book 1 ✔︎
book 2 ✔︎
book 3 ✔︎
PART OF ME - you become so emotionally close to someone that you feel like they are literally a part of you, like a half of your heart. You don't want to live without them - you can't.
Aviana Ember wouldn't know this fe...
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Mom is thrilled that Axel is here. I didn't realize how much she loved the guy until she sees him sitting on the couch between Jem and Dylan and drops the grocery bags and literally screeches. And mom never freaks out.
"Axel!" She gasps, and he chuckles, standing to take her into a hug. "Oh my God!" she hugs him back, a full, big, loving, motherly hug, and he lifts her off the ground. "It is so good to see you, hunny," she mumbles into his neck, and when he sets her back down, her hands are cupping her face and squishing it.
"It's good to see you too," he tells her through fish lips because she's still squeezing his face, just looking at him, taking him in.
Mom looks past Axel to Dylan and Jem and I, but mostly at me, as if she just remembers what happened between Axel and I, and quickly backs away from him, trying to keep her cool. "I see I'm not the first you surprised," she says.
He nods. "Yeah, I went to Will first."
"He freaked out, didn't he?"
Axel shrugs. "Not really. I mean, he's had bigger surprises."
"Aw," mom coos, "you met the girls?"
He nods. "They're adorable."
"They're going to love you," Mom tells him, again, looking at me and glancing away, not knowing how nice she's supposed to be to him.
I smile at her though, as if to say, 'it's fine', and with that, I lean into Dylan. Axel and I are over. We're fine. Maybe we can even be friends.
Mom nods. "So," she says, "I have to put the groceries away, but Will'll be back soon and we'll make some supper. Sound good?"
"I'll help," Axel offers after seeing Dylan throw his arm around my shoulders. His expression changes again, and it's obvious that he notices us together, and I know Dylan knows, and although trying to be nice to Axel, he's not going to let him do whatever the hell wants. I'm with him. I'm with Dylan, and he's going to make sure Axel knows.
Mom and Axel talk in the kitchen as he helps her store groceries in the fridge and in the pantry, but their voices are muffled, and I can't hear what they're saying. I wonder if they talk about me, but I doubt it. They like each other, and have grown closer especially after Axel's mom passed, but Mom is obligated to take my side if there's an argument, and neither want to create tension.
We put on a TV show for Jem when Dylan asks if we can go upstairs. I nod, even though I don't want to. It feels wrong, having Axel in the house, as well as my new boyfriend. And as much as I'd think I'd want Axel to pay for what he did, I could never do anything intentional to hurt him.
"So," Dylan says, closing my bedroom door. "That's Axel."
