Axel

6

I S A B E L L A

Exactly a week has passed since the storm, i've been following the same old routine, work, school, eat, sleep. It's a constant loop, and sometimes i wonder what's the point? Is this what I'll have to do for the rest of my life to keep a roof over my head and afford food.

Abby ignores me at school, which i guess isn't new but she has moved seats in those two classes we sit together. She had blocked me on socials and even decided to tell the whole school i was a whore who has been banging Axel Brown and Keith Kennedy.

Axel Brown.

At first i thought, are we thinking about the same Axel? Because i had never imagined Axel's last name to be Brown. And then i thought, how could someone hate you so much for simply sitting next to the guy you wanted.

But i guess it wasn't surprising, Abby lives and thrives off attention and boys.

People whispered around the school about me and how stupid i must be to be messing around with a player like Axel Brown. Girls gave me dirty looks, angry that i had apparently taken Axel off them.

But I barely know Axel? The only thing i know about him is that his name is Axel Brown, he is twenty years old and he likes hot chocolate. But i let the rumors go on hoping they'd die down.

Axel comes to the cafe everyday, always orders a hot chocolate. We don't speak much, i always make sure to smile at him and say hello. The only acknowledgment he gives me is a nod, but even then, his lips are in a line and he stands on his phone waiting for it, leaving right after he gets his hot chocolate.

I wonder if he heard of the rumour, even tho he does not go to this school he seems quite popular at it. But he doesn't seem to be the type of person to care about a small rumour.

Hes only ever had a real conversation with me, twice. And even then it was short. The rest of the time he only ever acted annoyed by me. And sometimes i wonder what has made him the way he is. Why must he not even try to be kind?

As i stood taking people's orders, and giving them change. I occasionally glanced at him, only to see him on his phone scrolling and leaning against the wall he leans on every time.

I don't dare call out his name, my colleagues always do it. I don't have the courage to. I watch him push off the wall and slide his phone into his pocket, he nods at my colleague and takes the plastic cup before leaving without looking back.

And I'm only left waiting for him to come tomorrow, so the cycle can continue. I smile, he'll nod and then he'll leave without one word to me. It's a loop i've gotten used to by now, i just don't know if i like it.

"Hey." Lucy greets with a warm smile, she has her apporan on and a towel round her neck. Her hair was in a cute ponytail and she was placing a plate in the dishwasher.

"Hi." I brightly smile at her, cleaning up a counter. We were just closing up and it was getting dark outside.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" She asks, i only shake my head as she takes the towel of her neck placing it on the counter, her expression seemed pleased with my answer.

"Oh that's great! Do you like watching people fight?" She asks, i knit my eyebrows at her question before replying.

"I don't know, maybe? i don't really watch that stuff." I reply and let out an awkward laugh, whilst beginning to stack some chairs on top of one another.