me."

Hands pick up my face, I meet Axel's eye. It was only at this moment where my emotions weren't conflicted. 

"How many times do I have to tell you I care about you?" He chuckles humorlessly, "How many different ways do you want me to say it?"

"You don't even know me,"

"I don't need to."

I try to wring my face out of his hands, he doesn't budge. "But Olivia-"

"Came onto me literally thirty seconds before you turned the corner,"

"Oh, bullshit," I scrunch my face. "You had her pinned against the wall,"

"I was leaning on the wall, yes," He rolls his eyes. "Pinning her, no,"

Who is he lying to? I saw it with my own eyes.

"Anyways, She only talked about you the entire time," He sighs, "Such a turn off,"

I push him again and he lets me. "I hate you so much,"

"Don't worry, doll, no one can keep up with me like you can," He shines a boyish smile.

Then there was silence, me looking at him and him looking at me. I was searching his eyes for any sign of deception. See if he was lying, it would make this situation so much easier. For years I've just wanted someone that looked slightly lower than the surface. Now that I had it, I was scared. 

I was scared because he is the one person that I don't think I'd be okay with losing. Scared because I have to fight logic with him. Knowing that the only thing I want to do is melt into all that is Axel Stone. 

However, Axel is a son of a bitch- and nothing is ever that easy. 

"I don't care what you say, sweetheart, you can push me all you want," We were forehead to forehead, "I won't leave you alone,"