"The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter - often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter - in the eye."

- Charlotte Brontë

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Before I could register what was happening, Axel had Rylan by the collar of his shirt, throwing him onto the hard floor.

I watched in horror as Axel started delivering punch after punch to Rylan's face. When I saw Rylan make no effort to fight back or to protect himself I quickly snapped into action.

"Axel stop!" I tried pulling him off but it was useless. His strength overpowered mine by a landslide, he was like a bulldozer, it was pretty much impossible to stop when him once he got started. I pushed on his shoulder several times and finally, his attention snapped to me.

His eyes were burning with such fury that made me stumble away from him. His hands were still in a fist as he loomed over Rylan, who I think was unconscious at this point. Axel's features turned from menacing to slightly benevolent to emotionless in the span of three seconds.

"You don't need to hurt him," I told him gently so it didn't anger him more.

His dark eyes looked me over before he stood up, leaving a motionless Rylan on the ground. I was pinned in place from the look on Axel's face. I tried to move, I really did, but the way he was stalking towards me left me paralyzed.

"You don't know how long I wanted to do that." His was now cool and smooth, almost like nothing had ever happened.

My eyes jumped to Rylan and I could now see he was bleeding from both his nose and mouth, my breathing stopped at the sight. I wanted to run over to him and make sure he was at least breathing but my body was frozen.

"Angel, look at me," Axel demanded but I kept my gaze on the knocked out boy on my floor.

"Mia." He says again trying to get my attention.

When he realizes I wasn't going to look at him, he put his fingers underneath my chin and forced me to look him in eyes.

I hated Axel's eyes, they were always too intense for me, they said so much even when his mouth says so little. Sometimes a single look from Axel was like trying to figure out morse code but other times, the message was clear as day.

"He's going to be okay." He assured me.

I didn't even know I was shaking until I felt Axel's hand grab mine. His hands were red and now cut from his interactions with Rylan's face.

"Why'd you hit him?" I choked out.

The grip he had on my hand tighten then released quickly, the faraway look in Axel's eyes started to disappear and was replaced with other emotions I couldn't quite put my finger on, determination maybe?

"Because I'm not letting what happen with Faye happen again, not this time." He told me, shaking his head.

"Plus he deserved it." Axel shrugged.

My tongue must have forgotten how to form words because no matter how hard I tried, they just wouldn't come out.

I wanted to ask him what he meant by the whole Faye thing but deep down, I already knew.

My breathing hitched in my throat when I saw Axel lean in treacherously close. His eyes narrowed at me not in an "I want to pummel you to a pulp" sort of way but more like he was studying me.

"Just in case.." He whispered, kissing the left corner of my mouth.

"You forgot how.." Then the right corner.

"A real kiss feels." His lips brushed against mine before they met completely.

And there it was, that heart racing, blood pumping, head-spinning feeling. My stomach was doing flips when I felt Axel's hands slip to the sides of my neck, holding me steady so he could deepen the kiss. Our mouths seemed to fit perfectly together, almost like missing puzzles pieces.

Axel abruptly pulled away which I was thankful for because any longer I was certain I'd join Rylan passed out on the floor.

Axel pulled away smirking, our eyes stayed locked together as he brings his thumb to his mouth and wipes his lower lip slowly, causing me to feel like fainting once again.

Amusement flooded his eyes when he saw my dazed state, my blood felt like a furnace rushing up my neck to my cheeks, I'm sure my face was as a red fire truck at this point.

I watched with weary eyes as Axel strode towards Rylan's sleeping body.

"C'mon, wake up." He said jabbing Rylan in the side with his shoe.

"Nap times over," Axel grunted, pulling him into a sitting position.

He then began slapping Rylan on the cheek a little harder than necessary but it seemed work.

"There you go, buddy." Alex applauded, sarcasm evident in his voice.

"What happened?" Rylan moaned, looking around the room with starry eyes.

