7. June 20th

7

June 20th

" I t's my birthday. Can you please just leave me be?"

Axel tsks and holds up his phone. It's 12:01 AM. "Get on." He lets go of his grip on me to yank the helmet off the handles. He tosses it at my chest.

I catch it just before it lands. "What is this?" I ask. I still don't understand why he is talking to me, why he is manhandling me.

"It's a helmet." Axel's condescending tone prickles my irritation.

"Fucking obviously ."

He laughs. "Is the innocent Sunday cursing already?" Once more he's invading my space. He guides the helmet to my head and clips it under my chin. His fingers linger longer than needed and I savor the touch.

Savor the touch? Disgust shoots through me. He isn't Tripp. Tripp is dead. Axel is nothing like Tripp. Axel is sharp lines, emotional outbursts, darkness, and danger. The exact opposite of Tripp.

Whatever is on my face causes Axel's to turn into an impenetrable mask.

He puts a long leg over the bike and settles into the front. "Get on," he barks gruffly, gesturing behind him.

I'm not sure how I ended up in this moment tonight, but why not? He can drive me to the party, and then I can find Carrie and forget this entire interaction occurred. I don't know Axel, but he wouldn't try to hurt me. At least I don't think he would. There's definitely something off with the three brothers, but it doesn't seem… deadly.

I hope.

Decision made. I settle behind him on the seat, attempting to put as much space between us as possible.

"No, you're going to hold onto me and not let go. You fucking hear me? You let go and you'll tumble off." He reaches back and yanks me forward.

This close to him I can feel every muscle through the leather jacket he wears. I have done my best not to take in any of his appearance, but now I am forced to sculpt my body to his. It's worse than when he held me. I can't escape this.

Before I can change my mind and jump off the bike, he turns on the engine and jolts out the driveway.

His dark silky hair is just long enough to whip against the visor of the helmet. To avoid it, I push my face firmly against his back as best I can.

I hold on tight waiting for the ride to end. Ignoring how much I enjoy it. The warmth of his body, the smell of leather that sneaks into my helmet, the heart pumping adrenaline.

Auggie and Tripp, if only they could see me now.

They would both be furious.

***

After a short while, we come to a stop and Axel unpeels my arms that are secured around him.

I unstick my helmet from his jacket and take in my surroundings.

The party is in full swing, but thankfully Axel parks us on the outskirts of the chaos.

Axel gracefully untangles himself from the bike, but when I go to do the same, my foot catches and he's forced to catch my weight as I sprawl onto him. He doesn't even flinch, he simply grasps my hips with his large hands.

"Again?" Axel huffs the word as he places me back upright; it is oddly familiar. As if there is a memory of this somewhere deep in the recesses of my mind. Except I have never been on a motorcycle before.

Once Axel is satisfied, he lets go and removes my helmet.

I ignore the uneasy feeling, the heat of his fingers on my chin, his intense unfaltering attention and whip my head away as soon as he's done.

"Well, thanks?" My cheeks are flushed at this point from a mixture of embarrassment and irritation.

Axel chuckles softly. It's so similar in tone to Tripp that I flick my eyes back to him.

My vision blurs and it takes me a moment to realize I'm crying . I don't need to think any further into this entire interaction. Instead, I sprint off in the direction of the party, wiping my eyes furiously as I go.

Once again running away from an O'Brien.