Cassie's Tale on Life, Love and Loss

Chapter 4

I pulled into my driveway and looked across the grass separation and saw his white Mercedes. How did he get here before me? When I left he hadn't even gotten into his car yet.

I sauntered into the house to find it just as I left it: half eaten breakfast on the table, most the lights in the house on, the TV still on- I should stop leaving the house like this.

I straightened up the place and went up to my room and took a nap.

"What the hell?" I screamed when I felt someone shaking me.

"Calm down, I just need a place to go to get away from my parents." the silhouette that I knew to be Axel's whispered.

"So you come here?!" I questioned.

"Yea, I mean my parents would never come here to look for me and we need to work on that chemistry homework" he whispered again. Why was he whispering? Was my mom home? What time is it?

"Umm ok... Why are you whispering?
And how did you get in?" I whispered also just in case my mom is here.

"I don't know. It's kind of the standard when you sneak up into someone's room. And your back door was open, like wide open, I locked it though" he chuckled.

"Uh ok then, thanks" I giggled. Axel Ramirez is sitting on my bed! "Give me a minute to go freshen up"

I made my way to the bathroom when Axel started walking around and looking at pictures and posters in my room. He seemed sort of fascinated by my teddy bear collection on my bed.

I took a look in the mirror and saw my cherry blonde hair all tussled from my nap and a few sleep marks on my cheeks. I cleaned up and went back out to find him still looking at 47 teddy bears.

What would my mom think of she came home and saw Axel in my bedroom? She would probably have a field day, grateful I'm finally being social again. Just to make sure she doesn't though I texted her: Hey mom, umm my new lab partner, Axel Ramirez, our neighbor, is coming over to work on some homework.

Maybe I should've asked her if it was ok rather than just telling her. Meh, she'll live.

"Hey so why do you have so many teddy bears?" Axel asked as he made his was over to my desk.

"Umm it was a tradition me and my dad had: to get the biggest teddy bears at carnivals when we went. I haven't been to any since he... Umm... since... For a few years now" I stuttered. Why was I so open with him, we only had our first conversation this morning.

"Oh cool, me and my dad never did anything together, he just makes me do stuff for him" he stuttered. He seemed so uncomfortable now.

"Oh, You want to got started?" I motioned to my chemistry text book sitting on the bed.

For the next hour and a half we worked on the assignment. Unlike his girlfriend, he refused to let me just give him the answers, he wanted me to explain everything, I could never be a teacher... this was too stressful.

My mother came home when we were almost done and knocked on my door softly. I introduced her to Axel and they talked a little. He had a way with charming people. I could see my mother blushing. She offered him to stay for dinner then went back down to the kitchen.

"Sweet cheeks, how'd you get so smart?" Axel asked with a little smirk pasted on his face when we were done.

"I don't know, I just poured my time into academics in 8th grade."I told him, this was really the most I've spoken to anyone except my mom in a while. "Hey can I ask you something."

"Sure, go for it." He replied turning his eyes to me.

"Why do you call me 'sweet cheeks'?"

"Its the way your cheeks get all red every time I wink at you. Its cute." He said adding a wink. This boy really knew how to toy with my heart.

"No they don't. That's just their natural color." I said all flustered.

"Sure it is" he chuckled. "I mean its fine if you like me. I know I'm drop dead gorgeous." he said ever so conceitedly with a little smirk.

"If that's what you want to tell yourself" I mean ofcourse he was drop dead gorgeous and sexy but I wasn't going to boast his ego, enough girls do that as it is.

He frowned and opened his mouth to reply but didn't get to reply seeing as my mother called us down for dinner.

"So Axel how old are you?" my mother questioned. Geez she was acting like he was my boyfriend or something, there was no need for this interrogation.

"I'm 17 Ms Montgomery" he replied as if these questions didn't bother him. This had to be like the 15th question.

"Hey Axel its getting kind if late," I pointed out looking at my phone seeing it was 9:37.

"Yea it is, I should probably be heading home. Thank you Ms Montgomery." he said shaking her hand. Mom began picking up the plates and bringing them to the kitchen.

"Sweet cheeks, walk me out" he said quietly for my mother not to hear and wrapping his arm around the small of my back long enough for my cheeks to feel like they're on fire.

"Uh sure" I said flustered.

We walked out to the sidewalk in silence. He gave me a hug and told me goodnight damn he smelled good as hell.

I started making my way back to my front door when I realized he was still standing on the curb, so I went back over to him.

"What's up?" I asked wondering if he was frozen.

"Nothing just making sure my new clumsy friend gets back home without tripping" he chuckled. I smacked his arm and felt his huge biceps. Damn he's built. I told him to go home and started making my way back to my door, this time he didn't stand on the sidewalk.

I went upstairs and went to take a shower. Friend? We're friends now? I mean before this morning we had never had a conversation before and now were friends. I guess him sitting on my bed and playing with my teddy bears kind of makes him more than just an acquaintance.