"I kicked your ass," Axel said cockily, a massive grin on his face. He then patted Rylan on the back a few times before standing up straight and walking right out the room.

Rylan and I both stared at the door with mouths gaping, neither us could wrap our heads around what just happened.

Axel makes me want to tear my hair out and scream at the top of my lungs until I can barely talk. He makes me want to cry until there are no more tears left to cry with. Axel makes me want to you rip myself apart with my bare hands, but I wouldn't have it any other way because, in my own sick, twisted way, it remains me that I am alive.

It reminds me that a body is not supposed to feel like an abandoned house where ghosts live, that it's okay if you can feel the ache in your chest because at least you're feeling something at all. Axel reminds me that a heart should not feel like a stone nor should a brain feel like a war zone.

*****

I stood in the bathroom with Rylan feeling everything and nothing all at the same time. I know that probably doesn't make much sense but that's how I felt.

I carefully dabbed on his cuts, cleaning his wounds. The way Rylan was sitting on the counter made me reminisce about when I was cleaning Axel's hand. The way his eyes lingered on me for longer than they should and the tension that was so clearly in the room that night.

"Did I.." He cleared his throat before speaking again.

"Did I kiss you? Or was that a dream?" Rylan asked genuinely confused.

"No, that was definitely reality," I told him, not looking into his eyes.

"Fuck." He cursed under his breath.

"Rylan?" I said out.

"I'm not Faye, so please don't compare me to her." I finally looked directly into his eyes.

"I'm sorry." He looked down to the ground, like a child getting in trouble.

"I'm not sure what came over me." He winced when I ran the washcloth over the cut on his lip.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." He rushed out so quickly I almost didn't understand him.

I couldn't help but think how heartbroken Kina would be if I told her about what happen just an hour ago. I didn't like being the bearer of bad news, I was just as disappointed as she would be, I want my ship to sail not sink.

"Do you like me?" The words fell out without a second thought.

Rylan looked shocked by my words but recovered quickly. His eyebrows knitted together as he concentrated on something mentally.

"Honestly Munchkin, I have no idea." He said giving me a sad look.

"Can I be honest with you?" I asked, putting a band-aid above his eyebrow.

"For sure." Rylan nodded.

"I think we'd be best as friends," I told him.

"I think you'd be better with someone like Kina," I informed him, trying to subtly cram the thought of him and Kina together in his head.

"Really?" He gave me a confused look.

"Really." I nodded my head a little too eagerly.

He didn't say anything but I could see him thinking about that idea. Both Kina and Rylan deserved someone who was crazy about them.

"All done!" I sighed, satisfied with my work.

Rylan quickly got down from the counter and swept the wrinkles out of his shirt, like mattered though, there were already bloodstains on the bright blue shirt.

"Thanks for helping after everything." Rylan gave me one of his dazzling smiles that's caused me to smile too.

"That's what friends are for." I joked.

An unreadable expression washed onto his face but it was quickly replaced with the smile from before.

Without warning, Rylan shimmies out of the bloody shirt exposing his toned stomach and throws the shirt at me.

"They are for doing other friend's laundry." He smirked at me.

"No way! I'm not doing your laundry." I refused, throwing the shirt back at him. Somehow he failed to catch the shirt and it hit smack in the face and I laughed.

"Please Honey Bunch, It's my favorite shirt! I don't want it to be ruin!" Rylan whined, pulling the shirt off his head.

"Fine, but you're making my lunch." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Deal!" He agreed.

The rest of the night was filled with the constant bickering between Indy and Wyatt who were playing Uno together. I thought for sure they were going to jump over the table and tackle each other every time they told the other one to draw 4.

Rose even stayed up late with us talking about how was school going and about my new job at the cafe. I was also sure to thank her for the phone and money she had given because I never got around to doing earlier.

Rylan ended up making me ramen noodles because he and I quote "don't know how to cook". Overall it was a good way to spend the night.

But in the back of my head, I knew it would have been better if Axel was here but I'd never admitted that out loud.